RTHK: Two Malaysians arrested by Taliban, reports say

Malaysia is seeking help from foreign security agencies to confirm media reports that two of its nationals have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan for their alleged involvement in Islamic State, the country's top police official said on Saturday.

Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said authorities had no information regarding the involvement of any Malaysians in the militant group in Afghanistan.

"The Royal Malaysian Police has requested security agencies abroad to confirm the reports as well as the allegations," he said in a statement.

"Investigations are also being carried out on whether those reports involved Malaysian Islamic State fighters who are already overseas."

British publication The Times on Saturday had reported the arrest of six Islamic State operatives, including two Malaysians, citing a Taliban official.

In the past decade, dozens of Malaysians have left their country to fight with Islamic State in Syria and other nations, though some have since been allowed to return under conditions set by authorities. It was unclear how many remain overseas. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Update: 28-08-2021 | 15:01:26

Thani Thongphakdi, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand believes that with the strong commitment and efforts of both countries, Vietnam and Thailand will achieve US$ 25 billion bilateral trade target by 2025.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung attends the event

On August 26, the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok in collaboration with the Thai Embassy in Hanoi and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam co-organized a webinar to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic relations (1976 - 2021).

In his opening speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh highlighted the 45th anniversary as an important opportune occasion for the two countries to look back on their achievements and look to the future.

Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Nikorndej Balankura shared this statement and emphasized that the in-depth assessments of speakers at the seminar will make practical contributions to helping the two governments solidify the foundation of Vietnam-Thailand relationship in the time ahead.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung stated that the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand 45 years ago opened a new era in the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of politics - diplomacy, trade - investment, tourism, culture, and social affairs.

At multilateral forums, both nations have actively boosted their closer cooperation as a mean of strengthening the solidarity and central role of ASEAN. Most recently, their friendship has continued to be demonstrated through great efforts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, accessing vaccine sources, and aiming for socio-economic recovery after the pandemic.

Thani Thongphakdi, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand highly appreciated the unprecedented close connection between Thailand and Vietnam, with frequent dialogues and mutual visits being promoted at all levels by senior leaders.

He also suggested the two countries consider building a partnership on three pillars: sustainable development, sustainable peace, and sustainable future.

On the multilateral level, Vietnam and Thailand have effectively cooperated in many regional and international mechanisms such as ASEAN, the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the United Nations.

On the economy, Thailand is one of the top 10 foreign investors in Vietnam, and also the largest trading partner of Vietnam in ASEAN.

Participants at the webinar

In addition, the two countries have always placed importance on cultural-educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges through which the Vietnamese-Thai community in Thailand have made significant contributions fortifying bilateral relations.

Participants focused their discussion on recommendations to strengthen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand in the coming time.

Both nations should fully tap cooperation potential by intensifying exchanges at all levels, sharing experience, offering mutual support in knowledge and technology transfer, stepping up cooperation in areas of each side's strengths.

Furthermore, the two countries can explore new cooperation opportunities, in line with the trend of the 4.0 industrial revolution such as technology start-ups, digital transformation, digital economy, innovation, supply chain re-establishment, research and production of COVID-19 vaccines , and green and sustainable development, they said.

Close coordination to promote joint initiatives at ACMECS mechanisms will help the two countries realize their benefits and contribute to the sustainable development of the Mekong sub-region and Southeast Asia.

On the East Sea issue, the participants underlined the need for both sides to work together to build mechanisms for resolving conflicts by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law.

Vietnam-Thailand cooperation will continue to make effective contributions to enhancing the centrality and inner bloc solidarity among ASEAN members as well as to peace, stability and shared prosperity in the region.

The webinar serves as a forum to review the good friendship cooperation between the two countries over the past 45 years, and affirm both nations' determination to deepen their strategic partnership moving forward.

VOV
Vietnamese student wins third prize at 50th UPU writing contest

Vietnamese student Dao Anh Thu, an eighth grader from Nguyen Huy Tuong Secondary School, Dong Anh District, Hanoi City, won third prize at the 50th Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest.













Vietnamese student Dao Anh Thu, eighth grader from Nguyen Huy Tuong Secondary School, Dong Anh District, Hanoi City, won third prize at the 50th Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest.



The information was announced by the UPU International Office at the closing plenary session of the 27th Congress of the Postal Union in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) on the evening of August 27, 2021.



The 50th UPU International Letter Writing Competition - 2021 was organised by the UPU with the theme: "Write a letter to a family member about your experience with COVID-19".



As the author of the letter that won the international third prize, Dao Anh Thu chose the idea of sending a letter to a baby girl born while her mother was treating Covid-19 at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The letter described the difficulties and hardships of the doctors and the pride in their contributions to the prevention and control of the pandemic in Vietnam.



With a clear message, a logical and reasonable presentation, and a record of practical experiences, the letter brought Vietnam one of the top three prizes of the 50th UPU International Letter Writing Contest, extending Vietnams performance in the 33rd year of participation. This is the 16th time that a Vietnamese student has won an international prize at this competition.



The international first prize went to Nubaysha Islam (female, 14 years old) from Bangladesh. The international second prize was awarded to Bruno Ivanovski (male, 14 years old) from North Macedonia for a letter to his grandmother. In addition, UPU also awarded five consolation prizes to students from Belarus, Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey and Libya.



Every year, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) holds the UPU International Letter Writing Contest encouraging young writers aged 9-15 to write letters on a given theme to win exciting prizes. The competition is an excellent way to develop writing skills among youths and boost their ability to express their thoughts clearly regarding the social problem they may be concerned about. It also aims to foster and nurture the young generation's awareness and responsibilities towards society, their nation, as well as the whole world.
Pentagon says U.S. drone strike kills 2 ISIS-K targets

Xinhua) 09:07, August 29, 2021

Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the Pentagon seen from an airplane over Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The strike came after a suicide bombing outside Kabul airport on Thursday which killed 13 U.S. service members and some 170 Afghans. ISIS-K had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Pentagon said on Saturday that two high-profile targets of ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, were killed in a U.S. drone strike on Friday.

"Two high-profile ISIS targets were killed, one was wounded, and we know of zero civilian casualties," U.S. Army Major General Hank Taylor told reporters in a Pentagon briefing.

U.S. Central Command initially assessed on Friday that the drone strike, which occurred in Nangarhar province of eastern Afghanistan, killed one ISIS-K planner.

The strike came after a suicide bombing outside Kabul airport on Thursday which killed 13 U.S. service members and some 170 Afghans. ISIS-K had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in the briefing that the U.S. military supporting evacuation had begun its withdrawal from Kabul airport.

President Joe Biden set Aug. 31 as the deadline to end U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.

The United States has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country since the Taliban entered Kabul on Aug. 15. The White House said on Saturday around 111,900 people had left Afghanistan since Aug. 14.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
Sri Lanka receives 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China's PLA

Xinhua) 09:50, August 29, 2021

Boxes containing Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China are seen at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Aug. 28, 2021. Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. (Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka/Handout via Xinhua)

Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

The vaccines which arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday morning have been handed over to Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne by Wang Dong, defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said the service personnel, their families and the ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the vaccines.

"Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated as of now, the general public could also be facilitated using the balance amount," he said.

Expressing gratitude to China for the timely support, General Gunaratne said, "We are so happy that as a result of a request made by the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka to the Defense Minister of China, we received 300,000 doses of vaccines for members of the security forces and their family members. This is a timely donation."

Recalling the remarkable and long-standing relationship between the two countries, Wan Dong said the Chinese people have never hesitated to extend their support to the Sri Lankans in difficult times.

The donation shows the solidarity between the two countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On his Twitter account, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked China's PLA for the donation, saying the assistance from China will ensure the vaccination drive in Sri Lanka a success.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that on the same flight, 2 million more doses of the Sinopharm vaccines had also arrived from China.

Sri Lanka has so far received 18 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the leading vaccine being administered across the country.

(Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji)
Politics has no place in COVID-19 origins tracing, says WHO chief scientist

Xinhua) 13:52, August 29, 2021

Chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) Soumya Swaminathan has called for an evidence-based global scientific effort to understand COVID-19 origins, a Singaporean media outlet reported.

"I think politics has absolutely no place in this because the science behind this is going to be important for all of us, regardless of which country we live in," said Swaminathan in an interview with CAN, an English-language news channel based in Singapore on Aug. 23.

"We need to take the politics away from this completely and just let the scientists get on with their jobs," she was quoted as saying.

Swaminathan said, "the WHO is encouraging open scientific discussion on the pandemic but that finding who is responsible is probably not the right question to ask."

"If this was a natural phenomenon, it can happen anywhere. If it's happened in different parts of the world in the past, it can happen tomorrow and anywhere. The next pandemic could be upon us even before we're out of this one," she added.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Vaccines, consumer and business confidence spark strong EU growth amid concerns over new pandemic wave

Xinhua) 13:56, August 29, 2021

European Union (EU) economies have emerged strongly from the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, though analysts are concerned that new virus variants may halt further growth.

The latest economic models show that Italy and Spain are on pace to see their strongest economic growth in more than 40 years this year, with Italy's economy expected to grow 5.6 percent and Spain's 6.2 percent in 2021. Those estimates are 0.6 and 0.3 percent above previous estimates a month earlier, respectively.

Germany, the EU's largest economy, last week raised its domestic economic growth estimate for 2021. Expectations include that German pharmaceutical firm BioNTech, co-developer of the widely distributed Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, could alone add 0.5 percent to Germany's economic growth this year.

Last month, the EU's statistics office reported that economies from the 27-nation bloc grew 13.2 percent in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2020.

The strong growth figures, however, should also be viewed from the perspective of a low baseline in 2020, when the continent was mostly under coronavirus-induced lockdowns, dramatically slowing economic activities. The impacts were especially severe in Italy and Spain, which rely heavily on tourism.

But the strong economic responses across the EU, coupled with high vaccination rates, helped to restore consumer and business confidence and boost exports faster than most analysts had expected.

"The reopening of non-essential businesses helped spur growth in retail sales near pre-pandemic levels," Tej Parikh, a director at Fitch Ratings, told Xinhua. "The economic momentum from the reopening is increasing."

He noted, however, that the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus still represents the "biggest downside risk" for European economies.

Nicola Nobile of Oxford Economics, an independent economics research group, said in a report that the "Delta variant will likely cause a surge in COVID-19 cases," though the "vaccination process means any new waves (of the pandemic) should be significantly less deadly than previous ones."

Giuseppe De Arcangelis, a professor of international economics at Rome's Sapienza University, called the latest economic data "reassuring," though he also expressed some concerns over the pandemic.

"From what we can see, the situation remains under control," De Arcangelis told Xinhua. "But there is still so much uncertainty that it is hard to be confident. Everything could change in a week or two."

De Arcangelis said the uncertainty requires coming up with more growth scenarios, both on the high and the low end, in order to get a complete picture. He said one scenario that worries him involves vaccines.

"The vaccine rollout in Europe has been very successful, and it is the main reason for optimism, even as the Delta variant gains ground," De Arcangelis said. "But I am concerned that we may need more vaccines to keep up the momentum. I hope we won't have vaccine supply problems in the coming weeks and months."

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Full text: Statement by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Release of U.S. Intelligence Report on COVID-19 Origins

Xinhua) 14:34, August 29, 2021

Following is the full text of the Statement by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Release of U.S. Intelligence Report on COVID-19 Origins, issued on Saturday:

The U.S. intelligence community has recently compiled a so-called report on the origins of COVID-19. It is a mendacious report made up for political purposes. There is no scientific basis or credibility in it. The United States has also released a statement slandering and attacking China. The Chinese side hereby expresses its firm objection. It has made strong representations with the United States.

We have stressed on multiple occasions that origins tracing of COVID-19 is a complex issue of science. It should and can only be undertaken by scientists around the world through joint research. The United States, however, disregards science and facts. It is instead obsessed with political manipulation and origins tracing by the intelligence community. Without providing any evidence, the United States has cooked up one story after another to defame and accuse China. The aim is to use origins tracing to shift blame onto China and spread the political virus. The deployment of the intelligence community in origins tracing is in itself a compelling evidence of the politicization of the issue.

The United States accuses China of not being transparent or cooperative on origins tracing. This is sheer nonsense. China attaches great importance to international scientific cooperation on origins tracing, and has taken an active part in such cooperation. Acting on the principles of science, openness and transparency, we have twice invited WHO experts to China for origins tracing research. Early this year, a WHO-China joint study team of leading international and Chinese experts conducted a 28-day research in China and released a Joint Report containing authoritative, professional and science-based conclusions. This is a good foundation for international cooperation on origins tracing. We have been supporting science-based efforts on origins tracing, and will continue to stay actively engaged. That said, we firmly oppose attempts to politicize this issue.

It is actually the United States that is not being transparent, responsible and cooperative on this issue. The United States has been refusing to respond to the international community's reasonable doubts on the Fort Detrick biolab and the over 200 overseas bases for biological experiments, trying to cover up the truth and avoid being held responsible. The onus is on the United States to give the world an answer.

The U.S. attempts to politicize origins tracing have found no support and met widespread opposition from the international community: More than 80 countries have written to the WHO Director-General, issued statements, or sent diplomatic notes to voice their objection to the politicization attempts and call for the Joint Report by the WHO-China joint study team to be upheld; over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat on opposing the politicization of origins tracing; and over 25 million Chinese netizens have signed an open letter asking for an inquiry into the Fort Detrick base. These are people's calls for justice.

As a Chinese saying goes, a just cause attracts abundant support, while an unjust one finds little. We want to once again warn the U.S. side that politicizing origins tracing will lead nowhere. We urge the United States to immediately stop doing anything that poisons the atmosphere for international cooperation on origins tracing or undermines global solidarity against the pandemic, and return to the right track of science-based origins tracing and cooperation in the face of the pandemic.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
Chinese companies help propel Ethiopia's telecom services

Xinhua) 15:10, August 29, 2021

Living in Ambo city, around 100 km west of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia which was the only city in the country that had 4G telecom services until recently, Merera Gemechu and his fellow community members had to struggle to catch modern telecom technologies.

Gemechu owns an Internet cafe in Ambo. Now, he is optimistic about the possibilities of tapping into the Internet world thanks to the newly launched fourth generation (4G) telecom services in the area.

Locals often flocked to Gemechu's Internet cafe to access the Internet, in which the lack of 4G telecom services in the area had challenged his customers' Internet experience.

Ambo is one of the central-west cities in Ethiopia that recently welcomed the introduction of 4G telecom services by Chinese hi-tech giant ZTE -- a major partner of Ethio-Telecom, the East African country's sole telecom service provider so far, along with Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

"I hope the launch of 4G telecom services in Ambo city is the start of the introduction of further modern telecom technologies in the city," Gemechu told Xinhua, as he cherished the newly launched improved telecom services.

"My business is very much dependent on having up to date telecom services and with the launch of the 4G telecom services, I'm optimistic my business will further grow and even diversify," he said.

Ethio-Telecom, which is recognized as one of Africa's oldest telecom service providers, has more than 56.2 million subscribers, with more than 25 million data and Internet users.

The company, which aspires to increase its subscribers to 64 million by the end of the just-started Ethiopian fiscal year, is striving to expand its data and Internet users by 16.2 percent to 28.5 million.

As part of its ambition to provide modern telecom service to its users, the Ethiopia's sole telecom service provider partners with Chinese tech companies, mainly Huawei and ZTE, to realize its 4G LTE telecom service expansion.

At a ceremony held Thursday in Ambo city to mark the launch of 4G LTE telecom service in the central-west Ethiopia, Frehiwot Tamiru, CEO of Ethio-Telecom, said the launch of the latest Chinese-built 4G services is part of the telecom service provider's three-year growth plan to expand modern telecom services to more than 100 Ethiopian cities.

"The 4G service you're using currently is 14 times faster than the 3G service you were using until now," Tamiru told Ambo city dwellers as they welcomed the introduction of 4G LTE service in their area.

During the second half of Ethiopia's last fiscal year that ended on July 7, Ethio-Telecom had connected 68 Ethiopian cities with 4G telecom services, in which the engagement of Chinese companies had been a major impetus.

Sun Yue, Wireless Chief Technical Officer of ZTE Middle East and Africa, said the Chinese firm has been striving to provide up to date technology to Ethiopia for more than a decade.

"Ten years ago, there was 2G here, and we could only make a call, five years ago we only had 3G, and we could only enjoy some data. Now, we have 4G LTE," he said.

Sun emphasized ZTE's commitment to provide Ethiopian customers with modern telecom services as early as possible.

Speaking to Xinhua recently, Zhang Bowen, deputy director of Public Relations, Huawei Northern Africa region, also emphasized the importance of Huawei's partnership with Ethio-Telecom in expanding 4G telecom services across Ethiopia.

Amid swift modern telecom service expansion in Ethiopia lately, experts spoke highly of the socio-economic importance of introducing the latest technologies 4G LTE telecom service to Ethiopians.

According to Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, Chinese companies are major players in Ethiopia's quest towards the provision of improved telecom service across the country.

The professor emphasized that the reliable data services that will be harnessed from high bandwidth and high-speed features of 4G LTE will enable and empower Ethiopians to digitize their services, increase productivity and improve Internet experiences.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)
China donates more COVID-19 vaccines to Lebanon

Xinhua) 15:12, August 29, 2021

The Chinese government decided to provide Lebanon with a new batch of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine to help the country fight the pandemic, the Chinese embassy in Lebanon said in a statement Saturday.

The new donation comes within the framework of China's promise to make its vaccines a global public good, in order to help Lebanon fight the virus and restore normal life as soon as possible, the statement said.

Earlier this year, China donated batches of its Sinopharm vaccines to Lebanon, which were administered to members of the Lebanese army, security forces and public sector employees.

Since the pandemic broke out in Lebanon, the Chinese government, companies and the Chinese community in Lebanon have provided batches of medical aid to the Lebanese side.

The aid included units of PCR tests, masks, medical protective suits, goggles, medical gloves, and thermometers.

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Bianji)


Boxes containing Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China are seen at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Aug. 28, 2021. Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. (Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka/Handout via Xinhua)

COLOMBO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

The vaccines which arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday morning have been handed over to Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne by Wang Dong, defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said the service personnel, their families and the ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the vaccines.

"Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated as of now, the general public could also be facilitated using the balance amount," he said.

Expressing gratitude to China for the timely support, General Gunaratne said, "We are so happy that as a result of a request made by the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka to the Defense Minister of China, we received 300,000 doses of vaccines for members of the security forces and their family members. This is a timely donation."

Recalling the remarkable and long-standing relationship between the two countries, Wan Dong said the Chinese people have never hesitated to extend their support to the Sri Lankans in difficult times.

The donation shows the solidarity between the two countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On his Twitter account, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked China's PLA for the donation, saying the assistance from China will ensure the vaccination drive in Sri Lanka a success.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that on the same flight, 2 million more doses of the Sinopharm vaccines had also arrived from China.

Sri Lanka has so far received 18 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the leading vaccine being administered across the country.



Wan Dong (1st R), defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka, and Kamal Gunaratne (2nd R), Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General, bump fists at the handover ceremony for a batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Aug. 28, 2021. Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the PLA of China. (Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka/Handout via Xinhua)
The Republic of Korea (ROK) will hand over to China the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers' (CPV) Army martyrs from the Korean War in September, in what will be the eighth such handover since 2014.

A joint ceremony will be held in Incheon, west of the ROK capital Seoul, on Wednesday before a transfer ceremony at Incheon International Airport on Thursday, according to the Chinese Ministry of Veteran Affairs.

A ceremony will also be held on Thursday at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The remains will be buried in the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, with a burial ceremony due to be held on Friday.

The CPV fought alongside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea army in the Korean War against the ROK army and U.S.-led UN forces between 1950 and 1953.

Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers were killed in the war, with most of them buried on the Korean Peninsula.

(Cover: A casket containing the remains of a CPV martyr is escorted to the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, September 27, 2020. /Xinhua)
The Arc de Triomphe has seen parades, protests and tourists galore, but never before has the war monument in Paris been wrapped in silver and blue recyclable polypropylene fabric. That's about to happen next month in a posthumous art installation designed by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

"Christo has wrapped museums, parliaments as in Germany, but a monument like this? Not really. This is the first time. This is the first monument of this importance and scale that he has done," Vladimir Yavachev, the late collaborating couple's nephew, told The Associated Press.

Preparations have already started on the Napoleon-era arch, where workers are covering statues to protect them from the wrapping. The idea for L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped was formed in 1961, when Christo and Jeanne-Claude lived in Paris. Jeanne-Claude died in 2009, and in spite of Christo's death in May 2020, the project carried on.

"He wanted to complete this project. He made us promise him that we will do it," Yavachev told The Associated Press. It was to be realized last fall, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the installation.


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Sunday Notes: Product Expectations; Apple, Security and the App Store; Copyright the Moon

By Graham K. Rogers





Speculation on upcoming Apple announcements. Security and child protection is a nest of thorns. Expected app store changes following a legal compromise. Some online sources are shocked that Tim Cook will receive $750 million in shares after 10 years at the helm: it was a good investment. A photographer found his Facebook video posting blocked because a large organization claimed copyright of the moon.



As we approach the potential release of the iPhone and other devices from Apple, speculation is mounting. In the last few days I saw one rumor that put the announcement of the iPhone 13 at 17 September which sounds about right, while another puts it a week later at 24 September. That is a good day for deliveries to start, but I prefer the 17th partly because of the chain of events that may follow. The iPhone release is usually initially to a top 10 or 15 countries, including USA, UK, China, Japan, Singapore and certain European countries, with maybe a couple of outliers added on. When the products go on sale a week later, the next round of countries is usually announced. Thailand is usually in the third round, which gives a mid-October date for deliveries although this has been up to the end of October in the past. In the meantime other products are expected to be announced with a new iPad mini highly favored in the rumors lineup as well as a selection of Macs, with specifications depending on which rumor you read. One of the oddest of these concerned a new 16" MacBook Pro, purportedly with an M1X processor that would not outperform the upcoming 14" model (as reported by Christian Zibreg, iDownload Blog and others). With the same processor, if the M1X is the true designation, there will of course be similar specifications, but the MacBook Air does not perform the same as my MacBook Pro, which in turn does not have the same performance as my iPad Pro, all of which run the M1 chip. Also in that article we are told that the "Apple M1X will be upgraded to a 12-core CPU and a 16-core or 32-core GPU" which sounds probable, but whether one will be throttled or there are other differences is unknown. Other related speculation concerns the return of the SD card slot which does little for me as I (and other camera users) have moved on to the XQD card (and more), while we are also expected to see the end of the Touch Bar, which I will miss.



The M1 chip: what comes next - Image courtesy of Apple

The current M1 Macs are running processors that were created with the 5nm process, there has been much investment, particularly by TSMC in more refined 3nm chips, although, along with a lot of chip production currently, the company has announced that there is expected to be a delay in their rollout. Arne Verheyde (Seeking Alpha). Delayed or reduced production of chips may have an effect on the prices of new iPhones and perhaps Macs too.

A number of Big Tech CEOs met with President Biden recently, among them Tim Cook. One of the main concerns is cybersecurity, particularly after the recent attacks, some of which included ransomware demands. The risks to infrastructure and to individuals' health in some cases needs a concerted and perhaps joint effort from all those involved. Apple has committed to strengthening the infrastructure in the supply chain Filipe Esposito reports (9to5Mac). Other CEOs made similar promises. It may well be that during the discussions with the president, other items related to security were aired. Apple's main concern in the last few weeks has been the identification of child abuse images, but this has opened something of a hornet's nest that seems to have caught Cupertino by surprise. While a lot of the more strident comments on the images and Apple's apparent disregard for privacy - which Apple strongly denies - have subsided, there are still one or two significant commentators making noises. This will probably all flare up again when (or if) Apple makes the system go live with the release of iOS 15. It will only affect users in America and then only if they are using iCloud Photos.



It is not simply that images are to be examined, which is already being done by other social networking sites, for example Facebook, but that Apple has tried to automate the process allegedly for simplicity and to reduce human involvement. The process of examining images on the iPhone before upload to iCloud, by means of a hash number that links to a database of known abuse images, sounds alright, until it is pointed out that this could be used to also identify other types of images: and there goes Apple's claims to superior privacy that it has fought so hard for. In a newsletter last week, Edward Snowden writes scathingly of what Apple has planned with CSAM detection. It is clear that, while Apple may believe that this is as far as it goes, Snowden writes that whatever Apple may promise (or hope) there is no way to trust politicians. What they say now and what they come up with next month may well differ: a week in politics is a long time. The only partial hope that Snowden holds out, which others have mentioned, is that this is part of a longer term strategy to switch over "to end-to-end encryption for everything its customers store on iCloud". As he notes, however, Apple backed away from this a while back under pressure from the FBI. Snowden explains how this all might work, but is depressingly less hopeful on Apple ever carrying this out. I would recommend subscribing to this newsletter.

On a related note, there has been some criticism of Apple concerning the ways in which young people can gain access to certain grown-up apps, including BDSM related content. Alex Herb (The Guardian) explains how, even though Apple knows the age of the users involved, the sign in processes for some of the apps are outsourced and "reveals major holes in the App Store's child safety measures". Although the article initially outlines the BDSM apps, there is a wider series of sex-related apps that younger people can also sign into fairly easily. These include "adult apps that offer dating, random chats, casual sex and gambling".

There are expected to be several changes to the App Store following a settlement in a court case that took Apple to task over the way it polices the distributor fees and the 30% charge it levies. The charge was decided when the App Store first appeared in 2008 providing a complete ecosystem for app delivery to iPhone users. This expanded to include the iPad system with the different needs that this device allowed. As iOS (later iPadOS) developed, so more features (by way of APIs) were available with the numbers of apps, and developers, expanding far beyond what Apple had ever expected. While that 30% was reasonable for the zeitgeist of 2008, the ways in which users, developers, apps and risks have changed suggests that some flexibility is needed. Apple did make some changes to subscription levies a while back, but has been under considerable pressure from politicians worldwide and from litigation. With court approval pending, Apple has agreed to make several changes to the ways in which the App Store is run and these are outlined by Evan Selleck (iDownloadblog). Some of the changes are far reaching and this is quite a significant move. Selleck writes about the seven key priorities that Apple has come up with after some extensive discussion. One of the seven in the list covers a point that has irked developers for a while and Apple will allow developers to share information about payment methods outside of their iOS app. There will also be an improved process to appeal against rejection of an app. Apple is being realistic here and in part is making an effort to end off the inevitable legislation that has been heading its way for months. Whether or not there will be other app stores on iOS and Android is a matter for the legislators.

While we are on money, there was some shock expressed this week over Tim Cook's remuneration. When he took over as CEO he negotiated a contract with the Board that gave him certain benefits if he stayed for 10 years. A company needs stability and as many note, in the time he has been in the position, Apple has grown quite considerably. As many never fail to mention, some of the seeds of that growth were planted by Steve Jobs, but the ways in which Cook took the reins and grew the company far outpaced what Jobs had begun. This week he will be eligible for a stock payout of around $750 million, which seems to be some sort of scandal in the minds of some commentators. Bloomberg for example (reported by Joe Wituschek, iMore), describes the payment as a "haul", giving it a negative connotation. They seem to let payments to other CEOs pass without such implied criticism. Cook is expected to give most of it away.

There were reports earlier in the week that a plane had to be evacuated in Alaska after a mobile phone started smoking and burst into flames. At that time there were no reports of the brand, so I guessed (rightly) that it was not an iPhone. A couple of things unrelated to brand did disturb me, as it was clear that the phone had been turned on, despite regulations that warn against this. I remember taking a trip from Singapore to Bangkok a few years ago when many of the passengers were still making phone calls while the plane was accelerating down the runway. As soon as the plane touched down again, out came the phones. As this phone, which turns out to have been a Samsung Galaxy 21 started to overheat after it was turned on, the battery becomes an immediate suspect as has been the case before. There are some good general comments in an article on Mashable (Alex Perry). When a new iPhone arrives in its packaging, it is sealed in a box and positioned on a raised cardboard area in an effort to isolate the LI-ion battery in case anything goes wrong in transit. Apple ships thousands of phones on one plane like this. An effect from the risk is that it is sometimes difficult to have these batteries shipped. I bought a couple of dozen LR44 batteries recently from Amazon. These are the type used in calculators and some watches. A lot of film cameras use these too and I just used my last one when my Nikon F3 went dead (I think I left it turned on). With the shops closed here, there was little chance of finding one locally, so I went online. With the price on Amazon, compared to the prices I paid for these locally, the two dozen purchase was only slightly more than my usual price for two batteries.



A few years ago I loaded up some of my student video output to my YouTube account, but not too long after there were take down notices. The students had added soundtrack using music they linked and these sample were copyright. I deleted the offending clips right away. The Thai composer, SP Somtow, puts his performances online, but has had several similar take-down notices as they are identified (wrongly) as being from other performances. He has had some long and frustrating fights dealing with the online automatons. This week, Michael Zhang (PetaPixel) reports that a photographer, who posted a video he had taken of the moon to social networking sites, was peeved to find his video removed after a takedown notice after a copyright infringement claim by Universal Music Group: his "video matches 30 seconds of video owned by UMG". He of course appealed, but UMG have time on their side and they do not need to respond until 28 August. If I take a photograph of the moon, I own the copyright of that photo and in the same way, Philip Bloom owns the copyright of the video he posted to Facebook. Universal Music Group cannot copyright the Moon, but may need to invest in some better algorithms.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on Twitter (@extensions_th)
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Windy with periods of rain. The rain will be heavy at times. Low 59F. NNE winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Significant flooding is expected..

Tonight

Windy with periods of rain. The rain will be heavy at times. Low 59F. NNE winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Significant flooding is expected.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Windy with periods of rain. The rain will be heavy at times. Low 59F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. Significant flooding is expected..

Tonight

Windy with periods of rain. The rain will be heavy at times. Low 59F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. Significant flooding is expected.
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Croplands cover over half of India's land area, and the agricultural sector employs about 590 million people in the country.

Researchers can't rely on census data alone to monitor agriculture in India because many farms are small (less than 2 hectares), whereas censuses typically report statistics at the state or national level and mask important heterogeneity. Remote sensing provides an essential vantage point for monitoring agriculture in India and investigating ways to sustainably improve crop yields.

Dr. Meha Jain, assistant professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, uses remote sensing to research agriculture in India. Jain has used a number of remote sensing instruments to better understand agricultural productivity at the farm level. Her more recent work has uncovered a method to use remote sensing to improve crop yields on poor-performing fields.

Mapping India's Farmlands

In 2017, Jain developed a method to map farms in India at fine spatial scales using remote sensing data from multiple sensors. Jain mapped winter cropped areas for most of India by combining Landsat data (30-meter resolution) with Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data (250-meter resolution) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite, taken at the time of peak crop productivity (peak phenology). EVI is used to quantify vegetation greenness and is similar to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). EVI is more sensitive in areas with dense vegetation.

The resulting dataset depicts annual percent winter cropped area per 1-kilometer grid cell from 2001 to 2016. This dataset was published at NASA's Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) as part of their India Data Collection.

Jain recently used this dataset, along with census irrigation data, to estimate how much winter cropped area would be reduced if farmers lacked access to critically-depleted groundwater. Published in Science Advances, the research found that India could lose 20% of its winter crop production nationally if farmers in areas with over-exploited water basins lost access to groundwater.

Closing Yield Gaps

Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the major limitations for wheat production in some parts of India. Jain uses remote sensing to better understand yield gaps, which are the difference between actual yields a farmer gets and possible yields based on local growing conditions.

Jain and her colleagues recently published research using commercial small satellite imagery to track how mechanical fertilizer spreaders could close yield gaps in low-yielding farms. Mechanical fertilizer spreaders help farmers distribute fertilizers across a field more evenly than hand-broadcasting. These low-cost tools could improve farmer income and nitrogen use efficiency.

The study authors tested how much mechanical spreaders could improve yields on farms in Bihar, in eastern India, where Jain and her colleagues conducted their research. First, they tested how much wheat yields differed on 127 farms when the mechanical spreaders were used on half of the field, and business-as-usual practices were used on the other half of the field, using direct measurements of crop cuts. They found that switching from hand-spreading fertilizer to using a mechanical spreader improved yields by about 4.5%. Improving nitrogen use efficiency on farms is a key technique for sustainably increasing food production, but these findings relied on crop cut data, which isn't readily available over large areas.

In order to scale up this research, Jain and her colleagues developed an empirical model of yields using crop cut measurements and satellite-derived measurements of green chlorophyll from commercially available smallsat imagery acquired by PlanetScope and SkySat satellites operated by Planet Labs Inc. The high-resolution commercial imagery enabled them to develop a reliable model of crop yields across a wider area. Planet imagery is available to U.S. government-funded researchers through NASA's Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program.

They leveraged this model to identify lower yielding fields to see if targeted use of mechanical spreaders on these lower-yielding farms would improve yields even more. They found that targeting the use of mechanical spreaders on low-yielding farms resulted in yield gains that were twice as large as using the mechanical spreaders without data on farm productivity. Jain and her colleagues also found that farmers of low-yielding farms were willing to pay more than the cost of the mechanical spreaders, indicating this technology could be a viable and cost-effective way to improve yields. These findings demonstrate that satellite data can provide crucial information to farmers to sustainably improve crop production.

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This false-color Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image acquired on December 26, 2018, highlights the patchwork of flooded rice fields along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers in California, USA. Inundated fields are shown in dark blue; vegetation is bright green. A series of raised levees form the grid pattern between the fields. This image was acquired using a combination of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (bands 6-5-4). Image: NASA Earth Observatory.

Nearly one in 10 people globally were exposed to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019, according to the United Nations (UN).

The vulnerabilities and inadequacies of global food systems are expected to further intensify over the coming years.

Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, the UN proposes to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. A critical aspect of this goal is monitoring food production and implementing agricultural practices that increase production while also maintaining ecosystems and strengthening the capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, invasive species, and other disasters. NASA Earth observations are an integral component in providing data necessary to assess progress towards achieving these goals.

Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, the UN proposes to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. A critical aspect of this goal is monitoring food production and implementing agricultural practices that increase production while also maintaining ecosystems and strengthening the capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, invasive species, and other disasters. NASA Earth observations are an integral component in providing data necessary to assess progress towards achieving these goals.

This false-color Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image acquired on December 26, 2018, highlights the patchwork of flooded rice fields along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers in California, USA. Inundated fields are shown in dark blue; vegetation is bright green. A series of raised levees form the grid pattern between the fields. This image was acquired using a combination of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light (bands 6-5-4). Image: NASA Earth Observatory.

SDG Goals are divided into broad Targets that are further divided into Indicators used to track progress toward accomplishing the Targets. NASA collects and analyzes data about our home planet applicable to agriculture and food production and makes these data fully and openly available to anyone. These data are helping us develop a better understanding of the connections between food production and land cover, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, the water cycle, temperature, and weather.

NASA helps develop tools to address food security and works with decision-makers and data users to tailor these tools to specific locations and user needs. These efforts help address issues like water management for irrigation, crop-type identification and land use, coastal and lake water quality monitoring, drought preparedness, and famine early warnings. Much of this work is carried out and supported fully or in part by the agency's Applied Sciences Program, which works with individuals and institutions worldwide to inform decision-making, enhance quality of life, and strengthen our economy. The Applied Sciences Program co-leads the international Earth Observations for Sustainable Development Goals initiative launched by the Group on Earth Observations. The initiative advances global knowledge about effective ways that Earth observations and geospatial information can support the SDGs.

The data and resources in this Pathfinder are specifically related to SDG 2 Targets 2.1, 2.3, and 2.4 (described below). Additional information about NASA data and products related to agriculture, water resources, and similar topics is available in the Agriculture and Water Resources Data Pathfinder.

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Bob McClure spoke very fondly of Hanover Raceway on Saturday (August 28) and his opinion of the half-mile oval definitely wasn't tarnished after his five-win performance, highlighted by his first victory in the Balanced Image Trot.

The feature event of the day was the $44,200 2021 Balanced Image Trot Final for Ontario-sired two-year-old trotters. McClure was sent off as the second choice behind elimination winner Sea Can, but his chances at victory changed dramatically when favoured Lilys Lass (Phil Hudon) broke stride on the lead just the past the opening turn.

McClure was settled into fourth as stablemate Allisonann Hanover (Mark Etsell) carved out first fractions of :28.4 and 1:00. By that half-mile station, McClure had Sea Can off the pylons and second over behind an advancing Stonebridge Zeus (Trevor Henry). Stonebridge Zeus continued to apply pressure to Allisonann Hanover and made the lead down the backstretch. Sea Can then had to forge first up through a 1:29.2 third quarter with Sir Ballykeel (Scott Young) a threat second over. Turning for home, Sea Can maintained his momentum and powered past Stonebridge Zeus to win by more than two lengths in a new track record and lifetime best 1:59. Stonebridge Zeus and Sir Ballykeel completed the top three.

"He's pretty tricky to get off the gate and around the first bend, but after that he can go all day," said McClure after the win. "Last week, it worked out. They went fast to the half, he cleared and kept plugging. Here today, kind of similar; the favourite ran and then the next best one was locked in the two hole so he was in a good spot. When he pounced, he just kept on trucking right to the wire.

"This is a nice colt and what can you say about the job Mark Etsell's doing this year?" said McClure, acknowledging the career-best season of the longtime Hanover regular.

Etsell co-owns and trains Sea Can (Muscle Mass - SOS Respect) along with breeder Terry Devos of Langton, Ont. and Peter Porter of Port Dover, Ont. The win was the gelding's second in seven starts, bumping his bankroll to $37,133 in the process. Both Etsell and McClure picked up their first Balanced Image victories after teaming to win the Dream Of Glory Trot at Hanover in 2017 with Mister Muscle.

"It's 100% special," said McClure. "I feel sorry for anybody that doesn't get to visit this track because it's my favourite track in the world. A great town, I love it here and I love coming here."

One race prior, McClure captured the 2021 edition of the Walker Memorial Trot with Los Ballykeelamigo. The post eight trailing spot was no problem for the tandem, getting away third early behind pacesetter Muscles Aplenty (Colin Kelly) then advancing first up to clear just past the :58.3 half before trotting home in 1:00 to hold off Scene A Magician (Greg Dustin) and favoured Charmbo Prince (Mike Saftic) in 1:58.3.

A homebred owned by Ballykeel racing of Tillsonburg, Ont., four-year-old Los Ballykeelamigo (Amigo Hall - Ballykeel Majestic) is trained by Josh McKibbin. After a 6-2-0 summary from 17 starts in 2020, Los Ballykeelamigo has posted a 6-2-0 summary from 10 starts in 2021 with earnings of $72,752 lifetime.

McClure also picked up wins with Mission Three and Old Buck in the final two races, while teaming with Etsell aboard Top Of The Bar to win one of the two $7,100 fourth leg divisions of the Prospect Series for three-year-old trotting fillies earlier on the card. Top Of The Bar won the fastest split, taking a new lifetime mark of 2:00.2 in the process. Iona Dream was a wire-to-wire winner in 2:01 for driver Paul MacKenzie and trainer Terry Gallant in the other Prospect division.

Hanover also hosted Harness The Hope during the Saturday card, with RollwithJessie posting a nose victory at odds of 47-1 in the Harness The Hope Pace.

Founded by the Dustin Family 16 years ago, Harness the Hope is an event hosted by Ontario racetracks that aims to raise funds, awareness and support for programs that help those affected by cancer. Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Society of Canada and the Pink Pearl Foundation.

Each Harness the Hope Day features a Best Dressed in the Backstretch Contest for racing participants to take part in. Prizes are awarded to each winning Best Dressed Horse and Best Dressed Groom who display as much pink attire as possible. Patrons attending each event will also be entered to win prizes if they wear pink as a show of support.

The next Harness The Hope day at the races will be at Leamington Raceway on Sunday, Oct. 17.

To view the results for the Saturday card of harness racing from Hanover, click the following link: Saturday Results - Hanover Raceway.
Alstom, a global leader in rail transport and sustainable mobility, has pioneered several sustainable mobility solutions across the Middle East and North Africa.

The Coradia iLint is a perfect illustration for the commitment to designing and delivering innovative and environment-friendly solutions making Alstom the first company to have developed and put into operation hydrogren trains.

Developing a train powered by hydrogen fuel cells is the most illustrative example, in addition to offering an extensive portfolio of sustainable solutions adaptable to the different challenges of customers and to local specificities.

Railway applications are ideally suited for the use of hydrogen, as the quantities of hydrogen required are large, predictable, localised and constant over a long period of time. It can cover ranges up to 1,000 kilometres.

Through innovations in electric transport and hydrogen fuel, Alstom aims to shape the future of the regions mass transit and mobility for the better. In doing so, it remains dedicated to significantly reducing emissions, minimising land use and carbon footprint, and decarbonising rail transport.

At Alstom, we are proud to be contributing to promoting the use of hydrogen as our aim is to position hydrogen as a strategic factor in the energy transition, as we are convinced it will bring about the change in road and rail transport - towards a clean and ultimately emission-free energy system. The key advantage of the technology is that it is emissions-free when used to power a train (the only by-product is water) and is zero-emission throughout its full lifecycle if produced from renewable energy. The railway industry is already one of the cleanest sectors in the field of transport. As a dedicated and long-standing partner of the regions transportation and mobility development, Alstom will continue to play an integral role in improving the environmental performance of rail across the region, says Mama Sougoufara, Managing Director Alstom Menat.

The regions governments are taking major strides towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting down on the use of fossil fuels, and decarbonising transportation.

Supporting the UAE Vision 2021, the National Agenda focuses on improving the quality of air, preserving water resources, increasing the contribution of clean energy, and implementing green growth plans.

Consequently, outlining Dubais commitment to transitioning to a green economy, the leadership inaugurated the Green Hydrogen Project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park  a first of its kind project in the Mena region that aims to produce eco-friendly hydrogen using renewable energy.

As a part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to move towards an economy less dependent on oil by launching several projects and initiatives to promote clean and affordable energy.

The kingdom has committed to developing an additional 10,000 km of rail and metro by 2030 as a part of the National Renewable Energy Programme initiatives within the transport sector.

With Alstoms sole focus being transport and mobility, it continues its support of the kingdoms economic growth and development, through the enhancement of infrastructure and the supply of sustainable solutions such as the Riyadh Metro.

In September 2020, Saudi Arabia became the first country to export blue hydrogen for zero-carbon power generation and signed an agreement to develop and operate a $5 billion facility to supply green hydrogen to the world outlining the kingdoms effort in implementing the circular carbon economy framework and supporting the global energy transition.

Known as a global driver of innovation towards carbon neutrality in rail transport  Alstom places a huge focus on greener and smarter mobility solutions. Alstom has been the first company worldwide in 2018 to introduce a new regional train based on hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. Most recently, Alstom completed the acquisition of Helion Hydrogen Power.

This promising, innovation-driven company, a 100% subsidiary of Areva Energies Renouvelables, is specialised in high power fuel cells, thus complementing Alstom's expertise in hydrogen technology.

Alstom acknowledges its responsibilities to further decarbonise mobility and thus is committed to accompany its clients in this major transition by offering efficient alternatives to diesel trains.-- TradeArabia News Service
Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis of the global airline digitalisation market finds that major airlines globally have committed to migrating a majority of their information technology (IT) infrastructure to a cloud infrastructure within the next decade.

Increasing touchless passenger experiences, optimising internal processes, improving customer outreach through personalisation, and enhancing ancillary revenues (derived from services such as baggage fees and seat selection) are some of the key drivers of the airline digitalisation market, which is estimated to reach $35.42 billion by 2030, surpassing the pre-pandemic level by 2025.

Senior Research Analyst, Aerospace & Defence Practice at Frost & Sullivan, Abhilash Varkey Abraham said: "In the coming decade, technology giants are projected to play a major role in enabling workload migration to cloud infrastructure for airlines and major airline IT providers. Niche start-ups utilising next-generation technology to solve specific airline challenges are gaining traction in the industry."

He added: "The development and implementation of next-generation technologies, rapid advances in consumer technology, and utilisation of internet of things (IoT), Big Data, and machine learning (ML) to collect and analyse large amounts of data are transforming processes in the industry."

From a regional perspective, Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest revenue contributor in 2030, while North America will be the fastest-growing region.

Legacy airlines that were in various phases of migrating their workloads to the cloud before the pandemic are expected to continue once the industry begins recovering.-TradeArabia News Service
The Trade Promotion Council of India today (August 29) held a webinar on "India-UAE: Trade and Investment Opportunities in Agri and Food Processing."

The webinar aimed at briefing the Indian stakeholders on trade, investment and collaboration opportunities specifically in the food, beverages, food processing and packaging technology sectors in the UAE, a Wam report said..

The webinar highlighted how India and the UAE can contribute to food security in both countries. Among the food items exported from India to the UAE are cereals, sugar, fruits, vegetables, tea, meat, and seafood.

The event was supported by the Consulate General of India in Dubai.

According to the Trade Promotion Council of India, several experts in agriculture and food trade spoke at the webinar. These included Vivek Agarwal, Managing Director of Capital Ventures and Chairman of the Councils sectoral committee on food and beverages; R Senguttuvan, Managing Director of Wimco and Chairman of the Councils sectoral committee on food processing and packaging technology; and Sanjay Grover, Vice President of Kirloskar Pneumatic Company and Vice Chairman of the Councils sectoral committee on food processing and packaging technology.

Ashok Sethi, Director of the Trade Promotion Council of India, also spoke at the event which was moderated by Virat Bahri, Deputy Director for Corporate Communications at the Council.

The Trade Promotion Council of India is supported by Indias Department of Commerce to facilitate the growth of Indian industry.TradeArabia News Service
On the occasion of Emirati Womens Day this year, IHG Hotels & Resorts hosted a session to discuss and recognise the journey of six prominent Emirati women across various professional fields.

The two-hour event at Hotel Indigo, Dubai Downtown on August 28, saw Roudha Al Marri, the highly admired co-author of UAE 101; Nayla Khaja, first female Emirati film writer, director and producer; Ahlam Bolooki, Director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature; Amna Al Hashemi first female Emirati chef patron to open her own restaurants ; Fatma Alawi, Deputy Director and Head of Expo Operations Centre and Aida Mohammad Al Busaidy, Director, C2C Campaigns and Marketing Management, Dubai Tourism discuss career paths, opportunities, challenges and the way forward for Emirati women in the coming years.

The session, which paid homage to this years Emirati Womens Day theme of Women: Ambitions & Inspiration for the Next 50 Years, also revealed inspiring anecdotes to success, taking risks and overcoming barriers.

Fatma Alawi said: It was empowering for me to part of a strong cadre of accomplished Emirati women. The discussion was enlightening; we discussed not only the differing paths we have taken in our careers, but also talked about the common theme of hard work, adaptability and attention to detail that helped us become proficient in our fields. I hope the talk inspires young Emirati women to take the leap into discovering what they are passionate about and growing in their chosen career.

Aida Mohammad Al Busaidy commented: In line with our visionary leaderships commitment to womens empowerment, the UAE has vastly improved the quality of life for our female citizens, enabling Emirati women from all strata of society to unlock their true potential and play a pivotal role in building a new era for the country. Now, more than ever one can see the achievements of Emirati women in all sectors, be it in corporate, business, retail, events, travel and tourism, as well as their dedication towards developing and enhancing the UAEs cultural and creative communities. Our tourism sector, in particular, continues to beckon Emirati women, providing them so many incentives and career opportunities, as part of efforts to create the industrys new generation workforce. With the world effecting far-reaching changes during the ongoing transition to the new normal, Emirati women employed across the tourism ecosystem have also confidently taken up the challenge, leveraging their professionalism and talents to further enhance the UAEs position as a multi-faceted global destination.

Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said: It was our privilege to host the illustrious panellists and listen to their inspiring achievements and journeys. They serve as role models to all of us but especially the aspiring Emirati women who want to make a mark in their career of choice. We also encourage more Emirati women to explore their professional journey within the tourism and hospitality sector which is at the core of the UAEs future.

At the same event, a partnership was announced between Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown and The Zay Initiative, a non-profit organisation that is focused on advancing the preservation of cultural heritage through digital archiving of Arab historical attire and their stories. Together, they are calling all fashion designers to design their own version of a contemporary UAE Womens Thawb as part of a competition.

More information can be found on www.hotelindigodubai.com.

Hotel Indigo is IHGs boutique lifestyle brand, and Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown was the first Hotel Indigo property to open in the region last year. IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the worlds leading hotel companies, currently operates 100 hotels across eight brands in the Middle East. - TradeArabia News Service
The Arab Water Council is getting ready for the 5th edition of AWF scheduled to be convened from September 21 to 23 at a time the value of investments in water and sanitation projects in the Mena region is expected to reach $133.2 billion.

Of the investments $19.1 billion have already been spent in 2019 and $30.8 billion in 2020. The value of the current investments in pre-establishment projects is $40.3 billion, and another $58.8 billion are expected to be invested during the main establishment stages.

The value of projects under planning is $4.9 billion and projects in the pre-planning stage is $29.1 billion. If all the water and sewage pipeline projects are implemented as planned, the value of investments this year will reach $30.8 billion before declining to $7.3 billion in 2023.

Against this backdrop the AWF, under the patronage of the UAEs Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, and supported by the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Egypt (MWRI), in cooperation with national, regional and international partners, will kick-off, in both hybrid and physical form, under the main theme Arab Water Security for Peace and Sustainable Development", at Grand Hyatt, Dubai.

The forum, that will be attended by high-level participants from 22 Arab countries such as: governmental delegations and public and private sector representatives, will shed the light on some of the key topics such as: Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus, Climate Change Impact on Arab Water Security, Water Desalination as a Strategic Option for Sustainable Arab Water Security, Sharing Water and Benefits for Peace and Development, Effective Water Governance towards Achieving Peace and Stability, Hydro-diplomacy and Water Politics in Transboundary Water Management, Riparian Partnerships in Developing and Managing shared Water Resources and Governing Laws, among others.

More than 800 high-level participants including government ministers and undersecretaries, high government officials, public and private sector organisations from 22 countries, are expected to attend the three-day Forum that will witness more than 50 experts discussing water scarcity and sustainable development across the region.

During the event, the winners of the 2021 Arab Water Prize for Creativity and Innovation in the field of Water Science, awarded to institutions, scientists and other distinguished contributors in research and development in the field of Non-Conventional Water Resources, will be announced.

During the preparatory meeting, which was attended by more than 80 participants, Prof Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, AWC President, said: "The aim of this meeting is to discuss the main agenda of the 5th Arab Water Forum. The 2021 edition of the Arab Water Forum will feature three days of panel sessions and scientific sessions, along with the Arab Water Expo. This year, the Forum will focus on three main priorities: Arab Water Security, Cooperation across Borders, and Water for Sustainable Development. We are waiting for your participation and experiences.

He added: "The forum is held at a time when water scarcity is at a critical level as the demand for clean water increases due to population growth. The World Bank reports show that the Middle East and North Africa are home to 6% of the worlds population, with less than 2% of the worlds renewable water supply."

Dr Mohamed Al-Mulla, Director of the Water Resources Department at the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, said: On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to express our great contentment to host this Forum, which includes high-level participants of water experts, government officials and other stakeholders, all uniting to make this vital event a success. He added: Our primary goal, as the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, is to achieve sustainability in a number of fields such as: energy, water, mining and industry, which are all linked to each other, in order to achieve the well-being and prosperity of our society. The 5th edition of the Arab Water Forum will give us the opportunity to discuss many of the important issues and to exchange visions and experiences of the attendees.

Prof Khaled Abu-Zeid, AWC Programme Technical Director, said: The Forum is going to witness a number of comprehensive meetings about Climate Change and its Impact on Water Resources, Water Desalination as a Strategic Option for Sustainable Development, and How to Provide Innovative and Non-Conventional Sources that lead to Water Security, along with achieving Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus.

"GM Events," one of the leading turnkey event management companies, will organise the 5th edition of AWF 2021. The Company, located in Dubai, has organized numerous successful forums and exhibitions that tackle many economic issues and challenges worldwide. -- TradeArabia News Service
The annual Arab Pensions Conference 2021 from November 16 to 17 will look at how the Mena pension systems should be designed for the next 50 years. It will also explore how do people want their children and their children to retire one or two generations from today.

Hosted in Manama digitally under the patronage of Lieutenant-General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of Bahrains Supreme Council of Health, and Chairman of Al-Hekma Retired Society, the event is organised by Fintech Robos for Savings & Pensions Apps and expected to attract 400 delegates.

It has been nearly 50 years since social insurance and pension systems were first introduced into the Middle East and North African countries. With aging populations challenging the very model upon which pensions have been built, with majority of populations in these countries working in informal sector, with millions of youths being nudged to work in the new gig-economy, with more than half of the workforce in the GCC being expat workers, and with most regional pension funds running actuarial deficits, how should we design the regions pensions systems for the next 50 years? How do we want our children and their children to retire one or two generations from today?, said Ebrahim K Ebrahim, CEO of Fintech Robos and Chairman of the Arab Pensions Conference.

The conference brings together bright minds from government pension funds, government agencies, asset management firms, actuary firms, audit firms, financial industry, HR leaders labour unions, employee benefits specialists and Fintech firms, to discuss how a more sustainable and futureproof retirement framework can be built, said Ebrahim.

Ebrahim elaborated the debate would highlight what was once the regions golden 50 years of pension, when pension funds and benefits were thriving regardless of unstable economy and labour markets; and what should be done now to build a vital pensions industry for the future.

Speakers from global think-tank institutions will shed light on the predicted demographics and investment returns of the Mena pension funds over the next 50 year, and how the private sector and FinTech technologies are bound to in play a key role.

Ebrahim said this is the only event for the pension industry in the Mena region, supported by a number of global institutions, reinforcing Bahrains attractiveness as a hub for major economic and financial events.

Speakers from World Bank, OECD and worlds top-10 asset managers have already confirmed their participation.-- TradeArabia News Service
Masdar, one of the worlds leading renewable energy companies, has inaugurated the Nur Navoi Solar Project, Uzbekistans first successfully-financed independent power producer (IPP) solar project.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Sardor Umurzakov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade for the Republic of Uzbekistan, Alisher Sultanov, Minister of Energy for the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Saeed Matar Al-Qemzi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan, a WAM report said.

The event, held at the project site in the Navoi region, was also attended by other high-level officials from the Government of Uzbekistan and senior executives from Masdar.

Mirziyoyev said: "In the next five years, we plan to increase our economys growth rate by 1.5 times, and bring GDP to at least $100 billion. Thousands of new industrial enterprises, both medium and large will be launched, and electricity demand is set to reach 100 billion kilowatt-hours - 30 billion more than now. Therefore, we have very big plans for new reforms and projects in the electric power industry. In the next five years, 19 projects worth $6.5 billion will be launched to create 11,500 MW of new capacity."

Sultanov said: "Uzbekistan has been working closely with the IFC to open up the countrys power sector to private investment and to help us reach our goal of 25% of energy consumption deriving from renewable sources by 2030. 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."

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, said: "Renewable energy will deliver a cleaner and more sustainable future for Uzbekistan, and enable it to contribute to global action on climate change. This project, and the other solar and wind projects Masdar is building across Uzbekistan, will also power a new phase of industrial growth, and provide rewarding careers for thousands of Uzbek people. Importantly, they demonstrate Uzbekistans leadership in clean energy in the region. As we approach COP 26, in this crucial decade for climate, this is a vital mission, and one which the UAE is honoured to support."

Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said: "This event highlights the strength of the relationship between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates in the renewable energy field, along with many other sectors. This utility-scale project represents a significant step forward in Uzbekistans energy transition, and the UAE is committed to supporting Uzbekistan on every stage of its renewable journey."

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: "This is a historic occasion for Uzbekistan and a proud moment for all of us at Masdar as we take this vital step in Uzbekistans clean-energy journey. The Nur Navoi Solar Project will play a significant role in Uzbekistans energy transition and in achieving its climate change objectives. I look forward to continuing our highly successful collaboration with the Government of Uzbekistan, through our strong portfolio of wind and solar projects with a total capacity of around 2.5 GW in the country, a key strategic investment destination for Masdar."

The 100-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) plant, Uzbekistans first utility-scale solar project, has begun energisation, making its first contribution to Uzbekistans renewable energy targets. Once fully operational, the plant will produce enough power for 31,000 households and displace around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Masdar signed agreements in 2019 with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan (NEGU) to design, finance, build, own and operate the solar plant. Masdar established Nur Navoi Solar FE LLC as the local project company to deliver the PV plant, and to operate and maintain it over a 25-year period.

Nur Navoi is the first Masdar project to begin operations in Uzbekistan, with the company having committed to a number of other solar and wind projects in the Central Asian country.

In July, Masdar signed agreements to develop two PV projects in the country for a combined capacity of 440 MW. Commercial operation of the projects, which will be located in the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions of Uzbekistan, is expected to start in the first quarter of 2023.

Masdar has also won the tender for another solar project in Uzbekistan, for a 457 MW photovoltaic solar power plant in the Sherabad district of the Surkhandarya province.

Masdar has also agreed to develop, build and operate a 500 MW wind farm in Zarafshan, and in April, the company signed an Implementation Agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan to extend the capacity of the project to up to 1.5 gigawatts (GW), making it the largest in Central Asia.

Under its renewable energy programme, Uzbekistan aims to deploy 5 GW of solar and 3 GW of wind power capacity by 2030, as it targets meeting 25% of electricity needs from renewable sources by that year. This month, Uzbekistans Energy Ministry said it was considering raising the energy targets to 7 GW for solar and 5 GW for wind power.-- TradeArabia News Service
Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, has released data showing strong demand for cross-border travel, and shared how it is co-operating with hotel partners to best enhance their presence throughout the travel recovery.

Chinese travellers are showing increasing interest in travel to Europe, with search volumes for European flights and hotels skyrocketing this summer, search data from its Ctrip platform showed, the company said.

Compared to 2021 pre-summer (January 1 - June 20) searches, Ctrip search volume for European flights grew by over 150 per cent in July, and continue to rise in August, peaking on August 12 over 320% higher than the pre-summer volume.

Similarly, Ctrip user searches for European hotels have risen sharply too. In August alone, searches for European hotels rose by an average of 80% compared to the January  June average, with the highest search volume recorded on August 9 up almost 120% on 2021 pre-summer levels.

Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun said: "The global travel recovery is underway and we are strengthening our partnerships in local markets to ensure we are best positioned to support their business's recovery and growth along with the return of domestic and international travel flows."

"We are eager to share our global expertise through our local teams to deliver the best support for partners, as well as provide our users with the most appealing product offering."

In Europe, cross-border travel is increasingly possible under the EU Digital Covid Certificate Travel Passport scheme and the UK's traffic light system. Search and booking volumes on Trip.com, the travel Group's global OTA platform, have grown in line with the opening up of travel.

Hotel bookings made by Trip.com UK users in the second quarter of 2021 saw 173% year-on-year growth, and those made by Trip.com France and Germany users rose by 52% and 64% respectively.

The UK, France and Germany ranked among the top ten hotel destinations by Trip.com global booking volume during the same period, and flight bookings made by Trip.com UK, France and Germany users in June rose by over 200% in each market year-on-year.

Through its umbrella of leading OTA brands, the group has extended its "Local Focus, Global Vision" to hotel partners in Europe in preparation for global travel recovery. A key element Trip.com Group's hotel partner support in Europe is its marketing investment in flash sales, creating synergy with flight and hotel products.
Drone Kills Bombers Targeting Kabul Airport

By The Associated Press

KABUL - A U.S. drone strike blew up a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers from Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate on Sunday before they could attack the military evacuation at Kabuls international airport, American officials said.At around the same time as the drone strike, Afghan police said a rocket hit a neighborhood near the airport, killing a child. Rashid, the Kabul police chief, who goes by one name, confirmed the rocket attack, and video obtained by The Associated Press showed smoke rising from a building around a half a mile from the airport.The Taliban described the drone strike and the rocket attack as separate incidents, but AP reporters in the Afghan capital heard only one large blast.Two American military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, called the airstrike successful and said the vehicle carried multiple bombers.U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Urban, a military spokesman, said the strike was carried out in self-defense. He said the military was investigating whether there were civilian casualties but that we have no indications at this time.The strike came two days after an Islamic State suicide attack outside the airport killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members. The U.S. carried out a drone strike elsewhere in the country on Saturday that it said killed two IS members.The U.S. is set to conclude a massive two-week-long airlift of more than 114,000 Afghans and foreigners and withdraw the last of its troops, ending Americas longest war with the Taliban back in power.The U.S. State Department released a statement signed by around 100 countries, as well as NATO and the European Union, saying they had received assurances from the Taliban that people with travel documents would still be able to leave the country. The Taliban have said they will allow normal travel after the U.S. withdrawal is completed on Tuesday and they assume control of the airport.The Taliban have fought against the IS affiliate in the past and have pledged to not allow Afghanistan to become a base for terror attacks. The U.S.-led invasion in 2001 came in response to the 9/11 attacks, which al-Qaida planned and executed while being sheltered by the Taliban.The Taliban increased security around the airport after Thursdays attack, clearing away the large crowds that had gathered outside the gates hoping to join the airlift.Britain ended its evacuation flights Saturday, and most U.S. allies concluded theirs earlier in the week. But U.S. military cargo planes continued their runs into the airport Sunday, ahead of a Tuesday deadline set by President Joe Biden to withdraw all American troops.Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the U.S. has the capacity to evacuate the estimated 300 Americans who remain in the country and wish to leave. He said the U.S. does not currently plan to have an ongoing embassy presence after the withdrawal but will ensure safe passage for any American citizen, any legal permanent resident after Tuesday, as well as for those Afghans who helped us.In interviews with Sunday talk shows, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was working with other countries to ensure that the airport functions normally after the withdrawal and that the Taliban allow people to travel freely.The Taliban have given similar assurances in recent days, even as they have urged Afghans to remain and help rebuild the war-ravaged country.Tens of thousands of Afghans have sought to flee the country since the Talibans rapid takeover earlier this month, fearing a return to the harsh form of Islamic rule the group imposed on Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001. Others fear revenge attacks or general instability.The Taliban have pledged amnesty for all Afghans, even those who worked with the U.S. and its allies, and say they want to restore peace and security after decades of war. But many Afghans distrust the group, and there have been reports of summary executions and other human rights abuses in areas under Taliban control.
BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States is playing its old trick again by releasing a so-called summary of the intelligence community assessment on COVID-19 origins, under the delusion that it can hamper China by politicizing COVID-19 origins-tracing.

The summary, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States on Friday, does not rule out either natural exposure or laboratory accident, and blatantly claims that China "continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries."

Obviously, the "report" concocted by the U.S. intelligence community is not scientifically credible. As a matter of science, the origins-tracing should and can only be left to scientists, not intelligence experts.

The assertion of lack of transparency on the part of China is only an excuse for the U.S. politicizing and stigmatizing campaign. China has taken an open, transparent and responsible attitude since COVID-19 cases were reported in the city of Wuhan.

As the first to cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO) on global origins-tracing, China has invited WHO experts to conduct the investigations twice in the country. The openness and transparency China has displayed have won full recognition from international experts.

The joint study report of the scientists of the WHO and China, which was released earlier this year after two joint study missions in the country, has reached the conclusion that introduction through a lab accident in Wuhan is "extremely unlikely". The United States, however, has chosen to ignore this finding.

The U.S. intelligence community's "report" is based on a presumption of guilt on the part of China, seeking to scapegoat China for the U.S. side's failure to effectively protect its citizens from the virus.

With its rich medical resources, the United States has, however, registered the most infections and death cases from COVID-19 across the globe.

The U.S. side has been shying away from tracing the virus origins at home and closing the door on any such possibility. If the U.S. side insists on the lab leak theory, it should invite WHO experts to investigate military bio-lab Fort Detrick.

If the U.S. side is "transparent and responsible," it should make public the data of its early cases and examine it to find out what happened on its turf first, instead of continually slinging mud at others.

China stands a clear-cut position on global origins-tracing: this is a matter of science. And any attempt to pressure China by politicizing COVID-19 origins-tracing is doomed to fail.
Turkish Bombing in Syria is Continuation of Genocide: Assyrian Leader

Elias Antar Elias, the head of the Assyrian People's Assembly in the Jazira region of Syria. During the recent escalation of the Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries on Tal Tamr and its countryside, the Assyrian villages in the countryside of Nahia witnessed fierce attacks launched by the Turkish occupation using artillery and heavy weapons.

These attacks were accompanied by a new wave of displacement, similar to what the Assyrian villages witnessed in 2015 when they were attacked by ISIS mercenaries.

In this regard, Elias Antar Elias, the head of the Assyrian People's Assembly in the Jazira region, spoke to our agency, saying: "The recent attacks on our villages brought back to our memory Safar Barlik in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire targeted us and expelled us from Hakkari and chased us to Urmia and from there to Iraq, and now here, in Syria and history is repeating itself."

He went on to direct his question to the Turkish state, "How long will your barbarism pursue us? Is it not enough for the destruction you have inflicted on the Syrian cities from Afrin to Jarablus and all the occupied areas? displacing them."

There is no difference between those who attack us now and ISIS

He added, "Those who attack our villages and areas now are the same ones who attacked us in 2015. There is no difference between them, they are no different from ISIS because they are displacing us and destroying our villages."

In his speech, Elias stressed that they stand "with our military forces and support them in defending the region, and we stand with our brothers with all the components, because this land is ours, and we are ready at all ages to fight any aggression that affects us."

Addressing his message to the world in general and to the Assyrian Syriac-Chaldean people in particular, that they must carry out their national and patriotic duty "to protect us and to protect the remaining sons of our people so that we can continue life in our villages and return those villages to their predecessors."
"We often think that evil comes above all from outside: from the behaviour of others, from those who think badly of us, from society". "And we spend time laying blame; but blaming others is a waste of time. One becomes angry, bitter, it keeps God out of one's heart".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Pope is calling for "intensified prayer and fasting" for Afghanistan, which he follows with "great concern". "As Christians," he said at the Angelus, "in historical moments like these we cannot remain indifferent."

Francis expressed his sympathy "for those who mourn for the victims of the suicide attacks," asking that "we continue to assist those in need and pray that dialogue and solidarity may lead to peaceful and fraternal coexistence," and calling for help to be given especially to women and children.

Earlier, before the recitation of the Marian prayer, to some thousands of people present in St Peter's Square, commenting on the passage of the Gospel in which Jesus says that "there is nothing outside man that, entering into him, can make him impure", while it is "from within, from the heart" that evil things are born, Francis urged people to "learn to blame oneself" for evil.

"Often," he said, "we think that evil comes above all from outside: from the behaviour of others, from those who think badly of us, from society. How often we blame others, society, the world, for everything that happens to us! It is always the fault of others, of people, of those who govern, of bad luck. It seems that problems always come from outside. And we spend our time laying blame; but this is a waste of time. You become angry, bitter, and keep God out of your heart. Like those people in the Gospel, who complain, are scandalised, polemical and do not welcome Jesus. One cannot - he warned - be truly religious in complaining: complaining poisons, brings anger, resentment and sadness that close the doors to God".

For Jesus, he said, "it is important to bring faith back to its centre. And to avoid a risk, which applies to those scribes as it does to us: observing external formalities while putting the heart of faith in second place. It is the risk of a religiosity of appearances: appearing to be good on the outside, while neglecting to purify the heart. There is always the temptation to 'fix God' with some external devotion, but Jesus is not content with this worship. He doesn't want outward appearances, he wants a faith that reaches the heart".
Maryland recorded 12 new coronavirus fatalities Saturday, the data shows. As of Friday, the state reported an average of seven casualties daily over the last two weeks. On the same day last month, there was a two-week average of three deaths a day, while there were an average of four fatalities daily over the two weeks leading up to the same date in June.
Researchers say monoclonal antibodies dont necessarily work against variants, such as the delta strain now dominating in Maryland and elsewhere. Antibodies in blood plasma dont need to be adapted for variants, since theyre taken from people who are infected with whatever strain is circulating.
Twenty-one schools  nearly 13% of all schools in the city  are without AC, according to officials. And three others currently have air-conditioning units with ongoing repairs; those schools will also dismiss students early or close in cases of uncomfortable heat.
Have you ever been in a situation where you were under attack? he asked in the video. Jesus teaches us that even when we feel and experience attacks of many kinds, we ought not to respond to what was done to us in hate, but to respond in love.
Voters will have about three weeks before the Sept. 21 primary election to fill out the ballot and return it to one of eight dropboxes dotted throughout the city; or, if theyre comfortable, show up to their wards voting precinct and cast their vote in person. Then sometime in October, around 26,000 ballots will be mailed to all registered voters regardless of party ahead of the Nov. 2 general election. Again, in-person voting will be an option.
Urging the citizens to cherish and preserve Sanskrit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the language helps nurture knowledge and strengthens national unity.

Addressing the 80th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat', Prime Minister Modi said, "Through its thoughts and medium of literary texts, Sanskrit helps nurture knowledge and also national unity, strengthens it. Sanskrit literature comprises the divine philosophy of humanity and knowledge which can captivate anyone's attention."

He said the efforts made in recent times have brought a new awareness about Sanskrit.

"It is our collective duty to cherish our heritage, preserve it, pass it on to the new generation.... and future generations also have a right to it. Now is the time to increase everyone's efforts for these works as well. Friends, if you know of any such person engaged in this kind of effort if you have any such information, then please share the information related to them on social media with #CelebratingSanskrit," PM Modi urged.

He said that he got to know about many people who are engaged in the 'inspirational' work of teaching Sanskrit in foreign lands. He mentioned an Irish national Rutger Kortenhorst who is a Sanskrit scholar and teaches Sanskrit to the children in Ireland.

"Sanskrit language also plays an important role in the strengthening of cultural relations between India and Ireland and between India and Thailand here in the east. Dr Chirapat Prapandavidya and Dr Kusuma Rakshamani, both of them are playing a very important role in the promotion of the Sanskrit language in Thailand. They have also carried out comparative studies in the literature of Thai and Sanskrit languages. Another such professor is Shriman Boris Zakharin, who teaches Sanskrit at Moscow State University in Russia. He has published many research papers and books. He has also translated many books from Sanskrit to Russian," stated Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Modi mentioned about Sydney Sanskrit School in Australia, where the Sanskrit language is taught to the students. For children, these schools also organise programs like Sanskrit Grammar Camp, Sanskrit Plays and Sanskrit Day.

"Mann ki Baat" is the Prime Minister's monthly radio address, which is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month.

(ANI)

Also Read: PM Modi lauds Indore for contribution towards 'Swachh Bharat'
The Bangladesh Social Activist Forum (BSAF) has hit out at the nexus between Pakistan and Taliban by calling it a threat to regional peace and development at an event in Dhaka on Saturday.

Political, social and religious leaders along with former diplomats and academics gathered together at Dhaka Press Club to discuss the emerging security situation after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

Those who participated in the discussion included Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Secretary-General, Jatiya Party (JP), Professor Syed Anwar Hossain, Former Director-General Bangla Academy. Allama Sheikh Khandaker Golam Maula Nakshebandi, one of the members of the advisory council Bangladesh Awami League and Mushtaq Ahmed, Former UN Political Officer Afghanistan.

For Bangladesh, August is a month of mourning and a grim reminder of the looming threat of Pakistan sponsored radical Islamist terror.

On August 15, 1975, a military coup led to the assassination of Bangladesh's founding father, "Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with much of his family. The military rulers who took over and ruled Bangladesh for the next 15 years legitimized the pro-Pakistan introduced elements.

On August 21, 2004, Mujibur's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, then opposition leader and now prime minister, barely survived a grenade attack on her rally. The attack left 24 Awami Leaguers dead and more than 500 injured. One of Hasina's bodyguards, Mahbubur Rashid, was killed.

The 1975 coup was led by disgruntled junior army officers, but the 2004 grenade attack was carried out by Islamist Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami (HUJI) militants.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in power since 2009, has ruled Bangladesh with a "zero tolerance to terror" policy, particularly following the 2016 terror strike on an upscale Dhaka restaurant that left 23, including 18 foreigners, dead.

"It is a Pakistan sponsored radical Islamist ecosystem we are up against. They are out to destroy the spirit of our great liberation war. It is the fight that never ends and demands eternal vigilance," read the BSAF statement.

Pakistan has still not owned its past. Textbooks, museum exhibits and mainstream narratives continue to distort and erase history and selective remembering and forgetting of the past have been institutionalized by the state.

Referring to the barbarism of the Pakistani forces in 1971, Bangabandhu had said, "You killed hundreds of thousands of people, stripped our mothers and sisters of their dignity, and compelled one crore people to take refuge in India."

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has thus sparked fears of history repeating itself in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh believes that a democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan as chosen by its people is the only guarantee of stability and development in the country," the statement added.

We would not allow a "Taliban-type struggle to oust the Murtad (apostate) government of Sheikh Hasina. It is a well-known fact that there's a Pakistan-Taliban nexus, which is not in the best interest of Bangladesh," added the statement.

"Pakistan has intentions that -Taliban takeover will boost the morale of some radicals. But through this protest, we want to convey that they don't have much support in Bangladesh," read the statement.

(ANI)

Also Read: Imran Khan govt must resolve Tehreek-e-Taliban issue, says Taliban
His 1987 series on ABC, Bronx Zoo, was short lived and, at the time, Asner gave voice to concerns that his left-leaning politics were out of favor and possibly costing him work, telling Variety that he knew of a couple of cases in which hed lost work but Im sure that was the tip of the iceberg. He noted that ABC tested another Asner series, Off the Rack, by asking viewers, What do you know of Ed Asners politics and how would it affect your liking the show? Almost unanimously respondents said they knew nothing of Asners beliefs nor did they care.
Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present for the return of the remains of their loved ones to American soil. Thursdays attack left so many casualties that military officials said the Dover Fisher House, which the Defense Department provides for the families of the fallen, was not large enough to accommodate all the grieving families, so some loved ones stayed off base.
One firefighter told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that the blaze was still limited when they arrived and firefighters were able to get residents out. Within an hour, the flames had spread from the 15th floor, where the fire appears to have started, quickly devouring the entire facade of the building.
She was about six to seven months pregnant when she died, the sheriffs office said in an earlier news release, and her body had likely been in the water for no more than seven to 12 days.
The shooter fled the scene, but witnesses told police they believed Garibay was the shooter. Garibay and the first victim had gotten into a physical confrontation earlier in the week over an unknown issue, police said. The man who was killed was not involved in the initial fight, they said.
Up-and-coming director Yin Ruoxin spoke to China.org.cn about her desire to shine a spotlight in her films on the lives of normal people and the struggles they go through.

Yin Ruoxin, director of "Sister" and "Farewell, My Lad." [Photo courtesy of Xiyou Media]

Yin Ruoxin's directorial debut "Farewell, My Lad" will eventually be released on Aug. 27 after the film's distributor opted to delay its launch. The release comes four months after her blockbuster drama "Sister," which was actually her second directorial work, appeared in movie theaters, grossing a staggering 860 million yuan.

"Farewell, My Lad" is the film Yin feels closest to, partly because it is connected to her personal experiences. In her third year at the Central Academy of Drama, a teacher asked her and her fellow students to delve into their own childhood memories and relationships with their families.

"At that time, I had an idea for a story about a boy and a girl, but I wasn't satisfied with it until 2017 when I picked up the idea again as I had a clearer picture of what I really wanted," she said. "Some events in the news also prompted me to think about the influence family has on people and their school friends."

While many films about teenagers opt for a romantic direction, Yin chose an unusual path, crafting a story of companionship and friendship amid cruel bullying at school and juvenile crime in a mining town.

"I really believe that at that age, although teenagers may have some vague feelings of love, friendship comes above everything else, and they try to support and help each other, pure and simple," the director explained.

Her script received positive feedback from producers, investors and at many film festivals. Yin feels that actress Zhang Zifeng and actor Zhang Youhao are perfectly cast in the roles, while the two young actors - who have already amassed big fanbases - loved and resonated with the characters Yin created. The cast and crew worked around the clock in a small town in Yunnan province to finish the filming.

The director admitted she put many of her childhood memories into the film, and stressed the importance of family and how these intimate relationships can shape a person. "When you're facing difficulties, you have to hold onto those precious emotions and the kindness and positive things in your heart. And then you should work hard to struggle through that," Yin said of the message she wanted to deliver to the audience.

A poster for "Farewell, My Lad." [Photo courtesy of Dadi Film]

While famous for making drama films about young people facing real-life problems, Yin also expressed her interest in making war films as well as other genres. However, she always wants to retain a focus on portraying people.

Meanwhile, amid much discussion about Chinese female directors, Yin said she could only speak for herself and how she looks at the world. "I'm interested in telling stories that reflect realities, as well as the choices people make and their self-realization," she said. "That's the direction I want to keep going in my future work."
In the workshop of a textile company in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, workers were busy packaging some 70,000 pieces of knitted underwear for orders from Japan.



The enterprise weathered a downturn in its export last year due to adverse effects, including the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. groundless sanctions over Xinjiang cotton, but the trend has now reversed, said Li Lyuzhi, manager in the foreign trade department of the company based in the regional capital Urumqi.

The company is among some 100 cotton and textile firms displaying their high-quality products at the (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Online Expo (EACT Expo) 2021 that opened on Aug. 25, both online and offline. The offline part is to conclude later on Sunday, while the online exhibition will last a year.

The EACT Expo has become a significant platform for promoting economic cooperation and trade exchanges with the world since its inauguration in 2015.

"The expo this year has built an interconnected and shared digital platform for global enterprises," said Mamtimin Hadir, acting mayor of Urumqi.

The region's cotton and textile industry has shown resilience by further tapping markets and winning over more customers with its superior quality.

The intelligent apparel production equipment brand Qonvolv is participating in the online exhibition. It is under the technical support of a Hong Kong-based textile and apparel manufacturer.

"Last year, our customers, including clothing, fabrics, and textile manufacturers, had to work at full capacity to fulfill orders from domestic and foreign buyers," said Edward Ho, director of the brand.

The cotton and textile industry is one of the pillar industries in Xinjiang, and textiles are among the major commodities exported from the region.

The cotton output of Xinjiang, the country's largest growing area for the crop, exceeded 5.16 million tonnes in 2020, accounting for 87.3 percent of China's total, figures show. The regional statistics bureau said Xinjiang's cotton output would remain stable in 2021.

From January to July, Xinjiang's export volume witnessed a robust year-on-year growth of 33.2 percent, reaching 64.87 billion yuan (10 billion U.S. dollars). The exports of textile and garments saw a staggering year-on-year growth of 65.6 percent during the period.

As the region opens more to the world, the sustained recovery of Xinjiang's foreign trade has boosted the confidence of foreign business partners to expand a broader market and seek win-win cooperation.

More than 500 government officials and representatives from business associations and enterprises from home and abroad discussed strengthening economic cooperation, trade exchanges and achieving mutual benefits via a video link during the expo.

Badar uz Zaman, Commercial Counsellor of Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, said that China is one of Pakistan's largest partners and Pakistan hopes to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Xinjiang in fields like agriculture, industry and infrastructure construction through the expo.

According to Ulakhovich Vladimir Evgenievich, chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, more than 70 Belarusian enterprises participated in the online exhibition of the expo, and he looked forward to further exploring the Chinese market for Belarusian enterprises through the fair.

Zhu Junfeng, manager for the Asian Region of Trade and Investment Department of the government of the South Australia state, Australia, said 18 enterprises from the state participated in the expo.

According to Zhu, Australia is a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and South Australia wants to continue to strengthen its exchanges and cooperation with Xinjiang in the economy, trade, and investment.

An Caili, sales manager of a 40-year-old textile enterprise in Xinjiang, said the expo will help their products reach out to an even bigger market both at home and abroad.

"Via the expo, more local textile brands in Xinjiang are expected to go global, and I believe more people will know and buy textile products made of Xinjiang cotton," said An.
China's investment in water conservancy facilities reached 113.1 billion yuan (about 17.44 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of this year, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

In the January-July period, construction has begun on more than 10,000 water conservancy projects, accounting for 87.4 percent of the annual plan.

Wei Shanzhong, vice minister of water resources, said progress has been made on the implementation of the annual investment plan despite impacts from the epidemic and floods.

He called on local water resource authorities to advance implementation of the investment plan, especially projects on flood prevention and drought relief, ensure the security and efficiency of funds, and coordinate efforts between epidemic control and water conservancy work.
China has unveiled an action plan to promote rural vitalization in the eastern province of Zhejiang as part of efforts to achieve common prosperity.

The action plan, jointly released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the provincial government of Zhejiang, detailed multiple measures to build the economic powerhouse into a demonstration zone of rural vitalization in the next five years.

The plan stated the weak links of promoting common prosperity are in agriculture and rural affairs, stressing that those areas have room for improvement and development potential.

According to the document, agricultural and rural modernization will be realized in parts of the rural areas in the province by 2025, with replicable practices and models generated.

The document outlined six key tasks for promoting common prosperity in the province's rural areas, including developing rural industrial chains and ecological agriculture, encouraging agricultural technology innovation, and deepening reform in rural areas.

In June, China's central authorities issued a guideline on building Zhejiang into demonstration zone for achieving common prosperity. Under the guideline, the province will strive to achieve common prosperity by 2035, with its per capita gross domestic product and the income of urban and rural residents reaching the standard for developed countries.
You are here: China

About 60 percent of Hong Kong's eligible population, or 4.06 million, have taken at least one vaccine shot against COVID-19 as far, half a year after the inoculation began.

Among them, some 3.3 million people are fully immunized, accounting for 48.9 percent of the eligible groups, official data showed.

The figures are a hard-won result, Secretary for the Civil Service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Patrick Nip said, noting that vaccination is crucial to a possible loosing of social distancing measures and travel restrictions.

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported six new imported cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the total tally to 12,100.

A total of 64 cases have been reported in the past 14 days, including one untraceable local case and an import-related case, with the rest imported, according to the CHP.
You are here: China

China's National Meteorological Center on Sunday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in multiple regions of the country, calling for precautionary measures.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, downpours are expected in parts of Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui. Parts of Shandong Province will see up to 120 mm of rainfall.

Some of these areas are likely to encounter over 50 mm of hourly precipitation.

The center has advised local authorities to take appropriate measures to prepare for rainstorms, and reminded drivers of possible road waterlogging.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
 Flash

The investigation of the origins of COVID-19 should be dealt with solely by scientists and any politicization of this issue is deeply regretted and damaging global cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, said a renowned U.S. scholar.

"SORT OF POLITICAL RAKING UP"

"The (COVID) origins inquiry...should be left to the scientists to do, and it will take time to come to a conclusion on that," Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies, told Xinhua in an interview.

"But a lot of the evidence will be hard to sift through if it is not done during the early stages. So there should not be any interruptions and this sort of political raking up of issues stalls the issues at the scientists," Gupta said of the U.S. intelligence community's probe of the origins of the virus.

The U.S. intelligence community reached an inconclusive assessment about the origins of the virus following a 90-day investigation ordered by President Joe Biden, according to an unclassified summary of the probe released on Friday.

The report which "tends to give an equivalence to all the various theories" is "in my view very unfair" and will be remembered as "something negative," he said.

MAINTAINING NARRATIVES TO BLACKEN CHINA

By doing this, the United States is "trying to maintain those two big narratives" as it first proposed that China was not transparent about the origins of the virus and was not quick enough to deal with and inform the global community about the virus, said Gupta.

"The whole purpose is to blacken China on the COVID-19 in some way. And that is how it has played out in the U.S. media with U.S. political leaders, giving oxygen to this argument, and considering the power of Western media that will de facto hover above us in some way, shape or form, even down the line," he said.

"They will try to stick that in our images, in our head. And so that itself is a challenge for China to deal with considering the power of the Western media," Gupta said.

The expert noted that "unfortunately there has been so much politics" with regard to the fight against COVID-19 starting from origins of the virus to masks and vaccination, and so on.

GLOBAL WHOLE-SCALE ROUTE NEEDED

"Now what we are in fact having is a lack of political will to actually come together to deal with COVID-19. And the origins issue has hurt the political space to cooperate at a multilateral level and to deepen multilateral cooperation on global public health," said Gupta.

"We should have been thinking of a whole-scale route and brand-changing in how global public health is dealt with at the multilateral level. There has just not been that political foundation and political momentum to do it because so much of it has been spent in bickering about origins from a very politicized angle," he said.

"I think in the long run that will hurt us as a global community of not being able to create that institutional infrastructure to tackle these sorts of pandemics in the future," he said.

"There will be many more of these, and we know the extent of the damage it has created, not just in terms of human life, but also in terms of economic dislocation ... that is why any politicization of this issue is deeply regretted," said Gupta.

"I think the origins inquiry, which will take time, must allow to be proceeded on its own steam," he said, adding that the task "has been dealt with by scientists and should be dealt with solely by scientists."

CHINA'S RESPONSE "INCREDIBLY COMMENDABLE"

Gupta said what China has done in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is "incredibly commendable."

China's COVID response "has preserved human life. And I think it will, in the longer run, be a case study of how you deal with viruses," he said. "China has the global public health case study which will be written for posterity on how it needs to be followed."

"I think East Asia broadly, and China specifically, have done a great job. And this is really the model of how pandemics need to be dealt with in the future," he said.
 Flash

The Chinese government decided to provide Lebanon with a new batch of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine to help the country fight the pandemic, the Chinese embassy in Lebanon said in a statement Saturday.

The new donation comes within the framework of China's promise to make its vaccines a global public good, in order to help Lebanon fight the virus and restore normal life as soon as possible, the statement said.

Earlier this year, China donated batches of its Sinopharm vaccines to Lebanon, which were administered to members of the Lebanese army, security forces and public sector employees.

Since the pandemic broke out in Lebanon, the Chinese government, companies and the Chinese community in Lebanon have provided batches of medical aid to the Lebanese side.

The aid included units of PCR tests, masks, medical protective suits, goggles, medical gloves, and thermometers.
 Flash

Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.



The vaccines which arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday morning have been handed over to Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne by Wang Dong, defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said the service personnel, their families and the ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the vaccines.

"Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated as of now, the general public could also be facilitated using the balance amount," he said.

Expressing gratitude to China for the timely support, General Gunaratne said, "We are so happy that as a result of a request made by the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka to the Defense Minister of China, we received 300,000 doses of vaccines for members of the security forces and their family members. This is a timely donation."

Recalling the remarkable and long-standing relationship between the two countries, Wan Dong said the Chinese people have never hesitated to extend their support to the Sri Lankans in difficult times.

The donation shows the solidarity between the two countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On his Twitter account, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked China's PLA for the donation, saying the assistance from China will ensure the vaccination drive in Sri Lanka a success.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that on the same flight, 2 million more doses of the Sinopharm vaccines had also arrived from China.

Sri Lanka has so far received 18 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the leading vaccine being administered across the country.
A couple of years ago, I was made aware of a wide-ranging survey of religious beliefs in New Zealand. The survey uncovered some fascinating insights into the perceptions held by my fellow countrymen and women regarding Christianity.

Particularly interesting was the section about the causes of negative viewpoints towards Christianity. By a significant margin, the number one factor repelling people away from Christianity was church abuse.

No specific example was given by the authors of the survey but, now in 2021, I presume things such as the revelations about Ravi Zacharias duplicitous life might fit into a broad category of church abuse.

Additionally, I speculate that the unreported individual instances of some Christian leaders being hypocrites and frauds are also causing people to turn up their nose and say, yeah nah, not for me thanks.

Whats happening?

Some housekeeping first

Before I go further, I have to rein these horses in for a second and note down a couple of things.

Firstly, as Christians, we know that all people are prone to sin and, therefore, leaders are prone to sin. If we are asking how could he?, the answer is always he could. Sin, no matter the perpetrator, should be sad but, in a sense, not surprising.

Secondly, to a certain extent, people will latch on to any excuse they can find to not believe. We humans love our sin and so the church's message of repenting from that sin is always going to be unpopular; it is easy to just label churchgoers as hypocrites to avoid thinking about sin.

Because of this I want to stress that we should not allow the opinions of those outside the church to be the determining factor about whether something gets done inside the church. The only conforming the church should do is to Scripture.

Heres the thing though. I would be fine if the church was disliked because Christians stood against sin. But with this issue, the problem is the opposite. Church abuse is oftentimes a case of not calling out sin.

And therefore, the words that should cause us to tremble are not found in newspaper headlines but in the pages of our inspired textthe same pages that frequently warn of false teachers.

The long and the short of it is that bullies and frauds have infested the church like bedbugs crawling through a stately hotel and we dont seem to have noticed that the bedbugs have mutated into gargantuan monsters and the guests are now in danger of losing their limbs.

Put another way, there is something deeply sobering to realise that non-believers are noticing wolves in the sheep paddock at the same time (or before) the sheep themselves do.

We have stepped in something

Since I am a farm boy at heart, let me give us a lesson in rural etiquette: When we open a gate, we must not leave it open. If the gates are left open, the stock are vulnerable.

Applying farm manners to the damage left behind by church abuse, we need to ask, Has the gate been left open?

It has. The gate is open, the sheep are loose and the wolves have crept in.

One reason for this (and this is not every case) is that we have elevated individual personality and charisma over the clear teaching of Scripture on qualifications for leaders: being above reproach, being well thought of by outsiders, not being a recent convert, managing his own household, etc. (1 Timothy chapter 3 and Titus chapter 1).

We are too easily enamoured by someones eloquence and ability to draw crowds, rather than their faithfulness to sound doctrine.

Somewhat gullibly, we remark, My, what big teeth you have, Grandma, and then wonder how we missed the warning signs. Its a template with ready real-life examplessimply replace Grandma with a headline-making-but-not-for-a-good-reason celebrity preacher and replace big teeth with something like narcissistic behaviour and lying. You know, warning sign kind of things.

Closing the gate

I grant that in many cases, the warning signs are hard to spot. Certainly, it is hard to spot those razor-sharp canines in the middle of that winning smile. And I am not being glib; it really is difficult.

Also, I add that these wolves can do two things at once: pull the wool over the eyes of others while also wrapping it around their own shoulders.

So how do we close the gate?

Closing the gate means carefully following the instructions the Bible lays out on qualifications for elders (references above).

Closing the gate means ejecting the trespassers as soon as they reveal themselves to be trespassers. How? When sin arises, it needs to be confronted and unrepentant leaders are to be publicly rebuked on the testimony of two or three witnesses (Matthew chapter 18 and 1 Timothy chapter 5).

Closing the gate means handing criminals over to those with authority to punish (1 Peter chapter 2, verses 13-14).

Anyway.

Im letting you know.

The gate has been left open.
The North Korean Communist dictatorship is as determined as ever to stamp out Christianity, a new report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has found.

"The campaign to exterminate all Christian adherents and institutions in North Korea has been brutally effective," it says.

Arbitrary arrest and detention, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, torture, executions, and the systematic denial of religious freedom rights are the tools the North Korean government uses, according to the report called 'Organized Persecution  Documenting Religious Freedom Violations in North Korea'.

"These violations, which were documented as occurring as recently as 2020, are seemingly designed to remove all traces of Christianity," it says.

The concerted state-sponsored persecution continues through "the work of the Ministry of State Security, networks of informants that stretch into China, the presence of 'no-exit' political prison camps, executions, and an educational and organizational system that deters adherence through schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods."

USCIRF investigators interviewed survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators of religious freedom violations in 2020 and 2021. The majority of interviewees escaped North Korea in 2019.

"We identified 68 cases of the state prosecuting individuals for their religion or belief or for their association with religious persons," it says.

One former detainee explained how a prisoner who had been arrested for smuggling a small copy of the Bible from China to North Korea was locked in solitary confinement.

"Correctional officers would take the metal cleaning rod for a rifle and have the prisoner stick out their hands and strike them with the metal rod mercilessly."

Investigators also "documented credible accounts of the execution of Christian adherents who had practiced within the territory of North Korea, rather than in or through China.

"It is noteworthy that details from these incidents come from former security officials, reflecting the level of secrecy with which the state deals with incidents of Christianity that arise domestically."

In July 2011 a Christian woman and her grandchild were executed by firing squad in Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province.

In another instance, six people convicted of practising Christianity were executed in secret by firing squad in 2015. This took place in Yeonan County in South Hwanghae Province, with up to 40 others sentenced to a political prison camp for life.

The report was authored by Inje Hwang, an investigator at human rights organisation Korea Future, and by James Burt, Chief Strategy Officer at Korea Future.

The USCIRF is a federal government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act. It reports to the President, Secretary of State and Congress.



Reposted with permission from Christian Today
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Body care - both widely distributed and "prestige" body creams, lotions and milks. Includes firming/anti-cellulite and general purpose body care preparations.

Body Care market in Saudi Arabia registered a positive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.13% during the period 2015 to 2020 with a sales value of SAR 1,244.13 Million in 2020, a decrease of -1.25% over 2019. The market achieved its strongest performance in 2018, when it grew by 8.44% over its previous year and its weakest performance in 2020, when it fell by -1.25% over 2019.

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Were in a phase of the pandemic when we need to use that extra layer of precaution, Dr. David Banach, an epidemiologist at UConn Health, said Thursday. And indoor masking is going to be part of that. We still have children who are unvaccinated, and while were in high transmission, we need to add on that extra layer of protection.
I dont want to put anything in my body that could possibly cause harm to my child, so as of right now its not for me, she said. I dont want to just go based on whats out there. My kids, all they have are me and Dad, so I dont want to put myself at risk before I know exactly what Im doing.
This is America, and we have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness before everything else, Beaulieu said. So if you believe the vaccine is going to save your life, feel free to get it, and if you dont believe thats the case, you should be free not to.
When they announced the vaccines, I went around and talked to everyone to get their thoughts. We were at about 45% [of staff] who were going to get it, he said. And then we did a lot of education. We had a whiteboard. We had posters. We made a brochure going over what the vaccines are, how they work, what an mRNA vaccine is. We put it out there in plain and simple terms and really spent a lot of time educating, doing one-on-ones.
We want to make sure that these families can afford to live in Connecticut, Murphy said. We hope that those who are watching these scenes on TV, with an open heart, will think about donating to IRIS to make sure that they have the funds and the resources in the short term to be able to resettle families here  and that churches and organizations will offer themselves as partners to help make the transition to living in Connecticut easier.
This is a combination of Saigon and Tehran, the former three-term 2nd District congressman recalled in an interview. Saigon because the operation just dissolved into a retreat where we left thousands of our people behind and millions of dollars of equipment. Tehran because we are going to leave behind hundreds, if not thousands, of American hostages. They might not be hostages today, but what are they going to be on the first of September?
Responding to subsequent questions, she said many staff have been working overtime lately and the company thinks they would benefit from having a couple of days off. She said Bojangles would offer employees opportunities to work additional hours if they chose.
The credible messenger roles are a part of a revamp of the citys Youth and Young Adult Opportunity department, which also has created a new community outreach team. Hampton added four new jobs for the team  at least two senior family services specialists, who have backgrounds in sociology, criminal justice and social work  in its current budget. The city also received a $500,000 grant from the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention Program to help fund the jobs, Bond said in an email.
The White House wants to make booster shots available to all U.S. adults starting Sept. 20. First federal officials must review evidence before giving the plan final approval. If it moves forward, people who received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines would be eligible for a third dose eight months after their second. The timing would mean that health care workers, long-term care residents and other seniors would be first in line.
A woman police sub-inspector in East Godavari committed suicide at the Police Training College hostel in Vizianagaram on Sunday. (Representational Photo:ANI)

VISAKHAPATNAM: A woman police sub-inspector in East Godavari committed suicide at the Police Training College hostel in Vizianagaram on Sunday. Deceased K. Bhavani who belonged to the 2018 batch of SIs had been posted at Sakhinetipalli police station.

Bhavani belongs to Salempalem village of Koduru mandal in Krishna district and went to the police training college in Vizianagaram for in-service training. According to PTC officials, Bhavani completed her training on Saturday and was scheduled to return to her workstation in the evening.

She, however, stayed back and hanged herself to the ceiling fan. SP Deepika Patil said Bhavani might have ended her life due to personal reasons.

According to the SP, Bhavani told her roommate that she would stay back and visit the Simhachalam temple on Sunday. The roommate vacated the premises and left. Bhavani bolted the door from inside. The following morning, the PTC staff saw her hanging from the ceiling with a chunni.

The police sent the body to the local government hospital for postmortem and began an investigation.
The plea has sought directions to the Central Water Commission to reject and return the Detailed Project Report for the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project filed by Karnataka. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain Karnataka from proceeding with any activity regarding the proposed construction of a reservoir at Mekedatu across the Inter-State Cauvery river.

The Tamil Nadu government in its plea stated that the planning of the Mekedatu project by Karnataka with a capacity of 67.16 TMC ft. and generation of 400 MW power at a cost of about Rs. 9000 crores is in gross violation of the decision of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

The petition said that the entire object and intendment of the final decision of the tribunal as modified by the top court is to ensure that the pattern of the release of water to the downstream State to meet the irrigation interests are not jeopardized.

The State of Karnataka unilaterally and contrary to the judgment of this court, sent a Feasibility Report of the Mekedatu project to Central Water Commission (CWC), the petition said adding that the CWC which is the implementing agency, is bound to honour the judgement, but instead proceeded to entertain the proposal.

"The proposed construction by Karnataka would have a cascading effect on the daily and monthly inflows during the crucial months of June to September as stipulated in the Final Order of the Tribunal as affirmed by this Court resulting in prejudicing the livelihood of lakhs of inhabitants of Tamil Nadu depending on the flows from the upstream in Karnataka," the plea said.

It said that any new scheme contemplated should be taken up only with the consent of the other basin States as they are vitally affected by the unilateral action of the upper riparian State.

The plea has sought directions to the Central Water Commission to reject and return the Detailed Project Report for the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir cum Drinking Water Project filed by Karnataka.

It has also sought to restrain the Ministry of Environment & Forests and its agencies from entertaining any application for clearance relating to the Mekedatu Project.

According to the plea, the proposed reservoir would result in impounding the flows generated in Cauvery river from the uncontrolled catchment of Kabini sub-basin downstream of Kabini reservoir, the catchment of Cauvery river downstream of Krishna Raja Sagara dam, uncontrolled flows from Shimsha, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathy sub-basins and various other small streams, which are the sources to ensure 177.25 TMC at Billigundlu.

The petition stated that the proposed project would affect the flow of the river Cauvery considerably and will severely affect the irrigation in Cauvery basin of Tamil Nadu.

If any new storage structure is permitted to be constructed by Karnataka, the applicant State will not be able to get its due share of water as per monthly schedule even in normal years and more so in deficit years, the plea said.

"Karnataka will appropriate the waters to the maximum extent using the additional storage thereby, depriving the lower riparian State of its due share, which is the past experience of Tamil Nadu." the plea said.

The state government claimed that in spite of a series of correspondence with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Karnataka and the Prime Minister, the Centre has not issued any instructions to Karnataka and its instrumentality not to proceed with the project.

The top court in 2018 had directed the Karnataka government to release 177.25 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from its inter-state Billigundlu dam.

The judgement clarified that Karnataka will now have an enhanced share of 14.75 tmcft water per year while Tamil Nadu will get 404.25 tmcft, which will be 14.75 tmcft less than what was allotted by the tribunal in 2007.

Earlier, in accordance with the 2007 award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT), Karnataka had a share of 270 tmcft of Cauvery water. This will now increase to 284.75 tmcft
Hyderabad: With all schools scheduled to reopen for physical classes from Wednesday, September 1, managements of private schools are scrambling to ensure that all their teachers and staff are vaccinated against Covid-19. We want everyone working in our schools to get at least their first dose before we reopen, Telangana Private Schools and Management Association president S. Srinivas Reddy said.

In fact, to be doubly sure, we also want parents and eligible members of our students families too to get vaccinated. Schools have been sending messages to parents in this regard. More the people vaccinated, better it will be for preventing a possible spread of Covid-19 within our schools, he underlined.

Incidentally, private schools are also asking their entire staff to produce certificates of them being vaccinated.

Celine Victoria Lazarus, a teacher with Oakridge International School, Bachupally, told Deccan Chronicle: As of now 300 of our personnel have been vaccinated. We started the vaccination drive two months ago. Those of us, who have not yet got their vaccines, are doing so now.

While there appears unanimity among teachers and school managements on need for all staffers to get vaccinated, some expressed reservations on how safe it would be for unvaccinated children to be in schools. Anusha Mondol, an IB School music teacher, said, I took the second dose of vaccine this Friday. The management is strict on vaccination among staff. But personally, I do not agree with schools going ahead with physical classes, as there has been no vaccination yet for children.

Almost all private schools have been receiving calls from parents on safety measures for children while they attend physical classes. Asha Lata, correspondent of Iris School in KPHB Colony, disclosed that the school has been fielding multiple calls from parents concerned about safety of their children. We are informing them about all our personnel going through the schedule of vaccination and safety measures we have put in place, she stated.

Ellena Fathima Michael, a teacher at St. Christopher High School in Venkataramana Colony of Khairtabad, welcomed holding of physical classes. Her concern is loss of learning among children with mere online but no physical classes. I also do not support parallel physical and online classes, she maintained.

A similar reaction came from Stella Sukumar, a social studies teacher at St Pauls Public School, Gandhi Nagar. Government allowing physical classes is a very good decision in my opinion, she remarked.
New Delhi: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday hit out at the ICHR for omitting the photograph of Jawaharlal Nehru from the first digital poster to celebrate the 75th year of India's Independence, and said the explanation given is ludicrous.

He accused the member secretary of the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) of bowing to hate and prejudice and asked him whether he would omit Henry Ford while celebrating the birth of the motor car or Wright brothers while celebrating the birth of aviation.

Ford was the first to invent the motor car and the Wright brothers were credited for building and flying the world's first aircraft.

"ICHR Member-Secretary's explanation for the omission of Jawaharlal Nehru from the first digital poster to celebrate 75 years of independence is ludicrous," he said on Twitter.

"After bowing down to prejudice and hate, it is best the Member-Secretary shuts his mouth," he also said.

"If he was celebrating the birth of the motor car, will he omit Henry Ford? If he was celebrating the birth of aviation, will he omit the Wright brothers? If he was celebrating Indian science, will he omit C V Raman," Chidambaram asked in a series of tweets.

The exclusion of Nehru's image from the poster of the 'Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations by the ICHR has triggered a controversy with opposition parties slamming the government for it and dubbing it as "petty and atrocious".
American President Joe Bidens troop withdrawal from Afghanistan has been messy, agreed, but if it means an end to the US forever wars, isnt that to be welcomed? When Donald Trump asked Jimmy Carter What should we do, China is going ahead of us?, Jimmy Carters pithy response was: China hasnt been at war since 1978; weve never stopped being at war.

Natural calamities worldwide are increasing at the rate of knots due to global warming, which may well become irreversible. Thats where all our focus should be, jointly.

What happened in Afghanistan was a process set into motion as early as the 1970s, where imperial interests were directly involved. American imperialism had already taken a drubbing in Vietnam. Portugals pullout from Angola, and Mozambique brought the Communists to power. Then Mengistu surfaced in Ethiopia, Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua.

Such an outcome must be foreclosed in the Iran-South Asia region.

Ironically, the Saur revolution, or the April 1978 coup, brought Afghan Communists Khalq and Parcham to power. This epoch-making event was a consequence of a botched-up adventure instigated by US intelligence. The Shah of Irans notorious Savak took the operational lead. I was in Kabul for the first press conference by Noor Mohammad Taraki, the Communist PM.

Jimmy Carters national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski had embarked on securing a global order in which regional influentials would play a key role. The Shah, arch-regional power in Brzezinskis book, allowed Savak to clean up the stables in nearby Kabul where Mohammad Daud, a Marxist numa (lookalike), was leaning excessively on Moscow.

Diehard Communists around Daud had to be eliminated. As happens in many intelligence operations, the Savak plot got leaked. Mir Akbar Khyber, a Communist trade union leader, was inadvertently killed, alerting Communists across the country of the Savak plan.

In a pre-emptive move, military officers Aslam Watanjar and Abdul Qadir Dagarwal mobilised armoured carriers, drove into the presidential palace, killed Daud and his relatives, and the Communists took power.

Kabul under the Communists paved the way for the Soviet Union to enter the country. Once again, Brzezinski was in action. Peering into Afghanistan from the automatic frontline state, Pakistan, he began to think tactically towards a strategic end.

The US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan got into a huddle for their own ends. The US would provide military training and hardware to drive the USSR out of Afghanistan. The Saudis and the Pak establishment wanted this outcome too, but they had key agendas of their own. The Saudis would spend billions in the project to manufacture a kind of Arabized Islam to undermine the Shia ayatollahs in Iran who had come to power just the previous year. It suited Pakistans President Zia-ul Haq. He was able to embark on his Nizam e Mustafa, or government based on Islamic laws. This would Arabise the countrys Islam and wrench it away from the mumbo-jumbo of secularism and composite culture being promoted in India. Had he lived, Indias social evolution would have pleased him.

Hundreds of madrasas, or seminaries, came up on the Pakistan side of the border, hatcheries to breed the Mujahideen who eventually helped drive the Soviets out in 1989. True, a year later the Soviet Union fell, but the departing Americans left behind unemployed Islamic militants who farmed out for work in Kashmir, Egypt, Algeria. The spiritual heirs in the diaspora of this brand of militancy were utilised most recently in the Syrian carnage.

In 1996, the Taliban, a progeny of the Mujahideen, fired by the kind of Islam instilled into them in the madrasas, were once again boosted by the Americans. Senior hands in South Block had joined the US camp after the Soviet Unions collapse. The lemon sold to everybody was that the Taliban will control Afghanistan and the US will control the Taliban. This coordination will help Unocals TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline. After Unocal was sold to Chevron in 2005, the US found other reasons to stay on: Pakistan next door was too nuclear to be ignored; the Uyghurs in Xinxiang and Muslim populations in the Caucasus looked like low-hanging fruit, accessible from Afghan real estate. Priceless poppy in Helmand?

Al Qaedas founder Osama bin Laden made Afghanistan his base since 1980 with a singular mission: to help the Taliban see the backs of the Soviets. Their occupation of a Muslim country was an insult to Islam. Once the Soviets were driven out, Bin Laden set his sights on foreign soldiers and oil companies in his homeland. He raised the banner of revolt against Riyadh, soon after Juhayman al-Otaybi and his al-Ikhwan group (an extremist cousin of Muslim Brotherhood) shook the Kingdom by occupying the Mecca Grand Mosque for 20 days. The Saudi royal familys strong links with the Bush clan was the backdrop for the clash of civilisations as soon as George W. Bush entered the White House in January 2001. Eight months later 9/11 happened. Egged on by the neo-cons, the US occupied Afghanistan.

Its being said this is the first time that soldiers trained by the US waged no battle against the Taliban. What happened in Vietnam? Google C-Span and see Gen. Lloyd Austin, now defence secretary, being grilled by the Senate Armed Services Committee on a $500 million project to train Syrian militants. How many of our trainees are fighting? Huge pause. Then Gen. Austin: Four or five.

The media neo-cons wont give up. In a satirical piece, Thomas Friedman of the New York Times implies that the Taliban the morning after the morning after will turn up at the White House, turbans in hand. Please sir, take over our country once again!
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One US Marine got sacked and is in hot water when he questioned the commander in chief for the attack that killed 13 marines in Kabul. The Lieutenant Colonel posted his reaction on social media. His rant highlight how mistakenly the Biden administration has placed America on the knife's edge.

In the video rant, which lasted five minutes, active-duty Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller scoured what he thought of the mediocre way that Joe Biden and officials of his administration have made the Afghan pull out the worst in US military history.

He cited the death toll of 183, including 170 Afghanis and 13 US service members caught in the blast. He highlighted a 20-year-old marine who died with a child due in September. They were all caught in a suicide bomber's wake last Thursday, which was caused by unsound decisions in his mind.

US Marine demanded accountability

One of the significant fails attributed to how terrible decisions is the failure to secure US equipment worth $85 billion in Taliban hands, remarked GOP members of Congress, reported the Express UK.

Lt. Col. Scheller stated that the current administration is flawed in foreign policy as part of the reasons for the debacle. He added that questions wanted to answer by senior officials, not be avoided, cited Ajansev. This one US Marine got sacked because he wanted someone to accept the blame for the Afghanistan disaster.

Read Also: Biden Refuses Military Advice As His Decisions Have Endangered the West from Terrorism

Scheller asked that all officials who compromised America be held accountable for the 183 deaths of Marines and Afghans. More casualties are three UK nationals who were caught in the suicide blast. Claiming that intel warned of it, but Biden and company ignore it. This makes their complicity in the events worse, noted CBS News.

The Lt. Col, who served proudly in Iraq and Afghanistan as a true American, felt betrayed by those who promised to protect US service members. He knew that politics in the military will criticize him and question his values to protect their interests, not America, risking reputation and family as true Americans would.

"I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, I demand accountability." - Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller on the failures in Afghanistan that led to American servicemen dying. pic.twitter.com/JPH3nTctrG  David Hookstead (@dhookstead) August 27, 2021

He added that people are raging on social media because it was not the Marine who let the US down.

More Americans want Biden and his officials to admit their failure instead of hiding behind semantics and excuses, as the media is taking potshots at the hobble US leader.

Scheller fought for the US for 17 years and said he does not care if everything is lost if they admit they failed.

Valuable US equipment falls to the Taliban

Due to the current administration's decisions, the marine colonel proved his accusation of how lousy everything turns out.It was losing the US-Bagram airbase that houses expensive equipment that the Jihadi's demanded be given up, which the US agreed and lost airpower that was crucial. The insurgents are rejoicing over how the US had not to hang onto this valuable asset; a motherload of weapons for the Taliban to terrorize Afghanis.

Scheller's parting shot is that his fellow 13 marines died uselessly due to politics, with high US officials spinning and denying their mistakes. US Marine was relieved for speaking against Joe Biden and formally relieved of duty by the Commanding Officer of School of Infantry-East.

Related Article: Joe Biden Cancels Holiday As Liberal Media Turned on Him for Poor Performance Amid Taliban Rise in Power

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For many, the debacle of Afghanistan is a preview of how things will fail against China. US president Joe Biden lessened trust in America's capability when disorganized Jihadis outsmarted the Biden administration. What else if China needs to be dealt with?

This is the question posed by GB News Alastair Stewart, who says the failure to hold Kabul and the recent suicide bombing show that the US president cannot assure its allies anymore.

Under his watch, the Afghan pullout negotiated by Donald Trump had a plan turned aside by the White House. It was a problematic withdrawal that accelerated the Taliban takeover of Kabul. Deaths on the ground by ISIS militants show a basic inability to function as the prior administration.

Fall of Kabul sets a preview that US might fall against China in the future

Stewart said the former Vice-president, now US leader Biden is seemingly dull in foreign policy, which indicates to NATO and allies that China can run ram shod over him easily, reported the Express UK.

Prompting criticisms and loss of confidence, no one can trust America again, noted the GB presenter. Stewart cited that Joe Biden did everything in his power to ignore Donald Trump's 'America First, now it seems his opponent will have the last laugh. The democrat now learns Trump's mantra in foreign policy is pivotal, and his administration is seen as an alleged disgrace spinning the truth too much.Beijing did not waste time to shake Taiwan in believing Americans can save them.

The US president's refusal to put NATO in the loop made it look weak as the world's greatest military that cannot get everyone out. Joe Biden is losing authority that makes a fail against China not far from happening.

Read Also: Taliban Bans Music, Requires Afghan Women With Male Chaperone; New Rules Contradict Promises

Stewart said that Biden's adamant refusal to the request of UK PM Boris Johnson to extend the evacuation beyond August 31 is problematic. It is a blemish on the cooperation of the two nations, cited Arkansas Online. He called the special relationship useless because the US president did not consider Britain's support in the last 20 years in Afghanistan. Also, the snub of Boris Johnson in the first 36-hours of the crisis.

#Afghanistan @TomTugendhat tells @Nigel_Farage & @DehennaDavison on @GBNEWS this is the biggest foreign policy failure since Suez: it is a rout. The UK might not be able to get all our people out.

He repeats his demand for visas for all Afghanis who worked with & for UK.  Alastair Stewart (@AlStewartOBE) August 15, 2021

In 48-hours, the disastrous US administration allowed the ISIS-K airport bombing to happen. But, the US administration claims it killed a top leader. Afghanistan fell and the Biden administration is in denial, the GB host added. Stewart remarked that allies are disunited by the US leader and found wanting to prevent the nightmare of leaving thousands at the Taliban's mercy is a terrible reality.

China looms, and US allies in the Indo-Pacific

In the chaos of Afghanistan, the US sent a Coast Guard cutter to the Taiwan Strait last Friday, noted Al Jazeera. The ship Arleigh-Burke class, USS Kid with the Coast Guard Cutter Munro passing through international waters based on international law, remarked the US Navy.

China has held numerous drills to scare Taiwan, Chinese jets and ships have violated its territory. Beijing called attention to the transit and said PLA units were monitoring the US ship's progress.

Joe Biden's decisions concerning Kabul show that the catastrophic administration cannot discount a fail against China.

Related Article: British Commandos in Kabul Makes American Special Forces 'Look Bad' Amid White House Request to Halt Daring Rescue Missions

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
President Joe Biden said troops have told him that another terrorist assault on Kabul's airport is "very probable" in the next 24-36 hours.

Biden Vows To Hunt the Terrorist

In a recently published article in MSN News, in his remarks, Biden promised to track down and prosecute anybody engaged in the horrific assault. He further said that the drone attack would not be stopped. This is after the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service personnel and wounded other individuals.

The drone strike was announced a day after Biden promised retaliation for the terrorist assault in Kabul, while also stating that the hurried operation to transport Americans out of Afghanistan would continue. According to a source knowledgeable about the situation, Biden authorized the attack on the ISIS-K planner.

Biden said that the country will react forcefully and precisely when they choose, in the location they choose, and at the time they will pick. He also stressed out that what everyone should know is that these ISIS terrorists will not prevail, according to a published article in The Washington Post.

Read Also: ISIS Remains a Lurking Danger in Afghanistan as US Continues To Withdraw Troops

Drone Strike Against the ISIS

The President's statement came hours after the Pentagon said two "high-profile" ISIS targets were killed and another was injured in a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan, in retaliation for the terrorist attack outside the airport on Thursday that killed 13 US service members and injured at least 170 others.

The President said that the situation on the ground is very hazardous, and the potential of terrorist strikes on the airport is still very real, therefore he's ordered commanders to prioritize force protection in whatever way they can, according to a published report in The New York Times.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations, said in a news conference confirmed that two high-profile ISIS targets were killed while one was wounded. Additionally, he did not also specify any plans.

Rushed Evacuation of American Citizens Before the Deadline

In a recently published article in NBC News, before Tuesday's deadline for the U.S. to complete a full military departure, the US military is racing to evacuate the few remaining Americans and Afghan friends escaping the Taliban.

While there are only around 350 Americans remaining in Afghanistan who want to leave, hundreds of Afghans who worked with the U.S. throughout the 20-year conflict are still attempting to find a way out. This is after the Taliban threatens to kill those who worked with the American and foreign troops.

Nearly 300 Americans have been evacuated in the past day, according to the State Department, while approximately 5,400 Americans have been evacuated since August 14, according to the Defense Department. The government also claims to have spoken with around 280 more people who self-identify as Americans but have not informed the department of their intentions to leave the nation or have said that they have no plans to leave at all.

According to a White House official on Saturday morning, about 6,800 individuals were evacuated by the U.S. and coalition aircraft between 3 a.m. ET Friday and 3 a.m. ET Saturday. The most current figures are significantly lower than those from previous days, which the White House has said should be anticipated in the mission's closing days.

Related Article: Taliban Claims Usama bin Laden is Not Behind the 9/11 Attack



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A group of "New Light of God" cult members overtook a village with machetes who forced residents to repent. These derange cultists were out of their minds and were obsessed with repentance of sins.

The said sect claimed that God told them to force people to repent and terrorize a far-off Panamanian village. The villagers were held hostage by the cult to be sorry for their sins. However, this meant getting tortured inhumanly by these cult members dispensing barbarity and murder.

Jungle cult savaged a village with machetes

Those in the remote village were terrorized, with no way to ask for help from authorities. Cult members may have delighted in forcing a helpless pregnant woman with her five children to walk through the fire, as reported the Daily Star.

In January 2020, the "New Light of God" cult in Panama had horrific rituals forced on their hapless victims. Authorities went into the village and saved 14 people held hostage when they raided the place.

When police investigated the deranged members' atrocities, they uncovered the horrible death of seven individuals who were tortured in sadistic and bizarre exorcisms concocted by them. Bodies were found in a mass grave of the helplessly murdered victims, noted the ABC.

Escaped victims reported the cult's activities

Three of their victims from the village escaped the mad religious sect of cultists, who were able to get to the hospital a bit farther than the jungle.

The escapees told of the horrific abuses and terror the religious sect has heaped on the minority living in the far western indigenous Ngabe-Bugle region by getting threatened with machetes.

Read Also: Man Tortures Victims Mentally and Physically Before Stuffing Them in Freezer

Terror began when the sect members pull victims into the deviant church while kicking and screaming. Next thing that will happen is the horror of allegedly torturing victims with sticks and knives as well. It was not repentance as the evil sect used physical harm to intentionally inflict pain, using a machete as part of the process to make victims forget their sin.

The senior prosecutor of the Bocas del Toro province of west Panama, Rafael Baloyes, said the cultists claim that God told them in a divine message to make the villagers repent. The fundamental objective was torturing and killing, not to repent deceptively. Rites were designed at maiming and killing the victims, a twisted way claiming repentance is the goal. One victim was a woman who was found unclothed in the hellish church.

Ritualized murder and violence

The cult decided to pick on one family to perform their deviant rites and intentionally maltreated them, slaughtering the family ruthlessly without mercy.

Nine of the "New Light of God" cultists were kept in jail by a judge. They are accused of mercilessly killing five helpless children with their pregnant mother and a neighbor. Identified members of the satanic cult are a grandfather and two uncles related to the five children who died.

According to BBC News, the investigators had to hike about 10 hours, passing mountains and woods through looking at the mass grave of the seven killed people. The villagers had to be evacuated near a river 210 miles from Panama City. Villagers suffered for three months before being saved from the New Light of God's cult members who used machetes.

Related Article: Suspect Who Dumped Bodies of Two Sisters With Bags on Their Head Arrested

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As the United States finishes up its evacuation operation, the Taliban are putting up a cabinet, according to a Taliban spokesman.

Taliban Designated Some Heads

In a recently published article in The Hill, according to the wire agency, the spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, did not provide a precise timetable for when the cabinet will be completed. He did point out, however, that the coalition has already named heads of education and public health institutes, among other positions.

The Taliban's announcement comes as the organization solidified control in Afghanistan over the previous month, gaining military ground in many major cities before taking Kabul. Taliban has already said before that they will form a new government under their supervision.

Moreover, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the nation when the capital city was captured. Vice President Amrullah Saleh proclaimed himself "caretaker" president after the president's departure, according to a recently published news article in Reuters.

Read Also: Peace Talks: Afghan Officials Meet Taliban Negotiator

Taliban To Form a New Government

The Taliban's leadership council, or shura in Pashto, convened recently in the presidential palace in Kabul, according to a senior Taliban leader who talked to Nikkei on the condition of anonymity. Mullah Yaqoob, a son of Taliban founder Mohammed Omar, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, two of the organization's three deputy leaders, have been entrusted with completing the cabinet roster. One of the two men is likely to become Prime Minister.

In a recently published article in Nikkei Asia, almost all of the shura's 26 members will be admitted into the cabinet, with the exception of a few elderly and ailing members and some from outside the council, according to the source. Despite the Taliban's frequent statements that it wants a complete administration in Afghanistan, the insider claims that there is no chance of inducting officials from the previous government in the first phase.

Furthermore, women will not be included in the first cabinet, although it is possible that this could change in the future. According to the source, the new government would build its defense forces by combining its own soldiers with the former Afghan National Army, which has been battling the Taliban for decades.

Forming a New Government Amid the Economic Turmoil

According to a news outlet, the nation is also experiencing economic difficulties since its Afghani currency has lost most of its value and its banks have been shuttered for many weeks. To compound the economic situation, areas of Afghanistan have been hit by a severe drought, causing food costs to skyrocket.

Mujahid predicted that after the Taliban established their new administration, the country's situation will improve. He said that the Afghani's depreciation versus international currencies is just temporary and that it is due to a scenario that abruptly altered, it would return to normal once the government system is fully operational.

However, there are still many uncertainties because the International Monetary Fund stopped sending funds to Afghanistan after the country was fully controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban cannot also access the assets of the Da Afghan Bank.

Related Article: Taliban Fighters Claim Capture of Two Other Provincial Capitals, Conduct Assassination Campaign of Government Officials in Kabul



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.




The annual Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival will be held virtually for the second consecutive year on Oct. 9 and 10, its organizers said Sunday.







The festival's 16th edition will feature '90s top artists such as Lee Seung-hwan and Yoon Sang, and other popular acts including 10cm, Daybreak and Leenalchi, according to the organizing committee.







The names of participating artists from other countries will be revealed at a later date.







As one of South Korea's biggest music events, the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival was previously held in October, also virtually, after being postponed for two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.







Organizers said some 780,000 people watched the show online.







This year's edition will incorporate 360-degree virtual reality broadcasts and music critics' commentaries to help enhance viewers' experiences, the organizers said. (Yonhap)


Pianist Cho Seong-jin / Courtesy of Universal Music

By Park Ji-won







Cover image for pianist Cho Seong-jin's new album, "Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Scherzi" / Courtesy of Universal Music

Pianist Cho Seong-jin, the winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition, released his sixth album  the second featuring the music of Chopin  on Friday six years after his debut album in 2015. He was planning to start a recital tour in Korea from Aug. 31, however, he has delayed some of the performances due to health problems.







Titled "Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2  Scherzi" and released through Deutsche Grammophon, the album features Chopin's works, "Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21," and a series of scherzos, including: "Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20," "Scherzo No. 2 in B Flat Minor, Op. 31," "Scherzo No. 3 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 39" and "Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54."







The digital version of the album and the deluxe edition for the Korean market include three bonus tracks: "Revolutionary" Etude, Op. 10 no. 12," "Impromptu No. 1, Op. 29" and "Nocturne, Op. 9 no. 2."







"When I was 11, I played a Chopin piece for the first time in my life. It was 'Waltz, Op. 18.' I found it to be very romantic, charming and joyful music . it has been already six years since I won the Chopin competition. In the past six years, I would say my relationship with Chopin has matured and my relationship with his music is very progressive. It is not something I can define right now. I think it is going to be a lifelong journey. Every time I come back to it, I make new discoveries," he said in a video released on his YouTube channel in July.







Regarding the album and Chopin's Scherzo series, Cho wrote in a recent press release that, "It is very important to express the (music's) passion as the four works are very different from each other. But they can form a great combination together. I often played the set of works in recitals."







It is Cho's sixth Deutsche Grammaphon album, released about one year after his latest album, "The Wanderer," featuring pieces by Schubert, Berg and Liszt, in May of last year.







In 2015, he made an exclusive contract with the classical music label and released his first Deutsche Grammaphon album. The following year his album "Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1, Ballades" was released. His latest album was recorded with the same orchestra, and completes Cho's recordings of the two Chopin piano concertos.







Cho had been planning to hold a recital tour across Korea to mark the release of the album, playing the works included on the latest album, as well as other rare works, such as Janacek's "Piano Sonata 1.X.1905," and Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit," beginning from the first recital in Busan, originally scheduled for Aug 31.







However, the Busan performance and another recital, scheduled to be held in Incheon on Sept. 2, were both delayed to Sept. 16 and 9, respectively, due to the pianist's health problems. Cho had food poisoning and is receiving medical treatment, his agency Credia said. He is planning to hold recitals in Jeonju (Sept. 4), Daegu (Sept. 5), Seoul (Sept. 7), Yeosu (Sept. 11) and Suwon (Sept. 12) as per his original tour schedule.


A still of Doris Liu's 2017 documentary "In the Name of Confucius" / Courtesy of Doris Liu



Chinese Canadian filmmaker Doris Liu fights for 'a democratic China'



By Kang Hyun-kyung





Doris Liu
Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, leaves Incheon International Airport, for the United States, Sunday, to meet officials of the State Department and the White House National Security Council. Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk's trip to the United States is raising speculation that Seoul and Washington are expected to discuss inter-Korean humanitarian projects in a more concrete way, according to diplomatic observers, Sunday.



In addition, the two sides may also share ideas on the U.S. offering partial sanctions relief, in exchange for North Korea's partial steps toward denuclearization.



Noh's four-day visit to Washington, D.C. is seen as carrying extra weight, given that it follows his American counterpart Sung Kim's official trip to Seoul last week. According to the foreign ministry, Noh plans to meet representatives from the State Department, the White House National Security Council and others, to follow up on discussions held with Kim here during his trip.



"The government has had a series of in-depth consultations with the Joe Biden administration to resume nuclear talks between North Korea and the U.S. as soon as possible. During the trip, I plan to hold talks with U.S. representatives open-mindedly," Noh told reporters at Incheon International Airport.



Shin Beom-chul, director of the Center for Diplomacy and Security at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said that the government was likely seeking to discuss with the U.S. side how to map out humanitarian assistance to North Korea.



During his visit to Seoul, the U.S. envoy said that the Biden administration was set to continue providing its support for inter-Korean humanitarian cooperation projects  a step forward from its previous stance.



"As Sung Kim confirmed the U.S.'s commitment to South Korea's humanitarian aid to North Korea, Noh flew to the U.S. to determine the boundaries of that project," Shin said.



"With his discussion with Kim as a reference point, Noh is expected also to discuss the matters with officials from the White House and the State Department."



While in Seoul, asked about the possibility of the U.S. partially lifting its sanctions on Pyongyang in his interview with local broadcaster KBS, Sung Kim had said that the U.S. was willing to address the full range of issues and concerns.



"Given the opportunity, we will be able to make substantial progress," Kim had said.



Also, Shin said that there could be a more demanding issue that South Korea may be wanting to discuss with higher-ranking U.S. officials.



"South Korea and the U.S. could discuss what sanctions relief Seoul can offer to North Korea for dialogue in the event of North Korea showing that it is taking positive steps toward denuclearization," he added.



The U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), published July 30, said that the Biden approach, "Appears to envision offering partial sanctions relief in exchange for partial steps toward denuclearization."






Construction workers stand in line to receive coronavirus tests at a temporary testing center set up at a construction site in southeastern Seoul's Gangdong District, Aug. 24. Yonhap



Vaccinations to be offered to foreign nationals regardless of legal status



By Lee Hyo-jin



The government is struggling to cope with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases among migrant workers, who are vulnerable to infection clusters due to their often dense living environments and poor working conditions.



A total of 1,643 foreign nationals in the country were confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus from Aug. 22 to 28, accounting for 13.8 percent of the total infections during the same period, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Sunday.



By region, in Gangwon Province, 123 foreign nationals have tested positive in August, accounting for 17 percent of the total infections in the region. Of them, 29 patients were found to be employees at a steel company in Donghae City, while 26 cases were traced to private gatherings.



In Gyeonggi Province, 732 foreign nationals tested positive in the third week of August, accounting for some 20 percent of the total 3,713 infections during the same period, a jump from nine percent in July.



South Chungcheong Province reported 386 cases among foreign nationals this month as of Aug. 26, accounting for 23 percent of the total infections there. In Gwangsan District of Gwangju, 40 foreign nationals were confirmed to have contracted the virus from Aug. 11 to 23, accounting for 29 percent of the new infections.



The health authorities said that the surge in cases among migrant workers is attributable to the highly contagious Delta variant, as well as their often cramped living environments and poor working conditions.



Many low-income migrant workers in Korea are forced by their conditions of employment to live in dormitories with shared toilets, shower facilities and kitchens, making them highly vulnerable to the spread of the virus, thus leading to outbreaks of infections.



The authorities cited other reasons, such as the relatively low vaccination rate of residents of foreign nationality, compared to Korean national residents, difficulties in epidemiological investigation on the side of public health authorities due to language difficulties, and hesitancy among undocumented foreign workers to undergo coronavirus testing, out of concern that they might be exposed to immigration authorities.





People wait to receive coronavirus tests at a temporary testing center in southwestern Seoul's Guro District, Aug. 24. Yonhap
Family members of Afghans who helped the Korean government's activities in their country and were named as "special contributors" by the Korean government, are under quarantine at temporary accommodation at the Leadership Campus of the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Sunday, in this combined photo. A total of 390 Afghans airlifted by Korean military airplanes arrived in Korea on Thursday and Friday. They are expected to stay at the center for about two months. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
Former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, second from left, a presidential hopeful of the main opposition People Power Party, talks during his meeting with young small business owners at a restaurant in southern Seoul, Sunday. The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has hit them hard as the government bans more than two people from getting together after 6 p.m., while placing a 9 p.m. curfew on restaurants and cafes. Yonhap
Justice Minister Park Beom-kye, second from right, speaks to Afghan evacuees who arrived at Incheon International Airport via a KC-330 military tanker transport aircraft, Thursday. Yonhap



Vice minister slammed for aide kneeling while holding umbrella for him



By Jun Ji-hye



Korea's evacuation mission, which airlifted a total of 390 Afghans seeking refuge from the Taliban in their homeland, has been completed. However, the successful operation, hailed by many  including international media outlets  has been tarnished by the Ministry of Justice's apparent emphasis on performing excessive ceremonies.



Under the mission, named "Operation Miracle," Afghan evacuees, who include medical professionals and interpreters who worked for Korea's embassy and its humanitarian and relief facilities in Afghanistan, as well as their family members, were evacuated to Korea in two groups, with two military aircraft mobilized, amid worsening security conditions there, due to the ongoing pullout of U.S. troops and the Taliban retaking power.



The justice ministry stirred up a controversy when the first group of 377 Afghans, including 180 children and infants, landed at Incheon International Airport via a KC-330 military tanker transport aircraft, Thursday.



At the time, photojournalists were taking pictures of the Afghans in a secure zone of the airport, but some ministry officials asked journalists to move and instead take pictures of Justice Minister Park Beom-kye, who was giving out dolls to Afghan children.









As the journalists refused the request, saying that they needed to take more photos of the Afghans entering the country, one ministry official reportedly said, "You all are allowed to take pictures in a secure zone of the airport only when we approve it. If you keep refusing our request, we will have no choice but to consider withdrawing our permission."



As the confrontation between the ministry and photojournalists escalated, even an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who was at the scene lodged a complaint against the justice ministry officials.



The conflict was resolved only when some journalists relocated to a spot where Minister Park was performing the doll delivery ceremony.



"I am Korea's justice ministry. Welcome to Korea," Park said in front of the cameras.





An aide from the Ministry of Justice kneels behind Vice Minister Kang Sung-kook to cover him with an umbrella, during a media briefing held at the Leadership Campus of the National Human Resources Development Institute in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, right after Afghan evacuees arrived there, Friday. Yonhap
Courtesy of tomscoffin



By David A. Tizzard






By Jennifer Bowman





My first year in Korea a friend of mine gave me a copy of a book called, "Nothing to Envy." I was completely consumed by the stories of the six North Koreans who eventually escaped to freedom. Their real-life experiences hit me in a way similar to the first time I read stories detailing Nazi concentration camps, the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, or the excruciating details of Idi Amin's reign. But the thing that was different this time is that this regime under which these humans suffered so greatly, is still very much alive. A quick trip to the DMZ and I could literally gaze across the border into one of the world's most repressive states, where right at this moment someone could be publicly executed for simply watching a South Korean drama.



I felt compelled to get involved somehow. I searched any and all organizations related to the North Korea issue. Despite the best of intentions, outside organizations are often limited in their understanding of the problem and of what will really make an impact. I wanted to find something on the ground floor, invested in and informed at the heart of the situation. That is exactly what led me to TNKR, now Freedom Speakers International (FSI).



While the concept of teaching English to North Koreans initially seemed too simplistic (and frankly boring, not the "save the day" type stuff I thought I should be looking for), I soon learned that the organization based its activities on what was specifically requested by the refugees themselves. Based on their struggles to adapt in a very advanced, competitive society, and for the first time being exposed to completely new and foreign concepts (such as the idea of human rights), having access to a language that was internationally prevalent and often relied on in a global context was an incredibly powerful tool.



So I went to my first orientation meeting. It was clear that this organization was not swimming in money. We all packed into this little room, many sitting on the floor due to a lack of seating. I have to admit I wasn't sure what to expect, as I noticed the projector that seemed to be older than me and some paint peeling off the walls. But then in waltzed Casey and Eun-koo. Casey Lartigue was in command, confident, engaging, determined, unapologetic and accomplished beyond belief. Lee Eun-koo, a bit smaller in stature and more reserved, but with a resolve and strength of presence that demanded attention.





I suddenly felt this swell of excitement, as I realized I had found a project that had great merit, being led by two incredible individuals, with not only the talent and expertise required, but the more important and much scarcer qualities of sacrifice and ceaseless commitment to empowering North Korean refugees.





Over the past four years of my involvement with FSI, I've been deeply impacted by these two leaders. They've encountered countless obstacles which would cause most to fold. They've literally watched the organizations who initially supported them in their efforts, fail to survive. They've pushed forward despite a bank account balance of roughly $30 at one point. They've scraped by, not knowing where next month's rent for the office was going to come from. Despite the instability and hindrance that the lack of finances can cause, they still had the fortitude required to turn down potential donors who came with "strings attached" and maintain the integrity of their vision and goals as an organization dedicated first and foremost to the refugees. What they've lacked financially, they've made up for in teamwork, ingenuity and relentlessness.







Not only have their efforts been beneficial for the refugees, but for the volunteers as well. Most notably for me was my first experience working with Cherie. Cherie was preparing a speech to deliver at an upcoming speech contest, the fifth of 14 such contests held by FSI. The first time I met her I was a bit caught off guard by her beauty and fashion sense. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, perhaps I had some stereotypical image in my mind of what a refugee should look like, and this was not it. At that point I knew very little about her history, but one thing was immediately clear. This was someone who was not going to be defined by her past.







As Cherie shared her story with me, I wrestled with a kind of cognitive dissonance going on in my head. This lovely human being sitting right across from me had survived such unimaginable pain and suffering and loss. It just seemed so unfair. And yet here she was, practicing the proper pronunciation of "live" vs "leave," a key part of the 10-minute speech that she had memorized in her third language. I still struggle to process how one person can go through so much in one lifetime and come out of it with such grace. Her story, and more importantly, her message, embedded within me a humility and respect for the sacredness of life and the cost of freedom.







Cherie went on to win the speech contest for which I helped mentor her and she later gave a TEDx Talk in London that was arranged by Casey. Her YouTube channel seeks to raise awareness of the crimes being committed in North Korea. She is a force to be reckoned with, and FSI was there to offer her the tools she needed to speak for those who are silenced under an oppressive regime.





One of the projects FSI is currently working on that I am most excited about is an upcoming book titled "Greenlight to Freedom." Casey is co-writing the book with NK refugee Han Song-mi, who has not yet shared her unique story publicly. The combination of Casey's breadth and depth of knowledge in a worldwide context alongside Song-mi's courage to share such personal experiences with the world, is going to make for one incredible, eye-opening book. These two minds coming together will make for something truly potent. I have included a link in the comments where you can?

.



Casey and Eun-koo, thank you for your time the other day. I appreciated the chance to have lunch together and hear firsthand your history and thoughts on a variety of topics. You two are the real deal.









Jennifer Bowman is an English teacher from the U.S. She has been a volunteer tutor, coach, and donor for FSI since 2017.


By Kim Ae-ran





Chaplain Emil Kapaun was like "a grain of wheat falling to the ground." He died willingly for the wounded during the Korean War.



"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." (John 12:24-25)



At present, according to the statistics of the Korea Armed Forces, about 599,000 soldiers are on active duty. Among them, 87,093 soldiers are Catholics, and about 30,000 young people are baptized as Catholics during military service every year.



"Military Ordinariate," one of 16 dioceses in Korea, was founded in 1951 with the help of 11 military priests. It was officially established in 1983 and elevated in 1989. Now in Military Ordinariate, about 50 religious sisters and 104 priests are serving in 95 military parishes and 116 secondary stations.



Emil Joseph Kapaun (1916-51) was born in a farm village in Pilsen, Kansas, was ordained as a priest in 1940, and was sent to Korea as a U.S. Army chaplain in July 1950.



He first experienced the duty as a chaplain in the Burma Theater of World War II, and then he was sent again to Korea as a chaplain. He is now called "Jesus of the Korean War."



In 1993, he was proclaimed as a "Servant of God," the first step before beatification and sanctification thanks to his extraordinary heroic action, patriotism, selfless service, and indomitable spirit.



He was buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, but his remains were identified only 70 years after his death.



He had several chances to escape from the frontline but he volunteered to stay together with the wounded. So, he took care of them in a trench made of logs and straws. He even made an altar on a jeep to celebrate Mass and prayed for the eternal peace of dying soldiers.



During the battle of Ulsan, he served with the Third Battalion of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. Against Chinese communist forces, he exposed himself to enemy fire to recover wounded soldiers and dragged them to safety.



He was captured and held at the Byeokdong war camp where he dedicated himself to his fellow captives. He washed the clothes of the wounded and even stole food and medicine from the enemy's storage to share with his colleagues.



He passed away on May 23, 1951, at the age of 35, due to a combination of factors including a blood clot, dysentery and pneumonia. He was posthumously bestowed the "Army medal of honor" in April 2013.



Our late Cardinal Jeong Jin-seok was much inspired by his example during his seminarian life and translated "Chaplain Kapaun" in 1956.



Prayer for the Intercession of Father Kapaun reads as follows: "Father Emil Kapaun gave glory to God to the priesthood and thus serving the people of Kansas and those in the military. Father Kapaun, I ask your intercession not only for these needs which I mention now  but that I too may follow your example of service to God and my neighbor. For the gifts of courage in battle and perseverance."





The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (fsp.pauline.or.kr.) living and giving the Good News to the world by means of social communication.


World should take action to ensure peace in Afghanistan



A deadly suicide bombing by the Islamic State (IS) at the airport in Kabul on Thursday demonstrated how difficult it is to ensure security and peace in Afghanistan. The terrorist attack, which killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 169 Afghans, came 11 days after the Taliban's takeover of the war-torn country. It took place five days before U.S. President Joe Biden's Aug. 31 deadline to pull out American troops after two decades.



We strongly denounce the bombing as it was an inhumane and barbaric terror attack amid the U.S.'s chaotic exit from Afghanistan. The U.S. and its allies should step up cooperation in preventing a recurrence of such a tragedy. The world should not waver in its war on terrorism. Zero tolerance is essential to fighting any form of violent extremism.



In retaliation, the U.S. conducted a drone strike Saturday, killing two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate, known as ISIS-K. The strike served as a strong warning against possible additional attacks by the militants. Washington warned that there could be more bloodshed before the U.S. wraps up its airlift evacuation and troop withdrawal. Biden has vowed to keep up airstrikes against the militant group.



ISIS-K is the "Khorasan" branch of the Islamic State. (Khorasan is a historic name for the broader region beyond Afghanistan.) The group is an enemy to both the West and the Taliban. The group has turned against the Taliban, opposing the latter's peace negotiations with the U.S. It claimed responsibility for the bloody bombing which it said was targeted against American troops and Afghan collaborators. ISIS-K, one of the most militant groups in Afghanistan, has denounced the Taliban as "traitors" and called for a jihad against the U.S.



Concerns are growing that the country could re-emerge as a breeding ground for terrorist groups. The U.S. and its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and toppled the Taliban regime after al-Qaida militants carried out the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. It may be a matter of time before al-Qaida re-emerges in the country following the Taliban's return to power. Also a set of other terrorist groups scattered throughout the region may try to find sanctuary in the country.



Against this backdrop, last week's suicide bombing could renew the war on terror. At the moment, peace seems to be a pipe dream in Afghanistan. That's why the international community should double down on helping the country restore order, regain stability and move toward peace under the Taliban's rule. The Taliban, which has reportedly become moderate, should keep its pledge not to retaliate against former enemies and Afghans who cooperated with the West. It must also respect human rights, particularly of women, as promised.



Most of all, the Taliban should no longer resort to violence and repression. Nor should it provide any shelter for extremist and terrorist groups such as IS and al-Qaida. Otherwise, the Taliban could lose power again, plunging the country deeper into turmoil and destabilizing the region further.


Ulleung Island in 1906 / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



On Aug. 27, 1873, the Charlotte Christine, a German barque, departed Vladivostok bound for Chefoo (modern Yantai), China. We don't know much about the ship save that it was relatively small (286 tons) and apparently arrived in the Far East the previous year or so, mainly transporting goods, including cotton, along the Chinese coast.



The ship was commanded by Captain Fisher and had a crew of 11 men. It isn't clear why it was suddenly consigned to travel to Vladivostok or what it was transporting, but we do know there were 11 Chinese passengers in addition to the captain's wife, child and a large Newfoundland dog.



When the Charlotte Christine departed Vladivostok, the weather was good and Fisher  who apparently had no experience sailing in the East Sea  probably thought the voyage would be an easy one. However, on the second day of the voyage, the wind began blowing from the northeast and the ship encountered "thick heavy weather." Fisher was not the only one to be caught unawares by the storm  several ships were caught up in it and at least two were reported to have been wrecked near Japan.



It was about 1 a.m. on Aug. 30, when a crewmember noticed what he thought was a sail in the distance off the starboard bow. The illusion was dismissed when, despite the howl of the wind, the ominous sound of breakers could be heard. The sail was actually "pinnacle rock" and despite Fisher's desperate attempt to steer the ship away from danger, it was too late; the ship struck aft upon a rock.



The anchors were dropped immediately and one of the ship's boats, with a line tied to it, was lowered into the sea but the waves were too powerful and it was promptly swamped. The boat and the two sailors in it were washed away. But there was no time to mourn the loss of the sailors.





Looking out towards the sea from Ulleung Island in 1906 / Robert Neff Collection



The sea pounded upon the ship and wave after wave broke over her deck  thumping the hull heavily upon the rocks. The captain ordered the fore and main masts to be cut away so as to lessen the strain upon the ship. It was about this time that they heard yelling coming from the shore  the two crewmembers who had been swept away had somehow managed to make it to safety.



Several attempts were made to get a rope ashore so that the men could tie it to something and the rest of the crew and passengers could be ferried off the ship to the island. The first attempt was made with a lifebuoy, then the dog (it drowned in the attempt), followed by a couple of men who tried to swim to shore with the ropes tied around their chests but the heavy surf foiled them and they had to be hauled back in. Finally, after five hours of hard labor, "an empty water cask floated to the rocks" and two men were able to tie the rope to a nearby tree (the other end was tied to one of the remaining masts) allowing the crew and passengers to be brought ashore safely. By late morning the sea finally succeeded in smashing the ship to pieces.



The East Sea is a deep and vast stretch of water with very few islands and, other than the small Russian communities around Vladivostok and the western coast of Japan, there were no ports available  the Korean Peninsula was still closed to foreigners. For the 25 castaways, despite being on a large island, things must have seemed nearly hopeless.



The Charlotte Christine had wrecked upon Ulleung Island (at that time known to the Europeans as Dagelet) and was relatively unexplored by Westerners. One early visitor noted the island was extremely rocky with a towering peak almost 1,000 meters tall and described it as being "clothed with forest from the verge of perpendicular cliffs of 500 feet [152 meters]."



The shipwrecked survivors began exploring and discovered several empty Korean boats but found no trace of their occupants. They were probably unaware that for centuries the island had remained relatively uninhabited  the only exception being Korean fishermen who would sometimes visit and also the annual visit by boat builders who harvested trees and built boats, but their sojourns were short.





Russian Corvett Vitiaz, commanded by Captain Nazimioff, in the Far East, circa 1870s / Public Domain  Wikipedia image.


'Apple will not likely want responsibility and neither will carmakers'



By Kim Bo-eun



A recent string of crashes involving Tesla vehicles in the U.S. is raising questions about the capabilities and safety of today's driverless technologies



Eleven accidents since 2018 have reportedly occurred while Tesla's Autopilot mode was engaged, including at least one that was lethal. The continued accidents in vehicles equipped with its Autopilot mode suggest that the technology is far from perfect.



Major car manufacturers, including Tesla, BMW, GM and Hyundai Motor currently offer the level 2 self-driving function. There are six levels of autonomous driving technology ranging from 0 to 5, with level 5 being the most complete form of automated driving.



Currently, most automated driving features available on the market require some level of human involvement, which puts them at level 1 or 2. Level 2 requires the driver to keep their hands on the steering wheel, but the vehicle steers, accelerates and brakes on its own during highway driving. Testing is underway for levels 3 and 4 in Korea, but these features are awaiting commercialization.



Accidents occurring from below level 3 are dealt with like those of regular vehicles: the driver is held accountable, as such accidents are largely attributed to human error, since accidents involving these levels don't involve high-level self-driving capabilities.



But for levels 4 and 5, artificial intelligence (AI) plays a central role. This means that the fault may lie with the vehicle instead of the driver, which complicates the issue of determining which entity is responsible when an accident occurs.



Car manufacturers as well as tech firms are working to develop the ultimate driverless vehicle, but this complexity of determining responsibility is making it difficult to commercialize a completely autonomous vehicle for widespread use, on top of the high prices and low demand.



Fully autonomous vehicles are forecast to be put to use first in public bus transportation systems, shuttle bus systems at airports, or in logistics, where they entail less risk when it comes to potential accidents.



Apple is on track to develop its first-generation self-driving electric vehicle (EV), tentatively named the "iCar." Attention has focused on the U.S. tech giant's choice of partners, given the fact that it needs a company to manufacture the vehicle.



Reports say that global carmakers such as Nissan were unwilling to partner with Apple because the iPhone designer was unwilling to include the car manufacturer's name in the vehicle's branding. Apple is also known to have discussed the matter with Hyundai Motor, but talks collapsed. Speculations arose that the discussions fell through for the same reason, but industry insiders say that the responsibility issue was likely the thornier matter.



"Apple will not likely want the burden of responsibility, and neither will carmakers. This issue of responsibility is what would have made discussions difficult and time-consuming," an industry source said.



While companies involved in the software and manufacturing of autonomous cars need to figure out these issues, the legal grounds defining responsibility will also have to be laid out. Policymakers and regulators including in Korea are working hard with carmakers to prepare for the safe deployment of driverless technology on roads.



Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has drawn up an accident investigation committee to look into cases involving self-driving vehicles.



"For the commercialization of higher levels of autonomous vehicles, setting up a legal basis will be crucial along with the connected infrastructure," said Kang Kyong-pyo, head of connected and automated driving research at the Korea Transport Institute.




These screenshots show the hosts and speakers of the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI)'s Economic Outlook 2021 event held online, Aug. 26. In the top row center is KGCCI President & CEO Martin Henkelmann and right, Gyeonggi Free Economic Zone Authority Deputy Commissioner Kim Gyu-sik. In the middle row is the charge d'affaires at the German Embassy in Seoul, Peter Winkler, left, and Germany Trade and Invest Director and Correspondent for Korea, Frank Robaschik. In the bottom row right is the Sustainable Management Research Group head & Korea University Professor Rhee Jay-hyuk / Courtesy of KGCCI



By Kim Bo-eun



Korea and Germany's trade volume reached a record high in the first half of this year, a seminar hosted by the bilateral chamber of commerce and the Gyeonggi Free Economic Zone Authority noted on Aug. 26.



This record is an achievement in addition to Korea becoming Germany's second-largest export market in Asia, after China, in 2020. The growth in exports was backed by solid demand for German vehicles, as Korea's consumer sentiment was relatively less affected than neighboring countries by the COVID-19 pandemic last year.



"The longstanding, traditional German-Korean friendship has become ever more crucial as we are 'building back better' for the post-COVID world," Charge d'affaires at the German Embassy in Seoul, Peter Winkler, said at the Korea-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) Economic Outlook 2021 event held online.



He stressed that Germany and Korea should stand together in tackling global challenges such as fighting climate change, transforming to sustainable energy, safeguarding supply chains in core technologies and upholding the rules-based international order, as strategic partners with shared values.



Germany Trade and Invest, Germany's investment promotion agency, noted that it has recently observed more travel from representatives of Korean companies to Germany for greenfield investment projects.



"The forecast for the Korean economy  currently the 10th-largest worldwide  continues to be good, especially in manufacturing. However, stronger social distancing will slow down the recovery of the service sector," GTAI's Director and Correspondent for Korea Frank Robaschik said.



The seminar also addressed boosting ESG management practices in businesses here. "ESG management is a global phenomenon, but the ESG disclosure system and related regulations are still in the process of being established in Korea," Head of Sustainable Management Research Group Rhee Jay-hyuk said.



"For ESG management to serve as a means of enhancing corporate sustainability, procedural justice and social legitimacy must be secured," the Korea University professor added.



The KGCCI Economic Outlook is a bi-annual event hosted by the bilateral chamber of commerce. This year, the event was held online to comply with social distancing policies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with attendees in both Korea and Germany.



The KGCCI has served as the official representative of German business in Korea since its founding in 1981. The organization is the second-largest foreign chamber of commerce in Korea, with a growing network of around 500 members.


UK military personnel board an A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan Aug. 28. Reuters-Yonhap.



The UK on Saturday flew out the last of its military from Afghanistan, concluding its pullout while leaving hundreds of Afghans eligible for resettlement behind.



The defense ministry tweeted that the "final flight carrying UK Armed Forces personnel has left Kabul", posting photos of drawn and tired-looking soldiers entering a plane.



In a tribute to the troops, the ministry wrote: "To all those who served so bravely under enormous pressure and horrendous conditions to safely evacuate the most vulnerable of civilians: Thank you."



Earlier Saturday, the UK sent out a final plane carrying only civilian evacuees as it wound up its operation to airlift civilians, diplomats and troops ahead of the August 31 deadline agreed with the Taliban for US troop withdrawal.



Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanked those behind the rescue operation, saying they had helped over 15,000 people in less than two weeks.



"I want to thank everyone involved and the thousands of those who served over the last two decades. You can be proud of what you have achieved," Johnson said in a message posted on social media.



Defense Minister Ben Wallace said UK troops had "helped thousands to get to a better future and safety".





U.K. military personnel are seen onboard an A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. Reuters-Yonhap



'Heartbreaking'



The head of the UK armed forces, General Sir Nick Carter earlier Saturday told the BBC the evacuation operation had "gone as well as it could do" but admitted it was "heartbreaking" that "we haven't been able to bring everybody out".



The armed forces chief estimated the number of eligible Afghans who had not been evacuated as "in the high hundreds".






U.S. President Joe Biden answers questions from members of the media about the bombings at the Kabul airport that killed at least 12 U.S. service members, from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Aug. 26. AP-Yonhap



U.S. President Joe Biden vowed Saturday to keep up airstrikes against the Islamic extremist group whose suicide bombing at the Kabul airport killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. Another terror attack, he said, is ''highly likely'' this weekend as the U.S. winds down its evacuation.



The Pentagon said the remaining contingent of U.S. forces at the airport, now numbering fewer than 4,000, had begun their final withdrawal ahead of Biden's deadline for ending the evacuation on Tuesday.



After getting briefed on a U.S. drone mission in eastern Afghanistan that the Pentagon said killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate early Saturday, Biden said the extremists can expect more.



''This strike was not the last,'' Biden said in a statement. ''We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay.'' He paid tribute to the ''bravery and selflessness'' of the American troops executing the hurried airlift of tens of thousands from Kabul airport, including the 13 U.S. service members who were killed in Thursday's suicide bombing at an airport gate.



The evacuation proceeded as tensions rose over the prospect of another IS attack.



''Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,'' Biden said, adding that he has instructed them to take all possible measures to protect their troops, who are securing the airport and helping bring onto the airfield Americans and others desperate to escape Taliban rule.



The remains of the 13 American troops were on their way to the United States, the Pentagon said. Their voyage marked a painful moment in a nearly 20-year American war that cost more than 2,400 U.S. military lives and is ending with the return to power of a Taliban movement that was ousted when U.S. forces invaded in October 2001.



The remains of troops killed in action overseas are usually flown back to the U.S. via Dover Air Base in Delaware, where fallen troops' return to U.S. soil is marked by a solemn movement known as the ''dignified transfer.''



The White House on Saturday did not say if Biden would travel to Dover for the troops' return. Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki, said shortly after the attack that the president ''would do everything he can to honor the sacrifice and the service'' of those killed.



The Pentagon released the names of those killed  11 Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier. Twelve of them were in the 20s; some were born in 2001, the year America's longest war began. The oldest was 31.









They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban in which the militant group halted attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that the 2,500 to 3,000 troops who remained would be out by September, ending what he has called America's forever war.





U.S. Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) process evacuees as they go through the Evacuation Control Center (ECC) during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. Reuters-Yonhap
U.S. President Joe Biden arrives for a briefing on the preparations being made by FEMA for Hurricane Ida in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, Saturday. AFP-Yonhap



President Joe Biden is embarking on a solemn journey Sunday to honor and mourn the 13 U.S. troops killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport as their remains return to U.S. soil from Afghanistan.



Biden was traveling to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a ''dignified transfer'' movement, a military ritual of receiving the remains of fallen troops killed in foreign combat.



The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because ''my guys got me.''



Five were just 20, born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.



At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.



''The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others,'' Biden said in a statement Saturday. ''Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.''



Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present as flag-draped transfer cases are taken off the transport plane that returns them to American soil.



Aside from the quiet commands of honor guards who carry the transfer cases, the short prayers of the chaplain typically are the only words spoken during the ritual.



Like his three most recent predecessors as presidents, who all attended dignified transfers for troops killed in the nearly 20-year-old Afghanistan war, Biden is expected to meet with the families of the fallen before returning to Washington.



It will be the first time that Biden has traveled to Dover as president for such a movement. But he is not unfamiliar with the ritual.



Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS' ''Face the Nation'' that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.



The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.



Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. (AP)




Job Description This position is responsible for performing all duties related to the efficient, safe, and compliant driving of bloodmobiles, and reports to Facilities and Fleet Manager concerning fleet problems. Assists in the set-up and break down of the mobile site equipment before and after the blood drive Duties and Responsibilities The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the duties and responsibilities performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position in the class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position. All employees are required to perform all assigned duties in compliance with internal SOPs, external regulations, and internal policies, bring compliance issues to the attention of management and assure quality customer service to all customers.  Inspects bloodmobile prior to the leave time (mobile maintenance checklist).  Load bloodmobile prior to blood drive.  Drive assigned fleet vehicle to and from the drive site.  Assist with setting up and tearing down of drive sites and to ensure quality of blood components when performing phlebotomy.  Performs donor registration process  Performs mini-physical  Performs donor interview and evaluates suitability of donor for donation based on current Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) criteria.  Maintains current required licensure for driving.  Reports any needed repairs and maintenance to the Facilities Manager appropriately. Training Chapter 1, NEON I & II, Annual cGMP, Annual Safety, Medical Ethics, Customer Service, Blood Establishment Computer Systems, and all required departmental and interdepartmental training. Distracted Driving and Driving Practicum CPR (recommended) and First Aid Bloodmobile Driver

Qualifications EDUCATION: High School diploma or equivalent. Commercial drivers license required. EXPERIENCE: On the job training. SKILLS: Language skills must include the ability to read, write, speak English effectively and follow oral and written instructions consistent with policies and procedure, SOPs or other requirements.  Documentation accuracy required.  Ability to make sound decisions under pressure.  Effective planning and organizational skills  Demonstrate the ability to multi-task.  Ability to function as a key team member in a high-level production environment coupled with strong organization skills  Ability to work independently and to meet deadlines.  Demonstrated ability to work without direct supervision.  Must be able to make simple decisions based on well-defined choices.  Ability to communicate effectively with the staff and the public to enhance LIFELINEs relationship with the community. Working Conditions Functions are regularly performed inside and/or outside with potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as inclement weather, atmospheric elements and pathogenic substances. Performance of this job could expose the employee to blood-borne pathogens. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Physical Requirements Employee is required to stand, walk, sit, and have the ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds.

recblid 8b533r05thw0myof8wy753ayc6yiuq








Description



System ID 726821

Category Finance

Relocation Type No

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

As a natural problem-solver, you thrive on challenges. You're also an expert at implementing solutions. Sodexo's Government Services Business Segment, supporting our Defense Commissary (DECA) account in Cheektowaga, NY has an opening for a Senior Accounting Assistant. Schedule is Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM. Duties/Responsibilities: Will report to the controller and perform various accounting tasks(payables, receivables, inventory, & flash financial reporting input)

Weekly gathering and processing of over 300 invoices from cost centers to ensure they are entered before system deadline each week to ensure checks are sent timely

Weekly vendor correspondence in order to ensure invoices are submitted and expenses are recorded in correct period

Corresponds with vendors to solve errors in billing whether its payment look ups or invoice total accuracy

Examines financial records to verify details of recorded transactions(A/P processing/compliance)

Assists in monthly/quarterly/year-end close process to ensure accuracy and integrity of results

Prepare and review reports and other written documentation(Flash reporting, P&L review, vendor statements)

Enters monthly sushi data in spreadsheet as well as gathering sushi purchases to present to our 3rd party partner AFC Sushi

Assists in monthly manual inventory process(reviewing and collecting)

Assists in monthly manual Revenue recognition(reviewing and collecting)

Assists in preparation of our month end Journal entries for revenue recognition as well as inventory analysis

Assists in in weekly operations calls providing accurate financial reporting for GM's and DM

Assists in special projects

Individual needs to have strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to multi-task and problem solve in a high paced environment

Ensure accuracy and timeliness of financial data

Individual needs strong excel skills

Either have current finance experience or finance/business or accounting degree

Position Summary

Performs various clerical/accounting functions in support of the company's or department's financial tracking, processing and reporting requirements. May involve general accounts payable/receivable or related financial areas. Develops alternative solutions where guidelines are not available; interprets policies and procedures when necessary. Acts as a resource to less experienced accounting staff.

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - High School Diploma, GED or equivalent



Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description




General Contractor seeking experienced Traffic Sign Administrator for a northeast Phoenix (101 & Cave Creek Rd.) specialty contracting company, for the administrative support of the installation of Regulatory, Warning and Marking aluminum sign panels for subdivisions & municipal projects.

Position Summary:

Multi-tasking is required; phones, data entry, and administrative duties.

Manage submittal process with contractors and suppliers. Preparing and submitting.

Request material quotes. Issue purchase orders for material.

Review and process invoices.

Manage close out documents.

Take offs

Qualifications:

Understanding of plans, project specifications and construction standards.

Experience with Microsoft Office and Outlook preferred.

Experience with take offs a plus.

Experience with the installation of Regulatory, Warning and Marking traffic signs for subdivisions and local municipalities preferred.

The pay range is $18.00+ DOE. Full time. Benefits after 90 days.

Apply in person, Monday through Friday, at 22223 N. 16th Street Phoenix, AZ 85024

or click APPLY to email your resume.

recblid uyyzjvn37r8ucnr77etkzqi1nza54h
Physical Therapist

Full Time Position. Physical Therapist will provide physical therapy services for inpatient and outpatient services. The Physical Therapist is responsible for performing patient evaluations, creating measurable goals, and implementing interventions for each patients needs. Requires graduate from an accredited school of physical therapy, current Texas license or must actively be in the application process for current state license.

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District offers numerous outpatient services, acute and swing bed care, and is certified as a level IV trauma ER. They also provide a clinic with physicians and mid-level providers. Ballinger Memorial Hospital District participates in and promotes activities that encourage wellness in our community.

Ballinger Memorial Hospital District offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits. All employees are enrolled in the TCDRS retirement plan, with a generous employer contribution. Full-Time employees are eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance, short term disability and cafeteria plans. BMHD provides $40,000 life insurance and long-term disability for all Full-Time employees.

To apply, contact Cam Martin, HR Director, at 325-365-4952, or email resume to email provided, or apply in person at 608 Avenue B, Ballinger, Texas.

recblid yq352jyma8lno8jj0xe60lhdblfpcn


Location: 5411-Bitterroot Disposal



Job Title

Scale House Attendant

Primary Location

Victor, Montana

Employee Type

Employee

Job Description

We are looking for a Scale House Attendant to join the team at Bitterroot Disposal! Previous waste experience would be a huge plus! A typical schedule for this position is Mon - Sat during the summer months and Mon - Fri during the winter months. Hours vary but will be between 45 - 55 hours per week. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Courteous interaction with our customers and perform other miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Greet and direct all customers and employees upon entry of the Transfer.

Track weight information from scale to computer system and get appropriate signatures.

Calculating payments for customers

Ensuring that incoming garbage loads are safe and do not contain any inappropriate material

Weigh trucks in and out

Ensuring that incoming garbage loads are safe and do not contain any inappropriate material

Enter Customer information into computer system

Ensuring that customers and employees conduct all business in a safe manner and wear all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Providing general upkeep of the Scale House

Filing and answering phones

Approaching all encounters with employees, customers and vendors in a friendly, service-oriented manner REQUIREMENTS: High School Diploma or equivalent

Operator Experience is preferred

Excellent customer service skills

Proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Word

Ability to multi-task

Solid Waste Industry Experience is preferred but is not required To be considered for any of our current openings you must complete an application at www.wasteconnections.com . Application information and additional instructions can be found once you select your position of interest. We offer excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision, flexible spending account, long term & short term disability, life insurance, 401K retirement and unlimited opportunities to "Connect with Your Future". Waste Connections is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran)


Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable.
Total external merchandise trade for the second quarter of 2021 was valued at Rs 67,244 million, i.e. 8.9% higher than the value of Rs 61,743 million of the previous quarter and 44.7% higher than the value of Rs 46,458 million of the corresponding quarter of 2020.

For the second quarter of 2021, total exports (inclusive of ships stores & bunkerExt_Trade_2Qtr21_270821(1)

1) were valued at Rs 19,447 million against total imports of Rs 47,797 million. In the first quarter, total exports (inclusive of ships stores and bunkers) amounted to Rs 18,957 million against total imports of Rs 44,390 million while for the corresponding quarter of 2020, total exports (inclusive of ships stores & bunkers) amounted to Rs 12,252 million against total imports of Rs 43,963 million. Compared to the previous quarter, total exports and total imports in the second quarter of 2021 were higher by 12.1% and 7.7% respectively. While compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, total exports and total imports were up by 58.7% and 39.7% respectively.

The resulting trade deficit for the second quarter of 2021 worked out to Rs 28,350 million, 4.9% higher than the deficit of Rs 27,037 million of the previous quarter and 29.1% higher than the deficit of Rs 21,954 million of the corresponding quarter of 2020.

Compared to the first semester of 2020, total exports (inclusive of ships stores & bunkers) rose from Rs 31,209 million to Rs 36,800 million, showing an increase of around 17.9% (Fig 1). A similar increasing trend was observed in total imports for the same period. Total imports, increased by 17.9% in first semester of 2021, compared to the corresponding period of 2020. Consequently, the trade deficit for first semester of 2021 works out to around Rs 55,387 million, 17.9% higher than the deficit of Rs 46,960 in the first semester of 2020.

Exports

Total exports proceed for the second quarter of 2021, including domestic exports2, re-exports3 and ships stores and bunkers amounted to Rs 19,447 million, showing an increase of 12.1%, compared to the previous quarter. This is mainly explained by increases in exports of Chemicals and related products, n.e.s. (+56.1%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+37.3%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+33.2%), Machinery and transport equipment (+20.5%), Ships stores & bunkers (+14.2%), Food and live animals (+3.3%) and Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+2.6%).

Compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, total exports for the second quarter of 2021 increased by 58.7%. This is mainly explained by increases in exports of Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+167.7%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+107.9%), Machinery and transport equipment (+102.4%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+84.9%), Food and live animals (+26.3%), Ships stores & bunkers

(+20.5%) and Chemicals and related products (+14.6%).

Compared to corresponding semester of 2020, total exports for the first semester of 2021, increased by 17.9% which is mainly explained by increases in Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+48.6%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+42.6%), Machinery & Transport (+40.9%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+39.0%), ,Food and live animals (+5.5%) and Chemicals and related products, n.e.s. (+4.2%),

partly offset by a decrease in exports of Ships stores & bunkers (-10.6%). Domestic exports, amounting to Rs 12,607 million, accounted for 64.8% of total exports in the second quarter of 2021. Compared to a value of Rs 11,764 million recorded in the first quarter of 2021, domestic exports increased by 7.2%. This is mainly explained by increases in domestic exports of Chemicals and related products, n.e.s. (+44.7%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+35.0%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+21.7%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+4.3%) and Food and live animals (+2.5%).

Compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, domestic exports were higher by 66.7%, mainly explained by increases in exports of Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+150.0%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+119.3%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+103.4%), Food and live animals (+36.2%) and Chemicals and related products, n.e.s. (+1.8%).

Exports of Export Oriented Enterprises (EOE)  2nd Quarter 2021

For the second quarter of 2021, exports of EOE amounted to Rs 10,428 million, compared to Rs 9,435 million in the previous quarter (+10.5%) and to Rs 5,273 million in the corresponding quarter of 2020 (+97.8%)

Compared to the first semester of 2020, exports of EOE increased by 34.5%, from Rs 14,770 million to Rs 19,863 million in the first semester of 2021.

Further details on these transactions will be presented in the issue of the Economic and Social Indicator on Export Oriented Enterprises, to be released on 27 September 2021.

Exports by country of destination 2nd Quarter 2021

Analysis of exports figures by country of destination for the second quarter of 2021 showed that the European countries were our main buyers, purchasing some 42.2% of our exports for a value of Rs 7,045 million. Among countries, the major destinations for our exports were South Africa (13.8%), United Kingdom (10.9%), U.S.A. (8.1%), France (8.1%), Madagascar (7.5%), Spain (6.1%) and Reunion (4.1%).

Compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, changes in exports to main markets were:

South Africa (+209.1%), Reunion (+131.3%), Spain (+108.4%), United Kingdom (+71.8%), Madagascar (+46.0%), France (+36.1%) and U.S.A (+29.8%).

Total Imports

Total imports for the second quarter of 2021 amounted to Rs 47,797 million, showing an increase of 7.7%, compared to the previous quarter. This is mainly due to increases in imports of Chemicals and related products (+76.0%), Beverages and tobacco (+42.4%), Animal & vegetable oils and fats (+39.7%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+13.1%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+4.9%) and Food and live

animals (+2.1%), partly offset by decreases in the imports of Machinery and transport equipment (-7.7%), Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (-4.4%) and Miscellaneous manufactured articles (-4.0%).

Compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020, total imports for the second quarter of 2021 increased by 39.7%. This is mainly due to increases in imports of Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (+95.6%), Chemicals and related products (+95.2%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+73.3%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+42.0%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+40.3%), Machinery and transport equipment (+26.8%), Animal & vegetable oils and fats (+12.5%) and Beverages and tobacco (+5.7%), partly offset by a decrease in the imports of Food and live animals (-1.3%).

Compared to the corresponding semester of 2020, total imports increased by 17.9% in the first semester of 2021. This rise was mainly explained by increases in the imports of Miscellaneous manufactured articles (+54.4%), Chemicals and related products, n.e.s. (+52.7%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (+25.4%), Crude materials, inedible, except fuels (+16.3%), Animal & vegetable oils and fats (+10.1%), Beverages

and tobacco (+7.9%), Food and live animals (+6.7%), Mineral fuels, lubricants, &

related products (+6.6%) and Machinery & transport equipment (+6.5%).
It asks U.S. District Court in Philadelphia to order the school district to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for mitigating the virus in schools. Together we have made a phenomenal statement that we need to follow CDC and (American Academy of Pediatrics) guidelines to keep the children, teachers and staff in our schools safe as well as prevent the spread of COVID in our community, Susan Lipson, a family medicine physician who helped organize the GoFundMe, wrote on its page. The district and the school board president did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.
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People in Central Asia study differences between Cyrillic alphabet and the so-called Yangalif, a common Latin alphabet introduced for most of the Turkic languages of the Soviet Union in the 1920s1930s. Individual Cyrillic alphabets were introduced for Soviet Turkic languages in the 1930s-1940s, replacing Yangalif.  Global Voices/Public domain

IT IS well known that language is one of the main internal determinants of a persons self-consciousness. The perception is conditioned precisely by language, which sets the vision and perception of the world. Hence it is not surprising that one of the areas of active confrontation between the West and Russia in recent decades has been the infringement of the Russian language in many post-Soviet republics, especially in the Baltic states, Ukraine, and the states of Central Asia.

And such tactics in an open fight against Russia and Russian influence are not even concealed by the west any more. The revelations of a foreign agent of influence among USCENTCOM-sponsored and -funded media outlets such as Caravanserai actively used by the United States in ideological propaganda, information warfare, and confrontation with Russia in Central Asian countries may serve as a vivid example of this. So, in one of its revelations, this mouthpiece began to promote the need for a rapid transition of the region to the Latin alphabet, without hiding the fact that the Latin alphabet is used in Washington plans primarily as a tool to drive a cultural wedge between Russia and the republics of Central Asia. From the point of view of the Pentagon and CIA-funded publication, such a step continues the policy of squeezing the Russian language from its historical habitat in Eurasia and compressing the Russian-speaking cultural and information space. The introduction of the Latin alphabet is a kind of symbolic act. In the eyes of the sponsors of Caravanserai, it marks a mental and psychological breakdown between the countries of the region and Russia.

However, in recent decades, due to Washingtons apparent problems in capturing the minds and sentiments of Central Asians, the United States has decided to involve Turkey more actively in such a language intervention. It is a member of the countries of the NATO community, and as such it is obliged to conduct a policy beneficial to the United States. But Turkey also seeks to do so because of its aspirations to develop and consolidate strong military-political and economic relations with the Central Asian republics, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. As one of the ways of such offensive against Russia in the region, Washington considers more active involvement of Ankara in severing Russias ties with the countries of the region through the Council of Turkic-speaking States, established by Turkey. At the same time, Washington expects that the transition to the Latin alphabet will bring the desirable effect. It partially has already affected the whole population of the region, both the everyday life and high spheres  education, science, state, and corporate governance, and the effect of Latinisation will be felt for decades, if not for centuries. And this effect, as some examples in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan show, will be negative for Russia. The main targets of Washingtons interest are Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russias allies in the Eurasian Economic Community, and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. The reform of their alphabets should complete the Latinisation of the entire region, after which only Iranian-speaking Tajikistan will continue to use the Cyrillic alphabet.

And so, on August 1, Uzbekistan officially switched to the Latin alphabet and got rid of the Cyrillic alphabet. This process of Latinisation has significantly accelerated in Uzbekistan this summer. Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov tried to explain his move by saying, The country should celebrate its 30th anniversary of independence in August with a new alphabet. From August 1, all official documents, media materials, advertisements, announcements, and working papers must be in Latin script only.

At the same time, it should be recalled that the introduction of the Cyrillic alphabet in all Central Asian republics actively took place after the October Revolution in the USSR. The use of the Cyrillic alphabet made it possible to develop a standard information policy, solve illiteracy, and have a common cultural space.

But as soon as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, with the active participation of the United States, Turkey held a conference in Istanbul, where candidates from the Turkic-speaking territories in the CIS were forced to adopt a new, Turkish version of the alphabet in the Latin alphabet. Immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan returned to the Latin script, and Turkmenistan followed the same path. There has been much talk in Kyrgyzstan about introducing the Latin alphabet for the last few years, although the authorities have not taken any active steps in this direction. Nevertheless, the process is also underway, and it still has the same orchestrator  Turkey  as in the early 1990s.

It is no secret that for the last ten years, Turkey has been increasingly aggressively encroaching on the territory previously undividedly ruled, first by the Russian Empire and then by the USSR. The main driver of this expansion has been Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, positioning himself as the leader of the Turkic-speaking world. He pursues an aggressive foreign policy in those regions where he has the tools to do so. Consequently, cultural and linguistic proximity with Central Asian and Caucasian states, primarily Azerbaijan, is actively used to build up its influence in the region. Both Ankara and Washington believe that the transition to the Latin alphabet will not only mean a kind of standard alphabet or common script with the leading countries of the world, especially Turkey but will also allow the region to move more actively out of Russias sphere of influence.

The creation of a common language space is only part of the actions of the Turkish leadership. The countries are increasingly getting closer, creating joint organisations, including, in particular, the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, Organisation of the Eurasian Law Enforcement Agencies with Military Status (this organisation includes non-Turkic Mongolia), Turkic Academy, the International Organisation of Turkic Culture, TURKSOY, there are active attempts to create an Army of Turan under the auspices of Ankara.

In 2021, the Turkic-speaking alliance has already shown itself to the world militarily by defeating the Karabakh militia in a short time and putting Armenia on the brink of a military-political collapse.

But keep in mind that Central Asians need Russian not only to read Pushkin and Dostoevsky in the original. It is the language of international communication, the language of economy, the language of science.

Both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have a tremendous, expensive job to do, to translate millions of documents and works of literature, and teach millions of people to use the new letters. The generational gap is already beginning to widen and will continue to widen. And this will be just one of the many changes caused by US and Turkish policies in the region.

Central Asia lies between Russia, Iran, and China, three countries that the US National Security Strategy considers Americas primary adversaries. To gradually take control of the region, the United States needs to wrest Central Asian states from Russias sphere of influence, not only in politics and economics but also in culture. Conversion of countries of Cyrillic tradition to Latin alphabet is a transfer of national writing from the sphere of one civilisation to the sphere of another. The translation is artificial, voluntaristic, and dramatically disconnects the peoples of Central Asia from their cultural and historical roots. And Ankara, unfortunately, seeks to become an active promoter of this policy, despite its attempts to maintain its excellent relations with Russia in recent years. And it is mistaken when it counts on the impunity of such actions on the part of Moscow.

New Eastern Outlook, August 27. Vladimir Odintsov is a political observer.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-28 21:36:06|Editor: huaxia

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Iraqi President Barham Salih (R) welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 28, 2021. Iraq on Saturday held the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, with the participation of nine countries and several regional and international organizations, to boost security and economic cooperation in the Middle East. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Saturday held the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, with the participation of nine countries and several regional and international organizations, to boost security and economic cooperation in the Middle East.

During the opening session, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said in his speech that the convening of the conference embodies Iraq's vision of establishing "the best relations," voicing his hope that economic partnerships will be achieved through the gathering.

"We hope that the Baghdad conference will be a new station to achieve aspirations of the Iraqi people and the people of the region, and we seek to activate projects and restore life in all cities of Iraq," al-Kadhimi said.

He added that the Iraqi people defeated the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, which is also a victory for all people of the region, as terrorism "is a common danger for all, and eliminating it requires confronting the conditions that allow its growth."

French President Emmanuel Macron said in his speech that the Baghdad conference "demonstrates partnerships and achieving peace in the region," stressing that the conference will support Iraq's sovereignty.

Macron reiterated his country's commitment to supporting the Iraqi forces and the country's sovereignty, praising Iraq's confrontation with the extremist (IS) group.

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi considered the conference an opportunity for consultation and cooperation to face regional challenges.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi President Barham Salih and al-Kadhimi received heads of states invited to the conference, including Macron, Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The conference also gathered Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the newly-appointed Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and other high-level regional and international officials.

On Thursday, Salih said that the conference would establish a new order based on common regional security and economic interdependence.

The Iraqi president told local media that the conference "will contribute to easing regional tensions and crises, and support the path of constructive dialogue," according to a statement issued by the presidency's media office.

On Wednesday, Nizar al-Khairallah, spokesman of the regional conference, said the conference would focus on economic and investment cooperation, adding that representatives from permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Group of 20 countries, and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) will attend the conference as observers. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 05:32:52|Editor: huaxia

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A Palestinian protester burns tires during clashes with Israeli soldiers along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, on Aug. 28, 2021. Night clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers resumed on Saturday near the borders between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel for the first time in two years, eyewitnesses said. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Night clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers resumed on Saturday near the borders between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel for the first time in two years, eyewitnesses said.

They said that members of the so-called "the night disturbance units" arrived at the border area with Israel, burned tires, detonated handmade bombs, whistled and clashed with the soldiers stationed at the borders.

The eyewitnesses said the Israeli soldiers fired live gunshots and little drones fired teargas canisters to disperse the protesters, who chanted slogans against Israel and tried to approach the fence of the borders.

Medical sources said that at least seven protesters were shot and injured. One was shot in the head and is in critical condition and the other six were moderately injured in their legs.

The decision to resume the protests near the borders with Israel was made earlier on Saturday by members of "the night disturbance units," which comprise members of various Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

"These activities were resumed and will continue until the siege is lifted and Palestinian demands are fulfilled," the group said, adding that the activities will include launching incendiary balloons.

Protests in the Gaza Strip were recently escalated near the fence of the borders after Israel tightened the blockade imposed since 2007.

Leaders of the Palestinian factions insist that the anti-Israel activities in eastern Gaza will continue until Israel completely lifts the blockade. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 10:07:02|Editor: huaxia

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ROME, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) economies have emerged strongly from the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, though analysts are concerned that new virus variants may halt further growth.

The latest economic models show that Italy and Spain are on pace to see their strongest economic growth in more than 40 years this year, with Italy's economy expected to grow 5.6 percent and Spain's 6.2 percent in 2021. Those estimates are 0.6 and 0.3 percent above previous estimates a month earlier, respectively.

Germany, the EU's largest economy, last week raised its domestic economic growth estimate for 2021. Expectations include that German pharmaceutical firm BioNTech, co-developer of the widely distributed Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, could alone add 0.5 percent to Germany's economic growth this year.

Last month, the EU's statistics office reported that economies from the 27-nation bloc grew 13.2 percent in the second quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2020.

The strong growth figures, however, should also be viewed from the perspective of a low baseline in 2020, when the continent was mostly under coronavirus-induced lockdowns, dramatically slowing economic activities. The impacts were especially severe in Italy and Spain, which rely heavily on tourism.

But the strong economic responses across the EU, coupled with high vaccination rates, helped to restore consumer and business confidence and boost exports faster than most analysts had expected.

"The reopening of non-essential businesses helped spur growth in retail sales near pre-pandemic levels," Tej Parikh, a director at Fitch Ratings, told Xinhua. "The economic momentum from the reopening is increasing."

He noted, however, that the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus still represents the "biggest downside risk" for European economies.

Nicola Nobile of Oxford Economics, an independent economics research group, said in a report that the "Delta variant will likely cause a surge in COVID-19 cases," though the "vaccination process means any new waves (of the pandemic) should be significantly less deadly than previous ones."

Giuseppe De Arcangelis, a professor of international economics at Rome's Sapienza University, called the latest economic data "reassuring," though he also expressed some concerns over the pandemic.

"From what we can see, the situation remains under control," De Arcangelis told Xinhua. "But there is still so much uncertainty that it is hard to be confident. Everything could change in a week or two."

De Arcangelis said the uncertainty requires coming up with more growth scenarios, both on the high and the low end, in order to get a complete picture. He said one scenario that worries him involves vaccines.

"The vaccine rollout in Europe has been very successful, and it is the main reason for optimism, even as the Delta variant gains ground," De Arcangelis said. "But I am concerned that we may need more vaccines to keep up the momentum. I hope we won't have vaccine supply problems in the coming weeks and months." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 17:08:31|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The remains of more Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War will be returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) in September, said China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs on Sunday.

It will be the eighth batch of martyrs' remains returned since 2014, following a handover agreement signed by the two countries.

A burial ceremony will be held in the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs' cemetery in the city of Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Sept. 3, after the aircraft carrying the remains is scheduled to land at a Shenyang airport on Sept. 2, the ministry said.

Ceremonies will also be held in the ROK before the remains of the fallen soldiers were returned to China.

The CPV fought with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Army in the Korean War against the ROK army and U.S.-led UN forces.

Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the war, with most buried on the Korean Peninsula. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 17:02:03|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday said around 130 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya.

"Some 130 persons were rescued from two boats that capsized at sea and were returned this evening to Tripoli," UNHCR tweeted.

"Four persons were reported missing. UNHCR & IRC (the International Red Cross) provided medical assistance, food and water to all survivors. Most of them suffered from burns, dehydration and severe fatigue," UNHCR 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.

Rescued migrants end up inside overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close those centers.

So far in 2021, more than 22,000 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued, while hundreds of others died or went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 21:20:31|Editor: huaxia

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People attend a concert in Ankara, Turkey, Aug. 26, 2021. "It's great to be back to concerts, for a long time there was no live shows or festivals, this is a welcomed change," said Irem Beyza Sogut on a summer night before the first major open-air concert in Turkey's capital city Ankara following the lifting of most restrictions. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)



by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- "It's great to be back to concerts, for a long time there was no live shows or festivals, this is a welcomed change," said Irem Beyza Sogut on a summer night before the first major open-air concert in Turkey's capital city Ankara following the lifting of most restrictions.

In front of a joyous crowd of over 2,000 people, famous folk music performer Onur Akin was playing popular songs with his saz, a commonly used traditional Turkish stringed instrument, accompanied by an orchestra.

After 18 months which have seen almost every public event canceled because of COVID-19, the chance to get out and enjoy a touch of normality is one people were definitely embracing.

"It has been a difficult period for everyone since the emergence of the pandemic and this festival will bring some fun and excitement back to the capital," Akin said at the beginning of the concert, the first in a series of live events organized by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality.

"It was difficult and even harder for young people such as myself because socializing was impossible for nearly two years, a return to normal is great, and I'm very happy," Sogut, a 17-year-old high school student, told Xinhua.

These types of events were all but absent over the past year, as health measures prohibited many group activities.

Organizers had to work to ensure that the concert can go ahead in a safe manner, with measures like mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing.

"It is so wonderful seeing everyone having fun and seeing smiles on people's faces, singing, laughing and joking," one organizer said.

In a remote part of the concert venue, Fatih Ilhan, a retired civil servant, his wife and daughter are comfortably sitting on folding chairs that they brought from home.

"We really missed concerts. During the past 18 months, we had to stay at home, but now we are getting rid of idleness and as we are fully vaccinated, we can at least attend such events," he said with a smile on his face.

"Thanks to the vaccination campaign, Turkey can finally return to the old normal. We are very happy," Ilhan added.

At another area of the venue, Satilmis Erkan, a metal painting worker, has brought his three small children to the concert, and they were all neatly wearing masks.

"We are discovering our liberty again, it will be good especially for the children," he remarked.

Turkey has lifted most coronavirus restrictions on July 1, but this was followed by a surge in fatalities and daily new cases.

"About three out of four people above the age of 18 have been administered at least one dose of vaccines," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The country has also provided third and fourth booster shots.

He regretted that some 15 million people did not get vaccinated yet despite being eligible, warning that their hesitancy is hampering efforts to bring new cases down.

To break this trend, the government has decided to mandate as of Sept. 6, a negative PCR test for those who have not been vaccinated, or not recovered from the virus, to enter concerts, cinemas and theaters.

There will also be a negative PCR test requirement for intercity trips by planes, buses, trains or other public transportation vehicles. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 12:23:38|Editor: huaxia

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by Yosley Carrero

Havana, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Antonio Gonzalez, who works as a skipper of a boat for Marlins Marine in the Cuban central province of Ciego de Avila, has changed his daily routine.

He is part of a local project to help COVID-19 hospitals and wards meet the demand of medical oxygen amid surging daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the province.

Gonzalez, along with his workmates, uses air compressors from boats for recreational services to produce medical oxygen at a concentration of 40 percent.

"We are working tirelessly, but this is very important for the country nowadays," he said. "We are going through a difficult situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

The workers of Marlins Marine have already delivered 1,500 cylinders of oxygen to the public health system covering Ciego de Avila and neighboring provinces.

According to Emigdio Diaz, director of Marlins Marine, the medical oxygen is provided to COVID-19 patients who do not need ventilators.

"We are working in line with international standards", he said. "This very much helps people, whose health condition is not life-threatening, recover from the contagious disease."

Cuba has confronted medical oxygen shortage due to technical problems in the island's biggest plant, which is located on the outskirts of the country's capital of Havana.

As a result, the Cuban government, which has recently received donations of oxygen concentrators from overseas, seeks solutions to tackle the emergency.

Located some 430 km east of Havana, Ciego de Avila has been one of the country's hotspots during the third wave of COVID-19.

With a capacity of more than 4,000 hospital beds, the Cuban central province is among the places most affected by the Delta variant across the island nation.

Angel Sanchez, a worker of Marlin Marine, said that innovation and creativity are fundamental to do this work. "Many times, we have to be very resourceful to deliver oxygen cylinders but it is worth it," he noted. "We are saving lives." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 13:22:25|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the Statement by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Release of U.S. Intelligence Report on COVID-19 Origins, issued on Saturday:

The U.S. intelligence community has recently compiled a so-called report on the origins of COVID-19. It is a mendacious report made up for political purposes. There is no scientific basis or credibility in it. The United States has also released a statement slandering and attacking China. The Chinese side hereby expresses its firm objection. It has made strong representations with the United States.

We have stressed on multiple occasions that origins tracing of COVID-19 is a complex issue of science. It should and can only be undertaken by scientists around the world through joint research. The United States, however, disregards science and facts. It is instead obsessed with political manipulation and origins tracing by the intelligence community. Without providing any evidence, the United States has cooked up one story after another to defame and accuse China. The aim is to use origins tracing to shift blame onto China and spread the political virus. The deployment of the intelligence community in origins tracing is in itself a compelling evidence of the politicization of the issue.

The United States accuses China of not being transparent or cooperative on origins tracing. This is sheer nonsense. China attaches great importance to international scientific cooperation on origins tracing, and has taken an active part in such cooperation. Acting on the principles of science, openness and transparency, we have twice invited WHO experts to China for origins tracing research. Early this year, a WHO-China joint study team of leading international and Chinese experts conducted a 28-day research in China and released a Joint Report containing authoritative, professional and science-based conclusions. This is a good foundation for international cooperation on origins tracing. We have been supporting science-based efforts on origins tracing, and will continue to stay actively engaged. That said, we firmly oppose attempts to politicize this issue.

It is actually the United States that is not being transparent, responsible and cooperative on this issue. The United States has been refusing to respond to the international community's reasonable doubts on the Fort Detrick biolab and the over 200 overseas bases for biological experiments, trying to cover up the truth and avoid being held responsible. The onus is on the United States to give the world an answer.

The U.S. attempts to politicize origins tracing have found no support and met widespread opposition from the international community: More than 80 countries have written to the WHO Director-General, issued statements, or sent diplomatic notes to voice their objection to the politicization attempts and call for the Joint Report by the WHO-China joint study team to be upheld; over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat on opposing the politicization of origins tracing; and over 25 million Chinese netizens have signed an open letter asking for an inquiry into the Fort Detrick base. These are people's calls for justice.

As a Chinese saying goes, a just cause attracts abundant support, while an unjust one finds little. We want to once again warn the U.S. side that politicizing origins tracing will lead nowhere. We urge the United States to immediately stop doing anything that poisons the atmosphere for international cooperation on origins tracing or undermines global solidarity against the pandemic, and return to the right track of science-based origins tracing and cooperation in the face of the pandemic. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 13:50:47|Editor: huaxia

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HOUSTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Ida, which the U.S. National Hurricane Center has warned could grow to an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm, is expected to slam ashore southern U.S. state Louisiana on Sunday, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's destructive landfalls in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The U.S. weather channel said late Saturday night that Ida is forecast to grow into a major hurricane as it tracks toward the northern Gulf Coast, where it will bring life-threatening storm surge, dangerous rainfall flooding, potentially catastrophic winds and tornadoes.

A hurricane warning is posted from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, eastward to the mouth of the Pearl River, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and the New Orleans metro area. Tropical-storm-force winds are forecast to arrive in parts of this region late Saturday into early Sunday, with hurricane conditions developing on Sunday and Sunday night.

Lines at gas pumps and car rental agencies grew long as residents and tourists alike prepared to leave on Saturday.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called for a voluntary evacuation and reiterated at a press briefing on Saturday that the time to safely leave was growing short. However, the city officials said Ida was strengthening so quickly that there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of the city's 390,000 residents.

The city's authorities were preparing to open shelters for anyone displaced by the storm, according to a NPR report.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards told reporters on Saturday that Ida "will be one of the strongest hurricanes that hit anywhere in Louisiana since at least the 1850s."

Edwards said Ida could span about 150 miles (241 km) east and west from the storm's center.

Category 3 Hurricane Katrina was blamed for some 1,800 deaths and caused catastrophic flooding in New Orleans in 2005. Enditem


The MDC Alliance has queried the governments swift disbursement of funds under the Political Parties Finance Act to the Douglas Mwonzora led-MDC-T, saying this never used to happen before the 2019 split.

Mwonzoras party was on Friday given $59 940 000 by the government while Zanu PF got a whopping $140 million, igniting fresh debate about the MDC-T and MDC Alliance battle over the control of funds meant for parties with a sizeable representation in Parliament.

MDC Alliance secretary for presidential affairs Jameson Timba said it was surprising that government continued to give the MDC-T money when there was a High Court ruling barring the release of the funds to either of the MDC factions before their dispute was resolved by the courts.

Timba said the release of the money showed Zanu PFs desperation to oil its surrogates to distabilise the party led by Nelson Chamisa. There is a High Court judgment that says the money must not be distributed to anyone until the legal dispute is resolved, Timba said.

But alas, both the Zanu PF government and its surrogate do not respect the rule of law.

Timba added: Zanu PF needs to keep its surrogate funded in the same way Renamo was funded by the Rhodesians to fight and tire Zanla forces before they crossed over to fight the Rhodesians.

He said in 2018 and 2019, the MDC Alliance was given its money without any problems, but trouble started in March last year when the government started giving the allocation to the MDC-T.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday defended the governments position on the distribution of the money.

They (MDC Alliance) lost the case, there is no such ruling barring government from releasing money to the MDC-T. If they have the ruling, can they show you? Ziyambi said.

Mwonzora is what we know. If they have any claim, they should go and make the claim to him because he is the one we gave. We know the leader of the opposition is Mwonzora.

Ziyambi said the MDC Alliance should leave the government out of its fight against the MDC-T. On allegations that government was propping Mwonzora, Ziyambi said: That is a lie; just like saying government is not procuring vaccines.

The disbursement was done in February and parties wrote asking for supplementary budgets, citing changed circumstances.

(Patrick) Chinamasa (Zanu PF) wrote and Paurina Mupariwa (MDC-T) also wrote and I attached a support letter to the minister of Finance. He approved it and released the funds.

The mere reason that the MDC Alliance did not write asking for the funds shows that they know that they are not entitled to it.

Mwonzoras spokesperson Lloyd Damba said the disbursement of the money by government was transparent.

Allocation of funds under the Political Parties Finance Act is not something which is new, Damba said. Political parties have always been benefiting from the Act, including Chamisa.

Why would they make a fuss now when Douglas Mwonzora is now the beneficiary? After all, the fund is being allocated in a transparent manner, in line with the dictates of the constitution. Chamisa and his allies should know that these are the consequences of failing to respect the court orders and the constitution of the MDC-T, which they disregarded and pursued politics of individualism.

Meanwhile, leaders of opposition parties that formed the MDC Alliance ahead of the 2018 elections yesterday denied claims that they were backing Mwonzora.

Mwonzora is claiming leadership of the alliance, an electoral pact entered into by the late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and six other opposition parties in December 2017, which is now being led by Chamisa.

On Thursday, Mwonzora held a meeting at Richard Morgan Tsvangirai House party offices as the leader of the alliance, but only two of the signatories of the MDC Alliance pact of 2017 attended the meeting.

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Welshman Ncube-led MDC accused Mwonzora of manipulating individuals into misrepresenting that they had attended the meeting on behalf of the parties.

Last month, Mathias Guchutu, leader of the Multiracial Christian Democrats party who claimed to be the convener of the Alliance, on July 12, wrote to Mwonzora informing him that the MDC-T had been expelled from the grouping for failing to abide by the principles of the alliance.

Guchutu, however, later withdrew the suspension, citing the need to pursue dialogue with Mwonzora. He claimed that senior MDC-T party members called him for engagement following the suspension.

Guchutu attended Mwonzoras meeting on Friday. The MDC-T issued a statement after the meeting, but party spokesperson Nqobizitha Khumalo did not disclose the names of the principals of the alliance who were in attendance.

In the statement, Khumalo said the principals had acknowledged Mwonzora as the leader of the alliance and ordered Chamisa to stop using the Alliance name.

He said several principals had endorsed Mwonzora, but The Standard is reliably informed that only the MDC, Zimbabwe People First and Zanu Ndonga had representatives at the meeting.

Stephen Manzana, spokesperson and representative of the Zimbabwe People First, who attended the meeting said the party was yet to decide whether to join Mwonzoras alliance or not.

He said the party could join Mwonzoras camp if he was willing to share the funds allocated to the Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act with the other principals.

We were invited to the meeting by MDC-T president Mwonzora, but we are still at the negotiating table with both Mwonzora and Chamisa, Manzanza said.

We are not members of any alliance as yet. We will join the grouping, which offers the best to advance the interests of the general Zimbabweans.

PDP spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party was not represented in Mwonzoras meeting and disowned Lucia Matibenga, who was named as the representative of the party.

Matibenga, leader of a splinter PDP group, was part of the Joice Mujuru-led electoral pact in the 2018 general elections, not the Alliance, which rival leader Tendai Biti was part of.

Mwonzora is creating party leaders to advance selfish interests, Mafume said. The so-called alliance is fictitious and bogus. The meeting was held out of desperation, dishonesty and craziness.

He recalled members of Parliament from the MDC Alliance because they were not members of the MDC-T, now they are claiming its ownership.

The MDC alliance principals, who were not part of the meeting, said they never received any invitation from Mwonzora to join him.

They, however, said they could not have attended the Thursday meeting even if they had been invited because they did not recognise Mwonzora as the leader of the Alliance.

Welshman Ncube-led MDC vice-president Edwin Mushoriwa said the party had no intentions to join any other alliance other than the one led by Chamisa.

Mwonzora did not even bother to invite us because he knew that we would not attend. We do not subscribe to his cheap political tricks, Mushoriwa said.

We know that the meeting was part of Mwonzoras multiple sideshows to derail the agenda for change. But as the MDC-N, we continue rallying behind Chamisa to push for democracy and constitutionalism and respect the peoples will.

MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube said all parties were represented at the meeting except for the Transform Zimbabwe led by Jacob Ngarivhume which had pulled out of the alliance.

He said principals of the alliance were bound by the agreement that set up the alliance. Standard
Two top Marondera detectives allegedly intercepted more than 100 stolen tobacco bales and connived with the armed robbers to sell the loot before sharing the proceeds.

Tapera Bvunzawabaya (36) and Phenias Bizabani (36) from CID Law and Order appeared before Marondera magistrate Rumbidzai Munemo facing criminal abuse of office charges and were ordered to apply for bail at the High Court.

They will return to court on September 10 for trial. According to court papers, on July 22, Albert Mhari, Kezias Chonde, Morestaff Kapeta, Darlington Mhari and their accomplices who are still at large, went to Karimazondo Farm in Marondera where they ambushed the security guard, Christopher Mukobvu.

One of the suspects produced a pistol and threatened to shoot the security guard before tying his hands and legs with shoe laces.

The robbers then proceeded to a parked truck in the farm yard, assaulted the truck driver Shepherd Dabvu with fists and stabbed him several times on his buttocks before throwing him out of the vehicle.

They allegedly took the truck and its trailer laden with 130 bales of tobacco and drove to Cotter Farm along Longlands in Marondera owned by Talent Kaseke where they offloaded the bales.

They dumped the truck near the farm. A police report was made at Marondera Central where Bizabani and Bvunzawabaya are stationed as detectives.

The accused made their investigations and found the tobacco bales at Cotter Farm where they were being repackaged to conceal their initial identification. The two suspects allegedly demanded bribes from Mhari and his accomplices to avoid being arrested.

The, robbers, however had no money with them resulting in the detectives joining them in disposing the stolen tobacco bales. Bizabani allegedly called one Shingirayi Mutsinziri to transport the stolen tobacco bales to Harare for sale.

The detectives also approached Talent Kasekes wife and got permission to use her growers number to sell the tobacco.

Bizabani and Bvunzawabaya then used their power as police officers to escort the trucks in their black Mercedes Benz to Harare during Covid-19 curfew hours.

They facilitated safe passage for the two trucks at police checkpoints to Harare where the tobacco was sold before sharing the proceeds.

The matter came to light after the arrest of Kapeta following a parallel investigation that included officials from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and he implicated the detectives.

Detectives recovered torn bale tags and sacks printed with the complainants growers number. Upon being quizzed, the farmer admitted that the detectives were at the repackaging site on the day.

The total value of the stolen tobacco was pegged at US$58 000 and nothing was recovered. Kapeta and his team are also in remand over armed robbery charges. Standard
It had nothing to do with what we were talking about. He was placing his views on me. And taking my son away from me, Firlit told the station.
She said the work is relentless and the calls, which can last an hour, can be emotional. Workers making contract tracing calls not only help people learn about what they should do to keep themselves and others safe, but they can hear from people who are scared, lonely or grieving or in need of assistance, such as with paying rent or getting food. Beck said the staff on her team try to help and connect people with other resources.
But it also allowed me to feel connected to those kids, because theyre also struggling with a broken home life or insecurities or pain ... and they have the same dreams as me. It helped me to feel connected to people that were not like me. I hope that this movie is something that the Asian community can be very proud of, but I also hope its a window to people who are not from this community to feel connected.
I dont think any of us can be where we are without going through the process, Barrow said. Some of our processes are different. Some of our pains are different. I thought Id be a billionaire rap superstar entertainer and that was going to be the way I helped Belize. But the architect of the universe had a different design.
Hochuls here: Kathy Hochul was sworn in as the 57th governor of New York on Tuesday, the first woman to hold the position. Hochul, 62, was former Gov. Andrew Cuomos lieutenant governor and assumed the mantle in Albany after he resigned in disgrace. Her priorities include getting COVID-19 rental assistance to tenants and taking over the reins of the pandemic recovery. Hochul has already issued a mask mandate for schools statewide. I want people to believe in their government again, Hochul, a Democrat said. Its important to me that people have faith. Our strength comes from the faith and the confidence of the people who put us in these offices and I take that very seriously.
Mike Rosado gets into his car and comes out with a gun, firing it in the air. His father pulls it out of his hands and stomps across the street. The younger Rosado follows and takes the gun back, and the two plainclothes officers approach from across the street, guns drawn, the footage shows.
Cops responded to the shooting at E. Fordham Rd. and Webster Ave. outside Rose Hill Park in Fordham Manor just before 8 p.m., police and sources said, but the victim could not be saved.
Another woman wrote: Marque had me cracking up from the day he and I ever met. The best choir director/song writer and that man was sharp every time I saw him. He could hit that soprano note and not get winded and he cared so much he will be missed.
On the one hand, you have a violent criminal who is constantly undoing the work of an entire community, said Fine, 53, a real estate broker active with the E. 86th St. Association. On the other hand, you have a sympathetic character who is suffering from serious mental illness and desperately needs help. The city has to find a way to deal with the violent and dangerous mentally ill to get them the help they need.
The impact of the crash sent the women flying through the intersection as the driver of a late-model black sedan took off on E. Fordham Rd., police said.
We had two individuals who reside here, they had some health conditions, a heavy-hoarder type situation, Herion said last week, according to Fox 32 Chicago. There was no water being used at this residence for over a year.
Law enforcement stand next to a home along Center Avenue in Lyons, Ill., where authorities believe they've uncovered bodies in the backyard on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Authorities are planning to excavate the suburban Chicago backyard this weekend after two adult brothers found living in what police called a ahoarder homea said they had buried the bodies of their mother and sister there. (Stacey Wescott /Chicago Tribune via AP) (Stacey Wescott/AP Photo)
One of the joys of my life was having Ed Asner as my Dad, tweeted Denis OHare, who starred across from him in the 2018 film The Parting Glass. He kindly said yes to doing my first screenplay. It was a crazy shoot and he showed up every day ready to go. He loved being an actor and I loved him.
When he saw the script for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, he said, I knew it was a winner. This was gold. He said he drew on various people he knew, including his brother, to play the demanding and often-exasperated Grant, who had to manage a newsroom that included Moore and a wacky group of coworkers.
This is not the kind of storm that we normally get, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told AP. This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing.
The CDC has said the entire state now falls under the umbrella of high or substantial community transmission of COVID-19 and Christensen noted the court has reviewed the agencys guidance about masks in indoor settings in areas of high transmission, the outlet reports.
It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University. Our thoughts of comfort and peace are with his friends and family during this difficult time, he said.
It followed a speech by former BYU president and church elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who earlier in the week declared his love for those who live with this same-sex challenge, but added that we have to be careful that love and empathy do not get interpreted as condoning and advocacy.
If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming an incubator for global terror, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said over the weekend.
Biden was at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday for the transfer of the remains of the 13 service members who were killed, and he was expected to be briefed on the drone strike after the roughly four-hour-long transfer.
As the delta variant makes its way through communities across the country, its crucial we keep doing everything we can to keep each other safe from the COVID virus, the governor said in a statement. Wear a mask and, if you havent already, get your vaccine as soon as you can. The vaccine is the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
After August 31st, we believe that we have substantial leverage to hold the Taliban to its commitments to allow safe passage for American citizens, legal permanent residents and the Afghan allies who have travel documentation to come to the United States, he said.
President Biden, first lady Jill Biden and other officials attend the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday to honor the 13 members of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan last week. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Whereas Cuomo was aggressive and abrasive, and missed few opportunities to assert his alpha-male status in conflicts with New York Citys mayor, female leaders are perceived as more collaborative and consensus-oriented, seeking to build trust with stakeholders and consider a wide range of viewpoints. Highlighting this commitment to collaboration, Hochul has promised to empower local leaders to fight the pandemic, in contrast to Cuomo who often required local officials to seek permission from the governors office before undertaking significant policy changes. Hochul is known for her personable style and has made a point a point of traveling to all 62 counties each year as lieutenant governor. She notes that while she was not part of Cuomos inner circle, she plans to develop a collaborative relationship with her lieutenant governor that is more akin to the dynamic between President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Cooper said his decision is based on the Parents Bill of Rights, a law passed this year that gives Florida parents greater power over their childrens medical decisions but also allows government agencies and school boards the right to impose rules if they have a compelling reason to do so.
The idea is that these women recover quickly and feel that they can be useful to themselves and the community, but above all by doing something that they are familiar with, which is harvesting the land, Jeffers said. Its a challenge.
Climate change is part of the reason. Researchers have found that the frequency of rapidly intensifying Atlantic hurricanes has increased over the past four decades as ocean temperatures have risen, in large part because warmer water provides more of the energy that fuels these storms. In the 1980s, there was about a 1% chance that a hurricane would undergo rapid intensification. Now, theres a 5% chance.
Im personally impacted by these things and I know there are others who are impacted by health disparities, and we want to address them and close the gaps by providing these programs, Desir said. All of these elements need funding, and thats why we started with the Black Joy Festival.
But just as important as roads and bridges is care infrastructure: long-overdue support for child care, home-care, and paid family and medical leave that people need in order to provide for their families and participate in the economy. My sister, also a born-and-raised Central Floridian, struggles every month to secure reliable child care for her son, Reese, who has a disability and needs specialized care. Far too often, she has to give up shifts at her hospitality job because there arent enough affordable, qualified child care providers.
Each day, we see the trusting eyes of those youngsters who rely on us to be there for their benefit, to get them through tough academic situations, to help them face bullies, to tie loose shoelaces, etc. When a youngster is absent now, we begin to think, whats wrong? Would anyone who loves one child like to have a similar dreaded feeling for 20 to 25 children? Please consider that as you finalize your feelings about vaccination.
[There will be] isolated showers near the coast, but with that drier air still in place, said Maureen McCann, meteorologist from Spectrum News 13. Well be able to keep our rain chances low for yet another day.
Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - Mauritian health authorities said on Sunday that they had recorded 329 positive cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the number of positive cases since 2020 to 10,191, including 379 imported cases, the Ministry of Health and wellness said in Port-Louis, the Mauritian capital
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan and Chad on Sunday engaged in bilateral talks at the level of the heads of transitional councils in both countries, to seek further cooperation and coordination between the two countries during the coming period
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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By SA Commercial Prop News

With more than a passing resemblance to a National Geographic best-of issue, Zimbabwe is a beautiful country to visit. It boasts the majestic Victoria Falls, magnificent wildlife preserves and the medieval ruins of Great Zimbabwe



Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe has called on business to invest in Zimbabwe, saying there were vast opportunities in the neighbouring country.

Thabethe is in Zimbabwe as part of the dtis Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI), together with a 45-person business delegation.

Zimbabwe has been carrying out economic and structural reforms, which have improved economic performance and sustained growth. Since 2009, Zimbabwe has had positive growth rates above 5% per annum, reaching 5.9% in 2010, said Thabethe on Monday.

She was speaking on the first day of the ITI at a business seminar attended by over 250 business people at the Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare.

The deputy minister said investment in the development of infrastructure in Zimbabwe would have a high rate of return as it would lead to increased demand for manufactured and capital equipment.

There are enormous opportunities in the development of the continent's vast resources, and the creation of critical infrastructure in roads, railways, ports and utilities. Business people from across the continent, including South Africa and Zimbabwe, can take advantage of opportunities presented by these developments.

South African companies have since 2003 undertaken investment projects in Zimbabwe totalling over R10.87 billion. The investment projects have contributed to the creation of over 2 000 jobs in the metals, minerals, tourism and financial services in the neighbouring country.

Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, Dr Samuel Undenge, said government had launched the medium term economic plan aimed at growing, stabilising and transforming the Zimbabwean economy, making it easier for foreign companies to invest in the country and establish partnerships with Zimbabwean companies.

In 2011, trade between South Africa and Zimbabwe stood at R20 billion, while foreign direct investment from Zimbabwe to South Africa, between 2003 and 2010, amounted to US$154 million.

The ITI will conclude in Bulawayo on Thursday.
The Finance Ministry has extended the last date to avail of the late fee amnesty scheme under Goods and Services Act (GST), till November 30.

The scheme was due to expire on August 31.

The government had provided relief to the taxpayers by reducing or waiving late fee for non-furnishing form GSTR-3B for the tax periods from July 2017 to April 2021, if the returns for these tax periods are furnished between June 1 and August 31 this year.

Based on the multiple representations received, the government has also extended, to September 30, the timelines for filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration, where the due date of filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration falls between March 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021.

The filing of forms GSTR-3B and GSTR-1/IFF by companies using electronic verification code, instead of digital signature certificate has already been enabled for the period from April 27 to August 31. This has been further extended to October 31.

"The extension of the closing date of late fee amnesty scheme and extension of time limit for filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration will benefit a large number of taxpayers, specially small taxpayers, who could not file their returns in time due to various reasons, mainly because of difficulties caused by Covid-19 pandemic, and whose registrations were cancelled due to the same," the ministry said in a statement.

Taxpayers are requested to avail the benefit of these extensions at the earliest to avoid last minute rush, it added.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said on Sunday that it has arrested Bollywood actor Armaan Kohli hours after the recovery of a small quantity of cocaine during searches at his Andheri residence.

The searches were carried out on Saturday.

The NCB had raided Kohli's home late last evening and then took him to its office after recovering the banned narcotics, said NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede.

He added that what has emerged from the probe till now, the case could have international ramifications as the cocaine seized had originated from South America.

"The NCB is probing the route and linkages used to bring the seized cocaine to Mumbai and the involvement of other traffickers," Wankhede said.

Kohli's name emerged during the interrogation of a peddler Ajay Raju Singh who was arrested in Worli on Saturday morning, as part of the NCB's all-out war against the drugs mafia.

A history-sheeter with a previous case lodged against him by the Anti Narcotics Cell of Mumbai Police, the NCB nabbed Ajay Singh Saturday near the Haji Ali Mausoleum and recovered 25 gms of Mephedrone from him.

Following this, Wankhede said that a first information report has been lodged against both Singh and Kolhi, under various sections of the NDPS Act, and further investigations are underway.
The final evacuation flight purely for civilians under Britain's Operation Pitting has left the Kabul airport, the British Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.

Any further flights leaving Kabul under Britain's evacuation operation "will have UK diplomatic and military personnel on board," the ministry added.

General Nick Carter, Britain's chief of defense staff, said: "(The withdrawal) is not how we hoped it would end", the Xinhua news agency reported.

"I think we have done an extraordinary job to evacuate as many as we can, but I'm afraid it's absolutely heart-breaking we can't get everybody out," Carter said.

He warned that Britain is "not out of the woods yet" as this final phase gets under way.

"The operation will carry on for a little bit longer. But it's been a huge enterprise," he said, noting that troops are working in the face of a "very demanding threat" in Afghanistan.

Two suicide bomb attacks rocked the Kabul airport in the Afghan capital on Thursday, killing at least 103 people, including 13 US service members, two British nationals and a child of another British national.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, saying it was targeting "translators and collaborators with the American army."

Britain had airlifted 14,543 Afghans and British nationals from Kabul since its Operation Pitting began on August 13, the ministry of defense said on Friday night.

Only three days remain for US forces to evacuate from the Taliban-held Afghanistan, after US allies failed to persuade US President Joe Biden to extend the August 31 evacuation deadline during a Group of Seven virtual summit earlier this wee
US President Joe Biden has warned that another terror attack against the Kabul airport could be "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours".

"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," Biden said in a statement on Saturday after meeting with his national security team.

"I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritise force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground," he added.

Thirteen US service members and some 170 Afghans were killed in a suicide bombing attack outside Kabul airport on August 26.

The IS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State terror group in Afghanistan, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

In retaliation for the deadly attack, the US military on August 27 launched a drone strike against the terror group in Nangarhar province, which killed two "high-profile" members and wounded another, according to the Pentagon.

"This strike was not the last," Biden said in the statement on Saturday.

"We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay," he added.

Biden set August 31 as the deadline to end .S military mission in Afghanistan.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said earlier on Saturday that the US forces on the ground have started withdrawing from the Kabul airport.

The US has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country since the Taliban captured Kabul on August 15.

The White House said on Saturday that around 111,900 people have left Afghanistan since August 14.
Six Afghan civilians, including four children, were killed after a rocket was fired at the Kabul airport where the US-led evacuation flights were continuing but failed to hit the target, a local source confirmed.

"The rocket struck a house in Khwaja Bughra, a populated residential area in Police District 15, killing two adults and four children," Hajji Karim, a representative of the neighbourhood in the municipality district, told reporters at the site.

The incident occurred roughly at 4:55 p.m. local time in the area, west of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the Xinhua news agency reported.

On Thursday, a deadly suicide bomb blast and gun firing claimed by ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State group, killed 170 Afghans and 13 US troops at an eastern gate of the Kabul airport and injured nearly 200 others.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban officials and public health authorities have not commented on the blast so far.

The attack came after a US drone was hovering over the city, witnesses said.

Dozens of planes, including military planes, took off from the airport during the day. All US and coalition forces are expected to leave the country on August 31, a planned deadline.
The operating loss for the six months to 30 June 2021 was $1,992,634 (2020: $1,451,650). The result was in line with the Groups business plan and represents the ramping up of our investment in developing Cannasouth to be New Zealands leading medicinal cannabis company.

Cash on hand as at 30 June 2021 was $4.63 million (2020: $11.18 million, which included a successful capital raise in May 2020 of $6 million).

Cannasouths strategy of a vertically integrated group is well articulated. We are committed to producing medicinal cannabis products in New Zealand from locally sourced raw materials. Cannasouth also has a supply agreement with an Australian supplier to import three medicinal cannabis products.

Registration applications for these products were submitted to the Agency in November 2020. This agreement is an important step for Cannasouth to meet an initial business objective to make available pharmaceutical grade medicinal cannabis products to New Zealand patients as soon as possible, prior to producing its own manufactured products.

New Zealand regulations require companies to operate to the highest pharmaceutical quality standards. To participate in the medicinal cannabis industry requires not only purpose-built facilities, but also professionals with expertise in key areas. Quality is one of those key areas.

Cannasouth is at the inflection point of transitioning from a capital-intensive start-up phase to generating its first revenue stream. Subject to completing off-take agreements with overseas buyers, revenue from the export of high-quality medicinal cannabis flower biomass is expected to be circa $8 million on an annual basis. The Company is in negotiations with several prospective customers for off-takes of the first harvest and exports are expected to begin in early 2022.

Please see the links below for details

NZX MAP_CBD_2021 HY Review of Operations

NZX MAP_CBD_2021 HY Financial Statements

NZX MAP_CBD_2021 HY Results Table

Source: Cannasouth Limited

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All said and done, Joe Biden shedding tears in public makes one suspect that he has admitted his error of judgement and he is retributing himself and asking pardon from the people.

by N.S.Venkataraman

Most of the people in the USA and in several other countries seem to think that US President Joe Biden has handled the Afghanistan situation incompetently, without adequate forethought and understanding of the ground realities.

Joe Biden has argued that such a situation that is now prevailing in Afghanistan would be inevitable at any time, if and when the US would withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. Obviously, he thinks that US troops withdrawing from Afghanistan is inevitable ,as it has become too costly for the USA ,both in terms of money spent and American lives lost. He seems to mean that he should be given credit for taking the inevitable decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan.

However, Joe Bidens stand and argument are weak and unacceptable , as adequate preparation has not been done before withdrawing the US troops from Afghanistan and it appears to be a sudden decision that has made the world remain stunned. Lack of forward planning is too conspicuous to be ignored.

The biggest consequence of this decision of Joe Biden to withdraw from Afghanistan after US forces being there for around twenty years, is that the faith on US as a dependable ally has been eroded to a very large extent. Further, the claim about the military might of US to fight against the enemy forces under any circumstances and at any time has also been now questioned and ridiculed.

Finally, when a suicide bomber exploded himself near the Kabul airport killing many people including number of US troops, President Biden lost his cool and wept in front of the media personnel.

Joe Bidens shedding tears in front of the media , which has been extensively shown in visual media all over the world, inevitably give an impression that Joe Biden realises that he has erred in taking this withdrawal decision from Afghanistan all of a sudden and further feels helpless and now suffers from a sense of panic gripping him.

One of the important attributes of any President of any country is that even in adverse difficult circumstances, he needs to maintain a cool attitude . He needs to exhibit courage of conviction and should give confidence to the people that he can manage the future developments competently. A President who shed tears in the wake of a difficult situation does not create confidence in the minds of the citizens and perhaps, people would start wondering whether Joe Biden is the right man for the job.

After shedding tears, Joe Biden said that he would not forgive and forget, with a voice of aged and clueless person, with effortful and forced firmness brought to his face. There is no hint from him how he would approach the future issue in dealing with the Taliban terrorists and virtually appears to have surrendered to the Talibans. When the US said that all Americans would be evacuated from Afghanistan by August,31 and the Taliban leadership arrogantly fixed August 31 as the deadline for US troops to leave Afghanistan, the prestige of US nose dived and reached rock bottom level, creating a sense of shock , frustration and humiliation amongst the American citizens.

The question remains that when the President of a country starts weeping in the light of the stress that happened due to a crisis , even his ardent admirers would start wondering whether the President deserves sympathy or contempt for his administrative , governance capability.

Handling of the Afghan situation by Joe Biden reflects very poor strategies with a large number of sophisticated American arms and ammunition going under the control of Taliban terrorists , which could be used against Americans.

U S has now reported to have shot down two ISI planners and claim that it has taken revenge. Does it mean that the US would not take revenge against Taliban terrorists or would the US view Taliban terrorists as more preferable terrorists than ISI terrorists ?

Now, US should not make the historical mistake, that several past US administrations has done , of supporting one terrorist group in a country to fight against another terrorist group. In such cases, the experience is that ultimately both the terrorist groups turned against the US. Will Joe Biden learn the lesson?

All said and done, Joe Biden shedding tears in public makes one suspect that he has admitted his error of judgement and he is retributing himself and asking pardon from the people.

A leader is not judged by the tears but by the capability to remain strong in most difficult circumstances , that would create confidence amongst citizens. The ardent admirers of Joe Biden wish that tears should dry up in his eyes.
Excerpts from the author's recent book, Tales of a Mad Yogi, published by Shambhala Publications, Inc.

by Elizabeth L. Monson

An account of the periods of my life story that is factual and correctfrom my birth to my present activities, up to the feasts offered at my death in the futurewould be an insignificant piece of writing indeed! Except for the dried-up words with which I exhort my disciples toward the Dharma whenever they question me and with which I communicate the main points for performing spiritual practice these days, there is little need to write about the absurdities of my life, the food I ate in the morning, and where I shit it out in the evening.

Who was the Dharma Lord, Drukpa Kunley? Hes been called many things: madman, crazy wisdom master, yogi, erudite scholar, wandering mendicant, scathing social and religious critic, lonely child, enlightened master, drunkard, adulterer, reincarnation of Saraha, great mahasiddha, and the list goes on. With so many manifestations, the question arises: Was Drukpa Kunley a real human being, with real challenges and sufferings, joys and achievements? Or is this legendary figure more mythic than human, more imaginary than historical, his name a label for a particular way of being in the world?

Drukpa Kunleys legacy has profoundly influenced ideas about how true realization can manifest in a religious world where selfishness, materialism, and hypocrisy often undermine the genuine transmission and practice of the Dharma. What does this manifestation of true realization look like? When we examine the speech and actions of Drukpa Kunley, we discover a complex nexus of interpenetrating and sometimes contradictory, but always fascinating, ideas of what realization might look like.

In Bhutan, where Drukpa Kunleys legacy flourishes, modern folk tales depict a bawdy, promiscuous, irreverent jokestera philandering yogic madman who used any and all opportunities to engage in lewd or lascivious actions to shock ordinary people out of their habitual ways of viewing reality. This Drukpa Kunley had no qualms about breaking social mores or challenging the ethical and moral values by which people orient themselves both individually and collectively. He delighted in teaching average folks, while poking fun at those who call themselves Dharma practitioners. He elicits laughter and enjoyment as vociferously now as he did six centuries ago. He was the crazed yogic madman who slept with his own mother, separated women from their husbands, and drank himself unconscious, but who is also revered as a second Guru Rinpoche, pacifying and taming the wild demonic spirits that haunt the Himalayan mountain jungles of Bhutan. That he accomplished this primarily with his throbbing thunderbolt of wisdom continues to charm and amuse whoever hears of his exploits.

Today, in Bhutan, visitors can purchase replicas of his thunderbolt of wisdom from local gift shops, and many flock to Drukpa Kunleys temple, the Chime Lhakhang in the central valley of Punakha, to be blessed by the huge phallus said to have been carved by the saint, as well as by a replica of the bow and arrows he used for hunting. To this day, women who are unable to conceive travel from around the globe to this same temple to supplicate for the lamas blessing and to sleep on the ground in the hopes that their prayers for conception will be answered. And they are. Over and over again, reports of the efficacy of Drukpa Kunleys blessings emerge that enhance his reputation.

Lest we become too comfortable with this view of a dancing, drunken madman, Drukpa Kunleys own writings from the fifteenth century pull the rug out from underneath us. In the only known collection of his written works referred to above, the four-volume mix of both biographical and autobiographical writings, we encounter a different kind of madman. One whose weapons of pacification and education include his sharp tongue, his keen wit, and his penetrating critiques of religious hypocrisy. If this manifestation of Drukpa Kunley is considered crazy, it is due to his unrelenting drive to unveil the insidious deceptions that those who claim to model a religious life use to fool both themselves and others. He is crazy, too, in turning this keen gaze onto himself, exposing his own faults, tricks, and surreptitious efforts to broadcast a particular image of himselfa madness of humility and truth-telling.

To try to nail down all the characteristics of the yogi depicted in these volumes, the yogi who dances nimbly through a field of literary genres, is as difficult as Drukpa Kunley himself states in the passage that opens the preface to this book. The Liberation Tales confronts the reader with a bewildering array of disparate compositionsfrom spontaneous songs of realization to stories, didactic tirades, mocking imitations, parodies, dream narratives, visions, and powerfully emotional responses to the impermanence and suffering experienced by all beings across time and space. While it is impossible to determine a single rationale for these writings, uncovering what it means to be a genuine human being traveling the path of the Dharmaboth externally in terms of engagement in the mundane world and internally in terms of personal growth and realizationis a central theme. The madman who emerges from these pages is by turns compassionate, honest to a painful degree, spontaneous, fun-loving, sorrowful, romantic, practical, and mystical.

 2021 by Elizabeth L. Monson for more details please visit www.shambhala.com. Click here to buy your copy
Yembo is traditionally seen as the first incarnation of Yemaya, the intriguing oceanic Mother of All life. Few spirits are more beloved, adopted, co-opted, and assimilated than this one.

Excerpts adapted from the author's most recent book, Yemaya: Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea, published by Red wheelweiser

by Raven Morgaine

As human beings, we have always sought to give faces and names to the natural and spiritual forces we encounter in order to understand and relate to them, to make them more personal, and to render them less frightening. In Yoruban tradition, these forces are known as orishas. Orishas are not gods or goddesses, in the Western sense. They are more like archangels or higher spiritsintermediaries between mankind and the transcendant forces of the universe. In the mythos of Yorubaland, a region in West Africa that encompasses western and southwestern Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Togo, and the Gulf of Guinea, the orishas were brought into being by a supreme creator named Olodumare. Since this region is home to many riversincluding the Oba, the Ogun, the Ogunpa, the Omi Osun, the Osun, the Otin, and the Ouemerivers in particular, and water in general, came to play a large role in the spiritual traditions of the region. Indeed, many Yoruban orishas, including Yemaya, were originally river spirits.

After Olodumare created the earth, gathering up all the dust and particles of matter in the universe, he created a vast hole into which he poured the remaining gasses accumulated during the creation of the planet, forming the first ocean. Immediately, a dark figure arose from the deepest depths, swimming in increasingly rapid circles until it breeched the surface of the water and emerged shining and magnificent. The figure was humanoid from head to waist, with the tail of a great sea serpent. As the spray of the ocean waters hung in the air around it, the figure proclaimed: I am Olokun, owner of the depths, of the waters. He then dove back beneath the sea and vanished into the darkness.

As the ocean spray brought forth by Olokun evaporated, it began to rain. When this rain touched the salt water, the spirit Yembo appeared, radiant and regal, glittering with sea salt and clothed in a gown of flowing water. I am Yembo, she cried. Where the light of sun and moon penetrate the water, there is my kingdom to be found.

Yembo is traditionally seen as the first incarnation of Yemaya, the intriguing oceanic Mother of All life. Few spirits are more beloved, adopted, co-opted, and assimilated than this one. She appears in many different faiths and is called by many different variations of her full nameYe Omo Eja, the mother whose children are as numerous as the fish. In West Africa, she evolved into the goddess Yemaya, whose appearance as Yembo heralded the beginning of the time of the orishas on earth. Many believe that the sojourn of the orishas here will end when hers does. In many traditions, she is considered to have given birth to the first fourteen orishas, as well as to the first humans and the sun and the moon.

She brought the power of procreation into the world, becoming the patroness of pregnant woman and their children, both born and unborn.

After emerging as a West African river goddess, Yemaya left Africa to travel with her children in overcrowded slave ships during the Middle Passagethe transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas that began in 1518 and continued into the mid-19th centuryto try to protect them from the horrors to come. She and the orisha Oshun traveled with them across the seas wrapped in the rain in order to watch over them and succor them in their pain and despair. Indeed, so great is Yemaya's love for her children that no matter where they set foot, no matter how strange or foreign the land, she remains with them to guide and protect them.

As her praise and worship spread throughout the world, Yemaya's role expanded and she took control over all the waters of the worldsalt water, fresh water (which she shares with her spiritual sister, Oshun, who is sometimes also considered to be her daughter), and the rain that falls from the heavens. She reigns over the water of our bodiesour sweat, our tears, and the amniotic fluids of the womb. Even our blood belongs to her. She is the Thrice-Crowned Queen of earth, sea, and moon.

Yemaya is often depicted as a twin-tailed siren, the link between the conscious and the subconscious, the solid and the liquid. Because of her dominion over the unfathomable depths of the human psyche, her influence is primarily felt on an inner level, but manifests on the physical plane as well. Once we have connected with her, she is truly always with usinside us, guiding and healing us. Like all mothers, she sees and expects the best in and from us, pushing us to live the best lives we can as the best versions of ourselves. She knows our full potential and does not like to see us squander that potential in pursuit of meaningless goals, bad habits, and laziness. Yemaya works to manifest her own goals twenty-four hours a day and, while she does not expect that from us, she does expect an honest daily effort to strive toward and grow into our full capacity.

Yemaya changes form as she travels the world through the rain. In Egypt, she trades fins for feathers and becomes Isis. In Haiti, she becomes a lunar goddess. In Brazil, she becomes the country's patron saint. And so, from the cradle of all life, the Ocean Mother spreads her influence wherever living waters flow.

Copyright  2021 by Raven Morgaine more details at www.redwheelweiser.com

A spiritual artist who has dedicated his life and work to the service of the great mother goddess, Yemaya, Raven Morgaine is a practitioner of Candomble, New Orleans Voodoo, Santeria, and witchcraft. He is the owner of the Familiar Spirits shop in Coventry, Rhode Island, where he creates and sells the spirit altar dolls for which he is renowned. Ravens art is on display at the Wonder Woman Museum in Connecticut, and he has been featured in numerous publications and podcasts. He lives in Rhode Island.
Austrian special event

Members of the radio club OE3XAS (Austria District Locator [ADL] 305 Tulln-Stockerau) will activate special event station OE130KUK between September 1st and October 30th, to commemorate the 130 year anniversary of the first telegraphy course in the "Franz Josef-Casern" (barracks) in Tulln.

In 1891 a k.u.k cavalry telegraphist course was first established in the "Franz Josef-Casern" in Tulln (Lower

Austria).

QSLs will be sent automatically via the Bureau.

Check scheduled/planned operating times for OE130KUK at: https://www.oe3ide.com/oe130kuk

OPDX
Switzerland delays FM shutdown

It had been planned for Switzerland to shutdown all FM broadcasters in 2022/3 but it has now been decided to delay until 2024



A press release from the Digital Migration Working Group Digimig says:



The Swiss radio broadcasters have decided to complete the shutdown as originally planned on 31 December 2024. At this time, the VHF radio licences will also expire. From this date, therefore, no programs can be broadcast via FM. With the return to the original shutdown date, consumers will also have more time to change technology.



In 2014, Swiss radios agreed to switch off FM broadcasting of their programmes by 2024 at the latest. Since at the end of last year almost three quarters of radio usage was digital, the radio industry came to the conclusion that under these conditions an early and staggered shutdown of FM stations in August 2022 (SRG) and in January 2023 (private radios) would be responsible. This was agreed by 42 out of 44 radio broadcasters and SRG.



In recent weeks, the FM shutdown has been publicly discussed. In German-speaking Switzerland and Italian-speaking Switzerland, the vast majority of radio broadcasters are still in favour of the premature shutdown of FM. In French-speaking Switzerland, however, it was not possible to find a sufficient majority in the concrete implementation. Since a nationwide solution is needed, the radios have therefore returned to their original plan to switch off the FM stations on 31 December 2024. In addition, the latest market figures indicate that listeners need more time for the changeover. With this shift, consumers, especially those who drive a car, have more time to change technology. In Switzerland, the proportion of new vehicles suitable for DAB+ has been almost 100 percent since 2020. There is a need for retrofitting, especially in older cars that have no reception via DAB+ or other digital channels. Corresponding retrofit kits are available on the market in various price ranges. Since 2019, new cars from the EU must also have a reception option via DAB+ as standard in Switzerland.



The radio industry is aware that FM has no future after 2024. The existing concessions will expire at the end of 2024. From this point on, FM programmes can no longer be distributed in Switzerland.



By the end of 2024, the framework conditions for DAB+ will have improved again. The digitization of radio use will continue to increase until the shutdown date, there will be even more devices on the market, and the retrofitting of cars will continue to make progress.



The postponement of the FM shutdown to the originally planned date of 31.12.2024 is associated with costs in the multi-digit millions for the radio broadcasters. No radio broadcaster can afford the double distribution of the programmes via both FM and DAB+ in the long term and makes little sense from an ecological point of view.



Source press release

https://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100086886/100876267
Saint John (Dominica), 28 August 2021 (SPS) - The 2021 Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization concluded Friday with speakers highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the worlds 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories going into the fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2021-2030).



Members of the Special Committee stressed that the elimination of colonialism remained one of the priorities of the United Nations in the fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism and reiterated the role of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples as the main means of promoting the decolonization process.



Members of the Special Committee noted that the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, enshrined in General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, would not be completed as long as there were territories that had not yet exercised their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions concerning all territories on the Special Committee's agenda.



In this context, a set of recommendations were adopted on the territories that were considered, including the territory of Western Sahara, where the mandate of the Special Committee on the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara was recalled, and all General Assembly resolutions on the question of Western Sahara were reaffirmed.



The members of the Special Committee also took into account General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) on the sovereignty of peoples over their natural wealth and resources in accordance with the Charter and relevant United Nations resolutions on decolonization.



The seminar was attended by the Representative of the Polisario Front at the United Nations, Dr Sidi-Mohamed Omar, who addressed the members of the Committee and the delegates of Member States to update them on the latest developments related to the issue of Western Sahara, especially after the violation of the 1991 ceasefire by the Moroccan occupation state and its aggression on liberated Sahrawi territories on 13 November 2020. (SPS)



062
Last month, three strip club employees were injured in a drive-by shooting before 2 a.m. on July 20 outside the Playhouse. Two victims were seriously injured and the third had injuries that were less severe.
Broward lawyer Ken Malnick, whose clients include Anthony Moscatiello, the accused mastermind of the plot to kill Miami Subs founder Gus Boulis in 2001, agreed that a change of venue would give the defense its best chance for an fair hearing. I dont know how youre going to get an unbiased jury in the Parkland case, he said. It affects so many people here. Im sure in North Florida the case has gotten less publicity than here, where it happened.
The Department of Defense is sending 200 U.S. Army soldiers from Washington state and equipment including eight U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft to help firefighters in Northern California, the U.S. Army North said in a statement Saturday. The soldiers are expected to arrive in California in early September after a week-long training. The C-130s have been converted into airtankers that can dump thousands of gallons of water on the flames.
Saudi Arabias overall merchandise exports increased by 99.4% in the second quarter (Q2) 2021 compared to Q2, 2020, when international trade was impacted by Covid-related lockdowns and travel bans in numerous countries.

The value of exports amounted to SR238.6 billion ($63.61 billion) in Q2 2021, up from SR119.7 billion in Q2 2020, said a Saudi Press Agency report.

This increase originated mainly from oil exports, which rose by SR96.5 billion or 126.1% in the same period. The share of oil exports in total exports increased from 63.9% (Q2 2020) to 72.5% (Q2 2021). Compared to the previous quarter (Q1 2021), total merchandise exports increased by SR26.1 billion or 12.3%.

According to the General Authority for Statistics' (GASTAT) International Trade Report, non-oil exports increased by 52.1% year-on-year in Q2 2021, rising to SR65.7 billion from SR43.2 billion.

Of the most important non-oil goods, 'Plastics and Rubber and Articles Thereof' (34.3% of non-oil exports) increased by 63.9% (SR8.8 billion) and 'Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries' (31% of non-oil exports) increased by 61.9% (SR7.8 billion). Non-oil exports increased compared to the previous quarter (Q1 2021) by SR5.6 billion or 9.4%.

Imports increased by 12.9% (SR16.1 billion) in Q2 2021. The value of imports amounted to SR140.9 billion compared to SR124.8 billion riyals in Q2 2020. This was due to the increase in many sectors compared to Q2 2020, mainly 'Vehicles and Associated Transport Equipment' (26.8%) and 'Pearls; Precious Stones; Imitation Jewellery' (452.2%). Imports also increased compared to the previous quarter (Q1 2021), by SR1.4 billion riyals or 1%.

The ratio of non-oil exports to imports increased to 46.6% in Q2 2021 from 34.6% in Q2 2020 as a result of a higher increase in non-oil exports (52.1%) than imports (12.9%) over that period.

In Q2 2021, exports to China amounted to SR46.4 billion (19.4% of total exports), making it the top destination for exports of Saudi Arabia. India and Japan followed next with SR21.7 billion (9.1% of total exports) and SR20.7 billion (8.7% of total exports), respectively. South Korea, USA, UAE, Egypt, Netherlands, Singapore, and Taiwan were the other countries that ranked in the top 10 destinations. Exports of Saudi Arabia to those 10 countries amounted to SR160.3 billion, accounting for 67.2% of total exports.

Imports from China amounted to SR25.7 billion in (18.2% of total imports) Q2 2021, making it the top country for imports to Saudi Arabia. UAE and USA followed next with imports of SR13.5 billion (9.6% of total imports) and SR13.1 billion (9.3% of total imports), respectively. Germany, India, Japan, Italy, Egypt, France and Canada were the other countries that ranked in the top 10 countries for imports. Imports of Saudi Arabia from those 10 countries amounted to SR87.9 billion, accounting for 62.3% of total imports.

As many as SR36.6 billion of imports, corresponding to 26% of the total, entered the Kingdom from Jeddah Islamic Sea Port. Among the other major ports of entry for the imports were King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam (19.4%), King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (12.4%), King Fahad Airport in Dammam (7%), and Bat'ha (6.4%). Those five ports together accounted for 71.1% of the total imports of the Kingdom.
Gulf Crafts Chairman Mohammed Hussein Alshaali welcomed a delegation from the Government of the Maldives to the Gulf Craft shipyard on yesterday (August 28), led by Mohamed Aslam, Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure; Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation along with Adam Azim, CEO of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).

The personal tour, hosted by Gulf Crafts Chairman and Terry Stamatakos, General Manager of Gulf Craft Maldives, comes after the shipyard was awarded the MTCC contract earlier this year to manufacture a fleet of specially designed high-quality speed boats for use across the Integrated National Public Ferry Network. The delegation visited the production facility where the vessels are being built by the shipyards expert production team and were invited for a progress update and to inspect the boats, which are due to start being delivered later in 2021.

The new speed boats will offer a convenient and efficient transport system to all administrative islands of the Maldives, with capabilities to transport up to 53 passengers at a time and will connect the capital city to nearby islands. The vessels will be equipped with special packages for passengers travelling in emergency situations and will include access for stretchers and people with disabilities. The government officials praised Gulf Craft for the shipyards outstanding contribution to the Maldives economy. The public transportation project is one of the largest government initiatives, and will contribute to connecting the various islands of the Maldives upon completion.

Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation said: Gulf Craft has been overwhelmingly thorough in executing this project for the Maldives. Its been time efficient, and weve been offered the best of quality that Gulf Craft has delivered over the 20 years in the Maldives. Given its a public transport project for the country, the effort and dedication from the Gulf Craft team is remarkable. These vessels are going to complete our transport network and its going to play a decisive role in the day to day lives of the people. Its truly a service to the nation.

Mohamed Aslam, Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said, A reliable public transport ferry service throughout Maldives is one of the key pledges of the government. I am proud to acknowledge Gulf Craft is building the vessels for this service in Maldives.

Chairman AlShaali added: We and the friendly people of Maldives have a long-standing relationship that goes far beyond our current project together. I still recall the day when we opened our factory doors twenty years ago in the presence of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. We are pleased to continue in building these distinguished relationships that unite us with the Government of the Maldives and its generous people.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary for Gulf Craft Maldives operation which has played a pivotal role in developing the marine transportation network of the island nation.

Gulf Craft provides almost 80% of the Maldivess water transport services which includes public transport, coast guard, emergency & ambulance services, resorts, and leisure sectors. With a strong and established presence in the country, Gulf Craft is now developing a new production facility dedicated to the manufacturing of vessels for use in the Indian Ocean which will see its operations and production capacity double within 16 months.TradeArabia News Service
Exhibitors at the upcoming Light Middle East trade fair in Dubai will showcase how advanced solid-state lighting (SSL) systems, LED and IoT lighting are not only more sustainable and better for the environment, but also better for human health.

The three-day event, now in its 15th edition, will take place from September 28 to 30, 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, and will feature around 100 exhibitors from 23 countries.

As the world cautiously adapts to a new way of living post-pandemic, lighting manufacturers are promoting the benefits of human-centric lighting and UVC (ultraviolet C) LEDs that can disinfect surfaces in less than a minute and kill up to 99.9% of germs  including Covid-19.

While ultraviolet light has been used to sterilise and disinfect medical equipment for years, its efficacy has recently come to the fore, with LEDs now in the advantageous position to become the control hub that seamlessly brings together technologies that enrich human lives.

And whether working from home or in the office, the pandemic has shined the spotlight on another important topic: how human-centric lighting  the use of artificial light to imitate natural light to create a circadian rhythm  greatly benefits human health and physiology.

UAE-based Elettrico Lighting is among these, with General Manager Mohammed Khalil adamant that SSL  lighting that uses semiconductor LEDs, organic LEDs, or polymer LEDs as sources of illumination rather than electrical filaments, plasma, or gas  can provide more amicable and productive human-centric lighting.

Khalil also said the global pandemic has opened up a new opportunity that has so far been intensely discussed but scarcely implemented: healthcare lighting.

The onset of Covid-19 triggered researchers across the globe to develop an ultraviolet LED solution to disinfect and sterilise hospital beds, floors, or surfaces that could keep the virus active, said Khalil.

UVC LEDs can be configured to ideal wavelengths (260-270 nm) that could kill the covid-19 virus as well as offering an attractive price and sustainability benefits. Leading players are already working with healthcare facilities across the globe to accelerate the use of UVC LEDs to eliminate the threat of infection from touch or contact.

While it can be difficult to find the silver lining when something as severe as a global pandemic hits, Covid-19 has accelerated not only the development of lighting technology, but also adoption of new lighting technology.

Dharmendra Patel, Managing Director of Creation Gulf, a Dubai-based lighting consultant and distributor, and regular Light Middle East exhibitor, believes the rapid adoption of IoT in lighting will be a main benefactor of this development.

IoT is most definitely the future, said Patel. Like most of our manufacturing partners, we do believe over time anything that can be connected, will be connected. Furthermore, IoT would also enable remote management and access which would further make lives easy for the clients and operators.

Patel added that while human centric lighting was traditionally applied to the workplace, the onset of working from home meant it was now relevant at home, outdoors, or anywhere people congregate.

The increase in the number of companies adopting work from home, has led to people spending more time indoors at home than ever before, added Patel. Its only a matter of time until residential projects start implementing a human-centric approach with circadian rhythms to enhance the quality of life.

Light Middle East is the regions premier exhibition, awards programme, and conference for lighting, design and technology. This year will see the largest ever German Pavilion in 15 years, alongside other exhibiting countries such as Belarus, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and Spain, the USA, and of course, the UAE.

The annual showcase is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, and returns with the 8th edition of the popular Light Middle East Awards, along with the three-day THINKLIGHT conference addressing the latest trends, technologies, and opportunities in architectural lighting design in a post-pandemic world.

Dishan Isaac, Senior Show Manager for Light Middle East, said the two value-added features will offer exhibitors, delegates, and visitors alike a point of difference in addition to countless business networking and re-connecting in a safe, controlled environment on the exhibition floor.

The Light Middle East Awards will be particularly interesting as we celebrate the lighting projects and personalities that overcame the most testing challenges in the last year and a half, said Isaac.

THINKLIGHT meanwhile will have dedicated tracks; Day 1 will spotlight sustainability, energy efficiency, & net zero buildings; transport & infrastructure; healthcare lighting; and IoT & intelligent lighting.

On Day 2, the attention will then turn towards commercial lighting, hospitality, public & exterior lighting; along with a dedicated session on Dark Skies, or how to address light pollution at a time when darkness is becoming more scarce.

There will also be a series of workshops on Day 3 in partnership with the Lighting Institute and WILD (Women in Leadership Deliver). Those who cannot attend Light Middle East physically will still be able to network virtually via the shows hybrid digital offering.-- TradeArabia News Service
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) held a special ceremony for its female employees on August 25 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), Bahrain.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of Albas CEO Ali Al Baqali who highlighted the leading role of the SCW  led by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, wife of HM the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women  in empowering Bahraini women and integrating their role in the Kingdoms development process.

He also thanked Albas female workforce for their remarkable contributions in advancing the company over the years to where it is today and emphasised that diversity, gender inclusion and providing equal opportunities are key factors to Albas future growth.--TradeArabia News Service
The American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) has announced the successful election of its Board Officers following its recent election of Board Directors at its virtually held Annual General Meeting.

Commenting on the new appointments, Qays H. Zubi, who was unanimously re-elected for a new 2-year term, stated: "I am honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as President for another term. With the support of our members, I am confident that the breadth of expertise and resources within this new dynamic Board will be instrumental in further strengthening AmCham. We will continue to extend AmCham's contribution to promoting US-Bahrain's trade growth, while also promoting the legitimate economic interests of AmCham members."

In her remarks as distinguished guest speaker, US ChargedAffaires Maggie Nardi said: "The US Embassys partnership with AmCham is integral to enhancing the economic ties that bind our two countries. The strength of the US-Bahrain bilateral relationship is built on free trade and shared prosperity, and AmCham plays a pivotal role in promoting new business and investment opportunities for American, Bahraini, and other international companies. I view AmCham as a critical ally in the US governments effort to support Bahrains economy and sustained cooperation between the Embassy and AmChams members will deepen the economic ties between Bahrain and the US.

This year we mark the 15th anniversary of the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, stated Zubi. To mark this milestone, AmCham, in cooperation with the US Embassy, local associations, and other government bodies, will highlight the shared economic success the FTA has allowed. AmCham shall also support the new government initiatives including the US Free Trade Zone in Bahrain and regional trade normalisation, as well as strengthening our strategic collaborations with the AmChams in the Mena region, EDB, and the US Embassy. Bilateral trade of goods between Bahrain and the US has more than tripled, from $782 million in 2005 to $2.46 billion in 2019.

Zubi elaborated: The impact of Covid-19 made 2020 a challenging year for global trade and businesses everywhere. Bilateral trade of goods between the US and Bahrain decreased 38% from $2.46 billion in 2019 to $1.52 billion in 2020, but I have faith trade between the US and Bahrain will return to past high levels and increase to new highs going forward. Despite  and maybe because of  these challenges Amcham Bahrain continued to attract leading global companies including Cigna, Schlumberger, and KPMG, who recognise the value of AmChams ability to provide connections, knowledge sharing, and advocacy assistance.

Zubi stated, Now with businesses and society adapting to the new normal of Covid-19 precautions, we hope to resume our signature events to include business networking luncheons with VIP speakers, business tours, and topical roundtable discussions while following all safety regulations. Zubi went on to highlight AmChams objectives for the coming term by explaining key to our objectives these coming two years is to continue to help our members navigate emerging challenges and opportunities. To do this, we will launch industry focus groups for our members to identify, discuss and pursue common interests regarding their sector and businesses. These focus groups will strengthen the AmCham community, highlight the collective voice of the American business community, and strengthen how we identify opportunities and resolve challenges facing businesses.

This newly formed Board is AmChams most diverse and representative Board since the organisation was formed in 2005. The directors represent all major industry sectors in Bahrain including finance, manufacturing, oil & gas, education, ICT, tourism, real estate development, logistics, communications, legal & professional services.

The board is evenly balanced between American and Bahraini companies, large multinationals, and SMEs, reflecting AmChams mission to increase bilateral trade and commercial opportunities. Additionally, nearly 40%  6 out of 16 seats  are held by women, and 7 of the 12 elected directors are new to the Board, bringing new energy and ideas to the strong institutional knowledge of returning Directors.-- TradeArabia News Service
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Aurangabad, Aug 29 (UNI) The Marathwada region of Maharashtra recorded 188 fresh COVID-19 cases and seven death during the past 24 hours, health authorities informed on Sunday.

The district headquarters report stated that of eight districts, Beed was the worst-affected with 82 cases and four deaths, followed by Osmanabad 42 cases and 2 deaths, Latur had 20 cases and one death, Aurangabad 34 cases, Nanded had 5 cases, Parbhani recorded three cases and Hingoli had two cases.

While, in Jalna district no one positive case was registered for the second consecutive day, they said .



Meanwhile, during the past 24 hours, 4,831 fresh cases of COVID-19 were recorded across the state, taking the total number of infections to 64,52,273.

The state also registered 126 more deaths, taking the death toll to 1,37,026.

Meanwhile, 4,455 patients recovered in the state, pushing the total number of recoveries to 62,59,006. The recovery rate currently stands at 97.02 per cent while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent.

At present, there are 51,821 active cases across Maharashtra undergoing treatment at different COVID-19 centres and hospitals, added the health authorities.

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Russian plane with Tajik evacuees from Kabul lands in Tajikistan - Ministry

Moscow, Aug 25 (UNI/Sputnik) A Russian plane with Tajik citizens aboard who were evacuated from Afghanistan on Wednesday landed in Tajikistan, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"The plane of the military transport aviation of the Russian Defense Ministry landed at the Hisor airfield in Tajikistan with citizens of the country evacuated from Afghanistan," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Four Russian Defense Ministry aircraft with citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization took off from Kabul.
Kabul, Aug 29 (UNI) The Taliban has said that the US will have no right to attack Afghanistan after it completes its withdrawal from the country on August 31, in response to Washingtons drone strike against two ISIS-Khorasan operatives in Nangarhar province.

Reacting to the US drone strike that killed an ISIS-K planner and an associate on Friday, Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban's political office, said that the Taliban-led government will stop any such attack in Afghanistan after August 31, according to Geo News.

The US had launched the drone strike against a Daesh attack "planner" in eastern Afghanistan, a day after a suicide bombing at Kabul airport killed around 200 people, including 13 US troops.

The Talibans main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has also condemned the US drone strike, terming it a "clear attack on Afghan territory".

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Saturday said that the US drone strike in Afghanistan killed two high profile ISIS-K targets and wounded another, and added that the fact that they are no longer walking on the face of the Earth is a good thing.

Addressing a news conference in Washington, Kirby declined to name the two ISIS-Khorasan members eliminated.

I am not going to talk about specific capabilities the ISIS may have lost. In this strike they lost a planner and they lost a facilitator and got one wounded.

The fact that two of these individuals are no longer walking on the face of the Earth, thats a good thing. Its a good thing for the people of Afghanistan and its a good thing for our troops, for our forces at the airport, Kirby said.

We arent thinking for a minute that what happened yesterday gets us in the clear. We believe hitting these targets will have an impact on ISIS-K, he added.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, and are set to form the government there. The US is rushing to complete the evacuation of its citizens and personnel from Kabul by August 31.

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'Battle of the Badges' Today at Stuart Nelson Park

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - Members of the Paducah Police and Fire Departments are meeting today in the Battle of the Badges, a softball game to raise money for charity.The event begins at 3 p.m. at Stuart Nelson Park field 4, with the slow pitch softball game starting at 4 p.m. Admission is free, however, all donations at the event and proceeds from concessions will be provided to local charities as decided by each department.The police are donating their portion to the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls' Club, while firefighters are giving to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.Officer Dylan Cook is involved in planning the event, and said the idea began fairly simply.Cook said, "Just a couple of the police officers wanted to have some fun and play some softball, and thought that it would be a good idea to get the Paducah Fire Department involved as well, so we just kind of started texting back and forth and it just grew from there."Cook said after one email was sent through the police department, they quickly filled their team. He expects a good, friendly competition, with bragging rights on the line, and hopes they can have an even bigger battle next year."We would love for it to be an annual event and grow bigger. We would love to get some other departments involved and maybe have a weekend tournament," Cook said. "Of course, everything going to charity is the main goal."
Overdose Awareness Event Set for Tuesday

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - Four Rivers Behavioral Health's substance use disorder programs are partnering with other area agencies and community groups to bring awareness to drug overdoses in our community with an event on International Overdose Awareness Day.Beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the groups will join together at Noble Park for a balloon release and remembrance ceremony for those lost in the battle against addiction.Four hundred and ten balloons will be released, representing the 41 fatal overdoses in the Purchase area last year.During the event, experts and advocates will provide information and resources that foster change and promote harm reduction, including NARCAN distribution by the Purchase Area Health Department and the Four Rivers Regional Prevention Center.Additionally, the mother of an overdose victim will share a powerful message about the loss of her son and the impact addiction has on loved ones.The event is hosted by Turning Point, the McCracken County Coroner's Office, the Purchase District Health Department, Kentucky Care, Edgewater Recovery Center, Neartown Recovery Center, Lifeline Recovery Center, Oxford House Recovery, Hope for the Broken, The Graves County Exchange, and KORE.Brandon Fitch, director of Turning Point, said, "Fatal overdoses continue to happen all too often in our region. The ongoing opioid crisis  that worsened during the pandemic  is responsible for the vast majority of overdoses in our area. We have made great progress in reducing the number of fatal overdoses with the use of NARCAN by getting it out to people in the community, but so much more needs to be done. One day we want to be able to celebrate a year with no deaths due to overdose."
Teen Missing; Returned Home Safe

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - The Paducah Police are reporting that 15-year-old Caltaveion L. Smith has returned home and is safe.Previous story:The Paducah Police Department is searching for a missing teen.Police say 15-year-old Caltaveion L. Smith was last seen at 1320 Park Avenue in Paducah. He is 5'9 and weighs 150 pounds with Black hair and brown eyes. No description of what he was wearing is available at this time.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8548.
Cram The Cruiser in Livingston County in September

By West Kentucky Star Staff

LIVINGSTON COUNTY - The Livingston County Sheriff's Department is looking for donations to their fifth annual Cram the Cruiser food drive in September.They're asking everyone to donate non-perishable food items by placing them in the Sheriff's cruiser at local retail stores between September 6-30. Donated items will be distributed by Helping Hands in Smithland to help people in the county.The cruiser will be a different location each week:September 6-11 Dollar Store in SmithlandSeptember 12-18 Poppy's Meat Shop LedbetterSeptember 19-25 Salem Food MarketSeptember 26-30 Dollar Store in Lake City
Ida Now Tropical Storm; No Power in New Orleans

By The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Ida became a tropical storm as its top winds slowed over Mississippi on Monday, while across southeast Louisiana residents waited for daylight to be rescued from floodwaters and see how much damage was caused by one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. mainland.All of New Orleans lost power right around sunset Sunday, leading to an uneasy night of pouring rain and howling winds. The weather died down shortly before dawn and people began carefully walking around neighborhoods with flashlights, dodging downed light poles, pieces of roofs and branches.Levees failed or were overtopped in the maze of rivers and bayous south of New Orleans, threatening hundreds of homes. On social media, people posted their addresses and locations  directing search and rescue teams to their attics or rooftops.Officials promised to start the massive rescue effort as the weather broke and the sun rose.The torrential rains mostly moved into Mississippi on Monday as the storm slowly moved north. Destructive winds and water already had a catastrophic impact along the southeast coast of Louisiana, and life-threatening river flooding continued well inland, the National Hurricane Center said.Ida made landfall on the same day 16 years earlier that Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi, and its 150 mph winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland. It was already blamed for one death, someone hit by a falling tree in Prairieville, outside Baton Rouge, deputies with the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office confirmed on Sunday.More than a million customers in Louisiana and Mississippi were without power according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide, increasing their vulnerability to flooding and leaving them without air conditioning and refrigeration in sweltering summer heat.On the Net:
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-16 04:24:45|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday reiterated his country's commitment to exert utmost effort to prevent collapse of situations in Ethiopia.

"We cannot stand aside and look at what is happening in neighboring Ethiopia," said Hamdok at a press conference in capital Khartoum. "We will exert all efforts to help maintain Ethiopia united, stable and safe."

Hamdok further explained that, within the framework of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), he has made contacts with the IGAD leaders as well as regional and international countries to find a settlement for the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region.

He described his country's recent decision to recall its ambassador to Ethiopia as "a normal diplomatic procedure," revealing that the Sudanese ambassador has already returned to Addis Ababa to perform his duties. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-30 23:23:00|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's plan to reopen the country in mid October is going ahead despite a surge in COVID-19 infections, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said.

"The plan is still there. We've been trying every way to clean up our country, though the virus is still around. We hope in the coming few months we can welcome our old friends," said Anutin, who is also the public health minister, in an interview with Xinhua on Thursday.

"The Phuket Sandbox carries on. It's a sandbox, so it's well contained," said Anutin.

The Phuket Sandbox refers to the campaign to reopen the resort island of Phuket to vaccinated foreign visitors.

There have been calls for the suspension of the campaign, although the tourism industry remains a lifeline for many Thais.

To curb the spread of infections, Phuket will ban travel from the rest of the country to the resort island from Aug. 3 to 16, but overseas visitors will not be banned.

The deputy prime minister said the authorities are well prepared and confident to solve the problems that could occur in the Phuket Sandbox campaign.

The campaign was launched on July 1, allowing fully vaccinated tourists to move freely on the island with no quarantine upon arrival.

"When I was in Phuket, almost all the people I met proudly told me they were vaccinated. It creates confidence. I would like to see things like that happen around the country. It will come soon," said Anutin.

The deputy prime minister urged the Thai people to take vaccines as soon as possible. "Regardless of any reason, having vaccines is far better than not."

On Friday, Thailand reported 17,345 new cases and 117 additional fatalities, raising the total number of infections to 578,375 and the cumulative fatalities to 4,679. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-28 23:34:15|Editor: huaxia

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Boxes containing Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China are seen at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Aug. 28, 2021. Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. (Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka/Handout via Xinhua)

COLOMBO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Defense authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

The vaccines which arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday morning have been handed over to Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne by Wang Dong, defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka.

Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said the service personnel, their families and the ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the vaccines.

"Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated as of now, the general public could also be facilitated using the balance amount," he said.

Expressing gratitude to China for the timely support, General Gunaratne said, "We are so happy that as a result of a request made by the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka to the Defense Minister of China, we received 300,000 doses of vaccines for members of the security forces and their family members. This is a timely donation."

Recalling the remarkable and long-standing relationship between the two countries, Wan Dong said the Chinese people have never hesitated to extend their support to the Sri Lankans in difficult times.

The donation shows the solidarity between the two countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

On his Twitter account, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked China's PLA for the donation, saying the assistance from China will ensure the vaccination drive in Sri Lanka a success.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that on the same flight, 2 million more doses of the Sinopharm vaccines had also arrived from China.

Sri Lanka has so far received 18 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the leading vaccine being administered across the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 07:20:03|Editor: huaxia

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An Afghan refugee child pushes a cart at a refugee camp in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar on Aug. 28, 2021. Pakistan currently hosts more than 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees who have been forced to flee their homes, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 11:56:37|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's treasurer has warned leaders that the country's economy will suffer if they do not stick to the national plan to reopen from coronavirus lockdowns.

Federal, state and territory governments in July signed off on a roadmap out of the pandemic that will start when 70 percent of the adult population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

However, some state premiers have since cast doubts over the plan amid recent outbreaks and lockdowns in the nation's major cities, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.

In response, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it could lead to a "ridiculous" situation where Australians could travel freely overseas but not interstate.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will on Wednesday release the national accounts figures for the second quarter of 2021, which are expected by some economists to show the economy shrink.

Australia reported a new record number of COVID-19 cases, as 1,323 new locally-acquired cases had been reported across the country on Sunday morning.

Of the news cases, 1,218 were from New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state with Sydney as the capital city.

Victoria, the second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, reported a further 92 new local cases, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) recorded another 13, which takes the number of total cases associated with this outbreak in Canberra to 250. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 13:33:37|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Two journalists, including a female TV anchor, were among the victims of a deadly explosion at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, an independent Afghan media group Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said on Sunday.

"Ali Reza Ahmadi, a reporter for Raha News Agency and Najma Sadeqi, former presenter at Jahan-e-Sihat TV channel were also killed in Thursday's airport attack," AFJC wrote on Twitter.

At least 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. soldiers were killed and about 200 people wounded in the suicide blast that hit an eastern airport gate on Thursday, when huge crowds were waiting for evacuation flights.

The victims have mostly been women and children and ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Over 100 journalists have been killed in Afghanistan in the past two decades, making the Asian country one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 14:04:23|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's state governance, featuring high efficiency and a decentralized national system, and strength in organization have played a key role in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, a Sri Lanka-based political economist has said.

In an interview with Xinhua, Dr. Vagisha Gunasekera, a visiting Lecturer of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Colombo, said that a proactive prevention and control strategy characterizes China's response to the pandemic.

An effective central government and a resourceful and decentralized national system were crucial components in China's anti-pandemic response, Gunasekera said.

"Compared with other countries, China has a strong penetrative capacity and the (Chinese) people tend to comply with government directives. This state-society relationship makes it possible to mobilize communities to align with government-led programs instead of resisting them," she said.

Brushing off Western criticism on China's anti-pandemic controls and resistance by some Western citizens to the curtailment of personal freedoms, Gunasekera said that China's approach was "pragmatic and necessary" to contain the spread of the virus.

China's swift response, combined with a state-led policy stimulus, has provided a safety net for local industries and helped them ramp up production to supply goods to other countries affected by the pandemic, she said.

Meanwhile, Luxman Siriwardena, managing director of Sri Lanka-based policy and advocacy group Veemansa Initiative, told Xinhua that the strength of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in organization was another factor in successfully controlling the pandemic.

"The CPC's discipline and ability to manage the community at the rural level as well as in cities is not a structure that prevails in most other countries," Siriwardena said.

He noted that the Chinese economy has recovered because of the country's massive market, and Chinese enterprises have played a critical role in driving global demand and stabilizing the supply chain.

China's willingness to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic head-on as well as its commitment to opening up and a level playing field are also attractive to foreign direct investment, Siriwardena said.

"China's huge market and moderately prosperous society create demand. This provides an opportunity for multinationals and small-sized companies alike overseas to invest in China," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 15:44:48|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The total number of Delta variant cases in Cambodia has climbed to 1,752 after 218 new ones were confirmed, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement on Sunday.

Some 82 new cases have been found in capital Phnom Penh, as the rest were detected in 22 provinces, the ministry said, adding that to date, only Kep and Kratie provinces have been spared from this highly contagious strain.

Health Minister Mam Bunheng renewed his call on the people to increase vigilance as the Delta variant is more transmissible than other previously circulating strains.

"We have to adapt to the new normal in order to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19, especially its variants," he said in the statement.

The Southeast Asian nation on Sunday also logged 438 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the national total caseload to 92,208, the MoH said, adding that 11 more fatalities have been recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 1,881.

Bunheng also called on everyone aged 12 or older to receive free COVID-19 vaccines when available.

The country began a COVID-19 inoculation drive in February, targeting to vaccinate 12 million people, or 75 percent of the kingdom's 16-million population by the end of this year. Most of the vaccines used in the kingdom's immunization program are brands of China's Sinovac and Sinopharm.

As of Aug. 28, some 10.44 million people, or 65.25 percent of the total population, have received at least one vaccine dose, while 8.34 million of them have received both required shots, the MoH said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 17:06:49|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines surged to 1,954,023 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 18,528 new daily cases on Sunday, the second highest daily tally recorded in the country.

The DOH added that the death toll climbed to 33,109 after 101 more patients died from the viral disease. Seven laboratories failed to submit data.

The Philippines has reported more than 12,500 average daily new cases since Aug. 1. On Saturday, the Southeast Asian country reported its highest single-day spike with 19,441 cases.

The Delta variant continues to spread in the country. On Sunday, the DOH reported 516 new Delta cases. The Philippines has detected 1,789 Delta cases through its limited genome sequencing, mainly locally transmitted.

Health authorities said the fast-spreading Delta coronavirus variants, plus people's increased mobility and failure to comply with health safety protocols, such as wearing a face covering and avoiding the crowd, are driving the "exponential" infection surge.

"We expect the number of cases to increase in the coming days," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a televised press conference over the weekend.

Vergeire said that more than 70 areas, including Metro Manila, are on high alert level four across the country.

The Philippines is ramping up its vaccination drive as it races to contain the spread of the more transmissible variants.

As of Aug. 26, the Philippines has administered almost 32 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and has fully vaccinated 13.5 million people. It aims to fully inoculate up to 70 million people this year.

The Philippines, which has around 110 million population, has tested over 17 million people since the outbreak of the pandemic in January 2020. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 18:27:49|Editor: huaxia

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BISHKEK, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a decree, setting the date of parliamentary elections on Nov. 28, his press service reported Sunday.

The decree clarifies that according to the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan, adopted at a referendum on April 11, the parliament consists of 90 deputies and is elected for a five-year term.

According to the amendments introduced on Friday to the constitutional law on elections for the president and parliamentary deputies, the parliamentary elections will be held by using a mixed electoral system.

Fifty-four deputies are to be elected according to the proportional system in single electoral constituencies, while 36 deputies are to be elected from single-mandate constituencies on a majority basis.

Before the amendments, the parliament of Kyrgyzstan consisted of 120 deputies elected for a five-year term according to party lists. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 19:14:19|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The last British military and diplomatic personnel leaving the Kabul airport touched down in Britain on Sunday morning, marking the end of the country's 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan.

The final military flight followed Britain's last evacuation flight solely for civilians on Saturday.

In a video uploaded to Twitter on Sunday morning, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the "colossal exertions" of British troops and said their departure from Afghanistan was "the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes."

In the video, Johnson also paid tribute to the 150,000 members of British armed forces who had served in Afghanistan over the past two decades, 457 of whom lost their lives.

According to Johnson, Britain airlifted more than 15,000 British nationals and Afghans who worked for Britain and their families in less than two weeks.

The conclusion of the British evacuation from the Taliban-held Afghanistan came two days ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden.

During a Group of Seven virtual summit early this week, U.S. allies failed to persuade Biden to extend the deadline to allow for more time for their evacuation efforts.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on Friday that between 800 and 1,100 Afghans eligible to come to Britain would be left behind. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-29 22:51:13|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2021 shows a damaged vehicle at the site where a rocket struck in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Six Afghan civilians, including four children, were killed after a rocket was fired at the Kabul airport where the U.S.-led evacuation flights were continuing but failed to hit the target, a local source confirmed. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)



KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Six Afghan civilians, including four children, were killed after a rocket was fired at the Kabul airport where the U.S.-led evacuation flights were continuing but failed to hit the target, a local source confirmed.

"The rocket struck a house in Khwaja Bughra, a populated residential area in Police District 15, killing two adults and four children," Hajji Karim, a representative of the neighborhood in the municipality district, told reporters at the site.

The incident occurred roughly at 4:55 p.m. local time in the area, west of the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

On Thursday, a deadly suicide bomb blast and gun firing claimed by ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State group, killed 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops at an eastern gate of the Kabul airport and injured nearly 200 others.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban officials and public health authorities have not commented on the blast so far.

The attack came after a U.S. drone was hovering over the city, witnesses said.

Dozens of planes, including military planes, took off from the airport during the day. All U.S. and coalition forces are expected to leave the country on Aug. 31, a planned deadline. Enditem
?? AHORA | Titular de la PCM, junto a ministros @MinemPeru, @MTC_GobPeru y autoridades @MinamPeru @MinjusDH_Peru y PCM, llego a Cusco para reunion sobre propuestas de accion ante principales demandas de comunidades campesinas del corredor vial sur de la provincia de Chumbivilcas. pic.twitter.com/qULycgYdRT
The writer is based in South India for the past 40 years. He writes on India, China, Tibet and Indo-French relations.

Both New Delhi and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala must take up this issue seriously

Apart from an intensive drive for PLA recruitment, the stability of the borders seems to be the Chinese leaderships main worry. Representational Image. (AFP)

China wants us to believe that it liberated Tibet 70 years ago. It didnt really happen like that. Its true that on May 23, 1951, Tibet and China signed an Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, also known as the 17-Point Agreement; but it sealed the invasion of Tibet, not its liberation.

In his memoirs, the Dalai Lama said the agreement was forced under duress on the Tibetan delegates, and even the seals on the agreement had been forged. When he crossed the Indian border in March 1959 and reached Tezpur in Assam, the Tibetan leader immediately denounced the accord.

Strangely, the Communist Party of China decided to commemorate the May 23 event in August. No one knows why the so-called liberation wasnt celebrated May 23 or even when core leader Xi Jinping visited Tibet in July. Was Beijing nervous about the border situation in Ladakh in May?

On August 19, a high-level Beijing delegation led by Wang Yang, head of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference and member of the politburo standing committee, landed in Lhasa to attend the 70th anniversary functions. Mr Wang is fourth in the Communist pantheon.

Besides several officials of the United Front Work Department, which deals with minorities (and Tibet in particular), including its minister, You Quan, and a handful of hardcore Tibetan Communists, Mr Wang was accompanied by Adm. Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and director of the CMC political work department.

Though very few commentators noticed the admirals presence, it was certainly a first for landlocked Tibet to see the white uniform of a three-star admiral. Later, Adm. Miao, accompanied by Lt. Gen. Zhang Xuejie, the powerful political commissar of the Tibet Military District (TMD), went by a fast train to the remote, cold, deserted high-altitude region of Nagchu. Adm. Miao had probably come to the Roof of the World for political work and to follow up on his colleague Gen. Zhang Youxias border discussions with the TMD during President Xis visit in July.

What is really cooking on the Roof of the World?

Apart from an intensive drive for PLA recruitment, the stability of the borders seems to be the Chinese leaderships main worry. In his speech from Potala Square, Mr Wang said: At present, the social situation in Tibet is harmonious and stable, the quality of development is constantly improved, peoples living standards are comprehensively raised, the ecological security barrier is increasingly solid, ethnic and religion aspects are harmonious, the frontier is consolidated, and the border is safe, the Partys construction is comprehensively strengthened, and the new socialist Tibet is vibrantly alive. It could all be wishful thinking.

Besides the construction of 605 moderately well-off villages on Indias borders, another way to stabilise the border is inter-marriage between Hans and Tibetans. Over the past 70 years, this has been rare: Tibetans have always been reluctant to lose their Tibetanness. This seems to be changing.

In March 1955, in a report to the external affairs ministry, Apa Pant, the political officer in Sikkim, said people in the Chumbi Valley near Sikkim were taken in by Chinese efforts to win over Tibetans; and he mentioned inter-marriages. One of the aspects of the policy of establishing a closer bond between Tibet and China is the great encouragement, even at times through a great deal of propaganda, that is being given to Sino-Tibetan marriages, he wrote, saying many Tibetans feared the Chinese would marry the most eligible Tibetan girls and produce a new generation of Sino-Tibetans who will have deeper emotional feelings towards China. However, this type of inter-marriage practically stopped after the Dalai Lama took refuge in India in 1959.

The situation has changed, as an article in China Daily puts it: Han-Tibetan couples reflect the regions love of unity. The newspaper published several quotes attributed to Xi Jinping during his interaction with local officials in Tibet in July: The border area is the first line of defence and the barrier for national security. We must strengthen the construction of border infrastructure, encourage people of all ethnic groups to take root at the border, protect the country or build their hometown.

The Chinese paper noted: Official statistics showed that more than 40 ethnic minorities live in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and Tibetan inhabitants account for over 90 per cent of the 3.64 million population. Nowadays, families consisting of members of different ethnic backgrounds are quite common in Tibet.

Whether its true or not is difficult to say.

The partys newspaper cites the example of four couples, their Han-Tibetan inter-marriage being a great demonstration of ethnic unity in this new era of development.

Is it State policy to be implemented before the next Tibet Work Forum in 2025? These decisions (like compulsory conscription of Tibetans in the PLA) usually remain secret till they are fully implemented.

A few months ago, Xinhua had touched upon the issue: According to statistics, there are more than 560 multi-ethnic families in Metok [near Upper Siang of Arunachal Pradesh]. People of different ethnic groups help each other in farming and animal husbandry, and children of different ethnic groups study in the same classroom. People here celebrate New Years Day, the Lunar New Year, Tibetan New Year or folk culture festivals of the Monpa ethnic group.

The official news agency highlighted the case of Zhang Chunhuan and his family celebrating together the Chinese New Year: Eight years ago, Zhang Chunhuan, a young man from Shanxi Province, came to Metok. At that time, the traffic in the county located at the southern foot of the Himalayas was inconvenient. Zhang had to walk three-four hours from some townships to the county seat to buy daily necessities. He never planned to make his home here one day, recalled Zhang.

These are obviously model cases to be emulated by many more Tibetans: Beijing calculated if thousands of Tibetan girls marry Chinese migrants (for example, those coming to work on mega infrastructure development projects at the border), a page will be turned forever, with no chance for Tibet to again become Tibet in the future.

Both New Delhi and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala must take up this issue seriously, otherwise border populations across North India will soon have to face new neighbours, with all the consequences it implies.

This, along more intensive Tibetan recruitment in the PLA, the means to stabilise the border was certainly discussed by Adm. Miao Hua with the TMD generals.
A drone has destroyed a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers who were heading to Kabul airport, US officials have said.

A spokesperson said: US military forces conducted a self-defence unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent Isis-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport.

We are confident that we successfully hit the target. Significantly secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material.

We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time. We remain vigilant for potential future threats.

The strike is the second carried out by U.S. forces in Afghanistan since an Islamic State suicide bomber struck the airport on Thursday, killing 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghan civilians trying to flee the country.

On Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden said the situation on the ground remained extremely dangerous, and that his military chiefs had told him another militant attack was highly likely within the next 24-36 hours.

Read More

Taliban a long way from diplomatic recognition, says minister

What the papers say  August 30

Future engagement with Taliban must be pragmatic and judged by actions

Pictures released of drone strike on suicide bomber'

Sunday 29 August 2021 19:45 , Barney Davis

Afghan journalists take photos of destroyed vehicle inside a house after U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, , 2021.

A U.S. drone strike destroyed a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers from Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate on Sunday before they could attack the ongoing military evacuation at Kabuls international airport, American officials said.

Destroyed vehicle is seen inside a house after U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan (AP)

Taliban vows to allow Afghans safe passage to leave

Sunday 29 August 2021 17:33 , Barney Davis

The UK Government has received assurances from the Taliban that anybody wishing to leave Afghanistan after August 31 will be allowed to do so.

Story continues

British troops have already left Kabul and US military personnel will be out of Afghanistan before the August 31 deadline set by US President Joe Biden.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that if the Taliban regime wanted diplomatic recognition and aid funding, they would have to ensure safe passage for those who want to leave.

A joint statement said: We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorisation from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Biden travels to air base to honor US troops killed in Afghanistan

Sunday 29 August 2021 17:32 , Barney Davis

President Joe Biden arrived at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday to honor members of the military killed in a suicide bomb attack during the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan last week.

An Islamic State suicide bombing on Thursday killed scores of Afghans and 13 American troops who were guarding Kabuls airport amid an airlift that has evacuated about 114,400 people in the past two weeks.

(AP)

Pen Farthing lands in Heathrow with mixed emotions and animals

Sunday 29 August 2021 16:20 , Barney Davis

Pen Farthing has finally landed at Heathrow with his cats and dogs but said he had mixed emotions after the partial success of Operation Ark.

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Fox News reporting no civilian injuries after US airstrike on suicide bomber destined for Kabul airport

Sunday 29 August 2021 15:38 , Barney Davis

The US carried out a drone strike against an ISIS-K target in a vehicle filled with explosives in Kabul, Fox News is reporting.

Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material, US military official says.

No civilian casualties, they added.

A Taliban spokesman says a US airstrike targeted a suicide bomber in a vehicle who wanted to strike the Kabul airport

Sunday 29 August 2021 15:15 , Barney Davis

The Taliban said that a US airstrike targeted a suicide bomber in a vehicle Sunday who wanted to attack the Kabul international airport amid the American militarys evacuation there.

There were few initial details about the incident, as well as a rocket that struck a neighborhood just northwest of the airport, killing a child. The two strikes initially appeared to be separate incidents, though information on both remained scarce.

Unverified videos of a rocket strike some 4km away from Kabul Airport coming through

Sunday 29 August 2021 14:44 , Barney Davis

An explosion was heard near Kabul airport, witnesses said on Sunday, and television footage showed black smoke rising into the sky but there was no immediate word on any casualties.

Two witnesses said the blast appeared to have been caused by a rocket that hit a house in an area to the northern side of the airport but there was no immediate confirmation.

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Breaking: US has carried out another military strike in Kabul, two U.S. officials tell Reuters

Sunday 29 August 2021 14:37 , Barney Davis

The United States carried out a military strike on Sunday in Kabul, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strike targeted suspected ISIS-K militants. They said they were citing initial information and cautioned it could change.

Latest images from Kabul

Sunday 29 August 2021 14:02 , Tammy Hughes

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

Innocent folk singer slayed by Taliban fighter

Sunday 29 August 2021 13:58 , Tammy Hughes

A Taliban fighter shot dead an Afghan folk singer in a restive mountain province under unclear circumstances, his family said Sunday.

The killing of Fawad Andarabi reignited concerns among activists that the insurgents would return to their oppressive rule in the country after their military blitz toppled the government.The shooting Friday of the folk singer came in the Andarabi Valley, an area of Baghlan province some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kabul.

The valley had seen upheaval since the Taliban takeover, with some districts in the area coming under the control of militia fighters opposed to the Taliban rule.

The Taliban say they have since retaken those areas, though neighbouring Panjshir in the Hindu Kush mountains remains the only one of Afghanistans 34 provinces not under its control.

The Taliban previously came out to Andarabis home and searched it, even drinking tea with the musician, his son Jawad Andarabi told The Associated Press.

But something changed Friday.He was innocent, a singer who only was entertaining people, his son said. They shot him in the head on the farm.His son said he wanted justice and that a local Taliban council promised to punish his fathers killer.

Biden to honour suicide bomb victims

Sunday 29 August 2021 13:40 , Tammy Hughes

U.S. President Joe Biden will head to Dover Air Force Base on Sunday to honour members of the U.S. military killed in a suicide bomb attack during the evacuation of civilians from Kabul airport last week.

An Islamic State suicide bombing just outside Kabul airport on Thursday killed scores of Afghans and 13 American troops.

Biden was expected to receive the service members remains that were being flown back to the United States. Families of those troops were also expected to be present.

Thursdays attack, which was claimed by Isis-K, the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, was the most lethal incident for U.S. service members in Afghanistan in a decade.

The bombing took place just outside the gates of the airport, where thousands of people have gathered to try to get a flight out since the Taliban returned to power on Aug. 15.

The Talibans rapid advance across the country amid the withdrawal of American and allied troops, and the chaotic scenes at the airport have presented Biden with his biggest foreign policy challenge to date.

Sunday 29 August 2021 11:04 , Tammy Hughes

British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul upon its arrival at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire.

(REUTERS)

Western deportation to Afghanistan before Taliban takeover shameful

Sunday 29 August 2021 09:10 , Tammy Hughes

Western nations behaved shamefully by deporting people to Afghanistan before leaving the nation to the Taliban, an advocate for Afghan refugees has said.

Abdul Ghafoor, the director of the Afghanistan Migrants Advice and Support Organisation (Amaso), said some nations were trying to deport Afghans back to the nation even until the day Kabul fell.

I have been advocating against the deportation to Afghanistan for the past six years my fear was what we are witnessing today, the 35-year-old told the PA news agency.

Its shameful to see that some of the countries were insisting (on deportations) until the last day  until Kabul had collapsed.

Mr Ghafoor only named Belgium and Austria among countries that were insisting on deportations until the Taliban had taken Kabul, but added the UK has been very tough on Afghan refugees.

Biden warns another terror attack is highly likely'

Sunday 29 August 2021 09:05 , Tammy Hughes

US President Joe Biden vowed to keep up air strikes against the Islamic extremist group whose suicide bombing at the Kabul airport killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members.

Mr Biden also warned another attack was highly likely and the State Department called the threat specific and credible late on Saturday.

The Pentagon said the remaining contingent of US forces at the airport, now numbering fewer than 4,000, had begun their final withdrawal ahead of Mr Bidens deadline for ending the evacuation on Tuesday.

Troops arrive in Brize Norton

Sunday 29 August 2021 08:58 , Tammy Hughes

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow arrived on one of the last flights carrying UK military and civilian personnel on their final homeward leg back from Afghanistan.

A Voyager aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton airfield in Oxfordshire on Sunday morning.

Roughly 250 personnel were on board, including members of 16 Air Assault Brigade who were stationed at Kabul airport.

The plane flew in from Al Minhad airfield in the United Arab Emirates near Dubai where the UKs evacuation flights from Afghanistan first landed.

Further flights carrying personnel are expected later on Sunday.

Sunday 29 August 2021 08:47 , Tammy Hughes

The US military has released images of the 12 service members killed in the Kabul airport blast.

(AP)

Top Row, from left: Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif., Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif., Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Bottom Row, from left: Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo., Navy Corpsman, Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee. Not pictured is Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Roseville, Calif., was also killed. (1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton/U.S. Department of Defense via AP)

UK has very little to show for 20 years in Afghanistan

Sunday 29 August 2021 08:45 , Tammy Hughes

Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had very little to show for 20 years in Afghanistan.

The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.

He warned that terrorism will raise its ugly face again and until we defeat this ideology, we can have as many drone strikes as we like, we can invade as many countries as we like, we will never win.

Mr Ellwood added: Unfortunately, weve made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where its now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.

Sunday 29 August 2021 08:43 , Tammy Hughes

UK troops leave Kabul.

(MOD/AFP via Getty Images)

Sunday 29 August 2021 08:42 , Tammy Hughes
Jacinda Ardern says she won't hesitate to ratchet up New Zealand's stringent Covid-19 restrictions if more can be done to prevent the spread of the virus.

On Sunday, health officials announced another 83 cases in New Zealand, setting a new daily record for this outbreak.

Of those cases, 82 are in Auckland and one is in Wellington, bringing the total number infected in this outbreak to 511.

Dishearteningly, the number needing treatment in hospital rose overnight from 25 to 34.

Ms Ardern called that jump "deeply concerning and the whole reason we've taken the actions we have".

Ms Ardern called the jump in new cases "deeply concerning and the whole reason we've taken the actions we have". Source: AP via AAP

"We know that Delta is more infectious but we are seeing signs telling us it is more dangerous. We are seeing that in our hospitalisations," she said.

Of the 34 hospitalised with Covid-19, two are in a stable condition in ICU.

New Zealand has avoided the number of deaths suffered by much of the world through the pandemic. In the last year, just four people have died from the virus.

The chief reason is New Zealand's elimination strategy, which includes harsh and immediate lockdowns when community cases are identified.

Jacinda Ardern: NZ outbreak at 'critical point'

Ms Ardern's government implemented a level four lockdown - its harshest set of restrictions - within hours of the first case of this outbreak being discovered on August 17.

During a one-hour briefing in Wellington on Sunday, Ms Ardern suggested New Zealand's efforts to execute this strategy hung in the balance.

"It's more important than ever that people should follow the rules ... we're really still at a critical point right now," she said.

On Sunday, health officials announced another 83 cases in New Zealand, setting a new daily record for this outbreak. Source: Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP

Ms Ardern reported three quarters of recent cases were contacts of known cases, and half were household cases.

Story continues

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said Kiwis should expect "high-ish" case numbers over the next few days.

"It's not necessarily a concern. Where we will be concerned is if we see cases popping up in the community. People should expect numbers will stay up before ... they drop down again," he said.

The high numbers may yet prompt Ms Ardern to impose tougher restrictions.

PM threatens tightening up restrictions

Ms Ardern has business in her sights, saying 25 Kiwis had "exposure events" outside their household bubbles - generally work sites.

"If we need to tighten up our restrictions further, we will," she said.

"We have a small number of workplaces that are operating at level four that have seen transmission within staff.

"This may not be a problem with the rules, say, on the factory floor but what is happening perhaps before and after shifts or even during break time. We're looking at all of this in more detail."

The new rules are likely to apply only to Auckland; the centre of the outbreak with 496 of the 511 cases.

Given the limited spread outside of NZ's biggest city, all regions south of Auckland will move to level three restrictions - which allow for child care, takeaway food and contactless retail - from Wednesday.

Amid the gloom, a bright spot remains in dramatically higher vaccination rates.

Another 78,000 Kiwis received a vaccination on Saturday, meaning almost 14 per cent of the population have been jabbed since this outbreak began.

New Zealand still sits last among OECD nations for vaccines delivered per capita.

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Jacinda Ardern says she won't hesitate to ratchet up New Zealand's stringent COVID-19 restrictions if more can be done to prevent the spread of the virus.

On Sunday, health officials announced another 83 cases in New Zealand, setting a new daily record for this outbreak.

Of those cases, 82 are in Auckland and one is in Wellington, bringing the total number infected in this outbreak to 511.

Dishearteningly, the number needing treatment in hospital rose overnight from 25 to 34.

Ms Ardern called that jump "deeply concerning and the whole reason we've taken the actions we have".

"We know that Delta is more infectious but we are seeing signs telling us it is more dangerous. We are seeing that in our hospitalisations," she said.

Of the 34 hospitalised with COVID-19, two are in a stable condition in ICU.

New Zealand has avoided the number of deaths suffered by much of the world through the pandemic. In the last year, just four people have died from COVID-19.

The chief reason is New Zealand's elimination strategy, which includes harsh and immediate lockdowns when community cases are identified.

Ms Ardern's government implemented a level four lockdown - its harshest set of restrictions - within hours of the first case of this outbreak being discovered on August 17.

During a one-hour briefing in Wellington on Sunday, Ms Ardern suggested New Zealand's efforts to execute this strategy hung in the balance.

"It's more important than ever that people should follow the rules ... we're really still at a critical point right now," she said.

Ms Ardern reported three quarters of recent cases were contacts of known cases, and half were household cases.

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said Kiwis should expect "high-ish" case numbers over the next few days.

"It's not necessarily a concern. Where we will be concerned is if we see cases popping up in the community. People should expect numbers will stay up before ... they drop down again," he said.

Story continues

The high numbers may yet prompt Ms Ardern to impose tougher restrictions.

Ms Ardern has business in her sights, saying 25 Kiwis had "exposure events" outside their household bubbles - generally work sites.

"If we need to tighten up our restrictions further, we will," she said.

"We have a small number of workplaces that are operating at level four that have seen transmission within staff.

"This may not be a problem with the rules, say, on the factory floor but what is happening perhaps before and after shifts or even during break time. We're looking at all of this in more detail."

The new rules are likely to apply only to Auckland; the centre of the outbreak with 496 of the 511 cases.

Given the limited spread outside of NZ's biggest city, all regions south of Auckland will move to level three restrictions - which allow for child care, takeaway food and contactless retail - from Wednesday.

Amid the gloom, a bright spot remains in dramatically higher vaccination rates.

Another 78,000 Kiwis received a vaccination on Saturday, meaning almost 14 per cent of the population have been jabbed since this outbreak began.

New Zealand still sits last among OECD nations for vaccines delivered per capita.
A New York State Trooper was injured when his vehicle was struck on I-81 in Onondaga County Saturday.

In a news release, police said that at about 1 p.m. Trooper Timothy D. LeFever was conducting a traffic stop on a 2018 Audi A4 on Interstate 81 northbound in the town of Onondaga.

While returning back to his patrol car, he observed a blue 2012 Volkswagen traveling northbound in the driving lane and striking the passengers side rear of a white 2020 Hyundai that was traveling in the passing lane.

The Volkswagen then struck the rear of the state police patrol car. LeFever was forced to jump over the guide rail as his patrol car struck him and the vehicle he pulled over in the rear.

Troopers said that LeFever and the operator of the Volkswagen, Brian Osadchey, 50, of Lafayette, were both transported to St. Josephs Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Hyundai, Emily A. DeSantis, 24, of Riverhead, and a 24-year-old passenger were not injured in the crash. The driver of the Audi, Ralph E. Amirata, 50, of New Jersey, was not injured in the crash.

Osadchey was ticketed for unsafe lane change.
In a sign that New York state government has returned to a level of basic competency, the governor and the leaders of the Legislature are speaking again.

And it couldnt happen at a more crucial time.

The official state of emergency that gave the office of the governor special powers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic expired in June. The reality, especially in the past month as the viruss Delta variant has surged, is that the emergency is far from over.

To deal with the current pandemic issues, the Legislature needs to get back to Albany as soon as possible for a special session. And lawmakers need to work with Gov. Kathy Hochul to pass pandemic-related bills that she will sign into law.

The good news is that Hochul is working this weekend with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to get a special session scheduled next week. Such planning should have taken place weeks ago, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo had no interest in doing anything but try to save his crumbling political career. Now, thankfully, hes gone.

The driver for the special session now being planned is the expiring state eviction moratorium. A U.S. Supreme Court decision that nullified a federal moratorium brought additional urgency to the matter.
DUBROVNIK, Croatia (AP)  Beaches along Croatia's Adriatic Sea coastline are swarming with people. Guided tours are fully booked, restaurants are packed and sailboats were chartered well in advance.

Summer tourism has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations in Croatia this year. Once fearful that the coronavirus pandemic would discourage people from traveling, Croatias tourism industry was caught by surprise.

It's much better  its almost like 2020 never happened, said Josip Crncevic, a tour guide in Dubrovnik, a southern city known for its Old Town and nightlife that is Croatia's most popular destination.

The Balkan country experienced four years of war in the 1990s, but before the pandemic had become a top vacation spot for European and American visitors who appreciated its small towns and scores of islands offering natural beauty, local seafood and recreation in comparatively uncrowded settings.

The success of the summer season carries strong implications for Croatias economy, which is among the weakest in the European Union. Tourism accounts for up to 20% of gross domestic product, and visitor spending is essential to the incomes of locals who rent lodging or run other tourism-linked businesses.
Canada will be an interested third party in discussions between the U.S. and Mexico over rules governing cars traded in North America, avoiding direct confrontation with the Biden administration ahead of elections next month while still showing concern about the U.S. position.

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Mexico last week requested formal consultations with the U.S. to settle a disagreement over how to measure regional content for cars to trade duty-free. The U.S. insists on a stricter method than Mexico and Canada believe they agreed to for counting the origin of certain core parts including engines, transmissions and steering systems in the overall calculation, people familiar with the matter said last month.

The U.S. position on the rules in the trade deal known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement could push automakers to abandon the region due to cumbersome and costly content requirements, Luz Maria de la Mora, Mexicos undersecretary of the economy for foreign trade, said in an interview this week.

We know how important the auto industry is to Canadas workers and the Canadian economy," Michel Cimpaye, a spokesperson for the governments global affairs department, said in an emailed response to questions Friday. Canada has advised the U.S. and Mexico that it intends to join the consultations as a third party. We continue to work with the industry on these and other important issues."

Bloomberg reported last month that Mexico, Canada and automakers were all aligned against the Biden administration on the rules.

Canadas move will and should be interpreted" as taking Mexicos side, said Flavio Volpe, president of Canadas Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association. Canada understands that the continental automotive sectors global competitiveness is at risk if the U.S. position carries, and theyre very wise to add their weight to this action," he said.

This is the first time that the Canadian government has publicly commented on the disagreement, with the country in the midst of an election campaign. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus administration officially entered caretaker mode this month after he called a snap election for Sept. 20.

The Trudeau administrations decision on how to participate in the automotive disagreement is also indicative of his broader approach to Canadas relationship with the U.S., the nations most important ally. Trudeau and his government prefer a cautious approach to disputes with the U.S. in an effort to maintain good relations with Canadas southern neighbour and minimize any damage to the countrys economy.

Despite overall smoother relations with President Joe Bidens administration than under President Donald Trump, Trudeau has complained to his American counterpart about the U.S. cancellation of a permit for a large pipeline project, as well as a strengthening of the Buy America" procurement policy.
GAC Honda to build NEV assembly lines with 120,000-unit annual capacity

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Honda plans to expand its new energy vehicle (NEV) capacity by 120,000 units per year, according to a bidding announcement posted on the website of Guangzhou Public Resources Trading Center on August 13.

Construction of the project is scheduled to commence in October this year and be completed in 2024, according to the document. The automaker intends to pour around 2.99 billion yuan ($431.456 million) into this project. The newly built facilities will include a car test track, a battery workshop, workshops for stamping, welding, painting and assembly, as well as other supporting equipment.

The vehicle models to be manufactured at the yet-to-be-built plant have not been announced yet.



Breeze SPORT HYBRID e+; photo credit: GAC Honda



GAC Honda currently has two all-electric vehicle models for sale, namely, the VE-1 and the EA6. Its first plug-in hybrid model, the Breeze SPORT HYBRID e+, made its world's debut at the Auto Shanghai 2021 and will hit the market in the second half of this year.

Japanese automaker Honda Motor exhibited the world premiere of the Honda SUV e:prototype, a prototype model of the first Honda-brand full-electric vehicle model for Chinese market. The mass-produced version is scheduled to go on sale in spring 2022 and will be produced by both GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda.

GAC Honda said it delivered 428,122 vehicles (+11.4% YoY) for the first seven months of 2021, 64,695 units (+6.9% YoY) of which were hybrid electric vehicles.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A home in the Jackson neighborhood of Belhaven is being used to film a movie starring Mississippi native Morgan Freeman.

The film Muti is about a detective investigating a series of killings with the help of Freeman, who plays professor Dr. Mackles.

John Read of Madison is the films location manager. He told WLBT-TV that the Belhaven house is where the production team is shooting scenes at the detective's home.

The director had specifically said that he liked Belhaven because we had done some scouting in the area, Read said. He said these houses I think would suit our character, our lead character is a policeman, a detective."

Reads job is to scout locations across the state for filmmakers. Four of his last five movies were set elsewhere but were shot in the state because of its growing appeal to filmmakers.

Muti is Reads third film in Mississippi working with Freeman.

Resident Hillary Zimmerman lives across the street where the crew used his driveway during filming.
It makes perfect sense to federal and state officials, however. They are charged with reintroducing the Mexican gray wolf to what has been deemed its historical habitat, which in Arizona is the southeastern part of the state not exceeding Interstate 40 to the north.

Two views of what's best for wolves

While both environmentalists and conservationists and agencies such as Arizona Game and Fish say they want what is best for the wolves, their approaches in advocating for the endangered species could not be more different. To call their relationship contentious might be a howling understatement.

On one side is Jim deVos, Mexican gray wolf coordinator for AZGF, who maintains the stray wolf was captured and returned for its own safety, because it had crossed traffic-heavy I-40 and Highway 180 on several occasions and was spotted close to homes in the Baderville area, northwest of Flagstaff. He said he feared that the wolf, which he calls 2520, would be mistaken for a coyote by homeowners and shot.

Its easy to sit back and criticize the departments decision, deVos said. But Im here to make a reasonable decision on how we handle the Mexican wolf for whats in the best interest of the wolf. Weve had four wolves killed (since program started) on thoroughfares around Flagstaff and northern Arizona.
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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., rushing from the Louisiana coast toward New Orleans and one of the nation's most important industrial corridors.

The Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph (230 kph) hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land.

Keep scrolling for a gallery of photos from the storm

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge up next.

"This is not the kind of storm that we normally get. This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what we're seeing," Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.
Wild-horse advocates acknowledge that lack of forage and water can be an issue in some areas, but they argue removals from the herds like the Onaqui are unnecessary.

"The BLM has a drought trump card, and they use it sometimes when they want to take additional horses off the range," Greg Hendricks, director of field operations.

Advocates want to leave the horses on the range and instead administer fertility treatments to limit the size of the herd without roundups that can be costly and tough on the animals. One horse died during the Onaqui roundup. Fertility treatments are used, but require new doses at least annually and can be difficult to administer because they require horses to be tracked down and darted one at a time, Messmer said.

Cattle ranchers, meanwhile, say they've made voluntary changes to reduce grazing on federal lands. By hauling water to drought-stricken areas for their livestock, they've even helped the horses who drink it too, said Hunter Ihrman, a spokesman for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

The number of sheep and cattle that graze on leased public land is far larger than the number of wild horses, Messmer said. A key difference, though, is that livestock are part of the U.S. economy.
At 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 18, 1943, the USS Abner Read was on patrol.

The 3,000-ton destroyer had been dispatched to Alaskas Aleutian Islands to assist in the ongoing campaign against the Japanese invasion and occupation of Kiska. On this particular night, the ship was on an anti-submarine patrol, cruising a three and a half mile span. On one end was Kiskas beach; on the other, a suspected Japanese minefield.

The commander at the time was satisfied with the vessels ability to safely navigate the waters and remain a safe distance from the mines, and he retired to his cabin for the night.

The crew on watch could see the moon through partial clouds and mist, and carried on. Sailor Arville Crawford slipped from his bunk and went to the head. Others huddled around the lantern used to light cigarettes during the midnight watch.

They could not have known that during the next few hours, dozens of their comrades would perish.

At 1:50 a.m., while turning back towards the beach at the far end of the patrol line, the Abner Read struck a drifting mine. The rear end of the ship was blown away leaving the rest of the vessel floating but listing in the water, the interior exposed.
While his role now is primarily in leadership, overseeing other judge advocates, he saw plenty of action during his time as an officer in the field.

His first tour as a captain was also his first time seeing combat. On my very first day, its like welcome to a combat zone  Ive never been to combat before, he said. Ive got new guy syndrome.

The first thing new arrivals are taught is what happens when an air raid siren goes off  where to go, what to do, and what to expect. As theyre teaching us this, the air raid siren goes off, Thompson said. So we all run for the bunker, and you hear the rounds, impact and stuff. After leaving the bunker, he learned that the raid had killed a first sergeant finishing their tour, two weeks away from returning home. Thats when its something like holy crap  this is real, man.

Thompsons forward operating base at that time got the nickname Rocket City, due to the near-constant barrage of mortars, air raids, and of course, rockets. His first encounter showed him the reality of the front lines  his next would win him a Combat Action Badge.
Editor's note: Marion "Dakota" Callen was interviewed and photographed for this series in late June of this year. He died July 26 at age 96 at the VA Community Living Center in Miles City.

When Marion Dakota Callen first got the call to report to his headquarters while stationed in Europe in 1944, he thought he was in trouble, as many 20-year-old young men do. But when he arrived, he discovered he would be guarding one of the fiercest men in U.S. military history: Gen. George S. Patton.

I always remembered how short of a fuse Patton had, Callen said. He would yell at me for just having my boot outside of the jeep when we were driving.

Callen has plenty of stories of life and death from the European front during the final push to defeat Nazi Germany in World War Two. His service took him through iconic conflicts like the Battle of the Bulge and also kept him in Europe during the U.S. occupation after the war.

Callen grew up in Glenham, South Dakota. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Army and was sent to Fort Snelling Minnesota. He received the rank of sergeant, which leads a group of a half-dozen soldiers.
I was glad to get in and I was glad to get out, he said of the difficult time. War is terrible and I did see enough combat and killed a lot of guys.

Afterward, he was ready to forget that time and move on. Dahl got married, earned a degree at the University of Montana, and enjoyed his family and his career.

Ive lived in a house on Radcliffe Drive for 54 years and had four children, two sons and two daughters, Dahl said.

He remembers another child he met during the war, a Filipino boy who shared what little he had with the American soldier. Dahl and his platoon had come out of the mountains for a few days of rest and recuperation when he encountered a little boy  he was 6 or 7  and gave him a handful of candy.

Dahl thought that was the end of it, until the little boy later returned.

One day he came over, hands behind his back, and gave me a hard-boiled egg, Dahl said. Those people didnt have much food.

The boy invited Dahl into his grass hut, which sat about four feet above the ground, where the soldier also met the boys mother. The pair spoke English, so Dahl visited with them for a few minutes.
It was 1995, and Jonathan Perkins 21st birthday. Instead of hanging out at a bar, he was having his head shaved and filing paperwork, getting ready for boot camp.

Perkins grew up in Kalispell where he met his wife, Kyla. In 1994 they moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where Perkins joined the Army.

Enlisting was partly rooted in his long-standing patriotism, and he needed to make a living.

I did it as a way to provide for my family, but then it grew on me," he said.

Soon, he started to look at Army life as "a brotherhood" and eventually it became a way of life.

Perkins worked on the logistical side of the Army, driving semi-trucks and moving supplies between operating bases. He would continue to renew his enlistment year after year, eventually serving 15 years of active duty, along with three years in the National Guard.

Perkins was 10 months into his longest tour in Iraq in 2007 when he told his crew they were lucky not to have been hit yet by an IED. Little did he know that over the next month they would be hit by not just one, but two separate explosions.
I want to have that connection in a more organic and true way, she said. Being part of the military makes it easier to do that because youre not seen as an outsider.

She doesnt know if shell eventually seek a position with Veterans Affairs or open a private practice. Either way, her goal will be to help those struggling to find their way.

Randall already has experience working in the mental health field. She worked for three years at the Billings Clinic Psychiatric Center, while earning her undergraduate degree, and then as a case manager at the Mental Health Center in Billings.

Her schooling will be put on hold temporarily as Randall prepares for her first nine-month deployment to Kuwait with the 1063rd. She will leave for the Middle East in September, after completing a four-month officer leadership course at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Part of her responsibility with the Army National Guard company is to serve as the equal opportunity leader for the 1063rd. When one of the companys soldiers feel targeted in a negative way over their gender, their ethnic identity, sexual orientation, its Randalls job to investigate the complaint and decide how to resolve it.
Ozburn liked the job, and was good at it. He earned Petty Officer by the time he left after six years. But his work was just beginning. He was based stateside for another tour, this time repairing submarines. It was tedious work, usually taking a week per sub to create a detailed work order.

It would not be his last. His third tour was onboard the USS Thorn during the gulf war. Then the US was in the middle of an embargo near the Horn of Africa, and Ozburns ship engaged unauthorized boats passing through the area.

He then came back to the states, and trained on a decommissioned minesweeping ship before returning to the Middle East to lead aircraft carriers through Iranian waters filled with mines. On top of his repair work, he manned a crane in the back of the boat, dropping dunny torpedoes to try and explode the mines.

Once in a blue moon we would find one close to the surface, he said. The work was a little nerve racking because Iranians would show up in attack boats to our tugboat-sized ship.

The boat always had protection from the aircraft carrier, however, and no incidents caused damage to the mine sweeper. Ozburn returned to the states after that tour, and started running barracks back at North Chicago. He had roughly 400 trainees under him at all times.
Though Afghanistans future remains uncertain, Col. Thomas English did all he could during his 14 months there to bring justice to the country thats been in the midst of upheaval for centuries.

From 2010 to 2011, English, 65, of Billings, was tasked with a two-fold mission: to oversee the detainee review board, and help the Afghan government create a criminal justice system based on that countrys laws so they could assume responsibility of detainees.

English, who retired in 2014, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1974 at age 17, continuing a family tradition. Englishs grandfather died in World War I and his father was a 28-year Army vet. One son was an infantryman in Iraq and another recently joined the U.S. Air Force.

The biggest aspect of it is the camaraderie and the pride of having served my country, he said.

Englishs first assignment in the Army was as an MP for three years of active duty and three more years in the Army Reserve.

When I got off active duty, I was a state trooper in New Mexico, a homicide detective, also working on my bachelors degree, he said.
Randalls commitment includes one weekend of training a month and two weeks of training every summer, as well as being ready to go out on assignment.

Over the years, Randalls training has taken him to Kentucky, Maryland, California and Pennsylvania. At first, as part of his training in a support maintenance company, he learned tracked-vehicle mechanics and how to work on computers and other electronics, among other things.

After I enlisted, I signed up for six years at a time, Randall said. I fulfilled two of those and then I switched over to becoming an officer.

His time in the Army National Guard helped him afford college, and Randall graduated this spring with a bachelors degree in liberal arts from Montana State University Billings.

He will spend four months this year at Fort Lee, Virginia, for officer training. Then Randall will leave for his first deployment, in Kuwait, for about nine months. Unlike most other members of the 1063rd, Randall will head to the Middle East with his wife.

Thats because Lt. Haylie Randall is also a member of the company. A shared interest in rugby brought the two together.

We met a little over three years ago, he said. She was one of our referees.
What would Montana be like if we didnt have cool, clear, free-flowing rivers full of wild trout? How would it affect the two mainstays of our economy  agriculture and outdoor recreation? Would it be worth living here anymore? Would we even be able to live here anymore?

If you asked me those questions a year ago, I wouldnt have taken them very seriously. After all, rivers are the lifeblood of our state. Theyre the source of more than half of our drinking water. They water our crops. They provide boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation, enriching our lives and driving Montanas $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy.

This summers punishing drought has given us a glimpse of what life would be like without healthy rivers, and its not pretty. This past July, for example, my friends and I had to cancel our planned float down the Smith River because of historically low flows. Hundreds of other Montanans were forced to do the same. Its always a bit of a gamble to float the Smith, but this year low flows ended the floating season a month earlier than normal.
We arent going to give up on our bills, and well try once more when the Legislature meets again in 2023. Farmers and ranchers cant wait that long, though, and they cant go through another growing season without the ability to repair their tractors.

Fortunately, a few weeks ago President Biden directed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to put rules in place that protect farmers and ranchers right to repair their own equipment. Every week counts, and those protections arent here yet, so we joined 39 of our Democratic colleagues from the Legislature to put pressure on the FTC. We are pushing them to work with farmers and ranchers to get strong right to repair rules on the books.

Ag production is the backbone of Montanas economy, and at a time when drought is putting enormous pressure on farmers and ranchers, every elected official in this state should be giving producers the tools they need to do their work. Ag producers from Eureka to Ekalaka and Plentywood to Dillon deserve the right to service and repair their own equipment. Anyone who refuses to stand up for the right to repair is turning their backs on the folks who put them in office.

Mark Sweeney is a Democrat from Philipsburg who represents Senate District 39. Tom France is a Democrat from Missoula who represents House District 94. Katie Sullivan is a Democrat from Missoula who represents House District 89.

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The current public defender crisis could have been avoided if our Legislature and state leaders of our criminal justice system had cooperated to adequately fund this critical program.

Instead, they undercut the efficacy of indigent representation by not paying a fair hourly rate to appointed counsel, while requiring mandatory malpractice insurance and not reimbursing for office expenses.

Now, many attorneys and mental health providers will no longer work for this program.

In 1987, I was appointed by the Wisconsin public defender at a rate of $47 per hour to represent defendants.

When I testified before the Legislature, as the then current Yellowstone County public defender, to support the enactment of the statewide system, members of the law and justice committee thought $80/hour was too low a rate.

The ACLU of Montana brought suit to instigate the Legislature to enact a statewide public defender system.

Legislative leaders and the attorney general, our governor and other leaders need to jointly advocate for adequate and prompt funding now, not next year, for this beleaguered agency and all its employees who work very diligently and under tremendous strain.
We anticipate being able to make more progress over the weekend because of favorable wind conditions, Herrera said. But the slower winds were only expected to last two days.

A Fire Weather Watch was issued for Monday and Tuesday that will lead to elevated fire weather concerns in higher elevations of the Northern Sierra, Cal Fire said.

The Caldor fire has destroyed more than 600 structures since it started on Aug. 14 in the Sierra Nevada. It has proved so difficult to fight that fire managers this week pushed back the projected date for full containment from early next week to Sept. 8. But even that estimate was tenuous.

It is one of nearly 90 large blazes in the U.S. Many are in the West, burning trees and brush desiccated by drought. Climate change has made the region warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Minnesota troopers on Friday arrested four people protesting Enbridge Energy's Line 3 replacement pipeline project at the state Capitol.

Videos posted on social media showed law enforcement officers surrounding about a dozen protesters. About 1,000 demonstrators gathered earlier in the week for a major rally calling on Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and President Joe Biden to pull permits and shut down the replacement pipeline project.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the arrests happened after a teepee remained on the Capitol grounds Friday after the event permit expired Thursday evening. The State Patrol, which is responsible for Capitol security, met with tribal liaisons, owners of the tepee and other group leaders to come to an agreement for the group to voluntarily take the tepee down, he said in an email.

The tepee was removed by its owners while troopers provided security today. Personal property that remained at the site was also removed by members of the group, Gordon said. Some individuals were uncooperative with creating space for the tepee to come down.
LONDON  Military planes carrying British troops and diplomats from Kabul are landing at a U.K. air base after the U.K.s two-week evacuation operation ended.

The U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, was among those who arrived Sunday at RAF Brize Norton northwest of London, hours after the government announced that all British personnel had left Kabul.

Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the past two weeks but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind.

Vice Adm. Ben Key, who was in charge of the British operation, said: We tried our best.

In a video message, Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the colossal effort, saying it was a mission unlike anything weve seen in our lifetimes.

But he is facing strong criticism over the failure to bring to safety all those Afghans who helped British forces during the 20-year deployment in Afghanistan that began in the wake of 9/11.
North Dakotans are sharing personal experiences and painful stories of loss due to COVID-19 as part of a public education campaign aimed in part at boosting the state's dismal vaccination rate.

The North Dakota Health Dakota Departments COVID-19 Impact Wall was launched Wednesday and will feature videos and short stories from North Dakotans impacted by the coronavirus. The website also is intended to serve as memorial for those who have died due to the virus, Health Department spokeswoman Marie Moe said.

The campaigns rollout comes as COVID-19 cases in the state surged to the highest level of the year, driven by highly infectious delta variant that is spreading rapidly across the United States.

When people are hit with tragedy, people come together, Moe said. This is a place where people can come and gather and share how Covid impacted them and to share their stories of loss.

Along with testimonials, health officials said the site will provide information about COVID-19 vaccines, and interviews with health experts on long-term effects, risk of hospitalization and death.

Moe called the site a virtual gathering place to share experiences, reflect, remember, and learn.
If you live in Morgan Hill, California, and have been having problems with your reception, your troubles might be over. Police there raided a house to find the source of a "disrupting, impeding and interfering" signal: two devices they describe as signal jammers. That conclusion was made easy, one assumes, by the fact that the boxes sporting 7 antennae are marked "BG-E8 5G Signal jammer"

Police said officials had noticed interference at a communication tower for the last six months. In the last week, it had gotten worse with residents reporting disruptions to Wi-Fi, satellite and cell phone service. Investigators traced the approximate source of the signal to a home, the Morgan Hill Times reported. Police tried to contact the resident through a doorbell security camera but got no response. They later got a search warrant and entered the house. Once inside, officers lost all radio communication. They found two signal jammers, disabled them and immediately regained service.

If you would like to be in the same predicament as this person or just want to end up on a list, you can purchase the BG-E8 5G Signal jammer from Xiaomi Today!
The Nazis did some pretty messed up stuff.

In addition to their genocidal habits  which, understandably, tends to be the focus of their fucked-up-ed-ness  the Nazis also got involved with some mad science (some of which also contributed to the aforementioned genocide). Like a lot of powerful nations at the time, this included some nuclear aspirations. While Allied Forces recovered some 600 or so two-by-two-inch uranium cubes from the lab of Werner Heisenberg  yes, that Heisenberg  in the Swabian Alps town of Haigerloch, several hundred more of these Nazi uranium cubes ultimately went missing from Kurt Diebner's lab at the Gottow experimental site.

That's right: hundreds of Nazi-purified uranium cubes just up and disappeared.

One of them made its way to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNLL) in the United States  though it's not exactly clear how it got there. The University of Maryland also has access to a few of them. But 80 years later, the rest of them are still AWOL.

The Heisenberg uranium cubes and the Diebner uranium cubes were obtained through different methods, and scientists know enough about radiation that they can identify the source of a particular cube by tracing the evidence of these methods. And now, according to SkyNews, this may help them figure out where the hell those cubes have been this whole time:

As explained by the American Chemical Society: "When the cubes were first cast, they contained fairly pure uranium metal. As time passed, radioactive decay transformed some of the uranium into thorium and protactinium." [Brittany] Robertson [a doctoral student at PNNL] has adapted a radiochronometry procedure to separate and quantify these elements in PNNL's cube, developing a method that shows how their relative concentrations reveal how long ago the cube was made. If refined, the method could also allow researchers to analyse rare-earth element impurities in the cube, revealing where the original uranium was mined which would indicate whether it was produced for the Heisenberg or Diebner group. Robertson and Dr Schwantes are working with Dr Carlos Fraga at PNLL to examine the coatings of the cubes too, something which different laboratories applied to prevent the uranium from oxidising.

Ars Technica adds:

So far, initial findings have confirmed that at least one of the three cubes being tested at PNNL is natural uranium. There are also preliminary results from Robertson's analysis of the coatings the Germans applied to the cubes to keep oxidation in check. Cyanide-based coatings were used by the Berlin group, while Diebner's Gottow group used styrene-based coatings. If one could accurately measure the relevant signatures, it would enable the team to tell whether a given cube came from the Berlin or Gottow group. [] Koeth's cube [at the University of Maryland] was among those tested, revealing a styrene coatinga bit of a surprise, given that Koeth's historic sleuthing tracked the cube to the Berlin group. However, it turns out that Diebner sent some of his group's cubes to Heisenberg in Berlin when the latter sought more fuel for his reactor. So Koeth's cube may possibly have been used by both groups.

This is significant for two reasons. First, it reveals just how far along the Nazis' potential nuclear bomb development program had actually been. And second, because misplaced Nazi cubes of magic metal is literally how you get the Red Skull, and no one wants the Red Skull.

Hundreds of cubes of Nazi uranium are missing  now scientists have a new way to spot them [Alexander Martin / SkyNews]

New evidence shows this uranium cube is likely relic of Nazi A-bomb program [Jennifer Ouellete / Ars Technica]

Image via YouTube
Buffalos growth in the 2020 census surprised demographers, geographers and other close observers of the regions recent history. But it did not surprise Atiqur Rahman, a 60-year-old businessman in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood and a longtime advocate for Buffalos Bangladeshi community.

Rahman, who moved to Buffalo from the Bronx more than a dozen years ago, has helped at least 50 new Bangladeshi businesses open in the area and watched the crowds swell at his local mosque. Between 2010 and 2020, the new census figures show, Broadway Fillmore added more than 3,100 people  marking a sharp reversal from decades of decline and ranking it among the fastest-growing areas in Buffalo.

The community here is growing every single day, Rahman said. People are moving in and it is getting better and better  the change is visible. You can see it.

Broadway Fillmore is not unique in its changed fortunes, either: Citywide, the neighborhoods that historically suffered most from white flight and disinvestment are often the ones now recording the sharpest growth. In addition to Broadway Fillmore, large swaths of Masten Park and Delavan Grider added thousands of people since 2010. Riverside also ranks among the citys fastest-growing areas, as do a string of neighborhoods along the citys eastern border with Cheektowaga.

Much of that growth originated in the citys Asian community, which increased by 12,800 people to just over 21,100 in 2020. Residents identifying as Hispanic, which refers to people from Spanish-speaking backgrounds, and those from or with ancestry in Latin America, also grew by more than 8,000 people in the past 10 years.

The dynamics behind these changes are not always clear, particularly in distressed neighborhoods: Have people moved there because they saw opportunity  as Rahman says he did  or because few other places were accessible?

There are other limits to these census figures, cautioned Abigail Cooke, a geographer at the University at Buffalo who studies migration. Among other issues, they dont capture microtrends that took place within the decade, and they can paint in overly broad strokes when it comes to topics like racial and ethnic identification. And while its tempting to view population growth as an unequivocal sign of progress, particularly in a region that has seen so little of it, the reality in some neighborhoods may prove more complicated.

This is a new story playing out against the broader, long-term pattern of white flight and white disinvestment, said Cooke. It doesnt change the broader racial dynamic of disinvestment, or the kind of political attention that different neighborhoods in the city get  but the Bangladeshi community and the Burmese community, among others, have made a real difference in a handful of Buffalo neighborhoods.

'To start from zero'

Nowhere is that difference more visible than in Broadway Fillmore, whose decadeslong population slide left nearly 2,000 homes vacant by 2010. Attracted by cheap home prices  some in the low four figures  several ethnic communities began to buy on streets like Loepere and Sobieski in the late aughts, Rahman said.

In addition to Bangladeshis, who frequently move to Buffalo after initially settling in New York, Broadway Fillmore has seen a sharp uptick in residents of Burmese and Somalian descent. The neighborhood is still majority-Black, with 6,200 Black residents.

Today, Broadway Fillmore boasts at least half a dozen full-service grocery stores selling halal meats and imported produce. New shops offer kaftans, hijabs and international calling cards a stones throw away from older businesses selling pierogies and Black beauty products.

Homeowners like Rahman  who saw Buffalo as a place to start from zero, he said  have purchased, rehabbed and rented dozens of aging homes, almost single-handedly rebooting a depressed housing market.

The neighborhood is still challenged, acknowledged Stephen Karnath, executive director at Broadway-Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services, a long-running nonprofit organization. But todays challenges  crime, some commercial vacancy, equitable development  feel less daunting than the prior tidal wave of abandonment.

There's so much energy and so many positive things happening that I really think we're essentially at the tipping point, Karnath said. We're at the point where we are starting to see significant investment  sometimes in plain sight, and sometimes bubbling beneath the surface.

Immigration a factor

For its analysis of 2020 census data, The Buffalo News grouped the citys 91 census tracts  each typically containing about 4,000 residents  according to how many people each added since 2010. The News then isolated the trends and patterns in the high-growth, medium-growth and low-growth or shrinking tracts.

On average, every type of neighborhood lost non-Hispanic white residents since 2010, and the lowest-growth neighborhoods lost non-Hispanic Black residents, as well. (While race and Hispanic origin are not mutually exclusive, The News' analysis focused on non-overlapping categories to avoid double-counting some people.)

Medium- and low-growth neighborhoods also have fewer children now than they did in 2010.

But residents who identified as Hispanic, non-Hispanic Asian and multiracial increased across the board. In particular, tracts that saw high growth in their Asian populations also saw high growth overall.

These are broad categorizations. Cooke points out that many people dont identify with the boxes the Census Bureau asks them to fit into, and some decline in the white population may relate to changes in how people identify their race on census forms. Counts of relatively small communities, such as Native Americans, are inherently less reliable at smaller geographic levels. The 2020 census identified 1,359 Native American and indigenous residents in the city overall.

Without more detailed racial and ethnic data  which the Census Bureau will release at a future date  its also difficult to draw conclusions about the factors driving Buffalo's growth. Other available data, such as Buffalo Public Schools records and the Census Bureaus annual population estimates, suggest that many of these new Buffalonians are immigrants, refugees or their children. More than 10,500 refugees resettled in Buffalo between 2010 and 2018, the latest year for available data, according to New American Economy, an immigration research and advocacy organization.

Between 4,000 and 5,000 Puerto Ricans also relocated to Buffalo after Hurricane Maria, community leaders have estimated, though those figures are less reliable. And the city has attracted newcomers from elsewhere in the United States, as well  a phenomenon perhaps best seen in the heart of the downtown Central Business District, which added a string of high-end rental apartments and some 550 new residents, even after a sharp decline in the Holding Center population.

The city overall grew to 278,349 people, up 17,074 people from 2010.

Immigration is certainly a major part of Buffalos recent growth, said Robert Adelman, a sociologist at the University at Buffalo. But there are still so many unknowns, and we dont have quite enough data yet to figure out the roles of all these different factors.

Relatively affordable

What is clear, Adelman said, is that much of the citys growth has taken place on the East Side, often in areas with high poverty rates and low housing values. In Kensington-Bailey, for instance, the narrow residential strip between Bailey Avenue and Eggert Road added 1,200 people since 2010. According to the real estate site Zillow, a typical single-family home there cost less than $82,000 at the time of the census.

I think it has to do with affordability  this is one of the areas of the city that still has a ton of density and relatively affordable home prices, said Darren Cotton, a longtime resident of nearby University Heights and the president of the Tool Library, a nonprofit organization that seeks to help low- and middle-income residents repair their homes. I think its increasingly a popular destination for people buying their first houses.

The availability of cheap land and housing in many growing neighborhoods springs from a long legacy of disinvestment. A 2017 evaluation of Buffalos housing market, prepared by the national consulting firm czb and commissioned by city government, categorized swaths of several of the citys fastest-growing neighborhoods as moderately to severely distressed.

From an economic standpoint, Broadway Fillmore is one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, said Jason Knight, a geographer at SUNY Buffalo State who studies the evolution of urban areas: The city demolished nearly 600 homes in the neighborhood between the 2010 and 2020 census, and Broadway Fillmore still suffers high rates of poverty, foreclosure and abandonment.

By comparison, wealthier neighborhoods that never suffered serious disinvestment or vacancy  and saw relatively little growth in the 2020 census  likely had fewer open units for newcomers to fill, and at much higher prices. Parts of Parkside, Elmwood-Bidwell and South Buffalo actually lost residents.

Topline population numbers can also obscure other significant changes in neighborhoods.

Im really interested in looking at future data to see if it supports what weve felt and observed  which is that people are being displaced into communities outside the West Side, like Black Rock, Riverside and Broadway Fillmore, said Clarke Gocker, the director of policy and strategy at the left-leaning neighborhood advocacy group PUSH Buffalo.

In Broadway Fillmore, homes have grown less attainable for many would-be buyers, said Rahman. Bangladeshi investors have begun expanding their searches to areas like Lovejoy, University Heights and MLK Park, which may be further from cultural amenities like grocery stores and mosques.

At the same time, advocates for the Bangladeshi community have repeatedly asked for a greater police presence in Broadway Fillmore, as well as sidewalk and roadway improvements.

The general people, they just want to be able to walk nicely, without all the debris and everything in the street, Rahman said. They want things like streetlights. Cleaning up rodent issues. We have to improve these things.

For Knight, the Buffalo State geographer, requests like these are clear calls to action: The city needs to direct more financial and strategic resources to distressed neighborhoods, he said, particularly as more people flock to them. He argues that some recent city policies  such as an aggressive demolition program that did not return many vacant lots back to use, and a foreclosure auction that sold some homes to international investors  helped create the blight that made Broadway Fillmore affordable to begin with.

With this growth, however, the neighborhood might have another chance  particularly if city policy empowers both the new and longtime residents now invested there, Knight said.

Its chasing the American dream, right? he said. Come to Buffalo, where property prices are so depressed. And you can be the first. You can be my great-grandparents, who came to the East Side as immigrants with nothing in their pockets, and create better opportunities for successive generations.

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Kathy Hochul didn't just become New York's first woman governor last week. She became the most powerful female governor in the nation's history, as well as one of the most prominent women in American politics.

At least that's what people who study state politics, and the increasing role that women play in it, say  and not because of anything Hochul herself has done in her three-decade rise from the Hamburg town board to the governor's mansion. Instead, they say Hochul wields extraordinary power and influence thanks to the state's constitution and New York's outsized place in the American story.

In New York, "a lot of the executive power really is concentrated in the governor  and that's unusual in the states," said James Coleman Battista, an associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo who studies state governments.

What's more, no state as large or as prominent as New York has had a female governor in three decades.

"Having her serve as governor sends an important signal around the world because for many people globally, when they think of the United States, they think of New York City and the Empire State," said Amanda Hunter, executive director of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, a nonprofit that works to advance women in politics. "In our latest research project, we asked voters to picture a governor  and a majority pictured a man. So having her serve, even if for a short amount of time, in such a high-profile position helps challenge those stereotypes, and not just in New York."

It's possible that Hochul will serve only for a short time. She's likely to face a Democratic primary challenge next year based on ideology or geography or both, given that she's long been seen as a moderate Buffalo-area Democrat in a state that's dominated by liberal New York City.

+2 Hochul honeymoon begins, but legislative leaders are eager for her to take action After a meeting with Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie used words like premature and more discussions to follow to sum up what lies ahead.

But Hochul has also vowed to be a different sort of governor than her predecessor, the domineering but scandal-plagued Andrew M. Cuomo. She promises to work through collaboration rather than confrontation  and to hear scholars tell it, such governors often succeed.

A powerful post

Cuomo was "maybe the most powerful governor in the United States," Timothy Kneeland, a professor of history and political science at Nazareth College in Rochester, told the Albany Times-Union last year.

Asked last week to elaborate, Kneeland said the State Constitution gives governors great power over the State Legislature.

"The budget comes directly from the governor's office," he said. "The governor has extensive appointment powers, some of which do not need legislative approval. And, of course, the governor has the vast resources of a fairly significant bureaucracy at their disposal."

Governors in many other states are not so lucky.

"If you look at the existing research, most of it places the governor of New York on the high end in terms of the formal, institutional powers provided by the Constitution," said John Kincaid, director of the Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.

In other states, some significant state positions  like secretary of state and agricultural commissioner  are elected, but in New York, they're gubernatorial appointments. Many states term-limit their governors, but in New York, governors can serve forever and often seemingly do, never becoming long-term lame ducks with diminished power. Twenty states allow voters to recall their governors  as California voters may well do on Sept. 14  but New York doesn't.

And in managing the state, Hochul will have executive powers comparable to those of an official who sits not in a state capitol, but in the White House.

"New York is about as close as you're going to get to a model that similar to the federal government," said Battista, of UB.

A groundbreaker

New York's size and prominence also help mark Hochul as the most powerful woman governor in the nation's history.

Many large states  such as California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Illinois  have never had a female governor.

Only one other large state, Texas, has. There, Democrat Ann Richards served as governor from 1991 to 1995, but a 1990 academic study ranked the Texas governorship among the nation's weakest, thanks to the governor's limited power to control the budget and appointments.

Eight other states currently have female governors. The largest among them is Michigan, where, according to that study, the governor has only "moderate" power. That study ranked the New York governorship among the five most powerful in the nation.

That means Hochul, in inheriting the governorship, inherited an extraordinary opportunity.

New York's leaders "carry a lot of influence because it's so populous and it's a financial center; it's very wealthy," said Karen Kedrowski, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University. "All of those reasons would mean that the position is both powerful and it's prestigious and is also much more in the limelight."

Given Hochul's deep political connections stemming from her service in Congress, she could even make the New York governorship more powerful, said Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

"On paper, she's already among some of the most powerful women, but I think even more so, that power can grow over the next few months because of the importance and influence of New York and her relationship as well with national Democratic leadership," Dittmar said.

What's next

Hochul promises to wield power differently than her predecessor.

"We will have a fresh and collaborative approach," she said in her inaugural address.

As if to prove it, she has already shared pastries with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, with whom Cuomo famously feuded. Hochul also stresses that she has worked closely for years with state legislators and local leaders.

While that style may be new to Albany, political scientists have seen it for years from other female leaders.

"We see it in the literature on women in legislative leadership but we also see it in business leadership and nonprofit leadership  that women take a more collegial, cooperative and collaborative style," Kedrowski said.

Such a style often leads to success, said Kincaid, the state government expert from Lafayette College.

"Generally speaking, a governor who socializes with and works with the legislature tends to do better on average than a governor who does not," he said. "So her willingness to work with the legislature, given the position she's starting from, will probably pay benefits."

Hochul will face challenges along the way: responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic havoc, passing a budget that will set her priorities and then running for re-election in 2022.

All the while, she will face a challenge that only 44 women have ever faced: proving herself as a state governor.

It's a challenge Hochul welcomes.

"I want to make sure that people know that when I'm done with my administration  and however many terms this goes  that they'll say: yes, women can lead, they can achieve greatness, they can do good for the people of their state, leave a strong legacy of accomplishment, but get it done in a way that's so different than we've seen before," Hochul said on MSNBC last week. "And that's the responsibility that is on my shoulders right now. I feel it strongly. I feel the weight of it, but I'm up to the task."

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About half the population in Chautauqua County has been vaccinated. The state reports that 51.9% had received at least one dose, and 61.6% of those 18 and over have received at least one dose.

Allegany County continues to lag in vaccinations, with 40% having at least one dose. In Cattaraugus County, 46% of the population has received at least one dose; in Niagara County, 58.3% has at least one dose, and in Erie County, 63% have at least one dose of vaccine.

"We came together to help keep each other safe at the height of the pandemic, and we have to keep that collective spirit going while this virus and its Delta variant remain a threat. Get vaccinated, wear a mask, follow the basic safety guidelines  that's how we beat the virus," Hochul said Saturday.

She pledged to issue "concise and consistent" guidance for schools after she was sworn in Tuesday, and she said there would be a universal mask mandate in all schools in New York.

State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker on Friday issued a determination requiring the "universal masking of teachers, staff, students and visitors to P-12 schools over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face covering/mask and regardless of vaccination status."

"I'm a mom; I can understand the stress levels are off the charts. So we have to, first of all, have mandatory masks, which is something that is not universally popular, but I think it's an important step toward getting safety in schools," Hochul told CBS This Morning last week.

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As the state and country cope with a lack of workers for millions of job openings, the combination of rising Covid infections and formal approval of the Pfizer vaccine leaves some 20 million New Yorkers lacking a critical position: a governor able to make urgent decisions quickly.

Its why the State Legislature  unused and unequipped to taking swift action  needs to vest Gov. Kathy Hochul with the authority previously given to Andrew Cuomo. She may not need it as long as her predecessor had it, but she needs it now.

Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash implied as much in a meeting last week with The News Editorial Board. While he implemented a mask mandate for city schools before Hochul announced a similar statewide requirement, he said he is unwilling to implement a vaccine mandate on his own authority. Wed be content if he did  employers have the right to make those decisions  but its not unwise for him to look for higher authority over so sensitive a matter in a public entity.
A Collaboration with TruWeather to establish the Urban Weather Sensing Infrastructure

KYOTO, Japan & RESTON, Va., August 29, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--.Metro Weather Co., Ltd. ("MetroWeather"), a leading company providing high-precision information on wind conditions using compact, high-performance Doppler Lidar*, and TruWeather Solutions, Inc. ("TruWeather"), a leading micro weather data and analytics company, are pleased to announce a collaborative contract to support "Urban Weather Sensing Infrastructure", TruWeathers Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with NASA. Under this agreement, MetroWeather and TruWeather will leverage the strengths of both companies to build an urban weather observation infrastructure which could be used for a wide-scale deployment of commercial Urban Air Mobility. We believe that the combination of MetroWeather's Doppler Lidar and TruWeather's urban wind simulation system will help accelerate the development of next-generation weather services that are essential for the safe and affordable delivery of advanced air transportation services (AAM), especially in dense urban areas.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210829005005/en/

*Doppler Lidar is the atmospheric measuring device using infrared lasers to analyze the light reflected from microparticles in the atmosphere to acquire data on wind direction and wind speed from the speed and direction in which the microparticles move.

Roles of the two companies in this NASA SBIR project

The goal of this NASA SBIR project is to complete the design for the construction of Urban Wind Experiment (UWEX) in an urban environment, with an award of a potential Phase 2 contract. We are currently working on a Phase 1 of this project, and if we get awarded a Phase 2, the UWEX shall be carried out in the next fiscal year.

MetroWeather will play a core role by providing the optimal sensing algorithm and sampling strategy for the simulated lidar measurements in targeted urban areas and developing the model for multiple lidar data fusion using MetroWeather's compact, high-performance Doppler lidars. MetroWeather will also design a system to deliver the observation data and API. Dr. Furumoto, CEO of MetroWeather, commented on the company's participation in this NASA SBIR project as follows: "The realization of small, high-performance Doppler Lidars at low cost will make it possible to deploy a large number of Doppler Lidars over drone ports (vertiports) and drone routes, and to visualize local wind gusts and windshear that affect drone takeoffs, landings, and flights in real time. It is also expected to deploy a number of lidars not only at drone ports but also at regional airports. As such, we believe we can contribute to the realization of safe drone operations and air safety and security. MetroWeather is very proud to partner with TruWeather and to engage in this NASA-funded project, which will bring us even closer to realizing such world."

Story continues

TruWeather will integrate the real-time wind measurement data acquired from multiple Doppler lidars into its urban wind model to design a system that efficiently and optimally predicts the weather needs of UAS and AAM. "TruWeather is honored to team with MetroWeather to design a testbed with NASA focused on identifying hazardous wind conditions in urban areas. MetroWeathers reputation for scientific excellence and Wind LIDAR technology for urban environments is a key component of the testbed to demonstrate the ability to detect wind shear conditions potentially impactful to safe and reliable advanced air mobility operations.", said Don Berchoff, CEO of TruWeather Solutions.

Strengths of the two companies and the significance of this agreement

For three years starting in 2016, MetroWeather was awarded a basic research grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) to conduct a basic development of a Doppler Lidar for use on aircraft carriers. MetroWeather's Doppler Lidar achieves an unprecedented level of compactness and higher performance at a lower cost by combining the hardware completed in the course of this ONR grant project with high-definition signal processing technology that CEO, Dr. Furumoto, has accumulated through his research in the fields of atmospheric metrology and measurement engineering.

TruWeather is the first weather solution provider for UAS and UTM. TruWeather has developed and operates TruFlite V360, a subscription-based API that provides drone and air taxi operators with actionable weather insights designed to increase vehicle utilization rates and optimize stakeholder resources and scheduling for the best flight windows. The TruFlite V360 is based on TruWeather's CFD simulation and data analysis technologies in urban areas.

Through cooperation in this project, MetroWeather and TruWeather will work to further advance next-generation weather services that are essential for the development of air mobility services.

About Metro Weather Co., Ltd.

Established in 2015 as a venture company originated from Kyoto University, MetroWeather has successfully developed a Doppler lidar with an observation distance of more than 15 kilometers in a 0.65 cubic meter form factor. MetroWeather's success largely owes to the innovative technology to detect small signals in predominantly noisy data sets which was originally achieved as a result of years of research at Kyoto University. This has enabled MetroWeather to make Doppler lidars without necessarily relying on expensive, high-specification and large-size components. MetroWeather is actively advancing the further development on its products and businesses in order to position Doppler lidars as an essential infrastructure for the coming wide-scale deployment of commercial Air Mobility.

About TruWeather Solutions, Inc.

Established in 2015, TruWeather Solutions, Inc. is a leading provider of weather data analytics and innovative weather risk management products in the US market and beyond. The micro-weather data and analytics company translates complex weather science into simple insights and intelligence for the drone and air taxi industries. To accelerate the safe and efficient integration of UAS into the airspace, TruWeather leverages weather data collection, prediction and a decision support ecosystem for multiple NASA, Air Force, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) projects to support development and initial operational capability of next-generation weather services.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210829005005/en/

Contacts

For MetroWeather

Jun-ichi Furumoto (CEO)

+81-774-46-2002

info(at)metroweather.jp

For TruWeather

Lisa Tinnesz

+1-877-878-9847

Lisa.Tinnesz(at)truweathersolutions.com
Edmonton pastor Leon Bogle (front right) and his family pick up groceries at Eat Jamaican on Wednesday, Aug. 17. (Thandiwe Konguavi/CBC - image credit)

Salt fish, oxtail and jerk chicken.

Those are just some of the items on the shelves at a Jamaican grocery store in south Edmonton that opened in July.

After Kim-Ann Wilson and her family moved to the city in 2012, her mom struggled to find authentic Jamaican food in the city. The family is originally from Jamaica but moved to Edmonton from Ontario.

"It's very important to her to have yellow yams and sweet potatoes and stuff like that," Wilson, the store's owner, said on told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active.

More than 5,000 people in Edmonton have Jamaican heritage, according to Statistics Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia says the city has one the largest concentrations of Jamaican immigrants in Canada.

Wilson said she saw a gap in the market before deciding to open Eat Jamaican this summer. She said it's the first Jamaican-specific grocery store on the south side of Edmonton since the 1970s.

"We said, OK, let's do this, because I'm sure my mom is not the only one looking for her sweet potatoes," Wilson said.

She said the store is particularly popular with younger folks, looking for their favourite snacks and beverages.

"It's really heartwarming to see the support and people that actually come in and order food."

The store orders food straight from Jamaica, trying to sell whatever is in season.

At the moment, jackfruit  the largest fruit to bear on trees in the world  is in stock.

Soon, the store will also carry soursop, a fruit in the custard apple family, named for its creamy feel similar to banana or coconut. It's commonly incorporated into drinks, syrups, smoothies, desserts, and ice creams.

Wilson said a number of people come into the shop curious for recommendations, such as what foods to try or spices to buy.

"It's definitely an educational experience as well to kind of introduce people to the Jamaican culture."

Edmonton pastor Leon Bogle is a loyal customer of the store and said it reminds him of home.

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"What goes through my mind to just bring remembrance, remember the things that we grew up with," Bogle said.

The first things people notice when they walk into the store is the reggae music and a beautiful Jamaica mural on the wall, created by a local artist.

"We want to make sure you feel welcomed," Wilson said. "Jamaica is all about positive vibes and love."

Eat Jamaican is located at 9518 Ellerslie Rd. SW.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians  from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community  check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
(Reuters) - The United States has administered 366,838,484 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Friday morning and distributed 437,567,285 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Those figures are up from the 365,767,674 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Aug. 26 out of 434,582,185 doses delivered.

The agency said 203,475,192 people had received at least one dose while 172,646,952 people were fully vaccinated as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday.

The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, as well as Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine.

About 732,000 people have received an additional dose of either Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine since Aug. 13, when the United States authorized a third dose of the vaccines for people with compromised immune systems who are likely to have weaker protection from the two-dose regimens.

(Reporting by Manojna Maddipatla in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)
Sean Brooks introduced himself at the Talawanda School District meeting on Aug. 16 as a doctor who has a Ph.D. According to his website, it is in education rather than science. No evidence can be found to back up several of the claims Brooks makes in the clip, including his prophecy that people who have been vaccinated will die within months or years due to the shot.

Data from millions of people who have been vaccinated shows COVID-19 vaccines prevent deaths. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to Pfizer for its vaccine on Monday after reviewing six months of safety data. The FDA had previously granted Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccines based on safety data that tracked more than 70,000 people through clinical trials up to two months after they received shots. "The safety data now exists for a full year and in some cases 18 months," said Dr. Matthew Woodruff, an immunologist at Emory University. "We have seen over and over again no indications that the immune responses to these vaccines are functionally different to immune responses from other vaccines."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday charged the national government of negligence for failing to pay the risk allowance benefits of medical workers on time.

During her weekly radio show, Robredo said there should be no excuse for the governments failure to provide the special risk allowance (SRA) due to health workers who have been on the frontline since the coronavirus pandemic struck the country early in 2020.

Nakakalungkot kasi hindi naman bago ang pandemicone and a half years na tayo dito. Tapos mag-scramble tayo, maghahanap nang pambigay na dapat inasikaso na natin last year pa, she said.

Yung 2021 budget ay ginawa na nung panahon ng pandemic. Dapat nakahanap na tayo ng paraan para nabigay 'to, Robredo added.

[Translation: It is saddening because we have been facing the pandemic for one and a half years. And yet were scrambling, still looking for a budget that we should have handled last year. The 2021 budget was arranged during the pandemic. We could have found a way to provide it.]

Robredo also said the national government should expand the coverage of the SRA to health workers not directly catering to COVID patients amid the current surge happening not just in Metro Manila, but across the country.

Health workers have threatened to stage a medical lockdown in protest of low pay, being overworked, and months worth of unpaid SRA and other incentives covered by law.
(CNN)  Scientists last month set foot on a tiny island off the coast of Greenland which they say is the world's northernmost point of land and was revealed by shifting pack ice.

The discovery comes as a battle is looming among Arctic nations the United States, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway for control of the North Pole some 700 km (435 miles) to the north and of the surrounding seabed, fishing rights and shipping routes exposed by melting ice due to climate change.

"It was not our intention to discover a new island," polar explorer and head of the Arctic Station research facility in Greenland, Morten Rasch, told Reuters. "We just went there to collect samples."

The scientists initially thought they had arrived at Oodaaq, an island discovered by a Danish survey team in 1978. Only later, when checking the exact location, they realized they had visited another island 780 meters northwest.

"Everybody was happy that we found what we thought was Oodaaq island," said Swiss entrepreneur Christiane Leister, creator of the Leister Foundation that financed the expedition.

"It's a bit like explorers in the past, who thought they'd landed in a certain place but actually found a totally different place."

The small island, measuring roughly 30 meters across and a peak of about three metres, consists of seabed mud as well as moraine -- soil and rock left behind by moving glaciers. The team said they would recommend it is named "Qeqertaq Avannarleq," which means "the northernmost island" in Greenlandic.

Several U.S. expeditions in the area have in recent decades searched for the world's northernmost island. In 2007, Arctic veteran Dennis Schmitt discovered a similar island close by.

Though it was exposed by shifting pack ice, the scientists said the island's appearance now was not a direct consequence of global warming, which has been shrinking Greenland's ice sheet.

Rene Forsberg, professor and head of geodynamics at Denmark's National Space Institute, said the area north of Greenland has some of the thicket polar sea ice, though he added it was now 2-3 metres thick in summer, compared with 4 meters when he first visited as part of the expedition that discovered Oodaaq in 1978.

Any hope of extending territorial claims in the Arctic depends on whether it is in fact an island or a bank that may disappear again. An island need to remain above sea level at high tide.

"It meets the criteria of an island," said Forsberg. "This is currently the world's northernmost land."

But Forsberg, an adviser to the Danish government, said it was unlikely to change Denmark's territorial claim north of Greenland.

"These small island come and go," he said.

The discovery was first reported earlier on Friday by Danish newspaper Weekendavisen.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Greenland expedition discover 'world's northernmost island'"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  The Brunei government has requested for an exemption from the countrys deployment cap on healthcare workers, the Department of Labor and Employment said Sunday.

Labor Attache Melissa Mendizabal of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office said Brunei had sent a request for exemption last year, but it did not materialize. The southeast Asian neighbor sent another request last July, she added.

Mendizabal said Brunei is looking for around 200 nurses and 30 medical doctors.

There are two hospitals here, one government hospital and one private hospital. The salary is comparable to the salary of nurses in Singapore. Nurses receive high take-home pay because of the free accommodation and transportation, she said in a statement.

If they render overtime work, they earn as much as 2,000 Brunei dollars per month, she added.

At present, there are only 900 slots left out of the 6,500-deployment ceiling for healthcare workers.

Mendizabal said there are around 20,000 overseas Filipino workers in Brunei.

Our kababayans will always be the first choice among migrant workers to work there [] At the moment, we are in semi-lockdown, but once we go back to normal, almost all sectors want to hire our OFWs, she said.

However, Mendizabal said there is no chance for permanent residency in Brunei. OFWs are work pass holders only and are being issued visas every two years, she added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  Vice President Leni Robredo has called out the national government to not delay its tripartite agreements with local government units for vaccine procurement amid the spike in new COVID-19 infections.

Pirmahan na... Sana hindi na pahirapan, she said on Sunday during her weekly radio show.

[Translation: Sign them already... Lets not give the LGUs a hard time.]

Robredo said local-level leaders still hope the national government will ink the tripartite deals to secure more vaccines in their respective areas. For instance, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla urged top officials to allow LGUs to buy their own vaccines amid limited supply from the national government.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. previously said pharmaceutical firms have decided to no longer entertain multi-party agreements (MPAs)which excluded LGUs from procurement talks.

READ: Galvez bares some vaccine brands shun tripartite deals, opt to sign with govt only

Galvez, who also heads the National Task Force Against COVID-19, cited the reasons for putting the deals on hold:

- Moderna and AstraZeneca are not accepting vaccine orders through MPAs for the time being;

- Novavax vaccine has yet to receive Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration;

- Sinovac, Pfizer and Sputnik V intend to prioritize the orders of the national government given current supply constraints;

- Bharat Biotechs COVAXIN has yet to secure approval from the Health Technology Assessment Council and the Philippine government is concerned about "potential overpricing issues on the aforesaid vaccine"

- Johnson & Johnson is currently not open to MPAs

The NTF official said LGUs must deal with the fact that vaccine manufacturers have no capacity yet to produce the needed doses for all countries.

During a televised meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte last week, Galvez said the government was not delaying the MPAs.

However, Robredo sees these as excuses, stressing they have no sense of urgency despite the current COVID-19 situation.

She said LGUs have already earmarked funds for COVID-19 vaccines since last year.

RELATED: LIST: LGUs allot funds for COVID-19 vaccination

In January, the Philippine government, about 300 firms, and 39 LGUs signed a tripartite agreement for 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

Galvez said half of the 17 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine procured by the local governments and the private sector will arrive this year, while the rest will be delivered next year.

The vaccine czar earlier appealed to the LGUs to be more patient while the task force ensures that COVID-19 shots are being distributed as equitably as possible.

But Robredo said that while the capital region continues to be flooded with vaccines, many provinces are still in need of more supplies.

"Isipin natin 'yung transmission ay hindi lang sa Metro Manila, all over na," she said.

[Translation: We should think that the transmission is happening not just in Metro Manila, it's now all over the country.]
(CNN)  Anyone who has followed the internal politics of the European Union over the past few years will know that the bloc, which relies on unity and mutual appreciation of rules, has struggled to stay on the same page on several important issues.

Petty spats between the leaders of the EU's political institutions have led to critics saying that those at the top of the Brussels food chain are prioritizing their own careers and personal power over the lives of European citizens.

As the Covid-19 pandemic approaches something resembling its end, and geopolitical challenges -- such as the fallout from the crisis in Afghanistan -- take hold, this open disunity presents the bloc with a series of fundamental problems to which there are no obvious solutions.

First things first: The Union itself is not facing extinction. The EU has remarkable staying power and the self-interest of its member states means there is no real chance of it falling apart any time soon.

What is in question, however, is the Union's long-term purpose and legitimacy.

Last week, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote to the president of the EU Parliament, David Sassoli, declining to act on a resolution that had been passed by a huge majority in the EU's legislative and only publicly elected body.

The Parliament believes that two member states, Hungary and Poland, have violated the EU's rule of law and as such should have central funding halted. The offenses on which this is based range from violating the independence of the judiciary to discriminating against LGBT communities -- both assaults on fundamental cornerstones of EU membership.

Parliament says that the Commission must now apply a regulation that was agreed last year, as the EU negotiated its long-term budget alongside Covid recovery funds. At the time, the regulation -- which ties EU money to obeying the rule of law -- was a priority. The tools at the EU's disposal for punishing member states had proven inadequate.

However, when push came to shove and the two delinquent nations threatened to exercise their veto rights, the regulation was watered down to such an extent that it would require iron-clad evidence that EU funds were being used to violate the rule of law, rather than a broader interpretation of violations occurring in general.

"It's fair to say that after the regulation was agreed, the parties most keen on taking action against Hungary and Poland hoped the Commission would take the political decision to take a broad interpretation," says Ronan McCrea, professor of European law at University College London. "This could be the first sign it will take a more cautious approach."

In the letter, von der Leyen said that Sassoli's letter was not "sufficiently clear and precise" on exactly what violations had taken place, resting on the narrow nature of the "complex assessments" required to enact the regulation.

Parliamentarians who have spent the past few years highlighting abuses are spitting blood at what they see as von der Leyen's complicity with violations.

"It is literally written into the treaties that the Commission is accountable to the Parliament," says Sophie in 't Veld, a Dutch liberal MEP.

She and many of her colleagues and European officials believe that von der Leyen, rather than acting as guardian of the EU's treaties, is acting in the interests of the governments of the EU nations that make up the 27-member EU Council. The more support that von der Leyen can elicit from the member states, the more power she has to ignore the calls of Parliament and work exclusively to her own agenda.

"She is in the job because Parliament gave up on electing its own candidate and rubber-stamped the member states' candidate. She owes them to a certain extent," Veld adds.

Daniel Freund, a German Green MEP, says that it's always "difficult for the commission to go against a member state because they will always need their support down the line." He adds that this might be particularly difficult for von der Leyen because she was elected with a majority that included Hungary and Poland's political leadership -- votes for which she willingly lobbied.

Politicking in Brussels is nothing new, and ardent Europhiles are sick of narrow interests at HQ overshadowing real issues facing the Union.

"So many people working at the EU level become obsessed with arguments over how the EU operates and who should have what power rather than getting on with making the Union fit for the 21st century," says Neale Richmond, an Irish lawmaker who was previously appointed to represent Ireland in Brussels.

"For years now we've been debating the future of Europe and its position on the world stage. We all want a strong, open Europe that is united in promoting liberal values and a world leader on things like climate change and geopolitics. But that won't happen if these petty inter-institutional squabbles keep getting in the way of everything," he adds.

If the EU is to be its best self, its stakeholders at the very least need to believe that all parties are acting in good faith. This has become increasingly hard as the row over the rule of law has rumbled on.

"We have repeatedly seen Hungary block resolutions in the Council on things like human rights in Hong Kong or when fighting erupted in Israel earlier this year, presumably to poke the member states agitating against its own violations in the eye," says Freund. Disunity and inaction on issues like these, of course, somewhat fly in the face of the EU's goal to be a global promoter of democratic values.

And when the stakeholders are distrustful of one another, it can have real-world consequences.

"Previously when the question of refugees fleeing war zones has come up, the 27 member states have been more comfortable dealing with and paying autocrats to host refugees than reaching a sensible deal among themselves," says Veld.

The lack of unity and painful process with which each decision is made means that the EU's woes are often dealt with on an issue-by-issue basis, despite the fact its crises tend to dovetail.

Take the question of Afghan refugees. The EU said last week that it will aid those fleeing the Taliban by supporting regional partners to host refugees. It is also hellbent against repeating the migrant crisis of 2015 when millions traveled to Europe to escape Syria's brutal civil war.

In 2016, the EU gave Turkey -- a regional partner -- cash to host Syrian refugees. Turkey was subsequently able to weaponize those refugees when it became politically convenient to do so. Why? Because member states were reluctant to welcome large numbers of migrants into their countries and in some instances took extreme measures to keep them out.

That migrant crisis played a large part in driving Euroskeptic, populist sentiment across the continent, as well as the victory of the pro-Brexit campaign in the UK in 2016.

Obviously, none of this was good for the EU, and it's far from implausible that the current short-sightedness on Afghanistan could see this repeated.

This might seem a dramatic overreaction to a row between the European Parliament and Commission over whether to act on a resolution. But, as Freund points out, the rule of law debate really does get to the fundamentals of how the EU will face the challenges hurtling towards every corner of the planet: as a united group with a common purpose or a collection of more isolationist nation states.

"The way the row over Hungary and Poland has played is putting the whole EU into question. If member states don't follow the treaties, if the Commission and Council don't punish rule breakers, then what is left of the EU," he asks.

These are questions that the bloc's leadership will need to answer in the coming year, as Europe pieces itself back together after the pandemic, elections in its two biggest countries -- France and Germany -- and attempts to navigate the geopolitical minefield that the past 18 months has left the world in.

If the EU is serious about its ambitions to be a major power on the world stage and -- in light of what's happened in the past fortnight -- step in where America might have previously, it needs all members on the same page and playing by the same rules.

The reality of this latest dilemma, however, is that keeping all 27 member states happy at the same time is a near-impossible balancing act. The longer these divisions exist, the wider the gaps in trust between stakeholders become. And at some point, that distance might become too large for anyone to bridge.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Europe's disunity and lack of trust imperil the continent's future"
(CNN) -- With Covid-19 infections at their highest levels since January and hospitalizations at a level not seen since the winter surge, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending indoor masking even for vaccinated people. While new studies show that the Covid-19 vaccines continue to provide excellent protection against severe disease, the data suggest there may be decreased protection against the Delta variant.

There are many people who are fully vaccinated and want to be responsible members of society. They are wondering, what can and should they continue to do? What about getting together with friends, dining indoors, and going to the gym? Can vaccinated grandparents still get together with their unvaccinated grandchildren?

To help answer these questions, we spoke with CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She's also author of a new book, "Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health."

CNN: How should people be thinking differently about risk given the rise in infections and new research?

Dr. Leana Wen: In terms of processing where we are right now, I think people should keep two things in mind. First, most parts of the United States have substantial or high Covid-19 transmission, as defined by the CDC. We need to think about the vaccine as a very good raincoat. If it's drizzling outside  if the level of infection isn't very high  the vaccines will protect very well. But if it's a constant thunderstorm, then there's a higher chance of getting wet. A vaccinated person is at higher risk when surrounded by a lot of people who could be infected with Covid-19, and that's what occurring throughout the US right now.

Second, we are entering a phase in the pandemic where nearly all activities will have some level of risk. People need to decide for themselves what risk they are comfortable with by considering their household's medical circumstances and the value of the activity to them.

If everyone in your household is fully vaccinated and generally healthy, you might be willing to take on more risk. You might conclude that even if a breakthrough infection were to happen, it would probably be mild, and you are OK with taking on that risk in order to continue your pre-pandemic activities. Someone else could decide that, because they live at home with unvaccinated younger children or immunocompromised family members, they want to be more cautious.

I think that both options are equally reasonable. The vast majority of the spread of Covid-19 is by people who are unvaccinated. Vaccinated people are not a threat to public health, and they should be able to exercise their own judgment about what activities are safe enough for them.

CNN: Let's go through the risk of specific activities. What's the risk of indoor dining?

Wen: Indoor dining in a restaurant definitely has more risk than dining outdoors. What that risk is depends on several factors. For starters, what's the space configuration in the restaurant? A very crowded, poorly ventilated setting will have higher risk than a venue in which you could spread out from other diners.

Also, who are you dining with? If everyone in your party is known to be fully vaccinated, and these are the only people who will be near you, that is a safer scenario than if members of your own party are unvaccinated. I'd also look at the rate of virus transmission in your community. The lower the rate, the potentially safer it is.

CNN: How about going to the gym?

Wen: Again, that depends on the circumstances. If you're using the elliptical or weight machines, and no one is close to you, then it's pretty safe. If you're attending outdoor gym classes, the risk is also low. But if you're going to, say, a high intensity exercise class where a lot of people are breathing heavily, near one another, and you don't know whether they are vaccinated, the risk is substantially higher.

CNN: Would you travel?

Wen: The risk of air travel is pretty low and can be reduced further if you are wearing a high-quality mask like an N95 or KN95. The bigger concern is what happens once you get to your destination, as I addressed in this CNN Q&A.

CNN: What about a private gathering with friends where everyone is vaccinated? Would it be OK to continue dinner parties and other indoor get-togethers?

Wen: That will certainly be a lot lower risk than if the same people were together, but they were unvaccinated. A CDC study this week found that those who are unvaccinated have five times the rate of getting Covid-19 than the vaccinated (and a 29-times higher likelihood of being hospitalized or dying from coronavirus).

A lot of vaccinated people would feel comfortable with the level of risk in this situation. Again, it's not zero, but it's fairly low. That's particularly true if the other people at the gathering have a similar level of risk tolerance to you and are otherwise not engaging in high-risk activities  for example, if they always wear masks when in indoor public spaces and if they avoid higher-risk exposures such as crowded bars and restaurants.

CNN: Last fall and winter, people formed pandemic pods. Would you recommend doing this again?

Wen: For some people, yes, I would. There are many people who really want to minimize the chance of having a breakthrough infection. That includes individuals who have underlying medical conditions, where a breakthrough infection that's mild for someone else could land them in the hospital. Others might be pretty healthy themselves, but don't want to be asymptomatic carriers who could transmit Covid-19 to their vulnerable family members. People in similar situations, who have a similar approach when it comes to caution in their lives, could decide to form a pandemic pod with one another. They could decide to socialize only others in the same pod indoors.

My family has done this with another family that has young, unvaccinated children. That makes childcare, carpooling and playdates easier. I'd also advise others to consider the level of caution other households have before deciding to get together indoors with them. When in doubt, get together outdoors only.

CNN: Can vaccinated grandparents still be getting together with their unvaccinated grandchildren?

Wen: Yes. I'd advise grandparents who are concerned about transmitting Covid-19 to their unvaccinated grandchildren can choose to reduce their own risk in the three to five days prior to seeing their grandkids. They could refrain from indoor get-togethers with others during this period, and, if they want to be extra safe, I'd suggest that they get tested just before seeing their grandkids.

My advice is the same the other way around, for the grandkids, if grandparents are particularly vulnerable. The grandkids can always make sure to wear masks indoors around others in the three to five days prior to getting together and then getting tested before the reunion.

If all of this is too much, consider seeing one another outdoors only. Outdoors remains much safer than indoors. And, of course, if there are any individuals age 12 and above who are not yet vaccinated, they should do so as soon as possible, to protect them and others around them.

This story was first published on CNN.com "What's the risk of indoor dining if you're fully vaccinated? Here's what one expert says".
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
(CNN) -- The US Food and Drug Administration blocked the sale of more 55,000 flavored e-cigarette products Thursday, its first ban of e-cigarette products since it began requiring makers to apply for premarket review last September.

The FDA issued marketing denial orders for the electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products, saying they pose a public health threat to youth in the US. Of the more than 55,000 products impacted by the decision, those not yet being sold may not be introduced into the market, and those already on the market must be removed or risk enforcement.

Advocates complained the action did not cover big name products such as Juul, but the agency said more decisions are coming.

"Ensuring new tobacco products undergo an evaluation by the FDA is a critical part of our aim to reduce tobacco-related disease and death," said Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock. "We know that flavored tobacco products are very appealing to young people, therefore assessing the impact of potential or actual youth use is a critical factor in our decision-making about which products may be marketed."

Though e-cigarette products are often marketed as tools to help adults quit smoking cigarettes, health experts have been sounding the alarm for years over an alarming uptick in use among children and teens.

US e-cigarette sales rose by nearly 300% between November 2016 and August 2019, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 20% of high schoolers and almost 5% of middle schoolers reported using vape products in 2020, according to research published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Many point to the sweet flavors and flashy packaging of these products as proof that companies know exactly who they are marketing to.

The non-tobacco, flavored e-cigarette products impacted by Thursday's decision -- which include flavors, like Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal -- are made by three companies: JD Nova Group LLC, Great American Vapes and Vapor Salon.

Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the decision is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough.

"The FDA's action covers just a fraction of the more than 6.5 million tobacco products for which the FDA has received marketing applications, and it does not include any e-cigarette brands with a significant market share or that are most popular with kids, such as Juul, the number one youth brand," Myers told CNN in a statement.

The FDA said it's making its way through those applications, submitted by 500 companies by the September 2020 deadline for deemed new tobacco products to apply for pre-market review.

The agency is tasked with determining whether these products "have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products."

"Flavored ENDS products are extremely popular among youth, with over 80% of e-cigarette users between ages 12 through 17 using one of these products," said Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. "Companies who want to continue to market their flavored ENDS products must have robust and reliable evidence showing that their products' potential benefit for adult smokers outweighs the significant known risk to youth."

In February 2020, the Trump administration enacted a "flavor ban," establishing that the Food and Drug Administration would prioritize enforcement against flavored, cartridge-based vaping products.

Because disposable vapes, some e-liquids, and tobacco and menthol flavored products were exempted from the policy, health experts expressed concern that it would simply redirect users to those available products.

"In 2020, over one million middle and high school students used menthol e-cigarettes, including 44.5% of youth who used flavored, pre-filled cartridge products like Juul," Myers said.

The FDA's decision is "not a substitute for comprehensive action to eliminate all flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products that are popular with and widely used by kids," he added.

The FDA noted the scientific review of menthol e-cigarettes, as opposed to other non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes, raises "unique considerations."

While menthol products were not included in Thursday's decision, the FDA's evaluation of those applications will consider the same question: Does the benefit to adult users outweigh the risk to youth?

This story was first published on CNN.com "FDA blocks sale of 55,000 flavored e-cigarette products".
The new car, Prusinski said, was a reward to himself after a health scare caused him to abruptly quit smoking.

Instead of buying a pack of cigarettes, I bought a car, he said.

Will Conger of Long Island, New York, said he bought his 1981 Corvette in July and spent the last month doing restoration work in preparation for the show.

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I want bragging rights. I dont want to write someone else a check, Conger said. I enjoyed it very much. I just enjoy working on these cars.

Conger also observed that some of the energy in car shows this year is coming from folks who have spent the last 18 months of the pandemic with few available activities other than cars.

During COVID, how many people were in their shops because they had nothing else to do? Conger said, noting that the price of restorable project cars has increased rapidly during the pandemic. In the years to come, I think theres going to be a lot of new activity.
However, Corman said Mastriano issued those demands without approval from the Senate Republican caucus and, in recent days, stripped Mastriano of his authority and handed it off to a different caucus member.

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On Monday, Corman told a pro-Trump show host that the Senate can bring people in, we can put them under oath, right? We can subpoena records and thats what we need to do, and thats what were going to do.

He also has said Senate Republicans want access to voting machines, and they will go to court to help secure that access.

Corman also suggested that ballots would be compared to lists of who voted, while seemingly giving credence to right-wing conspiracy theories that dead people voted.

We need to get the voter rolls, we need to get the ballots, things of that nature, so we can match them up to see who voted, where were they living, were they alive, all those sort of things, Corman said on the pro-Trump Wendy Bell Radio program.

When will it start?

Corman had said hearings would begin this past week.
Albania aims to shelter all the evacuees in hotels instead of camps to give them a sense of normalcy.

Albania was among the first countries to offer housing to Afghans who have worked with U.S. and NATO forces and others fearing revenge following the Taliban takeover.

The Afghans in Albania come from different backgrounds, including activists and university staff, and include children.



MADRID  The U.S. Embassy in Spain says that a third flight sent by American forces to Spain has arrived at the Rota military base.

The flight arrived early Sunday with 220 evacuees from Afghanistan.



KABUL, Afghanistan  The U.S. State Department is urging all Americans in the vicinity of the Afghanistans Kabul airport to leave the area immediately because of a specific, credible threat.

The warning early Sunday morning says U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time. It specifically noted the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport.

A suicide bombing at the airport on Thursday killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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RICHMOND  The state board that oversees workplace pandemic safety rules recently agreed to a slate of revisions, approving new language that will allow businesses to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance in lieu of state regulations.

The change was recommended by Gov. Ralph Northam at the urging of the business community and opposed by many worker advocates.

The science has outpaced Virginias permanent standard throughout the pandemic, said Nicole Riley, director of the Virginia chapter of the National Federation for Independent Business. She said she was speaking on behalf of the Virginia Business Coalition, which represents 34 business associations throughout the state. We do continue to believe that a static, one-size-fits-all recommendation doesnt fit.

Virginia was the first state in the country to institute workplace safety rules last summer. The rules give state inspectors the authority to investigate and discipline businesses that fail to take steps to protect their employees from COVID-19. The move came after national labor groups unsuccessfully pushed the Trump administration to adopt a federal standard.
However, in a response filed Aug. 20, Fields counsel wrote that the part of the jury instruction requested by the defendants directly contradicts information they have obtained in hundreds of thousands of documents from a myriad of sources.

The response further argues that Fields refusal to answer interrogatories or requests for admission is allowed via his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

According to Fields counsel, years of discovery, hundreds of thousands of documents and multiple criminal investigations have failed to show that Fields planned the rally or communicated with any of the co-defendants.

It will be evident at trial that Fields was an attendee of the rally and nothing more, the response reads. Yet plaintiffs ask this court to instruct the jury to the contrary.

Fields was convicted in Charlottesville Circuit Court in December 2018 of 10 charges, including the first-degree murder of Heyer, after he traveled from his Ohio home to the rally and then drove his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of counter-protesters after the Aug. 12, 2017, rally was broken up by police. He was sentenced in July 2019 to life in prison plus 419 years and ordered to pay $480,000 in fines.
The point is to bring the veterans and their families in contact with the different organizations that are available throughout the county and the state so they can meet them and see whats available to them, Schuett said.

More than 20 organizations were on hand Sunday, including Blue Star Families of Central Virginia, a group that sends care packages to service members from the area who are deployed and local Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

New to this years event was the Albemarle County JROTC program, which started a year ago at Monticello High School but is open to high school students throughout the county school division.

First Sgt. David Wilcox said attending the event was a way to give back to veterans.

And for these young men and ladies to see what veterans in Charlottesville did for them, he said.

Seas the Day also helped to spread the word about the JROTC program.

So far, about 37 students have signed up. Wilcox said starting the program over Zoom was challenging but having in-person classes this year is already helping. Classes in Albemarle County started last week, and Wilcox said hes slowly getting to know the students and figuring out uniforms.
RICHMOND  Colleges throughout Virginia announced vaccine mandates this summer, seemingly requiring all of their on-campus students to be immunized against COVID-19. Thirty-one colleges in the state have done so, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

When Virginia Commonwealth University announced its decision in June, it said all students who come to campus would have to be vaccinated.

But there are loopholes that allow some unvaccinated students to attend in-person classes and live in residential facilities, in addition to the students who were granted medical or religious exemptions. As the first week of college classes come to a close, its clear that some vaccine mandates are being treated by schools more like recommendations.

At VCU, the administration isnt removing students who dont comply. At the University of Richmond, a student can ask for an exemption based on a strongly held personal belief. At Virginia Union University, it is unclear if the university is checking students vaccination status.

A loophole goes against the spirit of the requirement that students be vaccinated, Del. Mark Keam, D-Fairfax, said when asked about the topic last week. Keam is head of the House subcommittee for higher education.
New presidents often are confronted with crises and major tests abroad in their first year. George W. Bush faced his after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Today Joe Biden seems overwhelmed by the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Other presidents

In 1945, Harry Truman had to decide whether to use the atom bomb against Japan or risk the lives of half a million troops invading its home islands. He decided to use atom bombs on two Japanese cities, and the war quickly ended.

In 1953, Dwight Eisenhower faced a stalemated war in Korea, with mounting U.S. casualties. He threatened China with atomic weapons, and the fighting soon ended in a cease-fire.

John Kennedy tried in early 1961 to overthrow the Castro regime in Cuba by using a CIA-trained Cuban invasion force. This resulted in total disaster at the Bay of Pigs, and Kennedy accepted full responsibility.

In 1964, Lyndon Johnson inherited a communist insurgency in South Vietnam. He decided to send a force of half-a-million men to Vietnam, but by 1968 this had met with failure and he decided not to seek re-election.
Doctors say the efficacy of these treatments is up for debate, and the FDA cautions against their use.

Theres no treatment (for COVID-19) that we can say, with confidence, that this works, said Dr. Aaron Whitten, Good Samaritans ICU pharmacist.

The one medical procedure they can say, with confidence, does work to protect against COVID are the vaccines available from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Despite this, their use has become a political statement rather than a piece of medical advice with millions of data points to support it.

I just pumped five different kinds of antibiotics into you and you didnt ask what was in any of them, Knight recalls thinking of some of these patients. Its, unfortunately, become so politicized.

Data released by the Oregon Health Authority as well as comments from doctors, show that the overwhelming majority of patients in the hospital with COVID are unvaccinated, especially in the ICU. And there are no persons in any local ICU because of adverse reactions to a COVID vaccine. Its a relatively simple reality that healthcare professionals say is being overlooked.

From the people who dont do what I do  I see a gigantic disconnect between the reality we see and what people think the reality is politically, said Knight. Its kind of a slap in the face. We know what were seeing. You cant try to gaslight us into believing otherwise.

Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn.

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Festival

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Fall festivals grapple with variant, but most plan to push on

DRC file photo Children pet a long-haired dachshund during the Spokesdog of Denton competition at Dog Days of Denton in October 2018. DRC file photo People dance during a performance by Brave Combo to close out the 2019 Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. The free outdoor festival is still slated to happen this fall. DRC file photo Two-time Grammy-winning Denton band Brave Combo performs on April 28, 2019, to close out Denton Arts & Jazz Festival.

Most of Dentons fall events will roll out as planned with officials asking attendees for kindness, sources say. But one popular fall festival has pulled the plug on its 2021 event, citing fears of spreading the COVID-19 viruss delta variant.

Which events are still on? The North Texas Fair and Rodeo wraps this weekend. Arts & Autos, Dog Days of Denton and the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival will happen in September and October.

Organizers of Dentons Day of the Dead Festival, though, voted Thursday night to cancel the event for a second year in a row. It was scheduled for the last Saturday in October.

Founder and festival director David Pierce said the decision was driven by projections for fall coronavirus infections in North Texas, but hes also the father of a 4-year-old, who is too young to be vaccinated.

Organizers had been planning to host the event, a free family festival that celebrates the hallmarks of fall in the Southwest, until this week, when Denton County Public Health Director Matt Richardson cautioned county commissioners that county hospitals had four ICU beds left and that nurses are still scarce.

I think, for me, its about following the data and the science, Pierce said.

When a board member shared a model of COVID-19 infections and predictions by UT Southwestern Medical Center, Pierce and the board were troubled by data that showed the fastest-growing group of hospitalizations in Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties is the 0-17 age group.

I was at a local hospital with my dad earlier this week and spoke to different nurses about their reality, Pierce said. The nurses said fall festivals will hurt North Texas, not help.

Other festival organizers said they are watching trends as well as local, state and national guidelines regarding coronavirus. But they hope that a mix of messaging, planning and open spaces will keep attendees safe.

Christine Gossett, executive director of Denton Main Street, said Arts & Autos will happen as planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11.

Gossett said organizers will ask attendees to wear masks, but wont require them since the event is outdoors.

We are asking people to have a mask on them and to use them if they go into the businesses that require them, Gossett said.

The event will have hand sanitizer at the ready, and an outside hand-washing station for chalk art contestants and anyone else who needs to wash up.

What we did at Twilight Tunes, thats what were going to do for Arts & Autos, Gossett said. We had signs, and we had the VIP area sectioned off. We dont have that kind of setting for this event. Theyre walking around, looking at the cars. We have moved our silent auction out of the courthouse, and you have to wear masks in the courthouse if you use the restrooms inside.

The vendor booths will be set up with additional space between them, and the cars and motorcycles have always been carefully spaced out around the Courthouse on the Square.

The people with the cars, they dont like to be set up where a car door can swing open and hit their car, of course, Gossett said.

While the Denton Main Street board is watching the news and data regarding the coronavirus, Gossett said organizers are hoping for the best.

We understand just from doing the events we did last year that now everyone is aware of the risks, Gossett said. If youre feeling sick, dont come. We want everyone to have a good time and spread out. The good thing is that our downtown is big enough to do this.

Brooke Moore, who heads up the Denton Parks Foundation, said Dog Days of Denton and the Splish Splash Doggie Bash have been planned with safety in mind. Both events are also from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11. The doggie bash will be at Denton Civic Center Pool, and Dog Days will be in Quakertown Park between the pool and the Denton Senior Center.

In the pool area, well have a counter so we dont have too many people in the pool at the same time, Moore said. Were having our vendors spread out, tent to tent, so there will be space. There will be seating available and spread out.

The foundation leadership will encourage attendees to socially distance.

Were selling VIPaw tickets to get into the pool party, Moore said. We will encourage people to wear masks and will ask them to wear masks in the restroom because its city property, and youre supposed to wear masks inside in city buildings.

VIPaw tickets cost $15 and are available at www.dentondogdays.com.

Quakertown Park will also be the site of the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival on Oct. 1-3.

Kevin Lechler, assistant director of the Denton Festival Foundation, said the board is following the data on COVID-19.

We are cautiously moving forward with a careful eye on the current rise in cases and making adjustments to the layout to eliminate and minimize any indoor crowds, Lechler said. We will be encouraging the wearing of masks and will have masks and sanitizer available for the public.

Carl Finch, the frontman and founder of Brave Combo, said he decided to book the band for the festival because the band members have been taking precautions and the festival is outdoors. The polka band always closes down the jazz festival with a high-energy show.

Every member of Brave Combo is fully vaccinated, Finch said.

I have, by design, not booked anything for the fall indoors, fully thinking that those gigs just werent going to happen, he said. I pretty much have turned down everything where the band is too close to the audience. Outdoors, though, were still 10 to 15 feet away from the crowd.

Finch said he and his band members have confidence in the science regarding the virus.

When I was a kid, we had to eat sugar cubes for polio or smallpox or something, he said. This isnt new. I believe in science. It was never a question for any of us.

Finch said he has mixed feelings about the audience. Brave Combo audiences arent a great example of social distancing. People dance, link arms and sing-shout along to the music. When the band breaks into its crowd pleasers The Hokey Pokey and The Chicken Dance, the crowd shows how a live concert can become a contact sport.

Part of me feels like I should take this really high ground and say, I cant participate in any of this. Count me out, Finch said. But if you do that, what are you accomplishing? That came into play in the spring. These were all indoor things, and we could tell, Wow, this isnt very safe. If its outdoors, then I really do have to say the responsibility is on them. I cant take that on myself.

Organizers said they hope attendees will be friendly and thoughtful.

Were asking everyone to be kind, Gossett said. Its been a tough year. If stuff changes, well have everything on our website.

Pierce said canceling Day of the Dead felt like the kindest decision for the community.

If last year showed us anything, Pierce said, its that we all need to be proactive and not reactive to potential superspreader events.

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The body of a 5-year-old boy was discovered in a ravine in Fraser on Wednesday, one month after he died in San Antonio, according to police documents.

The boy has been identified as Domenic Patrick Aguilar-Acevedo. His mother and her boyfriend were arrested in Florida last week in connection to his death.

Nickolle Christina Aguilar, 25, and Daniel Garcia, 26, are being held on charges of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury-death.

According to arrest warrants, Aguilar said her son died in a San Antonio hotel on July 25 after he became sick and threw up. Aguilar said her boyfriend, Garcia, threw the boy against a wall causing him to throw up the night before his death.

Aguilar later told police that Garcia severely physically abused the boy for several weeks leading up to his death.

Neither of the suspects sought medical treatment for the boy after he became ill. Aguilar said she did not try to get help because she and Garcia were worried about losing custody of their other children, the warrant said.

After the boy died, Aguilar and Garcia drove his body to Colorado and buried him at a campsite near Rocky Mountain National Park, the warrant said. The couple then fled to Mexico and later to Costa Rica.

Aguilars mother tracked Aguilar down in Costa Rica and confronted her on Aug. 16, asking her what happened to the boy. Aguilar told her mother what happened and the mother contacted authorities, the warrant said.

After Aguilar confirmed what happened to police, officials searched the campsite near Rocky Mountain National Park on Wednesday and found the boys body down a ravine near Fraser.

The Larimer County Medical Examiners Office performed an autopsy on the body. Though results regarding the cause of death are still pending, the autopsy found evidence of trauma and post-mortem animal activity.

Aguilar and Garcia are in custody in Miami. They will likely be extradited to San Antonio to face formal charges.
Congressional Democrats have responded to the Republican efforts to make it harder to vote by approving legislation earlier this week that would restore sections of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bill would require the Justice Department to once again police changes to voting laws in states with a history of restricting the vote, a practice that was put on hold by the Supreme Court in 2013.

But unless Democrats make changes to the Senate procedural rules, passage of the bill, as well as a separate measure that would establish national election standards, remains unlikely.

In a video posted on Twitter earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris urged Congress to pass legislation that she said was needed to push back against Republicans in Texas, Florida and other states.

The country is changing. The demographics are changing. And (Republicans) think that if they dont get ahead of it and suppress the vote, they aint gonna have a say in it, said Ken Jones, 72, of Atlanta, who traveled to Washington with his wife, Paula, to attend the rally.
We understand people are tired, Mizner said. We understand people are frustrated with the pandemic, we understand there is a lot going on here. We just want them to draw on their better selves to care about the kids in their communities who are most at risk and really need their help at protecting them.

Schools already have plenty of restrictions aimed at protecting the health of kids. Rules against peanuts are a good example, said Ruth Colker, a law professor at Ohio State University and a disability-law expert.

Those rules are aimed at protecting kids with potentially fatal peanut allergies that can be triggered by particles in the air. Similarly, the argument goes, kids especially vulnerable to COVID-19 need everyone to wear masks so they dont get sick.

They need the people around them not to be spreading the particles of peanuts, Colker said. COVID is just like peanuts. In fact, is more contagious.
I am very happy. I am very happy that it is happening, he said.

None of it would not have been possible without his longtime friend, Brenda Boulton.

Nelson and Boulton met 20 years ago in Grenada, where they were brought together by a mutual interest in sailboats.

Boulton, 81, of Gulf Breeze, loves to sail. The older shes gotten, the less of it shes been able to do, but there was once was a time when Boulton sailed from Gulf Breeze down to Grenada at least once a year.

Usually wed go sometime after Christmas until sometime after June when hurricane season is over down there, Boulton said.

On one of her trips, Boulton hired Nelson to help fix her boat, and they became fast friends, staying in touch through the years. Nelson and his family would even visit Gulf Breeze occasionally to see Boulton.

In the past several years, those trips have slowed down, so it wasnt until recently that Boulton learned her good friends daughter had brachial plexus birth palsy.

When I learned about it through Mike and his sister, I knew I had to try to do something to help, Boulton said.
New Hanoi campus to be diplomatic emblem in Vietnam: US embassy

The design of the new U.S. Embassy campus in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy

The new embassy represents a significant milestone in the U.S. diplomatic relationship with Vietnam, according to the U.S. Embassy.

The new campus would ensure the U.S. diplomacy platform in Hanoi is "positioned to support and be a symbol of cooperation, friendship, and progress," said the embassy.

The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment to lease a land lot to build a new campus in the presence of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Vietnams Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and Hanoi Chairman Chu Ngoc Anh.

The signing ceremony took place while Harris paid an official visit to Vietnam as the first sitting U.S. vice president ever to have officially visited the country.

Vietnam and the U.S. reached an agreement on the current new embassy site in 2019.

Earlier this year, the Hanoi government granted approval for the U.S. to lease the site, issuing a land lease decision for 99 years for the campus to go up on a 3.2-hectare (8-acre) lot.

The design of the campus, costing $1.2 billion and located in Hanois Cau Giay District, is inspired by Ha Long Bay, a top global tourist destination in northern Vietnam. It is further inspired by the agricultural traditions of farming and rice production, as seen in the landforms from Vietnams Mekong and Red River delta regions and the sites own history as a rice paddy during the early 2000s.

The embassy said the project would "portray the forward-looking, reflective, and transparent approach to U.S. diplomacy" while its design "would become a concrete symbol of the important relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam."

The new campus would "demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability and climate resilience" as a healthy and energy-efficient interior will be ensured by using sustainable materials that feature recycled content, low embodied carbon, and low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), a U.S. government agency that directs the worldwide overseas building program for the Department of State and the department itself will guarantee the project to meet high environmental and sustainability standards.

The OBO is responsible for overseeing site selection, design, construction, move-in, and facilities management of the campus while EYP Architecture & Engineering based in Washington, D.C. is the architect, working with a diverse team of experts to provide the latest in design and engineering methods.

A major goal of the design team is to incorporate both U.S. and Vietnamese design elements, including works by American, Vietnamese, and Vietnamese-American artists.

With site selection and planning completed, a ground-breaking ceremony will take place "at an appropriate time in the future," said the embassy.
Vietnamese naval personnel celebrate after completing the use of rescue equipment competition at the 2021 Army Games in Vladivostok, Russia, August 27, 2021. Photo by the People's Army newspaper

The Vietnamese combat ship team was ranked second in the Sea Cup contest of the 2021 Army Games behind Russia, the People's Army newspaper reports.

On Saturday, the Vietnamese Navy team participated in the use of rescue equipment stage, the final one of the Sea Cup.

Entering the final stage, Vietnam and Russia were jointly ranked first. The contest ended with Vietnam winning the Sea Cup silver medal, behind Russia and ahead of China.

Vietnam had earlier shared first rank with Russia at the ship damage control stage, and ranked second in naval skills behind Russia, also ahead of China.

This year was the first time that Vietnam was sending its vessels to participate in the Sea Cup. It was one of seven contestants, the others being Russia, China, Azerbaijan, Iran, Myanmar and Kazakhstan.

The 2021 Army Games, hosted by Russia, is being held from August 22 to September 4. A total of 260 teams from 45 countries and territories are participating in the event, competing in 34 competitions.
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Nevada will receive $1.58 billion in total  a massive windfall considering it spends roughly $3.3 billion in state and local funds annually on K-12 education. The funds dwarf the additional $85 million that the state expects to collect annually from a mining tax hike passed in May after years of debate. And they come amid a sea change in education funding, two years after the state changed the complex formula for how it distributes funds to schools.

Unlike states that have funneled dollars to upgrade their air quality systems, bolster charter schools or fix crumbling ceilings, Nevada has spent months collecting input on how to spend the money. School districts must submit spending plans to the state by Sept. 10.

The Nevada Department of Education outlined priorities it hopes districts address as they design plans in a document it submitted to the federal education department last month. It directs officials to use the funds toward efforts including to close opportunity gaps for underserved students, expand access to technology, and enable distance learning.

Nationwide, some districts will receive sums amounting to 50% or more of the cost to operate their schools for a year. The median aid allocated to districts was about $2,800 per student, but it varies widely by district and state, according to the APs analysis.
That's why that fire is so complex, because in every direction there are significant risks, he said, adding that it's right in the back door of communities on the west side.

The Caldor Fire is one of nearly 90 large blazes in the U.S. Many are in the West, burning trees and brush desiccated by drought. Climate change has made the region warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.

In California, 14 active, large fires are being fought by more than 15,200 firefighters. Fires have destroyed around 2,000 structures and forced thousands to evacuate in the state this year while blanketing large swaths of the West in unhealthy smoke.

The Caldor Fire has continued to grow, but not as explosively as its early days when it ravaged the community of Grizzly Flat. Ongoing tallies have counted 469 homes and 11 commercial properties destroyed, along with many smaller structures.

In the Lake Tahoe area, visitation began to drop when Highway 50, the major route to the south end, closed and again when a Dierks Bentley concert was canceled, according to Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, which promotes tourism to the south side.
Texas has always given 26 weeks of jobless assistance historically. However, when the global pandemic burst in April 2020 with most of workplaces closed, unemployment rates grew violently over 12.8% becoming states highest rate since 1986 when it nearly topped 10%. The concern on how the pandemic was going to affect the residents finances triggered Gov. Greg Abbott to pass extended benefits of up to 13 additional weeks during periods of unemployment which surpass a 6.5 per cent threshold.

Nevertheless, with the current states unemployment rate falling below the threshold, at 6.2 per cent, according to the US Department of Labor, there is no need to continue with the extension.

Payments to end mid-September

Since last summer when numbers surpassed the 6.5 per cent required for extended benefits to kick-in, residents could qualify for a maximum of 52 weeks of federal jobless aid plus the extended benefits. However, the last payment will officially finish 11 September, as reported by the Workforce Commission, causing thousands of people whos only source of income are unemployment benefits, struggle to pay their bills.

I've got a month to just try to figure out what I'm going to do because since Im an independent contractor on unemployment, it's not a case of I'm just losing the $300 federal benefit, Uber driver Glen Bird said. Im going to be without any source of income, unless I can drum something up really fast.

Jobs increased by 60 per cent

Abbotts decision of cutting unemployment benefits, which is 50 percent funded by federal government, comes after multiple Republican critics, alleging aids just serves as a disincentive for people not to look for a job. Texas governor claimed new jobs have increased by 60 per cent a million more  compared to February 2020, with lots of employers seeking jobless people to work for them earning above the minimum wage.

This statement was followed by the Workforce Commission statement, which stated that roughly around 76 per cent of posted jobs pay over $11.50 an hour of work.

How many receive Jobless payments in Texas?

While claims received by the commission escalated to 9.5 million since mid-March, no certain number of Texans who benefit from unemployment aid was specified by the Texas Workforce Commission. However, the latest data released by University of Texas at Austin reveal an approximated figure of 344,000 Texans were receiving payments through the PUA program as of 30 April.

Gov. Abbot's decision has increased critics disapproval among some residents, which say desperate Texans shouldnt have to pick between getting into a job as soon as possible that doesn't fully fill their needs or subsisting with $1,200 less, which for many families is an lifeline for food and a roof over their head every month.

Lots of unemployed Texans claim they are still facing difficulties in getting into any job, including those which pay less than what they need to earn to pay bills and are relying on federal unemployment to pay for basic needs.
Headlines

- First batch of California's $600 Golden State stimulus checks are heading out the door today. (Full story)

- Some states will be sending their own stimulus checks in September. (Which ones?)

- Florida judge rules that the state will not be required to reinstate unemployment benefits. (Full story)

- State leaders in Texas announce that they will not be extending unemployment benefits passed September 6th. (Full Story)

- Millions in the US are still waiting for their tax refund. (Full story)

- Federal unemployment benefits are set to end on 6 September, but will New York state and others continue the payments? (Full story)

- California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces that the second round of Golden State Stimulus checks will be sent in the coming week. (Full story)

Useful information / links

- Third Child Tax Credit payment will be sent on 15 September, when is the last day to opt-out? (Details)

- How many more payments for the Child Tax Credit will be sent this year? (Details)

- What's the proposal in Congress to regulate tax preparers? (Details)

- What pandemic programs will remain once extra unemployment benefits end? (More info)

- Key information on SNAP eligibility as well as a brief history of the program. (More info)

- When should I contact the IRS if my tax refund hasn't arrived? (More info)

Take a look at some of our related news articles:
Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law his $100 billion California Comeback Plan, which includes another round of Golden States Stimulus checks. The proposal initiated by Newsom aims to stimulate the economy and provide support for struggling residents. The payments also come as the governor faces a recall election 17 September.

In announcing the news, Newsom said: Harnessing the largest surplus in state history, were making transformative investments across the board that will help bring all our communities roaring back from the pandemic  and pay dividends for generations to come,

Who is eligible to receive a Golden State Stimulus Check?

The bill is the second time this year that both chambers in California have approved a round of stimulus checks. The first part of a stimulus bill passed in February sent $600 to low-income residents who earn less than $30,000 per year and other groups, such as immigrant, who were left out of federal stimulus programs.

The bill enacted in July will send a $600 check to all those in the state with an income of $75,000 a year or less. Those who received a check during the first round are ineligible to receive another $600 payment. However two groups, adults with dependents and undocumented families, will be able to claim one additional $500 check. You can check exactly how much your household will receive by using the Golden State Stimulus II Amount online tool.

The total cost of the direct payments is valued at around $8 billion and is one of the key measures Newsom proposed in his California Comeback Plan. He described it as an important move to address the inequities laid bare by the pandemic, expanding our support for Californians facing the greatest hardships.

Newsom aims to provide support for "low-income Californians"

On 28 June, the state legislature extended the states eviction moratorium to 30 September 2021. That bill also ensures that California quickly uses the more than $5 billion in federal rental assistance to help the states tenants and small landlords." The Supreme Court ruling that ended the federal eviction moratorium does not affect the one in California.

This legislation makes changes to California housing law and allows for rental assistance to cover the entirety of the cost for both rent that is past due and prospective payments for both tenants and landlords. The funds will be targeted to areas that have seen critical losses in income, which have in turn led to unsustainable amounts of outstanding rental payments.

After the passage of the bill, Newsom reiterated the huge toll that the economic crisis caused by covid-19 has had on many low-income Californians, tenants and small landlords alike. During his remarks, he also thanked the legislature for their work to pass the bill which he described as the nations largest and most comprehensive rental assistance package.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Cao Phong highlighted the significance of the victory of the August Revolution in 1945 and the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam now).

The ambassador underlined that despite difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese economy has still maintained positive growth, showing the confidence of foreign investors in the country.





Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Cao Phong addresses the event (Photo: VNA)

From a poor country, Vietnam has become one of the 16 most successful emerging economies in the world with a rising position in the world arena, he noted.

Phong highly valued the support from foreign friends and international organisations during the countrys cause of national construction and defence as well as COVID-19 prevention and control at present.

He expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue to receive more assistance in vaccines as well as support in promoting production and import-export of medical equipment and medicine.

For his part, Paul Thoppil, Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia-Pacific at Global Affairs Canada, affirmed his countrys unshakable solidarity with Vietnam, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada has recently donated 3.5 million CAD (2.77 million USD) to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, he said, adding that the country is working to increase global vaccine access through the COVAX Facility.

Highlighting the diverse partnership between Canada and Vietnam, he noted that since 1990, Canada has provided 1.7 billion CAD to socio-economic development programmes in Vietnam.

Trade between Vietnam and Canada rose 12.9 percent in 2020 and 38.5 percent in the first sixth months of 2021. Vietnam and Canada are expanding cooperation in climate change response, sustainable development and green growth. Businesses of both nations are also seeking partnership in digital economy and green energy.

At the event, the embassy raised 18,000 CAD (14,000 USD) from the Vietnamese community in Canada for Vietnam's COVID-19 vaccine fund.

On August 28, the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia also held a ceremony to celebrate the country's 76th National Day.

Ambassador Tran Viet Thai said that despite complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the homeland, the Party and State have paid great attention to the Vietnamese community abroad and in Malaysia in particular by bringing them home and providing them with medical equipment and finance.

The diplomat pledged to continue to accompany the community to overcome the pandemic. The embassy will make more trips to Vietnamese-inhabited areas to help them deal with their problems, he said.

At the event, Vietnamese businesses in Malaysia donated 25,000 RM (about 130 million VND) to charity activities of the embassy./.




Vietnamese student Dao Anh Thu, an eighth grader from Nguyen Huy Tuong Secondary School, Dong Anh District, Hanoi City, won third prize at the 50th Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Contest.

The information was announced by the UPU International Office at the closing plenary session of the 27th Congress of the Postal Union in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) on the evening of August 27, 2021.

The 50th UPU International Letter Writing Competition - 2021 was organised by the UPU with the theme: "Write a letter to a family member about your experience with COVID-19".

As the author of the letter that won the international third prize, Dao Anh Thu chose the idea of sending a letter to a baby girl born while her mother was treating Covid-19 at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The letter described the difficulties and hardships of the doctors and the pride in their contributions to the prevention and control of the pandemic in Vietnam.

With a clear message, a logical and reasonable presentation, and a record of practical experiences, the letter brought Vietnam one of the top three prizes of the 50th UPU International Letter Writing Contest, extending Vietnams performance in the 33rd year of participation. This is the 16th time that a Vietnamese student has won an international prize at this competition.

The international first prize went to Nubaysha Islam (female, 14 years old) from Bangladesh. The international second prize was awarded to Bruno Ivanovski (male, 14 years old) from North Macedonia for a letter to his grandmother. In addition, UPU also awarded five consolation prizes to students from Belarus, Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey and Libya.

Every year, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) holds the UPU International Letter Writing Contest encouraging young writers aged 9-15 to write letters on a given theme to win exciting prizes. The competition is an excellent way to develop writing skills among youths and boost their ability to express their thoughts clearly regarding the social problem they may be concerned about. It also aims to foster and nurture the young generation's awareness and responsibilities towards society, their nation, as well as the whole world./.
On August 27, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States released a summary of the intelligence community assessment on COVID-19 origins, which does not rule out either natural exposure or laboratory accident as the origin of SARS-CoV-2. The report wrongly claims that China "continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries". The statement by the White House issued on the same day also purported that China tries to hold back international investigation and rejects calls for transparency. It urges like-minded partners to exert pressure on China. The Chinese side expresses its firm opposition and strong condemnation to this.

First, a report fabricated by the U.S. intelligence community is not scientifically credible. The origin-tracing is a matter of science; it should and can only be left to scientists, not intelligence experts. There has been no lack of "masterpieces" by the U.S. intelligence community, such as using a tube of laundry powder to convict Iraq of possessing weapons of mass destruction, or staging the "white helmets" video as evidence for chemical weapon attack in Syria. Now, the US side is using its old trick again. Ignoring the Report by the WHO-China joint mission, it chooses to have its intelligence community put together a report instead. How can this possibly be science-based and reliable origin-tracing?

Second, the assertion of lack of transparency on the part of China is only an excuse for its politicizing and stigmatizing campaign. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken an open, transparent and responsible attitude. We have released information, shared the genome sequencing of the virus, and carried out international cooperation to fight the disease, all done at the earliest possible time. On December 27, 2019, Wuhan authorities made the first reporting of suspected cases. On December 30, emergency notices were issued on the treatment of pneumonia of unknown cause. On December 31, China informed the WHO China Country Office of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan. On January 3, 2020, China began sending regular updates about the novel coronavirus to the WHO and other countries, including the United States. On origin-tracing, China has followed a science-based, professional, serious and responsible approach. We are the first to cooperate with the WHO on global origin-tracing, and we have invited WHO experts to conduct the investigations twice in China. We were completely open, transparent and cooperative when the experts were in China. They visited every site on their list, met every individual they asked for, and were provided with all the data they wanted. The formulation of the Report of the WHO-China joint mission issued on March 30, 2021 follows WHO procedures and adopts a scientific approach. It is authoritative and science-based. The openness and transparency China has displayed has won full recognition from international experts.

Third, the report by the U.S. intelligence community shows that the U.S. is bent on going down the wrong path of political manipulation. The U.S. has registered the most infections and death cases from COVID-19 in the world, and the American people have paid a heavy price. The report by the intelligence community is based on presumption of guilt on the part of China, and it is only for scapegoating China. Such a practice will only disturb and sabotage international cooperation on origin-tracing and on fighting the pandemic, and has been widely opposed by the international community. Over 300 political parties, social organizations and think tanks from more than 100 countries and regions have submitted a joint statement to the WHO Secretariat, firmly opposing politicization of origin-tracing. Doesn't the U.S. side feel it necessary to listen to what they have to say?

Finally, the U.S. has been shying away from tracing the origin in the United States and closing the door on any such possibility. If the US.. side is "transparent and responsible", it should make public and examine the data of its early cases. The timeline of the outbreak in the United States has been revised to earlier dates several times. In at least five American states, there had been infections before the first confirmed case in the U.S. was announced. According to a latest coverage from American media, the first COVID-19 death in the U.S. was in early January 2020, several weeks earlier than previously announced by the authorities, which was early February.

In addition, Wuhan Institute of Virology has received two visits from WHO experts and the WHO-China joint study report has reached the clear conclusion that introduction through a lab accident in Wuhan is "extremely unlikely". If the US insists on the lab leak theory, isn't it necessary for the U.S. side to invite WHO experts to Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina (UNC) for investigation? Fort Detrick has long been engaged in coronavirus research and modification. After its shutdown in 2019 because of serious safety incidents, disease with symptoms similar to COVID-19 broke out in the U.S. The team of Professor Ralph Baric in the UNC possesses extremely mature capability in synthesizing and modifying coronavirus. From January 2015 to June 2020, the UNC reported to the National Institutes of Health 28 lab incidents involving genetically engineered organisms. Six of them involved coronaviruses including SARS, MERS and SARS-CoV-2. However, instead of finding out what happened in its own labs first, the U.S. keeps slinging mud at others.

China's position on global origin-tracing is consistent and clear. This is a matter of science. China always supports and will continue to participate in science-based origin-tracing. What we are against is political manipulation, presumption of guilt and putting blame on others. Any Phase II origins study must be a comprehensive extension of Phase I and conducted in multiple places and countries to find out the truth.

The report by the U.S. intelligence community has not produced an exact answer the U.S. side wants. Continuing such an effort will also be in vain, because its subject is simply non-existent and anti-science.

Editor: WXL
Photo taken on March 27, 2020 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

On August 27, the Office of the Director of U.S. National Intelligence released the key takeaways of the COVID-19 Origin Intelligence Report done by the U.S. intelligence community after more than 90 days of desperate searches. It is to no ones surprise that the report is a political one aiming at scapegoating China. One can easily draw three definitive conclusions from the key takeaways.

First, intelligence community-led origin tracing is a complete farce.

Tracing the origin of the novel coronavirus is a scientific issue, a challenging scientific problem that can only be addressed through continuous scientific engagement. Ironically, the U.S. intelligence community was given 90 days to come up with an origin tracing report. Truth is, its mission impossible even with 9,000 days.

As previously disclosed by U.S. media, this report offers no mind-blowing discoveries. The report says that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident. This sort of inconclusive findings carries no weight at all. The U.S. will never reach any scientific conclusions on the origin of the virus as long as the effort is led by its intelligence community.

Second, the U.S. intelligence community proves to be the political thug of the White House.

Following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident the U.S. intelligence fabricated in 1964, northern Vietnam was bombarded by U.S. troops, which later escalated into the Vietnam War. After accusing Iraq of producing weapons of mass destruction with a bottle of washing powder, U.S. troops invaded and occupied Iraq for years. The U.S. intelligence community has always played the infamous role as the political thug of the White House.

Not being able to find any solid evidences against China on the origin of the virus, the intelligence report smeared China as the country that obstructed international investigation and refused to share information with other countries. This shows how well its playing the role as the White Houses political thug. The White House wants to use the intelligence community to muddle the water, politicize the pandemic and stigmatize China, hence shifting blames elsewhere for its own failure in addressing the pandemic, scapegoating China for the virus and containing Chinas development.

Third, the intelligence community cannot clear the doubt of the world about the COVID-19 situation inside the U.S.

New findings in recent months have pushed the epidemic timeline of the U.S. to a much earlier date. Questions remain unclear about the correlation between Fort Detrick, the bio-lab of the University of North Carolina and the pandemic outbreak in the U.S. Since the U.S. intelligence community insists that the possibility of laboratory leak cannot be ruled out, why not invite the WHO on an investigative trip to its own labs?

Instead of disclosing information about its own labs and answering questions from the outside world, the United States has spared no efforts in pulling together groundless accusations against China. Muddling the water only shows a guilty conscience of the U.S. as people wont stop asking, what is the U.S. hiding from the world? People of this world deserves an answer from the U.S. government.

Whats worth noting is that the release of the COVID-19 Intelligence Report by the intelligence community coincided with its deadly and continuous setbacks in Afghanistan. At first, it miscalculated the situation and believed that it would take three months for the Taliban to overtake Kabul, the calculation was proven deadly wrong only in a matter of several days; then the U.S. intelligence community underestimated the counter-terrorism situation in Afghanistan and failed to provide effective early warnings to U.S. troopswhich were left to expect horrendous explosions in Kabul airport.

Its within the mandate of the U.S. intelligence community to analyze the situation in Afghanistan, but it has totally messed it up. Origin-tracing of the coronavirus has nothing to do with its mandate but its blurting out blatant lies. These incredible and unscrupulous actions prove one things right for the intelligence community of the United States  its good at nothing but spreading lies and rumors.

Editor: Liu Jiaming
As part of Egypts strategy to engage further with the African states, especially those in the east of the continent and around the Nile Basin, Cairo unrolled the red carpet for Prime Minister of Somalia Mohamed Hussein Roble during a visit to Egypt this week.

Roble was in town for a three-day visit and was received by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli who held two rounds of talks, one attended by both prime ministers and one also attended by Egypts ministers of foreign affairs, education and health and their visiting Somali counterparts.

Robles visit is the third by a high-ranking Somali official to Cairo in a year, with previous visits having included one by the Somali foreign minister.

During his visit, Roble was received by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb. Al-Azhar operates a prominent institute in Mogadishu and offers scholarships to Somali students.

Education has always been one of the most prominent areas of cooperation between our two countries. For decades, Egypt, through the national education system and through Al-Azhar, has provided educational support to Somalia, Mohamed Nasr, the Egyptian Ambassador in Mogadishu, said.

He added that this support had always been highly appreciated by the Somali people, who thought fondly of Egypt as an education destination.

Actually many prominent Somali figures received their education in Egyptian schools in Somalia, or by Egyptian teachers, or even went to Egyptian universities, Nasr said.

Roble himself studied for a few years in Egypt, and one of the things that was agreed during his talks in Cairo was to boost educational cooperation between the two countries, Nasr said.

In the years prior to the outbreak of over a decade-long civil conflict in Somalia in the early 1990s, Egypt had run a school in almost every region of the country. In Mogadishu, it ran a prominent school that carried the name of former president Gamal Abdel-Nasser, whose memory is cherished on the continent 50 years after his death.

In the 1990s, Egypt tried to put an end to the devastating civil conflict and hosted several rounds of political dialogue in pursuit of reconciliation. However, with so many political developments around the Middle East, Cairo got a lot more focused on the Arab problems, while Somalia was falling into disrepair.

With the end of the conflict in Somalia, Egypt tried to pick up the pieces of its educational presence in this important country in the Horn of Africa. Starting in 2015, Egypt has been systematically working on consolidating its relations with Somalia, Nasr said.

Robles visit, he added, was designed to underline the commitment of both sides to working together towards stronger ties. I think part of what makes our relations so important is that they never overshadowed the many other issues that we are both interested in, Nasr said.

Robles visit comes a few months ahead of the national elections that are scheduled tentatively for October this year in Somalia. The elections, earlier announced by Roble, are meant to spare the country from the possible political crisis that has been in the making since Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo attempted to delay these elections for two years.

The attempt stirred political unrest, and Roble stepped in to offer a political compromise through the elections. He has since been at the head of the process leading to the elections.

Nasr said that Egypt was not planning to get involved in internal Somali affairs. What Egypt was keen on was boosting development in Somalia and aiding in political coordination, he added.

According to Amira Abdel-Halim, lead researcher on the Horn of Africa at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, in the final analysis the outcome of these elections is important for Egypt in the sense that anything that influences the stability of Somalia is important for Egypt.

For Egypt, the Horn of Africa is a national security concern, especially vis-a-vis the Red Sea. It is also close to the Nile Basin.

These have always been two strategic areas of concern for Egypt, Abdel-Halim said, adding that the Red Sea is a very important region for Egypt, and it has become highly militarised with many foreign countries building military or logistics bases in the countries of the Horn of Africa.

In addition to Turkey  that has become during the past two decades a key player in this region and other parts of Africa including the equally crucial Sahel and Sahara zone  other foreign countries that have some sort of presence in the Horn of Africa include, Italy, US, France, Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt, government officials say, is not planning to press its interests in the region at the expense of members of the region, but it cannot look the other way when foreign powers, including Arab and non-Arab states, are expanding their presence.

For example, Qatar, for several years a political foe of Egypt and both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, who have had alliances with Egypt, acted during the past decade to expand in the region, Abdel-Halim said.

Egypt, she added, has been legitimately trying to balance this situation to make sure that its strategic interests around the Red Sea and in the Nile Basin are not compromised. This reach-out, she noted, has been trying to cover all the countries of this region at the highest level possible.

She added that winning Somalia over is crucial both for the security of the Red Sea and also in view of the current conflict with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was also important for Egypt.

Ethiopia has often tried to undermine Somalia, she said, adding that this had been either through military interventions or political maneuvering.

According to Abdel-Halim, Ethiopia was largely to blame for the radicalisation of the Al-Shabab movement in Somalia. Originally Al-Shabab was stimulated to resist Ethiopias military and political presence in Somalia and along the road the movement got radicalised, she said.

Today, Abdel-Halim argued, helping Somalia stand on its own two feet is crucial to helping it face up to the attempts of foreign countries to intervene in its affairs, Ethiopia or any other country.

Sparing Somalia from the conflicting agendas of other countries is a crucial first step for stability since the country has suffered a lot due to repeated interventions from countries in and out of the region, she said.

I think there is an understanding in Somalia, both at the official and public levels, that Egypt is not trying to take control of the political will of Somalis, Abdel-Halim said. Still, she added, it is also understood and accepted that Egypt has some crucial interests that it would wish Somalia to accommodate, including those related to Red Sea security and the GERD conflict.

According to Nasr, coordination and consultations between the two countries will continue, covering all aspects of bilateral and regional issues.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 26 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held a meeting on Saturday with Iraqi President Barham Salih at Baghdad Presidential Palace to discuss bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern ahead of the start of the Baghdad Conference on Cooperation and Partnership later today in the Iraqi capital.

El-Sisi and Salih reviewed the overall joint bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, as well as ways to enhance areas of economic, commercial and investment cooperation.

The Iraqi president welcomed El-Sisis visit to Baghdad, stressing Iraq's keenness to continue intensive coordination and consultation with Egypt at all levels, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.

Salih affirmed that such coordination and consultation comes in light of the deep-rooted relations and ties that bind the two countries together.

It also comes, Salih added, in light of the importance and centrality of the Egyptian role in the region and support for Iraq, which contributes to facing the common challenges that the Arab nation is facing.

From his side, El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's pride in the historical relations with brotherly Iraq, stressing Cairo's keenness to strengthen its Arab national role, the presidential statement said.

El-Sisi also stressed the necessity of providing full support to the Iraqi people in all fields, whether at the bilateral level or within the framework of the tripartite cooperation mechanism with the Kingdom of Jordan, in support of mutual cooperation relations and the process of joint Arab action.

The Egyptian president arrived earlier on Saturday in Iraq when he was received by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi at Baghdad International Airport.

President El-Sisi met with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Saturday morning on the sidelines of the conference, according to Rady.

Back in Baghdad

El-Sisis visit to Baghdad is his second to the Iraqi capital in two months.

In June, on the first official visit by an Egyptian president to Iraq in 30 years, El-Sisi attended the trilateral summit with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and Jordanian King Abdullah II to strengthen economic cooperation between the three countries. The summit was the fourth between the three leaders since March 2019.

During their summits, the three countries hammered out the details of a long list of cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, health, construction, reconstruction, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food.

Egyptian-Iraqi relations witnessed a remarkable boom during the last few years and entered a new phase of cooperation, with the economic file topping the field of cooperation between Cairo and Baghdad.

The trade exchange between Egypt and Iraq increased from $800 million in 2015 to $1.650 billion in 2018, which is considered the largest number of trade exchanges since 2003, according to data from Egypts State Information Service (SIS).

Sisi meets Kuwait premier

During a meeting on the sidelines of the Baghdad conference, El-Sisi told Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah that "the security of the Gulf region is one of the main pillars of the Arab national security, and is closely linked to the Egyptian national security."

El-Sisi and Al-Sabah agreed to maintain joint efforts to enhance cooperation and coordination among Arab countries to face the growing challenges and threats to regional security and the stability of Arab countries and peoples, according to Rady.

El-Sisi and Al-Sabah exchanged views on the most prominent files on the regional arena, and the discussions reflected a mutual understanding of ways to deal with these files.

Baghdad conference

The presidents participation in the Baghdad conference comes within the framework of Egypt's keenness on supporting Iraq in restoring its active and balanced role at the regional level and also for guaranteeing its security and stability, according to Rady.

The conference, which is attended by a number of regional and international leaders, is set to discuss ways to resolve the region's crises, with a view to creating better circumstances for establishing economic partnership and cooperation between Iraq and neighboring countries.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, France, Turkey, and Iran, as well as the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are confirmed for the event.

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef Al Hajraf, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian arrived in the Iraqi capital to attend the event.

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Egypt rejects all foreign interference in Iraq's affairs and the illegal aggression on its territories, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said during his speech at Baghdad Conference on Cooperation and Partnership on Saturday.

President El-Sisi affirmed that Egypt calls on all countries to respect Iraq's sovereignty, adding that Egypt will continue to support the Iraqi government.

Our meeting today is to confirm support and commitment to the established principles in international relations, which are good neighborliness, mutual respect, unconditional refraining from interfering in internal affairs, and refraining from supporting extremist groups or transferring their elements from one country to another, El-Sisi said.

The conference, which is attended by a number of regional and international leaders, discusses the ways to resolve the region's crises, with a view to creating better circumstances for establishing economic partnership and cooperation between Iraq and neighboring countries.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, France, Turkey, and Iran, as well as the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation attended the event.

The presidents participation in the conference comes within the framework of Egypt's keenness on supporting Iraq in restoring its active and balanced role at the regional level and also for guaranteeing its security and stability, according to Egypts Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady.

El-Sisi, moreover, hailed the great achievements made in Iraq over the past period under the leadership of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.



He also praised the great role played by the Iraqi army and police to eradicate terrorism.

Addressing Iraqi people

During his speech, El-Sisi urged the Iraqi people to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, which are slated for 10 October.

You are a nation with an ancient civilization and history I tell you: Preserve your country build, cooperate, and participate in the elections.

"You have brothers in Egypt who are keen on your renaissance, and welcome the transfer of their experience in various fields, El-Sisi said.

Egyptian-Iraqi relations

El-Sisis visit to Baghdad is his second to the Iraqi capital in two months.

In June, on the first official visit by an Egyptian president to Iraq in 30 years, El-Sisi attended the trilateral summit with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and Jordanian King Abdullah II to strengthen economic cooperation between the three countries. The summit was the fourth between the three leaders since March 2019.

During their summits, the three countries hammered out the details of a long list of cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, health, construction, reconstruction, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food.

Egyptian-Iraqi relations witnessed a remarkable boom during the last few years and entered a new phase of cooperation, with the economic file topping the field of cooperation between Cairo and Baghdad.

The trade exchange between Egypt and Iraq increased from $800 million in 2015 to $1.650 billion in 2018, which is considered the largest figure in trade exchanges between the two countries since 2003, according to data from Egypts State Information Service (SIS).

The Egyptian president arrived Saturday in Iraq where he was received by Iraqi Al-Kadhimi at Baghdad International Airport.

He later held a meeting with Iraqi President Barham Salih at Baghdad Presidential Palace to discuss bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern.

He also held a meeting with Kuwait Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah to discuss Gulf region security and bilateral relations.

The President also met with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Saturday morning on the sidelines of the conference.

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Ethiopia expressed its disapproval of Tunisias ongoing preparation to submit its proposal on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue to the UN Security Council, describing the endeavour as inappropriate, a statement by Ethiopias foreign ministry read on Thursday.

According to the statement, the remarks came in a meeting held in Ethiopia this week between Ethiopias Minister of Foreign Affairs Redwan Hussein with representatives from the upstream riparian states of the Nile Basin.

The meeting was held to reaffirm Ethiopias unwavering commitment to equitably utilising the Nile Rivers waters via close consultations with riparian countries, according to the Ethiopian foreign ministry.

During the meeting, Hussein said that Tunisias initial GERD proposal was in favour of Egypt and was rightly rejected by the security council.

Hussein warned that submitting the proposal again to the council would put all riparian countries in a difficult position.

He called for cooperation between the riparian states to reverse the Tunisian proposal, labelling it is unacceptable.

The Ethiopian minister warned that such an endeavour will undermine the tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over the GERD.

At the request of Egypt and Sudan, the UNSC held a session early last month to discuss the GERD issue, during which, the two downstream countries expressed their grave concerns regarding Ethiopias unilateral acts on the matter.

While the two countries have urged Ethiopia to cease its intransigence and sign a legally binding agreement that regulates the filling and operation of the mega dam, Ethiopia announced that it would be proceeding with the second filling of the dam unilaterally nonetheless only a few days before the councils session.

As the only Arab non-permanent member in the UNSC in its current session, Tunisia presented a draft resolution aiming to resume the GERD talks between the three countries within six months to reach a legally binding agreement on the dam and immediately suspend the second filling until a consensus is reached.

Ethiopia, however, maintained its course and announced the completion of the second filling on 19 July.

The three countries have affirmed on different occasions, including in the UNSC session, that they would like to continue to delegate the African Union to sponsor and mediate the talks between them.

Egypt and Sudan, however, have urged the involvement of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, along with the AU in mediating the talks, a proposal that Ethiopia rejected.

Russia and Algeria have also recently proposed to play a positive role in the GERD issue.

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The results of a preliminary investigation into the disappearance of Egyptian-German writer Hamed Abdel-Samad will be released "within hours," a senior interior ministry aide has told Abdel-Samad's brother.

Mahmoud Abdel-Samad met a senior aide to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim on Monday evening to discuss the suspected kidnapping of his 42-year-old brother.

"The minister's aide assured me that investigations should provide clues to the identity of the kidnappers within hours," he told Ahram Online on Tuesday.

Mahmoud said he had named two suspects: hardline Islamist figure Assem Abdel-Maged, who publicly declared Abdel-Samad an apostate earlier this year for his secularist views, and Abdel-Samad's business partners whom he says owes him a large sum of money.

"I'm not ruling out either suspects and I'm still waiting for the results of the investigation, but I think if it was Islamist extremists they would have killed him on the spot," he said.

"The media is too focused on portraying the incident as a kidnap by Islamists, but the ministry has not yet reached preliminary conclusions."

According to Mahmoud, Abdel-Samad disappeared on Sunday afternoon. He was in the eastern Cairo district of Al-Azhar at around 4pm when he called his interior ministry bodyguards, assigned to him by the German embassy, to tell them he believed a black car was following him.

"That was the last they heard from him," Mahmoud said. "They advised him to escape by taxi and 20 minutes later his phone was turned off."

The Germany-based author requested protection from the Egyptian authorities in June after ultra-conservative Islamists launched an online campaign calling for his death after he gave a keynote speech on "Islamic fascism" at a seminar in Cairo organised by Egypt's secularist movement.

He returned to Cairo again in November.

The German foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday saying Egyptian authorities were responsible for Abdel-Samad's safety.

Earlier on Monday, German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters in Berlin that he could not confirm reports that Abdel-Samad, a German citizen, had been kidnapped. He said Abdel-Samad's whereabouts was unknown and a crisis team had been set up to find him.

Schaefer said the writer had been in contact with the German embassy in Cairo about his personal security.

He said the German ambassador would meet with officials from the Egyptian foreign ministry and appeal for them to find Abdel-Samad.

According to Shaefer, the ambassador has already had a phone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Bahaaeddin.

Abdel-Maged and many other hardline Islamist figures remain at large despite arrest warrants issued against them during the interim government's crackdown on Islamists following the ouster of Mohamed Morsi in July. Thousands have been arrested since August following the dispersal two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo, in which hundreds were killed.

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Egypt targets doubling the information and communications technology (ICT) sector contribution to the GDP to 5 percent in the current FY2021/2022, compared to 2.6 percent in FY2020/2021, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said.

The minister also declared that it is planned to uplift the sectors export capacity to reach $6 billion in FY2021/22, up from $3.5 billion in FY2020/21 as well as increasing the share of ICT exports to 5 percent of the total Egypts exports in FY2021/22 compared to 2.5 percent in FY2020/21.

She noted that COVID-19 has proved the importance of the ICT sector, which witnessed an unprecedented boom on demand amid the lockdown measures that had been taken in the first wave of the pandemic and during the following waves, adding that FY2021/22 plan expects the sectors growth to exceed 16 percent in FY2021/22.

The sectors output is also projected to grow by 20.4 percent (in current prices) in FY2021/22, while its throughput is expected to inch up by 20.5 percent, according to the minister.

For the sectors exports, El-Said explained that they are projected to increase to $3.5 billion in FY2021/22 alongside following up the second phase of the internet advancement plan that was started in the second half of 2020 with a total cost reaching EGP 300 million.

The world is experiencing a real revolution in the ICT sector, which contributes to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) agendas. ICT strategy supports Egypts Vision 2030 and its Digital Egypt project through modernizing the sectors infrastructure, enhancing the financial and digital inclusion, boosting capabilities, encouraging innovation and guaranteeing the cyber-security, El-Said elaborated.

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The minimum grades required for admission into Egyptian public universities for the upcoming 2021/22 academic year  including the most desirable faculties, such as medicine and engineering  have recorded a considerable drop for the first time in decades.

The admission requirements for the first phase of the most desirable universities in the country were announced by Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar during a press briefing on Sunday in Cairo, hours after the stage's students submitted their university applications.

University admissions in Egypt are divided into three stages representing different grade categories, with the first stage reserved for the students that scored the highest in their Thanaweya Amma exams.

The first stage includes 220 higher education institutions this year, Abdel-Ghaffar pointed out.

This year, high school seniors in the science division that have managed to achieve a cumulative grade of 90.2 percent or above will be welcomed into around 37 public medicine and dentistry universities, the requirements of which were always above 97-98 percent in the past several years.

The requirements for 25 public physiotherapy and pharmacy universities countrywide have decreased as well, creating several vacancies for students scoring 88.5 percent or higher.

Students in the mathematics division with a score of 80 percent will also be accepted this year into 20 engineering universities  engineering being the most prestigious major achievable in the division. The minimum grade requirement to major in engineering in a public university in Egypt has been no less than 94 percent for years.

As for students in the humanities division, 138 faculties were included in the first phase of university admissions, with the minimum requirements to major in political science and economics or foreign languages being set at 86.2 percent and 84.8 percent respectively; a 10 percent drop from previous years.

Some of the top universities in the country still have room for second-stage students, who are scheduled to commence choosing their desired majors starting Tuesday, with the final requirements for the second stage set to be announced shortly, the higher education minister said.

The drop in requirements is a result of the newly introduced changes to the Thanaweya Amma examinations, which significantly lowered the passing rate and ended the phenomenon of students obtaining full marks in their senior year of high school.

The passing rate of the Thanaweya Amma exams in the recently concluded 2020/2021 academic year  which was attended by roughly 650,000 students  is 74 percent, a significant decrease from the 81.5 percent of the previous year.

Egypt introduced bubble sheet-based exams for Thanaweya Amma students in the 2020/21 academic year for the first time ever, with non-standardised models provided for all divisions.

The change in examination styles aimed to gauge students critical thinking skills and abolish the culture of memorising for exams, according to Minister of Education Tarek Shawky.

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Egypt's agriculture exports in 2021 increased by 14 percent, compared to 2020, Minister of Agriculture El-Sayed El-Quseir said on Sunday, noting that Egypt is ranked first in the world for citrus fruit exports.

The minister's remarks were made during a meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly that touched upon projects aiming to boost agriculture exports, increase livestock and fish production, and establish dairy collection centres.

During the meeting, the agriculture minister explained that Egypt exports 350 different agriculture products to more than 150 world countries, said Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady.

Qusair reviewed the new system for automating and coding farms across the country, with the aim of preparing a detailed digital map of export farms.

This digital map provides a complete database on farms with the use of the most advanced methods, including raising the coordinates of farms using GPS, Qusair said.

It also offers technical recommendations for good agricultural practices, as well as special standards for countries importing Egyptian agricultural crops, the agriculture minister added.

The agriculture minister briefed the president on his ministry's strategy for increasing fish production from fish farms, through maximizing the benefit from Egypt's natural lakes, especially the Manzala and Bardawil lakes.

Concerning the livestock production, the president issued directives to expand the breeding of milk and meat-intensive breeds for their economic return on breeders and farmers, the spokesman noted.



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Related Cyprus sends 88 Syrian migrants back to Lebanon The Moroccan navy has rescued more than 400 migrants since Thursday, after their makeshift boats ran into trouble on the dangerous sea crossing to Europe, state media reported.

The 438 migrants, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa, were given first aid before being taken to the nearest Moroccan port, an officer told the state-run MAP news agency late Monday.

MAP also reported that Moroccan authorities on Sunday intercepted 58 migrants, including 11 women, off Laayoune in Western Sahara.

Also from sub-Saharan Africa, these migrants had attempted to cross to the Canary Islands, it said.

Earlier this month, a merchant ship rescued 33 migrants who had spent two weeks adrift in the Atlantic Ocean en route for the Canary Islands. Fourteen fellow migrants lost their lives.

Migrant arrivals on the Spanish archipelago have surged since late 2019 when increased patrols in the Mediterranean dramatically reduced crossings there.

At its shortest, the sea crossing from the Moroccan coast is around 100 kilometres (65 miles), but strong currents make it very dangerous.

The vessels used are often overcrowded and in poor condition, adding to the risks.

In the first six months of this year, a total of 2,087 migrants died trying to reach Spain, according to Caminando Fronteras, a Spanish NGO that monitors migrant flows.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian left for Iraq Friday to participate in a regional summit, the ministry said.

Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced the departure to the "meeting to support Iraq" in a short statement.

The Islamic republic's new President Ebrahim Raisi has also been invited to the Baghdad summit, but it is not clear if he will attend.

The Saturday meeting seeks to give Iraq a "unifying role" to tackle the crises shaking the region, according to sources close to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II have said they will attend, as has French President Emmanuel Macron, the only official expected from outside the region.

Leaders from Saudi Arabia and Turkey have also been invited.

Iraq is seeking to establish itself as a mediator between Arab countries and Iran.

Baghdad has been brokering talks since April between regional heavyweights Riyadh and Tehran on mending ties severed in 2016.

Raisi, who took office last week, has said he sees "no obstacles" to restoring ties with Riyadh.

He has made improving relations with regional countries one of his priorities.

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The leader of Tigray forces in Ethiopia has expressed the commitment to a ``negotiated end'' to the nine-month war that has killed thousands and left nearly half a million people facing famine, while the United Nations secretary-general on Thursday warned ``there is no military solution.''

In a letter to U.N. chief Antonio Guterres, seen by The Associated Press ahead of Thursday's U.N. Security Council meeting on the crisis, Debretsion Gebremichael said the Tigray side requires an impartial mediator, among other conditions.

But he warned that the African Union, whose headquarters are in Ethiopia, ``cannot provide any solution to the war'' that the continental body ``endorsed'' early in the fighting. That complicates the AU initiative announced Thursday to appoint former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as its special representative to the Horn of Africa.

The prospect for talks between Ethiopia's government and the Tigray leadership, who dominated the national government for 27 years before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office, remains deeply challenging. Ethiopia's government earlier this year declared the Tigray People's Liberation Front a terrorist group, and the United States told Thursday's meeting that the government has ``not responded positively'' to calls for talks.

Meanwhile, the conflict has spread in recent weeks into Ethiopia's Amhara and Afar regions, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, while Abiy's government has called all able citizens to war, urging them to stop the Tigray forces ``once and for all.'' The heated rhetoric on both sides has led to growing international calls for an immediate cease-fire.

The further the resurgent Tigray forces advance outside the Tigray region, ``the greater the harm'' to the ethnic Tigrayans for whom they act, Kenyan Ambassador Martin Kimani told the Security Council meeting, while urging Ethiopia to be prepared to lift the terror designation. He also encouraged the African Union to step up.

What began as a political falling-out now threatens to destabilize Africa's second most populous country, while abuses have been committed by all sides in the mix of armed groups that include those from neighboring Eritrea.

The world's worst hunger crisis in a decade continues to worsen.

Guterres at Thursday's meeting criticized the ``de facto humanitarian blockade'' of the Tigray region of 6 million people, with food warehouses there now empty, and the United States warned that ``if these impediments continue, large numbers of people will starve to death.''

``With sadness and disbelief, we are once again discussing the possibility of a manmade famine in Tigray,`` Norway's Deputy Ambassador Trine Heimerback said, referring to Ethiopia's catastrophic starvation crisis in the 1980s.

``The aim is to exterminate Tigrayans by starving them to death,'' Debretsion's letter asserted.

Ethiopian Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie told the meeting that his country is improving the process for the delivery of aid. Ethiopia's government has accused Tigray forces of looting and impeding the delivery of aid.

``The TPLF is standing between Ethiopia and peace,'' he said, accusing it of being ``bent on destabilizing'' the country of 110 million people. ``We are open to working with all well-intentioned partners,'' he added.

The war that began in November has affected all Ethiopians and ``has already drained over a billion dollars from the country's coffers,'' Guterres said.

But the Security Council appears largely powerless to take significant action on the crisis, as permanent member China expressed its opposition to external interference in Ethiopia's affairs. Both China and Russia warned that sanctions by individual countries, as the U.S. imposed this week against the chief of staff of Eritrea's defense forces, would only worsen the conflict.

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A 12-year-old Palestinian boy who was shot in the head by Israeli fire during a demonstration at the Gaza-Israeli border last week died of his wounds Saturday, Gaza health officials said.

Hassan Abu al-Neil was shot Aug. 21 during the demonstration organized by Palestinians to protest the crippling 11-year-old blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip.

Violence erupted when Palestinian protesters began throwing rocks and explosives at Israeli troops near the fortified border. Israeli troops responded by opening fire, wounding over 40 Palestinians, including al-Neil.

Another Palestinian man, later identified as a member of Hamas military wing, died from his wounds Wednesday.

An Israeli soldier remains in critical condition after being shot in the head from point blank range by a protestor during the clashes.

Hundreds of Palestinian protesters demonstrated Wednesday near the Gaza-Israeli border, again calling for the easing of the blockade. Hamas kept demonstrators away from the separation fence and the protests ended without a recurrence of last weeks deadly violence.

Following Wednesdays protest, Israel said it was easing some of the commercial restrictions on Gaza, allowing vehicles, goods and equipment for rebuilding projects to enter the Palestinian enclave. Israels Defense Ministry said the easing could expand further if things remain quiet.

The Israeli government reached an agreement with Qatar on Aug. 19 allowing the gulf country to resume aid payments to families in the Gaza Strip, a move aimed at reducing tensions with Hamas in the aftermath of Mays 11-day war, the fourth since the militant group seized power in 2007. Israel suspended aid payments in May and said the move was necessary to ensure Hamas did not benefit from cash injections.

At least 260 Palestinians were killed during Mays Gaza-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.

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Rebel forces from Ethiopia's war-torn region of Tigray on Sunday accused the African Union (AU) of bias, days after the bloc appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as a mediator in the months-long conflict.

The spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Getachew Reda, accused the AU of "partiality" towards the Ethiopian government and said it would be "naive to expect this mission to work".

Northern Ethiopia has been wracked by violence since November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, the regional ruling party, saying the move came in response to attacks on army camps.

The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner promised a swift victory, but the war has instead dragged on for months, triggering a humanitarian crisis in Tigray, while the rebels have pushed into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.

Abiy rejected early appeals from high-level envoys from the AU for talks with Tigrayan leaders, sticking to his line that the conflict is a limited "law and order" operation.

On Thursday, the bloc announced Obasanjo's appointment as a high representative for the Horn of Africa, saying it was part of a "drive to promote peace, security, stability & political dialogue".

But on Sunday, TPLF spokesman Getachew dismissed the initiative, saying: "We are hard pressed to know... how people would reasonably expect a constructive role from an institution that has given partiality a very bad name".

"Solving a crisis at the very least requires acknowledging the existence, let alone the magnitude of the problem," he wrote on Twitter.

Famine-like conditions

The war has proved to be a sensitive subject for the AU, which is headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Although Washington has been openly critical of Abiy's handling of the war, African members of the UN Security Council have backed Ethiopia in opposing formal discussion of the situation in Tigray at the world body.

According to the members, whose stance is backed by Russia and China, the conflict is Ethiopia's internal affair and any international efforts should go through African leaders or via the AU.

As the conflict has deepened, the humanitarian toll has spiked, with aid workers struggling to reach cut-off populations and 400,000 people facing famine-like conditions in Tigray, according to the UN.

Obasanjo previously headed the AU's election observer mission during Ethiopia's polls last June, where Abiy won a landslide victory. But a fifth of the country's constituencies, including in Tigray, were unable to vote due to ethnic violence and logistical problems.

There was no immediate response from the AU to the TPLF's allegations, and calls to the bloc's representatives were not answered.

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Iraqi shopkeeper Ahmad Riad is busy again serving customers at a Mosul market four years after the city was destroyed in battles against jihadists, but he still awaits war reparations.

"Life has gradually resumed," said Riad, who runs a shop selling rice, pasta and tins of tomato paste in the Corniche market, along the banks of the Tigris river.

"But we have not received any compensation from the government."

Mosul, the country's second city in Nineveh province, was the last major Iraqi bastion of the Islamic State group's failed "caliphate" between 2014 and 2017.

The city was retaken by the Iraqi army and a US-led coalition after intense bombardment and fighting that left it in ruins.

The market was "devastated" in the battles, Riad said, with shopkeepers using their limited savings to rebuild.

"We are the ones who paid," he said.

Of the 400 stalls that once crammed the market, just a tenth have returned to business, he added.

According to official sources, the cost of reconstruction for Nineveh would top $100 billion, a staggering sum for a country mired in an economic crisis.

It outstrips the total annual budget of oil-rich Iraq, which stands at nearly $90 billion in 2021.

Many buildings are still in ruins, their facades dotted with bullet holes and piles of rubble lie strewn all around.

100,000 claims, 2,600 paid

When Pope Francis visited Mosul last March, he held a mass with the partially collapsed walls of the centuries-old church behind him.

On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Mosul, a day after attending a regional summit in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, some 355 kilometres (220 miles) to the south.

Mosul, capital of Nineveh province, is a melting pot of diverse ethnic communities and was once one of the key cities on the Middle East trade route, lying close to both Turkey and Syria.

Ammar Hussein runs a restaurant.

"The government should compensate the merchants who suffered damage so that they can rebuild their stores and the market can return to its former glory," he said.

The list of claims is long.

Some 100,000 claims have been filed by those who suffered damage during "liberation operations", according to Mahmud al-Akla, director of Nineveh's compensation department.

Not even three percent have been paid: while more than 65,000 files have been examined, just 2,600 claimants have received cash, he said.

On top of that, the centralised nature of the Iraqi state -- and the graft-riddled bureaucracy that governs it -- means that disbursements are paid out extremely slowly.

Mosul district chairman Zuhair al-Araji blames officials in Baghdad.

- Promises as elections approach -

Progress is patchy.

While 80 percent of basic infrastructure such as sewers and roads have been restored, only around a third of health facilities have been rebuilt, according to Araji.

Mosul resident Saad Ghanem filed a claim for his destroyed home.

"As far as I know, the compensation department in Nineveh finalised the transaction and then submitted it to the government in Baghdad," he said. "They still have not compensated us."

Mosul, a Sunni Muslim city, did not take part in October 2019 popular protests decrying corruption and government misuse of power in Baghdad, as well as much of the country's Shiite south.

Residents said they feared the benefit of reconstruction could be wiped out by the unrest.

With parliamentary elections in two months, the slow pace of reconstruction prompted Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi to visit earlier this month.

Kadhemi said he was "sorry" to see the problems, ordering a committee to draw up an "action plan".

At his wooden furniture store, carpenter Ali Mahmoud said he is exhausted.

"I hope to rebuild my workshop, which was my livelihood, and return here," he said. "But I don't have enough money."

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Around 350 migrants tried to scale the fence from Morocco into Spain's Melilla enclave before dawn on Saturday but none managed to get across, a Spanish government spokesman said.

Spanish border forces had been alerted at around 5:30 am by their Moroccan counterparts that "a group of 350 sub-Saharan Africans" were trying to scale the fence near the Barrio Chino border post, prompting Guardia Civil police to deploy a helicopter to head them off.

"No one got across," the spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Another group of more than 300 people had tried to cross into Melilla on August 20 but none managed to get in, he said.

Three days earlier, more than 50 did succeed in entering the tiny enclave when around 150 people stormed the fence. And on July 22, more than 230 people managed to sneak into Melilla in one of the largest influxes in recent years.

Spain's two tiny enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla have Europe's only land border with Africa, making them a magnet for migrants desperate to escape grinding poverty and hunger.

In mid-May, Spain was caught off guard when more than 10,000 people swam or used small inflatable boats to cross into Ceuta as the Moroccan border forces looked the other way.

The influx came during a diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco, with Madrid angering Rabat by allowing a Western Sahara separatist leader to be treated at a Spanish hospital.

The border breach was widely seen as a punitive move by Morocco. Although most migrants were returned immediately, by the end of July some 2,500 remained in Ceuta, officials there said, among them around 800 unaccompanied minors.

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The police chief for Iran's capital says a gang of thieves has robbed scores of COVID-19 vaccines after attacking a hired car carrying the doses, media reported.

The robbery comes as Iran, with over 106,000 virus-related deaths, has the highest death toll in the Mideast but only 8% of its people are fully vaccinated.

Tehran police chief Hossein Rahimi said robbers attacked and seized 300 vaccines after a courier service left a Health Ministry medical storage facility south of the capital.

He did not say which vaccine was stolen. Iran generally uses the Chinese-made Sinopharm, although it also has used some Russian made Sputnik-V, AstraZeneca and its own domestic CovBarekat vaccine.

On Sunday, Iran registered 581 daily deaths and more than 31,000 new cases. Last week on Tuesday, Iran hit a record of 709 patients dying in a single day.

The country is struggling through a fifth wave of the disease driven by the highly contagious delta variant.

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Iran's president on Sunday appointed a new director of the country's nuclear department, state TV reported, replacing the nation's most prominent nuclear scientist with a U.N.-sanctioned minister who has no reported experience in nuclear energy but ties to the defense ministry.

Iran's newly elected hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi chose Mohammad Eslami, a 64-year-old civil engineer who previously oversaw the country's road network, to lead Irans civilian nuclear program and serve as one of several vice presidents. He succeeds Ali Akbar Salehi, a U.S.-educated scientist who was a key player during the years of intense international diplomacy that led to Tehran's now-tattered 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

The deal curbed Irans nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement and reimposed crushing sanctions. Iran, in response, has gradually and publicly abandoned all restrictions on its stockpiles of low-enriched uranium.

In 2008, when Eslami served as head of Iran's Defense Industries Training and Research Institute, the United Nations sanctioned him for being engaged in, directly associated with or providing support for Irans proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.

The U.N. linked the blacklisting to his "involvement in procurement of prohibited items, goods, equipment, materials and technology," without elaborating.

During the tenure of relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, Eslami served as Transport and Urban Development Minister. Before joining the Cabinet in 2018, he worked for years in Iran's military industries, most recently as deputy defense minister responsible for research and industry.

He holds degrees in civil engineering from Detroit University of Michigan and the University of Toledo, Ohio. Iranian media did not report details of Eslami's experience in the nuclear field, but his engineering background speaks to the country's renewed focus on power plant construction at a time when rolling electrical blackouts have plagued the country.

Iran is building two nuclear power facilities to supplement its sole operational 1,000-megawatt reactor at the southern port town of Bushehr, which went online with Russia's help in 2011. Under its long-term energy plan, Iran aims to reach 20,000-megawatt nuclear electric capacity.

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Germany says it is committed to helping people still in Afghanistan seeking to get out, as well as those who have already fled as refugees.

At the start of a four-day, five-country trip focused on evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas underscored that Germany's ``engagement is not ending with the conclusion of the military evacuation mission.''

Maas spoke before his arrival in Turkey, the first country on his itinerary. After Turkey, Maas will continue on to Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Qatar.

The trip comes just days after Germany ended its military evacuation operations in Afghanistan. According to the German defense ministry, the German Bundeswehr evacuated 5,347 people from at least 45 different countries. Thousands, however, are still trying to get out.

In his statement, Maas acknowledged that several of the countries he is visiting have played a ``considerable part in ensuring the success'' of the evacuation efforts. He added that he believes a ``coordinated international approach to the Taliban'' is necessary.

``Our offer of support to the neighboring countries to assist them with coping with the humanitarian and economic fallout is also part of this,'' he said. ``It is in our own interests to ensure that the collapse in Afghanistan does not destabilize the entire region.''

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The Taliban has assured 100 countries that it will continue to allow foreigners and Afghans with foreign travel papers to leave the country "in a safe and orderly manner," even after the US troop withdrawal ends Tuesday, the countries said in a statement Sunday.

The 100-nation group includes the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

"We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country," the statement said.

"We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan," added the statement, which was also signed by the European Union and NATO.

The group said it would continue issuing travel documents to "designated Afghans," adding that "we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries."

China and Russia were not among the signatories to the document.

Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor to US President Joe Biden, said earlier Sunday that any Americans who elect to remain "are not going to be stuck in Afghanistan."

The US has "a mechanism to get them out" if they choose to leave in the future, Sullivan added on the Fox News network, without elaborating.

"The Taliban have made commitments to us," he said.

France and Britain plan to call on the United Nations on Monday to create a "safe zone" in Kabul to allow humanitarian operations to continue, French President Emmanuel Macron told the Journal du Dimanche, saying the proposal was "completely feasible."

The permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the US, Britain, China, France and Russia -- are to meet Monday to discuss the Afghanistan crisis.

France ended its evacuation efforts in Afghanistan on Friday and Britain followed suit on Saturday.

US troops have been scrambling in dangerous and chaotic conditions to complete a massive evacuation operation from the Kabul airport by an August 31 deadline.

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President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said discussions France is having with the Taliban over the evacuation of nationals and persons in danger from Afghanistan does not indicate recognition of the hardline Islamist group as the country's new rulers.

"We have operations to carry out in Afghanistan -- the evacuations. The Taliban are the ones in control... we have to have these discussions from a practical point of view. This does not mean there will be recognition. We have set conditions," Macron told the evening news show of TF1 television during a visit to Iraq.

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The Taliban has not yet announced a new government after taking control of Afghanistan but the hardline Islamist group confirmed Sunday that its supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is in Afghanistan and could soon appear in public for the first time.

The inner workings and leadership of the group have long been shrouded in secrecy -- even during their rule from 1996 to 2001 -- but here is a rundown of what is known:

Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader

Hibatullah 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.

After being appointed leader, Akhundzada secured a pledge of loyalty from Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who showered the cleric 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 the bitter power struggle after Akhtar's assassination, and the revelation that the leadership had hidden the death of Taliban founder Mullah Omar for years.

Until now, his public profile has largely been limited to the release of messages during Islamic holidays.

"He is present in Kandahar. He has been living there from the very beginning," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid Sunday.

"He will soon appear in public," added deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi.

- Mullah Baradar, the co-founder -

Abdul Ghani Baradar was raised in Kandahar -- the birthplace of the Taliban movement.

Like most Afghans, Baradar's life was forever altered by the Soviet invasion of the country in the late 1970s, transforming him into an insurgent.

He was believed to have fought side-by-side with the one-eyed cleric Mullah Omar.

The two would go on to found the Taliban movement in the early 1990s during the chaos and corruption of the civil war that followed the Soviet withdrawal.

After the Taliban regime was toppled in 2001 by US-led forces, Baradar is believed to have been among a small group of insurgents who approached interim leader Hamid Karzai with a potential deal that would have seen the militants recognise the new administration.

Arrested in Pakistan in 2010, Baradar was kept in custody until pressure from the United States saw him freed in 2018 and relocated to Qatar.

This is where he was appointed head of the Taliban's political office and oversaw the signing of the troop withdrawal agreement with the United States.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Haqqani Network

The son of a famed commander from the anti-Soviet jihad, Sirajuddin Haqqani doubles as the deputy leader of the Taliban and head of the powerful Haqqani network.

The Haqqani network is a US-designated terror group long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan.

The group is infamous for its use of suicide bombers and is believed to have orchestrated some of the most high-profile attacks in Kabul over the years.

The network is also accused of assassinating top Afghan officials and holding kidnapped Western citizens for ransom -- including US soldier Bowe Bergdahl, released in 2014.

Known for their independence, fighting acumen, and savvy business dealings, the Haqqanis operate from the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, while holding considerable sway over the Taliban's leadership council.

Mullah Yaqoob, the scion

The son of Taliban co-founder Mullah Omar, Mullah Yaqoob heads the group's powerful military commission, which oversaw the vast network of field commanders charged with executing the insurgency.

Yaqoob's father enjoyed cult-like status as the Taliban leader, and that potent lineage makes him a unifying figure in the movement.

Speculation remains, however, about Yaqoob's exact role -- with some analysts arguing that his appointment in 2020 was merely cosmetic.

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Related Sisi discusses bilateral relations with Iraqi president ahead of Baghdad cooperation conference

The security of the Gulf region is one of the main pillars of the Arab national security, and is closely linked to the Egyptian national security, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah on Saturday.

El-Sisis comments came during a meeting with Al-Sabah on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, which is set to start later in the day.

El-Sisi and Al-Sabah agreed to maintain joint efforts to enhance cooperation and coordination among Arab countries to face the growing challenges and threats to regional security and the stability of Arab countries and peoples, Egypts Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Rady revealed that they exchanged views on the most prominent files on the regional arena, and the discussions reflected a mutual understanding of ways to deal with these files.

El-Sisi highlighted the close relations binding the two brotherly countries, and Egypts keenness to develop the mutual distinguished cooperation at various levels in an effort to consolidate security, stability and development in the region, Rady said.

The Egyptian-Kuwaiti cooperation and coordination towards developments in the Middle East represent a mainstay for achieving regional stability, and a major pillar of the priorities and constants of the Egyptian policy, El-Sisi said.

The Kuwaiti premier, from his side, emphasised the depth and strength of the historical relations that unite the two countries, lauding the role of the Egyptian community in Kuwait in the construction and development process in the country as a bridge of interdependence between the two brotherly peoples.

Al-Sabah stressed Kuwaits keenness to enhance cooperation with Egypt at all levels, and to consult and coordinate with Cairo periodically on various issues, appreciating in this context Egypt's pivotal role in the region as a fundamental pillar for the security and stability of the Arab world, the statement said.

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Millions of people in Syria and Iraq are at risk of losing access to water, electricity and food amid rising temperatures, record low water levels due to lack of rainfall and drought, international aid groups warned Monday.

The two neighboring countries, both battered by years of conflict and mismanagement, are in need of rapid action to combat severe water shortages, the groups said. The drought is also disrupting electricity supplies as low water levels impact dams, which in turn impact essential infrastructure, including health facilities.

More than 12 million people in both countries are affected, including 5 million in Syria who are directly dependent on the Euphrates River. In Iraq, the loss of access to water from the Euphrates and Tigris River, and drought, threaten at least 7 million people.

Some 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of agricultural land faces drought, the groups said, adding that two dams in northern Syria, supplying power to 3 million people, face imminent closure.

Carsten Hansen, regional director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the aid groups behind the warning, said that for hundreds of thousands of Iraqis still displaced and many more still fleeing for their lives in Syria, the unfolding water crisis will soon become an unprecedented catastrophe pushing more into displacement.

Other aid groups included Mercy Corps, the Danish Refugee Council, CARE international, ACTED and Action Against Hunger.

They warned that several Syrian provinces  including Hassakah, Aleppo and Raqqa in the north and Deir el-Zour in the east  have witnessed a rise in water-borne diseases. The areas include displacement settlements housing tens of thousands of people displaced in Syrias 10-year conflict.

CAREs regional chief for Mideast and North Africa, Nirvana Shawky, urged authorities and donor governments to act swiftly to save lives. The latest crisis comes on top of war, COVID-19 and severe economic decline, she said.

There is no time to waste, said Gerry Garvey of the Danish Refugee Council, adding that the water crisis is likely to increase conflict in an already destabilized region.

Severe water shortages have also hit Lebanon, which is mired in the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, where more than 4 million people  mainly vulnerable children and families  face critical water shortages in the coming days, the U.N.s children agency warned last week.

In Lebanon, severe fuel shortages have also halted the work of thousands of private generators long relied on for electricity in the corruption-plagued country.

UNICEF called for urgent restoration of the power supply to keep water services running.

Lebanons rivers are also heavily polluted. Activists have long warned about pollution levels caused by sewage and waste in the Litani River, the countrys longest and a major source for water supply, irrigation and hydroelectricity.

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At the small town of Esna in Egypts Luxor governorate is located Wekalet Al-Geddawy waiting for its visitors after two years of being hidden under scaffolding for restoration and development.

Egypts Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, U.S. Ambassador in Cairo Jonathan R. Cohen and Luxor Governor Mostafa Alham inaugurated on Sunday the recently restored and developed Wakalet Al-Geddawy, a caravansary built in 1792 to store trade goods and lodge traveling merchants.

The renovation work has been carried out in collaboration with Takween Integrated Community Development and funded by the USAID.

El-Enany expressed his happiness for inaugurating Wekalet Al-Gedday after the completion of its restoration and development, which took two years of hard work, saying the wekala has regained its original charm.

The opening of the Wekalet embodies the ministrys action to preserve Egypts archaeological heritage, revitalize the citys tourism potential by reviving and opening new tourist attractions, which in turn will be a mean to promote tourism, raise tourism and archaeological awareness and create job opportunities for Esnas inhabitants, the minister said.

El-Enany said the United States is one of the Ministrys main partners as several archaeological missions are working all over the country along with the Chicago house in Luxor and the American Research Center in Cairo.

This is not the first time to collaborate with the USAID as it had financed several similar projects in Luxor, Giza, Karnak and Historic Cairo, he noted.

El-Enany announced that visitors can enter the Wekala for free, as the cost will be included in the ticket of the Edna Temple.

US Ambassador Cohen stated, Over the past 25 years, the United States has contributed more than $102 million to preserving dozens of cultural heritage sites throughout Egypt.

We look forward to seeing the tourism industry rebound in Esna and across the country. The United States stands with the people of Egypt as we help to make this happen, he added

Hisham Samir, assistant tourism and antiquities minister for Projects explains that the development project involved the restoration and consolidation of the Wekalas foundations, columns, walls, roofs and wooden ceilings, the implementation of internal ground and soil replacement, the restoration of wooden elements such as doors and windows, in addition to the restoration and consolidation of the facade, the installation of a modern lighting system and the development of the general site and facilities.

Wekalet Al-Geddawy features a very beautiful archaeological panorama with the Roman Temple of Esna located beside and the minaret of the ancient mosque, making it a unique model for the rest of Esna's monuments.

It is a commercial facility built by Hassan Bey Al-Geddawy in 1792 AD and was called Al-Geddawy because Hassan Bey took over the Emirate of Jeddah during the reign of Ali the Great in 1184 AH.

The Wekala was built in two floors of mud bricks. On the ground floor there is a group of shops for displaying goods, while the upper first floor was used as a rest house of merchants, and it can be reached through two staircases on the northwestern and northeastern sides. The main facade of the Wekala overlooks the famous temple of god Khnum in Esna temple, and in the middle of the entrance block, which is topped by a pointed arch with three pointed arches inside, and decorated with brick.

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Tigray rebels accuse AU of bias as mediation efforts grow



AFP, , Sunday 29 Aug 2021



The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner promised a swift victory, but the war has instead dragged on for months, triggering a humanitarian crisis in Tigray, while the rebels have pushed into the neighbouring regions



Rebel forces from Ethiopia's war-torn region of Tigray on Sunday accused the African Union (AU) of bias, days after the bloc appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as a mediator in the months-long conflict.



The spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Getachew Reda, accused the AU of "partiality" towards the Ethiopian government and said it would be "naive to expect this mission to work".



Northern Ethiopia has been wracked by violence since November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, the regional ruling party, saying the move came in response to attacks on army camps.



The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner promised a swift victory, but the war has instead dragged on for months, triggering a humanitarian crisis in Tigray, while the rebels have pushed into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.



Abiy rejected early appeals from high-level envoys from the AU for talks with Tigrayan leaders, sticking to his line that the conflict is a limited "law and order" operation.



On Thursday, the bloc announced Obasanjo's appointment as a high representative for the Horn of Africa, saying it was part of a "drive to promote peace, security, stability & political dialogue".



But on Sunday, TPLF spokesman Getachew dismissed the initiative, saying: "We are hard pressed to know... how people would reasonably expect a constructive role from an institution that has given partiality a very bad name".



"Solving a crisis at the very least requires acknowledging the existence, let alone the magnitude of the problem," he wrote on Twitter.







Famine-like conditions



The war has proved to be a sensitive subject for the AU, which is headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.



Although Washington has been openly critical of Abiy's handling of the war, African members of the UN Security Council have backed Ethiopia in opposing formal discussion of the situation in Tigray at the world body.



According to the members, whose stance is backed by Russia and China, the conflict is Ethiopia's internal affair and any international efforts should go through African leaders or via the AU.



As the conflict has deepened, the humanitarian toll has spiked, with aid workers struggling to reach cut-off populations and 400,000 people facing famine-like conditions in Tigray, according to the UN.



Obasanjo previously headed the AU's election observer mission during Ethiopia's polls last June, where Abiy won a landslide victory. But a fifth of the country's constituencies, including in Tigray, were unable to vote due to ethnic violence and logistical problems.



There was no immediate response from the AU to the TPLF's allegations, and calls to the bloc's representatives were not answered.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/421995.aspx
KYODO NEWS - Aug 29, 2021 - 12:26 | All, Japan

Japan will begin testing an artificial intelligence-assisted system next fiscal year to automatically detect and track suspicious foreign vessels in its territorial waters, Japan Coast Guard officials said.

It is hoped the system will help ease the burden on maritime law-enforcement operations as Japan faces an increase in intrusions into its waters and illegal activities in its exclusive economic zone, particularly by Chinese vessels, they said.

The AI-based integrated system, which will monitor satellite data, will enable early detection and prediction of intrusions by analyzing ships' navigation data such as speed, location and direction.

The system is expected to have the capability to process data from multiple ships at once, they said. Once a suspicious ship is detected, the coast guard will dispatch vessels.

The government is providing 450 million yen ($4.1 million) to cover the cost of initial development, and the system is expected to start operating by fiscal 2024, the coast guard officials said. Japan's fiscal years begin in April.

Beijing has been regularly sending its patrol ships into and near Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The uninhabited islets are administered by Japan but claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

Japan and China remain divided over the territorial issue as well over wartime history.

Japan is also seeing an increase of illegal fishing by Chinese boats in the Yamato Bank, a rich fishing ground in the Sea of Japan off the Noto Peninsula.

So far this year, the coast guard said it has dealt with 148 cases in which it ordered Chinese boats to leave the waters.

Illicit maritime activities "need to be addressed urgently," a coast guard official said.
By Jun Ozaki and Asako Sugiyama, KYODO NEWS - Aug 29, 2021 - 13:44 | All, Japan, Feature

On the island of Kyushu, the center of production for Japan's shochu distilled liquor, long-established breweries have started to branch out into the Western spirits of absinthe and gin, making use of the rich variety of local fruits, herbs and other potential ingredients to produce carefully crafted drinks.

While honoring traditional production techniques, the challenge has been to adapt distilling equipment to reach the required level of purity for the alcohol and to select the right raw materials.

Munehiro Sata, 51, president of Sata Souji Shoten, a brewery founded in 1908 in Minamikyushu, Kagoshima Prefecture, has developed a fascination with absinthe, which was once banned in a number of European countries and the United States due to rumors, which proved unfounded, about its hallucinogenic properties.

"The complex herbal aroma (of absinthe) attracted many cultural figures, such as (Vincent) Van Gogh and others," Sata said, referring to the Dutch 19th-century painter.

An aniseed-flavored drink, absinthe's main ingredient is wormwood. Sata Souji uses sweet-potato shochu as the base while infusing the drink with a total of more than 40 botanicals in all, also including Sakurajima tangerines, kelp, and Japanese "ume" apricots. The company boasts that it produces its wormwood without fertilizers or pesticides.

Reflecting the fact that aniseed was traditionally used as a medicinal herb, Sata Souji's brand takes the name "Absinthe Kusushiki," with "Kusushiki" coming from the roots of the Japanese words for "medicine" and "mysterious."

For Sata, part of what gives the drink its mysterious character is the way that when water is added, it instantly turns milky white.

"It's like how a smile breaks out filling the instant when you meet a person you haven't seen in 10 years," he said.

Sata had an awakening to Western-style spirits while visiting Europe in 2000 to sell his shochu products. He recalled his shock at coming across a spirit that used ginger as a main ingredient. He ended up visiting roughly 100 distilleries there.

A common refrain he continued to hear from nearly all of the local brewers during his trip was that success in achieving a specific flavor depended on using the right distillery equipment. It opened Sato's eyes to what he could achieve.

He imported four distillery machines from Europe, and would pause the brewing process, which takes about six hours, every 90 seconds to test the flavor, aroma, and other aspects of the spirit.

Aside from absinthe, he has developed over 20 spirits with ingredients particular to Japan, such as Japanese peppers and "shichimi-togarashi," a mixture of red peppers and other spices.

Meanwhile, the Osuzuyama Distillery, which sits on a site surrounded by forest in the town of Kijo in Miyazaki Prefecture, also in Kyushu, began selling Osuzu Gin last summer.

The craft gin, which is made by further distilling the company's Yamaneko shochu made from sweet potatoes, is infused with local farm botanicals such as kumquat and "hyuganatsu" citrus fruit as well as shiitake mushrooms. The fragrant gin can be enjoyed as a mixed drink with carbonated water.

Shinsaku Kuroki, 33, the fifth-generation head of sister brewery Kuroki Honten, which helped work on the gin, says that as a producer, he wants to "continually seek out new tastes." He began devoting himself to gin production a year after assuming his position in 2015 at Kuroki Honten, which first opened its doors in 1885.

Kuroki's main concern was finding which plants to use. It took three years of trial and error to perfect his product. Although Kuroki imports a small portion of ingredients essential for gin production, such as juniper berries, he tries to use local produce and even attempts to grow them on the company farm.

It is said that after shochu was introduced to Japan, it took time for sweet potatoes to become a main ingredient, while the types of "koji" mold used also changed throughout the ages.

"The production of shochu has changed with the times. Gin production is an extension of this," Kuroki said.
New Delhi:

In a chilling incident, Jammu and Kashmir BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Kishtwar district on Thursday, according to reports.

"BJP Jammu and Kashmir secretary Anil Parihar and his brother were shot by terrorists in Kishtwar around 8 pm today. They were taken to hospital immediately where they succumbed to injury," BJP State President Ravinder Raina told ANI.

Soon after the incident, police rushed to the spot and launched a thorough investigation into the matter. Anticipating a breakdown of law and order, a curfew has also been imposed in the Kishtwar town. MoS PMO Jitendra Singh is on his way to the spot.

As per the media reports, the attack was carried out outside Parihar's residence while the duo was returning home after closing their stationary shop. They were shot from point blank range with pistols.

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Talking about Parihar's political career, he contested the 2008 Assembly Elections on the ticket of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and bagged the Kishtwar constituency.

Meanwhile, mourning their demise, Jammu and Kasshmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, "Very sad news. My condolences to Anil and Ajit Parihars family and colleagues. May their souls rest in peace".

Very sad news. My condolences to Anil & Ajit Parihars family & colleagues. May their souls rest in peace. https://t.co/r6PkFnnvKv  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 1, 2018

Read | Shujaat Bukhari's murder conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan, says J&K Police

Taking to Twitter, BJP chief Amit Shah said, "Just got the tragic news of killing of Shri Anil Parihar, Secretary @BJP4JnK, and his brother by terrorists in Kishtwar. This is a cowardly act that shames humanity. I grieve the death of my valued colleague and pray that God gives his family strength to bear this untimely loss".

Just got the tragic news of killing of Shri Anil Parihar, Secretary @BJP4JnK, and his brother by terrorists in Kishtwar. This is a cowardly act that shames humanity. I grieve the death of my valued colleague and pray that God gives his family strength to bear this untimely loss.  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 1, 2018

"This is a cowardly act. Anil Parihar fought the terrorists bravely. He always upheld the Indian flag even during the most turbulent times in the state," state BJP chief Ravinder Raina said while expressing his condolences over Parihar's death.

Reacting strongly to Parihar's killing, MoS Jitendra Singh took to Twitter and wrote, "Deeply shocked by the killing of a dear Party colleague and BJP J&K State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother. No words to express the grief. Rushing to Kishtwar at the earliest... that is the only thought on mind".

Deeply shocked by the killing of a dear Party colleague and BJP J&K State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother. No words to express the grief. Rushing to Kishtwar at the earliest... that is the only thought on mind. pic.twitter.com/NtxMKRHb7D  Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) November 1, 2018

BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur has also condemned the killing of Parihar brothers in the cowardly and barbaric attack. "Such attacks are highly condemnable and the police has been urged to nab the hands behind this dastardly act. Growing popularity of BJP across Jammu and Kashmir has frustrated many people," Thakur added.

Read | Mizoram Assembly Elections: Congress releases manifesto, promises laptops to students

Though the police have not hinted at any terrorists link so far, Ravinder Raina got some specific inputs that terrorists in Kishtwar had some serious agenda and said, "this was a targeted killing".

In view of the prevailing situation in Kishtwar, Mobile Internet services have been suspended in the district of Jammu division.

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Bhubaneswar:

Delhi-based journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra on Saturday submitted an affidavit to a house committee of Odisha Assembly for his alleged remarks amounting to breach of privilege of the states lawmakers.

Though Iyer Mitra had appeared before the committee on Friday, he could not submit the affidavit and sought time till Saturday.

The panel will review Abhijit Iyer Mitras statements and affidavit. If required, he will be asked to depose again, said house committee Chairperson Narasingha Mishra, who is also the leader of opposition in the assembly.

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Mishra said the committee would submit its report to the Speaker in the next session of the Assembly.

Iyer Mitra was arrested on October 23 for his alleged derogatory remarks on the culture of Odisha, the Konark Sun Temple and the lawmakers of the state.

He is currently in judicial custody in the state capital.
New Delhi:

Shah Rukh Khan celebrates his 53rd birthday on Friday. Like every year, a pool of thousands of fans emerged outside his mansion Mannat to wish the superstar and in an anticipation to get a glimpse of their hero. Shah Rukh, who has from time and again proved to be a peoples man, greeted his fans assembled outside his house.

Also Read | Senior Congress leaders to sort out differences over allotment of tickets in Madhya Pradesh

Shah Rukh came outside for a few minutes to thank the overwhelming crowd of enthusiastic fans and greeted them with folded hands.

As this situation arises every year on his birthday, the security was already in place outside the residence.

SRK's birthday is one of the most awaited events of the year for his huge fan base. While Shah Rukh leaves no stone unturned to make the day special for his fans, this year the superstar will make it all-the-more exclusive by releasing the trailer of his upcoming flick Zero.

Also Read | Happy Birthday Shah Rukh Khan: 7 prestigious International awards bagged by him that makes India proud

A grand event will be celebrated to release the Zero trailer at IMAX, Wadala, where the entire film cast will be present at, including birthday boy Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, along with director Aanand L Rai.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

What is actually prompting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to take the role of the main anchor in a bid to unite socially, territorially and ideologically diverse parties spread over both South and North besides cutting across the mainland of the country and its fringes or a border State like Jammu and Kashmir?

Also Read | J&K Governor Satya Pal: Pakistan has no role to play in any problem that concerns state

Although these parties may have their sphere of individual influence they do not stand much of a chance to take on effectively the mighty sway of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party both at the Central level and in many states.

And this is how perhaps that the motley lot from the Opposition needed somebody with the acumen to act as a go-between and bring together myriad political forces spread all over only to otherwise struggle alone in their respective bastions with the risk of cutting into each others vote and paving the way for the return of the BJP at the Centre once again. But still the question remains - why and how has the choice for the onerous role of uniting often warring parties fell on Naidu? More so since others like Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee had earlier tried to do their bit in this respect. There is no single answer to this question since Naidu is being propelled into this important role by a combination of a few factors, to say the least.

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: BJP state secretary Anil Parihar shot dead in Kishtwar; Amit Shah condemns killing

These include and are related to both visible or stated and invisible or unstated circumstances. Among the most obvious of them is what is said to be the bad blood that has been created between Andhra Pradesh CM and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over inadequacies of Central aid to Andhra Pradesh at a time when the bustling capital town of Hyderabad was lost to Telangana with the creation of the new State out of an erstwhile bigger Andhra Pradesh. But what is not so pronounced is the precariousness of not only Andhra Pradesh and its CM but also most other States and their leaders under the present regime at the Centre.

States or provinces marginalisation and more so of regional leaders is not confined to the Opposition-ruled little domains alone but it also extends to BJP ruled States where most Chief Ministers, except that of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath (courtesy the backing from the RSS), are but a pale shadow of their former counterparts from the party like the late Bahiaron Singh Shekhawat in case of Rajasthan and Sunderlal Patwa and Uma Bharti vis-a-vis Madhya Pradesh until the trend of strong State leadership was reversed.

s BJP Chief Ministers can hardly be expected to stand straight before their Central party or Government leadership unlike what used to be the case in the past, or through the NDA, or National Democratic Alliance, under former Prime Minister the late Atal Behari Vajpayee and also well before that in case of Shekhawat at least.

Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) too have been staunch part of the NDA since the Vajpayee days to the better part of the present round of BJPs spell in power at the Centre. The kind of obedience now expected from not only the BJP Chief Ministers but also those from the allied parties could have been proving burdensome for the Andhra CM. He felt further humbled and slighted when what he termed as a legitimately promised due of Andhra Pradesh for building a new State Capital to replace and re-compensate the loss of Hyderabad was denied by the Centre.

Once fallen out of Delhis favour, Naidu looked around and easily found willing partners, courtesy Delhi and West Bengal Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee in their shared urge to take on and teach their common adversary a lesson. With the next Lok Sabha polls drawing nearer Naidu has only stepped up these efforts by bringing in more players to outsmart a common foe by his recent visits to Delhi. He tried to set an example on for others by endorsing seat sharing with the Congress for the Telangana Assembly polls. CPI or the Communist Party of India and Telangana Jana Samithi too have joined hands with the Congress-TDP alliance to contest together with the 119-strong Vidhan Sabha.

Among other factors that have helped Naidu in taking the onus to unite the Opposition is the generation gap that he may well be able to bridge among leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar and this may also be so in case of what is on between Akhilesh Yadav and the older generation on the Oppositions side in as crucial a State as UP electorally is. This is all the more so since Akhilesh and his uncle Shivpal Yadav are continuously haunted by their family feud which is marked again by a generation gap.

At 68 Naidu is exactly as old as the Prime Minister. But unlike Modi, the Andhra CM believes in taking the older generation of leaders alongside the new or younger blood that is expected to rev up politics in the days to come. Thus, Naidus intervention minimises the possible threat to the older generation, though whether real or perceived, from the upcoming younger lot.

The TDP leaders arrival on the Oppositions electoral scene also signifies the plight of allies under the present shape the NDA has ended up with. The best part for Naidu has been that he could survive after parting ways with the BJP while former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mahbooba Mufti not only fell out with the BJP but also lost the stewardship of the crucial State; and, thus, it is now under Governors rule. Indeed, Naidus efforts to bury his past associations and also that of the party led by him signify an urge to make a new beginning together with a lot many parties.
Mumbai:

Market benchmark Sensex soared almost 580 points to end at a one-month high of 35,011.65 Friday, propelled by financials and auto stocks, amid cooling global crude prices, rising rupee and a fresh flow of foreign funds.

Positive leads from most other Asian markets that jumped to three-week highs and a positive opening of European shares on easing concerns over the US-China trade war too buoyed sentiments here, brokers said.

The 30-share index got off to a strong start at 34,743.95 points and reclaimed the 35,000-mark to hit a high of 35,190.20 but profit-booking trimmed the gains. It finally settled 579.68 points or 1.68 per cent, higher at 35,011.65.

This is its highest closing since October 4, when it had finished at 35,169.16.

The NSE Nifty leaped 172.55 points, or 1.66 per cent, to 10,553 after touching a high of 10,606.95 during the session.

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On a weekly basis, both the Sensex and Nifty halted their two-week losing streak by surging 1,662.34 points or 5 per cent, and 523 points or 5 per cent, respectively.

Investor sentiment got a big push after Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped below the USD 73-mark to quote at a seven-month low of USD 72.65 by falling 3.48 per cent on higher supply from the world's major producers.

Adding to the upbeat mood, GST collections in October crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark, after a gap of five months, on the back of festive spending and anti-evasion measures.

The Finance Ministry Thursday said 67.45 lakh businesses filed Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns in October and deposited Rs 1,00,710 crore as taxes.

Auto stocks were the centre of brisk activity during the session after some automakers came out with encouraging sales figures for October month.

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Foreign institutional investors (FIIs), which had been selling on the Indian bourses, made fresh purchases worth Rs 348.75 crore Thursday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares to the tune of Rs 509.17 crore, provisional data showed.

The BSE and NSE will conduct a special 'Muhurat' trading session on Wednesday, November 7.

'Muhurat' trading, which is conducted on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, will be held between 1700 hrs and 1830 hrs, the stock exchanges said.

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New Delhi:

Workersskilled, unskilled and semi-skilledin the city will get raised wages from this month under the Delhi governments minimum wages rules notified in March this year, AAP minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday.

Talking to reporters here, the Delhi labour minister said unskilled worker will get a total of Rs 14,000 this month, which includes three months of dearness allowance (DA), while semi-skilled and skilled worker will get Rs 15,400 and Rs 16,792, including DA, respectively.

Rai said that the Supreme Court Wednesday allowed operation of the March notification for three months.

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The government will launch a 20-day campaign on November 10 to create awareness among the workers about the Minimum Wages Act amendments, which was approved in May by President Ram Nath Kovind.

According to the Act, employers violating the laid down rules will face a fine of up to Rs 50,000 besides a jail term of three years.

He said that in December, the government will start taking strict action against violators.

The minister said the government has formed a four-member committee to propose new minimum wages later this week.

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The minister said that once the four-member committee gives its report on new minimum wages, it will be forwarded to Delhi Minimum Wages Advisory Board. The proposed wages will be put out in public domain for objection and suggestions for two months.

In January next year, a report on proposed minimum wages after getting objections and suggestion will be submitted to the Supreme Court, Rai said.

Meanwhile, the Bonded Labour Liberation Front has welcomed the Delhi governments move to restore minimum wages notified in March.
New Delhi:

In a bid to finalise candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) on Thursday held a meeting at the party headquarter in New Delhi.

The CEC meet, which started at about 4 pm this afternoon, witnessed prominent figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Party president Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh among others.

The Saffron party will release the list of candidates on 230 seats in instalments and the first list for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections was expected to be announced by late Thursday.

Keeping in mind the announcement of candidate lists in Madhya Pradesh, large number of police personnel have been deployed outside the BJP and the Congress offices in Bhopal to maintain law and order.

Read | Congress releases final list of 19 candidates for Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections

However, the announcements of names of candidates on 50 seats of Malwa region, including 29 seats of Ujjain division, are likely to be delayed. The Saffron Party had won 28 seats in the last elections.

Here are the Highlights from the BJP CEC meeting:

20:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bhopal: Police deployed outside BJP and Congress offices ahead of announcement of candidate lists for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections



Bhopal: Police deployed outside BJP and Congress offices ahead of announcement of candidate lists #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/i0lKjdzHGB

 ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2018



20:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP CEC meeting underway at party HQ ahead of assembly elections in different states



Delhi: BJP CEC meeting underway at party HQ ahead of assembly elections in different states. pic.twitter.com/SM0imYNM3w

 ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2018



20:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi arrives at party HQ for CEC meeting for upcoming assembly polls in different states including Madhya Pradesh and Telangana



Delhi: PM Modi arrives at party HQ for CEC meeting for upcoming assembly polls in different states including Madhya Pradesh and Telangana pic.twitter.com/8XxBYoeumR

 ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2018


Tokyo:

A Japan Airlines pilot who was arrested in Britain shortly before a flight for being drunk was almost 10 times over the legal blood alcohol limit for a pilot, London police said.

The incident came a day after another Japanese carrier apologised for multiple delays after a hungover pilot called in sick.

JAL executives told reporters in Japan that the co-pilot cleared an in-house breath test but aroused the suspicion of a bus driver taking him to the plane at Heathrow Airport on Sunday.

The co-pilot, identified as Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested by British police and required to undergo a blood test that confirmed those results.

He had reportedly consumed two bottles of wine and more than 1.8 litres (nearly four US pints) of beer over six hours on the night before the flight.

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We are certain (the in-house breath test) wasnt conducted properly, JAL communications chief Muneaki Kitahara told reporters Thursday.

A spokesman for the London police said a test on the co-pilot taken 50 minutes before the flights scheduled departure revealed 189 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in his systemalmost 10 times the 20-milligram limit for a pilot.

The drink-drive limit in England is 80 milligrams.

The pilot later pleaded guilty before a court to being over the legal limit, and is expected to be sentenced on November 29.

The plane departed London after a delay of 69 minutes.

The company sincerely apologises to the passengers and to all affected by the employees actions, JAL said in a press release.

The incident came just a day after All Nippon Airways revealed a hung-over pilot had caused multiple flight delays.

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The male pilot in his 40s called in sick after a night of drinking on the remote resort island of Ishigaki in southern Okinawa prefecture, the company said.

The last-minute sickie forced the airline to delay five flights linking Okinawa Island and smaller regional islands, affecting 619 passengers.

Following the two incidents, the transport ministry urged airline companies to strictly comply with rules on drinking.

But under Japans current system, while plane crew members are banned from drinking within eight hours of working, there is no legal limit set and breath tests are not required.

Airlines have their own regulations, with JAL saying its rules banned pilots from drinking 12 hours before flyinga limit they now said would be pushed back to 24 hours.

The airline will now also involve airport staff in alcohol checks rather than allowing pilots to test each other, Kyodo news agency reported.

Transport Minister Keiichi Ishii on Friday told reporters that the government would look into tightening the rules on drinking by flight crews.

We will use all possible means to ensure flight safety, local media quoted him as saying.

He reportedly said Tokyo would study rules in other countries to determine best practices.

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Islamabad:

Hundreds of radical Islamists poured onto the streets and blocked major roads across Pakistan as they held protests for the second day on Thursday against the acquittal of a Christian woman sentenced to death for committing blasphemy, defying Prime Minister Imran Khans stern warning.

The government said that negotiations were being held with the protestors to convince them to disperse peacefully.

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi told the National Assembly that negotiations were underway with the agitators to resolve the matter amicably.

The nation will soon hear good news in this regard. We do not want use of force against the protestors, he said.

Also Read | Congress releases final list of 19 candidates for Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections

Asia Bibi, 47, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement.

The apex courts judgement, which was pronounced Wednesday, triggered protests across Pakistan with protestors led by Islamic political party Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan and other groups blocking major highways and roads in different parts of the country.

Afridi assured that full protection would be provided to Asia and the judges who acquitted her.

According to media some reports, the Christian woman is likely to be flown out of the country due to threat to her life. Her husband has reportedly reached Pakistan along with his family from the UK to shift her abroad.

It is not clear where she will go as several countries, including Canada, have offered asylum to her.

The timing of her release has not been shared due to security reasons. She was kept in Sheikhupura jail near Lahore.

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On Wednesday, following the protests, Section 144 was imposed till November 10 across Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan barring the gathering of more than four persons in public places as well as pillion riding.

Prime Minister Khan and Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa held a meeting Wednesday night to discuss the overall situation in the country and other important issues.

The decision to make efforts to resolve the issue peacefully was taken in the Cabinet meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Khan, according to information minister Fawad Chaudhry.

We want that the matter is resolved peacefully, so we are showing tolerance towards protestors, he said.

The information minister however said the states intent to avoid use of force to remove protesters must not be construed as a sign of weakness and none would be allowed to make a war on the state of Pakistan.

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To a question about possibility of use of force against protestors, Chaudhry said consultation were being held at various levels but governments preference was to end protests peacefully.

He also said that a delegation of government held talks with Pakistan Muslims League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif and chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari the leaders of two main opposition parties to discuss the latest protests.

The opposition leaders assured the government of support in the efforts to resolve the issue of protests, he said.

Traffic officials said major disturbance was witnessed on Thursday in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad where dozens of protestors were enforcing the blockade of major roads and burning tyres. Traffic was also suspended on major motorways due to the presence of demonstrators.

The largest province of Punjab, which was facing major protests, decided to close down schools for a day and also cancelled supplementary Secondary School Certificate examination.

Private schools in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces also remained shut. However, educational institutions were open in Islamabad.

Hospitals were on high alert due to fear of clashes as police and paramilitary forces tried to contain the disturbance. Long queues of traffic were witnessed in Lahore, Islamabad and other cities due to blockade of several major roads. Mobile phone and internet services were also suspended in different parts of the country.

Protests were also being staged in Gujranwala, Mansehra, Faisalabad and other cities across the country.

Bibis case has been deeply divisive in Pakistan where there is strong support for the controversial blasphemy laws.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar said blasphemy is not acceptable to anyone, but the judiciary cannot punish someone if there is no proof against that person.

Talking tough, Prime Minister Khan Wednesday told hardliners not to confront the State and refrain from vandalism.

The opposition on Thursday criticised Khans address to the nation.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah accused Khan of running away from the parliament at a time when the country is threatened by unrest, and said his body language was aggressive when he addressed the nation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan should have been [here in the Parliament] today. The roads are blocked, people have been restricted to their homes, there is [violence]. He should not be running away. The prime minister and the interior minister should have been present here today, Shah said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Saad Rafique, voicing similar views, said a rulers attitude should not be so aggressive and the prime minister should have taken the House into confidence over the matter.

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New Delhi:

Dhanteras 2018 is upon us and the market for Gold is on its all-time high. If we look at the statistics and records then whoever has invested in Gold 10 years ago then that person would be enjoying a CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) of more than 10 per cent. None of the banks offer that kind of return on their Fixed Deposit (FD) schemes. Not only this, if a person had invested their money on Gold 13 years back, then that person would be enjoying a CAGR return of more than 12 per cent.

If a person would have invested Rs 1 lakh in Gold 10 years ago then the value of the Gold right now would be 2.67 lakh, with 10.35 per cent of CAGR return. But, if this money would have gone to any bank in their FD scheme, then the value now would have been Rs 2.15 lakh. Meaning, a loss of around Rs 50,000.

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And, if the investment on Gold would have been done 13 years ago, then the person would be enjoying a CAGR return of 12.40 per cent. Which means, a return of Rs 4.57 lakh on an investment of Rs 1 lakh on Gold. The same amount in Bank would be now valued at Rs 2.72 lakh.

(Note: The interest of Fixed Deposit (FD) have been counted as an average of 8 per cent)

The president of ShareKhan, Mridul Verma said that investment on Gold is always taken as a safe investment, adding that Gold has never disappointed its investors. It is regarded as a long term investment and early returns should never be considered when investing on Gold.

Rate of Gold in last 13 years on Dhanteras:

30 OCTOBER 2005: Rs 6990 19 OCTOBER 2006: Rs 8728 7 NOVEMBER 2007: Rs 10710 26 OCTOBER 2008: Rs 11915 15 OCTOBER 2009: Rs 15817 3 NOVEMBER 2010: Rs 19625 24 OCTOBER 2011: Rs 26735 11 NOVEMBER 2012: Rs 31588 1 NOVEMBER 2013: Rs 30626 21 OCTOBER 2014: Rs 27458 9 NOVEMBER 2015: Rs 25800 28 OCTOBER 2016: Rs 30049 17 OCTOBER 2017: Rs 29671 1 NOVEMBER 2018: Rs 32860

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New Delhi:

After a senior BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother, Ajeet Parihar, were shot dead by militants in the communally-sensitive Kishtwar on Thursday night, angry civilians have staged protests on Friday against officials and started manhandling senior police personnel. Jammu and Kashmir officials imposed a curfew and called for the Army to control raging protests.

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BJP state secretary Anil Parihar, 52, and his brother Ajeet, 55, were killed when they were returning home from their shop. The assailants fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house. According to the sources, they were apparently waiting for the brothers to return home and used pistols to target them. As soon as they were rushed to a hospital, the doctor declared them dead.

Immediately after the attack, people started assembling outside the Parihar residence and denied the entry of any senior police officers. The mourners protested against handing over the body to police and even stopped them from collecting evidence from the crime scene, Parihar Mohalla.

Kishtwar district magistrate A S Rana had to request to call out the Army in the town and adjoining areas to take the internal security situation under control. The decision was taken to protect the endangered life and property of citizens of Kishtwar town.

Also Read | Bofors Case: Supreme Court to hear CBI plea against Delhi HC decision today

Police announced the curfew in Kishtwar, Doda and Baderwah, besides imposing prohibitory orders, banning assembly of more than four people in Ramban, Banihal, Poonch, Kathua, Rajouri and upper reaches of Gool Gulabgarh.

Talking about Parihar's political career, he contested the 2008 Assembly Elections on the ticket of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and bagged the Kishtwar constituency.

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the CBI plea filed against Delhi High Court's decision in the politically-sensitive Rs 64 crore Bofors pay-off case.

Early this year, CBI filed an appeal against the Delhi High Court decision repressing charges against all the accused. A bench consisting of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice K M Joseph were dealing with the 13-year delayed appeal.

The CBI filed an appeal on February 2, 2018, against the May 31, 2005, Delhi High Court verdict.

Read | Hemant Gupta, Ajay Rastogi among four new Supreme Court judges sworn in today

BJP leader and advocate Ajay Agrawal has been pursuing this case for over a decade since he filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in 2005 after the CBI failed to challenge the high courts order within a mandatory period of 90 days.

The Rs 1,437-crore deal between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns for the Indian Army was entered into on March 24, 1986.

Here are the Highlights from the SC hearing:

The Supreme Court will hear the politically-sensitive Rs 64 crore Bofors pay-off case in which CBI filed an appeal, earlier this year, against the Delhi High Court decision repressing charges against all the accused. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice K M Joseph will hear the 13-year delayed appeal. CBI filed an appeal on February 2, 2018, against the May 31, 2005, Delhi High Court verdict. BJP leader and advocate Ajay Agrawal has been pursuing this case for over decade since he filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in 2005, after the CBI failed to challenge the high courts order within a mandatory period of 90 days. The Rs 1,437-crore deal between India and Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for the supply of 400 155mm Howitzer guns for the Indian Army was entered into on March 24, 1986.

12:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The apex court said that it is not convinced with CBI's grounds on delay in filing the appeal against HC verdict discharging Hinduja brothers in Bofors case

12:27 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In SC dismisses CBI's appeal against high court verdict discharging Hinduja brothers in Bofors case



Supreme Court refuses to entertain the appeal filed by the CBI in Bofors case pic.twitter.com/0GbAUIVz3P

 ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018



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In an untitled Netflix comedy directed by Kenya Barris, Eddie Murphy will feature with Jonah Hill. Murphy and Barris worked together on Murphy's 'Coming 2 America,' the sequel to the comedian's 1980s classic, which was a major hit for Amazon Prime earlier this year.

While storylines are being kept under wraps, according to Just Jared, the film is an "incisive examination of contemporary love and family dynamics, as well as how competing cultures, societal expectations, and generational inequalities shape and impact relationships," according to the source. Murphy and Hill will find themselves on opposite sides of some of those divides in the work that looks to target two generations simultaneously. Interestingly, Barris, who is making his directorial debut with the new movie, is already renowned as a screenwriter, having written the screenplay for Murphy's film Coming 2 America, the 2021 sequel to the latter's 1988 breakthrough hit.

Murphy returned to the big screen in 2019 with Dolemite Is My Name, and he also returned to Saturday Night Live after 35 years for an Emmy-winning encore. Earlier this year, the actor/comedian told NME that he took a hiatus after winning the Razzie Award for 'Worst Actor of the Decade' in 2010. Murphy, for his portrayal of director Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite, Is My Name, was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy or Musical at the 2020 Golden Globes.

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The suspension of scheduled international passenger flights caused by the coronavirus has been extended till September 30, according to the aviation authority DGCA.

"However, on a case-by-case basis, the relevant authorities may authorize international scheduled flights on certain routes," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, scheduled international passenger services have been stopped in India since March 23, 2020. Special international flights, however, have been running since May 2020 under the Vande Bharat Mission and since July 2020 via bilateral "air bubble" agreements with chosen nations.

India has signed air bubble agreements with about 25 nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Bhutan, and France. Special international flights can be performed by their airlines between their territory under an air bubble treaty between two nations. The ban does not impact international all-cargo operations or flights explicitly approved by the DGCA, according to the circular.

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Covid-19 has made things difficult for children. They have been forced to stay indoors, miss school and have had to sacrifice a lot. But what people have failed to realise is they have also not been getting the vaccines given to children for diseases other than Covid-19.

As Nepal has stepped up the vaccination drive against Covid-19, things seem different when it comes to children. The coverage rate of vaccines given to protect them from tuberculosis, diphtheria, hepatitis, polio and measles has gone down since the pandemic hit the country in March 2020 while the rates were already problematic before that, say experts.

Overlooked crisis

Vaccination centres dedicated to children have shut down or are being used to tackle Covid-19. Those that are open are only for a short period, which has made it hard for people in remote areas of Nepal to get their children vaccinated. That is one reason why the coverage rate has decreased, claim experts.

They say another reason for the drop is the continuous lockdown that has happened in the country along with the fear of contracting the virus.

Dr Jhalak Sharma Gautam, the chief of the Vaccination Section under the Department of Health Services, says the government vaccinates over 620,000 children below the age of one against 12 diseases every year. In 2019, around 537,000 children were vaccinated. In 2020, as Covid-19 struck Nepal, the number went down to 483,000.

As the country went into lockdown, most of the vaccination centres were shut. We asked them to open the centres, but due to fear of Covid-19, most didnt open while many parents didnt take their children to the centres fearing contraction, Dr Gautam says.

They know that they have to get their child vaccinated, but they wont go as they are afraid of contracting the virus. This is worrying, he says.

When the country went on lockdown in March 2020, only around 8,000 out of around 16,000 vaccination centres were open. This resulted in thousands of children missing out on the immunisation drive. For example, the coverage rate of the BCG vaccine, which protects children from tuberculosis, went down 16 per cent in 2020. Even though its coverage rate increased a bit in 2021 to 79 per cent, it is still 12 per cent less than the 2019 average, which was 91 per cent.

In 2019, the coverage rate of the DPT vaccine against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus stood at 90 per cent. In 2020, the rate went down to 86 per cent while the coverage rate in 2021 stands at 87 per cent.

The rate of vaccination against measles that is given to 15-month-old kids has also gone down. In 2019, the vaccination rate was 80 per cent, but in 2020, it went down to 80 per cent. The coverage rate for the second shot for measles also went down in 2020 as it stood at 71 per cent compared to 73. This is 26 per cent less than the governments target.

The coverage rate of the first vaccine against polio, DPT and hepatitis went down by 4 per cent in 2020 whereas that of its third dose went down by 8 per cent. These vaccines are administered six weeks after the birth of a child.

Similarly, the FIPV-2 vaccination that is given to protect a child from pneumonia stood at 76 per cent in 2019; it went down to 69 per cent. This vaccine should also be administered within six weeks of birth. The PCV vaccines coverage rate in 2019 was 81 per cent, but it went down in 2020 to 78 per cent.

An all-time concern

Ideally, the coverage rates of each of the vaccines mentioned above should be 95 per cent. But in Nepal, even during normal times, the rate has been well below 95.

According to the Vaccination Section, the coverage rate of the BCG vaccine is around 90 per cent while the vaccine against measles is yet to go over 75 per cent. Dr Gautam says the numbers are worrying as they are, but the pandemic has made things even worse.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says kids who have missed out on these vaccines are mostly from extremely rural areas or those living in conflict areas where basic health care is scarce.

Dr Gautam says that this is true in Nepals context also as people from rural areas, backward classes and illiterate are those who have missed out on vaccines. But, he adds that even children from urban areas have been deprived. He says that in some cases, people move from one place to another a lot and that is another reason why they miss out on vaccination.

A family living in Dang migrates to Jhapa. That family will find it hard to settle in and will forget that theyll have to vaccinate their child, he says.

Another reason for the decrease in vaccination coverage is the lack of information and awareness, he informs.

Vaccination expert Dr Shyam Raj Upreti says demographic challenges in a country like Nepal have also resulted in a decrease in the coverage percentage. He says despite people knowing the advantages of vaccination, they do not go as it is a day (sometimes two) away from where they live.

The problem is these vaccines are for the childrens future so that they dont contract avoidable diseases. People in rural areas dont really understand this, which is why we need to ensure that we start an awareness drive, says Dr Upreti.

Worldwide data worrisome

According to data collected by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the WHO from 160 countries, vaccination against 13 major diseases has gone down across the world during the pandemic. The coverage even in a first-world country like the US had gone down. In 2020, only 82 per cent in the US were fully vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. This is 10 per cent less than what it was in 2016.

The WHO says that the reasons for the downfall were fake news, propaganda against vaccines and lack of financial means.
Kathmandu, August 29

The Ministry of Health and Population has informed that Nepals Covid-19 tally has reached 842,193 as of Sunday afternoon.

The ministry said 1,388 new cases were confirmed in the country in the past 24 hours.

In this period, 7,259 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which returned 1,214 positive. Likewise, 3,038 people underwent antigen tests for the virus, of which an additional 174 tested positive.

Of total tests, 16.72 per cent of the PCR and 6.38 per cent of antigen samples returned positive, keeping the overall per-day positivity rate at 13.47 per cent.

As of today, there are 35,796 active cases across the country. Of them, 3,052 are hospitalised, 625 in intensive care units and 167 on ventilators.

In the past 24 hours, 2,260 people have achieved recovery whereas 24 deaths have been reported.

Of the total cases so far, 712,712 people have achieved recovery. Likewise, 10,714 died, according to the ministry. The countrys recovery rate is 93.9 per cent and the death 1.5 rate per cent.
According to Wine Institute figures, Californias wine industry contributes $114 billion annually to the American economy and employs 786,000 workers. California retail wine sales reached $43.6 billion in the United States in 2019, with the state claiming three out of every five bottles sold. All in all, the Golden State is responsible for producing 81% of all the wine made in America, and ranks fourth worldwide in wine production, trailing only France, Italy and Spain.

Californias colorful wine history

Originally planted by Franciscan missionaries for sacramental wine production back in the 18th century, Mission grapes are believed to be the first cultivated variety grown in America. After the Gold Rush of the 1840s and up until around the turn of the 20th century, European wine grape varieties were imported and propagated at nurseries throughout the state. In fact, the California State Viticultural Commission was established in 1860 to promote variety in vine importation.

However, Californias true wine boom wouldn't happen until the 1960s, when consumer tastes began to evolve from sweet wines and generic jug blends to quality table wines made from specific grape varieties.

Along with his peers, industry legend Robert Mondavi led the effort to put California wines on the global map, striving to turn out products that rivaled the best wines Europe had to offer.

The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 proved a watershed moment, when California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon bested their French counterparts in blind tastings for the first time ever.

So just what is it that gives California wines their lasting allure? Turns out, several things.

Climate

California benefits from a Mediterranean-like climate defined by warm, dry, sunny summers and mild , wet winters. These conditions help wine grapes grow steadily during a long, relatively stress-free season between April and October.

The great diversity of climates across California contributes to its great wines, supporting the growth of everything from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.

Topography

The influence of the Pacific Ocean and several other significant mountain ranges cannot be overstated. Many of the most important wine regions in California, from Napa and Sonoma to Santa Barbara and Paso Robles, benefit in myriad ways from the natural cooling of coastal winds, fog and moisture. The comfortable temperatures help grapes retain acidity, which in turn keeps the resulting wines fresh and balanced instead of flabby and heavy on the palate.

This specific geology is one of the reasons California boasts 142 unique American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)  designated geographic regions for growing wine grapes  from Humboldt County near the Oregon border all the way to Temecula Valley and San Diego to the south with the majority of AVAs dotting the coast.

Elevation

Along with microclimates and soils, California features a wide variety of exposures and elevations, giving wine growers and winemakers further material to work with. These variations make it possible to capture the abundant sunshine the state provides, and to protect the vines from the threat of frost, wind or heavy rain, though rainfall during the growing season tends to be minimal. Currently, California supports the growth of dozens of different wine grape varieties, with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon proving the most popular, and thus, the most frequently planted.

Sustainability

California has long embraced forward-thinking sustainable practices with a focus on soil health, habitat restoration and biodiversity, in addition to encouraging beneficial insects, using sheep and other grazing animals for weed control, and emphasizing water conservation.

In 2019, Sonoma County announced that 99% of its vineyards had been certified sustainable, making it the most sustainable wine region in the world.
Afghan Baby Born Aboard U.S. Air Force Plane Fleeing the Taliban in Kabul

Tech. Sgt. Zachary Boyer/U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force has provided a positive update about the Afghan baby who was born aboard one of their C-17 cargo planes last weekend, as her parents fled the Taliban in Kabul.

General Tod D. Wolters, the commander of U.S. European Command, said that the infant is in good health after the inflight delivery, in addition to two other babies of Afghan refugees that were born at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. "All three babies are good," Wolters said Wednesday in a press conference.

He added that he's "had further conversations" with the first set of parents, who ended up welcoming their baby at Germany's Ramstein Air Base following the flight. "They named the little girl Reach," Wolters noted. "And they did so because the call sign of the C-17 aircraft that flew them from Qatar to Ramstein was Reach."

RELATED: Afghan Baby Born After Mom Goes into Labor Aboard U.S. Air Force Plane Fleeing the Taliban in Kabul

"So that that child's name will forever be Reach," he continued. "And if you can well imagine being an Air Force fighter pilot, it's my dream to watch that young child called Reach grow up and be a U.S. citizen and fly United States Air Force fighters in our Air Force. Over."

The unnamed mother boarded the C-17 cargo plane with her husband and their other young child last Saturday, before meeting an aeromedical staging squadron at a base in the Middle East and moving on to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, PEOPLE confirmed.

Afghanistan evacuation flight

Courtesy

She went into labor mid-flight, experiencing increasingly heavy contractions. The woman progressed into high labor and her blood pressure dropped dangerously low as the plane approached Germany, causing medical complications. The aircraft's commander took action, increasing the air pressure and decreasing altitude, which managed to "stabilize and help save the mother's life," according to a U.S. Air Force rep.

Story continues

When the aircraft touched down at Ramstein, the woman went into the final stages of labor. The 86th Medical Group rushed aboard and escorted her to a makeshift delivery room in the cargo bay, where they facilitated the successful birth.

RELATED: 60 Afghans, 13 U.S. Troops Killed in 'Heinous Attack' Outside Airport During Evacuation, Officials Say

"The baby girl and mother were transported to a nearby medical facility and are in good condition," an Air Mobility Command rep told PEOPLE.

The extraordinary birth took place amid turmoil for many Afghans after the Taliban seized control of Kabul and other cities this month, following President Joe Biden's withdrawal of U.S. military troops from the country.

RELATED VIDEO: Trump Finally Pledges 'Orderly Transition' of Power After Congress Certifies Joe Biden's Win

Afghans subsequently descended into panic, crowding the Kabul airport and scaling concrete walls around the tarmac in an attempt to board international flights and flee the Taliban's control. More than 600 people evacuated in a single trip on Air Force cargo planes like the one that transported the pregnant woman, much more than the amount of passengers those types of aircrafts are built to hold. Many have rushed half-open ramps and even wheel wells to escape, and some have fallen to their death in the process.

An Afghan man living in Kabul (who asked to be kept anonymous for fear of reprisal) told PEOPLE of the sense of terror that has taken over the city, threatening his family's livelihood. "We are afraid to go outside now. Everyone is scared and hiding. Unless you are with the Taliban, it is not safe inside Afghanistan," the man said.

RELATED: Biden Vows Retaliation After Kabul Airport Attack and Says Evacuation Won't Be Deterred: 'We Will Hunt You'

"I myself, and people in my family, we worked with the Afghan government. We were government workers. Now we are unemployed. I have no income. I have to live off of what money I already have," he continued. "Our family wants to go to America. We thought we had more time."

Joe Biden

Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

After announcing that all U.S. troops would withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, Biden told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos last week that the U.S. will "do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out," confirming that troops will remain in Afghanistan as long as necessary.

As of Wednesday, the U.S. has helped evacuated about 82,300 people, according to White House spokesman Chris Meagher.
JERSEY CITY, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2021 / Caseload Marketing, an acclaimed venture founded by Carmine Marino, has emerged as the authority in helping law firms and professionals stay afloat in the sea of competition. By capitalizing on the rise of online-based platforms, it allows those under its wing to stand out and acquire clients.

Law firms belong to an industry ruled by traditions. This particular field has relied on word-of-mouth and other outdated marketing strategies to capture the interest of potential clients, allocating most of their attention and efforts to ensure that they are the best in the field. But in today's age, when every arena has grown saturated and more cut-throat, what spells the difference between firms that thrive and those that merely survive is the ability to wield the advancements of digital technology.

The establishment of Caseload Marketing rests under the recognition that social media and content marketing, when crafted strategically, can transform a firm into a powerhouse. "The problem is, most are flooding Facebook and Instagram with obsolete infographics and irrelevant hashtags. But social media was not created to be a spam folder of self-promotion. Instead, it was designed to bank on socialization and the strength of connections," shared the founder of this Jersey City-based agency.

Highly cognizant that not everyone possesses the know-how needed in producing content that is creative and capable of luring customers in, Caseload Marketing has made it its mission to help attorneys with their paid advertising, social media content, and website development. It partners with law firms across the nation to build brand awareness and cement their authority in their respective markets.

This fast-growing company stemmed from a seedling of a thought that Carmine Marino had while assisting two of his friends who decided to start their own firm directly out of law school. "They struggled with a limited budget, and so I offered to help them market their brainchild," recalled the mind at the helm of Caseload Marketing. Together, the go-getters managed to increase the clientele from zero to over a hundred personal injury clients in less than a year.

Story continues

So far, Caseload Marketing has enabled the success of a long list of individuals and institutions, propelling them to greater heights by utilizing tailored and effective approaches. "While most of our competition focuses on obsolete metrics and advertising strategies, we focus on brand awareness and reach," added Carmine Marino. "Our primary goal is to create an authority-like feel around our partners, increasing their bottom line and complimenting-not acting as-their sales strategy."

Thanks to the considerable extent to which it makes it possible for firms to attract new clients and increase their visibility, Caseload Marketing has secured a coveted spot at the forefront of the industry. In the coming years, it aims not only to cement its reputation at the top even more solidly but also to expand its influence and have attorney partners in every market across the nation.

Learn more about Caseload Marketing by visiting its website .

Website: www.caseloadmarketing.com

Company: Caseload Marketing

Phone: (732) 416-4477

Email: carmine@caseloadmarketing.com

SOURCE: Caseload Marketing





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/661858/Caseload-Marketing-on-Helping-Law-Firms-Thrive-in-a-Digitized-World




A fourth stimulus check isn't coming from the feds, but maybe from your state

Despite heated pleas for a fourth round of stimulus checks as the COVID delta variant rampages through the U.S., Washington has been cool to the idea of another direct payment.

President Joe Biden and Congress' Democratic leaders have moved on to other things. Meanwhile, an online petition to send Americans $2,000 a month until the U.S. is clear of the COVID crisis is nearing 3 million signatures.

But some governors, including California's Gavin Newsom (pictured), have pushed their states to pay stimulus checks. In fact, California just sent out a second round. And, the massive stimulus bill the president signed in March included $350 billion in aid to states and local government that could be used for direct payments.

Here are the states that are providing relief money, to help residents cover household expenses or pay down debt.

States now paying out stimulus checks

California

suprunovich.yana / Twenty20

Distribution of California's new round of stimulus began on Friday, with Newsom telling taxpayers in a video message to "look out for checks either in your mailbox or directly in your account." The nation's most populous state is using its own money to make the payments  not federal funds.

Quirks in the state's tax system, the record-shattering stock market and other factors have left California with a huge budget surplus, which it has tapped to send cash to residents earning $75,000 or less. An earlier wave primarily went to those making $30,000 or less.

The new payments are giving California residents $500 to $1,100, depending on immigration status and whether they have children. Checks are being issued automatically, to Californians who filed 2020 tax returns.

Florida

In recognition of the special difficulties teachers have had navigating their way through the pandemic, Florida has been doling out $1,000 checks to its educators.

The Sunshine State also is paying first responders  including law enforcement officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and firefighters  up to $1,000 as an acknowledgment of the many sacrifices they've been making throughout the crisis.

Story continues

New Mexico

New Mexicos stimulus program devoted $5 million to helping low-income residents who werent eligible for federal stimulus checks. More than 4,000 households across the state received up to $750 in emergency financial assistance.

The state's Human Services Department said in an early August news release that the entire $5 million was not paid out, so a second round of checks would be issued "within the next couple of months."

Tennessee

Earlier this year, Tennessee's state legislature passed a bill providing teachers with hazard pay for making it through the worst of the pandemic.

Lawmakers had originally proposed a 2% raise for educators, but it was ultimately replaced with a one-time payment of $1,000 for full-time teachers. Part-timers will receive $500. It's expected the checks will be mailed out by the end of this year.

Texas

While theres no statewide program for COVID relief payments in Texas, some local school districts are providing their employees with stimulus checks in the form of retention bonuses.

In the Dallas suburb of Irving, the bonus is as much as $2,000. In nearby Denton, teachers will receive $500 and a 2% pay increase if they return to work in the fall, for the 2021-2022 school year. Several Texas school districts have approved pay raises for educators instead of direct payments.

States that previously paid out stimulus checks

Colorado

jennycarter / Twenty20

The "Colorado Comeback," which Gov. Jared Polis announced last fall, included $375 checks for residents who received at least one unemployment payment between March 15 and Oct. 24 of last year.

The payments targeted lower-income households and weren't available to anyone who qualified for more than $500 a week in base unemployment benefits. Some 408,000 people got the money, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said.

Georgia

Georgia opted to give its full-time teachers and administrators $1,000 stimulus payments, described as "thank you" bonuses. Part-time educators got $500.

The Peach State also provided $1,000 bonuses to 57,000 state employees earning $80,000 or less.

Maryland

Early this year, Maryland handed out stimulus checks to low- to moderate-income households. The payments provided $500 to families and $300 to individuals who qualified for the earned income tax credit in 2020.

And, in a breathtaking move, officials repealed all state and local taxes on unemployment benefits for Maryland residents. Combine that with the federal government's big tax break on unemployment payments, and many who received unemployment in Maryland last year have enjoyed big tax savings.

Michigan

Late last year, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced "MI Classroom Heroes" grants totaling $53 million in hazard pay for teachers and another $20 million to recognize school support staff.

Checks of $500 and $250 for teachers and school staffers were to be mailed out to qualified applicants by the end of February.

New York

New York provided stimulus checks to undocumented immigrants who were disqualified from receiving the federal relief payments.

In April, the state set aside $2.1 billion to give nearly 300,000 undocumented workers stimulus payments of up to $15,600  provided they could show they lost earnings because of the pandemic and earned less than $26,000 in 2020.

What if your state isnt offering extra stimulus?

Sharon McCutcheon / Unsplash

If you don't qualify for a state stimulus check or your state isn't offering them, you have a few options to find relief on your own.

Deal with your debt. Credit is convenient, but it doesn't take long before expensive interest catches up with you. If you're juggling multiple credit card balances and other high-interest debt, fold them into a single debt consolidation loan to pay off what you owe faster and more affordably.

Cut your insurance bills. If you havent shopped around for a better rate on your car insurance lately, you might be paying hundreds of dollars too much each year. A little comparison shopping could slash your auto premiums. The same trick also works well for finding a lower rate on homeowners insurance.

Stretch every dollar. Can you drop subscription services you're not using? Can you downgrade your phone plan to save a few dollars every month? And finally, are you getting the best deals when you shop online? If you're not sure about that last one, download a free browser extension that automatically scours the internet for better prices and coupons.

Turn your pennies into a portfolio. Earn some returns in the red-hot stock market, even if you dont have much money or much experience with investing. A wildly popular app can help you invest just your "spare change" from everyday purchases  and turn your pennies into a diversified portfolio.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 29, 2021 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Concho Resources Inc. ("Concho" or the "Company") (NYSE:CXO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.comor 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Concho and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

In 2018, Concho planned and constructed the Dominator Project ("Dominator") in the Delaware Basin, part of the larger Permian Basin, consisting of 23 wells. Then, on July 31 and August 1, 2019, Concho disclosed that the wells at Dominator were spaced "too tight" and that as a result, Concho had drastically reduced its total active rig count to avoid overshooting budgets and would be forced to scale down production targets for the rest of the year. Concho also disclosed that going forward, the Company would begin spacing all of its wells farther apart-revealing at the same time that certain current and upcoming projects were "moderately more dense" in terms of spacing.

On this news, Concho's stock price fell roughly 22% on August 1, 2019, damaging investors.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

Story continues

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/661873/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-Pomerantz-Law-Firm-Investigates-Claims-On-Behalf-of-Investors-of-Concho-Resources-Inc--CXO




Labor Day traffic

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Who knows what traffic will look like for the upcoming Labor Day weekend, since COVID-19 doesnt seem interested in taking a vacation, or a hike?

Last year, summer traffic was still low because of the pandemic.

Traffic has since reboundedas anyone who has navigated I95 or U.S. 1 through Fredericksburg on a weekend this summer can attest.

So we can expect more traffic during the three-day holiday weekend.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is expecting more drivers on the road, and will suspend most work zones between Friday and noon on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Lane closures will be lifted in most work zones, but some will remain.

According to VDOT, a few area work zones that will still have lane closures are:

There will still be shoulder closures on I-95 for projects from Spotsylvania County to Quantico.

Route 207 in Caroline County, where traffic is reduced to a single lane each way while crews replace the bridge over the Mattaponi River.

And, yes, the lane closures remain in place for the Chatham Bridge, which is slated to reopen in October, something that cant come soon enough for anyone who has tried to manage U.S. 1 on a weekend.

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The event was similar to other events around the nation Saturday, including a larger rally in Washington.

We know for a fact that people have died, bled for this particular cause, Petway said prior to the event, adding that the event is our effort to stop voter suppression. And we understand that Virginia may not be doing it right now, but we believe its not too far away.

Fellow event leader Gary Holland said the group also gathered to commemorate the original March on Washington 58 years ago when Dr. Martin Luther King marched and delivered his famous I have a Dream speech.

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One of the chants during the event focused on new legislation aimed at strengthening the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which has been weakened by Supreme Court rulings. The bill, named after the late Georgia congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, passed the House along party lines. It now awaits action by the Senate.

Most of those in attendance were locals, but three visitors made the several-hour drive from Pennsylvania to march in Fredericksburg.

Patrick Collins moved to Pennsylvania from the Fredericksburg area about a year ago and said he heard about the local march and decided to make the trip.
AS PART OF their plan

to dramatically expand

the cost and scope of the welfare state, President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats want to flip the tax code on its head and turn the Internal Revenue Service into an agency that provides cash welfare.

It will create a universal basic income that will incentivize many Americans not to work and allow the state to further intrude in the lives of everyday Americans.

Based on the historical failure of the Great Society and welfare in general, it is unlikely this new plan would be an improvement.

The cornerstone of the Democrats plan is to transform the $2,000 child tax credit into a monthly, fully refundable payment of up to $300 per month. Families would qualify for this subsidy regardless of how much they earn and could receive the entire payment as a cash allowance.

Democrats also hope to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)providing further cash assistance to Americansand expand the Obamacare advanced refundable credit so that many Americans would pay nothing for their healthcare premiums.
This is especially discouraging because Croatia had been one of the most open countries to visitors. It also heralds a broader policy of continually shifting standards and uncertainty about travel restrictions.

It just got more difficult to organize a group trip to Croatia for the spring of 2022, because who knows what the entry standards will look like by then?

In the U.S., President Joe Bidens administration is now pushing for third booster shots for people who already have been vaccinated. That might be a good idea, but it too creates additional uncertainty for travel and migrationand for social interaction more broadly.

If three doses are so important, should people be allowed to travel (or for that matter, interact indoors) with only two doses? The bar is raised yet again.

Of course, the issues do not end with the third dose. If the efficacy of the second dose declines significantly in less than a year, might the same happen with the third dose? How long before four doses are necessary, or maybe five?

Or what if yet another significant COVID-19 variant comes along, and only some people have a booster dose against that strain? What then counts as being sufficiently vaccinated?
The United States is winding down its airlift of thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals as top U.S. officials pledge to continue working to evacuate all citizens who want to leave despite the danger of the mission.

The evacuation of Americans and Afghan civilians continued on August 29 even after a new State Department security alert was issued just hours before a U.S. drone strike hit suspected Islamic State militants in Kabul.

This is the most dangerous time in an already extraordinarily dangerous mission these last couple of days, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said not long before the U.S. military confirmed that the drone strike killed militants headed to the airport with explosives.

A joint statement issued by the United States and more than 100 countries said the Taliban had provided assurances that it will continue to allow foreigners and Afghans with foreign travel papers to leave the country "in a safe and orderly manner."

The countries, including Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, and Turkey, committed to ensuring that their nationals, residents, and employees, as well as Afghans who have worked with them "can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan."

U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan said earlier on August 29 that the United States has the capacity to evacuate the U.S. citizens remaining in Afghanistan who want to leave.

We have the capacity to have 300 Americans, which is roughly the number we think are remaining, come to the airport and get on planes in the time that is remaining, Sullivan said, speaking in an interview with a U.S. broadcaster.

Sullivan also said the U.S. does not currently plan to have an ongoing embassy presence after the final U.S. troop withdrawal. But he pledged the U.S. will make sure there is safe passage for any American citizen, any legal permanent resident after August 31 as well as for those Afghans who helped us.

The U.S. is working with other countries in the region to either keep the Kabul airport open after the August 31 deadline for the withdrawal to conclude or to reopen it in a timely fashion, Blinken said.

While the airport is critical, there are other ways to leave Afghanistan, including by road and many countries border Afghanistan, he said.

The Taliban has pledged to allow Afghans to leave Afghanistan after August 31, Blinken said on NBC. After that date the United States is unlikely to have any diplomats in the country to help at-risk Afghans who miss out on the evacuation flights, he said.

The U.S. military said on August 28 that more than 117,000 people, the majority of them Afghan civilians, had been evacuated in the two weeks since the Taliban seized Kabul.

While the drone strike on August 29 and a suicide bombing just outside the airport on August 26 that killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 100 Afghans underscored the dangers of the evacuation, the Biden administration faced blistering criticism from Republican members of Congress.

We didnt have to be in this rush-rush circumstance with terrorists breathing down our neck, Senator Mitt Romney (Republican-Utah) said on CNN.

But Romney also cited the Trump administration, saying it along with the Biden administration were responsible for the crisis and what is without question a humanitarian and foreign-policy tragedy.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican-Kentucky) said the U.S. policy in Afghanistan prior to Bidens decision to set August 31 as the deadline for the withdrawal had been working.

We were, in effect, keeping the lid on, keeping terrorists from reconstituting, and having a light footprint in the country, he said on Fox News.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, CNN, Reuters, and The Washington Post
U.S. President Joe Biden and his wife, first lady Jill Biden, arrived at a military base in Delaware on August 29 to honor 13 members of the U.S. military recently killed in a suicide bombing during the evacuation of civilians from Kabul airport.

After arriving at Dover Air Force Base, the Bidens met with the families of service members killed in the attack. They were to then witness the transfer of the troops' remains from an aircraft that arrived at the base earlier on August 29.

Dozens of Afghans were also killed in the August 26 suicide bombing just outside Kabul airport, where thousands of people had gathered to try to get a flight out after the Taliban seized the city two weeks ago.

The attack, claimed by the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State extremist group, was the most lethal incident for U.S. service members in Afghanistan in a decade.

Biden has vowed to punish those responsible for the bombing.

The U.S. military said on August 28 it had killed two militants of the group known as Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) in a drone attack in Afghanistan.

The U.S. military said its forces launched a drone strike on August 29 in the Afghan capital targeting a vehicle with suicide bombers inside.

"We are in a period of serious danger given what we are seeing in the intelligence," U.S. national- security adviser Jake Sullivan said on CNN in an interview broadcast before the latest strike was reported.

"We are taking every possible measure at the direction of the president to ensure that our forces are protected on the ground even as they complete their mission of bringing in the remaining American citizens and Afghan allies, Sullivan said.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
In case you couldnt tell from the photos, its right there in the fine print: Not for those wanting a typical log cabin in the woods.

Elsewhere in the Airbnb listing are words like peculiar and intentionally unconventional and thing of splendor. Those who stay there call the Pagosa Springs place magical, enchanting and an absolute dream. It made one visitor feel like a Disney princess.

To the woman who holds the keys, its known simply as the Wonder Haus.

I named it that for a reason, Adrian Young said. Its just full of this sense of wonder.

Before Young was deemed a super host on Airbnb, in part because of the uniqueness of her Wonder Haus, and before her house got noticed by magazines and Netflix producers, she was a new mom with questions. The existential ones, like, Is this what our life should be like?

She and her husband, Jeff, had recently moved from Denver to Oklahoma to raise their young kids closer to family. The adventure-loving couple used to be the type that would hop on a plane to Europe with just a backpack and no plan. Now they were spending their days renovating a house and their nights staying in. Their sense of spontaneity was being replaced by monotony.

This isnt the way, Young told her husband one day. Weve got to figure something out.

He bought her a plane ticket to Colorado, where Young thought she might like to build a getaway for the family as well as other families. Thanks to a recurring dream, Young had a specific picture in her head of an off-the-grid mountain haven with an arched glass-sided structure to feel immersed with the outdoors. She figured the place only existed in her imagination.

Flying to Colorado, she didnt have a game plan. She had a rental car and an inspo photo resembling what she wanted to build. After two days of driving aimlessly around the state, Young reached the charming little town of Pagosa Springs. She called a local Realtor to share her crazy idea.

Young was shocked by the Realtors response: I have the exact perfect place.

She went to see a house that looked like a near replica of the one in the photo shed been carrying around.

She was told the former owner constructed the passive solar earth house in 2010 as a way to satisfy his love for astronomy. The underground house comes with a stunning star-gazing observation tower and is set on 7 acres of land surrounded by the San Juan National Forest.

It was so cool, Young said. I was crying my eyes out.

It felt like a sort of destiny that she wouldnt have build the place of her dreams from scratch because someone else had already built it.

It just felt like, woah, Young said. Kismet.

Within a week, the house was theirs.

It didnt match my budget or logistics I had in my head, Young said. But we loved it. We did it as economically as we could.

The family sold their Oklahoma house and moved into a condo to help fund a full remodel, which included filling the house with lots of comfy and colorful furniture, Southwest-inspired decor and some mementos passed down from Youngs grandmother.

By early 2018, the Wonder Haus was listed on Airbnb. It took time to get any bites, though, on the bizarre lodging option.

A group of 20-somethings, who Young calls trailblazers, were the first to try it. Any nerves quickly faded.

They were texting and calling me so excited about it, Young said. They were like, This is incredible.

More rave reviews have followed. One guest wrote a poem inspired by Wonder Haus. Conde Nast named it one of the best Airbnb stays in Colorado. The clothing retailer Anthropologie called about getting photos there for its fall catalog.

I think the allure is that you dont see a lot of houses like that, Young said. Its distinct. Its completely unorthodox.

It fits in the category of quirky places, along with yurts, huts, barns and houseboats, that has become more and more sought after on Airbnb, according to a recent report from the vacation rental company.

Announcing its new Flexible Destinations feature, which helps users who are not confined to a certain destination or dates to find one-of-a-kind stays, Airbnb featured Wonder Haus as one of its quirkiest roadside Americana stays.

Its a bit of an odd shout-out since the house is tucked away and not visible from the roadside.

Netflixs characterization of Wonder Haus might be more accurate. The major streaming service will feature the Pagosa Springs spot in the second season of Worlds Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, which comes out Sept. 14.

Thats far beyond what Young imagined for the house, which is listed for $425 per night and which she hopes cultivates curiosity, connection and a sense of wonder for whoever lays their head there. It has hosted one wedding so far and Young, who works as a social impact advisor, hopes to offer wellness retreats there.

At least once a month, the house stays available for the Young family. Staying there ensures the four of them stick to a life of adventure and that they dont get stuck in routine.

When youre there, its an immediate disruption to expectations, Young said. It just opens our mind to ask, what else could our days be like?

It does everything  and more  that Young dreamed about. That a home can do that, she said. I think it means something to people.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Showers and a possible thunderstorm during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Showers and a possible thunderstorm during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
But Gee said Clear Lake did not establish a virtual option because of data that was collected through surveys and based on student performance.

That was why we didnt do the virtual option because students do much better in person, said Gee.

Fisher said students tend to look for content, like Youtube videos, to teach them how to do certain skills. Using that idea, Charles City has looked for ways to go outside the walls of learning, according to Fisher, on how the district approached using the money. The district bought new curriculum with the purpose of tailoring classes that set students on career paths.

One of the big things that we have been doing is expanding the content, said Fisher.

Clear Lake schools has purchased new technology for both teachers and students to help combat learning loss. One of the biggest technology purchases has been $275,000 for interactive whiteboards in classrooms.

We are doing whatever we can (with funds) but we have been focusing on learning loss, said Gee.
Over time, Van Horn's collection has included the only known 1912 American-made Saurer (a Swiss brand), a 1923 Model T Ford factory conversion snowmobile with skis and, eventually, a Colby engine with the transmission. Some he came by through auctions and others through informal negotiations over a three-year timespan. The latter method is how Van Horn acquired the Colby.

According to Van Horn, a gentleman wanted to sell him a "Colby truck" which included the engine and transmission. However, Van Horn insisted that the brainchild of William Colby never actually produced trucks and that what the gentleman had was a homemade rig of sorts. Eventually, Van Horn said the gentleman conceded.

"He said, 'I wont sell you just the engine,'" Van Horn relayed.

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Once he got it, Van Horn refurbished the engine himself and Barron said that it looks like it would've the day it went into a Colby car.

A historical tie-in

When Barron got the call, he said Van Horn asked him plainly: "I've got the engine, would you like to have it?"
The loving mother-in-law that I am, I remind Matt of Camerons high school graduation day when Matt threw up his hands and said, Hes on his own now. Hes an adult and can handle his own life.

I think I laughed gently (or maybe uproariously) and said something like, There is no creature more dependent or worrisome than an 18-year-old.

Jenny called me last week and said, I cant do this. I cant say good-bye to Ashlyne next week. And Cameron called, and he accidentally dropped himself from all his classes trying to drop one, and he was going to go to campus, but he has a flat tire. And its Tylers first day at high school, and its lunchtime, and I dont think he knows anyone. And Ashlyne and I are out shopping, and I cant find her, and she isnt answering her phone. What can I do?

From the depths of the nothing Ive had to offer, I told Jenny her first job was to find Ashlyne in the store and then wait four or five hours to see how some of the problems were solved by the kids themselves.

I checked later in the afternoon, and she had found Ashlyne. No surprise there. Cameron had called a tow truck for the flat and been able to find some classes to take. And Tyler had found some boys he knew, and they ate lunch together.
The victory put Wendell Scott into the record books as the first African American race car driver to win the Grand National, NASCARs highest level.

NASCAR President Steve Phelps gave Scotts son, Frank Scott, the trophy on stage following a pre-race concert and just before driver introductions, the Associated Press reported. Driver Bubba Wallace, NASCARs lone full-time Black driver, joined several of Scotts family members on stage for the ceremony.

As they started to leave the dais, Warrick Scott got his chance to pose with the trophy. Instead of holding or hoisting it, he decided to kiss it. It was maybe the most telling scene of what this meant to the family, the AP reported.

Warrick Scott told the Danville Register & Bee in June 2020 there had been no effort from NASCAR to rectify this injustice in all the years since.

The Wendell Scott Foundation was formed in 2010 to further his legacy and now also helps youth in underserved communities find mentors and STEM-based educational opportunities. As part of its mission, the foundation has worked to convince NASCAR to find a time to properly honor the driver that has been partially scrubbed from the sports history.
In asking the state water board to stop Mountain Valley from completing the crossings, Sligh cited the companys deplorable record of violating environmental rules since it began work.

Muddy water has often flowed unchecked from construction areas when it rains, and DEQ found more than 300 violations of erosion and sediment control regulations.

Mountain Valley counters that record levels of rainfall were responsible for many of the infractions, and that it has made improvements since 2018 in curbing storm water runoff.

While work has continued along parts of the pipelines route that steer clear of water bodies, a 3.5-mile section that passes through the Jefferson National Forest is still off limits.

In 2018, concerns about erosion prompted a federal court to remand a permit from the U.S. Forest Service that would have allowed the pipeline to burrow through sections of public woodlands in Giles and Montgomery counties.

The Forest Service renewed its approval in January but required Mountain Valley to wait until it has all of its permits in hand before resuming work in the national forest.

Final action on the stream crossing permits by state and federal agencies is not expected until early next year.
Every four years Virginians have to put up with a charade  an election for lieutenant governor.

The governor is important because the governor, well, governs.

The attorney general is important because that office is full of lawyers to advise state agencies on whats legal and whats not  and go to court to sue somebody.

But then theres the office of lieutenant governor. Every four years, the candidates will tell Virginians why they want this office, and what theyll do with it that others havent done before.

Wait long enough and theyll all propose bold action and innovative thinking.

Yet not a single candidate for lieutenant governor has ever proposed the one thing that would truly be bold and innovative. Not a single one has ever proposed to abolish the position of lieutenant governor.

We dont expect either candidate this year  Hala Ayala for the Democrats, Winsome Sears for the Republicans  to do so either.

And yet the question remains: Why do we need a lieutenant governor? Or a vice president, for that matter? Yes, yes, our state and federal constitutions require them, but why?
Joye Donovant, volunteer coordinator for the Reidsville YMCAs Bright Beginnings program, was the guest speaker at the Aug. 19 meeting of the Reidsville Kiwanis Club.

For the past 12 years, Donovant has had a major role in the program, which provides around 60 local elementary school children with bookbags and clothing and shoes for the new school year. Students in need are selected by the school guidance counselors and teachers also to participate in the program.

Among her responsibilities: Donovant calls parents, grandparents or guardians of the children to get them enrolled in Bright Beginnings and to get the proper sizes for shoes and clothing. And before the bell rings for the first day of school, children meet at the YMCA to get their bookbags which are filled with school supplies. The children board a YMCA bus along with YMCA staff and meet their volunteer shopping buddies at WalMart to participate in their shopping. This year, children and volunteers were required to wear face masks and practice social distancing during the outing.

In addition to the adult volunteers being positive role models, this program helps build confidence and self esteem in the children when they begin the school year with new clothing, shoes and bookbags they need to help them succeed said Donovant.

The Kiwanis Club is a supporter of the Bright Beginnings Program. The club meets each Thursday at noon at the Main Street Methodist Church Fellowship Hall with lunch provided by Cafe 99. Visitors are welcome.
Or the complaint from Armin Laschet, the German conservative who could be his countrys leader after elections next month: The greatest debacle NATO has experienced since its founding.

Whether he likes it or not, Biden has repair work to do.

The first step, already underway, is making sure the endgame in Kabul doesnt get any worse.

That means keeping U.S. troops on the ground until every American is out, as Biden has promised. It also requires an energetic effort to evacuate Afghans who worked with the U.S. government and other institutions, even if that requires risking the lives of some American troops. Those Afghans trusted us; if we abandon them, it will be a long time before we can credibly ask the same of anyone else.

And, of course, the administration needs to prevent al-Qaida and other terrorist groups from replanting themselves in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. If the United States fails at that  the original reason we invaded the country almost 20 years ago  Bidens decision to withdraw will justly be judged a fiasco.

Theres repair work to do beyond Afghanistan, too.
Make-A-Wish officials called Rick Jarvis, a retired city firefighter and a Make-A-Wish volunteer, to arrange for Kashton and his family to visit Fire Station 19, Jarvis said. The fire department was receptive, Tretsky said.

A group of firefighters and administrators with the fire department greeted Kashton and his mother, Jillian Barnowski, as they arrived at the fire station Saturday morning in a limousine. The fire station, at 4430 Glenn Hi Road, is surrounded by fields of soybeans growing under their green leaves.

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Fire Chief William Trey Mayor then swore Kashton in as an honorary Winston-Salem firefighter.

Im a firefighter now, Kashton said. I want to sit in the fire truck.

As part of his training, Kashton rode in the fire truck to the scene of the brush fire. Kashton and his mother also toured the fire station and later had lunch with Mayo and the stations firefighters.

Before lunch, Kashton was given a toy ladder truck, which Mayo helped him assemble.

Kashton deserved to be honored by the Winston-Salem Fire Department, Mayo said.
Here is what we know about fake vaccine cards:

A quick internet search and finding a template for a vaccine card isnt hard.

Others are finding them on e-commerce sites prompting attorneys general to call on company CEOs to act.

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The false and deceptive marketing and sales of fake COVID vaccine cards threaten the health of our communities, slow progress in getting our residents protected from the virus, and are a violation of the laws of many states, reads the letter signed by 47 of Americas attorneys general.

Prices were $10 or more, according to reports from federal agencies. However, the price for the vaccine with a legitimate vaccine card in the United States is free.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents reported the fake cards that agents have seized have several telltale signs, but do look very similar to cards issued to vaccinated people.

The most prominent are word misspellings.
A year later, I moved to Raleigh to lend my policy expertise  learned DIY over eight years in Georgia  to the effort to improve the transition experiences and rights of other trans folks. I currently work as policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality.

I found an LGBTQ community in Raleigh, but I also encountered the personal discomfort some legislators of both parties betrayed when I lobbied at the State Capitol. At home one evening, I received a harassing call from someone calling me an abomination in Gods eyes. I routinely get misgendered when out in public, and in a movie theater mens restroom someone entered, eyed me up and down, and turned and exited.

Steeled by my legal training and the privilege that accrues to white people in our society, Im able to avoid confrontations, even as a 5-foot-tall man. But in my work, I repeatedly hear stories from North Carolinians who experience far less safety as they go about their lives  such as an incarcerated trans woman denied needed health care or another woman who was assaulted in a parking lot.
His efforts have led to tremendous recognition for the organization including the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium Nonprofit of the Year Award, the Greensboro Police Department Chiefs Award, Diamante Non-Latin Person Most Supportive of the Latino Community Award, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Gamechanger Award, the Lilly Endowment Inc. Thriving Congregations Grant Award and the Duke Divinity School Traditional Innovation Award.

At its most recent meeting the Greensboro City Council passed a resolution honoring the life-changing impact that David has made in our community.

Countless lives have been impacted by David Fraccaro over his 10 years with FaithAction. He will be remembered for years to come for his extraordinary, selfless contributions to our community.

Godspeed to him on the next part of his journey.

Colombia native Maria Gonzalez is the CEO of ClubFitness Greensboro and a former board chair of FaithAction International. The Rev. Maria Hanlin is a pastoral care pastor at First Presbyterian Church and a retired CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro.

Also signing this column: City Council Member Marikay Abuzuaiter; Chi Nguyen, a refugee from Vietnam and former member of the Board at FaithAction; Beth Sanders, a registered nurse and longstanding FaithAction board member; and Katherine Weaver, a member of the Weaver Foundation Board of Directors.
Indeed, the case for vaccination is so strong that even Fox News has recently implemented its own version of a vaccine pass program.

While a nearly two-thirds majority of adult North Carolinians have already had at least one shot, many others express openness to vaccination if required. These individuals rightly see that governments and employers make actions they truly value: paying taxes, showing up at work to keep ones job, avoiding drinking before driving  mandatory, rather than leaving the onus solely on individuals.

Put another way, some individuals do not yet think of vaccination as a public good precisely because our institutions have not yet shown that they believe it is.

Similarly, though most business owners recognize vaccinations importance, some have been reluctant to act without stronger support from government. Recent memories of being cursed at, spat on and kicked for enforcing COVID-related safety policies may explain this hesitation.

This is a case where only government action can free businesses to protect their own and their customers safety.
The source said that the mercenaries of the military police abducted four citizens of the village of Jalem, which belongs to the district of Jandirse, among them a girl, and handed them over to Turkish intelligencecompletquestioning them at their station on the side, to Turkish intelligence in the centre of the occupied city of Afrin.

According to the source, the kidnappers are both "Mustafa Shikho, his daughter Rukan Mustafa Shikho, 41 years old And his son Jiwan Mustafa Sheikho,20 years old ."

According to the source, after several days of investigation and physical and psychological torture, the girl was released and is in poor health.

He also explained that Turkish intelligence had transferred the kidnapper Haitham Sheikho to the military mercenary hospital in Afrin city. After being subjected to various forms of torture and violations, he is in poor health.

The fate of the other kidnappers remains unknown.

(A)

ANHA
Let's look back at the war in Afghanistan. This war was unneeded and a total mess. There is plenty of blame to go around for this war.

Let's go back to Oct. 7, 2001, when President George W. Bush sent troops into Afghanistan. Bush said, "This will be just a short war." That was 20 years ago.

Here are some facts about this war. American military have lost their lives: 2,346. Over 20,000 American military have been injured. Over 50,000 Afghanistan civilians have lost their lives. Many women and children.

The cost of this war has been $300 million a day. Yes, $300 million a day for the past 20 years. Why?

This is what retired U.S. Army Major Richard Ojeda said about this war: "Two trillion dollars to train and equip the Afghanistan military over the past 20 years. They fell in a week. It was never about real training. It was about military contractors and corporations making big profits. I am numb. I am sure everyone who spent years there feels the same."

We also must remember that President Trump let the leader of the Taliban fighters out of prison even after objections from the Pentagon and the Afghanistan government. Trump also released some 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison.
Todays Highlight in History:

On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, Louisiana, bringing floods that devastated New Orleans. More than 1,800 people in the region died.

On Aug. 29:

In 1862, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began operations at the United States Treasury.

In 1864, the Democratic National Convention, which nominated Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan for president, opened in Chicago.

In 1943, responding to a clampdown by Nazi occupiers during World War II, Denmark managed to scuttle most of its naval ships.

In 1944, 15,000 American troops of the 28th Infantry Division marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis.

In 1957, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours.

In 1962, Malvin R. Goode began covering the United Nations for ABC-TV, becoming network televisions first Black reporter.

In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate.

In 2009, funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedys remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

In 2011, in a sign Moammar Gadhafi had lost grip on his country, his wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria. Grammy-winning blues musician David Honey Boy Edwards, believed to be the oldest surviving Delta bluesman, died in his Chicago home at age 96.

In 2013, in a sweeping new policy statement, the Justice Department said it would not stand in the way of states that wanted to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana as long as there were effective controls to keep marijuana away from kids, the black market and federal property.

In 2016, Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hillary Clinton, announced she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after the former congressman was accused in yet another sexting scandal. Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in The Producers and the deranged animator of Young Frankenstein, died in Stamford, Connecticut, at age 83.

In 2018, Sen. John McCain was remembered as a true American hero at a crowded service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade carried McCains body from the state Capitol. Kanye West apologized on a Chicago radio station (WGCI) for calling slavery a choice.

In 2019, President Donald Trump said the United States planned to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, and would then determine future drawdowns.

In 2020, clashes broke out as a caravan of hundreds of vehicles packed with supporters of President Donald Trump drove through Portland, Oregon, and was met with counter protesters; about 15 minutes after the caravan left the city, a supporter of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer was fatally shot. (The suspect in the shooting, a self-described anti-fascist, was killed the following week by law enforcement as they tried to arrest him in Washington state.)

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Editor's note: With the sad news that Ed Asner died Sunday, we remember the 91-year-old actor's visit to Mount Zion, where he was filming a movie at Del's Popcorn Shop. This story originally appeared in the Herald & Review on Jan. 8, 2020.

MOUNT ZION  From the outside, it looked like an ordinary day at Dels Popcorn Shop in Mount Zion.

The flashing sign identifying the latest tempting treat continued to entice passing motorist along Illinois 121 and people could be seen coming and going.

But these weren't ordinary customers and for Mike and Trudy Jacobs, owners of the store, the day was anything but ordinary. After all, its not every day your business is used as a set for a movie and you play host to acclaimed actor Ed Asner.

Asner, a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award winner, portrayed gruff Lou Grant in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Lou Grant." He's best-know more recently for his roles in "Elf" (as Santa) and "Up," a 2009 Pixar film.

The opportunity came about in September when director Robin Christian stopped by the business and left his business card, indicating it would provide the perfect backdrop for a popcorn shop scene in a movie he was developing.

We didnt know what to think of it, Mike said. I took my time. I didnt call him right away.

When he finally did, Christian returned to Mount Zion, shared more details about his plans and how the shop, which specializes in popcorn, caramel apples and a host of other treats, would fit into the picture.

We thought it sounded like fun, Mike said. Wed be willing to try that.

Plans were finalized in November and Jan. 7 was identified as movie day.

Agreeing to be a part of the movie was the easy part. Not telling anyone for two months, that wasnt so easy.

Its been really hard for me, Trudy said. "I cant wait until tomorrow so I can tell everybody and share some pictures.

Those pictures will include her and Mike with Asner, Christian and other actors and crew members.

And while they cant tell you anything that might give away the plot of the movie, Trudy will be more than happy to tell you about all the stuff that takes place behind the scenes. And, if you have the time, which treats Asner liked the most.

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Spolier alert: He appeared to like everything he got his hands on.

Trudy relayed one instance when Christian handed his bag of gummy bears to Asner. They were gone in no time.

Members of the film crew arrived Monday night and spent three hours rearranging the showroom, taking advantage of the variety of tins and colorful jars of candy they already have on hand as part of their regular product offering to create the set.

Trudy noted the colorful jars were among the things Christian said attracted him to the site.

Its a great candy shop, Christian said, when asked about his having selected Dels as a movie location. Christian was unable to provide more details as he climbed into his car with Asner for the trip to the next stop to wrap up a few more scenes before the day ended.

But Christian reappeared a few minutes later to grab a bag of cheese popcorn his wife told him to get before hitting the road.

Im only an hour away. This is going to be dangerous, said Script Supervisor Abby Schlueter of St. Joseph, who was already planning return trips to the store.

Christian is identified as executive producer and director for Dreamscape Cinema on its website. Described as "an independent film and video production company" that develops feature-length films, Dreamscape lists office locations in both Champaign, Illinois, and Beverly Hills, California.

Watching everyone enjoy their products was one of the highlights for Trudy.

For Mike, it was seeing their staff members enjoy the opportunity to see the movie being made and meet the actors.

Were both sitting her smiling, so it was cool, Trudy said. Its a fun experience. Im glad we were able to experience that. Its been a fun day.

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CRESTWOOD, Mo.  The day Brian Vazquez died, he walked out of a friend's house on Conover Lane, saying he was going to smoke a cigarette. It was about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 13. Vazquez was wearing flannel pajama pants, a T-shirt and slippers.

How he ended up dead from a shotgun blast, in a stranger's home in Webster Groves, Missouri, a half-block away, is still a mystery to his friends.

He was temporarily staying in a spare bedroom with a family he knew, after breaking up with a longtime girlfriend. The friends' home is six houses from the home on Grant Road where he was shot.

Simona Loultchev, who dated Vazquez for 10 years, said she thinks Vazquez had gotten lost and wandered into the home by mistake, not to steal something or for some other criminal purpose. "He wasn't trying to hurt anyone in that house," she said. "He didn't hurt people."

In an interview Thursday night near the shooting scene, Loultchev tearfully told a reporter she noticed changes in Vazquez's personality in recent weeks as he grew depressed and seemingly paranoid. Vazquez, 42, thought people were hacking his computer accounts, and he looked menacingly at the stars as if someone followed him, she said.

"It recently got weird," Loultchev said, "like he thought people were spying on him and he was looking at the sky."

Loultchev said she learned since his death, after speaking with Vazquez's father, that Vazquez had struggled with mental health issues before. Had she known earlier, Loultchev said, she would have gotten help for him at a psychiatric hospital, even if it meant tricking him to go. Vazquez's father declined to speak to a reporter and his mother couldn't be reached.

Toxicology tests to determine if Vazquez had drugs in his system when he died will take weeks. Loultchev "started to suspect drugs" as Vazquez burned through money, she said, and his facial expressions signaled he was confused or scared.

The friend who let Vazquez stay in a spare bedroom on Conover Lane said Vazquez was supposed to be moving out of her house and into a homeless shelter the day he died. She has a theory about how Vazquez ended up inside the stranger's home: "I truly believe, 100 million percent, that Brian thought he was walking into my house," said Erin Epperhart. "He was on a walk, he got confused and he thought it was my house."

She acknowledges the houses and fences don't look alike, but she said Vazquez was new to the neighborhood and it was dark out, made more so by the power outages reported at some homes in the area after thunderstorms blew through hours before.

Police were called at 2:51 a.m. on Aug. 13 for a burglary in progress at a home in the 1400 block of Grant Road. Police said they were told that an intruder entered the home from a rear door. The homeowner confronted him with a shotgun, ordered him to get out and shot him when he wouldnt leave, police said. Vazquez died at a hospital.

Webster Groves police have been tight-lipped about the death investigation. Detectives expect to present their findings, included in 14 supplemental police reports, to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell's office next week. The police chief said it's now the prosecutor's call if more information will be released to the public.

The homeowner has not been arrested, and the fatal shooting of an intruder may well fall under the protections of the state's Castle Doctrine.

Webster Groves has about 23,000 residents and a low crime rate. It has had 10 reports so far this year of "breaking and entering," but none on Grant Road before the Aug. 13 incident.

Loultchev, 32, said she desperately wants to know what, if anything, Vazquez said to the homeowner before being shot. "It doesn't make sense. Why did the homeowner feel so threatened?" she asked.

Loultchev said she has not spoken with detectives about Vazquez, and she faults authorities for not doing more to identify him sooner. He had no wallet or identification on him, and police said Vazquez was identified through fingerprints. Police said the delay in releasing his name after 10 days was because they had trouble finding relatives to notify.

Loultchev and Vazquez met through a mutual friend in Denver, and Loultchev claims he earned money by growing pot in Colorado. Later, they moved to Washington state and Vazquez worked as production manager at Blacksmith Farms in Belfair, Washington, in charge of growing marijuana plants on 15 acres in 2016 and 2017, she said. His prior run-ins with the law included a drug case in North Carolina, she said.

Loultchev and Vazquez moved to St. Louis four years ago. In Missouri, the only court cases tied to Vazquez are for municipal traffic violations in Shrewsbury. Loultchev and Vazquez lived at a home on Lou Court in Crestwood that is owned by Loultchev's father. Vazquez was unemployed; the father wanted him to move out until he got a "regular 9-to-5 job." Loultchev said Vazquez told her he wanted to go back to Colorado and grow pot.

About a month ago, he moved out and the couple broke up. But they remained friends, Loultchev said, and she saw Vazquez daily. He was living in hotels early on and then later with acquaintances. Police considered him homeless.

Kim Bell covers breaking news for STLtoday.com and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow her on Twitter here.

Kim Bell  314-340-8115 @kbellpd on Twitter kbell@post-dispatch.com

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SPRINGFIELD  Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law the Home-to-Market Act on Friday, Aug. 27.

The act supports hundreds of small farms and home bakers to help grow the local food economy.

The act will also help create new regulations for cottage food operations, enabling them to reach new customers, while giving the public greater access to homemade jams, jellies, pickles, hot sauces and other Illinois products.

Cottage food laws across the nation allow entrepreneurs to prepare certain low-risk foods in their home kitchen for sale to the public.

Before the governors signature on the act, cottage food producers in Illinois could only sell their products at farmers markets, with few exceptions.

As a result of the new law, theyll now be able to sell their products directly to customers through fairs and festivals, home sales, pickup, delivery and shipping.

Not included are sales to retailers or distributors. The law also includes additional food safety requirements, reduces red tape and confusion by creating statewide standards, and adds buttercream icing to the list of products that can be produced in a home kitchen.

The Home-to-Market Act goes into effect Jan. 1.

Contact Olivia Jacobs at (309)-820-3352. Follow on Twitter: olivia___Jacobs. Reach out with questions.

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BRISTOL, Tenn.  Tremors of emotion shook intensive care unit nurse Alicia Deels voice as she recounted treating critically ill COVID-19 patients  many who never made it home.

Deel was back at work Tuesday morning in Bristol Regional Medical Centers ICU  after working 16 hours Monday because the unit is full of patients but short on staff. Bristol and other Ballad Health hospitals are treating exponentially more victims of this current surge of COVID-19 cases sparked by a highly contagious delta variant.

Shes weary of an all too familiar, vicious cycle.

[Patients] come in here, you want to be helpful. Then two days later, theyre on the ventilator dying. You were hopeful with them they were going to make it out of here. And were the only one with them, and then youre calling their family, and theyre dying, Deel said, closing her eyes to compose her thoughts. You clean that room, you get another one, and you start all over again. It doesnt matter  19, 41, 36  and they have a 4-year-old. How am I supposed to tell them what happened?

Yeah, were exhausted.

Inside the COVID ICU

Deel spoke while sitting at a computer station in the center of the unit as others worked quietly nearby. There was an obvious absence of lively banter.

Just like everywhere inside Bristol Regional, everyone working in the COVID ward wore light blue paper masks over their nose and mouth plus a cap over their hair. The pace was busy but not frenetic Tuesday morning, and one patient actually had a family member visiting  a change from previous protocol, but that was halted last week due to skyrocketing cases in the community.

Looking around, the primary colors were blue and red. Blue for the protective gowns and gloves health care workers donned before entering individual patient rooms and red for Enhanced droplet and eye protection precautions warning signs that were seemingly affixed everywhere.

Adjacent to each room were trays loaded with the requisite personal protective equipment. Support staff moved through, methodically collecting the used items for proper disposal.

Large cooling units with massive ductwork were stationed outside patient rooms. To limit exposure, COVID patients are isolated in rooms with negative pressure, meaning that all the contaminated air is pumped out through filters and only filtered air flows into the room and contaminants dont escape when doors are briefly opened. That can cause problems for the HVAC system because it eliminates the cool air return into the rooms, which makes the spaces hotter. The portable cooling units flow cool, filtered air.

Windows in each patients room provide the only glimpse of the outside world, although many are covered by curtains.

No cure, limited treatment

Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that inflames the airways. It often causes pneumonia, filling lungs with fluid and making it difficult to breathe. There is no cure, but there are treatments. The sickest patients wind up in the ICU on a ventilator. Going on the vent requires being intubated  a large tube is placed down the patients throat and the machine then breathes for them or assists their breathing. Drugs may be used to calm the patient or to temporarily paralyze them.

There are vaccines  three currently approved for use in the U.S.  but they are useless once someone is infected with the disease.

Of more than 70 people being treated this week in ICUs across the Ballad hospital network, all were unvaccinated except one.

We dont have that special drug everyone is looking for, Deel said. All we can do is supportive care. We can give you the ventilator, the oxygen, we can prone you, we can do all the lung exercises that we have, we can give you all the breathing treatments, convalescent plasma, all those vitamins, but thats all weve got.

A four-year veteran of treating human trauma, Deel said treating COVID patients is different.

Heart surgery, heart failure, you get in a car accident; we know what to do with you, she said. We can treat you with meds and surgeries. We can help you; you have hope. All were doing right now is treating what they throw at us and  at the end of the day  its not enough. We dont have what we need to fix you.

When I started nursing, a handful of my patients died in three years. Now, a handful of my patients are living, she said. Thats not what we want to do. We do it because thats what were here for, but its not fair to us, to them [patients], to families, to our new nurses. Theyre walking into this; they dont know anything different than what we are experiencing. Thats not fair.

New normal

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When describing younger nurses whove known nothing except the pandemic, Deel defines coworker Jaime Brooks, who has worked in the ICU for about 18 months.

I think this is very stressful and very demanding. Its physically demanding, emotionally demanding, Brooks said of the current circumstances. I work three days and four days with mandatory overtime  sometimes with three patients  and its caring for that patient and their family. You get really attached to their family, and you build a rapport with the families because the patients are so sick, youre talking more to the family. Its emotionally hard sometimes.

Large red signs, taped to the sliding glass doors of each patients room around the unit remind anyone planning to enter to don the armor of personal protective equipment  gowns, gloves, face shields, masks  before undertaking myriad tasks awaiting inside.

The acuity in this ICU has been very high with almost all the patients on ventilators, Brooks said. A lot are on sedation, so we have to manage that. We have to manage paralytics if we paralyze the patient. [We] manage their medications; sometimes, theyre on medication to keep their blood pressure up. Its a lot of care.

Patients on ventilators receive a feeding tube since they are unable to get nutrition any other way. A tube is inserted through their month into the stomach.

A lot of them are receiving the most amount of oxygen we can give them, and a lot of the patients are paralyzed. We have to prone them  put them on their belly [to aid breathing]. That can take up to four nurses. For 16 hours, theyre proned, and then for eight hours we flip them back.

We have to manage a lot of drugs with them because theyre very critically ill, Brooks said. Theyre on multiple sedatives, which can lower your blood pressure. They also get chest tubes, more likely than not, because were putting so much oxygen and pressure into their lungs that surgery will have to come by and put multiple chest tubes in. Typically, if your lungs deflate, we would put a chest tube in to help it re-inflate. That way, you can have more ventilation.

When initially moved, or proned, intubated patients typically experience a decrease in their oxygen saturation levels due to the pneumonia in their lungs. That takes time to recover, she said.

Once a patient is taken care of and they step back into the unit, all that equipment is systematically and carefully removed and discarded because the air droplets exhaled by an infected patient contain the viral molecules. Support personnel must continually make sure the used equipment is properly disposed of.

If they are here for a long time  and manage to make it that long  well typically take them out of isolation, Brooks said. If theyre still on the ventilator and very sick, a lot of them are too sick to trach [insert a tracheostomy tube in their throats]. Weve had [some] COVID patients here for months.

Full house

The staff of Bristol Regional Medical Centers ICU faced a full house last week with COVID-19 patients filling all 11 beds. Seven more were being treated in a nearby progressive care unit that is essentially another ICU and there were 32 more, with less severe symptoms  for a total of 52.

It is that way across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia as the systems number of inpatients rose 540% in a month  from 46 July 28 to 295 Aug. 27. ICU counts grew over 500%, from 12 to 74 while the most seriously ill patients  those on ventilators  shot up 940% from five on July 28 to 52 on Aug. 27.

Ballads ICUs, like most in the Southeast, remain nearly full and, during the past two weeks, Ballad reported 372 new COVID admissions and 259 discharges.

That doesnt include more than 250 additional COVID-19 patients with less severe symptoms that Ballad is treating in their homes through its Safer at Home program using telehealth.

Bobbie Murphy, chief nursing officer at Bristol Regional Medical Center, said most who are admitted for treatment  and especially those in the ICU  are surprised at just how sick they are.

People are surprised by how sick they feel when they come in and are in an intensive care unit with a COVID diagnosis, Murphy said. What I hear from the patients and what they communicate to the team is they just didnt understand or imagine how miserably sick they feel. They perceived it to be you might get sick and be in the hospital for some time then get better and come home. That may be very true, but theyre surprised and caught off guard by just how miserably sick they feel.

The delta variant is infecting younger people, and hospitals are seeing more people needing more care.

In the first surge, we had the older population; the average age was in the 70s. Our [Bristol] average age now is 50, so there is a significant difference in the age of the population. And out of the total volume of admissions, we have a higher percentage  and younger  that are requiring a higher level of care than our med-surg [medical surgical] admissions, Murphy said. That is very straining on the resources and the team. Sometimes, well have three ICU patients to one nurse. Typically, we only make that decision based on the acuity of the patient, but in this unit weve not been able to base that on acuity alone  but because of the number of resources we have available and number of higher level of care patients exceeding the resources we have available.

Beyond exhaustion

Nurses, respiratory therapists and support staff in Bristols ICU are beyond the point of exhaustion, Murphy said.

A 21-year veteran of working in trauma centers and intensive care units, Murphy described their current circumstances.

This is the hardest Ive ever seen it. Our nurses and our respiratory therapists, our support staff are tired, and they keep digging deep, and they keep coming, Murphy said. But we have exceeded the demand of volume for available resources. Its very difficult. Its emotionally, physically, mentally exhausting for the entire team. The hospital infrastructure is not built to handle a surge of volume of high acuity patients  from an equipment perspective, certainly not from a resource perspective and a physical space perspective.

Murphy hopes the public will show some grace to exhausted health care workers, whether in the emergency room, ICU or outpatient areas. Most of all, she hopes for fewer patients saying, I hope you never have to come through the doors of the ICU with COVID.

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Officials said Sunday they have been making the rounds and talking to staff in the hospitals  often referred to as the A Team because theyre the ones that go into lockdown when a hurricane arrives and work until the storm passes and they can be relieved. The hurricane comes on top of the year and a half long pandemic that has been an amazing stress on health care workers, and many are sad and frustrated.

Folks realize they got a job to do. There are people who need to be cared for, Thomas said. But it does take a toll.

Dr. Jeff Elder, medical director for emergency management at LCMC Health, said the systems six hospitals went into lockdown mode Sunday. Employees were going to stay at the hospitals for the duration of the storm arrived Saturday and early Sunday and would sleep there.

Elder said one of the first things their hospitals do when storms arrive is discharge patients who are able to leave. However, the patient load is high because of the pandemic so theyre not able to reduce by much. He said the hospitals in the system are more robust since 2005s Hurricane Katrina.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit their rural community, Weldon City Schools raced to give its pupils the tools they needed to quickly transition to virtual learning.

The district set up internet hotspots for those without connectivity at home and had staff deliver meals to students. It also drew on some of the funds to improve air quality in three schools, install touchless bathroom faucets and buy lots of cleaning supplies and protective equipment.

The public school system of less than 800 students is among North Carolina's largest recipients of federal COVID-19 assistance since the start of the pandemic, securing nearly $11,000 per pupil, a total of more than $8.7 million.

Since March 2020, the federal government has provided $190 billion in pandemic aid to schools, an amount that is more than four times what the U.S. Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. The Associated Press, relying on data published or provided by states and the federal government, tallied how much money was granted to nearly every school district in the country.

The AP tracked about $155 billion sent to states to distribute among schools since last year, including general pandemic relief that some states shared with their schools.
The often used term No Man Left Behind has been trashed. President Biden in the short time of eight months has been dismantling America by making decisions that are so absolutely insane. Americans that voted for him have got to be totally frustrated by his actions.

U.S. officials provided the Taliban with names of American and Afghan allies to evacuate. How crazy is that? The enemy now has a complete hit list to kill. Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqanii, Talibans new self-proclaimed Chief of Security, who was designated a terrorist by the U.S. government subject to a $5 million reward for his capture is now in control. He is telling our President what to do about protecting Americans and Afghan people who aided the military during the war.

President Bidens actions just magnify how he has lost his way and any logical thinking. A country does not pull out its troops before Americans and others who helped the Americans have escaped harms way. How absurd to leave millions of dollars of weapons and equipment for the enemy to use against its people.
This is Peter Hitchenss Mail on Sunday column

Here's an idea for all those people who like to intervene in places. Why dont we intervene in Britain? If there was a campaign on the BBC to send British troops to the Moon, retired generals, MPs and the rest would keenly join it, maundering about our duties to Moon women etc.



Yet when it comes to intervening in our own country, you cant get anyone to do it. How come those so anxious to keep troops in Helmand, or to bomb Libya, Syria and the others, dont seem able or willing to maintain a decent police presence in (for example) London NW9?



Last week it emerged at the Old Bailey that three young men in a North London gang had decided last September to go to the next-door suburb of Colindale. Their aim was to prove their gang could turn up on enemy territory and attack who they liked.



I agree, its not the Taliban  in fact, it makes them look quite thoughtful  but that makes little difference if you happen to be the chosen victim of such people.



The person they liked to attack was a young Marks & Spencer shop worker called Anthony Adekola, aged 22. They had never met him and did not care who he was.



He sensibly ran for his life when eight of them stopped him in the street. But he tripped over a stone bollard and fell to the ground. They then caught up. And they stabbed him nine times in the face, head, neck, back, chest, arms and leg. Ill bet that the police have not provided a regular foot patrol on the street involved for decades.



The jury was told, moronically, that Mr Adekola was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This infuriating expression really should be banned from use in such matters.



Mr Adekola, God rest his soul, was minding his own lawful business near his home on a public road in what we like to think is a civilised city. Neither the time nor the place was wrong.



What was wrong was that people with evil intent had no fear of the law, and so thought they could do what they liked. They might very easily have been right, as such people often are.



Id also be astonished if the merciless killers involved were not (as so many nowadays are) crazed by the illegal use of marijuana, a crime the police and courts think is unimportant, and no longer bother to pursue.



So the next time anyone suggests we send soldiers to die in the sand of some distant country, which we do not understand and cannot really help, I have another idea. I suggest instead that we send constables on foot to Britain, which we understand all too well, but leave unguarded from evil.

XR argument is extinct!

It's a long time since I have seen a demonstration against the Vietnam War, because it is, well, over. In the same way you dont often see marches protesting against the National Front because, as far as I know, that organisation is defunct. Its even been a while since Ive seen a Britain out of the EU protest, probably because we have now left the EU.



But the London streets are full of noisy protests by people who think this country should bankrupt itself in the cause of preventing climate change, even though the Government has already decided to do exactly that.



My favourites are the women who caper about in spidery red outfits, now looking even more thrillingly exotic thanks to their facemasks. Then there are the ones who gather round hunks of broccoli, doing who knows what. And there are the people who glue their bottoms to the street.

Now that the Governments wild over-reaction to Covid has squeezed the life out of London, they all do much less serious harm than they used to.



But the problem is that they have got what they want. Both the major parties, especially the Tories, have entirely swallowed the green pill. The Prime Minister and Greta Thunberg are as one.



Last week, as if to symbolise this, the majestic coal-fired power station at Ferrybridge in Yorkshire was actually blown up so it could never be used again. This makes no practical sense, and seems to be a sort of religious sacrifice. For, as its chimneys fell, many more bigger and dirtier new coal-fired power stations rose to replace it in China and India.

This fact makes the action quite meaningless  except in the amount of pain it will cause us when the National Grid goes wonky, as it will, the more it relies on wind and power sucked in from abroad.



By law, Britain is now committed to a series of similar colossal acts of economic self-harm, stretching over the next 30 years, in the confident belief that by doing so we will save the planet.

As someone who isnt wholly convinced that they have this right, or that the measures they plan will do any good, I have now reached the stage when I no longer care. Arguing with zealots is a waste of energy, so I dont bother.



By the time we are all freezing in unheated homes and stranded by power cuts and flat batteries, I shall be dead or in a care home, so I have decided to laugh at it. Because it will happen. In which case, if that is what you want, why now glue your buttocks to the road to protest, or engage in broccoli worship?

Why do these things to demand what you already have?

Youd be far better off using the time and energy assembling a secret stock of firewood to see you through the chilly times to come.

A feminist commissar last week condemned Judith Kerrs lovely childrens book The Tiger Who Came To Tea. Rachel Adamson said it reinforces dangerous gender stereotypes which in turn reinforce gender inequality. This was bad because boys who conform to gender stereotypes are more likely to become perpetrators of violence against women and girls.



Many giggled. But I did not, because I predict political correctness will have its way, as it usually does. Modern childrens books are carefully monitored for offence against the new elite  see how few of them feature two-parent families, for instance, lest they upset those with one parent.



Before long the book will be corrected, to become The Tigress Who Came To Tea. Instead of drinking all the water in the tap and eating all the food, she will lecture everyone on the wickedness of the patriarchy. And the father, who in the original takes the family to a cafe, will be written out of the story because he is a masculine stereotype.

More than 20 years ago I appeared in a special edition of University Challenge, in which supposedly dim tabloid (or popular) journalists such as me were pitted against supposedly clever broadsheet (or unpopular) journalists such as a certain Boris Johnson. The wicked tabloids won hands down (not totally thanks to me), and I suspect this is why all trace of the show disappeared.



But it has now equally mysteriously surfaced again (a link is here on my blog, or go straight to it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AvhEnb6iro

) and you can once more watch us all make fools of ourselves, monitored by a youthful Jeremy Paxman, who was far more lah-di-dah then than he is now.

If you want to comment on Peter Hitchens, click on Comments and scroll down

Click here to watch Peter Hitchens on University Challenge
"I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates said of Biden in his book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, released in 2014.

Others have agreed with Gates in recent years. This merely validates the concerns of numerous experts. The man was a disaster waiting to happen, especially considering his decreased mental capacity.

We knew more than enough about Bidens political life going into the 2020 election, about his habit of plagiarism, about his deceit, his lies, his lack of principle, and, yes, his lack of sound judgement regarding foreign policy. This is all well documented. Yet he was voted into office because a significant number of voters saw him as a calm, steady influence, prone to sound judgement and center-left governance.

Now hes muddled into the worst foreign policy scenario in decades. This can be viewed one of two ways: as a miscalculation with flawed planning and forethought, or as a decision made by a man who simply doesnt care. Either view led to the tragedy that unfolded in recent days. Either view places the blame squarely on Biden.
Q: Are there any plans to relieve the traffic fiasco that occurs on Shattalon Drive between Murray Road and Bethania Rural Hall Road any time soon? I am a resident on that stretch of Shattalon and traffic crawls through there for at least 40 minutes each school day. Even public school buses are caught up in this mess. Recently, I witnessed an ambulance having to drive down the middle of the street to get to its destination. What happens when a fire engine has to get through? This is a dangerous situation.

 C.H.

Answer: Brent Campbell, the chief of staff for the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools explained the traffic situation at many schools.

We recognize the first few days of school are always slower and more congested than normal. We continually look at ways to improve the traffic flow into our campuses.

This year, we are seeing an increased amount of car riders, we assume in part due to the pandemic.

We have identified some areas that appear to need additional controls and our teams are looking at ways to change patterns at many places across the district.

Drivers can expect to see some changes across the district in the coming days.
Masking was not on the agenda for Thursdays briefing session on the board of commissioners, but it became a topic after Joshua Swift, the health director, presented alarming statistics during his weekly update on COVID-19.

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Swift said the county had gone from fewer than 50 cases a week in late June to more than 1,100 cases per week during the last couple weeks.

Following Swifts presentation, commissioners Don Martin and Tonya McDaniel voiced support for putting in masking rules for the county that would be similar to those in the city.

Commissioners Gloria Whisenhunt and Richard Linville voiced support for masking as well, but only if there are no enforcement provisions that could result in someone being cited or charged with a violation.

Noting that enforcement would have to be carried out by the sheriffs office, Whisenhunt said thats too much of a burden for the sheriff.

I think he has better things to do than to ride around and see if people have a mask on, Whisenhunt said.

Shontell Robinson, deputy county manager, told the board that she did not know of any citations issued when the county was under local and state masking regulations at an earlier point during the pandemic.
Its this attitude that drives the demand for giant suburban homes and ever-bigger vehicles and highways, and the destructive urban sprawl they help perpetuate.

And it is this attitude thats driven the central, guiding premises of the modern American conservative movement: the notion that government and the taxes that pay for it are inherently bad and that, as the fictional corporate raider Gordon Gekko put it succinctly and infamously in Oliver Stones Reagan-era film Wall Street, greed is good.

The truth, however, is that the Gekkos and Newtons of the world are wrong. While theres no doubt that the pursuit of self-interest plays an important role in driving a market economy (and even in advancing the well-being of states and nations), it must at some point give way  especially in an increasingly crowded and interconnected world.

As our species has been reminded repeatedly throughout history, the success and sustainability of human society  not to mention the natural world we inhabit  ultimately depends on individuals setting aside (at least occasionally) some of their most egocentric individual urges for the good of the whole.

This is why we have speed limits and zoning laws, health inspectors and pollution-control policies, truth-in-lending rules and childcare standards.
As I begin my 28th year in public education, and my colleagues and I return to work, we see the perennial onslaught of bad legislation and suffer the slings and arrows targeting teachers and schools. This year is a banner year for such efforts, the most insidious of which is HB324, hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles, threatening to drop at any moment to sever academic discourse and freeze learning in place.

HB324, which would outlaw the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in North Carolina public schools, is the latest red herring of a GOP legislature, buttressed by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinsons anti-educator rhetoric, seemingly obsessed with conspiracies of classroom indoctrination. Its become their white whale, their windmill, their Trojan horse; but the bill is a solution without a problem, based on an entirely fabricated crisis.

In the subsequent clamor, some parents ranted and jeered at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education meeting on Aug. 24, operating under the ridiculous assumption that their children are somehow being taught to hate white people, hate America and hate themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth.
But as we went to press, the White House was still warning that the next few days could be the most dangerous.

Thursdays terrorist attack inevitably invites strong reactions of shock, anger and pain. But first and foremost, we should honor the military personnel who died.

These American service members who gave their lives, Biden said, its an overused word, but its totally appropriate here, were heroes.

Hes right.

We grieve with their families. Its small comfort, but at least they sacrificed their lives trying to help others flee a repressive regime. They were serving their country and performing a mission of mercy, one that has thus far removed more than 100,000 Americans and Afghans from the threat of living under Taliban rule. Its difficult to imagine a more noble cause.

Beyond that, this difficult time requires our patience. The exit from Afghanistan, long desired by a majority of Americans, was never going to be a clean and painless operation. Our 20 years there have been marked by chaos, loss and death. There may be more stumbling blocks along the way, but weve got to keep the final goal in mind: ending a long and futile engagement that has cost us too much in treasure and blood.
Caroline Vernon, career transition practice leader at Intoo USA, says TikTok is replacing video CVs in the application process.

Creating video CVs is no longer on the cutting edge of job-search strategies. Sharing your value to a prospective employer in 60 seconds or less has become an increasingly popular way to make yourself stand out  for all age groups, Vernon says. Some companies have even ditched the long, monotonous application process, asking job seekers to instead share why they are the perfect fit via a video post accompanied by a specific hashtag for increased searchability. With the over 689 million monthly users of TikTok alone, companies are increasingly trying to tap into this vast audience to source open positions in even more creative ways.

So how can you or a job seeker you know get started using TikTok? Here are four tips:

Catch your desired employers attention

Are you looking for voiceover work? Show your skills in action on your profile. Looking to break into the tech industry? Dazzle your heroes with impressive skills in a TikTok video, says Justin Kline, co-founder of the influencer marketing firm Markerly. Sometimes the best way to get work is to show you can already do it.

Be brief
And about Betty, who died in 2011, and whom he met at a USO dance in Ottumwa, Iowa.

He told me he and his bride came to Lincoln in the 1950s and the architectural engineer landed at the Abel family business, where he remained for 35 years, a father of two, rising in the ranks to president of Concrete Industries.

When school tours came through the concrete plant, Jack would remind the teachers to take the lesson back to their classrooms and cement the difference in their students' minds.

Patti Laursen was there in those days. She began working as Jack's secretary in 1979, still with the company, and still a friend to her old boss.

Everybody loved the man, she says. And he taught her the important distinction between cement and concrete on Day 1.

"He wants the people of the world to know the difference, because there is a big difference," she says. "It's a tribute to the industry and to the company he worked for."

Jack retired from Concrete Industries in 1992 but his devotion has never wavered.

He's still the Concrete Guy. At the retirement community, his fellow residents warn visitors not to slip up and say cement.
Sweeney later pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an officer using a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an injury accident, each punishable by up to three years, and resisting arrest and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest, misdemeanors punishable by up to a year.

At sentencing Wednesday, Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender Kristi Egger called it upsetting for the officers as well as for Sweeney, who was clearly in a mental health crisis, which officers should've known given the bizarre things he'd been saying. She said she thinks police exacerbated the situation by immediately putting their hands on him, rather than treating him with care, caution and respect, per mental health guidelines.

"I hope that incidents like these cause the police department to relook at how we deal with people who suffer from mental illness issues," Egger said.

Sweeney apologized for his actions and said he now realizes how important it is to stay up on his mental health.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Amy Goodro said the report that day initially came in similar to a robbery causing police to think he may be dangerous.

Sweeney may have a mental health issues, she said, but he exacerbated them by taking controlled substances and other drugs.
"Was this foster parent getting the training that he was supposed to be getting? ... Was he getting that license?" asked Dr. John DeGarmo, a Georgia-based foster care consultant and the founder of the Foster Care Institute, in a phone interview with the Journal Star.

"There's a number of red flags for me that says this is one of those cases that could have been prevented by doing what caseworkers and agencies are supposed to be doing."

The investigation into Lopez began when his foster son contacted the DHHS hotline March 19 to report that he'd been sexually abused, Lincoln police announced in April.

Investigators interviewed and arrested Lopez on April 13 as police searched for additional victims.

In July, the Lancaster County Attorneys Office charged Lopez in cases involving five more boys between the ages of 11 and 15. Officer Erin Spilker said Lopez came in contact with some of the boys at Jolly Beans Magic Castle. At least one of the additional five boys had previously been placed in Lopez's care by the state, according to court filings.
Although the plan for the money has not been finalized, the deadline to do so is coming up soon. LPS will release its plan Wednesday, take public feedback, then submit its application to the Nebraska Department of Education on Sept. 15, the deadline for all schools in the state.

In that plan, the district will look to expand on the work it funded with $27.3 million in ESSER II money, some of which is still unspent. That work includes addressing students' mental health needs with more school-based therapists from partner agencies, in addition to extending the school day for students who need extra support.

That support could include extra work before and after school in individual or group settings for students who need help in a particular area or multiple areas. There's a simple reasoning behind it: the more time students spend at school, the more they learn, Hix said.

Teachers, who would voluntarily sign on to the extended sessions, would be paid stipends with the federal money.

"It's really individualized for each school on what their needs are," Hix said. "Were trying to be really creative."

Additional planning time and professional learning sessions would also be available to teachers. But like the extended classes, those opportunities would only be optional.
Getting adaptive swings is a good step, she said, but just a step.

Martinez has heard from the families with all kinds of unmet needs: Those with adult or teenage children who want a place they can play without making parents of young children nervous. The visually impaired who want an outdoor track they can walk on, a guide wire on an outside lane so they can exercise outside without worries of impediments. Those with children on the autism spectrum who need a quiet place when they become overstimulated, who would love a splash pad as a safe way to play in the water.

Im kind of in the go big or go home category, Martinez said. If were going to do this, lets do it right.

She found businesses willing to donate and figured if York could raise so much in such a short time, Lincoln certainly could. Bowers offered advice and city contacts. A friend from the city parks foundation offered to help. She and Olson arranged a meeting with Parks and Rec officials.

Martinez didnt understand the blessing of her sons diagnosis at first, but 19 years later, shes realized it connected her with a network of people she now considers her best friends. It gave her a chance to use her voice.

I have a son with no voice, she said. I have a loud voice.
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And the Nebraska Information Analysis Center is housed in a secured room in the back.

A blueprint still is taped to a cubicle wall to remind people where everyone is.

The patrol built out offices and conference rooms but was able to repurpose some of the cubicles. And it inherited a room with workout equipment left behind by Verizon.

The move will allow the patrol to bring most of its Lincoln-based troopers and civilian staff under one roof, rather than spread out in six offices throughout the city.

The patrol's crime lab, which relocated to a new building near the Lincoln Airport in 2015, will remain at that location.

The building at 4600 Innovation Drive is relatively new, having been built for Verizon Wireless in 2007 so the company could open a call center in Lincoln.

The company closed the call center in March 2017, leaving the building vacant, and its owner eventually defaulted.

Lincoln companies Nelnet and Speedway Properties partnered to buy the building at auction in 2018, and last year, Nelnet opened a loan-servicing call center in about 20,000 square feet of the space.
HASTINGS  Dale Livgren and Ruth VonSpreckelsen entered this world three days apart in 1926. They grew up on family farms just seven miles from one another in central Clay County.

Even so, they had never met until they ended up in eighth grade together in Clay Center in September 1939. And what little they knew of each other at that point, they didnt like one bit.

We didnt get along at all the first year, Dale said Thursday, turning to his wife seated next to him in their apartment at Heritage at College View in Hastings. We just kind of hated each other, didnt we?

Ruth Livgren, once known as young Ruth VonSpreckelsen, agreed.

He thought I was a brat, and I thought he was a brat, she said. Thats just the way it was.

But that all changed, Dale said, a twinkle in his eye.

Dale Livgren celebrated his 95th birthday earlier this month. Ruth followed suit a few days after that. And last weekend the couple celebrated the 75th anniversary of their marriage, which was solemnized just days after they both had turned 20 years old.

Their large family now includes four children, 13 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.
One diary of a westward immigrant still described old Fort Kearny in 1849 as lots of log houses and on 8 square blockhouses (sic.) in the center (and) parade grounds are beautiful. The trail from the Missouri River to new Fort Kearny headed northwest from the river, first merging with the Plattsmouth Road and thence to Saline Ford, today known as Ashland, where a narrow limestone outcropping had provided an all weather crossing of Salt Creek as firm as a paved road, which had been used as early as the 1830s. From Saline Ford the trail ran through what was later Swedeburg then near Brainerd and David City before turning southwest to new Fort Kearny, about 225 miles from its start at the Missouri River.
The fact that COVID-19 is ripping through our population once again, even with easy access to a particularly effective and free vaccine, shows us that our culture is out of balance.

The result of an overly individualistic society is the inability to solve big social problems like COVID. Enough people just dont think they should be inconvenienced.

There are real-world consequences, however. We cant shake the virus. Our hospitals are full again. If you get hurt or sick, even if you are a responsible vaccinated person, there might not be an ICU bed for you because someone who didnt believe that COVID is real is taking up that space.

What about our kids who cant yet get vaccinated? If you talk to medical professionals working right now, they will tell you that they are tired and worn out and that their sick and dying patients all have the same thing in common: They are unvaccinated.

Why cant we ask about how this is impacting those who were responsible but continue to be at risk because of the reckless actions of others? Do we not count?
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I will be voting against this, he said, because I dont think my tax dollars should be going toward giving somebody money for their house.

Additionally, the alderman questioned how the homes were being designated. He said there are homes in his neighborhood that are absolutely beautiful homes, but they were designated as average or below average.

Bill Bowers, director of city development, replied there were multiple factors that could drag down a homes designation.

For example, a home might have an older kitchen that had not been updated or carpet that was 25 years old.

Peterson was one of two commenters who argued the primary problem within the proposed TID district was with rentals.

Both said it was the rental properties that were deteriorating and causing most of the problems, which the TID would not address.

Peterson said the few homeowners who would benefit from funds could have their needs met through existing city programs.

Others who called in during the public hearing disputed the assertion of the committee that a TID does not increase property taxes because any improvements to a property will increase its assessed value and an increase in property taxes will follow.

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RACINE  A drug case has been scheduled for trial, despite the fact no officer from the Racine Police Department claimed to have found any drugs during a search of the defendants home last October.

Joshua Brown, 39, was charged on Oct. 20, 2020, with multiple felonies relating to drug sales, including possession of heroin with the intent to distribute.

The defense attempted to have the charges dismissed because the case proceeded on the testimony of Investigator Donald Nuttall, who claimed that 1.5 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl was recovered from Browns house by Officer David Arvai. However, the Racine County District Attorneys Office has yet to provide any evidence to support that claim, the defense contends.

Arvai has denied, both in a written report and on the stand, finding any drugs in Browns house.

Despite that, Racine County Circuit Court Judge Wynne Laufenberg denied the defenses motion to dismiss the drug charges in a written response filed on Friday.

Ultimately, Laufenberg sided with the Racine County District Attorneys Office, who argued the matter was best determined by a jury.

The jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 22-24, 2022.

Case history

On Oct. 7, 2020, Brown received a call from his son that a woman had overdosed in their house.

He called 911, raced home, and personally performed CPR until paramedics arrived, according to documents filed by the defense.

The womans life was saved.

RPD officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for the house and Brown was arrested. He was initially held on a weapons charge, and the drug charges came approximately 13 days later.

Franks/Mann motion

A Franks/Mann motion is a procedure in which the defense seeks to have charges dismissed due to sworn testimony that materially misstates or omits facts or evidence.

David Heller of Green Bay, who represents the defendant, brought the motion and a hearing was held on July 23.

Both in the motion and during the hearing, Heller argued the testimony of Nuttall was not supported by the evidence.

During the preliminary hearing, Nuttall was asked if any drugs were found in the residence.

He replied: Yes, there was an amount of heroin. I believe the gross total was 1.5 grams, ultimately located in the kitchen garbage area.

When asked if in his experience the drugs were for personal use or resale, Nuttall responded that in his experience they were being sold. He said 1.5 grams was about 7.5 to 15 times what a normal dose would be.

Nuttall reiterated on cross-examination that Arvai found the baggie of heroin in a garbage can at Browns house.

Based on the testimony of Nuttall, the defendant was bound over for trial.

However, Arvai did not claim to have found any drugs in his after-incident report. Video from his body camera does not show him finding a baggie of heroin.

Additionally, in a hearing held before the Department of Hearings and Appeals, Arvai denied finding any drugs in the Brown house. Laufenberg declined to consider Arvais testimony to DHA because it came after the deadline established by the court.

Opinion

In the written response to the Franks/Mann motion, Laufenberg acknowledged the defenses primary point: The evidence does not support the testimony of Investigator Nuttall.

In the case at bar, the investigating officer testified at a preliminary hearing and the testimony of who found and where the controlled substance was found was not supported in the reports of Officer Arvai, she wrote.

However, she found the related documents sufficient to send the matter to trial.

Those documents include the evidence log, another officers report, and Investigator Nuttalls report, all of which claim that 1.5 grams of heroin were recovered from the house.

Further, she pointed out that Officer Arvai included the charges the defendant was facing, possession with the intent to deliver heroin, in his after-incident report of Oct. 7, 2020.

Laufenberg ruled the outstanding issues raised by the defense, including who actually recovered the heroin, are issues for the trier of fact and are valid areas subject to cross examination.

She continued: A Franks hearing is not a proper forum to choose between conflicting facts or inferences or to weigh the states evidence against evidence favorable to the defendant.

The criminal complaint states that 1.5 grams of heroin were recovered from Browns house, but it does not indicate who found it; therefore, the unsupported information was not directly included in the complaint.

Laufenberg concluded by stating the Racine County District Attorneys Office has not misstated information within the complaint as to the recovery of controlled substances.

Who found the drugs?

The defense has repeatedly raised the issue of where the drugs were found and by whom, but Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lynott has not addressed the issue.

To date, the DAs Office has not provided any bodycam footage showing any officer locating 1.5 grams of heroin/fentanyl, nor has the credit for finding it been given to any officer on scene that day.

The defense claims it has received no video or photos that place the baggie of heroin in Browns house on the day of the search. The defense further claims that no officer from the RPD claims to have found any drugs in their after-incident reports.

However, there is video footage of officers taking the heroin out of the evidence box at the RPD. Where it was found or by whom has not been addressed by the District Attorneys Office.

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MOUNT PLEASANT  One man is dead after being shot outside a Mount Pleasant hair salon Saturday afternoon, law enforcement has confirmed.

The alleged shooter surrendered to police, the Mount Pleasant Police Department, an eyewitness account and video from the scene show.

There is no active threat to the community, this incident was a matter between two individuals, the Mount Pleasant Police Department said in a news release late Saturday afternoon.

Shooting

Police responded to Angels Beauty Salon, 2221 Durand Ave., just after 2:34 p.m. Saturday for a report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, one man was taken into custody at gunpoint; he was not resisting and allowed himself to be handcuffed while he was on his knees in the street near the salon, according to Facebook Live video.

Simultaneously, first responders performed CPR on a person on the pavement in the parking lot who had been shot.
RACINE  Robin Vos is caught in the middle.

The Racine County Republican, who is one of the states most powerful legislators in his role as Assembly Speaker, is continuing to try and drum up support for the investigation into how Wisconsins 2020 election was conducted.

But he is still trying to figure out how to work with the more extreme, conspiratorial side of the conservative base that is unshaken in its unfounded belief that the election was a fraud.

For one, Vos still is giving support (and providing updates on the investigation) to former President Donald Trump. Trump hasnt stopped claiming he won the election despite recounts, dozens of court rulings (including from Trump-appointed judges) and all other evidence showing Biden won.

In June, a sect of the Republican Party started calling for Vos to step down after Trump criticized Wisconsins GOP leadership for not more strongly investigating the election.

In the weeks and months since Trump made public his displeasure, Vos has since empowered lead investigator and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. The budget for that investigation is now reportedly $700,000 and could grow, and Vos said he would OK subpoenas for election-related documents from Racine and other Wisconsin communities if Gableman requests it.

On the flip side, when it comes to public speech, Vos isnt giving oxygen to claims of top-to-bottom corruption. Hes expressed that he still believes in the American election system, and that future elections are to be trusted. Despite pushing for investigation of how the 2020 election was conducted, Wisconsins elected Republican leaders have maintained they have no intention of getting Biden out of office.

On Wednesday, during a public Q&A at DeMarks Bar & Restaurant, at the corner of Albert Street and North Memorial Drive and hosted by the local group Honest, Open, Transparent (H.O.T.) Government, Vos scoffed when some of the 40 people gathered claimed that election machines had been tampered with or hacked into by international criminals. Theres no evidence of such tampering.

Several times, Vos encouraged those in a packed room at the pub to go out and vote if they want to bring about change. But he was met with rebuke. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll published Aug. 4 found that 66% of Republicans polled still believe the 2020 election was rigged and stolen from Trump, compared to 28% of independent voters and 3% of Democrats.

When one man at DeMarks on Wednesday  who said he was from Walworth County, wore a cowboy hat and boots and declined to give his name  stated that the president and government are both controlled by international criminals and/or a uni-party, Vos turned away, unable to stifle a laugh.

Im not going to talk about international conspiracy theories  youre so wrong, Vos said.

When less extreme, but still unsupported, claims of potential fraud were brought up, Vos didnt shut them down.

Referring to recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties that affirmed Trumps loss, one man claimed Wednesday that there were ballots sloshing around everywhere, to which Vos replied: Thats valid; thats a valid concern. During the Milwaukee recount, 400 uncounted ballots were found, but the changes in tabulated votes after the recounts were nowhere near enough to undo Bidens win by a margin of more than 20,000 votes in Wisconsin.

Still, Vos stated Wednesday: A cabal to steal an election is not possible, pointing to how Wisconsin has 1,800-plus clerks throughout the state running elections simultaneously.

Some in the room sided with Vos, sharing his concerns about private funding of elections but still more or less believing that the local, state and federal governments are stable and valid.

Others, after the meeting, took paper handouts from the cowboy-hat-wearing man.

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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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Like yet another, lamentable remake of the movie Groundhog Day, the pandemic we thought had been eradicated by time and vaccines seems to show up again in periodic waves, in disguise (the variants) and strung together one after another to form a chain that resists our efforts and desire to see the end of it, Barbera said in a statement. We are aware of the responsibility that awaits us and of the expectations that many people have placed in this first festival.

Gyllenhaal actually got a taste of festival life earlier this year at Cannes, where she served on the jury, and found it invigorating.

It really felt to me like this kind of explosion of freedom in terms of just logistics of being alive, but also then seeing all these movies, she said. I was really inspired by Cannes. All of us on the jury, we all left kind of on fire.

For Villenueve, debuting Dune in a cinema palace at Venice is particularly significant. Come October 22, his epic that hes been dreaming about making since he first read the book as a teenager, will be released simultaneously in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
No. No, no, no. These snowflakes have been indulged for too long.

They need some straight talk, preferably from their own leaders -- not just on the coronavirus vaccines but on all their other paranoid fan fiction too, including stolen elections and lefty baby-eaters and a supposedly senile president. Once upon a time, Republicans mocked people for insisting that their "feelings" and "lived experiences" superseded reality; today, whether out of cowardice or the desire to out-crazy their presidential rivals, party leaders cosset such delusions.

Even former president Donald Trump, who recently urged rallygoers to get vaccinated, backed down when the crowd booed him. Safer to stick to the usual playbook of grievance politics and imagined victimization, tactics that Republicans once derided Democrats for practicing.

Now would be an excellent opportunity for that playbook to change. One of the most common reasons (or excuses) that vaccine holdouts have given for their hesitancy was that the shots had only "emergency use authorization." On Monday, the FDA finally fully approved the Pfizer vaccine for people age 16 and older. So that excuse is gone.

Or is it?
A 48-year-old La Crosse man is being held in the La Crosse County Jail after being accused of multiple beatings that sent a woman into emergency surgery. George T. Holmes was charged Friday in La Crosse County Circuit Court with felony aggravated battery/intent to cause bodily harm and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and bail jumping.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called Aug. 26 to an Onalaska apartment for a medical assist. Police located a female with a black eye and swollen lip and face. She told police she was urinating blood, and an ambulance was summoned to the scene.

The woman described multiple domestic incidents in which Holmes punched her in the mouth, slapped her face, gave her rug burns by dragging her on the floor and kicked her in the head, face, ribs, stomach and legs. She also said Holmes kicked a door in the apartment and destroyed her cell phone.

A nurse at Mayo Health System in La Crosse told police the woman sustained a lacerated kidney, multiple rib fractures and a hematoma in her back that required emergency surgery. The nurse said there was a chance the woman would require air transport to Rochester.
With Biden's approval, the Pentagon this month sent thousands of additional troops to the Kabul airport to provide security and to facilitate the State Department's chaotic effort to evacuate thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghans who had helped the United States during the war. The evacuation was marred by confusion and chaos as the U.S. government was caught by surprise when the Afghan army collapsed and the Taliban swept to power Aug. 15.

About 5,400 Americans have been evacuated from the country so far, including 300 in the last day. The State Department believes about 350 more want out; it said there are roughly 280 others who have said they are Americans but who have not told the State Department of their plans to leave the country, or who have said they plan to remain.

Untold numbers of vulnerable Afghans, fearful of a return to the brutality of pre-2001 Taliban rule, are likely to be left behind. Biden and the leaders of other Western countries have said they would try to work with the Taliban to allow Afghans who had worked with them to leave after the U.S.-led evacuation ends.

The Pentagon said that about 6,800 people, mostly Afghans, were flown out in the 24 hours that ended Saturday morning, bringing to 117,00 the total number of people of all nationalities evacuated since the hurried exit was begun Aug. 14.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP)  In hushed reverence, President Joe Biden stood witness with grieving families Sunday under a gray sky as, one by one, the remains of 13 U.S. troops killed in the Kabul suicide bombing were removed with solemnity from a military aircraft that brought them home.
Like other Confederates, Lees identity grew out of a deep desire to dominate and control slaves. The Constitution of the Confederacy for which he fought ensured slavery was legal throughout its land.

As the Norths battlefield fortunes ebbed and flowed through 1862, emancipation became a useful policy in prosecuting the war. By the wars end in 1865, it provided a foundational understanding of what a reunited nation fought over.

The Souths aims were therefore completely defeated. Yet former Confederates immediately began construction of a Lost Cause attachment to their short-lived slave-holding Republic.

They even denied the truth about their efforts. The man who served as President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, wrote The existence of African servitude was in no wise the cause of the conflict.

In Lost Cause remembrance the Rebels had fought insurmountable odds in a noble war to maintain their freedom. Confederate armies, soldiers, and generals  especially Lee  personified the idea of heroism.

Before his death in 1870, Lee had advised not building monuments memorializing the Confederate war effort. Yet, as Reconstruction ended in 1876, Southern states substituted Jim Crow segregation for slavery, and they disregard their heros advice.
To the parents who insist that masking of kids should be a family decision, do you not see that your familys decision co-opts the decision-making of others? You are part of a broader community. A decision by you affects your community. The fact is, your mask protects me and my mask protects you.

And what of the right-minded concern for kids who are immunocompromised or who are dealing with a disability that makes them more vulnerable to the virus or the consequences of contracting it? Hear this: It is arguably a civil rights issue.

It was sobering to read a petition launched by parents of children enrolled in local Catholic schools demanding the diocese abandon its mask mandate, which was announced last week. In part, the petition reads: There is a growing concern that parents are losing their rights to do what is best for their children. We must stand up as parents and as a community and say enough is enough.

Really?

What about standing up for the social values promoted by the Church and, presumably, by those who are a part of the Churchs school community: care for your brother and your sister?

Here are some more facts:
He darn near spoiled my pizza

It was a reasonably quiet restaurant, at least until this goombah felt compelled to carry on so that two-thirds of the patrons were his involuntary audience. Haranguing his tablemate and anyone else within a five-yard radius, he was loud, with the self-assuredness granted the terminally ignorant.

He was outraged, of course, and he let everyone in earshot of his increasingly loud voice know he just wasnt going to stand for a bunch of school administrators depriving his kids of their God-given constitutional right to be infected by a contagious disease and spread it willy-nilly to their teachers, their classmates, the lunch ladies and whoever else might come within range of their unmasked faces.

At full bellicose volume he argued for a parents right to let their child get sick and, in the process, sicken others. And by God, because those liberals were trampling his freedoms, he was gonna pull his kids right out of that school and see how they liked them apples!

Poor kids  but good riddance, I thought. This pandemic is tough enough without you and your brood making it tougher.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers.

East Hanover Township

Main Stay Suites, 105 Kelley Ct., Aug. 18. Pass. The hand wash sink in the men's restroom nearest to the kitchen is not receiving hot water within a reasonable amount of time. Employee food containers stored above and directly next to items intended to be served to customers and guests within the refrigerators in the kitchen. The surface of the counter top in the kitchen is chipped and cracked and no longer a smooth and easily cleanable surface. Holes in the wall in the separate storage room, near the backup refrigerators and freezers. Water damage under the ware washing sink in the kitchen. Dishwasher partially disassembled. Personal garments, curtains, and other items stored on top of the refrigerators in the additional storage room.

Sensenig Royce, 2491 Sand Beach Rd., Aug. 18. Fail. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility. Food facility failed to comply with labeling regulations when selling small flock eggs directly to the consumer. Food facility is using an approved non-public water system, but does not have current laboratory testing results for water potability. Food facility preparing smoked bologna using reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) without the required written procedures.

Eatery at Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Blvd., Aug. 16. Pass. Facility utilizes time in lieu of temperature for pizza and burgers, but is not maintaining documentation. Pizza peels stored directly on top of oven between uses. Dust and food crumb accumulation on the top of the oven. Backside edge of slicer blade had old food residue. Blade of table-mounted can opener had old food residue. Deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Hood filters had an accumulation of static dust.

Mountainview at Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Blvd., Aug. 16. Pass. Soda lines, located in the storage room nearest the employee restrooms, stored with the nozzles resting on the floor. Pest control devices (snap traps) in use in the dry storage rooms, located nearest the walk-in coolers, carry the potential to contaminate food, equipment and utensils.

Penn Drafthouse at Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Blvd., Aug. 16. Pass. Fruit wedge cutter blade to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch.

Tattered Flag at Hollywood Casino, 777 Hollywood Blvd., change of owner, Aug. 16. Pass. Soda lines and connectors were stored on the floor in the dry storage area nearest the employee restrooms while not in use. A temperature measuring device for measuring manual ware washing wash and sanitizing water temperatures is not available. Metal racks within several refrigerators in the kitchen area are rusty. Built-in thermometer for ensuring proper food temperatures is not calibrated or functioning properly on the refrigeration unit located in the corner of the kitchen area. Accumulation of old food debris, dirt and soil on the floor behind the bar equipment and behind the stoves, grills and equipment in the kitchen area. Pest control devices (snap traps), located in the dry storage rooms nearest the walk-in coolers and freezers, have potential to contaminate food, equipment or utensils.

Hummelstown Borough

Wendys, 625 East Main St., Aug. 18. Fail. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food. Time in lieu of temperature being used in the food facility to control ready to eat potentially hazardous foods without documentation to verify disposition of food. Soap was not available at the hand wash sink in the women's restroom. Stainless steel tables and countertops being used for direct food contact had food residue and were not clean to sight and touch. Deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Walls and floors between and behind fryers, walls and floors between and behind ware washing sinks, floors and walls surrounding mop and utility area, fixtures behind and directly below the refrigeration unit within the walk-in cooler have an accumulation of static dust and mildew. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair.

Lower Paxton Township

McDonalds, 5590 Allentown Blvd. Suite 150, Aug. 19. Pass. Frozen burgers, in the walk-in freezer area, is a packaged food possibly subject to water entry and is stored or displayed in direct contact with ice. Exteriors of fryer equipment, interior of milk cabinet at front counter area and door gaskets of chicken nugget freezer dirty.

Quick Pick C Stop, 4617 Locust Ln., Aug. 19. Pass. No violations.

Excel Oil, 4660 Jonestown Rd., Aug. 18. Pass. No violations.

Wendys, 5103 Jonestown Rd., follow-up, Aug. 17. Pass. Accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, grease, and debris on the sides of fryers and grill top equipment, wheels of fryer equipment and top of patty cooking press and grill equipment.

Penbrook Borough

Unreal Kitchen, 2805 Market St. Suite A, Aug. 17. Pass. No violations.

Susquehanna Township

Residence Inn by Marriott, 2250 Kohn Rd., Aug. 20. Pass. The hand wash sink in the kitchen area was leaking water at the drain. Cases of bottled water stored directly on the floor in dry storage area.

Peachtree Restaurant & Lounge, 251 North Progress Ave., Aug. 19. Pass. Chlorinated sanitizer in red bucket was spent. Tabletop mounted can opener, a food contact surface, had dried food residue on the cutting blade and was not clean to sight and touch. Floor area was messy with food debris and packaging material lying on the floor. Food seasoning and raw ingredient storage containers in the kitchen area are not labeled with the common name of the food.

The Greater Zion Missionary Baptist, 212 North Progress Ave., Aug. 19. Pass. Cases of beverages stored directly on the floor in dry storage area.

Swatara Township

Burger King, 8167 Derry St., opening, Aug. 20. Pass. No violations.

Papa Johns Pizza, 4200 Derry St., Aug. 20. Pass. Time in lieu of temperature being used as a control for potentially hazardous foods, but pizza sauce foods observed being held for more than four hours. Ceiling intake and exhaust air duct needs cleaned or filters changed as it is emitting dust and dirt into the air. Build-up of dust on vents. Food employee personal belongings and food stored in the walk in with other food products. Food employees in food prep area, not wearing proper hair restraints. Can opener in the prep area does not allow removal of the cutting blade for cleaning and sanitizing. Accumulation of steel shavings build up.

Dunkin Donuts, 2820 Paxton St., Aug. 19. Pass. Reheated food was held at 56 degrees F, in the refrigerated drawers on the line area. Floor tiles and ceiling tiles in the main area cracked, roughened and is not a smooth, easily cleanable surface. Ceiling vent tile missing over coffee area. Hand washing sink on the food line area is out of service due to a drain leak. Wet wiping cloths in preparation line area are not being stored in sanitizer solution. Cheese slices were date-marked by the facility, but were beyond the seven-day use or sell by date.

Little Saigon Food Market,2800 Paxton St., Aug. 19. Fail. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility. Food facility person in charge not able to provide documentation that raw snails, fresh and frozen fish, and raw beef are from an approved source. Food facility received Shellstock without legible source identification tags or labels. Raw snails on ice. Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. Rear door located in the raw meat case area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. Dead raw snails for sale to consumers in ice on a hot and cold display unit. Soap and paper towels not available at the hand wash sink in the prep area.

McDonalds, 2929 Paxton St., complaint, Aug. 18. Pass. No violations.

Walmart, 6535 Grayson Rd., Aug. 18. Pass. Two cans of baby formula on retail shelf available to consumers that were beyond manufacturers date. The hand wash sink in the rear deli area and bakery area were blocked by racks and not accessible at all times for employee use. Floor, wall and ceiling in the cooler areas and produce processing excessive dust accumulation from condenser fans. Fan covers need cleaned. Tile in produce area have a large man-made hole needs replaced. Waste not being removed from the food facility at an appropriate frequency.

ABC Lanes East, 1001 Eisenhower Blvd., Aug. 17. Pass. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. build-up of food-debris at the bottom of the beer coolers in the bar area. Cracked door handle on the stand up refrigerator in the kitchen prep area, repaired with duct tape.

Midtown Pizza, 995 Eisenhower Blvd., Aug. 17. Pass. Old unused equipment stored in the back kitchen area of the bar side.

Moms Momo and Deli, 5550 Derry St., Aug. 17. Pass. No violations.

Sheetz, 6010 Derry St., Aug. 17. Pass. No violations.

West Hanover Township

Teds Bar and Grill, 7300 Allentown Blvd., complaint, Aug. 16. Fail. Raw and Ready-to-eat food ingredient storage containers, and wrapped food products in the cook line and walk in area, are not labeled with the common name of the food. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility. The person in charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of the PA Food Code. Chicken wings, onion soup, pasta, potatoes, pot roast in the cooler area stored open with no covering. Raw chicken was stored above raw beef, pork, fish in the walk in cooler. Clean food equipment and utensils in kitchen area stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining or air drying. Hand sink leaking at the kitchen area by back door. Cigarettes and ashtray found on the line in the kitchen area. Chicken wings, onion soup and prime rib roast was not cooled from 135 to 70 degrees F in two hours or from 135 to 41 degrees F within six hours after preparation. Chicken wings, breaded chicken nuggets and prime rib being cooled in refrigerator and walk-in cooler in containers without tight fitting lids. Onion soup food placed hot in the refrigerator and walk-in cooler in containers greater than four inches deep. Raw and ready to eat foods are refrigerated ready to eat were not compliant with date marking by being labeled with a discard or use by date of no more than seven days. Temperature measuring device for ensuring proper temperature of equipment and food products are not available or readily accessible in refrigeration equipment or cook area. Ceiling and wall attachments and tiles in the dry storage area are not easily cleanable and tiles are missing or not in place. Dirty cloth towel covering twice baked potatoes in the cooler. Paper towels being used in the salad cooler under tomatoes and pickles.
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Our beloved Lancaster County, the one with 5,650 farm families that produce an internationally known harvest, which enables us to enjoy a farm-to-table way of life that swells our hearts with every accolade we receive, is also home to hungry babies, children, teenagers and adults.

According to Hunger Free Lancaster, a community coalition of 40 nonprofit, private, faith-based, government and grassroots organizations, there are 52,160 people who are food insecure in Lancaster County. That means theres a group almost the size of the entire population of Lancaster city that doesnt have consistent access to enough affordable, nutritious food for their household due to a lack of financial resources. Nearly 20,000 Lancaster children dont know where or when theyll find their next meal. And this was before COVID-19.

There is more to suffering from food insecurity than meets the eye. A report by Feeding America found that teens fear stigma around hunger and actively try to hide it as much as they can. Seniors may need to choose between food and medication. This stress manifests as chronic physical conditions, poor mental health, low grades and risky behaviors.

Fortunately, Lancaster County also has a robust safety net of nonprofit organizations dedicated to ensuring that in our land of plenty, everyone has enough to eat. You can help them help others. Search PA211East.org to find agencies near you where you can:

 Donate a most-needed healthy item at a food bank. By donating canned tuna, chicken, low-sodium beans, soup and vegetables and fruit in 100% juice; brown rice, dried beans and whole-grain pasta; and non-hydrogenated nut butters, you can help other live healthier lives.

 Organize, sort, pack, and distribute food for students and families in need.

 Prepare, serve and/or deliver a meal.

 Get your hands dirty planting, weeding and harvesting at Wittel Farm in Elizabethtown.

 Learn more about food insecurity. Contact Community Action Partnership to host a poverty simulation for your workplace or organization.

Also, remember that Lancaster Food Bank also accepts clothes, helping people save time with one-stop shopping. (Drop-offs are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday at 27 W. Clay St., beside Turkey Hill.)

Here are some urgent needs now:

 Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) needs volunteers to help during community meal preparation and distribution from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

 Meals on Wheels of Lancaster needs drivers and kitchen help to assist in the preparation and delivery of meals to our clients. There are multiple openings in the kitchen from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Drivers are needed for deliveries, picking up meals between 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Mondays through Fridays. There are 30 routes to be covered starting from the Meals on Wheels 1085-B Manheim Pike location (times vary by up to two hours). Find out more at a 15- to 20-minute open/drop-in orientation 1-3 p.m. every Wednesday. Contact: volunteer@lancastermow.org or 717-392-4842.

 Ag Dayz at the Maze, sponsored by the Lancaster County Ag Council and Oregon Dairy, needs many volunteers Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 9-11. Go to signup.com/go/BobEPRe for more details. Contact: Maria Forry at maria.forry@oregondairy.com.

To sign up for these or other opportunities, or to post a need for your agency, visit uwlanc.org/volunteer. Email questions to: volunteer@uwlanc.org.

Cindi Moses is executive vice president of United Way of Lancaster County.
Columbia Borough police

HARASSMENT

COLUMBIA: Holli Suzanne Good, 29, of Lancaster, was charged with harassment after sending an Instagram message to another woman who asked her to stop around 4:50 p.m. on Aug. 19, police said.

Ephrata police

CRASH

WEST COCALICO TWP.: A vehicle turned into the path of a sedan, crashing into it and pushing it into a small Cocalico District School bus which was stopped at Indiantown and Schoeneck roads around 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 27, police said. The bus did not have any children inside at the time of the crash and the driver was unhurt, though passengers inside the sedan sustained minor injuries and were treated at Ephrata Community Hospital, police said. The 17-year-old driver of the crashing vehicle will be cited for a traffic violation, police said.

Lititz Borough police

ASSAULT

LITITZ: Gavin Duane Rea, 29, of Denver, was charged with simple assault after striking a man twice, causing him to fall to the ground, at Hideaway Bar at 75 Kleine Lane around 1:05 a.m. on Aug. 21, police said. The man was transported to a hospital for unspecified injuries, police said.

DUI

LITITZ: Brian Scott Whitman, 47, of Ephrata, was charged with three counts of driving under the influence and a traffic violation after crashing with two other vehicles at East Main and North Oak streets at 2:34 p.m. on July 10, police said. Whitman, who was found standing outside one of the crashed vehicles, was later found to have fentanyl and norfentanyl in his blood at the time, police said.

Manheim Township police

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

LANCASTER TWP.: Two juveniles ages 16 and 17, both of Lancaster, were charged with criminal mischief after intentionally kicking the door of a vehicle not owned by them in the 200 block of Dickens Drive, causing $500 in damage, at 7 p.m. on July 19, police said.

LANCASTER TWP.: An unknown vandal slashed the tired of a vehicle in the 1400 block of Passey Lane, causing $907.86 in damage, sometime between Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, police said.

DUI

MANHEIM TWP.: Abby Rose Harris, 26, of Coplay, was charged with driving under the influence after crashing at Route 30 west and Lititz Pike at 2:27 a.m. on July 19, police said. Harris had THC, fentanyl and norfentanyl in her system at the time of the crash, police said.

MANHEIM TWP.: Collin Scott Engle, 21, of Ephrata, was charged with driving under the influence after crashing along westbound Route 30 at 10:34 p.m. on Aug. 14, police said. Engle had a BAC of 0.148%, police said.

HARASSMENT

LANCASTER TWP.: Earl C. Owens Jr., 37, of Lancaster, was charged with harassment after pushing another person to the ground in the 1100 block of Jamaica Road at 6:39 p.m. on Aug. 22, police said.

SEXUAL EXTORTION

LANCASTER TWP.: Jonathan Jafeth Serrano, 20, address unknown, was charged with sexual extortion, stalking and harassment after repeatedly contacting a person in the 300 block of Kentshire Drive and demanding to meet with them, then threatening to disseminate nude pictures of them performing sexual acts, between Aug. 21 and Aug. 22, police said. Serrano remains a wanted person, police said.

STALKING

MANHEIM TWP.: Justin M. Spearing, 40, of Holtwood, was charged with stalking after repeatedly contacting a person in the 300 block of Longview Road, after being ordered to stop by their attorney, between July 13 and Aug. 19, police said.

LANCASTER TWP.: Cassandra Marie Walleigh, 26, of Leola, was charged with felony stalking and harassment after repeatedly contacting a person in the 300 block of Elmshire Drive who had an active protection from abuse order against her between Aug. 12 and Aug. 18, police said. Walleigh made verbal threats which put the victim in fear for their safety during one of the contacts, police said.

THEFT

MANHEIM TWP.: An unknown fraudster tricked a victim in the 1500 block of Fruitville Pike into sending them $37,000 in a Bitcoin scam between December 2020 and Aug. 24, police said.

LANCASTER TWP.: Two unknown women entered a restroom at a Weis Markets at 1204 Millersville Pike and stole cash from inside a purse which was accidently left behind by its owner at 8:45 p.m. on Aug. 4, police said. The women then threw the purse into a trashcan and left the store, police said.

MANHEIM TWP.: Matthew Oliver Travitz, 34, who is homeless, was charged with felony retail theft after he was seen stealing $763.10 worth of merchandise from a Wegmans at 2000 Crossings Boulevard at 1:52 p.m. on Aug. 21, police said.

Manor Township police

HARASSMENT

MANOR TWP.: Andrew King, 29, of Conestoga, was charged with harassment after kicking a woman during an argument in the 3200 block of River Road at 12:01 p.m. on Aug. 21, police said. The woman sustained minor injuries to her leg, police said.

Northern Lancaster Regional police

STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERED

PENN TWP.: A $20,200 2018 Nissan Rouge which had previously been reported stolen by Philadelphia police was recovered at the Manheim Auto Auction at 1190 Lancaster Road at 10:39 a.m. on Aug. 26, police said.

PENN TWP.: A $19,995 2020 Nissan Ultima which had previously been reported stolen by Philadelphia police was recovered at the Manheim Auto Auction at 1190 Lancaster Road at 1:13 p.m. on Aug. 26, police said.

PENN TWP.: A $6,650 2016 Chevrolet Malibu which had previously been reported stolen by Philadelphia police was recovered at the Manheim Auto Auction at 1190 Lancaster Road at 10:38 a.m. on Aug. 27, police said.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP)  In hushed reverence, President Joe Biden stood witness with grieving families Sunday under a gray sky as, one by one, the remains of 13 U.S. troops killed in the Kabul suicide bombing were removed with solemnity from a military aircraft that brought them home.

The only sounds that could be heard during the mournful ritual of the dignified transfer were the quiet commands of the honor guards in battle dress who carried the flag-draped cases, the hum of the C-17 aircraft that had transported the fallen and the periodic sob of the sorrowful.

Biden and his wife, Jill, met privately with family members of those killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport before the president became the fourth commander in chief over two decades of war to stand at attention at Dover Air Force Base as the remains of the fallen from Afghanistan returned home.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. Five were just 20  born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.

They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me.

At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Biden held his hand over his heart and appeared to shut his eyes in prayer as each transfer case was taken off the military aircraft and placed in an awaiting vehicle.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present for the return of the remains of their loved ones to American soil. Thursday's attack left so many casualties that military officials said the Dover Fisher House, which the Defense Department provides for families of the fallen, was not large enough to accommodate all the grieving families, so some loved ones stayed off base.

Biden was joined by several top aides, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Eleven of the fallen service members families chose to allow their transfers to be open to media coverage. Two others took place out of view, but Biden was present for those as well.

Biden's three most recent predecessors as presidents all attended such dignified transfers. It was Biden's first time taking part in the ritual as president, but he has been here before.

Later Sunday, while getting a Hurricane Ida briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, the president opened his remarks by telling workers that he had just come from Dover. "We met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in their service of our country and while were praying for the best in Louisiana, lets keep them in our prayers as well.

Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS' Face the Nation that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.

The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier.



Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Robert Burns and Matt Sedensky contributed to this report.
The main and most effective way to contain the COVID-19 pandemic is found in one word: vaccination. It appears that many people do not like easy and unambiguous answers. History has the answer but too many Americans have chosen to complicate the vaccination decision process.

How in the world did vaccination become political? How did it become liberal or conservative? How did it become so controversial that the debates split families, communities, and people of every ethnic and racial group?

As I wrote in a previous column, I am a conservative, but I do not see vaccination as a conservative or liberal issue. My support for vaccination is based upon a lifetime of education and employment related to health care. Pharmacy, hospital administration and economics were my majors through to a doctoral degree. My first full-time professional position was as a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service.

So it worries me that we have lost sight of, and the memory of, our successes in virtually eliminating many life-ending and debilitating diseases. Those successes were founded upon the almost total public acceptance of vaccinations and a willingness to be vaccinated.

The diseases we vanquished include measles, diphtheria, pertussis, chickenpox and polio. Many people alive today can tell of ravages to families as family members  too often children  succumbed to these diseases before the development of the vaccines that prevent them.

I wonder how many of our Lancaster County elders have distant memories of political, philosophical and emotional debates over the willingness to vaccinate our children and elders with life-protecting vaccines. Except for medical and religious objections, I can remember no broad community vaccination debates in my 87 years. In fact, I fondly remember the community reaction to the oral polio vaccine developed by Albert Sabin (it replaced the earlier vaccine, administered by injection, which had been developed by Jonas Salk). As a licensed pharmacist, I was pleased to be a part of the medical team conducting polio vaccination clinics throughout my community in the early 1960s.

The end result of the eradication of these many diseases can be seen daily in the lives of our family members, friends, co-workers and fellow citizens. Many of these people would have been deprived of life if it were not for vaccines. The presence of these people in our lives is living proof of the effectiveness of vaccinations.

Without even thinking about it, our own lives have been nourished and supported by people who, in another time, would have never lived to become a part of our lives. Why can we not view the COVID-19 vaccines through this prism?

The vaccines

Let me suggest that we have made COVID-19 vaccination a far too complicated issue. We have bundled together medical science, public health, freedom of choice, politics and even economics. Mask debates, business shutdowns, credit-seeking politicians and multiple other complications combine to take our eyes off the simple solution to the biggest piece of the COVID-19 pandemic: vaccination, hopefully resulting in herd immunity. Widespread vaccination is how we solved similar health crises in the past. Why cant we do it with COVID-19?

Let us make it simple. If our primary goal is to eliminate the disease by herd immunity, let us focus on vaccinations. In deciding to become vaccinated, we need to ask only two questions. First, are the COVID-19 vaccines effective? And second, are they safe? That is all.

According to an analysis on the Yale Medicine website, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine  the first to receive full (rather than emergency use) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration  has 91.3% efficacy against COVID-19 through up to six months after the second dose, according to its manufacturer. It has been found to be 100% effective in preventing severe disease as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 95.3% effective in preventing severe disease as defined by the FDA.

In August, the CDC also published studies that showed mRNA vaccine protection against infection may be waning, although the vaccines were still highly effective against hospitalization, the Yale Medicine website noted.

This is why the Biden administration has recommended Pfizer and Moderna booster shots for certain immunocompromised people. A recommendation that senior citizens and others also get booster shots will need to get FDA approval.

Modernas vaccine was authorized for emergency use in the U.S. last December, about a week after the Pfizer vaccine, the Yale Medicine website notes. Moderna uses the same mRNA technology as Pfizer and has a similarly high efficacy at preventing symptomatic disease.

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a 72% overall efficacy and 86% efficacy against severe disease in the U.S., according to analyses posted by the FDA in February, the Yale Medicine website notes.

Be a vaccinated citizen

According to the CDC, more than 365 million vaccine doses had been administered in the U.S. as of Friday morning. These vaccines are safe.

For the doubters, this is all you need to know to conclude that you should be a vaccinated citizen, doing your part to keep family and community members healthy and, most importantly, alive. Isnt this a goal worthy of our enthusiastic participation?

Let us add COVID-19 to the heap of vaccine successes. Future generations will thank us.

While we flock to the vaccine clinics, we can observe the few other precautions  mask-wearing and social distancing  that can help to limit the spread of the disease, especially with the highly transmissible delta variant causing mostly unvaccinated people to be hospitalized.

According to a report published by the CDC last week, a July study of Los Angeles, California, public health records found that unvaccinated people had five times more COVID-19 infections than fully vaccinated people, and had 29 times more COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Keep it simple. Vaccines work. Our parents, grandparents and history tell us so.

Stuart Wesbury, a professor emeritus in Arizona State Universitys School of Health Administration and Policy, is a resident of Willow Street. He has a Ph.D. in economics and business administration. He is a former community member of the LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board.
Many Americans, including myself, are concerned and some are even anxious about the state of our union. Our politics have become too fractured and seem to reflect the extremes of the spectrum  many people are simply not listening to the other side.

How do we fix our broken politics, lower the temperature of our rhetoric and become civil to one another? These questions challenge us today.

It may be helpful to examine the wisdom and example of our best political leaders and their values.

George Washingtons Farewell Address to the People of the United States  written with the assistance of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison  laid out his concerns for the well-being and unity of the American people and offered advice that is relevant today.

Washington acknowledged his fear of the corrosive effects that political parties could have on democracy. He acknowledged that the spirit of party is inseparable from our nature, having its roots in the strongest passions of the mind. Washington feared that partisan and regional loyalties could undermine the new government of the United States.

Respect for government and its institutions

Washington urged his fellow Americans to cherish their government as a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very Liberty, which you so highly prize.

During the 1960s and 1970s, distrust of government, particularly the military, became popular among many liberals. The Reagan administration pushed back and sought to enhance the status of those serving in the military and of the military itself. Jeanne Kirkpatrick, President Ronald Reagans United Nations ambassador, wrote: To destroy a society, it is first necessary to delegitimatize its basic institutions.

The preamble to the Constitution anticipated that government should serve us in many ways. Law enforcement and the courts hold criminals accountable and protect our legal rights. Homeland security, disaster relief, protection of the environment, a comprehensive transportation system, and safe food and medicines are just a few of the services that we have come to expect from government. The Internal Revenue Service is charged with implementing the laws, passed by Congress, to collect the revenue that funds these activities.

Unfortunately, attacks on the deep state, unelected bureaucrats and agencies like the IRS appeal to bias and undermine respect for agencies and public servants who serve the people. Likewise, calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and defund the police reveal ignorance of the essential missions that these agencies perform.

Washington further stated in his farewell address: To the efficacy and permanency of your Union, a government for the whole is indispensable. ... Respect for its authority, compliance with its laws, acquiescence in its measures are duties enjoined by the fundamental maxims of true liberty.

Education and enlightenment as the source of good government

Washington urged the promotion of institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, as it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

Formal education should not be the end of our learning. Reading extensively and travel can better inform perspective.

Overconfidence in our own knowledge can be a trap. The internet, books and articles read for the purpose of confirming ones point of view are not substitutes for expertise and knowledge developed through years of study, research of credible sources, and the scientific method. As a medical claims attorney, I frequently found it necessary to consult with physicians, colleagues and other experts  none of us has the time to become an expert in everything.

Morality and religion

Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports, Washington wrote.

He believed that religious principle provided the foundation of national morality and that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.

Religious belief, confession and practice may not be compelled under the Constitution; however, even atheists may acknowledge that loving ones neighbor, doing justice and caring for the most vulnerable are what an enlightened civilization does.

Fiscal responsibility

Washington cautioned against public debt but acknowledged that emergencies may necessitate disbursements of relief funds. Washington recognized the tension between raising revenue through taxation and the willingness of citizens to acquiesce.

Commitment to truth and justice

The Declaration of Independence calls us as a people united not by race or ethnicity but by dedication to a principle that all are created equal endowed with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

In Twilight of Democracy, The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism, American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum cites the Dreyfus affair in the late 19th century as prefiguring many of the debates of the 20th and 21st centuries. Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish artillery officer in the French army, was wrongly convicted of spying against France.

The Dreyfus affair revealed prejudices regarding who was considered a true French citizen and entitled to the protections of its laws. Those supporting hard-right nationalism clashed with those who argued that the nation should not be conceived as an ethnic clan, Applebaum noted, but as the embodiment of a set of ideals: justice, honesty, objectivity, the neutrality of the courts.

We see similar clashes today over issues like the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Loyalty to our country and its values should prevail over loyalty to a political party or other factions  we must strive to be as dispassionate as possible about the evidence, facts and truth that guide us.

Importance of humility

According to the 1867 book, Six Months in the White House with Abraham Lincoln, a clergyman told President Lincoln that he hoped the Lord was on our side.

I am not at all concerned about that, replied Lincoln, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lords side.

This quote reflects a humility that serves us well.

The author Robert Fulghum wrote a very amusing story about a highly opinionated lawyer friend of his  we all know the type, the know-it-all. The story concludes with a punch line  the bumper sticker on the friends car: I could be wrong.

Humility imposes upon us an awareness that we are not always right. The ancient admonition to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to be angry is still good advice today.

We dont owe political parties uncompromising and blind loyalty. As a civil servant, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not a political party. We owe it to our country and to ourselves to examine whether the political parties align with our personal values. And it never hurts to examine whether our personal values align with the values of the Constitution and the wisdom of those who entrusted us with the gift of democracy.

Gregory Hand, a Manheim Township resident, is a retired U.S. Army civilian attorney (1989 to 2017). He served as an Army judge advocate in Germany and as a local prosecutor in Dubuque, Iowa, from 1980 to 1989.
THE ISSUE

Thursdays terrorist attack outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed at least 160 Afghans and at least 13 members of the U.S. military, including 10 Marines, according to news reports. Eighteen other U.S. service members were wounded when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive amid crowds of Afghans waiting to flee life under the Taliban on departing flights. An Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group, an enemy of the Islamist Taliban as well as the West, as Reuters reported, claimed responsibility for the carnage. We will not forgive, President Joe Biden told the terrorists Thursday. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay. The attack was one of the single deadliest incidents for the U.S. military in the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan, the Military Times reported.

Today, we want to thank those who served our country in Afghanistan.

We want to offer our deepest sympathies to all U.S. service members, but especially the Marines, who lost 10 of their own Thursday.

We want to convey our condolences, too, to Lancaster Countys Gold Star families, who undoubtedly were taken back to their own unfathomable losses when they learned of the deadly attack Thursday and realized 13 more American families just had joined their ranks.

We just want to say that we believe, wholeheartedly, that the U.S. service members who died Thursday were heroes, who selflessly gave their lives for others. We find ourselves thinking of President Abraham Lincolns words from the Gettysburg Address, about the honored dead who gave their last full measure of devotion to their cause.

As investigative reporter and Marine Corps veteran James LaPorta tearfully told MSNBC on Thursday, the 13 U.S. service members who died were gates to peace ... gates to perhaps a better life, guiding terrified Afghans to the planes that would enable them to escape from their country, riven by decades of civil war and now again in the clutches of the Taliban.

In a statement, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger said these fallen heroes answered the call to go into harms way to do the honorable work of helping others. We are proud of their service and deeply saddened by their loss. As we mourn, we also keep those who are still over there protecting Americans and our Afghan partners at the forefront of our thoughts.

Berger said the sacrifices Marines make on behalf of freedom must never go unnoticed or unappreciated. These words also apply, of course, to the other U.S. military members trying heroically to get Americans and U.S. allies on planes to safety.

And they apply to U.S. veterans of the 20-year campaign in Afghanistan.

Those of us who have family members who served there know that some came home with invisible injuries that may never heal. Some came home with visible injuries theyve had to struggle to overcome.

Even those who seemed unmarred by the experience carry the burden of worrying for their fellow service members. This is a burden that most of the rest of us dont carry and scarcely can comprehend.

According to the Pew Research Center, there are about 19 million U.S. veterans as of this year, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This represents less than 10% of the total U.S. adult population.

So for many of us, the debate over U.S. policy in Afghanistan is academic  a debate we can wage from the safe distance of our living rooms and kitchen tables and social media accounts.

Military families dont have the luxury of such distance. What happened Thursday is the kind of nightmare that keeps them awake at night. Were thinking of them today, too. We are grateful for their service to our nation, too.

In last Sundays Perspective section, David E. Wood, a retired U.S. Army National Guard brigadier general who lives in Manheim Township, wrote of his experience as a young major commanding a helicopter unit in Afghanistan.

I spent 14 months in that distant land of rugged mountains, flowing deserts, villages built of mud and straw, and cities built around bazaars and spiderwebs of alleyways, Wood wrote. The Afghans I met, whether Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara or Uzbek, all understood why the Americans were there, but I never felt they were very glad we came.

He wrote of learning quickly to recognize the sound of incoming rockets and mortars from the nearby villages. He wrote of supporting French forces in Tarinkot; Italian airborne troops near Jalalabad; U.S. Marines at Herat; and the fledging Afghan National Army at Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul, and of conducting air assaults and other combat operations with the 101st Airborne Division in Ghazni; the 10th Mountain Division in the Kunar Province; and the 82nd Airborne Division in the Korengal Valley.

Our war in Afghanistan started as a noble cause, Wood wrote. We fought to destroy those who inflicted death and devastation on Americans. We fought to secure our nation from continued attack and protect our homeland from extremist threats. We fought to protect our allies and defend democratic ideals. And through the years of deployments, nation-building, and the losses of our treasured sons and daughters to injuries both seen and unseen, we lost our way.

The task and purpose of our troops became a vicious cycle of deploy, operate, survive and return home. And our elected leaders refused to own it.

The U.S. failure in Afghanistan is owed not to the American military members who served there, but to U.S. policy, Wood pointed out.

And poignantly, he wrote, Even now, throughout the chaos, American troops are rushing back into harms way to save lives.

Wood was right of course. They rushed back into harms way to save lives, only to be met with a devastating terrorist attack perpetrated by those who could never understand such humanity. Were thinking today of Wood and those whom he described as his scarred battle buddies.

And were thinking of Mohammad Hebrat, a former interpreter for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan who now lives in Lancaster with his family. Hebrat wrote in last Sundays Perspective of his 10 years assisting U.S. troops on missions aimed at defeating the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Hebrat was granted a special immigrant visa to come to the U.S. with his family, but he now worries for others like him who may be stranded in his home country. I was often told by family and friends to quit my job because if one day Americans left the country and the Taliban took over, they would kill my entire family and me, Hebrat wrote. I kept telling myself that even if they left, the Americans would never leave any Afghan veterans behind. ... I hope that my prediction is true.

We hope its true, too. Were thinking today not only of Hebrat and his family, but of the Afghans suffering because of Thursdays attack and worrying for their future.

And were thinking of the U.S. State Department employees and diplomats working tirelessly to get as many people out of Afghanistan as possible.

Thursday was a brutal day. Were it not for the selfless men and women of the U.S. military, wed see many more such days.
Ive been disheartened by the lack of humanitarian help for Cubans as they fight back against an oppressive regime that seemingly cannot provide the bare necessities for its citizens.

The United States should be sending medical aid and food shipments. Most Cubans do not have access to personal protective equipment, COVID-19 vaccines or oxygen. We should be advocating for transparency regarding political prisoners, and we should be pushing to allow better internet access to Cubans.

Please contact your lawmakers to ask for assistance to the Cuban people.

Catherine Snyder

East Lampeter Township
Lavrov Demands Clarity on G20 Agenda on Afghanistan

Aug. 28, 2021 (EIRNS)Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in Rome yesterday, where he met Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio to discuss the extraordinary G20 meeting on Afghanistan which Italy is organizing as current G20 chair.

After the talk with Draghi, which lasted 45 minutes, Lavrov told journalists: In light of Italys G20 presidency, we covered in detail the functioning of that association, which reflects modern multipolar realities more adequately than smaller gatherings. However, Moscow is cautious on the initiative. In response to a question, Lavrov said:

We discussed preparations for the G20 today with Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Luigi Di Maio. We would like to understand how our Italian friends see the G20s role. What added value they expect to see from engaging this mechanism. We were promised a concept paper that will clarify this matter. Luigi Di Maio mentioned it was necessary to follow the five principles that he set out earlier. Fighting terrorism ranks fifth here.... Our priorities will be slightly different. What matters to us is to ensure the security of our allies on Russias southern borders who have direct and open borders with Afghanistan.

In any case, Di Maio highlighted the need for an inclusive format, Lavrov continued. I have mentioned five non-G20 Central Asian countries. Pakistan and Iran are not included, either, and without them, this discussion will not be complete. Our colleagues promised to think about how to come up with useful formats, Lavrov said, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In his opening remarks to media, Lavrov also stressed with respect to U.S.-NATO Afghan withdrawal: Still, we need to learn the lessons of Iraq, Libya, and now Afghanistan. The attempts to impose ones value system on someone else are highly explosive. I hope that three times is enough to get this conclusion firmly set in the minds of the politicians who are considering further actions in other countries.

Lavrov repeated his criticism of the G20 agenda at the press conference after the meeting with Di Maio. According to senior journalist Franco Bechis, it looked like the two foreign ministers were holding two different press conferences. Whereas Di Maio was focused on Afghanistan, presenting the Italian draft agenda for the G20 (protection of the civilian population, concrete protection of human rights, guarantee of humanitarian access, fight against terrorism, management of migration flows), and even raised the Navalny issue, Lavrov spoke at length about economic cooperation and tourism.

Not least, is the fact that as one journalist raised in a question citizens of San Marino, who were mostly vaccinated with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, can safely and freely enter Italy. At the same time, Russian citizens who were vaccinated with the same vaccine cannot do so. Dont you see this as a policy of double standards? Lavrov replied,

I asked Luigi Di Maio what makes the citizens of San Marino privileged as compared with Russians when both have been vaccinated with the same vaccine. We hope that as soon as the issue of mutual recognition of the vaccines is settled, tourism will resume. Direct flights to Italy resumed on June 28. Italians arriving on these flights in Russia are completely free to be in our country in accordance with their itinerary.

Asked by journalists, Lavrov made it clear that Italys mediation is welcome but not indispensable, according to Bechis.

(On Aug. 24, Undersecretary of State to the Foreign Ministry Benedetto Della Vedova had spoken at the UN Council on Human Rights calling for a monitoring mechanism on human, media, women and LGBTI rights in Afghanistan.)
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 29 , 2021

Fake Investigation of Covid Origins Finds Nothing

Aug. 28, 2021 (EIRNS)The massive hype by the war parties in the U.S. and the U.K. that China covered up the fact that the COVID-19 virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has taken a hit, as the 90-day investigation by the U.S. intelligence community, mandated by the Biden Administration, found no evidence that the virus had any source other than through nature. The idea that an intelligence community could determine such a thing was an absurdity from the beginning, but apparently the claims against China were so lacking in evidence that the intelligence agencies did not wish to risk being exposed for carrying out a purely political witch hunt, as happened with their fake proof of Russian collusion with Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

Some accusations were dangerously preposterous, such as those of Mike Pompeo, who suggested that the virus may have been intentionally created at the lab, and Niall Ferguson, the advocate of restoring the British Empire, who presented faked evidence that China intentionally sent infected persons to countries all over the world.

The final report from eight different U.S. intelligence agencies, released to the public with some redactions on Friday, Aug. 27, refuted such nonsense. The report says that one of the agencies claimed modest confidence that the virus came from the lab, but that it was purely accidental. Four other agencies said it emerged through natural transmission, although they had low confidence in the conclusion since the actual source is yet to be determined. Three agencies said they could reach no conclusions. The report says that there was high confidence that it was not a biological weapon, and that the government had no foreknowledge.

Chinas response, as covered in a front page article in Global Times, was to ridicule the idea that intelligence experts, not scientists, could determine the source of the virus. Quoting Chinese experts, the Times says that the investigation has ruined the self-proclaimed professional ethics of the U.S. intelligence community. They also call on the U.S. to rectify its anti-science attitude and conduct origins tracing in its own country. [U.S. Inconclusive Intelligence Community Report on COVID-19 Origins Lack of Confidence: Expert]

The Global Times editorial U.S. Politicization of COVID-19 Origins Tracing Suffers a Major Setback, asks, Why did the U.S. intelligence community fail to even falsify evidence this time? After all, it has done this before. They point to the washing powder which was presented as evidence that Iraq sought to obtain weapons of mass destruction, and U.S. funding the White Helmets to make fake videos accusing Syria of using chemical weapons against civilians. But, they assert, These tricks are indeed hard to implement against China. The COVID-19 origins tracing is a major global issue, and people are all watching. Besides, facing the U.S. vicious and slanderous farce, China itself has sufficient capabilities to identify the information, defend itself and make counterattacks.

The editorial strongly protests the claim in the U.S. report that China was obstructing the investigation, stating: Can smearing China stop the Delta variant from raging on in the U.S.? Can it save the more than 600,000 lost lives due to the U.S. governments ineffective fight against the epidemic?

While some may object that this is Chinese propaganda, the facts are clear:

Nation COVID-19 Cases Deaths

China 122,852 5,680

U.S. 38,158,495 628,456

Recall that China has four times the population of the U.S.

Then, consider that over the past 50 years, the U.S. has systematically taken down its public health system, closing over 1,000 hospitals, while the number of available hospital beds fell from 1.5 million to 900,000. Why was this allowed to happen? Because part of President Nixons implementation of fascist economic policies, as exposed by Lyndon LaRouche at the time, was to privatize health care, making Wall Streets insurance companies, not doctors, the formulators of health policy and the decision-makers for how much treatment would be allowed, based on profitability for stockholders, not the health of the individuals or of the nation.

Then consider that in the so-called developing nations, under IMF conditionalities, even a minimum level of health care has been denied in vast areas of the world. Half of Africa has no electricity, while 800 million people do not have access to clean water. Without electricity and clean water there can be no adequate health care. The Committee for the Coincidence of Opposites, founded by Helga Zepp-LaRouche and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders in 2020, is organizing for every country on Earth to have a modern health care system, as the urgent first step toward the development required to become modern industrial nations. China not only has such a modern health system for its 1.4 billion people, but is doing everything it can to build such systems in the 140 countries which have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, through what they call the Health Silk Road.

It is to be hoped that the United States, having begun the process of ending the endless wars, will join with Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and the Central Asian nations, to build Afghanistan, with modern health systems, rail and road connectivity, and other basic infrastructureand then extend that process throughout the world. That is the necessary task for the human race today.


Sunday Bakeshop in Oakland, California, makes foods that mix American and Asian cultures.

The restaurant makes foods that are cooked, or baked, in an oven. Many of them are sweet.

For example, the shop sells something called a dim sum cookie. It looks like a sugar cookie but has sesame seeds on top and sweetened red beans inside. Dim sum is a word for Cantonese foods from southern China.

The dim sum cookie is Elaine Laus way of honoring her grandmother who would make a food that had a similar taste. Laus restaurant also makes hojicha chocolate croissants and Chinese White Rabbit candy cookies. Those sweets would not be found in any bakery in Asia but are a mixture of Asian and Western foods.

Lau said she speaks to Asian Americans and others at her store. She said: "We get a lot of comments where theyre just like... Oh this took me back several years, when they were growing up.

She added that it is nice to create good memories and feelings with her pastries.

Bakeries that combine the feeling of growing up Asian and American have been opening up more often in recent years. Traditional Asian ingredients are being mixed with European or American pastries into something new. The creations are a way for young Asian Americans to celebrate their identity.

The experience of being an immigrant child in between two very different cultures is what brought about Third Culture Bakery, also in Oakland. Wenter Shyu and Sam Butarbutar started the bakery. One of their popular baked goods is a mochi muffin. It is influenced by Butarbutars Indonesian background and is made with mochiko rice flour grown in California.

The bakery also has two stores in Colorado and a second store in the San Francisco area is planned. The bakery sells goods like mochi brownies and butter mochi donuts. Mochi is a soft rice mixture used in some Japanese foods.

Shyu said many non-Asian customers have never tasted some of the ingredients.

Its a lot of educating. Even when you educate and share where it comes from, people are judging itIts also very rewarding because then you get to see their reaction trying this new thing theyve never had in their life, he said.

Rose Nguyen is a 34-year-old former medical worker. She opened Rose Ave Bakery in Washington, D.C., in March 2020. She makes sweets like strawberry lychee rose donuts, ube cake and matcha chocolate cookies.

Nguyen was born in Rhode Island to Vietnamese immigrants. She said it sometimes hurt her feelings when her American friends thought her food from home was strange. So it feels good for her now to use tastes from Vietnamese cooking.

The business goes hand in hand with who I am, Nguyen said.

Older, traditional Asian bakeries started out to make foods immigrants missed from their home country. The new bakeries celebrate Asian culture and are part of a natural progression, said Robert Ku. He is an Asian American studies professor at Binghamton University in New York state. He also wrote the book Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA.

Ku said the bakers are showing that their foods, which mix cultures, are just as American as apple pie.

Its sort of the artistic side of Asian American identity thats often ignored, Ku said. Theyre instead really trying to fuse things together  create this mixture.

Im Dan Novak.

Terry Tang reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

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Words in This Story

cookie  n. a sweet baked food that is usually small flat and round

pastry  n. a baked good that is made from dough: a mixture of four and fat

ingredients  n. (pl.) the materials used to make a food or dish

customer  n. someone who buys goods or services from a business

rewarding  adj. giving you a good feeling that you have done something valuable, important, etc.

fuse  v. to join or combine (different things) together


Kofi Owusu's classes at Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are about to start this Monday. But his in-person meeting at the United States embassy in Accra, Ghana for a student visa is still nine months away.

It is the second time that Owusu will not make it to the U.S. in time for school.

"I think they should just open up the system," said Owusu. He told Reuters, "they are operating on a rather limited schedule so I think they can broaden it and give students priority."

A drop in international students

The U.S. requires an in-person interview for international students to get a visa. Educational support groups say students find it difficult to get an appointment since the embassies are operating with fewer workers during the health crisis.

This has left some foreign students unable to get to the U.S. for the start of the school year. And the educational groups are now calling for the U.S. to drop in-person interviews or conduct them online.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said students should start the visa process early. He added that the department considers appointments for students first and speeds up the process as needed.

Last year, the U.S. permitted embassy officers to drop required in-person interviews to help visa processing slowed by the pandemic. Students renewing their visas within a year before it ends are not required to meet in person through December 2021.

The Institute of International Education, or IIE, said new international student enrollment in the United States dropped 43 percent in the autumn of 2020 from the year before. The drop came after months of pandemic restrictions around the world. The organization, however, found that the real number of new students who made it to the U.S. in person fell 72 percent.

IIE numbers show the United States has had over one million international students each year since the 2015-2016 school year.

The wait and the difficulty threaten both Americas standing as a place for international students and the money they bring into the country. The amount is estimated to be $40 billion each year to the universities and local communities.

Losing talent

NAFSA is a nonprofit group of international educators. Its research found that, even before COVID, the U.S. visa process was one of the top three reasons for falling international student numbers between 2017-2019. The U.S. social and political environment and competition from other countries universities were the other two.

Ravi Shankar is the director of the International Services Office at the University of Rochester in New York. He named Canada, Britain, and China as the top U.S. competitors for international students. Shankar said, We live in danger of losing talent.

Other Western countries make it easier for international students to study there. Owusu said, I have been to school in the UK. He added, I didnt go through the stress of seeking for an interview.

Sarah Spreitzer is the director of government relations at the American Council on Education. She said she thinks the U.S. government is trying to be "a more welcoming United States."

This year, American universities received 13 percent more applications from international students than from the year before. The numbers came in from Common App which students use to apply to colleges yearly.

Suwade Pe Than is a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. She considers herself lucky to have secured an appointment in June at the U.S. embassy in Yangon, Myanmar.

She waited more than three hours for her 10-minute meeting. Pe Than believes the meeting could have been done online instead of in person.

She said, it's just that one interview that's keeping everyone from going to the States."

Im Gregory Stachel.

Doyinsola Oladipo reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

Quiz - Classes Starting, But International Students Failing to Get US Visas Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story

rather  adv. to some degree or extent

priority  n. something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first

interview  n. a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information

enroll  v. to join something as a member or participant

talent  n. a person or group of people with a special ability to do something well

stress  n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work

apply  v. to ask formally for something (such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan) usually in writing


Llama antibodies could soon be playing a part in the worldwide fight against COVID-19, if tests being done by a Belgian company live up to their early results.

Researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology in Ghent say antibodies taken from a llama named Winter have reduced the spread of coronavirus infections, including variants, in laboratory testing.

Dominique Tersago is chief medical officer of ExeVir, a company that works with VIB-UGent.

Tersago described the technology as a possible "game-changer," which means something that has a big, good effect on a situation.

The technologys aim is to help rather than replace vaccines. It could possibly be used to help protect people with weaker immune systems and treat infected people in hospitals.

Unusually small, llama antibodies are able to attach, or bind, to part of the virus's protein spike. Tersago said, "at the moment we're not seeing mutations of a high frequency anywhere near where the binding site is.

The antibodies also showed "strong neutralization activity" against the highly infectious Delta variant, she added.

Neutralization means to stop something from being effective or harmful.

Researchers expect tests in healthy volunteers to be similarly effective.

The tests began last week in partnership with Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB.

Along with other llamas and members of the camel family, Winter produces antibodies that are smaller, easier to reproduce and have more uses than those of other mammals, said VIB-UGent group leader Xavier Saelens.

"Their small size... allows them to reach targets, reach parts of the virus that are difficult to access with conventional antibodies," he said.

Conventional means common, ordinary or usual.

The current research follows studies from 2016 into llama antibodies to help deal with the SARS and MERS coronaviruses. France's Sanofi paid $4.6 billion for Ablynx, a Ghent-based medical company that does llama antibody research, in 2018.

Winter, whose antibodies can now be reproduced in the lab, is enjoying retirement in a private art and animal park in Genk.

Im John Russell.

Clement Rossignol reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

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Words in This Story

variant  n. something that is different in some way from others of the same kind

immune system- n. the system that protects your body from diseases and infections

spike  n. An area that protrudes from the envelope of some viruses

mutation  n. biology : a change in the genes of a plant or animal that causes physical characteristics that are different from what is normal

frequency  n. the number of times that something happens during a particular period

pharmaceutical  adj. of or relating to the production and sale of drugs and medicine

mammal  n. a type of animal that feeds milk to its young and that usually has hair or fur covering most of its skin

access  v. to be able to use, enter, or get near (something)


A new study suggests that smoke from wildfires can change how clouds store water and could lead to less rainfall.

The research comes as western parts of the United States are currently experiencing drought conditions after several years of intense wildfire activity.

A team of scientists took to the skies in western U.S. states during the summer of 2018 to study the effects of wildfire smoke on clouds. They flew a C-130 research airplane through clouds with instruments to measure gas and particle levels.

In 2018, California suffered its most destructive wildfire season ever. Other western states, including Oregon, Colorado, and Washington, have also experienced intense wildfire activity in recent years.

Cynthia Twohy is an atmospheric scientist at NorthWest Research Associates and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. She led the new study, which recently appeared in Geophysical Research Letters.

Twohy said in a statement she decided to center on cloud research because she wondered if there was a link between the increase in wildfires and a lack of rain.

I started thinking, What are the long-term effects of this? We have drought, and we have a lot of wildfires, and theyre increasing over time. How do clouds play into this picture? she said.

Clouds contain a collection of water droplets that form from vapor in the atmosphere. When these droplets condense onto each other within a cloud, they become heavier and eventually fall as rain.

But the water condensation process requires a solid substance for the vapor to attach to. Different kinds of particles rising up from the Earths surface can reach clouds and enable this process.

The new study found that smoke from wildfires contains small particles that affect the way droplets form in clouds.

The main effect was the amount of water droplets formed. The team reported the smoky clouds contained about five times the number of droplets as non-smoky clouds. But data also showed that the droplets in smoky clouds were much smaller, about half the size, as those in the clouds without wildfire smoke.

It is that size difference, the researchers say, that could reduce the amount of rainfall. This is because small droplets are less likely to grow and eventually fall to the ground as rain.

Because of their small droplet sizes, these smoky clouds are expected to reflect more light and produce less rain than clouds in clean air, the study states.

The finding could mean that active wildfire seasons in the western U.S. may in fact lead to less rain and more drought, the researchers said.

We were surprised at how effective these primarily organic particles were at forming cloud droplets and what large impacts they had on the microphysics of the clouds, Twohy said.

The researchers noted that past studies had also found similar changes in cloud droplets related to wildfire smoke in the Amazon. However, the new study points out that, in addition to the cloud droplet changes, a number of complex and competing elements might also be affecting climate in the U.S. West.

Twohy also noted that different kinds of clouds behave differently. The current study examined changes in small, cumulus clouds. Other kinds that sit much higher in the atmosphere can cause heavy storms, she said.

Twohy added: Im hoping these results will spur detailed regional modeling studies that will help us understand the net impact of smoke on clouds and climate.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this report for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the American Geophysical Union and Geophysical Research Letters. Susan Shand was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - Study Shows Wildfire Smoke Can Make Clouds Drop Less Rain Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

___________________________________________________

Words in This Story

drought  n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

vapor  n. a substance in a gaseous state as opposed to a liquid or solid

condense  v. to change from a gas to a liquid

reflect  v. to send back or bounce off

organic  adj. used in chemistry to describe chemicals that contain carbon

impact  n. the effect a person, event or situation has on someone or something else

cumulus (cloud)  n. a type of thick cloud that is rounded on top and has a flat base

spur  v. to urge someone to do something or something to happen

net  adj. complete or total


remaining of

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Ken Smith wipes the sweat off of Firebug as they finish a ride at Hells Gate State Park earlier this week in Lewiston. Smith is training Firebug to be a performance horse who will follow in the hoofprints of her mother that placed second at the Pendleton Roundup, competing in barrel racing a
When seeing a 15-0 score, the first thing that crosses ones mind is a well-coached defensive football game, or maybe a third set in volleyball where the winning team dominates at the service line.
Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!
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This short announcement1--a carbon copy of a press release from the US Army Forces Western Pacific, Public Relations Office--while only reaching 150 words or so, establishes a very compelling and passionate statement on a terribly cruel episode of the Pacific War in WWIIthe recovery of bodies of souls lost in the Bataan Death March of 1942. General MacArthur evidently personally requested T/Sgt Abie (Abraham?) Adams accompany Graves Registration ("a little-talked of activity of the Quartermaster") to aid "...in the mission of recovering, identifying, then burying in individual graves, the body of each American soldier killed". Adams--"regarded as a 'ghost' by many of the Filipinos who saw soldiers flogged and bayoneted en route to prison camp"--has "the painful task of steering the Unit over the same path so they may locate temporary graves..."

In any event this is probably a unique item and may be of interest to those interested in the war in the Pacific, so I reproduce it here. (In brief searches I've not been able to find any mention of it online, nor of Sgt. Adams.)

I'm fairly certain that this is not necessary but here anyway is a quick summary of the event from Wikipedia: "The Bataan Death March ...was the forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of 60,00080,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, via San Fernando, Pampanga, where the prisoners were forced to march until they died. The transfer began on April 9, 1942, after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II. The total distance marched from Mariveles to San Fernando and from the Capas Train Station to Camp O'Donnell is variously reported by differing sources as between 60 and 69.6 miles (96.6 and 112.0 km). Differing sources also report widely differing prisoner of war casualties prior to reaching Camp O'Donnell: from 5,000 to 18,000 Filipino deaths and 500 to 650 American deaths during the march. The march was characterized by severe physical abuse and wanton killings."--Wikipedia

Notes:

1. (Bataan Death March) Headquarters, United States Army Forces Western Pacific, Public Relations Office.

[Dateline] AFWESP HQ, Manila (Army Forces, Western Pacific). 11"X8.5", single sheet, carbon copy from typed original. Undated, ca. 1945/6.

Provenance: Lt. David Katcher, correspondent/writer in the public relations office of the U.S. Army Headquarters of the Western Pacific (GHQ USAFPAC), working for U.S. Commissioner to the Philippines, Paul V. McNutt. Later Mr. Katcher would becoming founding editor of Physics Today
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks as he meets with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington. Early Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, Israeli planes struck Hamas militant targets in the Gaza Strip, hours after violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and troops along the border. Before returning to Israel from Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said his country will operate in Gaza according to our interests.
FILE - This Feb. 9, 2019, file photo shows a sign bearing the company logo outside a Tesla store in Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. A Tesla using its partially automated driving system slammed into a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021 on an interstate near downtown Orlando and narrowly missed its driver, who had pulled over to assist a disabled vehicle.
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We have made tremendous progress, but to ensure lasting, transformational change we need President Joe Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to put Americans back to work and lay the foundation to strengthen our economy and compete at a global scale. In Wisconsin alone, the infrastructure framework could invest $5.2 billion for federal highway repair, and $225 million to repair our roads and bridges. Thats money for better roads, better jobs and a better quality of life for Wisconsinites.

Folks, no one knows more than Wisconsinites about the importance of strong, resilient infrastructure. Now more than ever, its important to repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all who travel. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes a $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program to secure funding for larger restoration projects and $16 billion for major infrastructure projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities.

Beyond the pavement, Bidens plan would also allocate a minimum of $100 million to help connect all Wisconsinites, regardless of their financial status or zip code, and more than 1 million low-income families would be eligible for a benefit to help them afford internet access.
Companies increasingly institute their own worker training programs to pick up where high schools, technical colleges and universities end. Its not because those company leaders dont value the general education services schools provide, but they know it takes more to create a skilled workforce. Companies are also among the biggest funders of programs in traditional classrooms to reskill workers.

Corporate executives dont want to see the nation return to the economic chaos that characterized the first waves of COVID. Not every company can have workers who are remote. Many companies need workers back on the factory floor or behind the counter and may choose to require vaccinations, regular testing or other options sooner than later. While that is a potential problem for companies already hard-pressed to find workers, many are willing to take the chance.

As many Americans lose faith in the ability of government to act, or act quickly, they are expecting companies to do more to restore their confidence. Research suggests that when companies do a good thing, their products are viewed as safer and consumers will lean in. Not every company works for the larger good, of course, and some are even bad actors. Thats why government rules exist  to catch and sanction the worst players.

If any good comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps it will be broader recognition that other major problems can be resolved through a mix of public and private innovation.

Tom Still is the president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. Email: tstill@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com.
BOISE  Thanks to gorgeous mountains and a thriving capital city, Idahoans often sip blissfully from a stream of flattery flowing from the outside world.

But not always. A newly released study suggests the Gem State isnt such a desirable place after all.

Not if youre female.

A report on 2021s best and worst states for womens equality ranks Idaho second to last. The embarrassing assessment is from WalletHub, the personal finance website known for its metrics-based articles.

Womens rights in the U.S. have made leaps and bounds since the passage of the 19th Amendment, WalletHub writes, yet many women still struggle to break the glass ceiling because of unequal treatment in society. Unfortunately, the gender gap in 21st century America has only expanded.

And Idaho is at the bottom of the barrel.

Theres only one place in the U.S. where women have it worse, according to this analysis. Naturally, its our next-door neighbor to the southeast. The one that handles polygamy laws sort of like traffic violations.

Whats strange? Utah and Idaho both border the best state for womens equality: Nevada.
There are many more people who wish to leave Afghanistan, and I know there are Idahoans who have reached out to my office for evacuation assistance for their families and friends, in some cases, he said. The (Biden) administrations arbitrary and rapidly approaching deadline is making it difficult to complete our mission, but we will continue to pursue these open cases and do all that we can to get these people out of there.

Slobodanka Hodzic, director of the Agency for New Americans organization in Boise, said she and her staff are working to sift through misinformation around the situation in Afghanistan to be able to help families as much as possible. There is a form on the U.S. Department of State website for a repatriation assistance request that Hodzic recommended for those seeking evacuation for family members.

Everybodys worried the airport (in Kabul) will close, and relatives here want to help their relatives in Afghanistan to be able to leave, because theres so much unknown, Hodzic said.  We pray and hope for people to be safe and for relatives to connect and be able to join. We are here to support and we are thankful to the community for its support.

Time is of the essence for family members, Boise woman says
The declines are more stark among students of color, English language learners, and low-income youth  groups that were all more likely to have in-person learning disrupted during the pandemic.

If those students cant improve their GPAs over the next three years, the drop could impact their ability to participate in two programs meant to encourage Idaho youth to pursue higher education, the report says.

Scroll the entire report here:

State Board staff is diving into 2020-21 data to evaluate COVID-19s learning impacts. State Board members discussed the first batch of findings at Thursdays meeting.

Board staff focused on ninth grade GPAs because these averages are the most sensitive to COVID-19s impacts. GPAs accumulate over time, so students from 10th to 12th grade would have some buffer on their GPAs from years predating the pandemic.

The majority of Idahos students spent the 2020-21 school year in a hybrid-learning environment, but never learned completely online, according to preliminary data from the State Department of Education cited in the report.
Representatives from that North Carolina-based company, Raven Advisory, said they were able to pay for the mission using money raised through Marcus' GoFundMe campaign. The company, which says it performs subcontract work for the U.S. military, said "an all-volunteer team consisting of former Special Forces soldiers and other veterans with expertise in Afghanistan were working with the military to coordinate their rescue efforts.

Sayara's Shadian said he had met Operation Flyaway members on Zoom only earlier in the week and in the chaos of the Kabul evacuations was thrilled they agreed to fund the flight.

They were one of many miracles we experienced in this time, Shadian said. Their last-minute funding, along with the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Schmidt Futures and other donors, was critical. Without Operation Flyaway's quick funding, that flight wouldnt have gotten off the ground.

Raven Advisory CEO Sheffield Ford told the AP that in order to transport the people into the airport, the U.S. government has to be comfortable with our organization saying these people are OK, and that they have actually done things to help their country, to help our country.
Their population has been devastated by habitat destruction, including construction of hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers, as well as overfishing and climate change. High water temperatures on the Columbia and Snake rivers have also been detrimental as much of the Northwest has faced excessive heat and relentless drought.

Commissioners and staff with the Oregon and Washington departments of fish and wildlife met virtually Friday to discuss options for limiting damage. Most fisheries on the Columbia require fishermen to release any steelhead they catch this fall.

There just arent many more places to get significant savings, said Ryan Lothrop, Washingtons Columbia River fishery manager.

The groups that wrote the letter to commissioners say thats not true. They say closing recreational steelhead fisheries altogether for the fall could prevent unnecessary fish deaths  and that fishermen stand to benefit.

(W)e simply do not believe that fishing for ESA-listed steelhead during their worst return on record is appropriate for these fish or future generations of fishermen, the letter reads. For a species that has provided generations with memorable fishing experiences, asking fishermen to sit a season out is reasonable and necessary considering the circumstances.


PRISTINA, Kosovo  Kosovos government has postponed the start of school for two weeks and installed new restrictive measures to cope with a rise of coronavirus cases.

In August, the numbers increased significantly to about 2,000 new cases a day. On Saturday, there were 18 deaths and 1,891 confirmed cases.

The government says the pre-university school year now will start Sept. 13. Public institutions will limit the number of people in the office, and there will be no gatherings of more than 50 people.

It also reimposes the overnight curfew of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and only the main public service employees are exempt.

Sport and culture events can use only 10% to 30% of the seats and restaurants 70% of the outside seats. Masks are obligatory in all closed spaces and outdoors.



MOSCOW  Russias state statistics agency shows a record 50,000 deaths in July were related to the coronavirus.

The report from the Rosstat agency says 50,421 people suffering from the coronavirus died during the month, sharply higher than the previous record of 44,435 in December.
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?
Restaurant sought for lunch program

The West Piedmont Planning District Commission is seeking partner restaurants to help provide meals to low-to-moderate-income senior citizens in the region.

The restaurants would be reimbursed $20 per contributed meal, a release from Henry County announced. The program is designed to meet urgent needs in the community related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Kathleen McEvoy, community development specialist for WPPDC, said that in the release that the reimbursement is a flat rate to cover the meal and other associated costs, such as packaging.

Henry County, in partnership with the WPPDC, was recently awarded $400,000 from the Virginia Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus program to underwrite this effort.

During a 35-week period the Southern Area Agency on Aging will be responsible for distributing the meals to approximately 300 qualifying seniors in Henry, Patrick, Franklin, and Pittsylvania counties; and the cities of Martinsville and Danville.

Each senior will receive one lunch, and the day of the week will vary depending on location.

Restaurants can contact the WPPDC for examples of sample meals.
After Gov. Ralph Northam ended the states mask mandate on May 14, the wearing of face coverings dropped to about 40% of residents. Last week it had rebounded to about 60%, according to survey data from the Delphi Group at Carnegie-Mellon.

Health officials are urging everyone  even those fully vaccinated  to wear face masks in indoor settings. With the delta variant, a highly transmissible version of the coronavirus, swirling, more people are becoming infected. Its also possible to spread the virus to others days before symptoms show up.

With COVID-19 cases growing in nearly all health districts in Virginia, donning face masks and avoiding crowds will be needed to avoid the worst outcomes from this fourth wave of cases, UVa reports.

While Virginians efforts appear to be paying off, we still have a lot of work to do, researchers cautioned. And while caseloads may end up being lower around the state, hospitalizations are expected to exceed Januarys surge.

Health leaders have noted an increase in the severity of illnesses compared to this time last year. Also, younger people  the age groups with the lowest vaccination rates  are having to be admitted to the hospital with COVID-19.
The Republican Party of Virginia on Thursday asked a court to remove Democrat Terry McAuliffe from the November ballot, arguing that his elections paperwork did not meet the state's guidelines because it was a missing a signature.

The lawsuit, filed in Richmond Circuit Court, argues that McAuliffe never signed his declaration of candidacy form, a step in the process to qualify for the primary and general election ballot. It also claims that two McAuliffe staffers who signed on as having witnessed McAuliffe signing the document did so falsely.

McAuliffe's campaign derided the lawsuit as a "desperate" attempt to clear the path for his Republican opponent.

McAuliffe, governor from 2014 to 2018, is running for another term as the state's top official against Republican Glenn Youngkin, a former private equity executive vying to become the first Republican elected statewide in 12 years.

"McAuliffes declaration, lacking his signature and falsely signed by two purported witnesses, is plainly in violation of Virginia law and should have been rejected by the [board of elections] and the Department of Elections. It was not," reads the lawsuit.
Every four years Virginians have to put up with a charade  an election for lieutenant governor.

The governor is important because the governor, well, governs.

The attorney general is important because that office is full of lawyers to advise state agencies on whats legal and whats not  and go to court to sue somebody.

But then theres the office of lieutenant governor. Every four years, the candidates will tell Virginians why they want this office, and what theyll do with it that others havent done before.

Wait long enough and theyll all propose bold action and innovative thinking. Yet not a single candidate for lieutenant governor has ever proposed the one thing that would truly be bold and innovative. Not a single one has ever proposed to abolish the position of lieutenant governor.

We dont expect either candidate this year  Hala Ayala for the Democrats, Winsome Sears for the Republicans  to do so either.

And yet the question remains: Why do we need a lieutenant governor? Or a vice president, for that matter? Yes, yes, our state and federal constitutions require them, but why?
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

High blood pressure is the world's leading killer but poor rates of blood pressure control remain common. A new strategy where patients are started on a pill containing four medicines, each at a quarter of their usual doses, has been shown to be much more effective in getting blood pressure under control, compared to the common practice of monotherapy, where treatment commences with just one drug.

This first large-scale, randomized controlled clinical trial of starting this novel combination blood pressure medication brought blood pressure under control in 80 percent of participants in 12 weeks, compared to 60 percent in the control group who nonetheless had access to the best patient care.

Traditionally doctors have started with one drug and then follow up to consider adding or changing treatmentbut this strategy is often not successful in practice and blood pressure control rates have remained stubbornly low for decades.

The results of the Australian study published today in The Lancet and are being presented at the world-leading European Society of Cardiology conference, ESC Congress 2021.

Professor Clara Chow, lead and corresponding author and Director of the University of Sydney's Westmead Applied Research Center, said in a separate Comment in The Lancet this week that control of high blood pressure, known as hypertension, was not ideal anywhere, and in some regions such as Africa fewer than one in 10 had hypertension under control.

"Statistics on the global burden of high blood pressure this week show that there's been a doubling in the past 30 years of hypertension casesthe leading cause of the world's top killer: heart attack and stroke," Professor Chow said.

Dr. Emily Atkins from The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW Sydney and the University of Sydney said: "In settings with high levels of specialist care and full access to a range of existing blood pressure medicineslike the centers in this trialthe improved reduction in blood pressure with this strategy would be expected to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by about 20 percent. In settings with little or no existing hypertension treatment, the benefits would be much greater."

About the trial

The multi-center, Australian clinical trial of a potential future 'quadpill' dose of four medications, termed Quadruple UltrA-low-dose tReatment for hypErTension (QUARTET), has demonstrated that a single pill containing ultra-low quadruple combination is much more effective than the traditional approach of starting with monotherapy (single drug).

The study funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council enrolled 591 participants with high blood pressure either in no treatment or single therapy across 10 centers in Australia. The primary outcome was the significantly reduced blood pressure, in the group starting on the quadpill, at 12 weeks. These differences were sustained, with blood pressure control still better with the quadpill approach compared to the standard approach at 12 months, and no differences in side effects.

Senior author Professor Anthony Rodgers of The George Institute, UNSW Sydney and Imperial College London, said: "Our trial has overwhelmingly demonstrated the efficacy, tolerability and safety of this ultra-low-dose combination strategya potentially simple and scalable hypertension management strategy to treat hypertension."

Professor Chow said the study built on their previous study comparing a quadpill approach to placebo. "We aimed to test this new quadpill strategy against usual care in Australia; as is often seen in clinical trials, people in the comparison group got much better treatment than average. Nonetheless our new quadpill strategy was much better," she said.

"This was the first study to show the benefits are maintained long-term without any reduction over time. Even though much more add-on blood pressure medicines were used in the comparison group throughout follow-up, they never caught up with the quadpill group."

Changing global practice

Professor Chow said there were still important research questions. "For people who may be having side effects from their current treatments, we would like to know whether a switch to an utra-low-dose combination can improve things," said Professor Chow.

"Also, the WHO Hypertension Guidelines released this week, just like other recent hypertension guidelines in Europe, US and elsewhere, recommend most patients start on two blood pressure drugs rather than one. We need to know how that would compare to a quadpill strategy."

There is also a major research translation challenge ahead: "These kinds of strategies will only make a major impact on global health if they are available and affordable for patients most in need," said Professor Chow.

"When we find treatments that are this effective, simple and safe we must do our best to get them to those who can benefit most."

Professor Chow said a simple and effective combination quadpill strategy had potential to impact people's lives worldwide. "High blood pressure is the leading cause of preventable deaths globallywe hope our world-leading findings will be translated swiftly into a product available for the general public," she concluded.

Explore further Potential breakthrough for treating hypertension with ultra low-dose combinations

More information: Clara K Chow et al, Initial treatment with a single pill containing quadruple combination of quarter doses of blood pressure medicines versus standard dose monotherapy in patients with hypertension (QUARTET): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled trial, The Lancet (2021). Journal information: The Lancet Clara K Chow et al, Initial treatment with a single pill containing quadruple combination of quarter doses of blood pressure medicines versus standard dose monotherapy in patients with hypertension (QUARTET): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled trial,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01922-X
In this Aug. 20, 2021, file photo, a nurse talks to a patient in the emergency room at Salem Hospital in Salem, Ore., with gurneys lining the hallway behind them, ready to take patients if needed. Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, that the state has contracted with a medical staffing company to provide up to 500 health care workers to hospitals around the state to help respond to the surge in patients due to the delta variant. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File

The death toll from COVID-19 in Oregon is climbing so rapidly in some counties that the state has organized delivery of one refrigerated truck to hold the bodies and is sending a second one, the state emergency management department said Saturday.

So far, Tillamook County, on Oregon's northwest coast, and Josephine County, in the southwest, requested the trucks, said Bobbi Doan, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

Tillamook County Emergency Director Gordon McCraw wrote in his request to the state that the county's sole funeral home "is now consistently at or exceeding their capacity" of nine bodies.

"Due to COVID cases of staff, they are unable to transport for storage to adjacent counties," he wrote, adding that suicides are also up in the county.

The refrigerated truck arrived in the county on Friday, loaned by Klamath County, Doan said in a telephone interview.

The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners said Friday the spread of COVID-19 "has reached a critical phase."

In a statement published online in the Tillamook County Pioneer, they said that from Aug. 18 to Aug. 23, there were six new COVID-19 deaths in the county, surpassing the five total COVID-19 deaths that occurred during the first 18 months of the pandemic.

"In the past week, we more than doubled the number of COVID deaths in Tillamook County, from five to eleven," Commissioners Mary Faith Bell, David Yamamoto and Erin Skaar wrote. They begged residents: "Please get vaccinated."

The request come as the coronavirus delta variant tears through Oregon's unvaccinated population.

The county vaccination rate is 70%, either in progress or fully vaccinated.

But in Josephine County, where hospitals are overwhelmed and its morgues are also reaching capacity, the vaccination rate is only 53%, according to Oregon Health Authority data. The vast majority of COVID-19 patients clogging the state's hospitals and intensive care units are unvaccinated.

In this Aug. 20, 2021, file photo, two visitors peer into the room of a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at Salem Hospital in Salem, Ore., as a nurse dons full protective gear before going into the room of another patient. Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, that the state has contracted with a medical staffing company to provide up to 500 health care workers to hospitals around the state to help respond to the surge in patients due to the delta variant. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File

Unlike their counterparts in Tillamook County, Josephine County commissioners are not promoting the vaccine.

Jefferson Public Radio reported that in a meeting earlier this month with local health officials, Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger Jr., a former leader of the minority Republicans in the Oregon Senate, said: "I'm not going to hog-tie anybody and give them a vaccination."

Hospital workers in Grants Pass, the county seat, said their morgue was full as a result of a surge in coronavirus cases.

CEO Win Howard of Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass told commissioners: "We are in a full-blown health care crisis in our community. I've never seen anything like this before."

During the public meeting, the commissioners repeatedly questioned the efficacy of the vaccines, suggested the surge was caused by Mexican immigrants, and instead promoted unproven medicines, Jefferson Public Radio reported.

Josephine County Emergency Manager Emily Ring asked the state on Tuesday for a refrigerated trailer that could hold "20-48 cadavers."

She wrote that the county hospital is daily exceeding its body storage capacity and that the five funeral homes and three crematoriums are "at the edge of crisis capacity daily."

"Trailer must have hoists for body lifts and shelves," she said in her urgent request form.

Morgues are allowed to legally have only a certain number of bodies at the same time, and that creates the capacity issue, Doan said. Her office is facilitating the transfer of a refrigerated morgue truck from Yamhill County to Josephine County.

"Right now, OEM's role is really in that air traffic control," Doan said. "It's like, here's a need, here's a resource to help them to connect the dots through mutual aid."

The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported 20 new deaths, raising the state's death toll to 3,115.

Since the start of the pandemic there have been 268,401 reported coronavirus cases in this state of 4.2 million.

Explore further 1st COVID-19 death from Delta variant confirmed in Reno area

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A letter on Aug. 25 stated Ireland deemed masking of elementary children child abuse. With digging I found the original study by the Health Information and Quality Authority. Published on March 3, the study actually says masks may have some slight benefits but children may not wear masks correctly and may suffer some issues such as anxiety and problems with communication and language skills so masks aren't mandatory. Right wing media branded it as "child abuse." Schools have a rigorous protocol if COVID is detected.

Looking at Ireland as a whole, 62.2% of the population is fully vaccinated, another 11.9% have their first shot. Ireland has the Alpha strain, as COVID is increasing adult face masks are required for public transport, shopping, cinemas, and indoor facilities. The penalty for not wearing a mask is up to $3,000 and 6 months in jail. In addition, restaurants and cinemas can require a vaccination passport and an ID.

So masks were not deemed child abuse but are not mandatory for children when weighed against problems with wearing and other issues. But Ireland is very serious about requiring masks and vaccinations for adults to minimize COVID impacts on its population and that in turn protects children.
It was there that they found Carolyn Michaels, who told them about how the pandemic has made her afraid to go out in public.

She said shes afraid of going to the hospital after a bad experience at one in the past, and was sure if she ever caught COVID-19 it would be the end of her because she would refuse to go to the hospital for treatment.

Michaels became homeless about two years ago when her little brother wanted their mom to move with him. She had been taking care of her mom before she moved, and when she did, it left her homeless.

She was trying to clean up her campsite that had flooded with recent rains when the group from the health department found her Monday. Her site, near a filtration pond for a parking lot, floods easily and stays humid.

Living down here, too, I dont know whether its just living near water or what it is, its so humid right here, Michaels said. I cant breathe, I cant get up the hill most of the time.

Her mom is supposed to be moving back to the area soon, and she said she plans to take care of her again. That was part of why she opted to get the hepatitis A vaccine, to better protect her mom.
It was the second airstrike in recent days the U.S. has conducted against the militant group, which claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing Thursday at the Kabul airport gate that killed 13 U.S. service members and scores of Afghans struggling to get out of the country and escape the new Taliban rule. The Pentagon said a U.S. drone mission in eastern Afghanistan killed two members of IS' Afghanistan affiliate early Saturday local time in retaliation for the airport bombing.

In Delaware, Biden met privately with the families of the American troops killed in the suicide attack, and solemnly watched as the remains of the fallen returned to U.S. soil from Afghanistan. First lady Jill Biden and many of the top U.S. defense and military leaders joined him on the tarmac at Dover Air Force Base to grieve with loved ones as the dignified transfer of remains unfolded, a military ritual for those killed in foreign combat.

Sullivan said earlier that the U.S. would continue strikes against IS and consider other operations to go after these guys, to get them and to take them off the battlefield. He added: We will continue to bring the fight to the terrorists in Afghanistan to make sure they do not represent a threat to the United States.
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JACKSON, Miss.  The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) continues to monitor the path of Hurricane Ida. Significant power outages, home repairs, and flooding could create dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations.

MSDH residents should take the following precautions:

Food and Water Safety

If power is out for less than two hours, food in your refrigerator and freezer will be safe to eat. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold longer.

After two hours, a freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours.

After two hours, pack milk, other dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers are fine for this purpose.

Safe water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene includes bottled, boiled, or treated water. Watch for specific boil water alerts in your area.

Do not use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash, and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or make baby formula. If possible, use baby formula that does not need to have water added.

Boiling water, when practical, is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. Bringing water to a rolling boil for 1 minute will kill most organisms.

If your power is out, there are several food and water safety tips to follow to ensure what you eat and drink is safe for consumption:

Carbon Monoxide

MSDH recommends the following precautions to help prevent potentially fatal carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Do not burn charcoal or gas grills inside a house, garage, vehicle, tent, or fireplace. Do not use gas-powered generators or pressure washers in enclosed spaces including indoors or in the garage. If you suspect you are experiencing any symptoms of CO poisoning, such as dizziness, headache or shortness of breath, open doors and windows, turn off gas appliances and go outside. In cases of severe CO poisoning, call 911 emergency services or the Mississippi Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Personal Protection

When cleaning up storm-damaged areas, be sure to wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes to prevent cuts and scratches from debris. Do not let children play in floodwater and discard any items that come into contact with floodwater.

Any food (including food in plastic or glass), medicines, cosmetics or bottled water that has come in contact with floodwater should be discarded. If in doubt, throw it out. Intact cans may be thoroughly disinfected with one-quarter cup of bleach to one gallon of water, and then used.

Around Your Home

When cleaning up debris around your home, be sure ladders are secure before climbing on them to clean the roof and gutters. If you plan to use a chainsaw to clear debris, be sure to operate the machine according to the instructions. If injury occurs, call 9-1-1 or seek immediate medical help.

Flooding can cause mold to grow inside your home, which can cause allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections, and other respiratory problems. MSDH does not handle mold removal or abatement. You will need to call a private contractor for further assistance.

Tetanus Information:

Tetanus vaccination is recommended if its been 10 years or more since your last tetanus vaccination (Tdap is the recommended vaccine). In the event of a puncture wound or wound contaminated with floodwater, individuals should consult a healthcare provider.

Disinfecting Private Water Wells

Homeowners impacted by flooding who do not receive their water supply from a public water system regulated by the MSDH should have their private well inspected, disinfected and sampled in order to protect their health. For step-by-step instructions on disinfecting your private water well, visit the MSDH website at HealthyMS.com/wells.

Vibrio vulnificus bacteria naturally live in certain coastal waters and are present in higher concentrations between May and October when water temperatures are warmer.

Vibrio bacteria naturally live in certain coastal waters and are present in higher concentrations between May and October when water temperatures are warmer.

Vibrio vulnificus can cause life-threatening wound infections. Many people with Vibrio vulnificus infection require intensive care or limb amputations, and about 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill

Anyone can get a Vibrio wound infection, but some individuals are more likely to get infection and have severe complications:

Have liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia

Receive immune-suppressing therapy for the treatment of disease

Take medicine to decrease stomach acid levels

Have had recent stomach surgery

Individuals at higher risk for infections and severe complications from Vibrio bacteria should avoid wading or standing in brackish or saltwater.

How can I prevent a Vibrio wound infection if I have a wound?

You can reduce your chance of getting a Vibrio wound infection by following these tips:

If you have a wound (including from a recent surgery, piercing, or tattoo), stay out of saltwater or brackish water , if possible.

, if possible. Cover your wound with a waterproof bandage if it could come into contact with saltwater or brackish water. This can happen when a hurricane or storm surge causes flooding.

Wash wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water after they have contact with saltwater, brackish water, raw seafood, or its juices.

Seek medical attention immediately if you develop signs and symptoms of Vibrio infection, which can include:

Watery diarrhea, often accompanied by stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever

For bloodstream infection: fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions

For wound infection, which may spread to the rest of the body: fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, and discharge (leaking fluids).

Mosquitoes

Flooding can result in excessive breeding of mosquitoes, resulting in the possibility of diseases such as West Nile virus being carried by the insects.

Protective measures include:

Wear long-sleeved, long-legged clothing with socks and shoes outdoor when practical;

Use mosquito repellant with DEET; follow label instructions; products with up to 35 percent DEET will provide adequate protection under most conditions;

Use repellent with 10 percent or less concentration of DEET on children as recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics; follow label directions;

Use a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient such as DEET while you are outdoors; and

Avoid mosquitoes whenever possible; stay indoors or take personal protective measures, especially between dusk and dawn.

For more information on safety after a storm, visit HealthyMS.com/afterstorm.

Follow MSDH by e-mail and social media at HealthyMS.com/connect.

Press Contact: MSDH Office of Communications, (601) 576-7667

Note to media: After hours or during emergencies, call (601) 576-7400
Goodwill washed over Biden through his first six months or so, when he scored points with the public and much of the world simply by not being Donald Trump. The United States appeared on the verge of victory over the pandemic, too. Vaccine supplies surged, cases plunged in response and even Republicans gave Biden a measure of the credit.

Those days now seem like a distant memory. Criticism is raining down on him, with Republicans blaming him for the calamity in Kabul and even Democrats breaking from him for the first time on a major issue.

Asked whether Biden is feeling frustrated or a sense of resignation from the turmoil of the moment, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said "there's just not a lot of time for self-reflection right now."

To Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph Ellis, the bloody, harried scenes the world is witnessing from Kabul are not the fruit of poor evacuation planning or incompetence by the United States, but, simply, of defeat.

"It seems to me that we're watching something occur that was inevitable once we stepped in," he said. "There's no memory here. This is what happens when you lose a war."

Presidents are defined by how they handle crises, and Biden now confronts more than one, each requiring urgent attention.
In the first day since the public learned about the death of a Wyoming Marine in Afghanistan, more than $319,000 was raised online to benefit his pregnant wife and the couple's unborn child.

Rylee McCollum died Thursday in a suicide bomb attack at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. He and 12 other service members were providing security at the airport as it was being overwhelmed with evacuees trying to leave the county after the Taliban's takeover.

McCollum, who was from Bondurant, was expecting his first child in three weeks, his family says.

In the aftermath of his death, two verified GoFundMe fundraisers have been started to benefit his wife, Jiennah Crayton, and the couple's unborn child.

The fundraisers collected more than a quarter million dollars in the first 18 hours they were created, according to a GoFundMe spokeswoman.

As of early Saturday afternoon, a fund dedicated to the "education and upbringing" of McCollum's child had alone raised $215,000. The child is due in September.

A second fund, set up by McCollum's mother in law, will benefit his wife.
Editor's note: David McCumber worked on Birch Creek Ranch for a year, researching a book, The Cowboy Way: Seasons of a Montana Ranch (Avon Books, 1999).

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS  Not much that happens on the Birch Creek Ranch bothers Tanya Hill.

And plenty does happen on the expansive outfit in the shadow of the Big Belt Mountains, 10 miles west of here. Just the other day she looked out her window to see a bear eating one of the bums  motherless calves  she was keeping in her yard.

She routinely and calmly deals with everything from blizzards to sick cows and kids to backroads turned to gumbo by spring storms. Shes the wife of the ranch foreman, Tyson Hill, and one of the best hands on the place in her own right.

But late in the afternoon of Aug. 6, in a weird smoky half-light, as temperatures hovered in the 90s and a gale-force west wind roared down the face of Tucker Mountain behind her house, as ash and embers swirled around her like greeting cards from the gates of hell, Tanya Hill was afraid for her family.

It all started almost a month before.

The National Weather Service had forecast that a weak storm system would bring a few evening showers and thunderstorms to the Big Belts on Friday evening, July 9.

Unfortunately, the storm provided very little moisture across the range, already severely dried by drought. What the little cell did provide was lots of lightning.

On Saturday, July 10, a small column of smoke could be seen, high in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, near Boulder Lakes in a remote part of the remote Big Belts.

On the forests Facebook page, a picture and an update was posted. The tiny lightning-caused blaze now had a name: The Woods Creek Fire.

Air attack was immediately launched to size up the fire. Upon arrival, the initial size was estimated to be about half an acre, in subalpine fir and lodgepole pine on the upper third of the ridge, the post read.

Because the fire was in tough terrain, and because resources were already stretched thin on other fires, the U.S. Forest Service decided not to try to extinguish it, opting to continue to monitor it instead. The Service also was following a protocol that emphasized using wildfire itself as a natural tool to manage forests  as long as a fire was not threatening infrastructure or people, and when resources were stretched thin, it would not be immediately extinguished.

For 10 days, the little fire on the ridge smoldered, changing little in size. Then, like scores of others around the West, it began to grow. High temperatures, low humidity and gusting winds made for explosive fire growth.

By Aug. 5, the Woods Creek Fire was a 20,000-acre monster, only four percent contained and certain to get larger. The fire had already crossed Forest Service boundaries into private land, and along the southeast corner of the fire was Bill Galts Birch Creek Ranch.

Galt approached the U.S. Forest Service Southern Area Red Team, which at that time had responsibility for the Woods Creek Fire. He asked what their plans were.

Team leaders told him that no state or federal resources would be available to assist to fight the Woods Creek Fire on private land until Aug. 8, because those resources were busy elsewhere.

Galt has fought fire with and for state and federal firefighters for more than three decades, often with heavy machinery  big Caterpillar dozers  and also with his Bell Jet Ranger helicopter.

So he said, Well, we have resources we can offer, we have four dozers, two blades, and crew to operate them. The offer was declined. Forest Service and state Department of Natural Resources officials, asked last week why they elected not to contract with Galt or other local landowners, did not comment.

Meagher County Rural Fire Department and landowners then asked if the Incident Response Team would defend fire lines if the local teams cut them. They were told yes. So that afternoon, Meagher County Rural Fire volunteers and ranch crews began building fire lines on Birch Creek Ranch, the Lane ranch and the Buckingham ranch, all along a ridge where the ranches meet the Wilderness Study Area land, including a high-elevation cluster of granite outcrops known as the Needles. In some places along the four and a half miles the three ranches bordered federal lands, the crews constructed three sets of fire lines.

The next day, they would need all of them.

It is almost uncanny how the Woods Creek Fire followed the same pattern as Californias disastrous Tamarack Fire, just a few days apart.

According to The Los Angeles Times, lightning struck a pine tree rooted on a remote ridge in the Humboldt Toiyabe National forest in early July  about a week earlier than the lightning strike that created the Woods Creek blaze.

For a week, as the Forest Service monitored, the Tamarack Fire remained tiny  about a quarter of an acre. Then the wind came up.

To date, the Tamarack Fire has burned more than 68,000 acres. At least 23 structures have been destroyed and the damage from the fire is estimated at more than $9 million in California and Nevada.

Officeholders from California and Nevada sharply criticized the Forest Services decision not to extinguish that smoldering tree. U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California demanded that the Forest Service retract the current U.S. Forest Service direction that allows wildfires to burn and instruct all Regional Foresters that all wildfires should be suppressed as soon as possible. Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a virtual meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, weighed in, criticizing the Forest Services culture of wait and see and imploring the agency to do better.

Randy Moore, the Biden Administrations selection as Forest Service chief, took office July 26  after the major damage from the Tamarack Fire had been done, and as Woods Creek was beginning to blow up. Nothing like a baptism by fire.

He wasted little time responding to Newsoms plea.

On Aug. 2, he sent a memo to all regional foresters, station directors, and other Forest Service executives. In it, he announced that at this time  managing fires for resource benefit is a strategy we will not use. (That is the so-called let it burn strategy in which wildfire itself is used as a tool to manage forests.)

We are in a triage mode where our primary focus must be on fires that threaten communities and infrastructure, he said.

That Forest Service-wide change in strategy came just a few days too late to snuff out the Woods Creek Fire  and just four days before the fire would menace the Birch Creek Ranch.

On Friday, the 6th of August, nobody on Birch Creek Ranch was looking forward to the weekend.

The fire loomed above the ranch, which was enveloped in smoke and ash.

In the late afternoon, the Incident Management Team leadership from the Forest Service and DNRC met with Meagher County Rural Fire officials, Galt, and ranch crew members in the truck shed at Birch Creek Ranch. The weather was ominous, brutally hot and windy.

They discussed the potential path of the fire and what could be done. Red Team leadership had earlier told Galt that despite the promises made yesterday about defending fire lines, they had no resources to devote, and so Meagher County Rural Fire and the landowners were on their own. Setting a back fire to starve the fire of fuel before it roared over the fire lines was discussed.

Galt offered to let everyone fighting the fire use his ranch radio frequencies. The Forest Service declined.

Leaving the meeting, Galt decided to head up and check on the fire.

Driving his pickup toward Tucker Mountain, peering into the surreal smoke, he couldnt see much at first.

He came up over a rise, and was met by a wall of flame.

The fire had come over the top of Tucker and it was right there, he said.

The smoke was so thick he couldnt see the road, and as he backed up his truck he experienced a scary moment when a rear wheel went off the surface. Oh, man, he thought, If I get this thing stuck I sure wont be able to outrun this fire on foot.

But he got the truck righted, turned around, and radioed to Meagher County Rural Fire and to his crew that the fire had crested the mountain.

They had posted units nearby, and within a few moments Fire Chief Jake Kusek  who happens to be Tanya Hills brother  made the decision to light a back burn, or burnout, to try to defend the final fire line that had been constructed the day before and keep the fire from taking structures, including the Hills house. Meagher County Rural Fire brought drip torches and fuel, and set to work. Volunteer firefighters Shane Sereday, Sam Peeler, Chad Evans, Lee Zentner, Gerald Zarr and Cody Jackson arrived. They all marched uphill to meet the fire.

Tanya had sent sons John, 8, and Liam, 5, to stay with friends out of the fires path. Paul, 10, wasnt so easily dissuaded. He insisted on being with the crew.

Tanya, too, stood by to help if needed as the burnout began. Her thoughts tumbled chaotically around her head. She didnt know if she was going to go home to a house or a pile of burned rubble. She didnt know what the next few minutes, or the next few hours, or the next few days were going to bring. We didnt know if we were still going to have corrals, much less a house, she said.

By the time the burnout was touched off along more than four miles of fire line, the Woods Creek inferno was all but on top of the rural firefighters and other volunteers.

Air Attack, the IMT's constant aerial surveillance of the fire, saw the burn and called it in to Meagher County Sheriff's dispatch. Dispatch called Kusek, who told them it was a back burn. According to sheriff's personnel, the dispatcher then notified DNRC.

Almost immediately, the fires were joined.

For the next hour or so, there was nothing to do but watch for spot fires blown across the line, and wait to see if the line held.

It did  all the way to the Needles. The line ended there because it was too late  the fire had already come across at that point.

But otherwise, the burnout did just exactly what it was supposed to do  it burned back into the existing fire in order to deprive the fire of fuel. The Hill house and much of the ranches  and possibly miles more country all the way to White Sulphur Springs  had been saved.

On the morning of Aug. 7, the daily fire meeting at Galts truck shed focused on the area around the end of the Needles where the fire was still raging. Incident Management Team leaders told Galt it would be able to contribute one dozer to fighting the fire there, but had no other available resources. After the meeting, DNRCs John Huston took Galt aside and said, You surprised me with that fire last night  apparently indicating that he should have been personally notified.

The fire was picking up and Meagher County, Galts crew and volunteers from the nearby Hutterite colony and others  including County Attorney Burt Hurwitz  headed up toward the blaze, which was moving down toward a small lake on the Galt ranch.

That evening, the fires run was stopped. Galt had some 7,000 acres burned, and other ranchers, including Annie Teague at the Teague Ranch and Roger Shroyer at the Buckingham Ranch, also suffered significant losses, but it looked like the worst was over.

Thats when things got really weird.

That afternoon, news of a new fire popped up on Inciweb, the national Forest Service fire-tracking site, on the Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest site, and on the state fire dashboard. Notifications were sent to the media.

The Needle Fire, as it was dubbed, was reported to have started at 6:30 p.m. the night before. According to the announcement, the fire was 2,852 acres, and 84 IMT personnel were assigned to fight it.

And, the announcement said, the fire was human-caused.

What was wrong with that announcement? There was no new fire. The burnout was set at about that time, but it was almost immediately incorporated into the Woods Creek blaze. And 84 firefighters? There was not one IMT firefighter on the scene of the burn. Not. One.

The mistake would have been almost amusing if it were not for one thing: The human-caused terminology carries great legal significance.

While the Forest Service cannot be sued for letting a wildfire get away, it can certainly pursue perpetrators of human-caused fires. In fact, when a fire is classified as human-caused, federal agencies are required to pursue costs of suppression. Such cases can cost millions.

The next mornings daily fire meeting was not a happy affair. Galt had called the DNRCs Huston before the meeting, asking him to explain the Needle Fire designation. He says Huston told him that We had to do that because we had nothing to do with that fire. Which certainly didnt satisfy Galt. He told the IMT representatives that they had no honor, accusing others of starting a fire when they had refused to fight the blaze that was threatening the ranch.

As a volunteer firefighter himself, Burt Hurwitz felt bad for his Rural Fire colleagues, tarred with the human-caused language. But as Meagher County Attorney, his biggest concern was defending the county from liability.

Hurwitz said the IMT had basically accused everybody in the room of arson. He asked for the names of the 84 firefighters that were nowhere to be seen on the fire.

According to others in the meeting, IMT in response indicated they didnt know Meagher County was involved in setting the fire, and that the decision to designate the Needle Fire was above their pay grade, but they would get the people responsible there for a second meeting later in the day.

And they said  despite the fact that the immediate danger was past  that they now had some resources available to fight the fire.

At the second meeting, DNRC state forester Sonya Germann called Galt, and he put her on speaker phone. She said she didnt know how the mistaken designation had happened. When she was told that someone from DNRC had called Gov. Greg Gianforte to tell him that Galt had started the fire, she said she didnt know who had done that.

Germann temporized, asking for a Monday meeting with legal counsel, but Hurwitz wasnt having it.

He told her all the principals were assembled, they were taking time away from fighting the fire, and this needed to be resolved immediately.

She dispatched two DNRC staffers from Helena to the meeting.

They admitted that creating the Needle Fire was probably a dispatcher error. But they agreed it was unlikely a dispatcher had called the governors office.

During that meeting, the Needle Fire disappeared from the Inciweb site, and releases about it were recalled.

The next day, the Woods Creek Fire update on Inciweb stated that there were accounting errors which had been corrected.

It was not until Aug. 13 that a message from our partners  DNRC  appeared on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Facebook page. It said that the naming of the fire was based on the best available information at the time, but it had since been determined that it was not a new wildfire start but rather a tactical burning operation overseen by the Meagher County Rural Fire Department intended to consume unburned fuels between the rapidly advancing Woods Creek Fire and at-risk rangelands and homes.

Added to that statement was a boldfaced note of gratitude to the professional firefighters, first responders, and volunteer firefighters, including the Meagher County Rural Fire Department, for their tireless work to protect lives, property and natural resources.

The U.S. Forest Service has issued no statement at all about the erroneous designation.

Hurwitz was not satisfied. He wanted to make sure the county was not held liable. So he went to the Forest Service fire camp to interview firefighters there.

The Forest Service kicked him out. And when he asked for information from the agency, it told him to file a Freedom of Information request.

And at one point, Hurwitz said, another DNRC official told him that Huston had inadvertently approved the Needle Fire designation by mistyping a reply text message to a Forest Service counterpart, typing "ok good" instead of "no good."

Questions were posed by this reporter last week in phone messages to the DNRCs Huston, Hoyt Richards and Germann. Richards returned the call promptly and asked that questions be posed in writing. After they were, Germann called and left a message acknowledging their receipt, and promising a response. But on Friday, a communications staffer emailed to say the only response would be the Aug. 13 post acknowledging the mistaken designation.

Written questions were also sent to the office of the Forest Service's Northern Regional Forester, Leanne Marten, in Missoula. Included were questions about the mistaken designation, and about the way the fire was fought, and whether it would be handled the same way if it happened now, given the memo from the new Forest Service chief. Despite assurances that the questions would be addressed by a Friday deadline, no responses were received.

As of Friday, the Woods Creek Fire had burned 55,411 acres and was 61 percent contained  a good part of that containment being the fire lines constructed by landowners.

Finally, last week, Burt Hurwitz received sufficient assurances from state and federal officials that no claim for costs was forthcoming, he told the Meagher County Commissioners in a statement.

Meagher County Fire has always enjoyed great relations with its state and federal firefighting partners and is relieved that DNRC has corrected the record, he said in the statement. He added that Meagher County Fire wishes that the correction, one week later, had garnered as much attention as the mistaken creation of the fire.

Bill Galt is a controversial figure. One of the largest landowners in the state, always unafraid to voice his opinions, he has often been a lightning rod for criticism and has frequently clashed with state government. His nephew, Wylie, is the Republican Speaker of the House.

Because of who he is, it was probably inevitable that rumors would swirl. But the rumors, in this case, were pernicious and inaccurate.

Mike Beasley, a retired National Forest chief from California who co-founded an organization called Foresters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, began posting Aug. 8 on the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest web page, calling the Needle Fire "an arson fire," asking, "Why was it so important to eliminate records of this fire?" and saying, "A lot of folks would like to know what happened on the Galt Ranch."

For Jake Kusek, Meagher County Rural Fires chief, the whole affair has left a really bad taste in his mouth.

Hes very proud of his volunteers. Theyve done an amazing job, he said. This year we started fighting fire in April. In July, between fire calls and wrecks, each of our volunteers had 190 to 200 hours. Thats a full-time job  more  and they all have their own full-time jobs.

Then getting thrown under the bus like that  its going to make it even harder to get guys to come out and do what they need to do.

He said hes particularly proud of the way the volunteers performed on the Woods Creek Fire.

That backburn worked exactly as it was intended, he said. We didnt have a lot of time to react. But I wouldnt do anything different today.

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In short, if a miner fails to clean up his mess, hes a Bad Actor and will not be given the opportunity to create further messes for the taxpayers to clean up in the future. Common sense? Sure it is.

So it made perfect sense when, in 2018, the DEQ brought a Bad Actor enforcement claim against Phillip S. Baker Jr., current president and CEO of Idaho-based Hecla Mining Co. Mr. Baker was formerly vice president and CFO of Pegasus Gold Inc., which, in 1998, went bankrupt and left abandoned, toxic mining messes across Montana  Zortman-Landusky, Beal Mountain, Basin Creek. All of these messes had to be cleaned up at taxpayer cost  tens of millions of dollars  with the bonus that taxpayers will be paying millions of dollars in perpetuity to treat water from these abandoned mines.

Baker now heads Hecla Mining, which is seeking permits to construct the Rock Creek and Montanore mines beneath the Cabinet Mountains wilderness in northwest Montana. Thanks to DEQs 2018 enforcement, Baker would potentially be prohibited from mining in our state again unless or until the state is made whole for the Pegasus disaster.
"We have an obligation to work around the clock to bring home all American soldiers and citizens from Afghanistan," Miller-Meeks said in a statement. "We also have a moral obligation to help Afghans who assisted American operations during our 20 years there."

Biden has been criticized for his handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops, embassy staff and U.S. allies from Afghanistan as he seeks to end the nations longest war. The withdrawal led to a much earlier than expected collapse of the Afghan government to the Taliban and in recent days has seen chaos at Kabuls airport as thousands of people try to flee the country.

In a speech Thursday night, Biden vowed to complete the evacuation and hunt down the Islamic State militants responsible for Thursday's bombing.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Thursday called for bringing the House lawmakers back from recess to vote on legislation that would prohibit withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan until all remaining Americans are evacuated, The Hill reported.
If bodies are found, the homicide investigation will seek to determine whether the deaths were from natural causes or from foul play, Herion said.

Although it is a felony in Illinois to either conceal any death, he said, the brothers  who are in their late 40s and early 50s  remained free Friday because authorities have so far found no evidence of bodies.

Right now we don't know whether there are bodies buried in the backyard or not. This is just their statements, Herion said.

The chief said the brother who claimed to have conducted the burial said he chose to do so on the property for financial reasons.

Herion said the brothers' father is deceased and his death was recorded with the state, but he had apparently lived elsewhere.

Officers were called to the home after a utility reported that water service wasnt being used at the home. Gas and electric use was also minimal.

Police found that the home was without running water or working toilets, and its back door was barricaded. The home was filled with items and waste from floor to ceiling, including feces and bottles filled with urine. Multiple cats and dogs have been removed from the home, Herion said.
WASHINGTON  The United States military struck back at the Islamic State on Saturday, bombing an IS member in Afghanistan less than 48 hours after a devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.
Migrants and asylum seekers from Central America and the Caribbean walk in a caravan headed to the Mexican capital to apply for asylum and refugee status in Tapachula, in Chiapas state, Mexico on Aug. 28, 2021.
Military service members endure the heat as they vaccinate island residents during a drive-thru clinic at the University of Guam in Mangilao on Saturday.
Sirhan Sirhan is shown in this handout photo taken Feb. 9, 2016, and provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Coronavirus disease patients sit in beds after being admitted in the chapel of Quezon City General Hospital turned into a Covid-19 ward amid rising infections in Metro Manila on Aug. 20, 2021.
Massmart CEO Mitchell Slape says they are already the second-largest online retailer in South Africa and see a strong opportunity for further growth.

Massmart released its interim results for the 26 weeks ended 27 June 2021 on Friday, which showed online sales growth of 34.4%.

This growth was underpinned by increased online sales at Builders (85.4%), Game (101.3%), and Makro (16.3%).

Slape said that many South Africans dont know that Massmarts online presence is the second largest in South Africa, behind Takealot.

He said they rank second on online sales volumes and traffic to the Makro, Game, and Builders online stores.

Massmart is, however, not happy with its current online volumes. We believe there are a lot of opportunities to continue to grow and take it even further, Slape said.

To achieve this growth, Massmart employed Sylvester John, the former Walmart North America VP for last-mile delivery, to lead its ecommerce team.

John has extensive senior-level retail experience in the United States and Africa, having worked in a wide range of business development activities.

He was also instrumental in launching and positioning Online Grocery Pickup in the US and establishing Walmarts last-mile delivery organisation.

To bolster its online shopping in South Africa, Massmart has been working with Walmarts technology to improve its websites.

Massmart is also moving towards a mobile-first strategy. As part of this strategy, it will launch a mobile application on the Vodacom Super App.

To improve their logistics capabilities, Massmart has acquired the last-mile delivery company OneDrop.

It is also in talks to buy OneCart, a fast-moving consumer goods marketplace and logistics platform.

We continue to make progress in different areas, and our fundamental goal is that we want to meet customers where they want to be met  whether thats in-store or online, Slape said.

Now read: Massmart in negotiations to buy OneCart to boost ecommerce
The plan to amend the Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation is effectively dead in the water, Rapport reports.

This is after the EFF failed to pitch for a Parliamentary ad hoc committee meeting on Thursday and Friday to discuss amendments to the Expropriation Bill.

These included proposals that the cut-off date for land claims be moved from June 1913 to as early as January 1800 and that traditional land be excluded from the provisions.

The changes were seen as a last-ditch effort by the ANC to please the EFF, which has called for more radical reforms to property ownership rights.

Neither EFF leader Julius Malema nor any other EFF MPs attended, and the party did not provide an excuse for its absence.

The ANC needs a further 37 votes in addition to its 230 seats from other parties to reach the two-thirds majority in Parliament it needs to amend Section 25 of the Constitution.

The EFF has 44 seats in Parliament and is the only major party that initially supported the amendment.

However, some legal experts argue the ANC actually needs 75% of votes in Parliament as the Bill would require changing the property clause of the Bill of Rights.

Should this be the case, it is practically impossible that the ANC would get the Bill passed, as the other big parties  the DA, IFP, Freedom Front Plus, and ACDP are all opposed to any constitutional changes to Section 25 or the Bill of Rights.

President Cyril Ramaphosa first confirmed the ANCs intentions to amend the Constitution to explicitly allow for land expropriation without compensation in his first state of the nation address in February 2018.

However, the ANC and EFF have clashed over the changes proposed in drafts of the Expropriation Bill since then.

The EFF wants complete state ownership of land, which the ANC has insisted is equal to nationalisation.

The EFF also wants the role of the courts to be written out of the legislation, while the ANC has maintained the courts should be arbiters when it comes to the amount of compensation to be paid in cases of disputes.

In June, the ANCs Top Five (six minus suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule) called off a meeting with the EFF that was aimed at finding common ground on the issues.

Following this weeks meeting, Freedom Front Plus MP Corne Mulder said it was clear that the EFF would not be satisfied with a compromise and would rather promise their voters it could nationalise all land.

ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashathile earlier this week also told Bloomberg that the ANC might have to let go of the Bill and use the current Expropriation Act to achieve land reform.

We think that there is room for us to do so with that Act, and we can test it in the courts if there are shortcomings, Mashatile stated.

But it seems that will be the viable way out under the circumstances.
Hoff says that she has seen virtual tastings teach people they can still come together and experience special moments, regardless of the distance, and that the meet-the-winemaker portion is more of an added bonus.

Hillary Cole of Bell Wine Cellars said they also started offering virtual experiences shortly after the area went into initial quarantine, and that was kind of a valley standard.

It seemed like everywhere you looked in the valley, they were doing virtual tastings as well, and all different versions of them, she said. Some people would do private virtual tastings where instead of hosting appointments in the tasting room, it was all virtual. Other wineries are doing virtual tastings where they're hopping on YouTube or Zoom or something, and people are watching the tastings in that manner, but it seems like the valley at large shifted fairly quickly into that.

Instead of sending out kits of full bottles, Bell Wine Cellars sent their virtual tasters packs of airtight, 4oz. bottles, since many people were stuck at home with just their families, and thus didnt want to open up multiple, 750 mL bottles for one sitting.
At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Biden held his hand over his heart and appeared to shut his eyes in prayer as each transfer case was taken off the military aircraft and placed in an awaiting vehicle.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present for the return of the remains of their loved ones to American soil. Thursday's attack left so many casualties that military officials said the Dover Fisher House, which the Defense Department provides for families of the fallen, was not large enough to accommodate all the grieving families, so some loved ones stayed off base.
Gees Instagram page shows another photo of her in fatigues, holding a rifle next to a line of people walking into the belly of a large transport plane. She wrote: "escorting evacuees onto the bird.

The social media account that includes many selfies after working out at the gym lists her location as California, North Carolina and somewhere overseas.

Photos show her on a camel in Saudi Arabia, in a bikini on a Greek isle and holding a beer in Spain. One from earlier this month in Kuwait shows her beaming with her meritorious promotion to sergeant.

Harrison said her generation of Marines hears war stories from veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts but they seem very distant amid boring deployments until the peaceful float you were on turns into  your friends never coming home.

Gees car was still parked in a lot at Camp Lejeune and Harrison mused about all the Marines who had walked past it while she was overseas, unaware of who it belonged to.

Some of them knew her. Some of them didnt, she said. They all walked past it. The war stories, the losses, the flag-draped coffins, the KIA bracelets & the heartbreak. Its not so distant anymore.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The ruling will be reviewed over the next 120 days by the boards staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.

Robert F. Kennedy was a U.S. senator from New York and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.

Sirhan, who insists he doesnt remember the shooting and had been drinking alcohol just beforehand, was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death after his conviction, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.

Some of Kennedy's children and others have called for a reinvestigation of the killing, believing there was a second shooter who got away.

While on Friday, Sirhan again said he didnt recall the killing, he made multiple attempts to show nonetheless he takes responsibility for the harm he caused.
But another sibling, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has spoken in favor of his release in the past and wrote in favor of paroling Sirhan. He said in the letter that he met him in prison and was moved by Sirhan, who wept, clinching my hands, and asked for forgiveness.

While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhans impressive record of rehabilitation, he said in a letter submitted during the hearing to the board.

Sirhan, whose hair is now white, smiled, thanked the board and gave a thumbs-up after the decision to grant parole was announced. It was a major victory in his 16th attempt at parole after hes served 53 years. But it does not assure his release.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next 120 days by the boards staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and radio talk host Larry Elder are fierce enemies in the recall election. But they're also valued allies who rely on each other.

In fact, if you didn't know better, you'd say they were close pals.

The more the liberal Democratic governor  and throw in the so-called "mainstream media" with him  attack the Republican conservative, the stronger he becomes among GOP voters.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

Conversely, the more Newsom and the media scare Democrats about Elder, the more they're motivated to vote against the recall and turning over the governor's office to a Republican.

At least that's the theory and it seems to be holding up.

Newsom has had his own scary problem heading into the election now underway: Polling showed Democratic voters were apathetic and didn't seem to give a rip while Republicans were enthusiastic about recalling the governor and ending one-party rule in Sacramento.

Republicans have been threatening to overcome a nearly 2-to-1 registered voter deficit in this deep blue state by casting more ballots than Democrats. They still might. Balloting doesn't end until Sept. 14. But early returns show Democrats voting in higher numbers than expected.
Talks between Biden and Zelenskyy kicked off at the White House

Google appeals EUR 500 million fines imposed by French regulators

Israeli FM: US plan to reopen consulate in Jerusalem is 'bad idea'

Armenian FM: There are no talks on delimitation and demarcation of borders

Armenian FM briefs his Iranian counterpart on consequences of Azerbaijan's illegal invasion

Digest: Armenian soldier killed at Ararat positions, Azerbaijan returns Karabakh citizen injured

Human rights activist: We have indisputable evidence of 80 more Armenian POWs being captured by Azerbaijan

Artsakh parliament holds special session dedicated to 30th anniversary of declaration of Karabakh independence

Azerbaijan prosecutor general complains about Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh

Armenia opposition MP: Azerbaijanis throw burning wheels at several Gegharkunik Province villages

Caucasus Heritage Watch: Azerbaijanis destroy Makun Bridge in Karabakh

Russias Lavrov: Armenia is our ally

Soldier, 39, killed after Azerbaijan opens fire on Armenia positions

Russia, Azerbaijan deputy FMs discuss implementation of Karabakh agreements

Armenia army General Staff chief meets with 3-month training camp reservists

Armenia health ministers adviser appointed deputy head of UCLA Promise Armenian Institute

Prosecutor's Office: Numerous injuries found on Artsakh citizen returned by Azerbaijan

Artsakh President appoints new labor, social, migration affairs minister

Armenia national airline to be named Fly Arna

Armenia defense minister pays working visit to some military units

Pashinyan: I am convinced that Armenia-Uzbekistan mutual relations will further develop

615 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Moody's leaves Armenia sovereign rating unchanged

Russia peacekeepers ensure order, security in Karabakh on Knowledge Day

Psaki: US partners with Turkey, Qatar on Kabul airport

Artsakh to mark Independence Day anniversary for first time without Armenia top leadership attendance

President to Armenia students: Learn to overcome challenges, to pursue dreams without despair

Five missing after US Navy helicopter crashes off California coast

Armdaily.am: Armenia President reacts to recent events taking place in Syunik Province

Newspaper: Azerbaijan carrying out large-scale construction in Artsakhs Shushi

Newspaper: Armenia authorities compile 'blacklist' of opposition MPs

Biden calls Afghanistan evacuation mission extraordinary success

Armenian Foreign Minister and CSTO Secretary General discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani border situation

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
Two Malaysians arrested by Taliban, reports say

Taliban fighters stand guard outside Kabul's airport. Malaysia says it is seeking information on claims that the group arrested two of its nationals. Photo: AP

Malaysia is seeking help from foreign security agencies to confirm media reports that two of its nationals have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan for their alleged involvement in Islamic State, the country's top police official said on Saturday.



Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said authorities had no information regarding the involvement of any Malaysians in the militant group in Afghanistan.



"The Royal Malaysian Police has requested security agencies abroad to confirm the reports as well as the allegations," he said in a statement.



"Investigations are also being carried out on whether those reports involved Malaysian Islamic State fighters who are already overseas."



British publication The Times on Saturday had reported the arrest of six Islamic State operatives, including two Malaysians, citing a Taliban official.



In the past decade, dozens of Malaysians have left their country to fight with Islamic State in Syria and other nations, though some have since been allowed to return under conditions set by authorities. It was unclear how many remain overseas. (Reuters)
Greek police fire tear gas as 7,000 protest jab rules

Anti-vaccine protesters run to avoid tear gas during clashes at central Syntagma square, in Athens. Photo: AP

Around 7,000 people protested in Athens on Sunday against a new rule obliging health workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19, said police who fired tear gas to quell violence among the demonstrators.



The rule change, which came into effect on Wednesday requires that all personnel working in hospitals be vaccinated.



The demonstrators waved Greek flags and brandished placards declaring: "We are not against vaccines, but against fascism" and "Long live democracy".



"It's amazing that I'm put on sick leave because I refuse to be vaccinated when for months I have helped to contain the epidemic, I have worked in very difficult conditions", said Christos Bakakios, an ambulance driver who joined the protest.



A nurse, who gave her name as Lina, said: "The Greek health system will collapse if they put all the caregivers who refuse to be vaccinated on furlough."



"The hospitals are already overcrowded. That would make no sense," she added.



Sporadic violence broke out in the evening. One group of demonstrators threw stones and bottles at the police who responded with tear gas.



Greece's government on Tuesday announced an array of new restrictions and the end, next month, of free testing for those who remain unjabbed against Covid-19 in an effort to boost vaccination rates.



The government took the measures in part to encourage people to get vaccinated, as the contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 takes hold.



At the moment 99 percent of seriously-ill coronavirus patients, those intubated in hospital, have not been vaccinated.



Retirement home workers have been obliged to get vaccinated since mid-August.



Ten employees at a home in Volos, in the centre of the country, were recently suspended from work.



More than 5.7 million of Greece's 10.7 million inhabitants have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus,



But the spread of the Delta variant continues to cause concern.



On Sunday Greece registered around 1,500 new Covid cases.



Over 13,600 people have died of the disease in the country since the pandemic began. (AFP)
The Daily Beast

Fox BusinessDonald Trump has had a lot to say about how Joe Biden has mishandled the withdrawal from Afghanistanbut, when given the chance to explain what he would have done differently, Trumps master plan boiled down to leaving the country in smouldering ruins before leaving it forever.The ex-president appeared on Fox Business on Tuesday morning to get some things off his chest a day after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan. During a curious rant about how he believes unnamed shadowy force
Eric Fields has been a Patrol Lieutenant for Alabamas Morgan County Sheriffs Department for nearly two decades and is often mistaken for the former wrestler

Eric Fields has been a Patrol Lieutenant for Alabamas Morgan County Sheriffs Department for nearly two decades. Well, it looks like he should consider another career as a Dwayne Johnson look-alike.

Fields, 37, has been noticed for looking very similar to actor and former wrestler, Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Fields is bald, has a muscular physique, and has a similar chin and bone structure in the face as the ex-WWE superstar. The Morgan County Sheriffs office even posted a photo on Facebook of Fields with a citizen who heard about Fields resemblance and asked one of Fields co-workers if he could see for himself.

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This gentlemen recently ran into Sgt. Mason and informed him he wanted to meet our Deputy that people say looks like The Rock, said the post. Sgt. Mason passed that along and Lieutenant Fields was happy to swing by the Hartselle Wal-mart to see him. Tyler is one of their many hardworkers and it was great to meet him and some of his coworkers!

Fields was worried the citizen would be disappointed, but both parties were pleased with the encounter.

The blessing was really for me because he had a spirit that was just such a great person to meet, Fields told AL.com. Hes the real celebrity. Everybody knew him and loved him. It was a blessing to me. I go trying to bless someone else, and I come out with the blessing of meeting him. I wish the actual Rock could meet this kid. Hes the hometown hero.

Alabama cop Eric Fields and Dwayne Johnson (Credit: Morgan County Sherriffs Office and Getty Images)

Fields contends that its been a running joke for some time now. In fact, sometimes people will ask him to reenact some of Johnsons signature wrestling catchphrases, such as Can you smell what the Rock is cooking? If the mood sets him right, he may even do an impression.

Not only that, but Fields says that people have also stated hes a dead ringer for actor Vin Diesel, who co-starred with Johnson in several editions of the Fast and Furious film franchise.

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Ive been called The Rock and Vin Diesels love child, Fields said. I go along with it. Its humorous. Its flattering. It could be worse people, I guess.

Fields has been with the Morgan County Sheriffs Department for 17 years and currently works as a Patrol Lieutenant, a firearms instructor, and overseer of tactical training. Prior to that he had worked the Sheriffs office as a member of its special victims unit and worked with drug-endangered children.

He worked his way up over the years. After being sworn in as a Deputy Marshal, he was promoted to corporal, then from a sergeant to lieutenant.

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The post Alabama cop gaining notoriety for resemblance to Dwayne Johnson: Its flattering appeared first on TheGrio.
TUNIS (Reuters) - Algerian authorities arrested on Sunday Tunisia's media mogul and former presidential candidate Nabil Karoui, after he entered Algeria secretly and illegally, Tunisian media said.

Karoui, the owner of the Nessma television channel and head of the Heart of Tunisia political party, the second largest in parliament, was arrested with his brother Ghazi Karoui, a lawmaker.

After he spent more than six months in Tunisian custody on money laundering and tax evasion charges, Karoui was released on June 15. The court is still investigating his case.

Karoui previously said he was innocent and that his political opponents were behind his imprisonment.

Karoui has not appeared in public since President Kais Saied dismissed his prime minister, froze parliament and assumed executive authority last month, in a sudden intervention that his Islamist opponents have labelled a coup.

Tunisia state TV and Radio MosaiqueFM said that Karoui secretly entered the Algerian city of Tebessa and he will appear in Algerian court on Monday. 

Officials in Algeria were not immediately available for comment.

In 2019, Karoui beat most candidates to reach a run-off for the presidency despite spending most of the campaign behind bars. He ultimately lost in a landslide to Saied.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Aug. 29LEWISTON  Two weeks ago, Bates College senior Nahida Moradi watched in horror from halfway around the globe as Taliban fighters swept into Afghanistan's capital where her parents and two younger siblings lived.

She said Friday that she couldn't believe the United States, after two decades of battling the Taliban, had just walked away and "handed a whole country to terrorists."

Moradi quickly decided that her family, members of the targeted Hazara community, would never be safe in Kabul under the new regime, particularly since she, her older sister Sabira and a younger brother were living in the U.S.

"We all started mobilizing," Moradi said, working the phones and pleading for help.

With nudges from the congressional offices of U.S. Rep. Jared Golden and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, both from Maine, the U.S. State Department issued visas to the family, but their scheduled flights to Pakistan never took off.

Moradi said they lost hope briefly.

Eventually, they made a connection with "people on the ground" in Kabul  Americans who had served in Afghanistan who were scrambling to save as many of their old allies as possible before evacuation flights ceased.

Wary of providing details, which might endanger others trying to escape, Moradi said these "true humans who cared" managed to fly her parents, brother and sister from their apartment directly into the airport that so many panicked Afghans were clamoring to reach.

On Tuesday, her family boarded an evacuation flight for Bahrain, one small part of an exodus that has delivered more than 100,000 people from danger since the fall of Kabul.

By Thursday, her family reached a processing center in El Paso, Texas, carrying little more than their passports from an Afghan government that no longer exists.

"The only thing that matters right now is they're alive and they're safe," she said.

Moradi, 23, said she can finally sleep again.

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What happens next is unclear. Her parents and siblings are likely to be released soon pending final disposition of their refugee status, perhaps able to settle in Maine or near their oldest daughter who works for the Aspen Institute in the nation's capital.

Moradi's family belongs to an ethnic minority in Afghanistan called the Hazaras, who make up about 6 million of the country's 30 million citizens.

Centered in the highlands in the central part of the country, they have long been said to be descendants of Genghis Khan's 13th century horde that swept through Eurasia conquering nearly every land it touched.

Moradi said that even today, her people are called "the leftovers of the Mongols" by many Afghans.

"We were never treated well," she said, often massacred, enslaved, deprived of education, unable to own property, possessing no voice in public affairs.

Her father grew up in Ghazni, a city between Kabul and Kandahar, the oldest son of a poor farmer. Her mother grew up in Kabul, her life constrained by a culture that offered few opportunities for women.

Moradi said her father managed to go to Kabul as a young man to attend a university, taking with him the responsibility of caring for his parents, siblings and extended family.

But war came to Afghanistan, a raging fight during the 1980s between the Russians and Afghan guerillas armed by the United States and operating out of mountain retreats and Pakistani safe havens, a model the Taliban followed in years to come.

At one point, the Russians arrested Moradi's father and kept him in prison for two years. At another time, he had a chance to go study in Russia. He didn't jump at it.

Her parents stayed in Kabul after the Russians left in 1989. Civil war would rage across Afghanistan in the 1990s, leaving ruins throughout Kabul until the Taliban eventually triumphed, bringing its cruel rule to the country.

Moradi said her father trained as an engineer and eventually helped set up a small business selling heating oil in Kabul. Her mother stayed home, as the Taliban dictated. They got by.

Moradi's mother, like nearly every Hazara woman, kept a low profile.

"They lived a life that never gave them any hope," Moradi said.

But her mother decided it didn't have to stay that way for another generation.

She "gave freedom to her daughters that she never had," Moradi said. "She was brave for that."

During the years when the Taliban ruled  before the Americans chased them away after Sept. 11, 2001  Moradi's mother tucked her eldest daughter under her burqa to sneak her to an underground school for girls.

Her parents, Moradi said, "wanted us to learn" and to be exposed to the world rather than hidden away from it.

Moradi said her parents embraced the idea that "the way out of poverty and violence and war was education."

Sabira Moradi leaped at the chance for more schooling after the Taliban lost control, studying first at a girls' school in Kabul and then, at age 15, heading to the United States to learn at a boarding school in Connecticut, where she ultimately graduated from Trinity College.

Sitting on a chair on the Quad at Bates, Moradi said her sister blazed a trail that she followed, going to high school in Oregon before coming to Lewiston after what turned out to be her last summer at home in 2018.

"The trend kept going," she said, and she hopes her younger siblings will keep it up.

After seven years in the United States, Moradi said she's seen enough to realize "this is what I want for my country."

She envies the nation's peace, prosperity and even its power. She embraces free speech, an open media and the idea that ordinary people matter.

But she can see America's flaws, too.

Three years ago, as a first-year student at Bates, Moradi worked for a time going door-to-door for Golden's U.S. House campaign. She met all sorts of people, she said.

"I got to know America on the campaign," she said, and she liked it.

What "broke her heart," Moradi said, is that Americans were "so hung up on their differences" that they couldn't see all the strands that tie them together. That partisanship worries her, she said, because she's seen how it can end.

From her education at Bates, where she's focused on economics and European studies, Moradi said she hoped to plunge into development economics so she could someday help rebuild Afghanistan's economy.

Her goal, she said, was "to go back and build a nation."

Moradi said the Taliban consists largely of uneducated, rural fighters from Afghan's mountains who are motivated by a misguided jihadi notion that they can drag the country back to the early days of Islam.

"It's just heartbreaking," she said, to think of how they'll try to stifle the lives of women.

After all, what's happened over the past two decades with the American presence in her homeland "is not just my story. It's millions of other girls' stories" as well, Moradi said, and most of them are still in Afghanistan.

Like many people, Moradi said she never imagined the Taliban could sweep to control so quickly as U.S. troops departed.

She said she understands why the Afghan military avoided a fight, though. It would have caused so much destruction and bloodshed, Moradi said, and its outcome was likely to be the same whether they surrendered or not.

But Moradi is less forgiving of Americans who abandoned her country.

She said she watched President Joe Biden talk repeatedly of "American lives, American lives, American lives" in a nationalist appeal she found disheartening.

And though she has seen plenty of "real compassion" from some Americans, including those who risked their lives to help her family escape, she has also witnessed carelessness from too many who seem to think "they're not us. Why should we help them?"

Moradi said the U.S. could have used its enormous power to leverage a better deal with the Taliban rather than simply quitting Afghanistan and leaving it to its fate.

Thinking about all the women photographers, journalists and even children playing that flitter through her mind as she thinks of Afghanistan, Moradi said she doesn't know what will happen to them all.

"I don't know who we're going to be," she said.

As a much-abused Hazara who recalls people slurring her as "a Russian spy" or "a Russian whore" because of her European appearance, Moradi said she never felt entirely comfortable thinking of herself as an Afghan.

"It broke my heart when the Taliban took our flag down," she said, adding, "I am an Afghan."

Yet she wonders if she can ever return to her native land.

"It feels like I have no home," Moradi said.
A Marine Corps team transfers the remains of Marine Corps Humberto Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind., at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

The White House flag was at half-staff when President Biden left early Sunday morning for a drive under cloudy skies to a nearby military base, where he boarded Air Force One with First Lady Jill Biden. He wore a black suit rather than his typical blue, and his destination was someplace he hoped never to visit while serving as commander in chief.

He soon touched down at Dover Air Force Base, which has spent the last two decades as a point of return for U.S. service members who were killed in Afghanistan. Biden announced this year that he would withdraw troops from the country, saying he was not willing to send any more American sons and daughters to die there.

But in order to safeguard the evacuation of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies after the Taliban swept into Kabul this month, he deployed thousands more service members to provide security at the airport. It's a dangerous mission, leaving them vulnerable to terrorist attacks as they screen potential travelers.

Those fears were realized Thursday, when a suicide bomber from an affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group blew himself up at an airport gate. Eleven Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy corpsman died, along with nearly 200 Afghans.

President Biden watches as a Navy team carries the remains of Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

So like his predecessors, Biden went to Dover on Sunday to meet with the families who lost sons and daughters in America's longest war days before it was scheduled to end. After the private meetings, he witnessed what's known as a dignified transfer, as flag-draped cases containing human remains were unloaded from the back of a cargo plane.

Before the transfer began, Biden walked up the ramp into the plane to pray. He was joined by the first lady, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley and other military leaders.

A team carries the remains of Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn. (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images)

They stood outside while the bodies were removed. The scene was nearly silent. Aircraft machinery hummed in the background while the white-gloved transfer teams kept time  hup, hup  and a marshal barked orders.

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The only other sound was the sobbing that could be heard from where the families of the dead were watching.

Biden held his right hand to his chest as each case passed by. His eyes remained locked on each one until it was loaded into a vehicle to be driven away, then bowed his head.

Five of the dead came from California. The rest hailed from Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.

"They were part of the bravest, most capable, and the most selfless military on the face of the Earth. And they were part of, simply, what I call the backbone of America," Biden said Thursday after the attack took place. "Theyre the spine of America, the best the country has to offer."

Several of the dead service members were infants or toddlers during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that sparked the invasion of Afghanistan, a grim reminder of how long U.S. troops have served there.

It's unclear if they will be the final U.S. deaths in the war. The evacuation effort is scheduled to last two more days, and there are an estimated 300 American citizens still trying to leave.

Biden warned Saturday that "the situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous," and another attack is "highly likely."

Later that night, U.S. officials warned Americans to "immediately" avoid the airport for their own safety. Another attack might have been foiled Sunday by a U.S. drone strike, which officials said targeted a vehicle ferrying additional suicide bombers toward the airport.

"Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material," said Capt. Bill Urban of U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in Afghanistan.

Roughly 2,500 U.S. service members have died in Afghanistan since the war began. Former President Trump began the withdrawal process by reaching an agreement with the Taliban last year.

President Biden walks through Arlington National Cemetery on April 14 after announcing his plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images)

Biden pushed back the deadline for pulling out, but he's been adamant about finishing the withdrawal.

"We went to Afghanistan because of a horrific attack that happened 20 years ago," he said in April when announcing his plans. "That cannot explain why we should remain there in 2021."

After making his announcement, he visited Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, where U.S. troops who died in Afghanistan are buried. Rows of identical white headstones lined the green grass.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Biden said after laying a wreath.

There could soon be fresh graves there.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
President Biden traveled to Dover Air Force Base on Sunday for the dignified transfer of the remains of the 13 U.S. service members killed in an attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

The remains of the service members were flown to the U.S. from Germany on Sunday morning, with a number of family members present for the transfer. The president and first lady Jill Biden met with family members just prior to the transfer.

The arrival of fallen servicemen in the U.S. is referred to as a dignified transfer instead of a ceremony so that family members do not feel obligated to attend, although they may do so if they wish.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley were also present.

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The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement on Saturday.

The service members were killed along with close to 200 Afghans in an attack Thursday by ISIS Khorasan, the terror groups central Asian affiliate. A suicide bomber affiliated with the group detonated an improvised explosive device outside the airports Abbey Gate, killing and maiming the Afghans awaiting entry to the airfield and the Marines admitting them, who were preparing to frisk the bomber.

The attack marked the deadliest single day for American troops in the war in Afghanistan since 2011.

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Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Scouted/HuckberryScouting Report: Flint & Tinders Waxed Trucker Jacket comes pre-broken-in, but with each movement, you can feel your mark being made on the jacket. It only gets better and better with each wear.With summer gone, its time to get back into jackets, which is my favorite time of the year. Theres truly nothing like a good jacket worn on a crisp autumn day. But finding one is harder than it looks. Ive never been much of a leather jacket kind o
Aug. 28With the return of the annual Ernie Pyle Fireman's Festival just hours away, Janice Craft busily helped her fellow Dana Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary members prepare.

Her husband, Fred, stirred a steaming cauldron of green beans and bacon behind the firehouse on North Maple Street under the morning sunshine. Those 30 pounds of beans and pork were to complement the auxiliary's noodles as main dishes for festivalgoers that night, Friday, Aug. 13. He'd make 40 pounds more to go alongside fried fish for Saturday, the festival's final day.

"Been doing this for 40 years," Fred said, swirling a paddle through the beans.

The festival  named for the town's most famous son, the late World War II newspaper columnist Ernie Pyle  means much to Crafts, just as it does to the entire town.

Three years ago, Janice suffered a heart attack on the Thursday before the 2018 festival. Two days later, she and Fred joined in the festivities in progress. "Me and him were out there dancing," recalled a smiling Janice, now 72.

The 2021 festival proved special for two reasons.

The coronavirus pandemic prompted the town to cancel the 2020 festival, so its return was much anticipated. "Oh, it was sad," Janice said of the cancellation.

"It was heartbreaking for this community," said Mandy Carter, a fellow auxiliary member, who was decorating shop windows along North Maple with Ashley Doan. "You block the street off and have the cakewalk right in the middle of it. Where else can you find that." Indeed, a huge wheel of numbers was painted in white over the pavement, awaiting the cherished tradition.

Secondly, the town of 555 residents is experiencing some momentum, after years of vacant buildings, shop closings and declining population.

In April, Dana received a $438,925 Community Crossings Matching Grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation and Gov. Eric Holcomb's Next Level Roads Program. Towns must apply for funds in the Community Crossings initiative, which has routed $931 million for local construction projects. Dana got one. Now, all of the town's north-south streets are being resurfaced. Two years ago, Dana got a similar grant and paved its east-west streets.

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"So this was our goal," said town clerk-treasurer Sara Benskin of fully repaved roadways. "I don't know if that's ever happened before [in a such a short timespan]."

Last December, Dana was awarded a $700,000 grant for water infrastructure through the U.S. Department of House and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant program, which is administered in Indiana by the state Office of Community and Rural Affairs. As a result, the town is getting a new water tower, as well as upgraded water lines and a water meter system. The existing water tower dates back to the 1920s, Benskin said.

"So we definitely were ready for a new one. [The old one] was beyond repair," she said.

Dana also received two grants in a six-month span from the Vermillion County Community Foundation aimed at attracting and retaining residents. The first, awarded in December, provides $10,000 for an extensive engineering feasibility study to determine whether its Town Garage and an adjacent building can be renovated into a town community center, or whether a new building is necessary. It's the second phase of the five-phase quest for a multi-purpose Dana Community Center that can serve a variety of groups, from kids to seniors.

It could take three to five years to complete, Benskin said.

Dana received a $20,000 grant in June, also through the foundation's "Better When We Gather  Creative Placemaking Grantmaking Initiative." It's funding a new parking lot and resurfaced infield for the town's ball diamond. Benskin said new scoreboard and safety bases could follow.

Efforts and resources to enhance the town inspire J. Dana Trent, who spent childhood years and summers in the town. Trent now lives in Raleigh, N.C. The Duke University Divinity School grad is a professor of world religions and critical thinking at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, as well as an ordained Baptist minister. Trent returned to her Dana for this year's return of the Ernie Pyle festival.

And, yes, her parents gave her that middle name in honor of her father's hometown, Dana.

Trent called the $30,000 in Vermillion County Community Foundation grants "a huge boost to Dana's vision for providing high-impact services to its residents, and the county as a whole. This is a game-changer for Dana, truly history in the making."

As she walked through the downtown, hours before the festivities began, she was greeted by several longtime residents who knew Trent as a child and her parents and grandparents. Trent's grandfather operated the local grocery store for 27 years. Her grandmother served as a public health nurse.

Inside the Off The Tracks cafe, she saw the familiar faces of Lew and Charla Perry ordering breakfast. The retired couple has lived in the same Dana residence for the past 52 years. Lew spent four years in the U.S. Air Force and 42 years working at Hercules/AET in Terre Haute, as well as serving seven years on the Dana Town Board. Charla served in several jobs with schools, from the classroom to the library, a bank, and an accounting office, and was a school board member. The couple now does volunteer work.

Both believe employment opportunities are crucial for Dana to grow.

"Our whole community needs good jobs and infrastructure and streets and roads, like everywhere," Charla said. The new water tower "is a good thing," she added. Likewise, the local boosters club "makes Dana a better place to live."

Outside, where volunteers and vendors set up for the festival, 42-year-old Mandy Carter and 33-year-old Ashley Doan  the auxiliary's window decorators  extolled the tight-knit feel of Dana. "It's a small-town feel," Doan said. "Everyone knows everyone. Everyone looks out for everybody's kid."

The women believe the town would be helped by new shops, such as an ice cream parlor or a grocery store (which the town has lacked since a fire destroyed the downtown market 15 years ago). A Dollar General in nearby Montezuma carries some produce, Carter pointed out. "Wouldn't that be great here?" she said.

Their ages represent a target group for new residents. Dana's population hovered around 800 residents through most of the 20th century, until dipping to 612 in the 1990 census. The newly released 2020 census recorded 555 residents in the town. Its peak came in 1900, the year Ernie Pyle was born.

The heroic journalist's birthplace home was saved from demolition in the 1970s by the nonprofit Friends of Ernie Pyle and moved from the countryside to the south edge of town, where it now greets visitors driving into downtown. It's now the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum and has been overseen by the Friends of Ernie Pyle since 2010, following state cutbacks that ended its operation by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

"It's nice to have the museum and [historical] things right there," Benskin said.

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted and complicated some projects, Benskin sees a brighter future for Dana. She's also the mom of a three-year-old who attends a Christian school across the street from the Town Hall, where she works. She's lived near Dana for all of her 35 years.

"I'm optimistic. We're constantly making improvements," Benskin said. "The Town Board has been very supportive, and the people  all the way from other states  are trying to help."

Mark Bennett can be reached at 812-231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.
Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk through the Dulles International Airport to board buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

People fleeing the violence engulfing Afghanistan have arrived in Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

City, state and federal agencies as well as hospitals and nonprofits are providing food, comfort items and hygiene products as well as a medical evaluation that includes a required COVID test, physical and mental health support services, and the opportunity to get a COVID vaccination, officials said.

Volunteer interpreters who can help with Dari, Pashto, Urdu or Farsi are being sought.

The military hopes to expand the capacity there to 10,000, part of an effort to expand nationwide capacity to 50,000 by Sept. 15.

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk through the Dulles International Airport to board buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk at Dulles International Airport toward buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk at the Dulles International Airport to board buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk through the Dulles International Airport to board buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan board a bus that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan approach a bus at Dulles International Airport on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan walk through the Dulles International Airport on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Evacuees who fled Afghanistan board buses that will take them to a processing center on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Linda So

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said on Sunday he supports COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children attending schools as the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to fuel a surge in cases in the nation.

"I believe that mandating vaccines for children to appear in school is a good idea," Fauci told CNNs "State of the Union" program. "We've done this for decades and decades, requiring polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis" vaccinations.

Currently, children under 12 are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. But Fauci, in a separate interview on ABC's "This Week" program, said there should be enough data by early October for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to consider whether the shot is safe for children under that age.

"I think there's a reasonable chance" that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines could get FDA clearance for kids under 12 before the upcoming holiday season, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the White House, said last Tuesday.

As schools re-open for the fall, the rise in coronavirus cases is already causing significant disruptions.

Dozens of schools nationwide have had to delay the start of the school year or shut down since opening in August, according to data from tracking website Burbio https://cai.burbio.com/school-opening-tracker. Its data shows the impact on schools so far has been heaviest in the South, the epicenter of the current surge in cases and where vaccination rates among those already eligible are generally the lowest in the country.

The re-opening of schools is also contributing to a supply shortage of COVID-19 tests in the United States as schools revive surveillance programs that will require tens of millions of tests, according to industry executives and state health officials, Reuters reported https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-covid-19-tests-again-short-supply-infections-soar-schools-reopen-2021-08-27 last week.

(Reporting by Linda So; Editing by Paul Simao)
NowThis

Team USAs Hagan Landry won a silver medal in shot put at the #TokyoParalympics  and he dedicated the win to his home state of Louisiana in the face of Hurricane Ida.  Sign up for our newsletter KnowThis to get the biggest stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox: https://go.nowth.is/knowthis_youtube  Subscribe to NowThis: http://go.nowth.is/News_Subscribe Watch the Paralympics on NBC and at NBCOlympics.com. For more Paralympics and sports news, subscribe to NowThis News. #HaganLandry #Paralympics #Louisiana #Sports #News #NowThis This video "Paralympic Shot Putter Dedicates Silver Medal to Louisiana ", first appeared on https://nowthisnews.com/.
Heavy traffic clogs Interstate 10 out of New Orleans as residents and visitors evacuate (AP)

Hurricane Ida has become a dangerous category 4 hurricane on track for a potentially devastating landfall on the Louisiana coast, on the 16th anniversary of the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina.

State emergency officials have been scrambling to find hotel rooms and mass shelters for people forced to evacuate from the storm, with the hurricane expected to make landfall on Sunday afternoon.

Ida quickly gained strength as it moved into the northern Gulf, going from top winds of 115 mph to 145 mph just a few hours later.

The storm was centred about 65 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 80 miles south-southeast of costal Grand Isle, Louisiana. It was travelling northwest at 15 mph.

A category four hurricane is one level below the very highest category and Ida is predicted to bring a life-threatening storm surge and heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said potentially catastrophic wind damage and flooding rainfall will impact portions of the northern Gulf coast beginning later this [Sunday] morning.

Tens of thousands of residents in coastal parts of south-east Louisiana were under mandatory evacuation orders while others have been urged to stock up on enough food and water for at least three days.

In New Orleans, mayor LaToya Cantrell ordered a mandatory evacuation for areas outside the citys levee system and a voluntary evacuation for residents inside the levee system.

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards warned the storm could be one of the biggest to hit the state in 150 years, adding that shelters would operate with reduced capacities to reflect the realities of Covid.

Addressing Louisianas residents on Saturday, the governor said: Your window of time is closing. By the time you go to bed tonight you need to be where you intend to ride the storm out and you need to be as prepared as you can be, because weather will start to deteriorate very quickly tomorrow.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas expected arrival on Sunday  the exact same date that Hurricane Katrina ravaged the two states 16 years ago, killing more than 1,800 people.

Collin Arnold, director of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, told CNN: August 29 is an important date in history here.

A lot of people remember what happened 16 years ago. Its time to hunker down tonight and be where you need to be.
The next 20 years in Afghanistan will be dictated by what happens during the next 20 days, Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) tells Axios.

Why it matters: The Iraq war veteran visited Kabul exactly a week before the United States' impending withdrawal. "The best-case scenario is the country becomes like Iraq today; the worst-case scenario is it becomes like Syria today. I don't think we know right now what path it's going to take."

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"The worst thing we could do is to, after this withdrawal, forget about this region and not fulfill our obligation," Meijer said during an interview Friday night.

The U.S. also must remain engaged diplomatically both for developmental and security reasons.

The worst-case scenario, the freshman Republican said, would be allowing the Taliban to be riven by infighting and lose control of the country  triggering a civil war.

Between the lines: Meijer blames the State and Defense departments for much of the chaotic withdrawal.

"We've all seen those timeline estimates  back in July  that the Afghan government will last six to nine months after withdrawal," he said. "In early August, it became 30 to 90 days after Aug. 31. We didn't even make it to Aug. 15."

"It is shameful that our men and women who are on the ground have been put in this position. And it's shameful that the administration waited so long to start these ... evacuations."

Meijer also blamed Congress for not being as involved as it should have been. He said he believes the House and Senate must reclaim war powers.

" So much of this  and this goes across administrations  comes down to how Congress has stepped back from its role and basically left this solely in the hands of the president," he said.

"Its not enough for Congress to just be sitting in the cheap seats, casting critical words here and there."

In addition, Meijer said he finds the level of information Congress is receiving on Afghanistan "insulting."

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"In its simplicity, it's often lagged behind what anyone with a Twitter account and an interest will learn."

"I felt that being dependent on senior leaders at DoD, State and in the White House to be presenting what was going on left me unprepared to execute and offer the decision-making that is expected of someone in my role."

He said the need for more oversight is why he and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) decided to take their secret trip to Afghanistan last Tuesday.

Go deeper:

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Aug. 29FRANKFORT  The Frankfort Ironman triathlon hasn't even happened yet, but organizers have already determined it will be returning to the small Lake Michigan community for another year.

Ironman 70.3 set a date for next year's race at Sept. 11, 2022, joining six other races as part of the North American Ironman TriClub Championship Series. The other locations are Panama City Beach, Fla.; Musselman, N.Y.; Lake Placid, N.Y.; Frankfort, Mich.; Seattle, Wash.; and Palm Springs, Calif.

Traverse City hosted the race in 2019. It was scheduled to return for 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic canceled it, including many other races of similar size across the nation.

Race officials had relocated the large event to Frankfort, starting in 2021, as part of a multi-year deal, according to a press statement in December. Registration began a few weeks later. A partnership between Traverse City Tourism, Benzie County Hotels and TC Tourism landed the deal that could last up to three years.

The 2019 Ironman event in TC was met with great customer reviews, rating it as one of the best events in North America in several categories, but also saw negative feedback because of road closures and inconvenience.

This led officials to seek other host sites outside of downtown Traverse City to eliminate travel restrictions and affect a less densely populated area.

Travelers won't see as many major road closures at the Frankfort event. But the Michigan State Police expect extreme delays for travelers along most of M-22 from Empire to Benzonia.

A detour route will stretch from Fowler Road to Herron Road at M-22, routing traffic through U.S. 31.

The only road that will be fully closed to vehicles is Main Street in Frankfort, from Michigan St. to 3rd St. from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and from 7th St. to 9th St. from 5 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

The rest of the route will remain open to local traffic  but with a very high volume of athletes on the road. Roads and intersecting streets along the route may have limited access, MSP said.

For race day traffic assistance on and navigation information Sept. 12 it will be provided via the Waze GPS app on iOS or Android. More information will be provided at IRN.MN/MichiganTrafficImpact

Follow Andrew Rosenthal on Twitter @ByAndrewR
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan must launch a new economic stimulus package worth "several tens of trillion yen" as soon as possible, Fumio Kishida, who is running to be prime minister in a forthcoming election, was quoted as saying by the Nikkei newspaper on Sunday.

Kishida, a former foreign minister, said on Thursday he would challenge Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for the leadership of the ruling party, as the premier struggles with crumbling approval rates ahead of the election.

The winner is virtually assured of being prime minister because of the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) majority in parliament's lower house. The LDP chief must lead the party to a general election by Nov. 28.

Kishida told reporters the stimulus package would include aid for all economic sectors and regions in need of help due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Nikkei.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
President Joe Biden exits Marine One earlier in August (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden headed to Dover, Delaware on Sunday to attend the dignified transfer of the remains of 13 US service members killed by an Isis-k terrorist attack in Kabul last week.

Mr Biden left the White House Sunday morning and arrived in Dover shortly before 9:00 a.m. local time. The dignified transfer, in which the flag-draped transfer cases are removed from the plane and transferred to an awaiting vehicle, is set to take place around noon.

The White House has avoided referring to the event as a ceremony, a White House official told pool reporters, to avoid putting pressure on family members to attend the gathering, which is instead reportedly being referred to as a solemn movement.

The event on Sunday took place as reports of a second US retaliatory strike against Isis-k militants in Afghanistan broke across social media, with US officials telling Reuters that individuals aligned with the terrorist group were targeted in Kabul, resulting in an explosion heard around the city.

The US previously targeted an ISIS-k planner and one other individual with the group in an attack on Friday that the Pentagon said resulted in no civilian casualties to the USs immediate knowledge. The Biden administration vowed swift justice for the killed US service members, 12 Marines and one Navy medic, after they were killed in an apparent suicide bombing outside of Hamid Karzai International Airports Abbey Gate.

Evacuations at the airport are continuing ahead of the 31 August deadline, which is just 48 hours away. The Biden administration has resisted calls thus far to extend the deadline past that date.

US commanders warned Mr Biden that an attack on the airport is likely as the last US evacuations continue, according to news reports over the weekend.

The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date, the White House said on Saturday in a statement.
Radicalized terrorist sympathizers "already in our country" pose a "bigger problem" for the U.S. than any security issues at the U.S.-Mexico border, a retired U.S. Army general says.

Retired Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard, a former commanding general at Fort Bliss in Texas, shared his observations last week in an interview with Border Report, after bombings at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan killed at least 13 U.S. service members as well as scores of Afghan civilians.

Pittard doesnt just know about conditions at Fort Bliss, he also knows about fighting terrorists in combat: After leaving Fort Bliss in 2013, Pittard led U.S. troops against ISIS fighters in Iraq in 2014, according to Border Report.

After the Kabul attacks, some lawmakers in the U.S. expressed concern that terrorists might feel emboldened by the Kabul carnage to try to enter the U.S. and launch similar destruction on America soil.

KABUL ATTACK COULD SPARK TERRORISM ALONG US-MEXICO BORDER, TEXAS GOP LAWMAKER WARNS

"Suicide bombs in Kabul todaysuicide bombs in the U.S. tomorrow. Biden must IMMEDIATELY secure our southern border before its too later!" U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, tweeted on Thursday.

But Pittard told Border Report that the U.S. faced an even "bigger problem" regarding security here at home: the radicalization of people who have already entered the U.S.

"Yes, (were) always concerned with our border not being secure," Pittard told Border Report, "but I think its a bigger problem radicalizing people who are already in our country.

"The idea that they would cross the border  they dont have to," Pittard said, explaining that terrorist sympathizers already live in the U.S.

Terror groups like al Qaeda, ISIS or the ISIS-K affiliate in Afghanistan "can radicalize people already in our country  which they have shown that they can do, and well," Pittard told Border Report.

TED CRUZ: POOR VETTING OF AFGHANISTAN REFUGEES COULD BE INVITATION TO TERROR ATTACKS

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As a former commander at Fort Bliss  located near El Paso, Texas  Pittard is well aware of the concerns of U.S. border communities, especially in recent months, as more than 1.2 million illegal immigrants have crossed into the U.S.

A new concern for the El Paso area: Both Fort Bliss in Texas and nearby Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico are among the sites selected to temporarily house Afghan refugees as they arrive in the U.S.

Biden administration officials have been unclear about how many Afghan refugees will be sheltered at the facilties, according to KVIA-TV in El Paso  and lawmakers and local community members have raised concerns about just how well those arriving refugees will be vetted.

On Friday, for example, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, raised safety concerns regarding Fort Bliss.

"I'm very concerned that the Biden administration is bringing tens of thousands of refugees into the United States without thoroughly vetting them," Cruz told reporters in El Paso. With more refugees coming to the U.S. by the day, Cruz claimed, insufficient vetting "is an invitation to terrorist attacks here in the United States."

In response to Cruzs remarks, White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted the Biden administration would "implement multiple layers of checks" to assure that the refugees are properly vetted.

Pittard told Border Report that Fort Bliss had the resources to be able to conduct thorough checks of refugees.

"Fort Bliss by population is in the top five installations in the U.S. Army," he said. "There is plenty of space. There are places you can put the Afghan immigrants and keep them secluded until you do the proper checks  so, theres lots of room."
Of the 13 U.S. military personnel killed in the Kabul airport blast, 10 were based at Camp Pendleton.

And at least five had roots in California.

Here is what we know about the local service members:

Hunter Lopez | Indio

Lopez, 22, of Coachella Valley is the son of two Riverside County sheriffs deputies, Capt. Herman Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez, according to a statement by Sheriff Chad Bianco.

Lopezs father commands the Sheriffs Departments La Quinta station in Thermal, according to a statement by city officials.

Our La Quinta family is in mourning today with the tragic loss of Hunter Lopez, the statement said. We are all so humbled by the service and ultimate sacrifice that Hunter gave to protect our country. He was a brave and selfless soldier who answered the call to be a United States Marine. Like his parents, Hunter wanted to help serve others and protect his community.

Lopez graduated from La Quinta High School in 2017 and served with the Sheriffs Departments explorer program from September 2014 to August 2017, Bianco said.

Lopez joined the Marine Corps on Sept. 5, 2017, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, the sheriff said.

He planned on following in his parents footsteps and becoming a Riverside County sheriffs deputy after returning home from his deployment, Bianco said.

The Lopez family requested that donations in Hunters memory be made to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation in the name of the Lopez family. Donations can be sent to 21810 Cactus Ave., Riverside, CA 92518.

Kareem Nikoui | Norco

Nikoui, 20, graduated from Norco High School in 2019 and served in the Junior ROTC, according to a statement by the city. He is survived by his parents and siblings.

Hours before he died, he sent videos to his family showing himself interacting with children in Afghanistan.

In one of the clips, he asked a young boy to say hello.

Want to take a video together, buddy? Nikoui said, leaning in to take a video of himself with the boy. All right, were heroes now, man.

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Paul Arreola, a close family friend, told the Associated Press the videos show the heart of this young man, the love he has.

The family is just heartbroken, he said. Arreola described Nikoui as an amazing young man full of promise who always wanted to be a Marine and set out to achieve his goal.

He loved this country and everything we stand for. Its just so hard to know that weve lost him, he said, crying.

Norco city officials said Friday they planned to enshrine Nikouis name on the Lest We Forget Wall at George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Plaza.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) praised Nikoui for his service, saying that words are incapable of expressing our grief and mourning for the loss of Lance Cpl. Nikoui and the other U.S. service members who were killed.

As a proud Marine, Lance Cpl. Nikoui and his unit put themselves in harms way in order to provide safety to others. Thats the definition of courage, Calvert said. Thats the embodiment of the Marine Corps motto, Semper fidelis. I have spoken to the Nikoui family and expressed my condolences. The burden they bear is unimaginable.

Dylan R. Merola | Rancho Cucamonga

Merola, 20, planned to go to college and study engineering when he returned to the U.S., according to KCBS-TV.

One of the best kids ever, his mother told the station. Kind, loving  he would give anything for anybody.

Cheryl Merola also described the last text she received from her son. It read: "I wont be able to talk for a little while, were being sent to a different location. I love you and Ill talk to you soon."

His death brought an outpouring of support.

"Dylan was a beloved son, brother, grandson, great-grandson, nephew, a great friend, and a brave soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice at the Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the evacuation," according to a GoFundMe page seeking donations for his funeral.

Nicole Gee | Sacramento

Family members said Gee was deeply devoted to her work in Afghanistan and documented it on social media.

Gee grew up in the Sacramento suburb of Roseville and went to Oakmont High School. The city of Roseville described her as a "hometown hero." Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) said Gee "chose a path of valor and service to others  making the ultimate sacrifice. As a nation, we owe her and her family a debt of gratitude."

Gee's sister offered a tribute on a GoFundMe Page:

Myself and my family are extremely devastated with the news of my sister passing. I can confidently speak for everyone who knew and loved my sister, Nicole Gee, that she was such a bright light to everyone she touched. Always focusing on positivity and motivating others to do their best. She was and always will be my greatest inspiration and motivation to be the best version on myself that I can be. Ive always said she is the absolute light of my life and I would do anything for her, she was my first best friend, my partner in this crazy life, my absolute hero. There are no words that will express how much she will be missed.

The Associated Press provided an account of her time overseas:

A week before she was killed, Sgt. Nicole Gee cradled a baby in her arms at the Kabul airport. She posted the photo on Instagram and wrote, I love my job.

Gee, 23, was a maintenance technician with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Brig. Gen. Forrest C. Poole III, commanding general of 2nd Marine Logistics Group, said his unit mourned the immense loss of Sgt. Gee and the others.

Sgt. Mallory Harrison, who lived with Gee for three years, wrote about how hard the death hit her.

I cant quite describe the feeling I get when I force myself to come back to reality & think about how Im never going to see her again, Harrison wrote on Facebook. How her last breath was taken doing what she loved  helping people.  Then there was an explosion. And just like that, shes gone.

Gees Instagram page shows another photo of her in fatigues, holding a rifle next to a line of people walking into the belly of a large transport plane. She wrote: Escorting evacuees onto the bird.

Darin Taylor Hoover | Aliso Viejo

Hoover grew up in Utah but had been living in Orange County with his girlfriend.

"His life revolved around his family, the Marine Corps, and the men he served," his girlfriend, Nicole Weiss, said in a statement. "It has been my honor and privilege to have stood by his side and to have had the opportunity to love him and live a beautiful life together. I know in my heart that Taylor would want us all to be celebrating his life and coming together  not in mourning."

Hoover had been in the Marines for 11 years and was remembered as a hero who died serving others, his father Darin Hoover told the Associated Press.

He is a hero. He gave his life protecting those that cant protect themselves, doing what he loved serving his country, he said.

Darin Hoover said he'd heard from many fellow Marines who considered his son a mentor.

They look back on him and say that theyve learned so much from him, Darin Hoover said. One heck of a leader.

The Associated Press, City News Service, Merrie Monteagudo and Shelby Grad contributed to this report.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Barely a year after the Las Vegas Strip was shut down by Covid-19, its world-famous casinos have roared back to a record-breaking summer thanks to a remarkable winning streak.

Nevada pocketed an all-time record $1.36 billion last month from gamblers, who are flooding back to the city nicknamed Lost Wages after months confined at home with little to spend their money on.

"We weren't anticipating these type of numbers," said Michael Lawton, senior analyst for Nevada Gaming Control Board.

"In Nevada, a billion dollars in gaming win is kind of a bellwether number. And we've recorded a billion dollars in gaming win in five consecutive months."

July was something of a "perfect storm," thanks to the presence of major events including a Conor McGregor fight, a Garth Brooks concert at the gleaming new Allegiant Stadium, and the return of musical residencies such as Usher and Bruno Mars at swanky casino theaters.

The month also contained five weekends, including the bonanza Fourth of July holiday.

But the hot streak -- and bustling crowds on the Strip -- point to a renewed confidence in the safety of piling onto slot machines and roulette tables, even as the Delta variant spreads and Nevada has had to reimpose indoor mask mandates.

"The people that come to Vegas don't really seem too concerned," said one barman working on the Strip, who asked not to be named.

"They don't seem super worried about getting sick or anything. I think if you're paranoid about getting sick, I don't think those people travel -- they probably stay at home."

Workers at casinos told AFP that many of their customers hail from the US Midwest, Texas and Florida.

"It's definitely back to pre-pandemic levels," said Shawn Jones, a promoter at the brand-new Resorts World casino, who said the previous weekend's pool parties had fully sold out.

"Maybe it's the pent up energy... if you ain't able to do something for a while, then there's a big rush when they are able to get out."

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- 'Girls' trip' -

Las Vegas became a ghost town in early 2020, with casinos ordered to close for 78 days, dealing a heavy unemployment blow to the tourism-reliant economy.

Capacity limits remained in place until this June, but even by May the city had broken its long-standing monthly gambling revenue record set before the global financial crisis that began in October 2007, according to Lawton.

Americans' reluctance to travel abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic appears to have benefited Las Vegas, with domestic tourism surging.

"We had been planning a girls' trip -- we were originally going to Greece in 2020 but it was postponed, so this is like a revamp," said Karen Utsey, 50, a defense contractor from Michigan.

"Right now I don't know if I'm comfortable going overseas."

Total visitor numbers for July hit 3.3 million, just 10 percent below the same month in pre-pandemic 2019 despite the relative absence of international travel.

Numbers arriving by car from California have surpassed pre-pandemic levels all summer.

While Lawton expects August gambling figures to track slightly lower than July, the gradual return of trade conventions that make up a huge slice of mid-week business offers hope for further growth.

In June, the World of Concrete drew headlines as the first major industry convention to return to Las Vegas, and this week saw events including movie theater summit CinemaCon, the JCK jewelry show and Cannabis Conference 2021.

Attendee numbers were expected to be lower than previous years, but both events were scrapped entirely in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, meaning their return to Las Vegas represents progress.

Dean and Amanda Moodie, 37 and 35, just arriving from Minnesota for the jewelry event, said they have taken outdoor-based vacations around the US during the pandemic, but the Las Vegas trip "is probably our first dabble into things that are mainly indoors."

"I mean there's masks and stuff," said Dean Moodie.

"I'm not too worried about myself personally anyways. And then we're both vaccinated as well."

amz/hg/jm
Sen. Lindsey Graham said the U.S. military could retake Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan "tonight" if President Joe Biden would make the order.

With a withdrawal deadline fast approaching, the South Carolina Republican told Fox News host Jeanine Pirro on Saturday evening that the base would alleviate the chaotic evacuations of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, where a suicide blast killed dozens of people on Thursday, including 13 U.S. service members, and threats persisted into the weekend.

"Bagram was a great evacuation platform. It has multiple runways. It's out in the middle of nowhere, and you can take that airbase tonight if you wanted to. If you had any will in the White House, militarily, we can take Bagram Air Base," Graham said.

The senator noted the base is relatively close to the anti-Taliban resistance in Panjshir Valley.

SECOND ATTACK IN KABUL 'HIGHLY LIKELY' WITHIN 24 TO 36 HOURS, BIDEN SAYS

"They need to have a footprint to continue to get people out, and you can make the Taliban's life difficult. But we are choosing to do none of that. This is a dark, despicable, and depressing chapter in American history," he added.

U.S. troops and Western allies left Bagram, about an hour's drive from Kabul, in early July. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have cast the decision to abandon the base as a critical mistake.

Biden, who is sticking to his Tuesday withdrawal deadline, said Thursday that he followed the advice of the military that "Bagram was not much value added, that it was much wiser to focus on Kabul. And so, I followed that recommendation."

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Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a briefing on Aug. 18 that securing Bargam "is a significant level of military effort of forces, and it would also require external support from the Afghan Security Forces," which fell apart with the U.S.-backed Afghan government this month as the Taliban swept across the country.

Story continues

"Our task given to us at that time, our task was protect the embassy in order for the embassy personnel to continue to function with their consular service and all that. 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," Milley added. "So, we had to collapse one or the other, and a decision was made."

Afghan forces at Bagram surrendered to Taliban fighters, according to a local district official. Graham said in a tweet Thursday that taking back the base was worth the risk.

"The retaking of Bagram would put our military at risk, but I think those involved in the operation would gladly accept that risk because it would restore our honor as a nation and save lives," he said.

After Biden vowed to retaliate for the deadly bombing outside Kabul's airport, the U.S. military conducted a drone strike that killed two Islamic State militants and wounded a third person, the Pentagon said Saturday.

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Tags: News, Lindsey Graham, Congress, Joe Biden, National Security, Afghanistan, Foreign Policy

Original Author: Daniel Chaitin

Original Location: Lindsey Graham says military can retake Bagram Airfield 'tonight'
Flooded streets and homes are shown in the Spring Meadow subdivision in LaPlace, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida moved through on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. AP Photo/Steve Helber

Ida made landfall as a hurricane in Louisiana Sunday and downgraded to a tropical depression Monday.

More than a million people had no power as of Tuesday, and some could be without it for weeks.

Area hospitals were near capacity with COVID-19 patients, and the storm strained emergency services.

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Tropical Depression Ida is set to bring heavy rains and flooding as officials warn of weeks-long power cuts.

Ida made landfall as a hurricane in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on Sunday, the same day Hurricane Katrina struck the area 16 years ago.

It hit land as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph. It was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday, and to a tropical depression hours later.

Ida still brings a heavy threat of rain, flooding, and flash flooding across the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys and into the Central and Southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center warned.

"There is no doubt that the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult for our state and many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told a Sunday press conference. "But I can also tell you that as a state we've never been more prepared."

Photojournalist Alan Chin surveyed the damage on Monday. His photos show the destruction.

Destroyed building on Airline Highway in LaPlace, LA. Alan Chin for Insider



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At least two people were killed after a Mississippi highway collapse.

At least two people died and at least 10 were injured after part of a Mississippi highway collapsed, creating a huge hole that vehicles fell into.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Captain Cal Robertson said that "some of these cars are stacked on top of each other."

A crane was brought in to lift vehicles out of the hole, which was up to 60 feet long, and up to 30 feet deep.



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People could be left without power for weeks due to Hurricane Ida, officials warned.

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Residents leave a partially flooded area in LaPlace, Louisiana, approximately 20 miles west of New Orleans. Alan Chin for Insider

More than 1 million people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have been left without power, PowerOutage.US reported.

CNN reported that some of these people could be left without power for weeks to come.

An official in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, said people in some parts of the area were expected to be without power for three to four weeks.

Officials in St. Charles Parish said it is "highly likely" that the parish will be without power for a month.

Ida is the ninth named storm of the 2021 Atlantic season.

Traffic diverts around downed power lines on August 30, 2021 in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida. AP Photo/Steve Helber

It is also the fourth storm to develop into a hurricane.

As Ida approached the US Gulf Coast, Louisiana hospitals were already inundated with COVID-19 patients, with approximately 68% of state hospital beds and 84% of all ICU beds filled, according to The Daily Advertiser's hospital capacity table.

Hurricane Ida was downgraded to a tropical depression Monday.

A man walks along the Mississippi River near the French Quarter as the sun rises and the early effects of Hurricane Ida are felt, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans. AP Photo/Eric Gay

Tropical Storm Ida has been downgraded to a tropical depression as it moves over Mississippi, according to a National Hurricane Center forecast advisory at 5 p.m. ET on Monday.

Still, many portions of southern Louisiana were catastrophically affected before the storm weakened.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents who traveled out of the city ahead of the storm not to come back yet.

A man assesses the damage done by Hurricane Ida. Alan Chin for Insider

"Residents that are here now in the city of New Orleans and visitors: we need you to be careful," Cantrell said Monday at the city's first press briefing since the hurricane passed through Sunday. "We need you to stay in your homes. Stay in your neighborhoods."

Residents who traveled out of the city ahead of Hurricane Ida should remain out of the city until officials deem it safe to return, Cantrell said, as power remained out in the entire city and in surrounding parishes.

Deanna Rodriguez, the president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans, said at the conference she was unable to provide an estimate as to when power would be restored. More than 880,000 Entergy customers were without power in the state, she said.

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Gov. John Bel Edwards said he expects the death toll to "go up considerably throughout the day."

New Orleans firefighters assess damage as they look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, August 30, 2021. Eric Gay/AP Photo

"I am certain that as the day goes on, we will have more deaths," Edwards told MSNBC on Monday.

It's been difficult for search and rescue efforts to travel through all the debris left in Ida's wake, so it could take "many days" to reach Louisiana's southern coast on the ground, Edwards added.

"We're going to be responding to this hurricane for quite awhile, and then we're going to be recovering from it for many months," he said.

A building that housed an iconic pawn shop where Louis Armstrong worked in the 1910s was completely destroyed by Ida.

Ida leveled a historic building on New Orleans' South Rampart Street that housed the Karnofsky pawn shop.

Photos shared on Twitter show that the building collapsed during the storm.

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Several Louisiana parishes faced issues with 911 lines.

Debris is seen in an intersection in downtown on August 29, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

St. Charles, Jefferson, and Tangipahoa parishes all faced difficulties with 911 lines during the storm, according to WDSU.

Cell service and phone lines were also facing issues on Sunday.

Additionally, at least 960,000 Louisiana customers had no power on Monday morning, WDSU reported.

As of 7 p.m. CDT on August 30, Jefferson Parish has restored its 911 line.

Ida's first reported death was a Louisiana resident killed by a tree.

The first death linked to Ida was reported on Sunday, when a tree fell on a house in Baton Rouge, killing a person inside.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office announced the death on Facebook.

Little is known about the person who died, except that they lived off of Highway 621 in Prairieville.

Ida weakened to a tropical storm on Monday morning.

The storm had sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. Flooding remained a major concern, the National Hurricane Center said.

The National Weather Service said on Monday that flash flooding could occur in southeastern Louisiana, most of Mississippi, and southern Alabama. In Mississippi, forecasts warned of tornadoes and hail.

Power was knocked out in Orleans Parish on Sunday night.

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Alerts sent out by Entergy, a Louisiana-based power company, confirmed that all of Orleans Parish is currently without power.

"As a result of Hurricane Ida's catastrophic intensity, all eight transmission lines that deliver power into the New Orleans area are currently out of service. When this occurred, it caused a load imbalance in the area and resulted in generation in the area coming offline," an Entergy news release said.

The company also said power will not be restored tonight and backup generation has been provided to the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board. Additional power outages throughout Louisiana are mapped on Entergy's website.



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The National Weather Service issued hurricane warnings for Louisiana parishes and downgraded Ida to a Category 3 storm Sunday evening.

A group of people cross an intersection during Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Hurricane Ida has weakened to a Category 3 storm.

Tornado warnings were issued until 7 p.m. CDT for Orleans, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany parishes in Louisiana. More tornadoes may continue to develop as Ida moves through southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, the National Weather Service said.

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Residents of Louisiana's southernmost parish were urged to immediately seek higher ground on Sunday evening.

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The Plaquemines Parish Government said in a Facebook post that it received reports from the parish's Sheriff's Office that a levee in White Ditch had been overtopped.

"EVACUATE!!!! SEEK HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY!!!! If you live in the Braithwaite area between the Parish Line and White Ditch on the Eastbank SEEK HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY!!!!" a government Facebook post said.





President Joe Biden warned "the devastation is likely to be immense."

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"We're gonna put the country's full might behind rescue and recovery," Biden told reporters Sunday.

"I've been around for a lot of hurricanes, and I don't think we've ever had as much preparation," he added.

Hurricane Ida made a second landfall in Galliano, Louisiana, at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Hurricane Ida's forecasted path as of 1 p.m. CT on Sunday. NHC

The storm's winds decreased slightly to 145 mph as it moved over land, but that's still a Category 4 hurricane.

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"Many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today," Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday.

A man passes by a section of roof that was blown off of a building in the French Quarter by Hurricane Ida winds, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans. AP Photo/Eric Gay

At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warned people riding out the storm to remain inside in the most interior part of their home.

"If you're in Ida's path and you've not already begun to feel severe weather, we can just about absolutely assure you that you will," Edwards said.

"Quite frankly, we can't tell you yet how soon it will be before first responders will be able to respond to calls for assistance, so please don't go out," he added. New Orleans EMS suspended services earlier Sunday.

Edwards said residents in the path of the hurricane should prepare to shelter in place for the next 72 hours.

More than 350,000 people in Louisiana were without power Sunday afternoon, according to data from Entergy New Orleans.

More than 350,000 people were without power in Louisiana on Sunday afternoon, just about an hour after the storm in the state, according to data from energy company Entergy Louisiana.

Power outages in the state have rapidly increased as the storm neared the coastline and eventually made landfall. The company said power outages could last as long as three weeks for some customers.



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Emergency Medical Services in the city of New Orleans were suspended Sunday afternoon due to "dangerous winds".

New Orleans EMS suspended operations due to "dangerous winds." New Orleans EMS/Twitter

"We will address calls accordingly once it is safe for our first responders," New Orleans EMS said in a tweet.

The National Hurricane Center forecasted a storm surge as high as 16 feet - almost two stories - in some areas.

The National Hurricane Center predicted a storm surge as high as 16 feet in some areas. The National Hurricane Center/NOAA

The highest storm surge is expected between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Port Fourchon, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Ida made landfall in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at 11:55 am CT as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph.

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The storm knocked out power at several sewage and water pumps, which won't be repaired until after the storm ends.

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More than 93,000 people in New Orleans faced a power outage early Sunday afternoon as the storm inched closer to making landfall, according to Entergy New Orleans.

Power was also knocked out at several sewage pump stations on the East and West Bank of the city, prompting a warning from the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans.

"This increases the potential for sewer backups in homes," the SWB said. "We urge those residents who still have power to minimize wastewater leaving their homes by not running your dishwasher or washing clothes."

The stations are expected to remain out of order until after the storm passes, SWB said.

The National Weather Service urged residents in three Louisiana towns to seek shelter due to approaching "extremely dangerous hurricane winds" on Sunday.

The National Weather Service urged people in three Louisiana towns to seek shelter indoors immediately. National Weather Service

The National Weather Service issued an extreme wind warning for Houma, Bayou Cane, and Estelle, Louisiana, until 1:30 p.m. CT.

"Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!" the NWS said in a statement.

911 services in New Orleans were experiencing "technical difficulties" on Sunday as the storm approached Louisiana, officials said.

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Video showed water levels in Louisiana beginning to rise Sunday morning.

A video taken from Grand Isle, Louisiana, located in the southeast region of the state, shows water rising rapidly ahead of Ida's approach.

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Hurricane Ida strengthened to Category 4 storm Sunday morning.

Wind speeds are expected to be most severe when the storm makes landfall in Louisiana. National Hurricane Center

Ida has strengthened into a Category 4 just hours before it's expected to touch down in Louisiana.

An update from the National Hurricane Center said Ida is projected to bring maximum sustained winds of up to 150 mph. There's also the threat of "extremely life-threatening inundation of 9 feet or greater above ground level is possible somewhere within the area from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the coast of Mississippi."

The storm is moving toward Louisiana at a rate of 15 mph.

A Hurricane Hunter aircraft found Ida has strengthened into a major hurricane.

A Hurricane Hunter Gulfstream aircraft warms up its engines before takeoff from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, Aug. 23, 2011. AP Photo/John Raoux

At 1 a.m. CT, the National Hurricane Center released a public advisory for Ida stating that an Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft found the storm has strengthened into a "major hurricane."

"Although landfall is not expected for about 18 hours, impacts will begin well before that time. Tropical-storm-force winds are likely to begin overnight, therefore, all preparations to protect life and property must be rushed to completion," NHC's forecast discussion said.

Although Ida has continued to move steadily northwest, its new track forecast is just a little to the east of the previous one, according to NHC's forecast discussion.

The National Weather Service said parts of Louisiana may be "uninhabitable for weeks or months."

People walk down Canal Street past a boarded up CVS Pharmacy in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 28, 2021 before the arrival of Hurricane Ida. Owners were boarding up their shops and evacuations were underway on August 28, 2021 as Hurricane Ida was on a path to hit New Orleans 16 years to the day the southern US city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Around 11 p.m. CT on Sunday, the National Weather Service's New Orleans branch issued a statement saying that certain parts of Louisiana may be uninhabitable for extended periods, potentially for weeks or months.

Powerful storm surges, wind, and flooding may result in structural damage to buildings, considerable floating debris, beach erosion, and flooded roads, according to the statement.

"The time is to prepare and evacuate is coming to an end quickly. Do so now or shelter in place. Do not enter evacuated areas until officials have given the all clear to return," the statement said.

Over 1,400 incarcerated individuals in southern Louisiana parishes have been relocated ahead of Ida's landfall.

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Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman told New Orleans' WDSU that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the Louisiana Sheriff's Task Force facilitated the transport of more than 1,400 inmates Saturday afternoon to state prison facilities before Ida makes landfall.

About 835 inmates from Orleans Parish and another 600 from Plaquemines Parish were evacuated, WDSU reported. Gusman said 22 of the individuals in custody tested positive for COVID-19 and were separated and transported for treatment by medical contractor Wellpath Care, according to WDSU.

President Joe Biden discussed Hurricane Ida preparations with FEMA and the National Hurricane Center on Saturday.

US President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual briefing by Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on preparations for Hurricane Ida, in the South Court auditorium of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 28, 2021. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

National Hurricane Center Director Kenneth Graham briefed Biden on Saturday about Ida's projected path. Graham said Ida "will likely be very strong and destructive, with dangerous, life-threatening storm surge and significant rainfall that would impact both coastal and inland areas," according to a White House briefing.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined a video conference with Biden from the National Response Coordination Center to discuss evacuation efforts and concerns about widespread power outages, the briefing said.

Biden approved an emergency disaster declaration for Louisiana on Friday, authorizing federal assistance for all of the state's 64 parishes.

Gov. John Bel Edwards warned Saturday that Hurricane Ida could be the strongest storm to hit Louisiana since the 1850s.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks during a press conference on August 19, 2016, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

During a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards urged residents to evacuate north of Baton Rouge and west of Lafayette as Hurricane Ida approaches the Gulf Coast, WAFB Channel 9 reported.

On Thursday, Edwards declared a state of emergency and sent President Biden a letter asking for direct federal assistance in response to Hurricane Ida. The Category 4 storm, which Edwards told WAFB will be the strongest storm to hit the state since the 1850s, is forecast to make landfall late Sunday with wind speeds up to 110 mph.

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Associated Press

Flooded out by Hurricane Katrina, Roy Comardelle wasn't going to let another hurricane beat him. Comardelle thought he was winning against Hurricane Ida until the Category 4 winds at its heart battered his house and sent water spilling over the grassy walls of his handmade levee, which includes a pump and a homemade flood gate for the driveway. As he worked, Comardelle couldn't help but wonder when he might be able to get back out on the water to make a living catching crabs.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

McConnell called Biden's Afghanistan exit "one of the worst foreign policy decisions" in US history.

The Kentucky Republican maintained that keeping a small troop presence in the country was working.

Biden has so far rejected calls to extend the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday blasted President Joe Biden for his plan to withdraw from Afghanistan, calling it "one of the worst foreign policy decisions in American history."

During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," the Kentucky Republican told host Chris Wallace that the decision to leave the country after a nearly 20-year time span was worse than the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, when the city of Saigon fell to communist forces of the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong.

"We're looking at the exit, and over the next two days, our heroic military is doing the best they can with a horrible policy decision. This is one of the worst foreign policy decisions in American history, much worse than Saigon," he said.

McConnell said the Afghanistan withdrawal is much more perilous than the exit from Vietnam because the threat of terrorism will remain in the country once the US leaves.

"After we left Saigon, there weren't Vietnamese terrorists who were planning on attacking us here at home," he said. "We leave behind exactly what we went in to solve 20 years ago, and I fear for the future and continuing the war on terror."

He added: "You know, just because we decided to quit fighting doesn't mean the terrorists go away. So they're still out there. They're invigorated. They're emboldened and excited about the success they see in bringing America to its knees in Afghanistan."

Read more: How Americans who helped prosecute the Taliban are going down a 'black hole' to help their Afghan interpreters

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McConnell has said that the US keeping a small presence in Afghanistan had been successful, and firmly opposed Biden announcing his plans to withdraw from the country in April (which was based on a Trump administration plan).

"We went there to prevent the Taliban from having a regime that would allow terrorists to reconstitute themselves and hit us again here at home," he said. "It's been a total success."

He added: "With the continued deployment of 2,500 people, we were in effect keeping a lid on, keeping terrorists from reconstituting and having a light footprint in the country. The policy was working."

McConnell's comments come as the US is entering the final stages of the August 31 withdrawal and just days after a terrorist attack in Kabul that killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 US service members, marking the deadliest day for US military members in the country since 2011.

Earlier this month, McConnell was unforgiving in his criticism of the administration after the capital city of Kabul fell to the Taliban.

"The Biden Administration's botched exit from Afghanistan including the frantic evacuation of Americans and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul is a shameful failure of American leadership," he said in a statement at the time. "The strategic, humanitarian, and moral consequences of this self-inflicted wound will hurt our country and distract from other challenges for years to come."

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The Wrap

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Dan Crenshaw were among those who falsely declared Tuesday that a video showed Taliban fighters flying an American helicopter and hanging someone from it. The New York Post was duped, too, but wasnt quite as credulous. The Post wrote a story on the man suspended from the helicopter, but noted it was not immediately clear exactly how he is attached or if he is alive. In fact, he was alive. The video was posted from a now-suspended account, but another video of
A rent stabilization policy in California's coastal city of Santa Monica kept average rents down, researchers found, but stagnant incomes meant people were still priced out of the market eventually.

In Oregon, some landlords rushed to increase rents before a statewide rental cap law went into effect, according to a university report.

And in New York, leaders have implemented several iterations of rent caps since World War II, illustrating the difficulty of getting the details right.

Minneapolis voters will soon decide whether to join the ranks of hundreds of cities that have adopted varying laws to keep their housing affordable to low-income people, with mixed results. Housing leaders and researchers who study the effects of rent regulations warn that, while rent-capping laws can help in some cases, they won't solve the affordable housing problem in Minneapolis in the long term.

The supply of low-cost housing will still need to increase, they point out. And too much rent regulation could push some landlords into deferring building maintenance or even getting out of the rental business by converting apartments to condominiums, as has happened in other cities, they said.

"[Rent control] is a Band-Aid," said Shane Phillips, a project manager with the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. "And sometimes you need a Band-Aid, but you actually have to address the underlying cause as well."

A November ballot question will ask Minneapolis voters to give the City Council the authority to adopt a rent control ordinance, explained as "to regulate rents on private residential property." But it does not give details of how the rent cap would work locally. Council members said if voters approve the question, leaders will then figure out the specifics.

Housing researchers suggest that Minneapolis would likely adopt a form of rent stabilization favored recently in other cities: tying allowable rent increases to inflation, exempting newer dwellings and, possibly, including provisions that allow rents to jump to market rates after a tenant vacates an apartment. But they warn leaders to implement it with a careful balance for both renters and landlords.

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"Our review of studies from across the country showed that rent control does, on balance, result in lower rent than would otherwise have occurred in markets," said Edward Goetz, a University of Minnesota professor and director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). "And it can do so without adversely affecting the quality of the housing, and it can do so without adversely affecting the rate of new construction."

Some council members contend that restrictions on rent is the last missing piece of the puzzle to ease the city's housing crisis and to "help keep people safely and stably housed," Council President Lisa Bender said.

Greg Russ, who left the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority in 2019 to lead the New York City Housing Authority, offered a different view, calling rent regulation an "awful idea" that can suppress the supply and upkeep of affordable housing stock over time.

Russ said he has seen some of those drawbacks in New York and at his previous job in Cambridge, Mass., where restrictions priced landlords out of doing business and prevented much-needed capital improvements.

Russ said Minneapolis leaders should instead provide more subsidies to low-income renters. Well-funded subsidy programs help boost the housing supply and give eligible renters more choices of where to live, he said.

"Rent control is very popular now with a generation that has never lived in rent control," Russ said. "When you establish rent control, you're really interfering with the economics of a market."

Other tactics

Minneapolis has already tried various tactics to help struggling renters, including policies that subsidize rent and encourage the construction of more affordable housing.

The Stable Homes Stable Schools program, for instance, gives housing rental assistance to homeless elementary students' families and incentivizes landlords who provide affordable units.

The City Council also enacted a zoning ordinance that requires affordable housing units to be included in new developments as part of the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan. More recently, city leaders allocated money to help provide legal services to families facing eviction and passed a city ordinance that requires landlords to give tenants written notice at least two weeks before going to court to evict them for unpaid rent.

The long-running debate over imposing rent limits in Minneapolis became more urgent in 2010, when the number of renters surpassed homeowners. But a decade later, racial and economic disparity heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic is lending a fresh urgency to the city's push to put restrictions on landlords and protect tenants from being displaced. According to an apartment trend report issued in 2019 by the Residential Analytics Group of Marquette Advisors, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Minneapolis was $1,847. More than half of the city's renters earn less than 60% of the area median income.

While rent control advocates in Minneapolis are still debating specific proposals, advocates in St. Paul want to cap rent increases there at 3% annually.

Control vs. stabilization

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, rent control and rent stabilization policies are technically different in their strength and sometimes in their scope, according to a CURA report. Rent control  which is the less popular and more stringent version of the two systems because it imposes price ceilings on rent  gained popularity after World War II. It can only be found in New York City and its rules apply to buildings built before 1947.

Rent stabilization laws, on the other hand, appeared in the 1970s and have different types of regulations with varying terms. Seen as more moderate forms of regulation, they allow rent increases to be capped at a certain percentage each year and in most cases exempt single-family homes and new construction either completely or for some period of time. In Minnesota, a 1984 state law prohibits local governments from enacting rent regulations unless approved by voters in a general election, a common stance around the country.

In the last decade or so, cities and states across the U.S. have been giving it the go-ahead. In 2019, Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass a statewide rent stabilization law, limiting rent increases to 7% each year plus inflation and exempting subsidized rent and new construction. That same year, California capped annual rent hikes at 5% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is less. Some local jurisdictions in California, including Los Angeles, have their own stronger regulations that supersede the state's rule. In Jersey City, N.J., the allowable increase is limited to 4%, and is directly tied to the change in cost of living during a lease.

New York passed sweeping statewide reforms in 2019 that allow expanded protections for tenants and limited opportunity for regulated rents to rise at rates higher than the annual limits set by a Rent Guidelines Board, according to the New York University Furman Center. The changes, which apply to both rent-controlled and rent-stabilized apartments, eliminated policies that allowed rent to be raised any amount when a tenant vacates a unit and placed limits on preferential rent, a practice where landlords initially offer a lower rent but later bump it up to market rate when a tenant renews a lease. About 50% of rental units in New York City are rent-stabilized, according to the CURA report.

Goetz said regulating rents in Minneapolis over the past couple of decades would have helped people of color in particular. Between 2006 and 2019, for instance, African Americans saw a 44% increase in their rent and almost no increase in their income, the CURA study found. Meanwhile, those who were most well-off  mostly white residents  saw a significant increase in income, but not rent, according to the study.

"The rental market was operating pretty well for many people," Goetz said. "But there is a significant segment of the market where rent control would have been very helpful."

Faiza Mahamud  612-673-4203
A person pushes a shopping cart through rain and high winds past a closed restaurant on Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2021 during Hurricane Ida. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

More than 350,000 people in New Orleans are without power, according to Entergy New Orleans.

Hurricane Ida made landfall earlier Sunday as a Category 4 storm on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Entergy said some customers could be without power for as many as three weeks.

See more stories on Insider's homepage.

More than 350,000 people were without power in Louisiana on Sunday afternoon, just over an hour after Hurricane Ida made landfall in the state, according to data from energy company Entergy Louisiana.

Power outages in the state have rapidly increased as the storm neared the coastline and eventually made landfall. At least 350,629 people are without power in Louisiana just before 3 p.m. local time, according to Entergy.

Entergy, which serves over a million people in the state, said that crews from power companies in 22 states and Washington, DC, would assist them in restoring power to areas facing outages during Ida.

"All crews and contractors will be following the required COVID-19 safety protocols," Entergy said. "When you see crews working, please keep them safe and healthy by practicing social distancing."

The company previously warned that customers in some areas could face a power outage for as many as three weeks.

"Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a storm as intense as Hurricane Ida could experience outages for more than three weeks," it said in a statement to customers on its website. "While 90% of customers will be restored sooner, customers in the hardest-hit areas should plan for the possibility of experiencing extended power outages."

Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Port Fourchon at about 11:55 a.m. local time, according to the National Hurricane Center. It's the same day Hurricane Katrina - a Category 3 storm when it made landfall - struck the area 16 years ago.

Ida currently has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph. The storm surge could reach as high as 16 feet from Port Fourchon to the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the National Weather Service.

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At a press conference Sunday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he expected similar conditions for the next 24 hours and urged residents to be prepared to shelter in place for the next 72 hours.

"There is no doubt that the coming days and weeks are going to be extremely difficult for our state and many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today," Bel Edwards said.

Read the original article on Insider
Emma Sugrue-Lawrence has told how she was left struggling to breathe and unable to control her body after she thinks a man spiked her vape. (SWNS)

A mum-of-three has told how she was left unable to breathe and paralysed for two days after her vape was apparently spiked during a night out.

Emma Sugrue-Lawrence, 43, claims her vape was laced with the liquid chemical Mamba when she was in a nightclub.

The 43-year-old says she was left struggling to breathe and unable to control her body after the incident at the Grain Store nightclub in Wolverhampton on Saturday, 21 August.

Sugrue-Lawrence says a stranger approached her to ask if he could buy her a drink at the bar, and despite declining he found her again later on.

Thinking he was with the same group she was with, she handed him her vape to try, which he took into the toilet then returned to her.

A distressing image shows Sugrue-Lawrence passed out on a stretcher as she was taken to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital. (SWNS)

Within ten minutes after using it when he had given it back, the married mum-of-three, from Telford, Shropshire, said she started to feel dizzy and sweaty, then found herself paralysed and unable to stay conscious.

Friends called paramedics for help and one took a photograph of Sugrue-Lawrence passed out on a stretcher as she was taken to Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital. The next thing she remembers is waking up in the hospital, she said.

Read more: Man, 51, dies after family rescued from sea off Hampshire Beach while paddleboarding

The support worker, who took two days to get the feeling back in her legs, says she had been left traumatised by the thought she could have been a date-rape victim.

She said: "It played on my mind, the what ifs like what couldve happened if my friend wasnt there. It couldve been a lot worse."

The mum of three is convinced someone spiked her vape during a night out. (SWNS)

Sugrue-Lawrence said since posting about her ordeal on Facebook, she had been contacted by several men and women who say they were targeted by the same people at the venue that night.

As a support worker for people with drug and addiction issues, she says she suspects the vape was spiked with Mamba spray, which would only need a tiny amount sprayed around the base of the e-cigarette.

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She said she is quite "switched on" about things but is concerned about younger girls at risk of similar incidents.

"If they target you they are going to get you any way they can.

You just wouldnt think it would happen that way because everyone says watch your drink."

She added: "You hear about these date rapes - I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, I couldn't. I couldn't open my eyes, but I was aware of everything that was going on.

It was playing on my mind what these poor girls actually go through who actually do get date raped.

But you know that they're aware of everything that's going on, but they can't move. They can't scream, they can't stop it."

Watch: How to deal with burnout?
Let's talk about the popular Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD). The company's shares saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$382 and falling to the lows of US$313. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Lithia Motors' current trading price of US$335 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Lithia Motorss outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for Lithia Motors

What is Lithia Motors worth?

According to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average, the stock price seems to be justfied. Ive used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because theres not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stocks ratio of 10.75x is currently trading slightly below its industry peers ratio of 11.86x, which means if you buy Lithia Motors today, youd be paying a decent price for it. And if you believe Lithia Motors should be trading in this range, then there isnt much room for the share price to grow beyond the levels of other industry peers over the long-term. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Lithia Motorss share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.

Can we expect growth from Lithia Motors?

Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to grow by 31% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Lithia Motors. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

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What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? LADs optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around industry price multiples. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at LAD? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio?

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on LAD, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for LAD, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Lithia Motors at this point in time. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Lithia Motors you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in Lithia Motors, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
KTLA - Los Angeles

Sandra Quinonez said she asked the women to back up their car so she could park adjacent to her fruit stand. When she declined their demand to pay them, she alleges they assaulted her.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Contaminants were found in Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccines at a large-scale vaccination centre in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, suspending inoculations, public broadcaster NHK reported on Sunday.

The Okinawa vaccines are from different Moderna lots already suspended by the Japanese government due to reports of contamination, NHK said.

Black substances were spotted in syringes and a vial, while pink substances were found in a different syringe filled with vaccine at the Okinawa centre, NHK said.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, the domestic distributor of the Moderna vaccines, is expected to investigate the possibility of contamination during production and hold talks with Japan's health ministry, the broadcaster said.

Japan halted the use of 1.63 million Moderna doses, shipped to 863 vaccination centres nationwide, more than a week after Takeda received reports of contaminants in some vials. The ministry said on Saturday that two people died after receiving Moderna's vaccine shots that were among lots later suspended following the discovery of contaminants.

Each had a shot from one of three manufacturing lots suspended on Thursday. The causes of death are being investigated.

Japan is battling its worst wave of infections, driven by the Delta variant, with new daily infections exceeding 25,000 this month for the first time.

The country has inoculated 54% of its population with at least one dose and fully vaccinated 43%, according to a Reuters vaccine tracker.

(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Michael Perry)
By Devika Krishna Kumar

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Alarmed aid workers raced to get New Orleans' homeless off the streets on Sunday ahead of fast-moving Hurricane Ida, a complicated, last-minute push made all the more difficult by a severe outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the state.

At shelters, workers were giving masks to those brought in from the streets, while also checking temperatures and administering rapid COVID tests. Per 100,0000 people, Louisiana is seeing the nation's third-highest outbreak of the virus.

The fast-moving storm left little time to spare. Ida was set to make landfall in Louisiana as Category 4 hurricane later on Sunday, bringing flooding and winds of 150 miles per hour (240 kph) to parts of the Gulf Coast.

Still, some homeless shelter residents were too fearful of catching COVID-19 in a crowded shelter to move indoors.

Greg King, 62, said he would rather risk being outside than contract the Delta variant. King was one of about a dozen homeless people under the Pontchartrain Expressway on Sunday morning.

"I got my shot but I'd rather not go to the shelter. All the guys in the shelter - they just dont wear masks," King said.

Jerry Ruffin, a manager at Ozanam Inn, a men's shelter, said the facility currently housed 54 people, slightly more than half of its capacity.

"We're accepting everyone that needs shelter," Ruffin said.

The center had cut capacity as COVID-19 cases surged, but opened up more ahead of the storm.

New Orleans Mission, another shelter, was near its 225 person capacity and said the city had been bringing in residents.

Willie Hughes, 65, moved to New Orleans Mission on Friday, despite concerns about COVID-19.

"I still wear my mask just in case," Hughes said.

(Reporting Devika Krishna Kumar in New Orleands and Liz Hampton in Denver; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) -Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, officials said.

It was the highest-level meeting between Abbas and an Israeli minister to be made public since Israel's new government was formed in June.

Gantz, who heads a centrist party, told Abbas that Israel would take measures to strengthen the Palestinian economy, according to a statement from his office.

"They also discussed shaping the security and economic situations in the West Bank and in Gaza," the statement said. "They agreed to continue communicating further on the issues that were raised during the meeting."

Hussein Al Sheikh, a member of Abbas' Fatah Central Committee, said the discussion included "all aspects" of Palestinian-Israeli relations.

Peace talks between the two sides collapsed in 2014, though Israel over the past year has reached normalization agreements with a number of Arab countries, under U.S. sponsorship.

Israel's new government includes a patchwork of parties spanning the far left to far right and includes for the first time a small Islamist faction.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads an ultranationalist party, opposes Palestinian statehood. But given the makeup of his coalition, any sensitive policy decisions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be difficult.

The meeting in Ramallah came just a couple of days after Bennett met with U.S. President Joe Biden in the White House, during which Biden reiterated support for a two-state solution.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta and Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Edinburgh Castle. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I explored Edinburgh Castle, the 12th-century Scottish royal residence thought to be haunted.

The castle was built on a hilltop that was formed by an extinct volcano.

Because of its high position, the castle gives stunning views of the city below.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

I started my journey at Waverley Station, which was named after the 1814 novel by Sir Walter Scott and was used as a filming location for "Avengers: Infinity War" in 2018.

Waverley Train Station. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

Other movies filmed at the train station include "Trainspotting 2" (2017) and Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" (1935), according to Network Rail.

It is currently the only train station in the world to be named after a novel, according to The Edinburgh Reporter.

The castle is located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town neighborhood, a street filled with tourist shops, Scots bagpipers, and other street performers.

A bagpiper in Edinburgh. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The famous street was given its name because it connects two royal residences, Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House.

It was a 10-minute walk to the castle, which cost around $21 (15.50) per ticket.

The castle grounds. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

It was built in 1103 by King David the 1st, according to The Travel. The publication added that the king built the castle on a hilltop named Castle Rock that was formed from the remains of an extinct volcano, which erupted millions of years prior.

The castle was used not only as a royal residence for Scottish kings and queens, but also as a hill fort during battles. It suffered many sieges at the hands of the English, according to Edinburgh Castle's official website.

My first stop was the Prisoner of War vaults, used to hold prisoners of war in the 1700s and 1800s.

The Prisoner of War Vaults. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The prisoners held in these quarters came from France, America, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Poland, and Americans fighting in the War of Independence, according to the castle website.

The room was dimly lit and showed hammocks where the prisoners would sleep.

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If any part of the castle was going to be haunted, this would be it.

The stairwell in the prisoner's quarters. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

Through the years, the castle has become known as one of the most haunted sites in Scotland, with reports of ghost sightings and paranormal activity within the grounds.

And while I didn't spot any ghosts during my visit, these quarters were certainly eerie enough to make me consider the possibility.

I then explored the Great Hall, which was created in 1511 for King James IV.

The Great Hall. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The hall was used to host grand banquets and state dinners, and today it is used primarily to display military weapons.

The British royal family currently don't use Edinburgh Castle to host state dinners and instead use the Queen's official residence in Scotland, Holyrood Palace, located at the opposite side of the Royal Mile from the castle.

Outside the castle grounds, I noticed large lines forming due to the castle's COVID restrictions.

A line outside the castle chapel. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

I soon learned that some parts of the castle were so small that only a certain number of people were admitted at a time to adhere to social distancing.

I was also glad to see that most people appeared to be wearing masks when inside the castle or when in close proximity to other groups.

There was a long wait to get inside St Margaret's Chapel, which was so small that visitors were only allowed to enter per person or per group.

St Margaret's Chapel. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The chapel is the oldest surviving part of the original castle building, having been built in the 12th century for King David I's mother, Queen Margaret, according to the website.

I then found a series of cannons, the largest of which had been able to fire up to two miles, according to a staff member at the castle.

The castle cannons. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

The cannons were once used to fight off Scotland's enemies, according to the website.

When I visited, the other tourists seemed to be more impressed with the stunning views of the city below than with the cannons.

The view of the city from the castle grounds. Mikhaila Friel/Insider

And I couldn't blame them  this was definitely one of the best spots to see Scotland's capital in its full glory.

While I enjoyed learning about the castle's fascinating  and eerie  history, the best part about the visit for me was this view.

Read the original article on Insider
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Purple Heart vet Daniel Wilkinson waited seven hours for an ICU bed in Texas before he died.

He needed to get a gallstone removed but doctors couldn't find him an available ICU bed.

"He served two deployments over in Afghanistan, came home with a Purple Heart, and it was a gallstone that took him out," his mom said.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A veteran who served two deployments in Afghanistan died Sunday of a treatable disease because doctors couldn't find him an empty ICU bed.

Daniel Wilkinson died of gallstone pancreatitis, a condition that causes pancreatic inflammation and can get serious if left untreated. Wilkinson waited seven hours for an ICU bed in Texas before he died, according to KPRC, a local NBC affiliate.

Wilkinson's mom, Michelle Puget, took him to the emergency room in Texas on Saturday, where a doctor told him he'd need to have a gallstone removed in the ICU.

"The doctor was trying to find him an ICU bed," Puget told KPRC. "He said, 'We have been refused so far.' He said, 'We have called Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Colorado.'"

After hours of hospital staff trying desperately to find Wilkinson, a Purple Heart vet, an ICU, the family heard that another hospital in Texas had a bed he could occupy. They arranged plans to bring him to that hospital by helicopter.

But by that point, Wilkinson's organs began shutting down, KPRC reported.

"I think the doctors did everything they could once they got him," Puget said. "But ... it had been [seven] hours. And it's something that needed to be taken care of right away."

"He loved his country," Puget said on CBS. "He served two deployments over in Afghanistan, came home with a Purple Heart, and it was a gallstone that took him out."

Because of rising cases of the coronavirus, there are limited ICU beds in several parts of the country, causing doctors to make difficult medical decisions. One hospital in Mississippi, for example, told Insider its staff is canceling life-altering brain and heart surgeries because there aren't enough ICU beds.

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In Texas, a judge grimly warned parents that they'll have to wait for another child to die before their own kid can get an ICU bed. And recently, a man who was shot six times was forced to wait at least a week before getting vital surgery.

Positive coronavirus cases continue to surge in Texas. As of Friday, Texas reported more than 13,700 people hospitalized with COVID-19 and only 325 available ICU beds.

Read the original article on Business Insider
QANTM Intellectual Property Limited (ASX:QIP) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in two days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. Meaning, you will need to purchase QANTM Intellectual Property's shares before the 1st of September to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 7th of October.

The company's next dividend payment will be AU$0.034 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed AU$0.074 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that QANTM Intellectual Property has a trailing yield of 6.4% on the current share price of A$1.165. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

View our latest analysis for QANTM Intellectual Property

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. QANTM Intellectual Property has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 9.1% of its income after tax. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Dividends consumed 58% of the company's free cash flow last year, which is within a normal range for most dividend-paying organisations.

It's positive to see that QANTM Intellectual Property's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

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Click here to see how much of its profit QANTM Intellectual Property paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Companies with falling earnings are riskier for dividend shareholders. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see QANTM Intellectual Property's earnings per share have dropped 17% a year over the past five years. When earnings per share fall, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid also falls.

Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. QANTM Intellectual Property has delivered an average of 0.5% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past five years of dividend payments.

Final Takeaway

Is QANTM Intellectual Property an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Its earnings per share have been declining meaningfully, although it is paying out less than half its income and more than half its cash flow as dividends. Neither payout ratio appears an immediate concern, but we're concerned about the earnings. It might be worth researching if the company is reinvesting in growth projects that could grow earnings and dividends in the future, but for now we're not all that optimistic on its dividend prospects.

With that being said, if dividends aren't your biggest concern with QANTM Intellectual Property, you should know about the other risks facing this business. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for QANTM Intellectual Property you should be aware of.

A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
ADVERTISING

Danny Alvarez has been named executive creative director at GUT Agency in Miami. Before joining GUT, he worked at top agencies, including Wieden+Kennedy, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, BBDO and DAVID. He also is an artist who has exhibited his work at national and international art shows, most notably Art Basel.

ARTS

Vanja Plavsa has been promoted to event director at Mana Wynwood. She was an event coordinator and assistant director for the firm. She will serve as overall administrator for event venues and point of contact for event bookings or inquiries.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Driftwood Capital has named Caroline Gould Lewittes managing director of investor and public relations, and George Rupp has joined the firm as managing director of business development and consultant relations. Both will work out of the firms Miami headquarters.

Seth Denison has been named principal at Miami-based Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services. He specializes in capital markets, structured finance, and debt and equity placement throughout the United States. He was a senior managing director at Hart Advisors in Miami.

CONSTRUCTION

Family-owned and operated Miami firm Central Civil Construction has named Robert Bob T. Murphy as president of the firm. Most recently, he was regional director for Daniel OConnells Sons, specializing in wastewater treatment for Miami-Dade Countys Water and Sewer Department consent decree projects.

FINANCE

Jerry Castro has joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a market executive for the Miami and islands market, which includes Key West, St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was managing director and market head of UBS in Washington, D.C.

LAW

Miami-based litigation firm Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, has named Lauren S. Fallick a partner in the firm. She will focus her practice on complex commercial and business litigation, and real estate and construction litigation. She previously worked at the firm in 2009. Before rejoining Kluger Kaplan, she was a partner at Haber Law in Miami.

Story continues

Kate Inman has joined Holland & Knights corporate practice group as of counsel in Miami. She was general counsel and secretary of OPKO Health, a Miami-based healthcare company. She was an associate at Holland & Knight from 2001 to 2007.

MARITIME | HEALTH

Bo Nylandsted Larsen will be vice president of commercial partnerships at VIKAND Solutions, a global maritime medical operations and public health provider, effective Sept. 1. For the last seven years, he was senior vice president for strategic partnerships, and a senior advisor, at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). He also led CLIAs global executive partner program.

This space lists promotions of executives at the director level and above who are based in Broward, Miami-Dade or Monroe counties. Announcements, also at miamiherald.com, are for full-time, paid positions. Send items, with a high-resolution jpeg of a head shot, to movers@miamiherald.com.
80% of Singapore's population of 5.7 million people has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the island city-state's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced Sunday.

Why it matters: Singapore has one of the world's highest coronavirus vaccination rates, and the milestone means the government can continue loosening restrictions and prepare to allow fully vaccinated travelers from some other nations to visit.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses. It means... Posted by Ong Ye Kung on Saturday, August 28, 2021

The big picture: Singapore welcomed back fully vaccinated diners to restaurants and enabled up to 50% of workers to return to offices earlier this month, per Bloomberg.

Malls and cinemas have also been permitted to increase capacity, and the state has ended a requirement for screening people's temperatures in public places, Bloomberg notes.

Flashback: SARS made Hong Kong and Singapore ready for coronavirus

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Sirhan Sirhan arrives for a parole hearing, in San Diego. Sirhan faces his 16th parole hearing Friday for fatally shooting U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968

Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Sirhan Bushara Sirhan, who was convicted of Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 murder, is "in disbelief" after officials voted to grant him parole on Friday.

More than 52 years after he was sentenced to death (which was commuted to a life sentence when capital punishment was outlawed in California), the 77-year-old's 16th request for parole was approved by a two-person panel. "He's happy. He's just trying to still process it," Sirhan's attorney Angela Berry tells PEOPLE.

Although six of Kennedy's children decried the decision, Sirhan's case was bolstered by two of the late senator's sons, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy. Sirhan and Robert Jr. met in December 2017 ahead of the 50th anniversary of his father's assassination. "They spoke for about three hours, and Robert Kennedy has been outspoken about his support for Sirhan over the years," Berry recalls.

RELATED: Robert F. Kennedy's Assassin Granted Parole After Late Senator's Sons Spoke in Favor of Release

"The two sat together. They held hands. I mean, they were face-to-face. Sirhan cried. Robert Jr. accepted his apology. ... At that point, Robert Jr. was convinced that there is way more to the story than what came out at trial and that there could be a second gunman, and he has been on Sirhan's side since."

For more on Sirhan Bushara Sirhan being granted parole and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

The support from Douglas, who was a toddler when his father died in 1968, turned out to be a welcomed surprise for Sirhan, as he and Berry were notified a day before the hearing that Kennedy's youngest son would make an appearance.

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan

getty

"I'm overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face-to-face," Douglas said in the virtual hearing, according to the Associated Press. "I think I've lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love."

Story continues

Although Berry says that Robert Jr. thought Douglas would also be in support of Sirhan's parole, she adds that his testimony was "sort of a wild card," as he "has not been part of this discourse at all."

"I think it was very heartening to Sirhan to hear that Douglas Kennedy did see his humanity and as somebody who was deserving redemption and release because of his rehabilitation," Berry explains.

After Sirhan's parole was approved Friday, the California Parole Board's staff has 120 days to review a transcript of the hearing and make a recommendation to Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom, who is currently facing a recall election on Sept. 14, will have 30 days to uphold, reverse or modify the decision.

RELATED VIDEO: Robert F. Kennedy's Friend and REI Founder Jim Whittaker Recalls Climbing Mount Kennedy with Him

"The law says if somebody is no longer a danger to society, they must be released," Barry notes. "So if we stick to the law, then the governor should go along with it."

Under a new directive by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, parole is the presumption, which means that a prisoner cannot be denied parole unless it is found they are a current danger to society. "It really gave the board no other choice than to grant or make a suitability finding," says Berry.

"And so that's where we focused on, all of the positive programming he's been doing over the last 52 years, but specifically over the last five years, since his last denial," she adds.

RELATED: 6 of Robert F. Kennedy's Children Say They Are 'Devastated' Father's Killer Was Granted Parole

Additionally, Sirhan is eligible for youth offender parole, which took effect in its current form in January 2018, applying to inmates who were under the age of 26 when they committed their crime (Sirhan was 24). He also qualifies for the elderly parole program, which was modified last September to apply to inmates over 50 years old who have been incarcerated for at least 20 years.

"He has a lot of physical ailments that are related to his age, and those became relevant for this elderly prisoner release consideration," Berry explains. "And quite frankly, it's not fair to the taxpayers to be paying to treat somebody with all of these ailments, particularly when they're no longer a risk to society."

Robert F Kennedy

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Sen. Kennedy, who served as the 64th attorney general before being elected to represent New York in the U.S. Senate, was mortally wounded in a shooting on the night of June 4, 1968. After winning the presidential primaries in California and South Dakota that day, he was shot in the kitchen of The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles while leaving a campaign event at the hotel's ballroom.

According to an Evening Journal report at the time, Kennedy died at "1:44 a.m., PDT, little more than 25 hours after the assault." He was 42.

Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder in 1969 and was sentenced to death. However, his sentence was commuted to life in prison three years later when the California Supreme Court outlawed capital punishment.

"I would never put myself in jeopardy again," Sirhan said during Friday's hearing, according to the AP. "You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and non-violence."
Jodie Griggs/Getty Images

Tennessee authorities arrested bride Miya Pugh on Friday, WREG reported.

Court documents said fights involving 20 to 30 people broke out during her wedding reception.

Pugh was charged with assault after police said she bit an officer who tried to detain her.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Tennessee bride's wedding night ended with police intervention after several fights broke out and she was accused of biting an officer.

WREG reported that Memphis authorities responded to reports of a fight at a wedding reception on Friday around 10 p.m. According to the outlet, officers who arrived at the scene said eight separate fights involving 20 to 30 people were happening in the parking lot and "spilling back into the wedding venue."

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Court documents viewed by WREG said that while authorities began to detain guests, the bride, identified as Miya Pugh, started to yell in the parking lot that her wedding had been ruined.

Authorities wrote that Pugh was visibly intoxicated and told officers that she had been drinking to celebrate her nuptials, WREG reported.

Then, Pugh "went from docile to combative," prompting authorities to take her into custody, WREG reported court documents said. She was accused of biting Pugh one officer on the shoulder and leaving "a minor abrasion."

WREG reporter Jerrita Patterson and news photographer Ian Ripple shared video footage of the scene on Twitter.

According to booking information viewed by Insider, Pugh was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and resisting official detention. Records indicate that Pugh was released from custody.

She's due back in court on Monday morning.

A representative for the Memphis Police Department did not immediately get back to Insider's request for comment. Insider also sent Pugh a request for comment via Facebook.

Read the original article on Insider
Update 10:20 p.m.: U.S. Central Command acknowledged reports of potential civilian casualties in the wake of the American drone strike in Kabul on Sunday. Nine members of a single family were reportedly killed in the strike, a brother of one of the victims told CNN.

We are aware of reports of civilian casualties following our strike on a vehicle in Kabul today, spokesman Bill Urban said in a statement. It is unclear what may have happened, and we are investigating further.

The U.S. carried out a drone strike against a potential ISIS-K car bomb in Kabul that posed a threat to Hamid Karzai International Airport, U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Bill Urban said on Sunday.

The strike killed multiple suicide bombers belonging to ISIS-K, U.S. officials told the Associated Press. ISIS-K is the same group that attacked the airport in a pair of suicide bombings on Thursday, killing 13 U.S. service members and close to 200 Afghans.

U.S. military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamid Karzai International airport, Urban said in a statement to reporters.

Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material, Urban added. We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, although we have no indications at this time.

A Taliban spokesman also said the Sunday strike targeted the vehicle of a suicide bomber who was on route to the airport, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. targeted an ISIS-K leader believed to be planning future attacks in a drone strike on Friday, with initial reports indicating that the militant was killed. The drone strike came a day after the ISIS-K attack on the Kabul airport.

President Biden warned in a written statement on Saturday that militants would likely attempt to attack the airport again in the next 24-36 hours.

Story continues

The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high, Biden said. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours.

The Biden administration is attempting to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by Tuesday.

More from National Review
Travelers at Miami International Airport on Sunday, November 22, 2020. David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

A video showed a man attacking staff at Miami International Airport on Friday night.

Miami-Dade Police said the man was a veteran in crisis.

He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A man was apprehended after being detained following an attack on staff at Miami International Airport, the Miami-Dade Police Department said.

Video of a man violently yelling at staff, knocking down barricades, and getting into physical altercations with multiple people at a gate was posted to social media on Friday night.

WPLG reported the incident took place at the American Airlines gate in Terminal D. Witnesses told the outlet they believed the man was intoxicated.

American Airlines did not respond to Insider's email request for comment but told WPLG: "When traveling with us, we expect all customers to follow our policies and we will not tolerate violence of any kind toward our team members. We thank our MIA team for their quick action and professionalism to ensure the safety of our customers and fellow team members."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Miami International Airport said police responded and apprehended the man seen in the videos. MDPD later said the man was a "military veteran in crisis" and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The Federal Aviation Administration has reported 3,988 unruly passenger reports so far this year.

MDPD and Miami International Airport did not respond to Insider's request for comment at the time of publication.

Read the original article on Insider
Reuters

Clashes erupted at a government building in central Tripoli on Tuesday after a dispute over the leadership of a state institution, its head said, underscoring the volatility and insecurity in Libya https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/untangling-crisis-libya-2021-06-22 months before a planned election. Pickup trucks carrying fighters rushed to the street where the Administrative Control Agency (ACA) is based, a Reuters witness said, amid the sound of gunfire and as black smoke rose overhead. ACA head Sulaiman al-Shanti said the fighters were affiliated with his deputy.
The International Paralympic Committee said two Afghan athletes who were due to compete in the Tokyo Games arrived in Japan on Saturday.

They once gave up their participation following the Taliban's takeover.

The two are a male track athlete, Hossain Rasouli, and a female taekwondo athlete, Zakia Khudadadi.

After the collapse of the Afghan government, the country's Paralympic committee canceled their participation, citing the lack of a safe means of transportation for the pair.

On Wednesday, an IPC spokesperson said the two athletes had fled their home country. But he declined to reveal their whereabouts out of concern for their safety.

On Saturday evening, the organization said the two had arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and gone into the Paralympic Village.

The IPC said following their safe evacuation from Afghanistan last weekend, the two athletes spent a week in Paris, France. The committee said they left Charles de Gaulle Airport for Japan on Friday.

IPC President Andrew Parsons welcomed the two at the Paralympic Village. He released a statement saying, "We always knew there was a remote chance both athletes could participate at Tokyo 2020, which is why the Afghan flag was paraded at Tuesday's Opening Ceremony."

Parsons added the arrival of the two shows the remarkable power of sport to bring people together in peace.
There are no plans for the two former rivals to travel together to promote the proposed budget, though he wouldnt be opposed to doing so, Sanders said.

The administrations economic agenda has been overshadowed in recent days by violence and chaos in Afghanistan. But Sanders says Americans from across the political spectrum understand that whats occurring there and with their pocketbooks back home are separate issues.

Still, the budget process has not gone entirely smoothly even within Sanders own party. A group of moderate House Democrats threatened to derail the budget blueprint, and only dropped their opposition after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised that a vote on a separate, $1 trillion public works package which has already passed the Senate would come late next month.

Mitchell called such moderate Democrats obstructionists.

That small but loud crew, they dont have a popular base, Mitchell said. People want to get this passed.

Sanders, however, will be in the territory of moderate Iowa Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne, whose staff says she doesnt plan to attend his Sunday event. Republicans believe Sanders hitting the road could ultimately hurt his party during next years midterms, when control of Congress is at stake.
THE WATER COOLER

IN THE NEWS

As Gov. Kim Reynolds prepared in June to announce she was sending Iowa State Patrol employees to the nations border with Mexico, the states top public safety leaders raised concerns whether her commitment would leave enough staff for law enforcement obligations in Iowa and run up a significant cost for sending personnel out of state, according to records obtained by The Gazette. Further, the records reveal, the Republican governor and other top officials knew sending troopers to Texas could cost the state up to nearly $400,000  but they didnt share that information with legislators or the public for weeks.
Afghanistan is heavily dependent on international aid, which covered around 75% of the toppled Western-backed governments budget. The Taliban have said they want good relations with the international community and have promised a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last governed the country, but many Afghans are deeply skeptical.

The Taliban cannot access almost any of the central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. The International Monetary Fund has also suspended the transfer of some $450 million. Without a regular supply of U.S. dollars, the local currency is at risk of collapse, which could send the price of basic goods soaring.

Biden has said he will adhere to a self-imposed Tuesday deadline for withdrawing all U.S. forces, and the Taliban have rejected any extension of the date. He and the leaders of other NATO allies said they would try to work with the Taliban to allow their nationals and Afghans who had worked with them to leave.

The Taliban has encouraged Afghans to stay, pledging amnesty even to those who fought against them, and has said commercial flights would resume after the U.S. withdrawal, but its unclear if airlines will be willing to offer service.
If these two groups do battle, the main victims, as always, will be civilians. They bore the brunt of the Talibans brutal rule from 1996 to 2001 and then the invasion of U.S. and NATO forces, with their air strikes and ground attacks, and the resurgence in suicide attacks that followed. More than 47,000 Afghan civilians have been killed in the conflict  nearly 1,700 of them in the first six months of this year alone  while an estimated 66,000 military and police have been killed, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War project.

And then theres the spillover  into Pakistan, Central Asia, China and India. New Delhi is no stranger to cross-border terrorism, and the Taliban will likely provide a haven for anti-Indian terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. There are genuine concerns these groups will use Afghanistan as a base to launch their attacks in Kashmir as they did in the 1990s.
Kent Turnbull wont be greeted as a judge this week for the first time in more than two decades.

People are going to being saying, Hey, Kent, again. It might be weird for them but Im fine with it, said the retiring Turnbull, who has served in the county courts in the 11th Judicial District since 1999. Kent might be weird for them to say, but I actually think there might be a couple other names for me that come up along the way too. But Im prepared for that.

Turnbull, 63, is stepping down from the bench, but is not ending his legal career. He will be joining the Lindemeier Law Offices on Wednesday as a defense attorney.

I think the last year or so, I was looking more seriously at doing something else, because good or bad, this job tends to wear on you, Turnbull said earlier this week as he sat in his office in the Lincoln County Court building. I wasnt getting weird yet, I hope. Ive seen it so many times after so many years with judges, whatever personality you bring to the bench, it can magnify. So, I was worried about that.

I wanted to return to be a lawyer before the end of my career in some form or another, Turnbull said. Other judges have gone back to private practice, Im certainly not the first to do so.
Those would-be Mayor Wilsons should look to Salt Creek and the Missouri River instead.

They cried out in February that statewide property tax requests had grown 4.3% a year between 2010 and 2020.

As if to mark this years 25th anniversary of trying to control property taxes with local spending and tax-rate lids, they called for yet another lid  this one a 3% cap on growth in annual tax requests.

Before you cheer, note this well:

For 25 years, Nebraskas local lids have featured limited exceptions. So would the proposed 3% tax request cap in Legislative Bill 408, which remains alive for 2022.

Taxes to repay bonds, for example, are excluded from current lids. And voters can override them. LB 408 would do likewise.

But what of that 4.3% growth rate over 10 years that so concerned the eastern powers that be?

It covers property taxes for all purposes. It rolls in taxes to repay bonds. It ignores any existing voter-approved overrides.

The better to rile up voters? You decide.
The deadliest month for EAMC since the beginning of the pandemic was January of this year with 43 COVID-related deaths, followed by February with 30.

With the vaccine rollout at the start of the year, monthly deaths fell to three in May, but then the Delta variant sparked a fourth peak that brought eight deaths in July and now 18 so far this month.

In the statement from EAMC, Maldonado continued to highlight the need for residents to get vaccinated.

I can basically remember everyone we have lost, especially those who fought for a long time, Maldonado said. However, the situation is different now. Knowing that most of the deaths in the past few months could have been prevented is demoralizing. At times it feels like we are worse off than any previous peak.

Maldonado said the best way to honor those whove died from COVID-19 is to get  and promote  the vaccine that our patients in 2020 never had a chance to get.
Emmy-winning actor Ed Asner, who starred as Lou Grant on both sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and hourlong drama Lou Grant before a late-career rejuvenation through his poignant voicework in 2009 animated film Up, has died. He was 91. https://t.co/bxLVnr6plm  Variety (@Variety) August 29, 2021

The beloved actor worked for years in stage and television guest roles before landing the role of Lou Grant inin 1970, which role he would played for the next twelve years over the course of that series and its spinoff, winning five Emmys (in both the comedy and drama categories). His other live-action work included another Emmy-winning turn in the seminal TV miniseriesand as Santa Claus in 2003'sThe later years of his life saw him carve out a prolific career as a voice actor. On film he was Carl in Pixar's. On television, all 1990s kids will remember his voice, if not necessarily that it was him providing it, as J. Jonah Jameson on(he would return to the Spidey franchise in the mid-2000s as the voice of Uncle Ben in the tragically short-lived) and Hudson on. He is set to reprise the role of Carl in the posthumously-releasedanimated series.
Conflict-torn Colombias economically crucial oil industry continues to labor under the pressure of an array of threats.

After being severely impacted by the pandemic oil output in the Andean country fell to its lowest level in over a decade, to an average of 694,151 barrels per day during June 2021.

Heightened political turmoil leading to nationwide anti-government demonstrations, including community blockades of major roads, forced onshore drillers to shutter operations causing production to plunge. While the protests and blockades ended by mid-July 2021 tensions remain high driven by a surge in violence, lawlessness and poverty since Ivan Duque won the presidency in 2018. Much of that can be attributed to his failure to implement the 2016 peace accord with Colombias largest armed group the Marxist FARC.

On all accounts, 2021 is shaping up to be Colombias most violent year in a decade. Massacres have surged as have the murders of civil society leaders and ex-FARC combatants. Legal impunity has soared since Duque was sworn into Colombias top office in August 2018.

According to the United Nations (Spanish), Colombias cocaine production during 2020 surged to a record high of 1,228 metric tons or roughly eight percent more than a year earlier. That volume is also significantly greater than all the cocaine produced in Colombia when the Medellin Cartel was at the peak of its power during the 1980s. Unsurprisingly, it is the vast profits generated by producing and smuggling cocaine that are fueling Colombias decades-long low-level multiparty asymmetric conflict and high levels of violence in rural zones. Many of the remote areas which are coca-growing hotspots and subject to considerable violence are also rich in petroleum. It is the lead of the coca plant which contains the alkaloid cocaine, one of the worlds most profitable illicit substances.

Among the most violent and lawless regions is Catatumbo, which spans the eastern Colombian department of Norte de Santander and includes western Venezuela. Catatumbo is one of the most prolific coca cultivating areas in Colombia. For this reason, the region is at the center of a long-running conflict between various non-state armed actors including remnants of the leftist EPL guerillas, the ELN, former FARC combatants and paramilitaries.

Those groups are all vying for control of Catatumbos lucrative coca growing fields and smuggling routes into Venezuela, where the petrostates near-collapse makes it an ideal jumping-off point for shipping cocaine to the U.S. and Europe. The non-state armed groups operating in Catatumbo have greater control and influence than Colombias security forces.

The area is also one of the most oil-rich parts of Colombia containing the prolific Catatumbo Basin which according to Colombias hydrocarbon regulator, the National Hydrocarbon Agency (ANH  Spanish initials), is underexplored. The Catatumbo Basin is an extension of Venezuelas Maracaibo Basin which is classified as a super basin estimated to contain around 2% of the worlds hydrocarbon reserves. It is characterized by the presence of the La Luna geological formation, which is an ultra-rich petroleum-bearing Late Cretaceous age source rock.

Colombias second-largest oilfield Cano Limon, which was discovered by Occidental Petroleum in 1983, is in the region. The U.S. EIA believes, aside from considerable conventional hydrocarbon resources, that the basin possesses extensive unconventional shale oil and natural gas potential from the widespread Cretaceous La Luna Shale formation.

The exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon resources through hydraulic fracturing has long been seen as a solution for boosting Colombias meager 1.8 billion barrels of proven oil reserves which have a short six-year production life. Those aspects along with the Catatumbo Basin having only been moderately explored, point to it possessing considerable hydrocarbon potential with a high likelihood of further petroleum discoveries if drillers can safely undertake exploration activities.

Many other conflict zones, which incidentally are also key coca-growing regions within Colombia are also rich in hydrocarbons. The Putumayo Basin in Colombias southern Putumayo Department, which also has one of the Andean countrys largest concentrations of coca fields, is the Andean countrys second-largest oil-producing region.

The basin is the northern extension of the Putumayo-Oriente-Maranon Basin, which runs from northern Peru through Ecuador to southern Colombia and is estimated by the US Geological Survey to have mean undiscovered oil resources of three billion barrels. According to the ANH more than 365 million barrels of oil reserves have been identified in the basin. Those numbers in conjunction with the giant oilfields discovered in the Oriente Basin in nearby Ecuador, notably around the municipality of Lago Agrio, point to the Putumayo Basins enormous exploration potential.

Related: Oil Sinks As Demand Outlook Worsens

A deteriorating internal security environment coupled with rising violence and heightened political turmoil are deterring foreign oil companies from investing in urgently required exploration and development activities in Colombia. That poses a significant risk to the Andean countrys economy because in a country with a large informal economy that makes effective taxation difficult and in many cases near impossible, oil revenues form a critical part of government income.

The sharp contraction of Colombias economy during 2020, where gross domestic product shrank by nearly 7%, has caused fiscal income to sharply decline to magnify the risks posed by low petroleum reserves and declining production.

The Duque administrations failure to fully implement the 2016 FARC peace treaty coupled with a spike in violence means that Colombias economy has yet to enjoy the much-vaunted peace dividend, which was predicted to boost GDP growth by up to 3%. It also means the Andean countrys oil industry has not benefited from the increased security that the peace accord was going to deliver which would have opened territory once off-limits for exploration because it was controlled by armed groups.

For these reasons, it is doubtful Colombia will make the major oil discoveries necessary to boost proven reserves and production. That is a pressing issue because oil is responsible for 17% of government income, around 3% of GDP and more than a third of exports by value. As those numbers demonstrate, if Colombia is unable to maintain its crude oil output at current levels by making further discoveries, then the economy and government revenue are under threat.

Any sharp decline in economic growth and fiscal income could have a disastrous impact on Colombias already fragile outlook. Bogota must reduce violence and lawlessness if it is to successfully attract foreign investment to drive greater oil exploration and development to enhance economic growth.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
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.
Those interviewed said it doesnt do any good to argue with those who reject vaccinations. Instead, they try to relate what they know and where to look for reliable information. The vast majority of those in the hospital, they said, express regret that they didnt get vaccinated.

What we dont want them to feel is any sort of shame, said Jones, the infectious disease physician. We want them to share their story, to get the vaccine, and urge others to get the vaccine.

But she admitted that its getting harder to push back because youre just fatigued, its hard to rally the troops.

Jones said one patient told her that shed done her own research on the internet and wasnt so sure about the vaccine. But all the evidence, the doctor said, shows that the vaccines work to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.

Unless youve enrolled 30,000 patients in clinical trials, your research doesnt count, Jones said. Its unfortunate that its become a political issue. Its a health care issue in our mind.
If mass gatherings showed up in front of fraternity houses when one of its members committed sexual assault, the streets and sidewalks of campus would swell with protests every week.

University Title IX offices may swallow many of these cases inside their manila folders  tucking them in drawers more leak-proof than nuclear waste bunkers  but that cannot erase the experience of the survivors. No one can hide the injustice of our sexual assault crisis, which has often been incorrectly termed an epidemic.

Epidemics, as the scholar Sarah Deer discusses, are biological, infectious; the word allows society to absolve itself of wrongdoing. But this crisis of sexual violence is the product of a system. Its one spurred by the rape culture that infests fraternities.

According to a 2007 study by John Foubert et al, fraternity men were three times more likely to commit rape than other men on college campuses.

That shocking number stems from a system that dehumanizes and objectifies women, reducing them to conquests, trophies, hunts.
DECATUR  Selling an assorted array of lip balms, massage oils and facial scrubs, Jaleela Singleton said it is not easy for Black-owned businesses to get the funding they need to support themselves.

Its hard for us to get the benefits we need for our own business because we get turned down a lot and there arent that many opportunities for us to take advantage of, said Singleton, a franchise owner of Coochie Cane. Anytime you have an opportunity, go for it.

The Metro Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce held their second annual Black Business Expo in Decaturs Central Park on Saturday. The event was intended to help Black-owned businesses gain more exposure by showing the products and services they offer to the community.

Tony Wilkins, president of the Metro Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce, said the expo also aims to give exposure to the organization in celebration of August being National Black Business Month.

The first things we want people to get out of this is to see the number of Black businesses available and the goods and services they provide, Wilkins said. If people dont know that these goods and services are out there, then they cant take advantage of them.

Businesses paid $25 to participate if they were chamber members and $50 if not, which would later go toward their future membership payments, Wilkins said.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The loan program, which is a part of the Small Business Credit Initiative, participates with approved lenders like Hickory Point Bank & Trust to provide financing to various businesses and encourage bank lending. It fills in the gaps that prevent new and growing businesses from obtaining financing for startup costs or working capital.

"We are very excited to be partnering with the Metro Decatur Black Chamber and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to help support local minority-owned businesses in the Decatur community, said Chris Funk, executive vice president of Hickory Point Bank & Trust, in a press release on Saturday.

Wilkins said there is over $78 million in funds allotted to Illinois Advantage program and this will be first rollout for businesses in Macon County.

He also said the chamber will be offering a workshop with Hickory Point on Monday to help businesses with the application process and learn more about the qualifications needed.

We want people to know about the Black businesses available, Wilkins said. We also want them to know that the Metro Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce is here to serve the business community and help them grow, expand and even start up their business.

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SPRINGFIELD  Downstate Illinois is continuing to hollow out, with U.S. Census data, released Thursday afternoon, confirming the regions losses as the main driver of the states population loss over the past 10 years.

All but 14 of Illinois 102 counties experienced population decline this past decade, but the distribution was uneven, with eight counties in populous northeastern Illinois (Cook County, the five suburban collar counties and exurban Grundy and Kendall counties) combining for nearly 149,000 in population growth.

But, the rest of the state combined to lose nearly 167,000 people, creating a net loss of more than 18,000 residents and making Illinois just one of three states to lose population this decade.

Insofar as population growth plays into economic development, human capital, those sorts of things, then the total picture is certainly not anything to celebrate, said Kent Redfield, a retired professor of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.

There were some pockets of downstate growth, with Champaigns population increasing 8.2% to 88,302, making it one of the states 10 largest cities. Bloomington also registered a 2.6% jump to 78,680.

Other areas of growth included Carroll, Effingham, Johnson, Monroe and Williamson counties.

Peoria and Springfield registered modest declines, while Decaturs population declined 7.4% to just above 70,000. The citys population has now declined 25% since reaching a peak of more than 94,000 in 1980.

Alexander County, at the far southern tip of the state, registered the steepest decline, 36%.

Counties with state universities, perhaps still feeling the impact of the state's 2015-2017 budget impasse or a loss of students from COVID-19, registered some steep losses.

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Coles County, home to Eastern Illinois University, was down 13%. Jackson County, home of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was down 12%. McDonough County, home of Western Illinois University, had a 16.5% decline.

The data also confirmed that, like the rest of the country, Illinois has become more diverse, with its share of non-Hispanic/Latino whites declining more than 14% while those identifying as Hispanic or Latino increasing by more than 15%. The states Asian population also increased more than 28%. The states Black population decreased by just over 3%.

About 61% of Illinois residents identify as white, 18% as Hispanic or Latino, 14% as Black and 6% as Asian. A record number of people identify as some other race or two or more races.

I think we're seeing something that we expected to see, which was Latino populations becoming fairly prominent not just in the state but across the country, said Julie Dowling, an associate professor of sociology and Latino studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. And so we're seeing increasing diversity in our country.

Dowling said this in part is fueling the disparity between the gains of the more-diverse Chicago region versus the losses of the less-diverse rural areas of the state.

The report definitely stressed that urban communities are where we're seeing a lot of this growth, Dowling said. And urban communities tend to also be more diverse than rural communities. So mainly, it's like that divide between urban and rural.

This uneven divide in population loss also has the potential to fuel the next redistricting battle as state lawmakers prepare to return this fall to redraw U.S. congressional district lines.

The state's population decline resulted in the loss of a seat in Congress. With state legislative Democrats controlling the process, it is likely conservative downstate will lose representation as the party seeks to maximize its political advantage, which lately has been the Chicago suburbs.

That's the area that has become the political battleground, Redfield said. If the Democrats are gaining ground in the suburbs and losing ground downstate or the Republicans are gaining ground downstate and losing ground in the suburbs, then those demographic trends obviously favor the Democrats.

The General Assembly approved state legislative districts earlier this year but waited for more accurate census data to draw congressional lines. That process can now move forward since the redistricting data has been delivered.

But a date has not yet been set for lawmakers to return to tackle the topic.

While the information does come out today, we will need the time to receive and analyze the data, said Jaclyn Driscoll, spokesperson for House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside. I dont have any additional information at this time.

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NEW YORK  The second week of the R. Kelly sex-trafficking trial in New York City proved to be an exercise by prosecutors to paint the "I Believe I Can Fly" R&B star as a man-child control freak and a compulsive sex offender who exploited vulnerable victims way less than half his age while ordering them to call him "Daddy."

Defense attorneys for the now 54-year-old entertainer, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, countered by seeking to portray the accusers as lying opportunists trying to leverage Kelly's fame.

Here are snapshots from week two of the case:

LIAR, LIAR

Two Kelly accusers, both testifying without revealing their true identities, said that at age 17 they sought his help launching their music careers, or those of others. But Kelly, they said, only feigned interest.

One told the jury Kelly invited her and a friend to his studio to hear the friend sing. But he quickly lost patience because "he wasn't thrilled about my mom being with us," she said.

Another witness who said she had formal training as a performer got a little further with Kelly  or so it seemed. Her edge was a professionally made music video for a single she wrote, titled "Liar Liar."

Asked for input, Kelly "said that he did like it and that it was cute and that it wasn't too grown or too sexy," she said.

But prosecutors say Kelly was the liar. They allege his tutelage was merely a ploy to take advantage of the girls, leading them down a path of sexual degradation.

A prosecutor asked the woman what steps Kelly took to back up promises to help launch her career.

"None," she responded.

THE NOT-SO-MAGIC KINGDOM

Many of Kelly's draconian tendencies in running an empire headquartered in custom mansions and music studios were detailed by a former employee named Tom Arnold. One example was a failed attempt to organize a 2011 trip to Disney World for Kelly's entourage that included, as always, "female guests."

Arnold was ordered to pull the trip off on short notice, booking hotel rooms, arranging transportation and hiring a VIP tour guide for the theme park. He succeeded at the first two tasks. He ran into a glitch on the third.

Any time Kelly visited the Magic Kingdom, there was an edict that he "needed a woman to be the guide," Arnold told the jury. However this time, the only person available was a man. The witness said when his boss arrived, he abruptly canceled the outing and sent everyone home.

Arnold said his wife noticed his next paycheck was docked a week's pay  $1,500  as an apparent "fine" for the transgression. Quitting his job with Kelly was the only option, he said.

"At that point, I wasn't happy, my wife wasn't happy and Rob wasn't happy," he said.

TUG OF WAR

Much of the testimony of a key accuser focused on a tug of war between her parents and R. Kelly.

The woman testified that her parents had at first encouraged her relationship with Kelly and even pitched ideas for their own business ventures with him. She conceded on cross-examination that one idea was to market an R. Kelly-themed sex toy. Even for him, that went too far, she said.

Kelly "confided in me later it was not something he could ever do," she said.

A complication for the woman was that, well before the trial, she had done an interview with Gayle King on "CBS This Morning" where she expressed her devotion to Kelly and disavowed her parents. She called her father "a manipulative liar" for suggesting she'd been brainwashed.

But on the witness stand, the woman claimed her statements were orchestrated by Kelly to give him cover.

She said behind the scenes, he once "pulled out an iPad and he told me to make a video saying that my father had molested me."

PROSECUTOR'S RETORT

In one of week's more dramatic moments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Geddes attacked the defense tactic of asking the witness about "all sorts of things that your parents did." The retort took the form of a relentless series of questions of her own  made over a defense objection  aimed at refocusing jurors on the most disturbing allegations against Kelly.

Among them: "Who exposed you to a sexually transmitted disease without your consent, your parents or the defendant?" "Who had sexual contact with you, including sexual intercourse with you, when you were 17 years old, your parents or the defendant?" and "Who made you film videos of you engaging in degrading conduct, including smearing and eating feces, your parents or the defendant?"

In a soft voice, she responded each time: "The defendant."

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SPRINGFIELD  Republicans in the Illinois General Assembly say new, detailed census numbers released last week show the legislative maps that Democrats pushed through in the spring are unconstitutional.

The Census Bureau released the data Thursday, Aug. 12, several months later than usual due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. The numbers show population counts down to the block level, which is what lawmakers need in order to draw districts that are as close to equal in population as possible.

Due to the delays, Democrats who control the General Assembly drew maps using population estimates based on survey data. Under the Illinois Constitution, waiting beyond June 30 for the official data would have triggered a provision putting the process in the hands of a bipartisan legislative commission in which Democrats could have lost their partisan advantage.

Just as we predicted, the maps that were drawn by Illinois Democrats in a closed room and without public input, and signed by Gov. Pritzker, have proven to be unusable and unlawful given the release of the U.S. Census data, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, said in a statement Monday.

Previous U.S. Supreme Court decisions have held that in state legislative districts, populations can vary by as much as 10 percent between the largest and smallest districts. Variations below that amount can still be found unconstitutional if they are shown to be discriminatory  either by breaking up minority groups to dilute their voting power, or by concentrating them into too few districts in order to limit their representation.

But variations of more than 10 percent generally have been held unconstitutional.

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Republicans are now arguing that based on their analysis, the smallest and largest districts contained in the new maps that were passed this spring and signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker vary by just under 30 percent  from 92,390 in the 83rd House District, which includes Aurora, to 124,836 in the 5th House District, a narrow, rectangular-shaped district that stretches from Chicagos Near North Side south to 79th Street on the citys South Side.

In June, Durkin and Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods, filed a federal lawsuit in Chicago seeking to have the maps overturned and asking the court either to order the formation of the bipartisan redistricting commission or appoint a special master to draw new maps. A hearing in that case is currently set for Tuesday, Aug. 24. Trial in the case is set for Sept. 27-29.

If the maps are found to be unconstitutional, though, it is not certain that the court would invoke the state constitutions provision calling for the bipartisan commission.

Democrats could argue that they met the constitutions June 30 deadline and, therefore, only need to go back and make adjustments to the maps to bring them into compliance.

Democratic Sens. Omar Aquino and Elgie Sims, both of Chicago, the chair and vice chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, issued a joint statement Monday saying they are still reviewing the census data.

While we continue to analyze the information released by the U.S. Census Bureau, our commitment to the people of Illinois remains the same: We support a fair map that reflects the broad racial and geographic diversity of Illinois, the senators said. As we go through this review process, if it becomes clear that updates need to be made, we will take the appropriate steps to do so.

Aquino and Sims also indicated they may question the accuracy of the data and the Census Bureaus use in the 2020 census differential privacy  a mathematical technique designed to prevent users from extracting other peoples personal information from the data.

This has been a unique census, and its important we take time to fully understand the data, they said in the statement. This includes the impact of differential privacy, which is used by the Census Bureau to protect identities of respondents but may also result in inaccuracies, especially in more ethnically and racially diverse communities.

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SPRINGFIELD  Former state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a two-time candidate for governor and a one-time chief of staff to former Gov. Jim Edgar, made a statement last week that most Illinois political observers would probably agree with: if the gubernatorial election were held today, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker would likely win.

It isnt just that Pritzker is the Democratic governor of a deep-blue state. Or that he has unlimited resources to draw from. Its also the field of candidates who have lined up to take him on.

So far, the three Republican candidates for governor have shown either to have views far more conservative than the rest of the state, have little to no name recognition, have scant financial resources or some combination of the three.

These concerns were on display last week at Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, where the various factions met ahead of the 2022 campaign season.

State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, speaking to reporters, refused to say whether President Joe Biden won the 2020 election legally. And businessman Gary Rabine again falsely suggested that thousands of people have died from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, doubling-down on an earlier claim despite no evidence to support it.

And former state Sen. Paul Schmipf, though striking a more constructive tone, has raised little money and has yet to raise his profile to the level needed to be competitive in a statewide primary.

Despite projecting unity in their mission to defeat Pritzker next year, there was a clear divide last week on how Republicans can accomplish the task, many believing the current field of candidates is not up to it. At the very least, many are unsure.

I think all of them have their hearts set in the right place, said state Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, who is also mulling a run for governor. They're doing what they feel they're driven to do and we appreciate people at all levels who are willing to put their neck forward and run for office. Whether they have the ability to unite and grow the party is a big question right now that I don't think there's an answer to yet, but that's the threshold issue. Can they do that?

Some members of Chicagos moderate business community are so concerned that theyve asked Dillard to consider a third run for governor, something he appeared hesitant to do but has not dismissed outright. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, also hasn't ruled out a run, depending on whether redistricting works out in his favor.

Dillard, the chairman of the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority, finished just 193 votes behind former state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, in the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary. In 2014, he finished three points behind Bruce Rauner in the GOP primary.

Had Dillard, a moderate in the mold of Edgar, won either primary, its conceivable that hed be governor today. But, thats not how things shook out. And now, Republicans are locked out of all six statewide constitutional offices and toiling away in the superminority of the General Assembly.

But defeat in 2022 isnt inevitable, with some arguing that the right candidate with the right message and enough financial support can defeat a Democratic governor in a year where Republicans are poised to do well nationally.

We certainly need money because that's the mother's milk of politics and you're running against a billionaire, Dillard said. But you want to run somebody that can win, that can unify the party as well as win in areas like the minority community and get back suburban women into the Republican Party.

On the money end, all eyes are on billionaire Ken Griffin, Illinois richest man who has bankrolled various conservative causes and candidates over the years. He sank millions of dollars into Rauners warchest and was the main patron of the successful effort to defeat Pritzkers fair tax proposal last year.

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Money can amplify a message. Its undoubtedly part of the equation.

But at the same time, it will not do any good without a winning message or overarching theme. Illinois Republicans are still searching for what works.

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But it isnt rocket science. In fact, there are several examples of Republicans winning in places they have no business winning. Take Maryland, Massachusetts and Vermont  all deep-blue states that elected and re-elected Republican governors in recent years.

Though circumstances are slightly different in each case, a common thread is political moderation, especially on social issues. You won't see these Republican governors participating in the culture wars of our time.

And once in office, these governors showed a willingness to compromise and work constructively with Democratic-controlled legislatures.

And while U.S. Senate races now essentially mirror the presidential election results of each state, there is still room for statewide candidates to keep elections local and avoid the topics that polarize the national discourse.

Beyond the governors race, Republicans will have an opportunity to show if they can do this in the open race for Illinois Secretary of State. Though long a stepping-stone to higher office, the secretary of states office is above all else a customer service-based institution.

Two Republican candidates linked to the race  state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and state Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon  have each emphasized improving the functions of the office when discussing their potential future plans.

I think you really have to talk about listening to what people care about, what they think is important, and try to respond to those needs, Demmer said. Sometimes, I think that there can be some complacency from Democrats who think 'well, this is what got us here, so let's stick with it.' And the reality is, more people  Republicans, independents and Democrats  are looking for something different out of state government. And so I think that's the opportunity that we have.

If anything, last week showed that Republicans still have some obstacles to overcome. But, they also have opportunities.

I think the question is whether our candidates can unite and grow our base, Barickman said. And the answer to that question evolves. That's why people campaign. I don't think we're there yet. I think the potential exists from the party.

Democrats also face challenges

Illinois Democrats have done a lot of winning in the past few elections. That solves a lot of internal problems.

And as long as they keep it up, things should be fine.

But, it's worth noting that it's not all one big happy family, with lingering divisions on full display last week over the future of the structure of the state party.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, was elected chair in March, defeating Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris, who was backed by Pritzker. Kelly had the backing of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

Kelly, due to her status as a federal officeholder, cannot raise or control funds for non-federal races, essentially rendering her a figurehead.

Pritzker was noticeably absent from the Illinois Democratic County Chair's Association brunch last week while Durbin skipped the Governor's Day rally at the state fair.

Both had their reasons, but the optics speak for themselves.

Again, any internal issues will likely remain just that as long as the party keeps winning elections.

Pritzker is likely to spend millions on his own race and to help elect other Democrats up and down the ballot. House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon are likely to do the same.

As was said above, the party controls everything in Illinois. If a family fight is the biggest worry, then I suppose that's a good thing.

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Ghana's confirmed COVID-19 deaths have passed one thousand, with active cases in all 16 regions.



Data from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) COVID-19 update page shows that 1,001 have so far succumbed to the Coronavirus. 147 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the country between August 1 and 23, 2021.



According to the page, 149 persons who contracted the disease are in severe conditions and 62 persons in critical conditions.



Presently, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country since the outbreak in March 2020 stands at 117,040, with the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, the hardest-hit regions, recording 62,745 and 19,865 cases respectively.



The Western region has also recorded 6,705 cases, the total number of active cases as of last Monday was 6,905.



Dr Dacosta Begaye Leader of Risk Communication for COVID-19 Response, Ghana Health Service (GHS), told the Ghana News Agency that deaths were rising because people were reporting to the health facilities late.



He called on the public to help curb the infection spread by wearing their nose mask, observing social distancing and wash their hands regularly with soap under running water.



He said the delta variant was fast spreading in local communities, hence enhanced adherence to the protocols together with the vaccination would ensure that all persons were safe.



Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus.



Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment, however, some could become seriously ill and require medical attention.



Older persons, and people with underlining health conditions like cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer are at high risk of contracting the virus.



Experts say the best way to prevent and slow down transmission and infection is to be well informed about the causes of the disease and how the virus spreads, protect yourself and others from the infection by wearing a nose mask, wash hands frequently with soap under running water and by using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Western North Regional Minister, Mr Richard Ebbah Obeng, has pledged to provide the needed support for Ghanaian companies interested in mining legally.



He said this was part of government's strategy to help create sustainable jobs for the unemployed youth in the Region and the country at large.



The Regional Minister made the remark when he paid a days working visit to Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited in the Aowin Municipality.



The visit was to enable Mr Obeng to have first-hand information about the proposed community mining site and also access their operations.



Interacting with management of the firm, the Regional Minister who was accompanied by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Aowin, Mr Samuel Adu Gyamfi and other dignitaries, expressed satisfaction for the progress of work made so far at the site and commended them.



"The current assessment I have done at Chrisphil Goldfield Company Limited indicates your preparedness to be considered as a community mining. I am tasking you to maintain such high standards in order not to attract any sanction from the government," he added.

Source: GNA









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People are twice as likely to need hospital care if they are sick with the Delta Covid variant, rather than the Alpha variant that was once prevalent in the UK, data from England suggests.



Experts say the big study, published in The Lancet, reinforces why it is important that people get fully jabbed.



Vaccination cuts the risk of serious illness from either variant, although Delta is the current threat.



Delta accounts for almost all UK cases currently.



A further 32,406 new coronavirus cases were recorded in the UK on Saturday, alongside another 133 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.



The study, led by Public Health England (PHE) and the Medical Research Council, looked at 43,338 Covid cases that occurred between March and May - when both Alpha, also known as Kent, variant, and Delta were circulating in the UK.



The bulk of these infections were in people who had not yet been vaccinated.



Most did not need hospital care, but a small proportion - 196 (2.3%) of the people infected with Delta and 764 (2.2%) of those with Alpha - did.



Risk of hospital admission was twice as high for individuals diagnosed with the Delta variant, compared to those with Alpha, after adjusting for differences such as age, sex and ethnicity.



Experts say being vaccinated should bring down this risk. Both doses are needed for maximum protection.



A recent analysis by PHE suggests that effectiveness against hospitalisation after two doses is:



-96% for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine



-92% for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine



Other research suggests that while protection against symptomatic infections may wane somewhat over time, both vaccines still offer good protection against hospitalisations and deaths caused by Delta.



More than 47.9 million people, or about 88% of people aged 16 and over in the UK, have now received a first dose of a vaccine.



Some 42 million people, or about 78% of people aged 16 and over, have had a second.



It takes a couple of weeks from receiving your second dose to get the fullest protection against Covid.



Dr Gavin Dabrera, from PHE, said: "We already know that vaccination offers excellent protection against Delta and, as this variant accounts for over 99% of Covid cases in the UK, it is vital that those who have not received two doses of vaccine do so as soon as possible.



"It is still important that if you have Covid symptoms, stay home and get a PCR test as soon as possible."



The Lancet study findings are consistent with data recently reported from Scotland comparing Alpha and Delta risks.

Source: BBC









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About 473 girls who were either pregnant or had given birth have returned to school in the Central Region.



Mrs. Philomena Panyin Buckman, a representative of the National Girls Education Unit (GEU) of the Ghana Education Service (GES) revealed that within the last five months, the intensification of the campaign to get the girls back to school had yielded results.



She said this was achieved through the efforts of the Regional Advocacy Campaign Team, formed to sensitize duty bearers and well-meaning stakeholders on the importance of allowing children of school-going ages, get back to their respective classrooms to continue their academic work.



Mrs Buckman, was speaking at the review of the 'back to school campaign' project carried out last year, by the advocacy in the various districts in the Region, which was funded by UNICEF.



She indicated that the team was also formed as part of GES' intervention to ensure the return of all pre-tertiary students, especially pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and to make them gain interest in continuing their education to higher heights.



Commending the team for the good work done, Mrs Buckman stated; we are seeing results because you availed yourself to be used, we are so proud of you and we know through you, we will achieve more.



She urged them to continue their advocacy roles to the populace and particularly emphasize the 'Pregnancy Rentry Policy' instituted for pregnant schoolgirls not to abandon the classroom.



We still have a good number of these girls on the street, some have engaged in economic activities and we need to bring them all back to their classrooms, she added.



Mrs. Buckman underscored the need for Headteachers and especially parents to assist in facilitating re-entry for young mothers or pregnant students.



On conditions under the free Senior High School (SHS), she said pregnant school girls must report to the school of placement, provide reliable telephone contact and if possible return immediately to school after childbirth.



On some strategies used to ensure the return of these students, Mr. Francis Eyison, representative of the Regional Advocacy Team, said some donations were made to assist the needy with educational materials and sensitize teachers and pupils to shun stigmatization, while using different teaching methods to meet the needs of all, among others.



He further urged parents and caregivers to also assist by taking care of their grandchildren to relieve the stress of young mothers and to help ignite their interest in joining their colleagues in the classroom.

Source: GNA









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Four armed herdsmen have allegedly attacked a 46-year-old man who works as a security man at a poultry farm at Gomoa Adzentem in the Central Region and raped his 16-year-old daughter.



During the attack, the 13-year-old girl was shot in the hand, after which she was dragged into the bush and raped in turns by the four men.



Confirming this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Saturday, Inspector Evans Ettie, Deputy Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), said the incident happened about 2150hrs on Wednesday, August 25.



He said the girl was rushed to the Gomoa Potsin polyclinic, together with her father who was assaulted, for treatment.



According to Insp. Ettie, the police proceeded to the crime scene, conducted a thorough search and found three empty BB cartridges.



The Police is searching for the suspects who were on the run, while the victims were responding to treatment.



Investigations were still ongoing, Inspector Ettie added.

Source: GNA









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The Konongo Divisional Police Command has busted a railway line stealing syndicate operating at Juaso and some communities within the Asante-Akim South District of the Ashanti Region.



The syndicate, believed to have succeeded in stealing large quantities of railway lines and steel sleepers in recent times, was tracked through intelligence reports and the vigilance of the public.



Those arrested are Yussif Hudu, who has been handed a four-year jail term, and Ibrahim Yakubu, also sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Juaso Circuit for stealing.



Chief Superintendent Shaibu Osei, Konongo Divisional Police Commander, said four other members of the syndicate currently facing trial at the Court, included Tweneboah Malik, Kwadwo Gyamfi, Daniel Appiah and Samuel Baffour.



A considerable number of stolen railway lines and steel sleepers had been retrieved from the syndicate, following their arrest at separate locations within the Asante-Akim South District, the police confirmed.



Chief Superintendent Osei, briefing the Deputy Minister of Railway Development, Mr. Kwaku Asante-Boateng, who was on a working visit to the Region, said the culprits were picked up at Duampompo, Breku, Nnadieso and Asante-Praso, all near Juaso.



The police had information that members of the syndicate normally operate in the bush, especially in communities with railway lines passing through them, he disclosed.



They purportedly cleared the bush in the afternoon, and in the evening would cut the railway lines into pieces, thereby transporting them to the market for sale, the Divisional Police Commander added.



He called on the public, particularly residents of communities with railway lines passing through them, not to hesitate to inform the police of the activities of these unscrupulous elements.



Mr. Asante-Boateng, who is also the Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim South, expressed worry at the manner in which some selfish Ghanaians had made the stealing of railway lines and steel sleepers their business.



The nation has lost so much through such thefts, he lamented, saying those involved in such illegal business would be dealt with ruthlessly when caught.



The Deputy Minister, in line with his tour of the Region, visited the Ejisu, Konongo and Juaso Police Stations, where he inspected some retrieved stolen railway lines and steel sleepers.



He also toured the Adum locomotive workshop in Kumasi, which had large retrieved pieces of railway lines kept after they were intercepted at Obuasi, Akrokerri and some parts of the Region.



It costs the government about five million dollars to construct one kilometre of railway line, according to the Ministry of Railway Development.

Source: GNA









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The Youth Wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the police administration for the manner in which it conducted investigations into an alleged shooting incident by the New Patriotic Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson



The said shooting incident occurred in the Awutu Senya East Constituency during the voter registration exercise in July, last year.



Last Tuesday, the MP who is also the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, told Asempa FM, an Accra-based radio station, that the police had discontinued investigations into the incident due to lack of evidence.



The Youth Wing of the NDC is not satisfied with the said discontinuance of the investigation, and have described it as a sad day for the country.



A statement issued by the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, Mr George Opare Addo, said the youth wing of the NDC was appalled and scandalised by the action of the police.



The NDC is appalled and scandalised by this brazen abuse of state power. It is more worrying when the minister confessed that after she was invited by the Central Regional CID in July 2020 for questioning, and a supposed docket on the case was forwarded to CID Headquarters in Accra, she never heard of the Police CID until it became clear to her that the Police had no evidence to prosecute her, the statement said.



Apology



During her vetting in Parliament in February this year, Mrs Koomson rendered an unqualified apology to the whole country for what she described as an unfortunate incident.



The shooting incident which occurred during the voter registration exercise was unfortunate. I apologise to the people who were scared on that day.





I pray it never happens again in our politics. It was in self-defence because I felt my life was in danger, she told the Appointment Committee of Parliament.



Police administration



The NDC Youth wing said it was disappointed in the acting Inspector General, Mr George Akuffo Dampare, over the incident.



Unfortunately, however, the acting IGPs first achievement was to kowtow to the dictates of the appointing authority to free Hawa Koomson who had openly confessed to firing gunshots in a public place without lawful authority.





The statement said irrespective of the outcome, the NDC would prosecute all persons found culpable of the shooting incident when it returned to power.



The NDC Youth Wing calls on all Ghanaians to brace themselves for reality that the State cannot guarantee their safety. We therefore charge Ghanaians to fiercely protect and defend themselves.



We also want to assure all Ghanaians that crime has no expiration date, and come 2025 when the new NDC takes over the governance of our beloved country all those committing crimes against innocent Ghanaians will be properly investigated and everyone found culpable will be prosecuted, the statement added.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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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Michael Richard of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts boards up Crescent City Pizza on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter before landfall of Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Richard said the group is planning to board up and protect 34 restaurants owned by the company for the storm. Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Forecasters warned residents along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to rush preparations ahead of Hurricane Ida, which is expected to rapidly intensify and bring winds as high as 130 mph (209 kph), life-threatening storm surge and flooding rain when it slams ashore Sunday in Louisiana.

The National Hurricane Center warned that super-warm Gulf waters are expected to soon rapidly magnify Ida's destructive power, boosting it from a Category 2 storm to an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane in just 18 hours or less. Landfall was expected Sunday afternoon.

Coastal highways saw heavy traffic Saturday as people moved to escape the storm's path. Trucks pulling saltwater fishing boats and campers streamed away from the coast Interstate 65 in south Alabama. Traffic jams clogged Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans.

"We're going to catch it head-on," said Bebe McElroy as she prepared to leave home in the coastal Louisiana village of Cocodrie. "I'm just going around praying, saying, 'Dear Lord, just watch over us.'"

Ida was poised to strike Louisiana 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. A Category 3 storm, Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, which took years to recover.

"We're not the same state we were 16 years ago," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Saturday, pointing to a federal levee system that's seen major improvements since Katrina swamped New Orleans in 2005.

Vehicles head slowly east on the Interstate-10 twin spans leaving New Orleans while only a trickle of cars heads west back into the city before landfall of Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. A combination of voluntary and mandatory evacuations have been called for cities and communities across the region including New Orleans, where the mayor ordered a mandatory evacuation for areas outside the city's levee system and a voluntary evacuation for residents inside the levee system.Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

"This system is going to be tested," Edwards said. "The people of Louisiana are going to be tested. But we are resilient and tough people. And we're going to get through this."

Edwards said 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged in 14 parishes for search and rescue efforts with high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters. And 10,000 linemen were on standby to respond to electrical outages.

A tropical depression two days earlier, Ida was strengthening so quickly that New Orleans officials said there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of the city's 390,000 residents, a task that would require coordinating with the state and neighboring locales to turn highways into one-way routes away from the city.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called for a voluntary evacuation and reiterated Saturday that the time to safely leave was growing short. Collin Arnold, the city's emergency management director, said the city could be under high winds for about 10 hours. Officials warned those who stayed to be prepared for long power outages amid sweltering heat in the days ahead.

Jawan Williams shovels sand for a sandbag held by his son Jayden Williams, before landfall of Hurricane Ida at the Frederick Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette, La., which is part of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Hurricane Ida looks an awful lot like Hurricane Katrina, bearing down on the same part of Louisiana on the same calendar date. But hurricane experts say there are differences in the two storms 16 years apart that may prove key and may make Ida nastier in some ways but less dangerous in others..Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Ramsey Green, the city's top infrastructure official, stressed that the levee and drainage systems protecting the city have been much improved since Katrina.

"That said, if we see 10 to 20 inches of rain over an abbreviated period of time, we will see flooding," he said.

In Washington, President Joe Biden on Saturday called Ida "very dangerous" and urged Americans "to pay attention and be prepared."

Lines at gas pumps and car rental agencies grew long as residents and tourists alike hastened to leave Saturday.

"We were willing to wait it out but the hotel said we had to leave," said visitor Lays Lafaurie of Fort Worth, Texas, waiting in a rental car line at the city's airport. "They said we had to leave by 7 tomorrow morning. But if we'd waited that long there wouldn't have been any cars left."

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows a view of Hurricane Ida, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Forecasters warned residents along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to rush preparations Saturday ahead of an intensifying Hurricane Ida, which is expected to bring winds as high as 130 mph (209 kph), life-threatening storm surge and flooding rain when it slams ashore in Louisiana on Sunday. Credit: NOAA via AP

Ida posed a threat far beyond New Orleans. A hurricane warning was issued for nearly 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Louisiana's coastline, from Intracoastal City south of Lafayette to the Mississippi state line. A tropical storm warning was extended to the Alabama-Florida line, and Mobile Bay in Alabama was under a storm surge watch.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency Saturday for the state's coastal and western counties, warning Ida could bring flooding and tornadoes there.

In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves urged residents to stay off of interstate highways to make room for people evacuating from Louisiana. He said 19 shelters had opened to take in evacuees. Several casinos on the Mississippi coast had closed ahead of Ida.

Meteorologist Jeff Masters, who flew hurricane missions for the government and founded Weather Underground, said Ida is forecast to move through "the just absolute worst place for a hurricane."

Local residents fill sand bags as they prepare for the expected arrival of Hurricane Ida Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Gulfport, Miss. Credit: AP Photo/Steve Helber

The Interstate 10 corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is a critical hub of the nation's petrochemical industry, lined with oil refineries, natural gas terminals and chemical manufacturing plants. Entergy, Louisiana's major electricity provider, operates two nuclear power plants along the Mississippi River.

A U.S. Energy Department map of oil and gas infrastructure shows scores of low-lying sites in the storm's projected path that are listed as potentially vulnerable to flooding. Phillips 66 said it was shutting operations at its refinery in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

Many gas stations in and around New Orleans were out of gas, and the few still open had lines more than a dozen cars deep.

Mike Laurent of Marrero, Louisiana, was filling up about a dozen gas canisters to fuel his generator and those of friends and family. Laurent said his family planned to weather the storm at home despite concerns about whether the nearby levee would hold.

Gregory Moore, right, helps a local residents fill sand bags as they prepare for the expectd arrival of Hurricane Ida Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Gulfport, Miss. Credit: AP Photo/Steve Helber

A crew covers windows along Julia St. in the Central Business District as Hurricane Ida approaches the Louisiana coast in New Orleans, La. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Residents across Louisiana's coast rushed to prepare for the approach of an intensifying Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph when it slams ashore late Sunday.Credit: Max Becherer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

Westbound I-10 traffic on the Bonnet Carre Spillway is slow going at 4:00 a.m. near Kenner, La. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, as many New Orleans area residents evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ida. Residents across Louisiana's coast are taking one last day to prepare for what is being described as a "life-altering" Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph (225 kph) when it slams ashore. Credit: David Grunfeld, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

In preparation of Hurricane Ida, a workers attach protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay

Michael Richard of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts boards up Crescent City Pizza on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter before landfall of Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Richard said the group is planning to board up and protect 34 restaurants owned by the company for the storm. Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Sandbags are in place at Satsuma restaurant in New Orleans on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Normally bustling on a weekend morning, the popular breakfast spot was closed while taking protections against possible flash floods as Hurricane Ida approached the Louisiana coast. Credit: AP Photo/Kevin McGill

In preparation of Hurricane Ida, a worker attaches protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay

Local residents fill sand bags as they prepare for the expected arrival of Hurricane Ida Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Gulfport, Miss. Credit: AP Photo/Steve Helber

Jawan Williams loads his vehicle with sandbags before landfall of Hurricane Ida at the Frederick Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette, La., which is part of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan area, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph when it slams ashore late Sunday. Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Louisiana National Guard rescue boats are seen staged at Jackson barracks in New Orleans, La. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Residents across Louisiana's coast rushed to prepare for the approach of an intensifying Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph when it slams ashore late Sunday.Credit: Max Becherer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

Keith Clark brings a friend rope to help tie down a houseboat before he evacuates to Mandeville, La. ahead of Hurricane Ida in Jean Lafitte, La., Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Forecasters warned residents along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to rush preparations Saturday ahead of an intensifying Hurricane Ida, which is expected to bring winds as high as 130 mph (209 kph), life-threatening storm surge and flooding rain when it slams ashore in Louisiana on Sunday. Credit: Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

Clouds pass by the Central Business District (CBD) including the Superdome before Hurricane Ida makes landfall in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Residents across Louisiana's coast are taking one last day to prepare for what is being described as a "life-altering" Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph (225 kph) when it slams ashore. Credit: AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Commercial crabbers Derek Grose, right, Joe Becker, center, and Patrick Nata collect crab traps before the flood wall closes as Hurricane Ida approaches the Louisiana coast in St. Bernard, La. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Residents across Louisiana's coast rushed to prepare for the approach of an intensifying Hurricane Ida. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph when it slams ashore late Sunday.Credit: Max Becherer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

The Rouses grocery in Morgan City, La., is boarded up as residents prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Ida on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. The storm is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph when it slams ashore late Sunday Credit: Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

Troy Leonard, far left, a retired Louisiana State Trooper said he finally had the time to help secure sandbags around three homes of family members riding out Hurricane Ida in the Morgan City, La., area on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. He said this is the first time in 28 years he hasn't had to work during a hurricane. Credit: Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

In preparation of Hurricane Ida, a worker attaches protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay

A man sits in front of a French Quarter business with windows boarded in preparation Hurricane Ida, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in New Orleans,. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay

In preparation of Hurricane Ida, a worker attaches protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Eric Gay

"I don't think it's ever been tested like it's going to be tested tomorrow or Monday," Laurent said. "I bought a dozen life jackets, just in case."

Ida was a Category 2 hurricane late Saturday night with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (168 kph). The storm was centered about 235 miles (375 kilometers) southeast of coastal Houma, Louisiana, and traveling northwest at 16 mph (26 kph). Ida's core was also about 145 miles (235 kilometers) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Cuba started to clean up Saturday after Ida tore through Isla de la Juventud and then western parts of the mainland. The storm toppled trees and damaged crops and buildings. There were no reported deaths.

Explore further Louisiana braces for 'life-altering' Hurricane Ida

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday she was in talks to call a special session of the state legislature after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration's temporary federal ban on evictions, just days ahead of the expiration of the state's own ban Aug. 31.

I am in talks with the Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker to call a special session to address the impending eviction crisis, given the Supreme Courts decision, Hochul said in statement Friday afternoon. Our teams will be working through the weekend to address how best to deliver relief to renters and homeowners in need as quickly as possible.

The court's ruling Thursday gave new urgency to Hochul's efforts to aid tenants behind on their rent because of pandemic financial hardship.

The state since the spring has been working to dole out more than $2.4 billion to provide up to 12 months of past-due rent directly to landlords on behalf of eligible low- and moderate-income renters, but the program got off to a slow start.

As of Monday, it had distributed $200 million for 15,500 households. Another $600 million worth of aid has been approved based on applications from tenants, but has not been distributed yet because of trouble identifying and contacting landlords.
Editor:

Labor Day is a time to reflect on where we stand as members of the American labor force.

Work during a pandemic has brought the issue of workplace safety to the forefront.

Essential, front-line and public facing workers risked the most and died in the greatest numbers while the wealthiest among us watched their portfolios expand from the comfort of their country homes.

Public services continued at great personal risk to the workers whose job it is to maintain those services.

They did this because they are responsible for the care of their community and others; sanitation, safe drinking water, infrastructure maintenance, caring for those in group homes with developmental disabilities, the elderly in a nursing home or those with mental health struggles.

Unions brought you the weekend, is an oft-repeated phrase but truthfully weve brought a whole lot more. We pushed for safety legislation and life-saving policies so every worker could safely do their job and return home to their family.
Editor:

As parents, we thought we did everything right.

We researched the schools, the neighborhood  after a three-year search, we bought a house on a private dead-end with only two neighbors so our kids could be safe from strangers.

We had six wonderful years.

But that all ended after one neighbor sold and the new homeowner turned the house into a year-round short-term rental.

Now, because of foul language and a list of inappropriate behaviors, were not comfortable letting our children outside without adult supervision. Weve become security for the town and front desk clerk against our will.

We had no idea how short-term rentals could disrupt the life of a neighbor.

Neighborhoods are built for neighbors, not strangers. In the last year and a half, we've estimated that more than 400 strangers have "lived" next door. That's 400 strangers who had access to our children.

As a father and a husband, that's a frightening thought. Sure, we can move, but to where? Theyre everywhere and can pop up in any neighborhood.
Blake said he continues to relive not only his own shooting, but other gun violence in the Black community. Last month, during Fourth of July fireworks when Blake was in Chicago with family, he called 911 over what he later realized was an anxiety attack.

Im hearing these booms (fireworks) and its not scaring me because I got shot, its scaring me because all of those people have gotten shot so every time a boom went off, Im kind of imagining people dying," Blake said.

Blake was shot by Kenosha police Officer Rusten Sheskey after he and two other Kenosha officers tried to arrest Blake on an outstanding warrant. A pocketknife fell from Blakes pants during a scuffle. He said he picked it up before heading to a vehicle to drive away with two of his children in the back seat. He said he was prepared to surrender once he put the knife in the vehicle. Sheskey, who was not charged, told investigators that he feared for his own safety.
So why is Biden taking so much flak? There are at least eight better explanations than the ones coming from the White House.

First, the media is biased, not toward hawkishness per se, but toward government action to relieve visible human suffering. When it comes to domestic politics, that generally works in favor of Democrats. In foreign policy, it can work for U.S. military action or against it, depending on whether action or inaction seems to be more responsible for bloodshed and oppression. The media will therefore have a soft spot for military action if it is seen as motivated by humanitarian concerns. (Recall that in Donald Trumps first months as president, the media  specifically images of children subject to chemical warfare  prompted him to order air strikes in Syria.)

Second, many journalists covering Afghanistan have built relationships with Afghans who are now at grave risk from the Taliban. That circumstance, too, is pushing the coverage in a hawkish direction.

Third, Bidens decisions have generated nearly uniform criticism from Republicans  even the ones who agree that we should be getting out of Afghanistan say he has carried out the policy badly  while a lot of Democrats, including veterans of the war such as Denver-area Representative Jason Crow, have broken with the administration. Thats a formula for unfavorable coverage.
When state Sen. Chris Brown announced he wouldnt seek reelection, those who follow politics knew at once that competition for the open seat would be intense, and therefore much money would be spent trying to win it.

Even so, the pledge by South Jersey Democratic boss George Norcross to raise and spend $5 million on one Atlantic County contest shocked many. Thats more than a third of what Democrats spent on all of the legislative contests in 2019.

The Norcross money will support the campaign of Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, for the 2nd Legislative Districts Senate seat left by Brown. His opponent, Vince Polistina, a former Republican assemblyman for the district, said Democrats in New Jersey always outspend Republicans, but he was surprised to see so much funding announced so early. Polistina said he and his party will have the funds to wage an effective campaign.

Partisans often think money in politics is a problem when their foes have more of it. Spending is useful in a campaign, no question, but increases in it yield a diminishing return past a certain point. And funding is but one factor and often not the most important. Campaigns expected to succeed may get money from groups and people seeking to back the winner. Well-funded campaigns often fail to change the electorates mind.
Families would be given a choice of providers, more days of care, with extended day care. Parents would have the freedom to tour various state-licensed childcare centers and then make their enrollment decision based on their familys specific needs, rather than proximity to a public school building.

And this shift would substantially move the state closer to its goal of UPK by allowing families who can afford early childhood education to continue to pay as they normally would, while reserving limited state funds to provide services solely for those who cannot.

This is the only solution that is logical and fiscally responsible. It supports families. It is fair to taxpayers. And it ensures a viable child care industry for years to come.

Jaclyn Falzarano

Iselin, Middlesex County

Border, racial mistakes

There is a term some people use, progressophobia, to describe a disorder that strikes liberals and makes them incapable of recognizing progress.
COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths had been plunging across the U.S. and in Iowa since January, when rollout of the vaccines first started to pick up steam. But since June, all those numbers have been surging again as 39% of the eligible U.S. population (12 years and older) and nearly half of the overall population remains unvaccinated, according to federal data, helping to enable the virus more transmissible Delta variant to spread.

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in July said COVID-19 has become a pandemic of the unvaccinated. And Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, in April said the campaign to get Iowans and Americans vaccinated is a literal race against the virus variants.

At least five national health care organizations  including the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics  have formally advocated for requiring all health care workers to be vaccinated.

Walgreens, with 72 locations in Iowa, also is requiring all workers based in support offices to be fully vaccinated by September 30. Any worker who is unable to be vaccinated, a company spokesman said, will be required to enroll in a COVID-19 testing program.
Still to be added to the walls are photographs of Afghan soldiers and civilians who worked with the U.S. troops.

"So far, I've helped four Afghan nationals move here to the U.S. and am now working to get a few more here," he said. "The special immigration visa program is so bogged down, it's ridiculous.

"In the past six months, two of my guys who worked for me have been murdered while waiting to come here," he added. "The Taliban and ISIS are working double-time to murder these people who helped us. I've emailed senators and congressmen doing everything I can to help these guys get here. Some of these guys have saved dozens of U.S. members' lives."

As for his flag, Thomann said he appreciates the attention it's getting and hopes its stay in Mahomet will be long-term as he recently began a new career at electric-car manufacturer Rivian in Normal.

His folks "didn't even know what I was doing with it over the last 20 years," he said. "It wasn't until I got it framed and I showed it to them. It was kind of emotional for both my parents. They're obviously very proud."

His daughter, Adalyn, is also in that camp. She's been to the Special Forces memorial at his group's headquarters at Fort Lewis, where they have talked about the sacrifices of soldiers.
Across Rock Island County, local governments are worried about what to do with their pension obligations.

As we watch budget presentations each year, it is the elephant in the room. And that mammal just keeps on growing, especially when it comes to police and fire pensions, gobbling up ever-bigger chunks of city budgets and taxpayer money.

These obligations are distinct from whats going on at the state level, where its pension systems face daunting fiscal challenges. Still, its the same type of hole. And cities are struggling to figure out how to climb out of it, especially because the state has told local governments to fund 90% of their police and fire pension obligations by 2040.

Most are falling short. On average, police and fire pension systems in Illinois are funded at 55%. But some are worse off. In Rock Island, for example, the funding level is 40.2% for police and 31.8% for firefighters. Its better in East Moline, where the police pension is at 50.8% and the firefighters pension fund is 58.5%.

This is far from the 90% threshold.
Voigt touched on the fact some COVID-19 patients are being transferred out of Davenport.

"From time to time Genesis Medical Centers stabilize and safely transfer patients when we do not have critical care resources to care for the dramatically increasing recent numbers of COVID patients needing critical care," Voigt said. "Genesis Health System is not unique or immune to the surges all medical centers are experiencing across the United States. We urge the community to follow CDC recommendations and help improve the health of our community through COVID-19 vaccination. One of the best ways to limit these surges is by wider reach of vaccination."

A news release from UnityPoint Health-Trinity offered a different view.

A media contact said Trinity was seeing "a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking care in our emergency departments."

UnityPoint Health-Trinity is encouraging patients to use online scheduling options to visit a UnityPoint Clinic Express or Express Care location to be evaluated by a medical provider for a COVID-19 test if recommended by the CDC.

Jamie Mullin, Trinity's marketing manager in Rock Island, commented on bed availability throughout its health system in the Quad-Cities.
Loultchev said she learned since his death, after speaking with Vazquez's father, that Vazquez had struggled with mental health issues before. Had she known earlier, Loultchev said, she would have gotten help for him at a psychiatric hospital, even if it meant tricking him to go. Vazquez's father declined to speak to a reporter and his mother couldn't be reached.

Toxicology tests to determine if Vazquez had drugs in his system when he died will take weeks. Loultchev "started to suspect drugs" as Vazquez burned through money, she said, and his facial expressions signaled he was confused or scared.

The friend who let Vazquez stay in a spare bedroom on Conover Lane said Vazquez was supposed to be moving out of her house and into a homeless shelter the day he died. She has a theory about how Vazquez ended up inside the stranger's home: "I truly believe, 100 million percent, that Brian thought he was walking into my house," said Erin Epperhart. "He was on a walk, he got confused and he thought it was my house."

She acknowledges the houses and fences don't look alike, but she said Vazquez was new to the neighborhood and it was dark out, made more so by the power outages reported at some homes in the area after thunderstorms blew through hours before.
Loebsack accomplished that for seven terms. He was the 21st-most moderate out of 237 Democrats in the U.S. House during his final term, according to the nonpartisan congressional analysis site GovTrack. In previous terms, the site ranked him as high as 11th. Loebsack managed to keep winning in the 2nd District even after its rightward shift in 2016 and 2018.

So much could be at play in the 2nd District, which is the case when you have a district whose most recent election was decided by just six votes out of nearly 400,000 cast.

In addition to the candidates need to connect with the districts moderate voters, as well as the most passionate among their respective party bases, the quality of campaign operations could prove critical. Democrats feel stung by the thousands of ballots cast in Iowa City  likely by college students  that had a vote for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden but no vote in the U.S. House race.

Had a mere seven out of those thousands of Biden voters kept voting down-ticket, Rita Hart would be serving her first term in Congress, not Miller-Meeks. Missed opportunities like that are only amplified when the race is as close as was the 2nd in 2020, and they show the critical importance of campaign organizations and get-out-the-vote operations.
I would like to share with you a brief conversation about politics that I didn't want to have. But the man in the Arizona bar sitting a couple of stools down from me was persistent, so I reluctantly engaged.

He first brought up President Joe Biden's handling of Afghanistan, specifically the "idiocy"  his word, not mine  of making a deal with the Taliban in the first place. When I pointed out that it was the former president and not the current one who negotiated the deal  going so far as to pull up video of Donald Trump bragging about making the deal  the man pivoted to Hillary Clinton's email. The Fox News buzzwords just kept coming. It was like playing a drinking game at Tucker Carlson's house.

The best part was when he said the electoral college had to be protected so that California and New York don't "ruin our democracy." I asked how a system saves democracy when it allows the candidate with fewer votes to claim victory?

He paused for a moment. Then went back to Clinton's emails.

But, hey, at least he paused.
ATLANTA (AP)  Republican efforts questioning the outcome of the 2020 presidential race have led to voting system breaches that election security experts say pose a heightened risk to future elections.

Copies of the Dominion Voting Systems software used to manage elections  from designing ballots to configuring voting machines and tallying results  were distributed at an event this month in South Dakota organized by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, an ally of former President Donald Trump who has made unsubstantiated claims about last year's election.

Its a game-changer in that the environment we have talked about existing now is a reality, said Matt Masterson, a former top election security official in the Trump administration. We told election officials, essentially, that you should assume this information is already out there. Now we know it is, and we dont know what they are going to do with it.

The software copies came from voting equipment in Mesa County, Colorado, and Antrim County, Michigan, where Trump allies had sue unsuccessfully challenging the results from last fall.

The Dominion software is used in some 30 states, including counties in California, Georgia and Michigan.
Editor's note: David McCumber worked on Birch Creek Ranch for a year, researching a book, The Cowboy Way: Seasons of a Montana Ranch (Avon Books, 1999).

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS  Not much that happens on the Birch Creek Ranch bothers Tanya Hill.

And plenty does happen on the expansive outfit in the shadow of the Big Belt Mountains, 10 miles west of here. Just the other day she looked out her window to see a bear eating one of the bums  motherless calves  she was keeping in her yard.

She routinely and calmly deals with everything from blizzards to sick cows and kids to backroads turned to gumbo by spring storms. Shes the wife of the ranch foreman, Tyson Hill, and one of the best hands on the place in her own right.

But late in the afternoon of Aug. 6, in a weird smoky half-light, as temperatures hovered in the 90s and a gale-force west wind roared down the face of Tucker Mountain behind her house, as ash and embers swirled around her like greeting cards from the gates of hell, Tanya Hill was afraid for her family.

It all started almost a month before.

The National Weather Service had forecast that a weak storm system would bring a few evening showers and thunderstorms to the Big Belts on Friday evening, July 9.

Unfortunately, the storm provided very little moisture across the range, already severely dried by drought. What the little cell did provide was lots of lightning.

On Saturday, July 10, a small column of smoke could be seen, high in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, near Boulder Lakes in a remote part of the remote Big Belts.

On the forests Facebook page, a picture and an update was posted. The tiny lightning-caused blaze now had a name: The Woods Creek Fire.

Air attack was immediately launched to size up the fire. Upon arrival, the initial size was estimated to be about half an acre, in subalpine fir and lodgepole pine on the upper third of the ridge, the post read.

Because the fire was in tough terrain, and because resources were already stretched thin on other fires, the U.S. Forest Service decided not to try to extinguish it, opting to continue to monitor it instead. The Service also was following a protocol that emphasized using wildfire itself as a natural tool to manage forests  as long as a fire was not threatening infrastructure or people, and when resources were stretched thin, it would not be immediately extinguished.

For 10 days, the little fire on the ridge smoldered, changing little in size. Then, like scores of others around the West, it began to grow. High temperatures, low humidity and gusting winds made for explosive fire growth.

By Aug. 5, the Woods Creek Fire was a 20,000-acre monster, only four percent contained and certain to get larger. The fire had already crossed Forest Service boundaries into private land, and along the southeast corner of the fire was Bill Galts Birch Creek Ranch.

Galt approached the U.S. Forest Service Southern Area Red Team, which at that time had responsibility for the Woods Creek Fire. He asked what their plans were.

Team leaders told him that no state or federal resources would be available to assist to fight the Woods Creek Fire on private land until Aug. 8, because those resources were busy elsewhere.

Galt has fought fire with and for state and federal firefighters for more than three decades, often with heavy machinery  big Caterpillar dozers  and also with his Bell Jet Ranger helicopter.

So he said, Well, we have resources we can offer, we have four dozers, two blades, and crew to operate them. The offer was declined. Forest Service and state Department of Natural Resources officials, asked last week why they elected not to contract with Galt or other local landowners, did not comment.

Meagher County Rural Fire Department and landowners then asked if the Incident Response Team would defend fire lines if the local teams cut them. They were told yes. So that afternoon, Meagher County Rural Fire volunteers and ranch crews began building fire lines on Birch Creek Ranch, the Lane ranch and the Buckingham ranch, all along a ridge where the ranches meet the Wilderness Study Area land, including a high-elevation cluster of granite outcrops known as the Needles. In some places along the four and a half miles the three ranches bordered federal lands, the crews constructed three sets of fire lines.

The next day, they would need all of them.

It is almost uncanny how the Woods Creek Fire followed the same pattern as Californias disastrous Tamarack Fire, just a few days apart.

According to The Los Angeles Times, lightning struck a pine tree rooted on a remote ridge in the Humboldt Toiyabe National forest in early July  about a week earlier than the lightning strike that created the Woods Creek blaze.

For a week, as the Forest Service monitored, the Tamarack Fire remained tiny  about a quarter of an acre. Then the wind came up.

To date, the Tamarack Fire has burned more than 68,000 acres. At least 23 structures have been destroyed and the damage from the fire is estimated at more than $9 million in California and Nevada.

Officeholders from California and Nevada sharply criticized the Forest Services decision not to extinguish that smoldering tree. U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock of California demanded that the Forest Service retract the current U.S. Forest Service direction that allows wildfires to burn and instruct all Regional Foresters that all wildfires should be suppressed as soon as possible. Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a virtual meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, weighed in, criticizing the Forest Services culture of wait and see and imploring the agency to do better.

Randy Moore, the Biden Administrations selection as Forest Service chief, took office July 26  after the major damage from the Tamarack Fire had been done, and as Woods Creek was beginning to blow up. Nothing like a baptism by fire.

He wasted little time responding to Newsoms plea.

On Aug. 2, he sent a memo to all regional foresters, station directors, and other Forest Service executives. In it, he announced that at this time  managing fires for resource benefit is a strategy we will not use. (That is the so-called let it burn strategy in which wildfire itself is used as a tool to manage forests.)

We are in a triage mode where our primary focus must be on fires that threaten communities and infrastructure, he said.

That Forest Service-wide change in strategy came just a few days too late to snuff out the Woods Creek Fire  and just four days before the fire would menace the Birch Creek Ranch.

On Friday, the 6th of August, nobody on Birch Creek Ranch was looking forward to the weekend.

The fire loomed above the ranch, which was enveloped in smoke and ash.

In the late afternoon, the Incident Management Team leadership from the Forest Service and DNRC met with Meagher County Rural Fire officials, Galt, and ranch crew members in the truck shed at Birch Creek Ranch. The weather was ominous, brutally hot and windy.

They discussed the potential path of the fire and what could be done. Red Team leadership had earlier told Galt that despite the promises made yesterday about defending fire lines, they had no resources to devote, and so Meagher County Rural Fire and the landowners were on their own. Setting a back fire to starve the fire of fuel before it roared over the fire lines was discussed.

Galt offered to let everyone fighting the fire use his ranch radio frequencies. The Forest Service declined.

Leaving the meeting, Galt decided to head up and check on the fire.

Driving his pickup toward Tucker Mountain, peering into the surreal smoke, he couldnt see much at first.

He came up over a rise, and was met by a wall of flame.

The fire had come over the top of Tucker and it was right there, he said.

The smoke was so thick he couldnt see the road, and as he backed up his truck he experienced a scary moment when a rear wheel went off the surface. Oh, man, he thought, If I get this thing stuck I sure wont be able to outrun this fire on foot.

But he got the truck righted, turned around, and radioed to Meagher County Rural Fire and to his crew that the fire had crested the mountain.

They had posted units nearby, and within a few moments Fire Chief Jake Kusek  who happens to be Tanya Hills brother  made the decision to light a back burn, or burnout, to try to defend the final fire line that had been constructed the day before and keep the fire from taking structures, including the Hills house. Meagher County Rural Fire brought drip torches and fuel, and set to work. Volunteer firefighters Shane Sereday, Sam Peeler, Chad Evans, Lee Zentner, Gerald Zarr and Cody Jackson arrived. They all marched uphill to meet the fire.

Tanya had sent sons John, 8, and Liam, 5, to stay with friends out of the fires path. Paul, 10, wasnt so easily dissuaded. He insisted on being with the crew.

Tanya, too, stood by to help if needed as the burnout began. Her thoughts tumbled chaotically around her head. She didnt know if she was going to go home to a house or a pile of burned rubble. She didnt know what the next few minutes, or the next few hours, or the next few days were going to bring. We didnt know if we were still going to have corrals, much less a house, she said.

By the time the burnout was touched off along more than four miles of fire line, the Woods Creek inferno was all but on top of the rural firefighters and other volunteers.

Air Attack, the IMT's constant aerial surveillance of the fire, saw the burn and called it in to Meagher County Sheriff's dispatch. Dispatch called Kusek, who told them it was a back burn. According to sheriff's personnel, the dispatcher then notified DNRC.

Almost immediately, the fires were joined.

For the next hour or so, there was nothing to do but watch for spot fires blown across the line, and wait to see if the line held.

It did  all the way to the Needles. The line ended there because it was too late  the fire had already come across at that point.

But otherwise, the burnout did just exactly what it was supposed to do  it burned back into the existing fire in order to deprive the fire of fuel. The Hill house and much of the ranches  and possibly miles more country all the way to White Sulphur Springs  had been saved.

On the morning of Aug. 7, the daily fire meeting at Galts truck shed focused on the area around the end of the Needles where the fire was still raging. Incident Management Team leaders told Galt it would be able to contribute one dozer to fighting the fire there, but had no other available resources. After the meeting, DNRCs John Huston took Galt aside and said, You surprised me with that fire last night  apparently indicating that he should have been personally notified.

The fire was picking up and Meagher County, Galts crew and volunteers from the nearby Hutterite colony and others  including County Attorney Burt Hurwitz  headed up toward the blaze, which was moving down toward a small lake on the Galt ranch.

That evening, the fires run was stopped. Galt had some 7,000 acres burned, and other ranchers, including Annie Teague at the Teague Ranch and Roger Shroyer at the Buckingham Ranch, also suffered significant losses, but it looked like the worst was over.

Thats when things got really weird.

That afternoon, news of a new fire popped up on Inciweb, the national Forest Service fire-tracking site, on the Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest site, and on the state fire dashboard. Notifications were sent to the media.

The Needle Fire, as it was dubbed, was reported to have started at 6:30 p.m. the night before. According to the announcement, the fire was 2,852 acres, and 84 IMT personnel were assigned to fight it.

And, the announcement said, the fire was human-caused.

What was wrong with that announcement? There was no new fire. The burnout was set at about that time, but it was almost immediately incorporated into the Woods Creek blaze. And 84 firefighters? There was not one IMT firefighter on the scene of the burn. Not. One.

The mistake would have been almost amusing if it were not for one thing: The human-caused terminology carries great legal significance.

While the Forest Service cannot be sued for letting a wildfire get away, it can certainly pursue perpetrators of human-caused fires. In fact, when a fire is classified as human-caused, federal agencies are required to pursue costs of suppression. Such cases can cost millions.

The next mornings daily fire meeting was not a happy affair. Galt had called the DNRCs Huston before the meeting, asking him to explain the Needle Fire designation. He says Huston told him that We had to do that because we had nothing to do with that fire. Which certainly didnt satisfy Galt. He told the IMT representatives that they had no honor, accusing others of starting a fire when they had refused to fight the blaze that was threatening the ranch.

As a volunteer firefighter himself, Burt Hurwitz felt bad for his Rural Fire colleagues, tarred with the human-caused language. But as Meagher County Attorney, his biggest concern was defending the county from liability.

Hurwitz said the IMT had basically accused everybody in the room of arson. He asked for the names of the 84 firefighters that were nowhere to be seen on the fire.

According to others in the meeting, IMT in response indicated they didnt know Meagher County was involved in setting the fire, and that the decision to designate the Needle Fire was above their pay grade, but they would get the people responsible there for a second meeting later in the day.

And they said  despite the fact that the immediate danger was past  that they now had some resources available to fight the fire.

At the second meeting, DNRC state forester Sonya Germann called Galt, and he put her on speaker phone. She said she didnt know how the mistaken designation had happened. When she was told that someone from DNRC had called Gov. Greg Gianforte to tell him that Galt had started the fire, she said she didnt know who had done that.

Germann temporized, asking for a Monday meeting with legal counsel, but Hurwitz wasnt having it.

He told her all the principals were assembled, they were taking time away from fighting the fire, and this needed to be resolved immediately.

She dispatched two DNRC staffers from Helena to the meeting.

They admitted that creating the Needle Fire was probably a dispatcher error. But they agreed it was unlikely a dispatcher had called the governors office.

During that meeting, the Needle Fire disappeared from the Inciweb site, and releases about it were recalled.

The next day, the Woods Creek Fire update on Inciweb stated that there were accounting errors which had been corrected.

It was not until Aug. 13 that a message from our partners  DNRC  appeared on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Facebook page. It said that the naming of the fire was based on the best available information at the time, but it had since been determined that it was not a new wildfire start but rather a tactical burning operation overseen by the Meagher County Rural Fire Department intended to consume unburned fuels between the rapidly advancing Woods Creek Fire and at-risk rangelands and homes.

Added to that statement was a boldfaced note of gratitude to the professional firefighters, first responders, and volunteer firefighters, including the Meagher County Rural Fire Department, for their tireless work to protect lives, property and natural resources.

The U.S. Forest Service has issued no statement at all about the erroneous designation.

Hurwitz was not satisfied. He wanted to make sure the county was not held liable. So he went to the Forest Service fire camp to interview firefighters there.

The Forest Service kicked him out. And when he asked for information from the agency, it told him to file a Freedom of Information request.

And at one point, Hurwitz said, another DNRC official told him that Huston had inadvertently approved the Needle Fire designation by mistyping a reply text message to a Forest Service counterpart, typing "ok good" instead of "no good."

Questions were posed by this reporter last week in phone messages to the DNRCs Huston, Hoyt Richards and Germann. Richards returned the call promptly and asked that questions be posed in writing. After they were, Germann called and left a message acknowledging their receipt, and promising a response. But on Friday, a communications staffer emailed to say the only response would be the Aug. 13 post acknowledging the mistaken designation.

Written questions were also sent to the office of the Forest Service's Northern Regional Forester, Leanne Marten, in Missoula. Included were questions about the mistaken designation, and about the way the fire was fought, and whether it would be handled the same way if it happened now, given the memo from the new Forest Service chief. Despite assurances that the questions would be addressed by a Friday deadline, no responses were received.

As of Friday, the Woods Creek Fire had burned 55,411 acres and was 61 percent contained  a good part of that containment being the fire lines constructed by landowners.

Finally, last week, Burt Hurwitz received sufficient assurances from state and federal officials that no claim for costs was forthcoming, he told the Meagher County Commissioners in a statement.

Meagher County Fire has always enjoyed great relations with its state and federal firefighting partners and is relieved that DNRC has corrected the record, he said in the statement. He added that Meagher County Fire wishes that the correction, one week later, had garnered as much attention as the mistaken creation of the fire.

Bill Galt is a controversial figure. One of the largest landowners in the state, always unafraid to voice his opinions, he has often been a lightning rod for criticism and has frequently clashed with state government. His nephew, Wylie, is the Republican Speaker of the House.

Because of who he is, it was probably inevitable that rumors would swirl. But the rumors, in this case, were pernicious and inaccurate.

Mike Beasley, a retired National Forest chief from California who co-founded an organization called Foresters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology, began posting Aug. 8 on the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest web page, calling the Needle Fire "an arson fire," asking, "Why was it so important to eliminate records of this fire?" and saying, "A lot of folks would like to know what happened on the Galt Ranch."

For Jake Kusek, Meagher County Rural Fires chief, the whole affair has left a really bad taste in his mouth.

Hes very proud of his volunteers. Theyve done an amazing job, he said. This year we started fighting fire in April. In July, between fire calls and wrecks, each of our volunteers had 190 to 200 hours. Thats a full-time job  more  and they all have their own full-time jobs.

Then getting thrown under the bus like that  its going to make it even harder to get guys to come out and do what they need to do.

He said hes particularly proud of the way the volunteers performed on the Woods Creek Fire.

That backburn worked exactly as it was intended, he said. We didnt have a lot of time to react. But I wouldnt do anything different today.

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McCullough also stressed his appreciation for the support Finley Point received from other agencies in the area, including several mutual aid agencies, federal and local support.

Responding agencies saved thousands of buildings, but there were 14 primary and 17 secondary structures lost.

The takeaway from this is we must maintain the relationships we built through this incident, McCullough said. Our fellow firefighters who brought their A game and responded are what support our community and what will continue to do so in the future. That holds greater value to me than any monetary donation and Ill do my best to maintain those relationships.

When McCullough found himself having to tell someone their home wasnt saved, he said he felt gratitude and understanding from homeowners.

Its been healing on both sides, McCullough explained, saying talking through events helps people to understand what happened to their property.

When asked what it was like to be on the front lines of fighting Boulder 2700, he said, "Belittling.

The power and energy and force that came down that mountain was apocalyptic. The fire behavior was absolutely out of this world, McCullough said.
Her biggest thing in life is being a mother, said Barrett, who accompanied Wright on one of the tearful trips to the cemetery to select a plot and has vowed to be there for her children. Her children are her world to her. She is never going to be OK unless she knows theyre OK.

Last weekend, Kim and Wen dropped off their oldest, Ian, 21, for his junior year at Christopher Newport University; Kaelin, 18, will be a high school senior this year; Elliott, 14, is starting his first year of high school.

The march of time is gratifying and sobering, a reminder, as she wrote in an email to me the other day, how heart-wrenching her situation is to her. In the same email, she attached several pictures of her husband and children. God, I love my family, she wrote.

On her GoFundMe page  the funds will be used for bills, including the burial plot, medical and travel expenses, and possibly the memorial artwork she is considering for her gravesite  she expressed the gravity of her prospects:
Potential for abuse?

Rent relief works for people who really need it, said April Fridley, office manager for Roanoke Rental Homes, which oversees management of 250 properties  even if others might be gaming the system.

If we have 10 tenants that could not pay or would not pay, I would say probably eight of those are abusing it, Fridley said.

She said nonpayment of rent was indeed a problem for some tenants at the height of the coronavirus economic panic. Its still bad now, for some renters.

We are trying to do what is right for our owners, and it doesnt help us to evict people. Its a loss if we have to evict people, Fridley said. With all the funds that are coming through the government, we try our best to file for them.

Some tenants, however, kept their jobs through the pandemic but stopped paying rent, later applying for and receiving relief funds, she said.

Theres tons of help to keep people who are renting from losing their homes, which is great, Fridley said. But Im just really disheartened by this whole thing.
In May, according to an Associated Press review of Labor Department data, 33.2% of Americans ages 16 to 19 had jobs, the highest percentage since before the Great Recession economic meltdown of 2008. That figure has hovered in the low 30% range all summer.

The unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds  that is, the rate of jobless teens who are actually looking for work but cant find a job  is 9.6%. Thats the lowest teen unemployment rate since 1953, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

By comparison, the teen unemployment rate in April 2020 was 32.1%.

Theres never been a better time to apply for a job if youre a teen, Mathieu Stevenson, CEO of the online employment site Snagajob, told the AP.

In Virginia, teen unemployment rates have dropped as well. Current data for the Roanoke and New River valleys is scarce, but anecdotally, local business owners and managers say the market is excellent for teen workers.

Walk around downtown and see all the now hiring signs, said Olivia King, general manager of Mast General Store on Jefferson Street in downtown Roanoke. Her store employed three high school students this year, all of whom are leaving for college soon.
Id never heard of Leonid & Friends. But Jim Wheeler, who used to work as a manager in the aviation industry, is perhaps their No. 1 fan in Roanoke. He beseeched me to promote their upcoming appearance.

Ill tell you, Im a boomer and Ive always like Chicago, Wheeler told me. Other favorite groups he listed were Tower of Power, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Blood Sweat & Tears, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Rolling Stones.

Wheeler contacted me because he doesnt believe Festival in the Park is doing a valiant enough job promoting Leonid & Friends appearance. I immediately agreed to help because of the novelty. Ive never before written about Russians performing Chicago covers in Big Lick.

Turns out, Wheeler isnt the only local Leonid & Friends fanatic. Another is Skip Brown, executive director of Festival in the Park.

In the music world, we all know about this band, said Brown, whos worked in the business for 40 years and has been trying to bring to them to Roanoke since 2019.

I woke up in college blasting my Chicago records, Brown said. Im as big a fan of Leonid & Friends as anyone out there.

The band traces its roots to 2016.
The letter also expressed concerns that the mechanism to get approval to do online teaching only applies to the health and conditions of the individual doing the teaching. So if a professor has a child at home who is immunocompromised, the process to get the online teaching accommodation wouldnt apply in this scenario, disability advocates argue.

We know from the past year that providing remote access is possible, the letter states. You have the power to provide for the safety of faculty members, staff, students, and children in the New River Valley.

Sands and Clarke replied to the open letter in a joint email message, saying that remote learning was necessary last year when there was an incomplete understanding of the virus. But the university found online learning negatively impacted the quality of the educational experience of our students and instructors, and hindered our ability to deliver on the research and engagement elements of our mission.

They wrote the university will evaluate requests from people with disabilities for accommodations to figure out what could be done without placing an undue burden on the ability of Virginia Tech to accomplish its mission.
The assembly already had moved to shore up Virginia's finances before S&P downgraded the state's financial outlook. Led by then-Appropriations Chairman Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, the assembly created the cash reserve fund as part of the budget in 2017 to give the state a more flexible way to save money than the constitutionally governed rainy day fund.

"We knew it was coming," said Jones, who lost his re-election bid in 2019 after 21 years in the House.

Under the constitution, the state can withdraw money from the rainy day fund if it experiences a shortfall in core revenues - individual and corporate income taxes and sales and use taxes - of 2% or more. The cash reserve fund can be tapped if those revenues fall short by 1% during a fiscal year.

"I hope there is a super deposit required because that would go into the rainy day fund, and that's going to be harder to get to," Layne said.

The assembly didn't put the new reserve fund into state code or fund it in 2017, but Jones said he told the national bond rating agencies that fall that he was committed to introducing legislation and including money in the budget the next year.
RICHMOND  Democrat Terry McAuliffe asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Virginia Republicans that seeks to remove him from the ballot in this years closely watched race for governor over an alleged paperwork error.

In a filing Friday evening, attorneys for the former governor now running for a second term against GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin said the suit was based on a legal lie and would effectively invalidate hundreds of thousands of votes cast in the Democratic primary.

The complaint filed earlier this week by the Republican Party of Virginia against state election officials argued that McAuliffe should be disqualified from running in the November general election because of the omission of his signature on an official form declaring his candidacy.

McAuliffe argued in his filing that nothing in Virginia code requires a candidate to sign the declaration of candidacy.
Ref: 1) Confederates are not worthy of statues, 2) Lee Plaza and Johnny Reb statues. Roanoke Times, Aug. 9, 2021.

When The Roanoke Times editorial staff feels compelled to write a very lengthy, arrogant, condescending, lecturing, sanctimonious, self-righteous response to a short, simple Letter to the Editor, you know the letter writer hit the bulls- eye.

With regard to what the Civil War was all about, Abraham Lincoln made it very clear how he saw that. He said, I aim to save the Union. If I can save the Union and free all of the slaves, I will do it. If I can save the Union and free none of the slaves, I will do it. If I can save the Union and free some of the slaves while leaving the others where they are, I will do it.

In his Gettysburg Address, one of the most profound demonstrations of the power of words ever in the English language, he said, Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. Lincoln thought that the Civil War was about saving the Union.
Are some people disposable?

One might ask why the Mountain Valley Pipeline has chosen to build its Lambert Compressor Station in the only majority-minority election district in Pittsylvania County. Its own consultants acknowledge the station will emit pollution within ten miles of at least ten distinct communities with disproportionately minority or low-income populations.

For many years, case studies have found that natural gas pipelines primarily cross through socially vulnerable communities. Once this was done without notice or resistance, but today it has become a question of environmental injustice and has resulted in major lawsuits against gas companies and lengthy public acts of protest by citizens everywhere new pipelines are being constructed.

The very real risk to public health, the lowering of property values, the damage to the environment and the disruption to the lives of communities least able to defend themselves from this sort of planning should be enough to make the members of the Virginia Pollution Control Board pause before issuing an air permit to Equitrans Midstream (the developer of the MVP and the Southgate projects).
By October, in just 90 days, yellow fever killed more than 3,200 people in Norfolk and Portsmouth, about one out of three people who stayed behind. The young, progressive mayor died, along with the postmaster, police chief, the founder of an up-and-coming railroad, bankers, a journalist, ministers, doctors and nurses from other who rushed in from other cities to help. An entire family perished. You can drive five hours west to Elmwood Cemetery, for physical proof. Or you could go to the Jewish cemetery, the Catholic cemetery, two cemeteries across the river in Portsmouth, or stop by the mass grave right in the upscale section of town, West Ghent.

We seem to have forgotten, or we take for granted here in 2021, that theres one essential key to having a civilization, a country, state, or town: survival. In Virginia, we often look way back to Jamestown for that, but the fact is cities like Norfolk and Portsmouth were fighting for their existence well into the 1800s.

Deaths from typhoid fever, cholera, and particularly yellow fever plagued American port cities for at least 200 years. Its certainly a setback to a citys economy when more than one out of three of its residents, along with most of its government and business leaders, all die within three months.
That might be one of the reasons the report criticizes state higher education funding as inconsistent and non-transparent.

But balanced against that criticism must be an understanding of Virginias distinctive philosophy of higher ed.

Unlike most states, which have a tightly unified and centrally controlled state university system, Virginia believes students are better served by being able to choose among a diversity of schools and education models, and that schools are better served by being allowed a certain amount of autonomy in how they operate.

This system generally has served Virginia well.

But it also, by its very design, creates inconsistencies. And the limited autonomy granted to schools may be perceived as contributing to a lack of transparency, since schools funding histories must to some degree be traced individually.

A case can be made that Virginia needs to reevaluate its dollar commitment to higher education and reformulate the way it apportions aid. In other words, the state should change its approach on both a quantitative and a qualitative level.
The physics of the last 100 years has fascinated with insights into the nature of reality.

For example, Werner Heisenberg and Niels Bohr in the 1920s described quantum "waves" as nothing but measured manifestations of pure possibility (the Copenhagen interpretation). Possibility is a feature of reality more fundamental than actuality.

But this already is an aspect of common experience. We say of a proposition that it might be true based on whether or not it is possible  thus confirming our perception of this domain as fundamental to truth. All moral actions are based on a sense of possibility, as are all social interactions and mathematical experiments. It is true that actuality is a manifestation of possibility, for something can be actual only if it is possible. But the domain of possibility is perceived as distinct from and more fundamental than actuality.
Recently, the Democratic governor of New York announced his resignation. He had been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, but had steadfastly maintained his innocence. His resignation came as he concluded that he had totally lost the support of key members of his political party.

These "key members" of the Democratic Party acted in good faith to demonstrate that they do not tolerate such behavior in their ranks, and that public servants, like Caesar's wife, should remain above reproach.

In stark contrast, the once proud Republican Party has become subservient to a man who not only has been accused of sexual misconduct, but actually bragged about his exploits on widely distributed videotapes. Moreover, he paid hush money to a porn star with whom he had a sexual encounter while his wife was pregnant with his child. Unlike their Democrat Party counterparts, most leaders of the GOP have not only utterly failed to condemn that behavior, they have, by their silence, condoned it.

This is not the way that leadership of a major political party responds. Rather, it is the hallmark of a cult. A political party adheres to its guiding principles, not to the adoration of a single person.
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Our commander in chief and his woke generals have blown the evacuation of Kabul so badly that even CNN and MSNBC have had to cover it.

For the last month, Biden assured us that when our military left Kabul it wasnt going to be a humiliation like Saigon in 1975.

It sure wasnt. It was much worse  and its far from over.

Were just starting to witness the deadly costs of the Biden administrations evacuation of Afghanistans capital.

Safely evacuating tens of thousands of American citizens and Afghans who risked their lives to help us for 20 years from a city surrounded by the enemy is not rocket science, its just Military Science 101.

First, while you hold on to your soldiers and air power for protection, you get all the civilians out  women and children first.

Next you get your fancy military equipment out  untold billions worth of it  so, um, your enemy doesnt get to use it.

Then, after a look around to make sure no one is left behind, you pull your soldiers out  and say goodbye to Americas longest war.
People watch rescue workers after a passenger boat sank in Brahmanbaria district, Bangladesh (AP)

At least 22 people have died after a passenger boat carrying more than 100 people sank following a collision in a large pond in Bangladesh.

The vessel collided with two sand-laden bulkheads in the Brahmanbaria district, around 51 miles east of Dhaka, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Police official Imranul Islam confirmed that rescuers had retrieved 21 bodies from the scene on Friday night.

On Saturday, local police superintendent Anisur Rahman told the Anadolu Agency that the 22nd body had been recovered as the search and rescue operation continued.

No more passengers were thought to be missing despite initial reports that around 50 were unaccounted for.

Mr Rahman said that five people had been arrested, including the cargo boat drivers, a cargo boat owner and other staff of two sand-laden trawlers.

On Friday night, he said that one of the cargo boats drivers and two assistants had been caught by locals in the Bijoynagar region and turned over to local authorities.

Maybe many swam to safety. There was no passenger list. It happens here. Today, nobody came to us looking for any missing people, said Emon Sarker, a duty officer with the districts fire service and civil defence, who also provided the final death toll.

A witness to the accident told a Dhaka-based newspaper that two cargo vessels hit the passenger boat.

I was grazing cattle on the bank. I heard a loud noise and saw the cargo vessels hitting the passenger trawler. I saw the trawler sinking quickly, Nurul Amin told The Daily Star.

Deadly accidents are common across Bangladesh, where water transport is commonly used to move people and goods across its 230 rivers. Unskilled operators and poor enforcement of water safety regulations are often at fault.

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Singapore has outpaced most advanced economies to fully vaccinate 80% of its population against COVID-19. (PHOTO: REUTERS/Caroline Chia)

By Philip J. Heijmans

(Bloomberg)  Singapore has outpaced most advanced economies to fully vaccinate 80% of its population against Covid-19, paving the way for the small but wealthy city-state to forge ahead with reopening in an approach thats closely watched by the rest of the world still figuring out how to live with the virus.

We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post on Sunday. It means Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to Covid-19.

Senior officials have pegged the vaccination milestone to the governments cautious strategy, pledging to use the high rate to gradually open up more economic and social activities, as well as quarantine-free travel.

As it does, Singapore is hoping to do something few places with open borders have been able to manage: keep serious infection and death rates under control, and in so doing prevent the sort of outbreak that would put the health-care system at risk and lead to new restrictions.

Singapore currently imposes stricter social-distancing measures than most global financial capitals outside Asia. It has one of the worlds best vaccination rates  higher only in places like Gibraltar, Malta and the Maldives  but still generally requires people arriving in the country to undergo two-week quarantine in a local hotel, and group gatherings are limited to just five.

Singapore Braces for a Leap of Faith in Its Covid Strategy

The restrictions have started to loosen in recent weeks. The government reopened restaurants to in-person dining on Aug. 10 for those who are fully vaccinated, and a week later eased strict work-from-home rules, allowing as many as 50% of employees to return to the office. It also increased the capacity of spaces that see large numbers of patrons, like malls and cinemas, and ended temperature screenings that have been required to enter public places since early in the pandemic.

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In what represents its biggest leap of faith yet toward reopening, the city-state is taking steps to welcome vaccinated travellers from some countries with an intention to expand travel lanes.

Singapore Seeks to Expand Vaccinated Travel in Reopening Push

Inoculated travellers from Germany and Brunei will from next month be able to enter the country via a special Vaccinated Travel Lane, which will allow approved passengers, including short-term visitors, to bypass quarantine altogether after being tested for Covid-19, officials said recently.

Germany and Brunei were chosen as places where Singapore could test its confidence in vaccinated travel lanes, with Covid infections in both places at manageable levels. 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.

Singapore is now eyeing a third round of vaccine as booster shots for some fully vaccinated individuals, especially the severely immunocompromised. Recommendations are expected shortly.

The city-state also expects to begin vaccinating children under age 12 sometime in early 2022, after safety and efficacy have been sufficiently studied.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
BSAF at Dhaka Press Club discussing the emerging security situation after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. (ANI)

Dhaka, [Bangladesh], August 29 (ANI): The Bangladesh Social Activist Forum (BSAF) has hit out at the nexus between Pakistan and Taliban by calling it a threat to regional peace and development at an event in Dhaka on Saturday.

Political, social and religious leaders along with former diplomats and academics gathered together at Dhaka Press Club to discuss the emerging security situation after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

Those who participated in the discussion included Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Secretary-General, Jatiya Party (JP), Professor Syed Anwar Hossain, Former Director-General Bangla Academy. Allama Sheikh Khandaker Golam Maula Nakshebandi, one of the members of the advisory council Bangladesh Awami League and Mushtaq Ahmed, Former UN Political Officer Afghanistan.

For Bangladesh, August is a month of mourning and a grim reminder of the looming threat of Pakistan sponsored radical Islamist terror.

On August 15, 1975, a military coup led to the assassination of Bangladesh's founding father, "Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with much of his family. The military rulers who took over and ruled Bangladesh for the next 15 years legitimized the pro-Pakistan introduced elements.

On August 21, 2004, Mujibur's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, then opposition leader and now prime minister, barely survived a grenade attack on her rally. The attack left 24 Awami Leaguers dead and more than 500 injured. One of Hasina's bodyguards, Mahbubur Rashid, was killed.

The 1975 coup was led by disgruntled junior army officers, but the 2004 grenade attack was carried out by Islamist Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami (HUJI) militants.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in power since 2009, has ruled Bangladesh with a "zero tolerance to terror" policy, particularly following the 2016 terror strike on an upscale Dhaka restaurant that left 23, including 18 foreigners, dead.

"It is a Pakistan sponsored radical Islamist ecosystem we are up against. They are out to destroy the spirit of our great liberation war. It is the fight that never ends and demands eternal vigilance," read the BSAF statement.

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Pakistan has still not owned its past. Textbooks, museum exhibits and mainstream narratives continue to distort and erase history and selective remembering and forgetting of the past have been institutionalized by the state.

Referring to the barbarism of the Pakistani forces in 1971, Bangabandhu had said, "You killed hundreds of thousands of people, stripped our mothers and sisters of their dignity, and compelled one crore people to take refuge in India."

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has thus sparked fears of history repeating itself in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh believes that a democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan as chosen by its people is the only guarantee of stability and development in the country," the statement added.

We would not allow a "Taliban-type struggle to oust the Murtad (apostate) government of Sheikh Hasina. It is a well-known fact that there's a Pakistan-Taliban nexus, which is not in the best interest of Bangladesh," added the statement.

"Pakistan has intentions that -Taliban takeover will boost the morale of some radicals. But through this protest, we want to convey that they don't have much support in Bangladesh," read the statement. (ANI)
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North 24 Parganas (West Bengal), August 20 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) has apprehended 15 Bangladeshi nationals here while illegally crossing the India-Bangladesh border on Thursday from different places.

All these Bangladeshi nationals were trying to cross the International Boundary from the area of Border Outpost Hakimpur under 112 Battalion, Border Out Post Ghojadanga under 153 Battalion, and Border Out Post Samshernagar under 118 Battalion.

"On August 19, 2021, in the area of Sector Kolkata on the International Border, BSF troops apprehended 15 Bangladeshi nationals from different places while crossing the border illegally," said the BSF in a statement.

Some of the apprehended Bangladeshis were coming to India and some were trying to exfiltrate, read the statement.

The apprehended Bangladeshi nationals include 14 men as well as one woman, who have been identified as Manirul Islam Ghazi, Mamoon Ghazi, Meeta Sardar (woman aged 42 years), Sedul Islam Raju, Masoom Bila, Rijul Islam, Sakeem Mola, Rebul Islam, Mohammad Islam Hassan, Mamun Ghazi, Alameen Ghazi, Manto Molla, Mohd Safirul Islam, Mohd Naseer Shaik and Mohd Ronnie Mia.

During the initial interrogation, all have declared themselves to be citizens of Bangladesh.

"Some of these persons were trying to come to India in search of work and some were going from India to Bangladesh to meet their families," the BSF mentioned.

"All of them were trying to cross the International Boundary illegally that the Border Security Force troops apprehended them all", the security force said.

BSF officials said that some of these Bangladeshis were crossing the border with the help of a tout.

All the apprehended Bangladeshi nationals have been handed over to the concerned Police Station along with all their belongings.

The Commanding Officers of 112 Battalion, 153 Battalion and 118 Battalion expressed happiness over the achievements of their men. As a result of 15 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended, stating that this has been possible only because of the alertness displayed by the troops. (ANI)
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Kabul [Afghanistan], August 29 (ANI): The Taliban on Saturday ordered Afghans to hand over vehicles, weapons, ammunition and other government property to concerned authorities.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued the directive on Twitter, reported Geo News.

"Announcement by the security of the Islamic Emirate: All those in Kabul city who possess vehicles, weapons, ammunition, or other government property, are being informed to handover the said items to the relevant authorities of the Islamic Emirate within a week in order to avoid any legal action against them," wrote Zabihullah.

Similar orders were issued by the Taliban earlier, directing the civilians to surrender the weapons they had kept for their safety since "the Taliban are now there to ensure your safety", reported Geo News.

Less than a couple of weeks since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the state of affairs in the war-ravaged country, is vastly different from what the outfit had pledged with respect to human rights.

On August 15, Kabul had fallen to the Taliban and since then people are in a state of terror with increasing cases of human rights abuses being reported from several parts of the country.

In recent weeks, the United Nations has received harrowing and credible reports of the impact on civilians of violations of international humanitarian law, as well as violations and abuses of human rights.

Soon after capturing the capital city, the terrorist group had announced an amnesty for government officials and assured women of basic rights. "However, the past few days have seen women being punished, people from the minority Hazra community being killed and children being subjected to violence," the IFFRAS report said.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), justice for women's rights offenders in Afghanistan remains elusive and the law that aims to provide legal protection to women is becoming ineffectual as the Taliban makes more territorial gains across the country.

There are grave fears for women, for journalists and for the new generation of civil society leaders who have emerged in the past years. Afghanistan's diverse ethnic and religious minorities are also at risk of violence and repression, given previous patterns of serious violations under Taliban rule and reports of killings and targeted attacks in recent months. (ANI)
(Reuters) -A U.S. drone strike killed a suicide car bomber who Pentagon officials said was preparing to strike Kabul airport on Sunday, as American forces worked to complete a withdrawal that will end two decades of military involvement in Afghanistan.

The strike was the second by the U.S. military since an Islamic State suicide bomb outside the airport on Thursday killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghan civilians desperate to flee the country's new Taliban rulers.

The airport has been the scene of a massive airlift by U.S. and allied forces evacuating their citizens and at-risk Afghans that is due to wind up ahead of a Tuesday deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Officials said the strike https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-carried-out-military-strike-kabul-officials-say-2021-08-29 targeted suspected militants from ISIS-K, a local affiliate of Islamic State that is an enemy of both the West and the Taliban movement that seized power on Aug. 15 after a lightning offensive.

One U.S. official said it was carried out by an unmanned aircraft and that secondary explosions showed the target had been carrying a substantial amount of explosives. Television footage showed black smoke rising into the sky.

U.S. officials had said they were particularly concerned about ISIS-K attacking the airport as American troops depart, in particular the threat from rockets and vehicle-borne explosives.

Biden said on Saturday that his military chiefs had told him another militant attack was highly likely.

The drone strike took place while remaining civilians waited at Hamid Karzai International Airport to be flown out before the last troops leave, a Western security official said. A U.S. official told Reuters on Saturday that fewer than 4,000 U.S. troops remained.

The Taliban said they had started their own investigations into the U.S. strike and whether the target was really a suicide bomber driving a vehicle loaded with explosives.

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The United States and allies have taken about 114,400 people - including foreign nationals and vulnerable Afghans - out of the country in the past two weeks, but tens of thousands who want to go will be left behind.

"We tried every option because our lives are in danger. They (the Americans or foreign powers) must show us a way to be saved. We should leave Afghanistan or they should provide a safe place for us," said one woman outside the airport.

The airlift - one of the biggest such evacuation operations ever - marked the end of a 20-year Western mission in Afghanistan that began when U.S.-led forces ousted a Taliban government that had provided safe haven for the perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The final chapter came after the United States and the Taliban made a deal last year to withdraw foreign troops. The Western-backed government and Afghan army then melted away as Taliban fighters swept across the country earlier this month.

A Taliban official told Reuters the Islamist group had engineers and technicians ready to take charge of the airport.

"We are waiting for the final nod from the Americans to secure full control over Kabul airport as both sides aim for a swift handover," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

HONOURING THE DEAD

At a ceremony on Sunday at Dover Air Force Base https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-receive-bodies-us-troops-killed-afghanistan-white-house-2021-08-29 in Delaware to honor members of the U.S. military killed in Thursday's attack, Biden shut his eyes and tilted his head back as the flag-draped transfer cases carrying the remains emerged from a military plane.

Crying could be heard and one woman collapsed. None of the fallen service members was over the age of 31, and five were just 20, as old as the war in Afghanistan itself.

Biden has vowed to go after the perpetrators and the United States said on Saturday it had killed two ISIS-K militants in a drone strike the day before. The Taliban condemned https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-condemn-us-drone-attack-prepare-set-up-new-afghan-government-2021-08-28 that strike, which took place in eastern Nangarhar Province bordering Pakistan, saying they should have been told about it in advance.

Biden's national security adviser https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/biden-aide-guarantees-safe-passage-americans-afghanistan-2021-08-29, Jake Sullivan, told CBS' "Face the Nation" in an interview that Washington expected the Taliban to continue to allow safe passage for Americans and others to leave the country after the U.S. military withdrawal is completed.

The Afghan government's collapse leaves an administrative vacuum that has led to fears of an economic crisis and widespread hunger.

Prices for commodities including flour, oil and rice are rapidly rising and the currency is plunging, with money changers in Pakistan already refusing to accept the afghani.

On Saturday, officials ordered banks to reopen and imposed a limit on withdrawals of $200 or 20,000 afghani. Long lines forming outside bank branches.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said the group will announce a full Cabinet in the coming days, and that the difficulties will subside quickly once the new administration is up and running.

But with its economy shattered by decades of war, Afghanistan is now facing the end of billions of dollars in foreign aid poured in by Western donors.

The Taliban also appealed to the United States and other Western nations to maintain diplomatic relations after withdrawing. Britain said that should happen only if the Taliban allow safe passage for those who want to leave and respect human rights.

The Taliban's 1996-2001 rule was marked by a harsh version of sharia, Islamic law, with many political rights and basic freedoms curtailed and women severely oppressed.

Afghanistan was also a hub for anti-Western militants, and Washington, London and others fear it might become so again.

Biden has faced criticism at home and abroad for the chaos surrounding the final weeks of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. He has defended his decisions, saying the United States long ago achieved its rationale for invading in 2001.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus and Rupam Jain; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Angus MacSwan and Daniel Wallis; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney)
World Food Programme's logo (Photo Credit: Twitter)

Kathmandu [Nepal] August 20 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that it had received an additional 788,000 pounds (USD 1 million) from the British government toward nutritional support of 100,000 Nepalese mothers and children during the monsoon season.

"The WFP welcomed today an additional contribution of 788,000 (NPR 130 million) from the Government of the United Kingdom towards its nutrition support for vulnerable families in Nepal," the UN's food assistance arm said in a release.

The donation adds to the 4.49 million pounds that the WFP received from the United Kingdom in December 2020 in COVID-19 assistance. It comes at a time when the livelihoods of Nepalis have been interrupted by monsoon flooding and the socio-economic effects of COVID-19, aggravating food insecurity and malnutrition in the South Asian country.

"Natural hazards affect marginalized communities disproportionately, including women and children. Protecting the health of the Nepali people is a top UK priority. The UK is glad to be supporting WFP's efforts to make sure vulnerable Nepalis, especially mothers and children, receive proper food and nutrition," Development Director at the British embassy in Kathmandu, Nathanael Bevan, said.

The funding covers two months' worth of supply of Super Cereal -- "a specialized nutritional product that helps prevent malnutrition" -- to more than 100,000 mothers and children across eight Nepali regions, the WFP said. Part of it will be spent on conducting new household food security surveys in Nepal, and information campaigns on nutrition and COVID-19 among Nepalese mothers.

Nepal, one of the most disaster-prone countries globally, is annually affected by floods, landslides, and other natural disasters, affecting tens of thousands of people. Over 15% of Nepalese households are food-insecure, and roughly 39% of children from 6 to 23 months cannot reach the minimum nutritional needs. COVID-19 is a further obstacle for women and children in receiving adequate and nutritious food. (ANI/Sputnik)
couple pay their son

A judge in Michigan, US, has ordered a couple to pay their son. It was for throwing out their porn collection. The couple has to pay their son $30,441 (22,100) for dumping his porn collection.

Nearly eight months after David Werking won a case against his parents. US district judge Paul Maloney issued his ruling last week.

The 43-year-old son said they had no right to toss out the $29,000 (21,500) collection of films, magazines, and other stuff.

According to MLive.com, the court based his decision on an experts worth. The court ordered Werkings parents to pay their sons counsel $14,500 (10,500).

After his divorce, Werking spent roughly ten months at his parents house in Grand Haven before relocating to Muncie, Indiana. He discovered that his cartons of movies and publications had vanished after he had relocated.

Werkings parents were apprehensive about transporting the collection to their son in Muncie, as well as having the items in their home.

In an email, Werkings father wrote, Frankly, David, I did you a big favor getting rid of all this stuff.

In the ruling in December last year, Judge Maloney said, There is no question that the destroyed property belonged to David. Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property.

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Back when DreamWorks was trying to nudge Disney, it put out an artistically lush film about a wild mustang, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

Now, nearly 20 years later, its back with a sequel that doesnt look anything like that original. Spirit Untamed still features a feisty horse but this time out hes the friend of a big-eyed girl named Lucky (Isabela Merced) who has been sent to spend the summer with her father in the frontier town, Miradero.

Like the horse, shes skittish around others but manages to round up a group of friends to help get Spirits herd away from wranglers.

Directed by Elaine Bogan, the animated venture looks an awful lot like a Disney production but it doesnt quite have the story that would justify all the angst. Horses jump over great divides; girls show plenty of pluck and villains appear cobbled from any number of stories.

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For good measure, Luckys dad (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal) plays an integral part, particularly since he hasnt quite gotten over his wifes death  which just happens to be connected to horses.
"We have been at or near capacity for the last several days locally, primarily related to RSV. So, there are going to be some resource constraints that weren't present last year at this time, because everywhere, nationwide, is already very busy dealing with the other respiratory illnesses," he said.

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Children under age 2 are especially vulnerable to RSV, which causes inflammation of the bronchioles or small airways of the lungs. RSV outbreaks typically occur in the winter months, but Granger said experts believe those outbreaks were largely avoided from last October through April due to mask-wearing.

"It's never truly gone, so it always sits in low levels in the community," Granger explained of RSV. "So, we basically took a population that were naive to that virus and they were now exposed in the summer time. We see these high numbers typically in the winter. The high number are not a surprise. It's the timing of it."

Granger said it's a little too early to say whether the rate at which children are becoming infected with COVID-19 in Siouxland will eclipse that seen during last November's peak. He said scientists don't have the data, either, to know for certain whether the highly infectious delta variant is making children sicker than previous variants.
Durel describes adults who've returned to stay with parents, people sleeping on couches in friends' houses and others temporarily living hours away from home because they don't have the money for repairs, they've received too little from insurance claims or their landlords haven't restored their rental housing.

Some of our buildings haven't even been touched, said Durel, who considers herself lucky because she's able to live in her hurricane-damaged townhome while completing repairs covered by insurance.

To illustrate the need, community leaders pointed out that by July's end in Lake Charles fewer than 13% of residential buildings had pulled permits to begin reconstruction or rehabilitation and 60% of public housing was still offline.

I ask the American public as much as you can: Remember, please remember what has happened here in Lake Charles  and perhaps more importantly, what hasnt happened here in Lake Charles, Hunter said in a recent Facebook post.

Lake Charles' Republican mayor said disaster recovery block grant aid was allocated by Congress 10 days after Hurricane Katrina, 34 days after Hurricane Andrew and 98 days after Superstorm Sandy.

Southwest Louisiana has felt forgotten before.
Arizona clearly has gone further," said Chang, the director of a legal center that endorsed a competing Arizona rule-change proposal to restrict but not eliminate peremptory challenges. Arizona's move is big, and it will be fascinating to see what other states and courts do."

The Arizona court rejected the competing proposal and, as is its practice when it acts on requests to change rules, did not comment on its reasoning for its actions.

However, the two state Court of Appeals judge who proposed the rule change in January said it was a clear opportunity to end definitively one of the most obvious sources of racial injustice in the courts."

While many lawyers view peremptory challenges as a way to structure a jury favorable to his or her cause," that interest should be secondary if elimination of racial, gender and religious bias in the court system a controlling goal," Judges Peter Swann and Paul McMurdie wrote in their proposal.

The current system of allowing a side to object to the other side's peremptory challenge of a potential juror if discrimination is thought to be the unstated motive is ineffective and inefficient, according to the proposal by the two former trial judges.
A Nevada school board member said he had thoughts of suicide before stepping down amid threats and harassment. In Virginia, a board member resigned over what she saw as politics driving decisions on masks. The vitriol at board meetings in Wisconsin had one member fearing he would find his tires slashed.
Earlier in the day, Owens said he was hurriedly placing towels under leaking windows in his duplex and charging electronics. He tried to go to Dollar General and Dollar Tree to pick up food, but they were closed. His family has lights glued around the walls of the house. They planned to hide in the laundry room or the kitchen when the storm hits  places without windows.

Theres a general feeling of fear in not knowing whats going to be the aftermath of this, he said. Thats the most concerning thing. Like, what are we going to do if it gets really bad? Will we still be alive? Is a tree going fall on top of us?

Owens said his mother-in-law is on disability. His roommates both work for Apple iOS tech support. His wife works scheduling blood donations. All of them rely on the internet to work from home, and if it goes out, they wont be able to bring in any money.

We might be without work, and rent, power, water, all of those bills will still be needing to get paid, he said. We are a little bit concerned about losing our utilities or even our house  if it's still standing  because were not going to have the money for any other bills.

He said it's hard to feel so vulnerable, like his family is getting left behind.
After drawing out his pieces for each book, Geisert said he spends time etching the mirror image onto copper plates. The plate then is thickly inked and set on the press.

Next, Geisert runs a large sheet of paper through the press, which lays the paper on top of the copper etching and transfers the image before he hand-colors the picture. He noted that the paper must be soaked in water and a bit of bleach for an hour before the printing process.

He said it typically takes 200 sheets of paper for him to create a book, and he has continued using the same special sheets even as their price increased throughout the years.

In 100 years from now, this paper is going to be just as white as it is now and just as flexible, Geisert said.

The length of time from idea to holding a copy of his book typically takes about two and a half to three years, Geisert said. However, his latest book, How the Big Bad Wolf Got His Comeuppance, was delayed a year longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The book, which is set in Clayton County, will be featured at two upcoming signings: One on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Dubuque Museum of Art and one Saturday, Oct. 23, at his Elkader studio.
SMITHLAND, Iowa (AP)  Nearly 80 years after he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Wesley Brown has been laid to rest in Iowa.

Dozens of people who never had the chance to know Brown gathered Saturday to honor him as he was buried in the Little Sioux Township Cemetery in Smithland. His final resting place is a site near the graves of his mother and sister who both died long before his remains could be identified through DNA testing, according to the Sioux City Journal

Brown died at age 25 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Roy Struble, who is married to Brown's great neice, said his sister, Ida Bainbridge, rarely spoke of his death.

Ida was very sorrowful when she heard of his death, Struble said. If she would have known this, it would have really been peace of mind for her.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  The owner of a Lincoln magic shop who was charged earlier this year with sexually assaulting several foster boys in his care was just relicensed earlier this year.

Graciano Lopez, 42, was charged in June with sexually assaulting at least six boys between summer 2017 and March 2021, when one of the children contacted the state Department of Health and Human Service to report the ongoing assaults.

In addition to providing foster care, Officer Erin Spilker said Lopez came in contact with some of the boys at his Jelly Beans's Majoc Castle shop and through a lawn care business he operated, where he employed teenage boys. Investigators are still searching for additional victims.

Lopez has been charged with two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a protected person, seven counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child and one count of third-degree sexual assault of a child.

During the same time frame as the assaults, Lopez remained in good standing with the state agencies that placed children in his care. raising questions about their oversight.
Meanwhile, Arizona landlords and housing nonprofits blamed much of the problem on regulatory requirements tied to the money.

Mississippi, which has given out $18.6 million of its $200 million through Aug. 23, has struggled to reach smaller landlords and renters, many of whom live in rural areas without internet access. In addition, the state has no data base of renters  prompting it to hold events statewide to connect with potential applicants.

The Mississippi Home Corporation, which runs the program, also sent a letter to judges asking them not to allow an eviction if someone has applied for help and to inform landlords they won't get help if they evict after the moratorium ends. The agency also relaxed documentation requirements in 50 of its counties. But the program will still require proof of income and other documents in 32 other counties.

You're trying to walk this line of speed and diligence, said Scott Spivey, executive director of the Mississippi Home Corporation. We are trying to make sure there is no fraud, waste and abuse and that we're only giving assistance to the people who are entitled to it.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Evacuation flights from Afghanistan resumed with new urgency on Friday, a day after two suicide bombings targeted the thousands of desperate people fleeing the Taliban takeover and killed more than 100. The U.S. warned more attacks could come ahead of the Tuesday deadline for foreign troops to leave, ending Americas longest war.
When I was in public school, a TV ad asked: Its 10 oclock Do you know where your children are?

Heres a better question for today: Do you know what your children are being taught and exposed to in their schools?

This summers controversy over the teaching of critical race theory and whether to wear masks is only part of the problem. When kids claim to be a different sex than what they were born as and are allowed to use the locker rooms, restrooms and showers previously reserved for what we used to call girls and boys, it further erodes the morals and values we once considered part of a solid education.

Added to this is a bill passed by Oregons legislature and signed by Gov. Kate Brown that suspends essential-skills testing in order for a student to graduate from high school  despite an uproar from parents. This is where the education establishment is headed.

The rationale behind the law is that minorities dont test well. Is that not racist on its face? Why dont schools focus on bringing struggling students of whatever race or background up to a standard instead of lowering the bar and making their diplomas worth less than Confederate money?
At the schools, the children were taught the basics, including trade skills for boys and domestic skills for girls. The use of tribal language, religion and customs were severely punished, and every other kind of abuse imaginable was common. I do not want to dwell on the abuses because it is hard to even think about thousands of helpless Native children far from home with no parental support being indoctrinated into the dominant culture by a system based on punishment.

The legacy of these boarding school lives on today. Children often never visited home during their entire time at the boarding schools. When they did come home, they returned to poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunity. These children did not belong anywhere. They did not speak their traditional language and had trouble meshing back into their tribal culture. They were not accepted by the dominant culture either. The result was often hopelessness and alcoholism, which lead to generations of broken homes and troubled lives.
At this point, it's not feasible to rebid the project in hopes of getting a better price that wouldn't require the COVID relief dollars, as many critics have called for. In July, the Authority board awarded a $58.4 million contract to the general contractor, Hausmann Construction. Starting over would undoubtedly trigger a breach-of-contract lawsuit against the county and the Authority, as well as delay the project by months, if not years.

With the aging mechanical systems at the existing jail on the verge of breaking down at any time, costly delays are something the county can ill afford. We supported the bond issue because it made infinitely more financial sense over the long term than the alternative of throwing good money after bad on the more than $22 million in repairs needed for a 30-year-old jail close to inmate capacity with no viable options for expansion.

We recognize that local union officials remain upset with what they view as a broken campaign promise by county officials that the jail would be built with local contractors and labor. They pushed the Authority to award the contract to Sioux City-based W.A. Klinger over Lincoln, Neb.-based Hausman. But even though, as union officials repeatedly pointed out, Klinger's price was just slightly above Hausman's, the Authority had no other choice under Iowa law to award the contract to the low bidder.
Jane Henson, the widow of Muppets creator Jim Henson, died on Tuesday. The couple met cute at a puppetry class at the University of Maryland in the 1950s. Do most puppeteers, like engineers or financiers, learn their trade in college?

Not traditionally. There are a handful of opportunities for formal puppetry education. The Los Angelesbased Puppet School and performance arts colleges offer classes. The University of Connecticut, along with a few other universities, offers bachelors and masters degrees in puppetry. Formal puppetry education has its advantages: It condenses a lifetime of practice into three or four years of intensive study, it builds a professional puppeteering network, and graduates have a slightly easier time finding work in Hollywood and on Broadway. But the programs are smallthe University of Connecticut graduates just five or six puppeteers every year. The vast majority of professional puppeteers are either self-taught or learned the trade through an apprenticeship.

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Many television puppeteers were fascinated as children by the work of Jim Henson, watching every program Henson made about the art of Muppetry. (Hensons gift for speaking to children is obvious in those delightful shows. He said things like, when you make a seamthat means when you sew two pieces together ) They built their own puppets out of found materials and got their start on local television programs. Kevin Clash, who gained fame as the voice and hand behind Elmo but now faces charges of sexually abusing minors, is probably the most famous example of this route to professional puppetry, but there are many others like him.

Stage puppeteersthose who operate marionettes, string puppets, or shadow puppetsmore often come to the field from other performance specialties. They were dancers, actors, voice-over artists, or clowns who auditioned for a puppet-based production and, through their ability to work an audience, caught the eye of an established puppeteer. Yvette Edery, creator of the puppet film Jillian Dillon, is an example of a puppeteer who took the apprenticeship route, spending months studying under a German puppet master.

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What do you learn in puppet school? Few professional puppeteers enjoy the kind of infrastructure Jim Henson had in his later years, so puppet training programs teach a little bit of everything: construction, voice over, set design, and marketing, along with performance.

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The basics arent quite as intuitive as they appear. Television puppeteers have to watch the character on a monitor, to make sure that its eyes are visible to the audience and its body is properly positioned in the shot. The challenge is that the camera reverses everythingleft becomes right and right becomes left. Beginners have enormous trouble adapting their movements to a backwards world. (Teachers at the University of Connecticut call the phenomenon Jell-O head.)

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Conditioning is another issue. Its hard enough to hold your hand above your head for five minutes, but many puppets weigh 10 pounds or more. Some trainees practice by doing handstands. Marionette experts develop tremendous back muscles from holding their characters at arms length.

Technical problems can usually be overcome with repetitive exercises. At the Puppet School, students move their character through a series of positionsentering the shot, gazing at the camera, looking toward corners of the frame, tilting the head, and exiting the shot. The exercise is done with a bare hand, to give the teacher a better view of the students technique.

Learning the artistry is more difficult. Since puppets are limited in their movements and expressions, convincing an audience that an inanimate strip of felt is alive requires tremendous skill. That means being patient and not rushing the character through a scene, and making sure that its limbs react appropriately to gravity. These small details take a lifetime to master.

Got a question about todays news? Ask the Explainer

Explainer thanks Steve Axtell of Axtell Expressions, Michael Earl of the Puppet School, actor and puppeteer Yvette Edery, puppeteer Anna Fitzgerald, and Bart Roccoberton of the University of Connecticut.
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

Dear Care and Feeding,

Ten years ago, our son announced that he was using his engineering degree to enter a teacher-training program. Im ashamed to share that my wife and I were horrified by this decision. Wed funded his college education with the expectation that hed be financially independent, and we had no idea if he could make ends meet as a teacher. We begged him to reconsider. We didnt want him to end up financially insecure the way my wife and I both were when we were kids. Despite our efforts, our son became a teacher and has blossomed in that field. He won multiple teaching awards and now works in school administration; he intends to stay in education forever. He does not make a ton of money, but he certainly makes enough for a quiet life with his fiancee.

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The problem is that he continues to hold on to ill feelings towards us about the way we treated his decision back in 2011. I will freely admit that my wife and I completely mishandled it. Instead of trusting him to make a good decision and asking questions to better understand his reasoning, we completely dominated every conversation and acted as if he wasnt old enough to make his own decisions. In turn, he reacted with anger (as college students do) and said we were ruining his life. My wife now fears weve done permanent damage to the relationship. Weve both apologized profusely, and our son does say hes forgiven us and understands where we were coming from, but there is still distance there. He doesnt talk to us about his teaching accomplishments and has said its because he still feels like were judging him. Im heartbroken at the damage weve donebut I also feel like Im being punished for wanting the best for him and choosing the wrong way to express it. Im starting to get frustrated that he does not seem to be willing to let us repair the relationship. Do you have any ideas on how we address and apologize for the hurt weve caused, and move on as a family?

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Father of the Educator

Dear FotE,

Im sorry to hear about the distance between you and your son; Im sorry he still feels judged, and Im sorry youre so frustrated. But Im not convinced that you understand what it is you need to be sorry for, which makes me wonder if your profuse apologies have been along the lines of Im sorry that you felt we were ruining your life rather than Im sorry, we were utterly wrong, we did not understand that the decision was yours to make, or that wanting you to be a financial success was more important to us at the time than your sense of fulfillment and happiness. You say that you feel as if youre being punished for wanting the best for him. The best what, exactly?

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It seems pretty clear that after ten years he is still hurt and angry. Hes not holding on to his feelings: he feels them. If you want to make headway here, you are going to have to understand what his feelings are and why he has themwhy he had them then, why he still does. If I had to guess, Id bet that he feels resentful and judged because he feelsdeeplythat you equate success with money. This is a message children pick up from their parents all the time, even when there isnt the sort of outright crisis of values that occurred in your household: they hear their parents derisive remarks about other peoples choices of profession; they see how their parents treat people they dont consider successful. It seems to me that youve done nothing up to this point to make clear to your son that you dont equate money with success. It seems to me that in fact you still dont see the problem for what it isthat you have confused success with earning power, and that you continue to confuse the two.

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Is that really what makes a successful life? Earning the most money one can? Why? Your son has honorable, meaningful work he loves and is committed to; it seems he has a partner he loves and is committed to. He has a roof over his head and enough to eat and certainly enough for the life he is interested in leading. He doesnt feel the need for anything else. Except perhaps your approval and genuine prideand your heartfelt acknowledgment that you were wrong. Make sure when you tell him this, you mean it.

Slate Plus members get more Care and Feeding from Michelle each week. Sign up today! From this weeks letter, My Daughter Refuses to See My Dying Father in the Time We Have Left: Hes not a predator; hes confused.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

I have a 6-year-old son who started first grade last week. We are in a deep red state with little to no masking and poor vaccination rates, and our son has a heart condition that makes him medically fragile. After we heard kids were being airlifted to neighboring states for ICU beds, my partner and I made the decision to pull him out of school and teach him at home (the school doesnt have a remote option). We spoke with the school registrar and his guidance counselor, who assured us that we can re-enroll once hes able to get vaccinated, but now that hes no longer a student, we have lost access to all the online resources provided by the school. My partner and I are panicking. Did we make the right decision? Were worried hell fall behind academically and wont be able to catch up. Of course, on the other hand, if he dies from COVID, then being behind on his ABCs isnt a big deal. I suppose I just need some reassurance that we did the right thing.

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Suddenly a Homeschooler

Dear SaH,

Yes, of course you did the right thing. Putting a medically fragile child in a classroom full of children who may not be wearing masks, whose families may not be vaccinatedwhose teacher may not be vaccinated!while we are still in the midst of a raging pandemic would be madness.

Take a deep breath about falling behind academically. Your plan is to homeschool your child (or so your signoff indicates!), not to have him sit out a year of school. Since youve lost access to your schools resources, do some research on homeschooling: Make sure you know what happens in first grade and that you know what your states expectations and requirements are and what the first grade curriculum looks like there. (This sounds more daunting than it is. When I homeschooled my daughter for a year, I learned what I needed to teach her simply by googling eighth grade curriculum state of Ohio.) Your state may be one that will provide resources (not the steady stream of online materials offered during periods of remote teaching, but resources specifically for homeschooling in your state). But if it isnt, there are many other places to turn for help as you create a curriculum for him. And given that hes in first grade, not eighthor eleventheverything you are going to be teaching him is something you know well, even if you dont (yet) have experience in how to teach it. (I had to teach my daughter a couple of subjects about which I remembered nothingor seemed to have never really learned in the first placeand I managed. Youll be fine.)

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I do feel obliged to mention that parents who successfully homeschool young children tend to be two-parent families who can survive on one income, since its hard to teach effectively while working from home (and impossible if both you and your partner have work that involves leaving the house all day every dayunless you hire a teacher, rather than a babysitter/nanny to come to your home and do it for you). As I say, my kid was in eighth grade when I homeschooled her: I was able to leave her with her days reading, writing assignments, and homeschool math textbook while I went to work, and when I got home we talked over what shed learned, and I read what shed written and we discussed that; I hired tutors for subjects I knew I couldnt handle myselfSpanish and earth science. But a first grader is a horse of a different color.

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If, however, you werent using the word homeschooler literallyif all you meant was Im going to keep my kid at home until hes vaccinated and hope for the bestand everything Ive said up to now has made you hyperventilate (sorry!), then take it down a few notches. Just make sure youre spending as much time as possible reading together, using everyday activities to help him think about basic math and science (for example, cooking), and avail yourself of as many free online resources as you can find (that link is just a start). But I feel honor bound to note that even when children his age are able to be vaccinated, you may not feel ready to send him back to school if most people around him remain unvaccinated by choice (or by their parents choice) and are still not masking. So while falling behind on his ABCs is definitely not a more important priority than keeping him alive, you will want to think about how to keep his mind engaged while he is staying homenot so much so that he doesnt fall behind but so that his life is as full as it can be.

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 If you missed Fridays Care and Feeding column, read it here.

 Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group!

Dear Care and Feeding,

I have often read in this column that children should be enthusiastically wanted. So what do you do about someone who reluctantly decided to have a child and is clearly going to be a terrible mother? My friends husband wanted kids and she didnt, and after a decade of back and forth, she grudgingly gave in. But after complaining constantly throughout her pregnancy, she now has a child she isnt interested in. She jokes that her plan is to find a way to make so much money that she will barely have to see the child (i.e., by hiring 24/7 childcare).

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Both my friend and I had neglectful parents, so I am finding myself triggered by this. I am a cautious and anxious person who thought very carefully before having kids of my own. I understand that people have different processes, but I cant help feeling disappointed in her, and I realize I have lost respect for her. I know she is hoping I will now be her go-to mom friendmostly for her to complain to (anytime I try to give her gentle advice, she gets upset with me)but I dont want to be in that role. There is also no meaningful way in which I can help her child, since I dont live nearby and dont really know her husband. Is it terrible that I want to keep my distance?

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Dont Want to Be Your Mom Friend

Dear Dont,

Friendship is a choice, not an obligation. Its easy to forget that, especially after many yearsand its difficult to end a friendship, or even just to let it peter out, demoting it to something more like friendly acquaintanceship. But when a friendship has become more frustrating or upsetting than fulfillingor when you discover that a friend is not the person you thought (or hoped) she wasits OK, not terrible, to get yourself out of it. I recognize that you have a voice inside you telling you that you must do something for this child, but I think you may be catastrophizing (understandably) because you identify with the child. Your friend may turn out to be a good mother despite her longtime resistance to parenthood and her complaints and jokes about it now. If it turns out she cant/wont be the kind of parent you wish she would be, theres nothing you can do about it. I advise you, for the sake of your own well-being, to start cutting these phone calls short and then stop taking them. If she doesnt get the message, and you can bear to face conflict head-on, theres nothing wrong with telling her how you feel. She wont like it, but she doesnt have to.

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Help! How can I support Slate so I can keep reading all the advice from Dear Prudence, Care and Feeding, Ask a Teacher, and How to Do It? Answer: Join Slate Plus.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My 16-year-old is bright, articulate, and struggles with ADHD that we, and they, are figuring out how to manage. They have a very hard time getting started on schoolwork, and while their work is good, and they always put a lot of thought into it, it is consistently late and their grades are not so great as a result. We have supports in placea good psychiatrist and a therapist who is helping with executive functioning skills. But it seems that as soon as my kid masters something, the work gets harder, so they are always behind. I hate watching them struggle like this. They are actually interested in a variety of academic topics; its just the execution that is rough. I am also anxious about college, in part because they already dont cope well with unstructured time, and in part because I worry about them getting in to a school that both supports their skill-building AND gives them a peer group that shares their love of learning. Junior year in New York City is ridiculously competitive. I guess Im just looking for reassurance. Please tell me my kid will be fine?

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Kids Should Be Allowed to Screw Up a Lot, Even Though Colleges Look at Grades

Dear KSBAtSUaLETCLaG,

Im glad to tell you that! Your kid will be fine.

Lots of bright kids with issues like yours go on to college and do very well. Yes, theyll need support. Some colleges are better than others at offering it. Heres one list (there are plenty of others). And honestly, most 16-year-olds have poor time management skills and have to figure it out once they get to college: its the number one question I get when I ask groups of first- and second-year college students what they find to be their biggest challenge. Yours will have an even harder time with this than those who dont have ADHD, but thats why its important to make sure that any school thats on their application list has supports in place.

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As for the less than perfect grades: I know its hard to keep this in mind when youre in the hypercompetitive world youre in, but it is possible to get an excellent education at a vast number of colleges (and some of them care less about grades than others, too). Take the time to look at an array of schools with your child: Dont limit the search to the usual suspects.

When I advise college-bound students, one of the first steps I take is to introduce them to Ruggs Recommendations, a non-narrative guide to colleges in the U.S. that groups them by selectivity and by the areas they are strongest in, lists the majors available, and notes their size. These lists can help a high school junior think about what is most and least important to them, such as what subjects matter to them, and what size school theyd like to attend. Once you have a rough list, thanks to Ruggs, you can cross-check it with the list of schools that have the kind of supports your child will need, and then they can start narrowing it down (with your help, or with someone elses) by looking closely at each schools website. Be very patient with your kid through this process. Its stressful for both parent and child. But in the end, I feel confident assuring you, it will all work out. I should probably also assure you that you will be much more freaked out than your child on move-in day at school, two years hence.

Michelle

More Advice From Slate

I have been married for 28 years to an easygoing guy. His family lives a good eight hours away. I am happy to have them come visit but have asked over and over again that they schedule their visits with us when we can make sure we have time to spend with them, but they always end up calling my husband and telling him when they are coming. Ive had it: What should I do?
Caleb Wallace, who was a leader in protesting mask requirements and other COVID-19-related restrictions in central Texas, died after a monthlong battle with the coronavirus, his wife said on Saturday. Caleb has peacefully passed on. He will forever live in our hearts and minds, Jessica Wallace, Calebs wife, wrote on the familys GoFundMe page. A day earlier, Jessica Wallace had written that Caleb wont make it much longer. Wallace, who lived in San Angelo, Texas for most of his life, was hospitalized on July 30. The father of three, with another on the way, quickly deteriorated and had been unconscious and heavily sedated since Aug. 8.

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Wallace became known in his community for opposing COVID-19 restrictions and was the founder of the San Angelo Freedom Defenders, which hosted a rally to end COVID-19 tyranny. In the same month he was hospitalized, Wallace organized a Freedom rally that called for people who were sick of the government in in control of our lives to join their protest. They believed the coronavirus was a hoax and they felt that the government was being too heavy-handed when it came to masks, San Angelos mayor, Brenda Gunter, told the New York Times.

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In April, Wallace wrote a letter to the San Angelo Independent School District demanding an end to ALL COVID-related policies immediately, questioning the efficacy of masks for children and saying they are actually harmful. With so few kids getting sick from this virus, and so little evidence that masks worked for anyone, why isnt your administration taking in the account the harmful effects of masking on children? Wallace wrote.

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Wallace started experiencing typical COVID-19 symptoms on July 26, including fever and cough. At first, he refused to get tested or go to the hospital. He was so hard-headed, Jessica Wallace told the San Angelo Standard-Times. He didnt want to see a doctor, because he didnt want to be part of the statistics with COVID tests. At first he tried to self-medicate with Vitamin C, zinc aspirin, an inhaler, and ivermectin tablets. But a few days later, a relative took him to the emergency room.

Jessica Wallace, who is eight months pregnant, said she wore a mask and her husband respected her decision even if he sometimes told her it was futile. She also said she planned to get vaccinated against COVID-19 after her baby was born. We are not anti-vaxxers, she insisted, noting all her children have their vaccines.
The Sept. 14 recall to decide the fate of California Gov. Gavin Newsom is beginning to look like it could get ugly for Democrats. Recent polling has shown that the statea bastion of blueis basically split in half on the question of whether to recall the governor. Structural quirks in the recall system paired with the Democratic Partys approach to the challenge could make it hard for Democrats to retain power if the recall succeeds, despite a sizable statewide advantage. But the worst possible outcome of the recall challenge goes far beyond Newsom. The true nightmare scenario for Democrats would be this: What if Newsom loses, a Republican replaces him, and then 88-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein becomes unable to finish her term?

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This is not some kind of paranoid thought experiment. Not only is the senator nearly 90 years old with COVID bouncing around the chambers, recent reporting has highlighted the rumors of her cognitive decline, as the New Yorkers Jane Mayer put it at the end of last year. As Mayer wrote at the time:

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[M]any others familiar with Feinsteins situation describe her as seriously struggling, and say it has been evident for several years. Speaking on background, and with respect for her accomplished career, they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have.

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If Newsom is replaced by a Republican and Feinstein is not able to serve until a new governor enters office in January 2023, a GOP governor would be the one to appoint someone to fill her seat, potentially tipping the balance of power in the U.S. Senate to Mitch McConnell and the Republicans. Its not a small thing.

A senator with declining mental faculties has not been a historical anomaly in an elective body that has skewed significantly older than the American population. It is even less surprising in the current Senatethe oldest in U.S. history. But evidence of Feinsteins apparent decline has at times spilled into her public role: The former ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey the exact same question, verbatim, two times in a row during a hearing last year and, as the New York Times reported, she has sometimes responded with outright confusion at reporters questions.

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All of which is to say: The Feinstein problem has been a subtext of the recall fight for months, but the questions around her ability to serve have rarely been openly discussed, and the argument that she should step down over her age before the recall vote has been largely contained to private grousing and public innuendo. In my conversations with progressive activists for this piece, several expressed a fear that it would be bad optics to try to push out an iconic female leaderone who comfortably won her last election just three years agoon the basis of sensitive questions about her age and mental ability. As one told me, there is concern that discussing Feinsteins particular issues without treating all other older Democrats the same way would cause problems while serving no greater purpose. When people do this questioning of Dianne Feinstein and her faculties, I see where theyre trying to go with it, but I think in this day and age when disinformation is rampant, theres a lot of partisan spin on things, and I really question what it means to have these sorts of conversations in this kind of environment, Courage California executive director Irene Kao told me. I just ultimately dont think its helpful.

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Its certainly true that older male senators in serious and well-known cognitive decline have served without nearly the same scrutiny that Feinstein has faced. South Carolina Republican Strom Thurmond was in office until he was 100 years old and he didnt know if he was on foot or on horseback for his last 10 years, as one of Mayers sources put it. West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd was in the Senate until he was 92 and was famously in decline as press accounts put it by that point. More recently, Mississippi Republican Thad Cochran was described in public reporting as feeble and in physical and mental decline when he finally stepped down at 80 in 2018. And Joe Biden is the oldest first-term president in history at 78 (though he has faced plenty of questions about his faculties.) But overall, both political parties have historically not known how to deal with rapidly aging politicians who refuse to step aside, even when it could be to the very real detriment of the party, or the country. In private conversations, California activists compare the Feinstein/recall situation to the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburgs Supreme Court seat after she chose to stay on past Barack Obamas tenure, or to Stephen Breyers continued decision to stay on the court at 83.

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Feinstein recently said she will not be stepping down any time soon, adding that she will not resign even if Newsom looks like he is losing after the recall count has begun and before a successor can be sworn in, when an appointment could still be made by a Democrat. Why would I? Feinstein told CNN earlier this month. It doesnt affect methe recall is just against him. That statement, while technically true, betrays either a lack of understanding or a lack of consideration of the stakes: the possible balance of the U.S. Senate.

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I hope that if there is any sort of thought that that [situation] might occur, would occur, have the possibility to occur, I would think that she would hopefully not take that roll of the dice, Dean Florez, a former state senator and Feinsteins Latino coordinator for California during her unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 1990, told me. If the recall is still close entering the final days of this campaign, it would seem that it would be better for her at that point just to resign prior to the recall election, Florez said. He worries there is a very real chance that the worst could happen, saying the Republicans on the recall ballot are not going to blink when they have an opportunity to pick a Republican replacement.

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A lot is riding on the recall. It may be the wildest [few] weeks in California history, Florez said. If Larry Elder wins, and Dianne Feinstein gets sick or she decides to resign.  Its certainly something to be super worried about.

Like several other politically active Californians I spoke with, Florezs views on Feinstein have as muchor moreto do with her politics as they do about her age and faculties. Florez supported Feinsteins Democratic opponent in her most recent election in 2018, in which she defeated Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de Leon, and feels she was selfish to stay on then and not make way for the states younger and more diverse Democratic talent. He compares her situation to that of Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is eight years younger than Feinstein but stepped down after four terms in the Senate in 2016, making way for Kamala Harris to claim that seat before winning the vice presidency. [Feinstein] was a trailblazer and then the entire political landscape changed underneath her feet, Florez said. I think Barbara Boxer saw that early. I think she was kind of like, This isnt the same place, this isnt the same time. And Im probably not the right person at this time, make room for the Kamala Harrises, the Kevin de Leons, the sort of new set of legislators that is reflective of the new population.

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Some progressive activists in California have been pushing for months prior to the recall dramaand to no availfor Feinstein to step down, based on her politics, not her age. In their view, the state has moved far to her left. Like Florez, these activists say a diverse electorate deserves a more representative senator, and they cite various recent episodes in which she has appeared out of touch with California voters, pointing to a 2019 video of her scolding school children for their climate change advocacy, last years hug of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham following the Amy Coney Barrett hearings, and recent comments in support of the filibuster.

Its more to do with the fact that Sen. Feinstein has long been an obstacle to many progressive policies that are central to the way that California wants to move forward, She the People founder Aimee Allison, who has called for Feinstein to step down, told me. This is a good time for her to gracefully usher in and welcome a Black woman in to that seat.

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The advocacy group Courage California has also organized a recent campaign pushing Feinstein to step up in support of ending the filibuster or step down from her seat. Kao said that she wanted to give Feinstein a chance to come around to shifting her position in support of the filibuster, which her organization argues is a Jim Crow relic that is currently being abused by the minority party to block everything from voting rights to climate change action, to police reform.

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I think right now there is a little bit of what do you do with a senator who has clearly signaled that shes not listening to her communities and to her constituents and has stayed pretty stubborn in not following what Californians are asking for, Kao said.

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Its perhaps unsurprising that activists were willing to go on the record with me to discuss Feinsteins politics, but not to discuss her age and mental capacity. The few times that the conversation around Feinsteins age and ability has appeared in the press in relation to the recall, it hasnt been pretty for Democrats. In March, MSNBCs Joy Reid asked Newsom if he would appoint a Black woman if, in fact, Dianne Feinstein were to retire, and he responded we have multiple names in mind, and the answer is yes. Critics (many of them Democrats) responded by saying that the governor was merely trying to curry favor with Black constituents while throwing Feinstein under the bus. (Progressive activists I spoke with have been pushing hard for either Reps. Karen Bass or Barbara Lee to replace Feinstein should the opportunity arise.) Christine Pelosi, the daughter of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and a state political strategist for Democrats, tweeted in response to Newsoms statement: You dont have to like Dianne Feinstein to see that pushing her out of her elected position for a Black woman appointment that you could have made when there was an actual vacancy to win a recall to push you out of your elected position is a very bad look. Newsom shortly thereafter walked back his statement about the appointment, saying he had zero expectations the senator will be going anywhere.

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More recently, Newsom has framed the stakes of the recall by hinting at broader implications. If this was a successful recall, I think it would have profound consequences nationwide, and go to not just politics, but to policy and policymaking, Newsom said earlier this monthnot exactly the kind of pointed statement that might get some Democrats motivated enough to send back their ballot. He was a bit more explicit at a campaign event in San Jose, when he said, I mean, who would Larry Elder or any of these others have appointed to replace Kamala Harris to the U.S. Senate? Think about what that would have meant to the fate and future of our democracy at this moment.  The consequences [of the recall] are profound. Still, he didnt say Feinsteins name.

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Progressive activists have been quietly fearful for months that the Feinstein situation is playing out like a slow-motion version of the loss of Ginsburgs Supreme Court seat, with no plan in place for the worst-case scenario. When I asked a national Democratic strategist about whether the party had any plans for a possible Newsom loss, she demurred, saying the party was focused entirely on winning the recall. We are very much focused on that for the next [few] weeks and doing everything we can to make sure the governor has the support he needs as we get closer to the election, the strategist said. Most elected Democratic officials wouldnt even respond to my requests to discuss Feinsteins seat (some gently declined to speak). I emailed the staff of 10 top Democratic local, state, and national elected officials and none would talk. Staff for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers office also declined to discuss the issue, while an adviser for Newsoms campaign pointed me to his remarks in San Jose but would not say whether the governor has spoken directly with Feinstein about the possibility that she might retire to allow a Democratic governor to appoint a replacement.

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The hesitancy to speak isnt just elected Democrats, though. Some activists fear that focusing on Feinsteinor pushing her to step down early to save the seat no matter whatcould backfire, and act as a self-fulfilling prophecy by discouraging an already depressed Democratic electorate from even turning out. Angelica Salas, the executive director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said her focus was entirely on the recall itself, telling me that any distractions from the vote could in a sense fulfill your worst nightmare. To Salas, getting the voters to take action is the most important thing to do right now, and Feinstein isnt a part of that picture, in her mind.

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Still, though very few people are talking about Feinsteins reported cognitive decline and age in public, that doesnt mean those conversations arent happening behind closed doors. One activist leader in California involved in progressive politics compared the situation with Feinstein to having to take the car keys away from the activists father. It broke my heart to take the keys, because he shouldnt be driving, he cant safely drive, the activist leader said. Thats personal family life, but you think about our public life, our responsibility, and at what point are we responsible? Wheres the public in the public service part? These are not lifetime seatsthey shouldnt be.

Dean Florez, meanwhile, thinks that Californians and national Democrats should be willing to have the conversation about Feinsteins ability to continue to serve publicly, especially given the state of the recall race. He said he read Jane Mayers piece about Feinsteins mental fitness and was shaken by it.

I read it. It alarms me. I think its a question of having the faculty to continue to serve, Florez said. It is an issue that she and others around herChuck Schumer, even the leadership in Californiait is an issue that people should discuss in the next couple of weeks, because this recall, its mildly out of control.
Mere hours after President Joe Biden warned it was highly likely there would be another terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul, a U.S. drone strike blew up a vehicle filled with explosives in the Afghan capital on Sunday. The vehicle was carrying multiple suicide bombers from Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate who were planning to strike the Kabul International Airport amid the ongoing evacuation efforts, according to U.S. officials. The strike targeted an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport, said a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command. Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had warned of a specific, credible threat to the area surrounding the Kabul airport.

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The strike was carried out two days before the U.S. is scheduled to conclude its withdrawal from Afghanistan. And it came three days after the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members. On Sunday, the President travelled to Delaware to join the families of the American troops killed in the attack as the remains of their loved ones arrived at Dover Air Force Base. Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, met with families and then participated in what is known as a dignified transfer, which is when the bodies of slain service members are moved form an airplane to a vehicle. Biden witnessed 11 of the 13 transfers as two families had requested privacy. The dead, who ranged in age from 20 to 31, included 11 Marines, a Navy medic, and a member of the Army. The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

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As the U.S. military prepares to leave Afghanistan, the State Department released a statement signed by some 100 countries saying the Taliban had given assurances that people with the appropriate travel documents would still be allowed to leave Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal on Tuesday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is working with other countries to make sure the Kabul airport continues to operate normally after the U.S. withdrawal. Blinken also said the United States is unlikely to keep diplomats in Afghanistan after the U.S. military leaves. In terms of having an on-the-ground diplomatic presence on Sept. 1, thats not likely to happen, Blinken said on NBCs Meet the Press. But he insisted the United States will still be committed to helping people leave Afghanistan who want to leave.
Hurricane Ida quickly intensified Saturday as it seemed headed straight toward the Gulf of Mexico coast, where it is expected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday afternoon or evening. Early Saturday afternoon, the storm reached Category 2 winds reaching as high as 100 mph and is forecast to continue strengthening to reach 130 mph winds by Sunday. The National Hurricane Center has warned the hurricane will create an extremely life-threatening ocean surge that could reach 15 feet and theres a high risk of extensive flooding. Ida is being eyed particularly warily in New Orleans, considering it is set to strike 16 years to the day since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the coast of Louisiana, the Hurricane Center said.

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Ida strengthened so quicklyit was a tropical depression only two days agothat it didnt give officials time to order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. But officials urged people on the storms path to leave if they could. Today is it, Jamie Rhome, acting deputy director of the National Hurricane Center said Saturday. If youre in coastal Louisiana and Mississippi, you really, really have to get going because today is it in terms of protecting life and property. The heavy traffic all along the northern Gulf Coast made it clear that many people had heeded the warning and were rushing to get out of the storms path.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said Ida would bring strong winds that would affect a 300-mile area. We have a very serious situation on our hands, Edwards said at a briefing. This will be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit anywhere in the state of Louisiana since at least the 1850s. Officials warned residents who stayed put that they should be prepared for long power outages. Southeast Louisiana is expected to be hit by strong winds starting early Sunday and the conditions will continue to deteriorate through early Monday morning.

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As the comparisons with Katrina seemed inevitable, officials tried to reassure citizens that the systems protecting New Orleans have greatly improved since then. This is a very different, protected city than it was 16 years ago, Ramsey Green, the top infrastructure official in New Orleans, said. Still, he warned that flooding would be inevitable if there is a lot of rain in a short period of time. And even though much of the concern is with New Orleans, meteorologists warned other areas were also at high risk for major damage. Its not just the coastal impact. Its not just New Orleans, meteorologist Steve Bowen said. Were certainly looking at potential losses well into the billions.
Yet another conservative radio host who publicly spoke out against COVID-19 vaccines has died from the coronavirus. Marc Bernier, 65, a prominent conservative radio host from Daytona Beach, Florida, died Saturday after a nearly month-long battle with the virus. He is now the third conservative radio host to die from COVID-19 after publicly questioning the need for vaccines. Bernier wasnt just a vaccine skeptic, he had even characterized himself as Mr. Anti-Vax at one point.

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Berniers death was announced Saturday night by WNDB, the radio station Bernier had been a part of for three decades. Its with great sadness that WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announce the passing of Marc Bernier, who informed and entertained listeners on WNDB for over 30 years, WNDB said in a statement posted on Twitter.

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Its with great sadness that WNDB and Southern Stone Communications announce the passing of Marc Bernier, who informed and entertained listeners on WNDB for over 30 years. We kindly ask that privacy is given to Marcs family during this time of grief. pic.twitter.com/vXQIAtVN9e  News Daytona Beach (@NewsDaytonaBch) August 29, 2021

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Bernier had expressed views against vaccines long before COVID-19. But he solidified that stance as the vaccines for the coronavirus started rolling out. Im not taking it, Bernier said late last year. Are you kidding me? Mr. Anti-Vax? Jeepers. He also tweeted that the U.S. government was acting like Nazis because officials were urging people to get vaccinated. That was his final tweet, published on July 30. He was hospitalized on August 7 after he was off the air for a week. If youve listened to his show, youve heard him talk about how anti-vaccine he is on the air, Mark McKinney, WNDBs operations director, told reporters after Bernier was hospitalized.

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Should say, "Now the US Government is acting like Nazi's. Get the shot!" https://t.co/8WLpXVxGRm  Marc Bernier (@MarcBernierShow) July 30, 2021

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Benier died a week after Phil Valentine, a 62-year-old conservative radio host in Nashville, died of COVID-19. Valentine had expressed skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine but reportedly changed his mind and urged friends and family members to get vaccinated from his hospital bed. Earlier, Dick Farrel, a 65-year-old conservative radio host from Florida, died of COVID-19 on Aug. 4. Farrel, who was also an anchor on Newsmax, frequently criticized vaccines on Facebook but his friends said he changed his stance on the issue after he was hospitalized. COVID took one of my best friends! RIP Dick Farrel. He is the reason I took the shot. He texted me and told me to Get it! He told me this virus is no joke and he said, I wish I had gotten it!  Amy Leigh Hair wrote on her Facebook page.
Irwin Bernstein, a University of Georgia professor, made clear he was not willing to make exceptions to his policy that masks were mandatory in his class. No mask, no class, he wrote on the board. When one student refused to put one on properly, the professor resigned. Bernstein, an 88-year-old who had come out of retirement to start teaching again, had told students masks were mandatory in his class because he was at higher risk from COVID-19 due to his age and underlying medical conditions. On the first day of class, everyone complied. On the second day, a student who hadnt been to the first class arrived without a mask.

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The student was asked to put on a mask and a fellow student gave her one but she refused to wear it over her nose, claiming she couldnt breathe. The student proceeded to to ignore Bernstein when he continued to ask her to put on the mask correctly so he could continue teaching the psychology seminar. That is when Bernstein stopped pleading and announced he was resigning and left the class.

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At that point I said that whereas I had risked my life to defend my country while in the Air Force, I was not willing to risk my life to teach a class with an unmasked student during this pandemic, Bernstein said in an email to the Red & Black, the universitys newspaper. I then resigned my retiree-rehire position. Bernstein had retired in 2011 and taught part time. Professor Bernstein said, Thats it. Im retired, and we watched him pack all of his papers into his bag and walk out of the classroom, a student said. Bernstein said it was a bit of a relief to make the decision to resign because he had been getting more concerned as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in recent weeks. The University of Georgia follows the same polices as those of the University System of Georgia, which strongly encourages masks but doesnt allow mask or vaccine mandates.

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Bernstein is not the first professor in Georgia to quit after disagreements over masks. Meridith Styer resigned from the Georgia College & State University earlier this month after a conflict with a student over masks. She had asked students at a rhetoric class to wear masks because she had a family member for whom COVID-19 could prove fatal. One student refused and went to tell the dean. When it became clear that the university was going to seek both sides instead of supporting me, I decided my chosen side was to resign, Styer told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The media outlet said it had been hearing from unhappy faculty daily about the lack of masks on campuses. I am in the privileged position of being able to pay my bills even after resigning my job, Styer said. The policies the USG has enacted will continue to cause faculty to leave. Im able to do so now, but many many more are looking to do the same thing.
Northern and eastern Slovakia should prepare for lots of rain and potential floods

Meteorologists issue first-level warnings.

Several districts in northern Slovakia and nearly the entire east of the country should prepare for heavy rainfall in the coming hours. The rainfall may also result in local flash floods.

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) issued a first-level warning against rainfall for two districts of northern Slovakia (namely Liptovsky Mikulas and Tvrdosin), and nearly the entire eastern part of the country. The warning will be in place from 22:00 until 9:00 tomorrow.

SHMU warnings against rainfall for August 23-24, 2021. (Source: SHMU)

Meteorologists are also warning against floods. The warning was issued for the districts of Ruzomberok, Liptovsky Mikulas, Dolny Kubin, Tvrdosin and Namestovo, and will be in place until tomorrow morning.

23. Aug 2021 at 17:44 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Dontcallmefrancis zipped to the lead from post six and never had an anxious moment as he rolled to his 14th victory this year to land him in a tie atop the North American harness racing leaderboard for the most wins this year.

Racing in Saturday afternoons feature at The Meadows, a $10,800 Claiming Handicap Pace, Dontcallmefrancis and driver Dave Palone drew off late to defeat the rallying Cinnamack by six lengths in 1:51.3, with Sweet Beach third.

Jason Seymour owns and trains the winner, who extended his lifetime bankroll to $508,076. The win places him in a tie for the most wins this season along with Catch Me Conrad and Swan Fine Lady.

Palone collected five wins and trainer Jason Robinson four on the 12-race card. Aaron Merriman and Seymour also enjoyed big days, with three victories apiece.

Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes Wednesday when the 13-race program features a $48,563.83 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m.

(with files from MSOA)
To get all traces of lead out of the body, Clark said the eagle was actually treated by a process called chelationthe same way human beings with lead poisoning are treated.

Its a calcium compound that is injected into the bloodstream, Clark said. The lead will bind with calcium. If its still in the bloodstream, we can inject the calcium compound, lead binds with that, and then the calcium can be eliminated through urates through the kidneys and take the lead with it.

As for where the teams rehabbed bald eagle was finding lead, and where other eagles can still find it, Clark believes the eagles are scavenging animals or remaining animal parts left in the field by hunters.

Clark described himself as not anti-gun, but rather anti-lead, and said one of the biggest dangers to the species is the fragments of lead ammunition in any animals abandoned by hunters that scavenging animals, such as bald eagles, can then consume.

Switching to a non-lead projectile could help the eagles, as well as other species in Virginia and throughout the United States.

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McLaughlin explained that he spends little time in the store himself: Id rather enjoy the people-watching.

He explained that from his vantage point, he feels he can see all of America walk in front of him.

People from every state, walk of life, size, shape and color, and it is a great thing to watch, the Plainfield, Mass., resident said.

Look around you, McLaughlin said, pointing to the flurry of thousands of people talking to each other, holding hands, eating ice cream. They are all happy. I like that.

His perspective of the country is far different from what you see on the news channels or read about on social media; here, there was a definite sense that everyone had a connection to each other, that they were experiencing something bigger than themselves. It is a far cry from the constant drumbeat coming from our cultural curators who push storylines or sentiments that divide us.

McLaughlins wife, Mary, said she really enjoyed the different people they met along the 1,800-mile trip.

The McLaughlins and their family and friends were heading to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally; then they were off to enjoy the sights and sounds of the rest of the country.
Hundreds of emergency responders were in place in Louisiana and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had power restoration experts and generators at the ready as Hurricane Ida hit on Sunday as one of the most powerful hurricanes to make landfall in the U.S., federal officials said.

The Coast Guard prepositioned vessels for deep water search and rescue efforts," and President Joe Biden said federal support would remain in the region for as long as it takes.

I want to make sure that we're ready to surge all the response capacity, capability that we have to deal with whatever comes next, and a lot's going to be coming, Biden said during a stop Sunday at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters.

Much of the response began days before landfall and included special precautions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told CNNs State of the Union a few hours before Idas landfall that there were 600 people ready to deploy for search and rescue efforts, including teams from 15 other states, with many more on the way.

Were as ready as we can be, he said.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP)  Jurors convicted Friday two former Colorado sheriff's deputies accused of causing the death of an intoxicated man by placing him on his stomach and squeezing him into a van to take him to a detox center.

Former Boulder County sheriff's deputies James O'Brien, 52, and Adam Lunn, 39, were found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Demetrius Shankling, 23, in 2018, the Longmont Times-Call reported.

According to an arrest affidavit, they put the 6-foot (1.8-meter) tall man, with his hands behind his back, in a compartment that was less than 5 feet (1.5 meters) long.

O'Brien and Lunn had to press on the compartment door to close it, causing Shankling's leg to get wedged against the inside of the door, the affidavit said.

When they reached the detox center the early hours of Sept. 9, 2018, Shankling was unresponsive and not breathing.

He died after spending 27 days in a coma, Senior Deputy District Attorney Christian Gardner-Wood said. An autopsy found that Shankling died of suffocation because of his positioning, with alcohol and amphetamine as contributing factors.
America mourns as August 26, 2021 goes down as the deadliest day for the United States military in well over a decade. The situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate as a direct result of President Bidens gross incompetence. His rushed withdrawal has emboldened terrorists, created unnecessary risk for Americans and our allies, and damaged our reputation abroad.

It is the responsibility of the commander-in-chief to protect and defend our country and our servicemen and women. The drawdown of American troops from Afghanistan is not a new concept, but the way in which President Biden and his administration carried out this decision is disastrous. Rather than acknowledge their failures, the Biden Administration is instead doubling down on a deadline of August 31. He is more committed to the symbolism of the date than to the safety of Americans and our Afghan allies.

We cannot allow for August 31st to come and go without taking action. Speaker Nancy Pelosi must bring Congress back into session to stop the withdrawal of our troops from Afghanistan before this deadline. Speaker Pelosi brought the House of Representatives back to Washington earlier this week to address her $3.5 trillion wish-list. Surely, she can also bring the House back again to address the imminent danger in Afghanistan.
Doocy then asked if the official White House position was that There are no Americans stranded.

Im just calling you out for saying that we are stranding Americans in Afghanistan, Psaki said, when we have been very clear that we are not leaving Americans who want to return home. We are going to bring them home.

Just for the record: There is some number, likely thousands, of Americans who want to get out of Afghanistan but who cannot safely travel through the country, much less get through Taliban lines around the Kabul airport. They are stranded. Hundreds of news reports in the past week have made reference to that simple fact.

Three examples, in addition to the New York Times story quoted above: Yesterday, The Washington Post reported that The Pentagon said U.S. troops had made multiple sorties beyond the airport to reach stranded Americans. Last week, CNNs Wolf Blitzer said: Thousands of Americans remain stranded in [Afghanistan] right now. And at the same time, CBS News reported, Thousands of Americans are stranded.
The scenes from Afghanistan over the past week have been harrowing. As the Biden Administration quickly approached their expedited deadline to withdraw the final U.S. troops from the country, Taliban forces took over regional capitals and major cities as regular Afghan soldiers fled their posts or surrendered. On Sunday the Taliban overtook Kabul, the capital, as former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and handed over power. While this collapse is a disaster, we must remember why the U.S. military was there and understand why the Biden Administrations withdrawal plan failed so we can better protect Americans and our allies going forward.

The U.S. military presence in Afghanistan dates back to the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001, when U.S. forces allied with NATO and Afghanistans Northern Alliance in an effort to defeat al-Qaeda, capture Osama Bin Laden, and unseat the Taliban government who gave terrorists safe haven following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Unlike Soviet efforts to expand their worldview and influence in the 1980s, our goal was to help Afghans rebuild their economy while building a self-sufficient representative democracy which protected the human rights of all Afghans. The crowds of Afghans at the Kabul airport, desperate to flee the Taliban, show us just how much many Afghans still want this freedom and opportunity.
My family, they are all patriotic people. Me and my wife, we are worried about them, whats going to happen with them. Kohestany said.

Kohestany has a different sort of family in Statesville. Joe Crosswhite, an Iredell County judge, calls Kohestany a friend and brother, one that is always on the guest list for his familys events. But the two were brothers in arms as well.

The two met in 2013 when Kohestany served as an interpreter for the United States military in the Helmand province in Afghanistan. While Kohestanys fight in homeland had been one he fought in since the late 90s, Crosswhites role as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves was to train Afghan judges as the judicial system one was more tribal while also influenced by the judicial system of the Soviet Union from its time occupying the country. The judge said he was frustrated as he knows much of what he tried to help build was either destroyed or taken by the Taliban, but his concern now is for the people that are left as the group takes control.

My biggest frustration is to the people, the people who helped us, and the people that counted on us to take care of them, and the way we acted about that, Crosswhite said. Its the people there that I hurt for. I think the people there deserved so much better from us.
I agree that the cycle (of crime) must stop, but I do not think that the way to do that is to blame people in the court system for doing their jobs and for having to do the best that they can with the cases that they are given. I recently spoke by phone to Ms. Williams from the Success Institute in Statesville who had concerns about crime and about the court system in Statesville. She had questions about how the system works, and we had a good conversation about some of the issues that our community faces. At the end of the conversation, she asked me if she could pray with me. I told her that I wished that she would. And so she prayed with me, and for me. She prayed for those in my office and for others in leadership in our community. She prayed that we would have wisdom and understanding and that we would work together for the good of our community.
Terry pointed to a mass of overgrown vegetation. You cant see it, but theres a creek down in there. We called it The Branch. Its what separated us in Sunnyside from Rabbittown.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Holmes Sr., Terry attended Morningside Elementary School, D. Matt Thompson Junior High and Statesville High School.

Here are some examples of old newspaper articles relating to some of these communities. I found an article in the Nov. 2, 1939, Landmark, about the destruction of a four-room dwelling in Rankintown that was destroyed by fire. The house, which was a total loss, had been occupied by the Carl Patterson family.

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An even earlier reference to Rankintown was found in the March 29, 1910, Landmark, which concerned the antics of a strange varmint that roamed in and about the settlement. This was, no doubt, another sighting of Iredell Countys own santer, also known as the wampus. It is interesting to note that The Landmarks first reference to Rankintown was in 1905.

A short reference to Newtonville was found in the Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1900, Landmark, which told of Granny Sprouse, described as an old-time negress, who had died in Newtonville the previous Sunday. The newspaper reported that Granny was said to be more than 100 years old.
It is generally acknowledged that the most efficient, ruthless and troublesome Islamic terrorists are the Chechens. This has been the case since the 1990s when Russia fought two wars in Chechnya to suppress separatist movements. Towards the end of the second war Russia provided Chechnya autonomy under the rule of a local warlord who was willing to keep Chechnya free of rebels and Islamic terrorists as long as his methods were not challenged. Because of that several thousand diehard separatists, many now Islamic terrorists, fled.

Chechens dont like to fight Chechens, especially if the other side has Russia air support and special forces plus lots of Russian money. Many of those Chechen Islamic terrorists found work in places like Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Chechens were effective terrorists but did not get along with other Islamic terrorists, especially Arabs. About 500 of these mercenary Chechens are still active, mainly in Syria and in Ukraine, where they received sanctuary only if they dropped the Islamic terrorism. Chechens are flexible and they did that for the Ukrainians. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 the Chechens quickly joined and helped train the Sheikh Mansur battalion, which was composed of Ukrainian Moslems, mainly Crimean Tatars, who wanted Russia out of Crimea where the Tartars there were again being persecuted. Ukraine became independent of Russia in 1991 and the Crimean Tatars found life easier under Ukrainian rule. By 2015 Ukraine proclaimed the Sheikh Mansur battalion exceptional fighters and defenders of Ukraine. These volunteer units could be troublesome and were eventually replaced by army units. The Sheikh Mansur battalion disarmed in 2019 when asked to. But some members of the battalion, mainly Chechens, maintained a presence in eastern Ukraine where some thrived as gangsters. In 2020 Ukraine released a list of 557 career criminals in Ukraine and declared them enemies of the state and subject to expulsion if they were foreigners. Among those named were several Chechen gang leaders. Russia said it would be glad to take them back. Ukraine wanted to be rid of these Chechens but realized these fellows had fought Russians when Ukraine needed them, so sending them back to Russia might upset many Ukrainians who had fought, or are still fighting, the Russians in eastern Ukraine.

The remaining Chechen Islamic terrorists ended up in Syria where they joined the rebels and were effectively fighting ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), which was at war with the Syrian government as well as other Islamic terror groups. Most of the remaining Islamic terrorists in Syria ended up trapped in the northwest (Idlib province) where Chechens had their own group; Junud al Sham. As usual, the Chechens would not join the al Qaeda affiliate HTS that had become the main Islamic terrorist coalition in Syria and Idlib. HTS was able to negotiate with Syria and the Turks about a peaceful resolution for about 10,000 Islamic terrorists trapped in Idlib along with hundreds of thousand family members and other civilian supporters. Junud al Sham wasnt just ab uncooperative group but they were the most dangerous and like their fellow Chechens in Ukraine a very difficult problem to deal with.

While only recent adopters of Islamic radicalism and terrorism, Chechens had been a problem for Russia since the 18th century. While the media likes to play up "terrorism in Chechnya," the main problem is that the Chechens, and their fellow Caucasians, have always been difficult to live near, much less control. This "Chechen Problem" has been on Russia's agenda since the 18th century, and nothing has really worked. Even Stalin deporting most of the Chechen population to Central Asia during World War II, when it was feared the approaching Nazis would find welcome allies among the Chechens, didn't fix the problem. This merely gave Chechens financial opportunities, usually criminal, throughout Russia. Chechens are still prominent among Russian organized crime organizations. In the 1950s, after the death of Stalin, the Chechens were allowed to return to Chechnya where they did not get along with the Russians, and others, who replaced them after the removal. Chechnya is not a new problem, it's an old one that won't go away.

Chechens have been fighting or fleeing Russia for two centuries, ever since Russia first took control of Chechnya. The fact that so many of these exiled Chechens are still be fighting in Syria is not surprising to most Russians, who are trying to identify Chechens in Syria who are Russian citizens and make sure that none of them get back into Russia. Most of the Chechens in Syria were not from Russia but volunteers from Chechen exile communities all over the world. No matter where they are, Chechens gotta Chechen, or at least some of them. Like many southern Italians drawn to the Mafia, Somalis to doing whatever it takes to get by and a handful similar groups, moving to a foreign country, often to get away from the bad history, takes generations to eliminate.

Meanwhile some countries take extreme measures. In 2012 Russia declared that it would longer conscript non-Russians from the Caucasus, especially Chechens. Since 2009 young men from the Caucasus had been complaining to the government that the army won't accept them as conscripts, or even as volunteers. The government insisted that those rejected had physical, psychological, or legal problems. But before long people it was revealed that the kids weren't being allowed in the military as an unofficial policy. Given the high unemployment rates in the Caucasus, and the warrior ethos common in many parts of the Caucasus, this ban from the military was becoming a major complaint. Instead of allowing young men from the Caucasus in at a time when there was a shortage of recruits, the government admitted it did indeed have an unofficial ban. The main (unofficial) reason was not wanting to train future terrorists, rebels, and criminals and to reduce disciplinary problems in the army.

While the army has been complaining of rampant draft dodging ever since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, they also have reasons for not wanting recruits from the Caucasus. Even before 1991, the largely ethnic Slav dominated Russian army warned company (units of about a hundred troops) commanders to not allow more than ten Chechens in their unit. Experience had shown that ten or more Chechens (or other men from the Caucasus) would form a very tight, tough, and disciplined clique that would prey on the other troops in the company and cause all manner of discipline and crime problems. If you find yourself with more than ten Chechens, try and transfer some of them out.

While the Chechens were the worst in this respect, the other Caucasus nationalities came close. After the 1990s the young men wanted to join the army and get a few years military experience, so they can qualify to become a "contract" soldier. These troops are paid a lot more and are considered "professional troops." Commanders actually prefer contract soldiers from the Caucasus, although many will admit that it's still not wise to have too many in an infantry company or platoon.
This program is different from general shelter or housing because it specifically addresses the needs of those with serious health issues that homelessness would make worse, Rasmussen said. Imagine how you might feel after having a major medical event such as a heart attack or surgery and not having anywhere to go to rest and recuperate after leaving the hospital. That is what our program provides.

Lower Columbia CAP partnered with the Cowlitz Family Health Center and PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center to start the program last August.

The Cowlitz County program is one of seven in the state, according to the National Health Care for the Homeless Councils online directory. Washington has the second-most medical respite programs in the country, following California with 39.

CAP started the program using grants from PeaceHealth, the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, The Healthcare Foundation and private donors, Rasmussen said.

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There is no cost to residents, and the program doesnt rely on insurance. CAP is seeking financial assistance to keep the program running because it has been a vital resource for the most vulnerable in the community, Rasmussen said.
The viral videos of Afghans clinging to military planes last week as they attempted to flee their country hit close to home for Huyen Truong.

Her parents were part of the last wave of refugees who landed in Washington at the end of an American war. The Truongs fled South Vietnam in 1975, shortly before the fall of Saigon marked a definitive end to the Vietnam War.

+2 Aid efforts come together as Afghan refugees head to Washington Thousands of refugees have fled Afghanistan over the last week following the Taliban takeover of the country. The state Senators for Southwest

Truong does not remember her familys flight; her mother Thu Tran was pregnant with her at the time. She knows the secondhand stories her parents and siblings passed down of the traumatic escape, and she remembers the life they built after being taken in by a Castle Rock family.

Today, Truong is the vice president of Kelsos Ethnic Support Council, an organization that helps support refugees and immigrants coming to Southwest Washington. She hopes the same generosity that led families to welcome her parents and other Vietnamese refugees following that war will be extended to any Afghans who arrive in Cowlitz County.

My hope is that people are open to hearing their stories and can show compassion as they rebuild their lives, Truong said.

Difficult choices

Hong Truong was a captain in the South Vietnamese Army. Truong, Tran and their six kids lived on Con Son Island off Vietnams southern coast. He worked directly with U.S. Navy operations.

Con Son was a prison island during the Vietnam War and had served as a prison since France took over the region in the 1860s. Le uc Tho, the Communist Party organizer who later was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in negotiating the Paris Peace Accords, was a prisoner there in the 1930s after rebelling against the French colonists.

As April 1975 approached and the Spring Offensive saw the North Vietnamese Army quickly gain ground, it suddenly became clear the Truongs likely would not be safe. Tran was in her second trimester of pregnancy, and the family didnt know how American allies would be treated after the war.

A lot of the former North Vietnamese prisoners were still around, and my fathers face would have been recognized, she said.

Not all of the family made it. The two oldest Truong daughters were living in Saigon to attend school. In order for the rest of the family to make it on the U.S. boats that were rapidly evacuating, the two of them were left behind with relatives.

They were devastated by that, Truong said. My parents did a lot of sacrificing so we could have a better future.

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Life in Washington

In the spring of 1975, the Truongs arrived at a refugee camp in San Diego along with many other Vietnamese refugees. It didnt take long for Castle Rock residents John and Anna Nelson to step up as potential sponsors for the Truongs.

Huyen Truong thought the Nelsons might have picked their family to support because, before she was born, both families had two boys and two girls.

The Nelsons are lifelong friends. They taught us how to survive here, Truong said.

It may have helped that Gov. Dan Evans was a vocal advocate of Washingtons efforts to host Vietnamese immigrants. The state would take in hundreds of refugee families in the months following the fall of Saigon.

Over time, the Truongs relatives and other Vietnamese families would make their way to Cowlitz County. The eldest sisters spent six years living in Vietnam before the family was reunited. There were no easy ways to stay directly in touch at that point, so the family sent money and letters through relatives in France.

Before he became the longtime owner of Pacific Auto Parts in Kelso, Duc Huynh was a South Vietnamese helicopter pilot who also fled the country with his family at the end of the war. Huynh and his family resettled in Arkansas immediately after the war before being taken in by another local family, Jim and Melody Parker of Kelso.

Huynh told The Daily News in 2016 that the community sent the family donations after hearing about the growing family of refugees living with the Parkers.

I still remember one old lady came over with some materials and gave [us] her $20, Huynh said. Its still unbelievable.

The transition was not always welcoming. Truong remembered store owners who refused to sell to her mother, or followed her and her siblings around the aisles. Some children mocked her accent growing up and used racist names to describe the stores owned and frequented by the Asian residents.

The Truongs found new jobs and received a lot of support from the Nelsons and a growing Vietnamese community. It was a community that faced the same challenges of assimilation and building new lives that her parents dealt with. Truong remembered learning to read and write Vietnamese at Sunday School and the musical celebration that happened during Tet, the Lunar New Year festival.

Vietnamese people are very proud, and it was important to the adults that the children not forget their culture, Truong said.

Truong said creating that sense of community would be the priority if they were asked to help Afghans who came to the region. She started reaching out to see if anyone nearby spoke Pashto and Dari, the two main languages of Afghanistan, and could work with the Ethnic Support Council as translators.

The Ethnic Support Council helped circulate a signup form from the Washington nonprofit Afghan Health Initiative that looked for families who could serve as short-term emergency hosts for Afghan refugees. Truong signed up as a possible host, as did Sen. Jeff Wilson and several members of the council.

Its the same plan as it was 46 years ago when we needed this support, Truong said.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Noting that the COVID delta variant is spreading like wildfire among the unvaccinated in our community," the leaders of an Oregon coastal county said Friday they no longer have capacity to store the bodies of those who have died and are asking the state for a refrigerated morgue truck.

The spread of COVID in Tillamook County has reached a critical phase, the county board of commissioners said in a statement. They said that from Aug. 18 to Aug. there were six new COVID-19 deaths in the county, surpassing the five total COVID-19 deaths that occurred during the first 18 months of the pandemic.

That is six tragic deaths in six days. We grieve for our friends and neighbors and their families. We are so very sorry for your loss, Commissioners Mary Faith Bell, David Yamamoto and Erin Skaar wrote.

A local funeral home is licensed to hold nine bodies and has been at capacity since last week, they said.

Due to increased COVID mortality and the anticipation of additional deaths, we have ordered a refrigerated morgue truck from the state, the commissioners said.

They urged people to get vaccinated, saying that 86% of the newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases are among unvaccinated individuals.
One consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is showing up in an unlikely place: the space industry.

A summer surge in Covid-19 patients is diverting liquid oxygen from rocket launch pads to hospitals, leading NASA to announce Friday it will delay the September launch of its next earth-surveillance satellite by a week.

Oxygen chilled to its liquid form at -300 F (-184 C) is a crucial propellant for launch firms from SpaceX to ULA to Virgin Orbit. Now the industry is anticipating launch delays as patients on ventilators take precedence in the commodity gas supply chain.

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People come first, said Richard Craig, vice president of technical and regulatory affairs for the Compressed Gas Association, an industry trade group.

While oxygen supplies have grown tighter nationwide due to medical use of oxygen, the need is most acute in Florida where a surge in Covid infections have filled hospitals.

Some Florida cities, including Orlando and Tampa, have imposed water-use restrictions because some water-treatment plants use oxygen in the sanitizing process.

Labor shortages among commercial truck drivers, which must have specialized training to transport some gases such as oxygen, have also compounded the supply bottlenecks, Craig said. Beyond rocketry, liquid oxygen (commonly called LOX) is used in welding and in the production of steel, paper, glass, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. President Gwynne Shotwell sounded the industry alarm this week at a conference in Colorado, calling for anyone with oxygen to spare to contact her. SpaceX uses methane and liquid oxygen to fuel the Merlin engines on its workhorse Falcon 9 rockets. The companys much larger next-generation rocket, Starship, also uses LOX as a propellant.

We certainly are going to make sure the hospitals are going to have the oxygen that they need but for anybody who has liquid oxygen to spare, send me an email, Shotwell said Aug. 24 during a panel discussion at the 36th Space Symposium.

Elon Musk, the companys founder, tweeted Thursday that lean liquid oxygen supplies pose a risk, but not yet a limiting factor for SpaceXs launches. The company planned to launch 4,800 pounds of food and other supplies to the International Space Station on Aug. 29 and a batch of its Starlink satellites next month.

SpaceX launched 26 rockets last year and plans to surpass that total in 2021, even with a two-month hiatus from mid-June to mid-August, Sarah Walker, the companys director of Dragon mission management said Friday at a NASA news conference ahead of the cargo launch. California-based SpaceX has completed 20 launches this year with many more to come, Walker said. The pace is very quick.

The tight oxygen supply in Florida is directly attributable to the number of Covid patients being treated in the state, Craig said, calling the state an area of concern.

NASA and the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., said that the launch of Landsat 9, a surveillance satellite that monitors climate change will be delayed by a week to Sept. 23 because of constraints facing nitrogen supplier Airgas Inc. ULA will launch the satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard its Atlas V rocket.

Current pandemic demands for medical liquid oxygen have impacted the delivery of the needed liquid nitrogen supply to Vandenberg, NASA said Friday in a statement. ULA uses nitrogen to test the rocket before launch and for its countdown sequence.

A spokesman for Air Liquide SAs Airgas, one of the largest U.S. industrial gas suppliers, said the company is resolutely committed to ensuring optimal support to its customers and is focusing all available resources to meet the requested demand of customers for medical oxygen during the pandemic.

Some gas producers have begun moving oxygen, which is produced at dozens of plants nationwide, from Texas to Florida, said Craig, the gas association executive. Most LOX is distributed 200-300 miles from a production site but the pandemic has created supply-chain distortions so that producers are shipping oxygen farther than in normal times, he said.

What happens is that sometimes supply chains can be like balloonsyou squeeze in one area and itll change shape, Craig said.
Samsung users around the world are seeing a warning from the manufacturer, asking them to save all of their photos from Samsung Cloud. As the company winds down its image backup service that is currently part of Samsung Cloud, users are receiving reminders that the company will eventually delete all of their photos next month.

For readers who are unaware, Samsung Cloud offers users a limited amount of storage that can be used to sync their contacts, calendars, and even their notes. Users were also allowed to sync their photos from their Gallery, but Samsung has decided to stop offering this functionality. This means that after the deadline has passed, Samsung users will be unable to access their photos, even though other data mentioned above will continue to sync. Samsung has now given users around a month to download their information.

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Samsung's notice to customers informing them about the impending shutdown (Samsung)

What will happen to Samsung Cloud images

We checked our Samsung Galaxy smartphones running the latest version of One UI 3.1 and the Gallery app and My Files app both presented us a prompt asking us to set up cloud syncing with Microsoft OneDrive. Meanwhile, Samsung says it has placed users in two groups, to specify when the data for different users will be deleted. Group 1 will have their data deleted by September 30, while Group 2 will be given until the end of November to download their data. Since it is unclear which regions are in Group 1 or 2, it is safer to download your data before September 30.

How to download your photos using Samsung Cloud

If you have a Samsung phone, open the Settings app and search for Samsung Cloud at the top. You can then see options like Download my data, Synced apps, Backup data, Restore data and Delete backup. Select the first option, and then wait until your images are downloaded. You might want to clear some of your phones internal storage to make sure that the download completes properly. Users who have connected their OneDrive account can then backup their photos to Microsofts cloud storage, but they will only have access to 5GB of space, after which they will have to pay for more storage.
1 event to mark on your calendar

The Brazos Valley African American Museum hosts Storytime at the Museum on the first Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m. This week's event includes a reading of "Alligator Jazz," and those in attendance will be able to meet author Samuel Pittman. RSVP at iheartbryanevents.com.

SUNDAY

EVENTS

Harvest Grape Stomp, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Windy Winery, 4232 Clover Road in Brenham. Adult tickets are $30 in advance and $32 at the winery. windywinery.com.

Focus Weekend  Traveling in Texas, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Barrington Plantation State Historic Site at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park. Learn how early Texans traveled around the state. Adult admission is $8.

Voices from Vietnam: Stories from Those Who Served, through Sept. 30 at the Museum of the American GI, 19124 Texas 6 in College Station. The exhibit highlights stories of the Vietnam War from the veterans who were there. The museum is open noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults.
In an ironic twist on the old Republican claim to be the protectors of local control in schools, Republican politicians across America are trying to prohibit school districts from mandating that students mask up against the coronavirus. And who is rising to protect the right of local districts to make that decision for themselves? None other than the Biden administration.

President Joe Biden ... suggested federal pandemic relief funds could be given directly to school districts to backfill the salaries of school officials facing punitive salary cuts from red-state leaders over their mask mandates. The administration is also raising the possibility of using federal civil rights laws to defend schools power to protect their most vulnerable students.

Its a sad commentary that the health and very lives of students are now under assault from red-state politicians  most recently Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt  to the point that the federal government has to defend them.

Even as the delta variant of the coronavirus is hitting younger victims in record numbers, politicians in at least eight red states, most notably Florida and Texas, have moved to prohibit local school districts from enforcing mask mandates among students.
If these two groups do battle, the main victims, as always, will be civilians. They bore the brunt of the Talibans brutal rule from 1996 to 2001 and then the invasion of U.S. and NATO forces, with their air strikes and ground attacks, and the resurgence in suicide attacks that followed.

More than 47,000 Afghan civilians have been killed in the conflict  nearly 1,700 of them in the first six months of this year alone  while an estimated 66,000 military and police have been killed, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War project.

And then theres the spillover  into Pakistan, Central Asia, China and India. New Delhi is no stranger to cross-border terrorism, and the Taliban likely will provide a haven for anti-Indian terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. There are genuine concerns these groups will use Afghanistan as a base to launch their attacks in Kashmir as they did in the 1990s.

Adding fuel to this fire is the increasing belief  particularly among those who lean toward jihad and violence but are not quite there yet  that politics doesnt work, nor does democracy or the nation state as defined by the West. They may see the Taliban as a model and alternative, says Rasha Al Aqeedi, senior analyst and the head of the nonstate actors program at the Newlines Institute in Washington.
"If we have a group of fourth-graders that came to me and I recognized they didn't have this third-grade skill because they didn't learn it last year, I'm able to put them in small groups and work with them differently to get them to where they need to be, to do the actual standard and the work that that we're doing right now," she explained.

Mabry of the NWEA agreed with that approach  if a child has lost confidence in reading, the answer may not be to take them out of social studies for extra literacy classes, for example, but to give them small-group teaching and divide text into chunks rather than assigning a whole chapter.

Ball-Oliver said this could be the time to refresh and revisit strategies  and keep things that did work in the pandemic  rather than just trying to get back to the old ways.

Her district used money it got from the federal CARES Act to boost its summer school, giving extra in-person instruction to about 6,000 students. That program is planned again for next summer, and Ball-Oliver hopes even more children will take part.

At the heart of everything are the teachers who were also impacted by the pandemic and could not enjoy the year in the classroom growing their students as they had planned.
USMEFs efforts to promote U.S. red meat in international markets have paid off for producers, whether they raise livestock or grow corn and soybeans  or, like me, they do both, says Mark Legan, a hog farmer from Coatesville, Ind. The study adds numbers to the story  a story those of us in this business have been telling for a long time  that global trade is vital to all of us involved in U.S. agriculture.

USDA accepts 2.8M acres for conservation program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program in 2021. This year, almost 1.9 million acres in offers have been accepted through the General CRP Signup, and USDAs Farm Service Agency has accepted more than 897,000 acres for enrollment through the Continuous Signup. The Continuous Signup remains open and CRP Grasslands Signup closed last week, so USDA expects to enroll more acres into all of CRP than the 3 million acres that are expiring.
The local president of the American Postal Workers Union says the sorting machines that remain at Grand Islands post office will be removed this fall.

As part of the contraction, plans call for 17 full-time postal workers to be transferred to other locations, said Russell Hall, who works at the Grand Island Post Office.

The transition, Hall says, will finish a process begun in 2015, when other postal processing machines were removed from Grand Island.

As of now, three large processing machines still are used in Grand Island, he said. They will be removed by Nov. 6.

Since 2015, all mail from Grand Island has been first taken to Omaha to get a postmark, Hall said.

After the November change, all mail from Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lexington, Broken Bow, Aurora and other towns will go to Omaha to be postmarked and then be taken to Lincoln to be sorted on machines, he said. It then will be taken to Grand Island to be loaded onto local trucks for transport to post offices and carriers in the area.
While the restoration is not 100% of what it was when completed in 1904, its pretty close.

We still have a little more refinement to do, Zoul said. We had to uncover a lot of things that had been kind of covered up with walls or that sort of thing, but its probably going on 95% now in terms of bringing it back.

During his renovation, he uncovered a lot of the buildings original architecture that had been covered up over the years as the building went ownership and remodeling efforts.

I found a great thing over the front door that we just discovered last week, Zoul said. It spanned the whole entrance and had this rotten board covering it that looked like it had been there for 50 or 60 years. It was between the front two columns. I kept asking people why is that board there and what is covering up.

When the board was removed, Zoul said they found some beautiful ornamental masonry and figurines.
Not a small task on rough mountain terrain.

During the course of the years, OHern also occupied troop ships, including the USS General J. C. Breckinridge.

On the Breckinridge, he was one of many soldiers on the troopship. Officially, the USS Breckinridge had a capacity of more than 5,000 people.

OHern said he made lifelong friends during his service.

There was one good friend of mine. He lived in Detroit. He and his wife would come through and stay with me (in Nebraska), he said. They stayed in contact until his friends death many years later.

After spending years on troopships, mountaintops and nations far from home, OHern was well into his service. One day while he was overseas, one of his superiors approached him. Did OHern know hed been drafted? Evidently, his draft number came up back home, the government not knowing he already had enlisted.

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In a world without email, fax machines or cellphones, communication lines had missed one another.

There was a draft board in Central City, but I didnt know anything about it, OHern said, adding that the soldiers got a chuckle out of the irony of being drafted while enlisted.
Morgan Hilderbrand has been interested in firearms for many years, but a chance encounter inspired her to share her passion for firearms and gun safety to other women in the area.

The Well Armed Woman Hall County chapter officially came to fruition in May, following the national organizations approval of Hilderbrand as a leader.

The nonprofit organization brings local women together regularly to learn more about shooting and practice. It was organized by Carrie Lightfoot. Lightfoot was in an abusive relationship, which spurred her to get a firearm, according to TWAWs website. That, however, led to frustration, Hilderbrand said.

Carrie Lightfoot ... decided that she wanted to learn how to use her firearm and found a lot of resistance. She went to a gun store, nobody knew how to handle a woman. They kept treating her like they would a male customer, Hilderbrand said.

Lightfoot searched for resources specifically for women, Hilderbrand said. Just anything that would help her, and there were very limited things. So she decided Im going to do something about it.

Hilderbrand became aware of the group through an interaction at an auction about a year-and-a-half ago. Learning of TWAW, Hilderbrand wanted to know more, she said.
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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Correa can be reached through the Orangeburg office at 803-534-6280 or by email at ncorrea@clemson.edu.

Calhoun student at leadership event

MCCORMICK  Kaylee Zeigler of Calhoun County was among 36 rising high school juniors and seniors from across South Carolina who recently participated in the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federations 2021 Youth Leadership Conference at the Governors School for Agriculture at John de la Howe in McCormick.

The conference, held July 25-28, allowed students to gain leadership skills and a better understanding of S.C. agriculture and the South Carolina legislative process. Students were addressed by industry professionals on leadership, team building and goal setting.

The Youth Leadership Conference, sponsored by our SCFB Womens Leadership program, allows students to explore opportunities within agriculture while developing their skills to be leaders in the industry, said Elizabeth Wood, SCFB director of agricultural literacy, women and youth programs.
Joceline Irick, an honor graduate of the High School for Health Professions, was awarded the Academic II Scholarship. She will attend North Carolina A&T State University, where she plans to major in architectural engineering with a minor in entrepreneurship. She aspires to become a chief executive officer. Irick is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terry (Audrey) Irick.

Imani Brianna Mack, an honor graduate of the High School for Health Professions, was awarded the STEAM Scholarship. She will attend Howard University, where she plans to major in health sciences with a minor in business. She aspires to become a pediatric physical therapist and an esthetician. Imani is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hercules (Cathi) Mack.

Chloe Bryan, a graduate of the High School for Health Professions, was awarded the Sisterhood Scholarship. She will attend USC-Upstate Spartanburg, where she will major in nursing. She aspires to become a traveling registered nurse. Chloe is the daughter of Ms. Stacy Bryan and Mr. Aaron Bryan.
A 20-year-old Myrtle Beach woman will spend time in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the 2019 death of 68-year-old Bobby Scott Huggins of Orangeburg.

Tyekiva Harvin, of 6367 Bay Road, but also of the Orangeburg and Wedgefield areas, reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter instead of her original charge of murder.

Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced her to 20 years in prison on Aug. 10. After she serves seven years, the remainder of her sentence will be suspended to five years of probation.

He also ordered her to complete her GED and attend Vocational Rehabilitation or Job Corps.

Dickson gave her credit for having already served 872 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center, equivalent to nearly two-and-a-half years.

Harvins co-defendant, James Snoop Albert Whaley Jr., 27, of Alether Street, Orangeburg, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter on July 21.

Harvin entered Huggins apartment and used a hammer to strike him on the head around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2019, according to Orangeburg Department of Public Safety incident reports and warrants.
We typically have had to print a check and mail a check to students if there was an overage of any kind left on their student accounts, but beginning this fall those funds will be delivered to those students by an EFT (electronic funds transfer), she said.

She said the flow of paper forms would also be more streamlined through the college's partnership with Dynamic Forms.

One of the things that we learned when we had to go virtual March of last year was that we very heavily dependent upon students completing certain forms for different things that we need in student services. While we were able to provide them with those forms electronically, we're looking to streamline that now a little bit more. We're working with Dynamic Forms so it allows students to not only complete a form online, but also be able to submit it online, she said.

Davis continued, We are beginning to plan for some semester activities. ... both virtually with some in-person activities as well.

Finance

OCtech Vice President of Financial Affairs Kim Huff delivered a June finance report. The college reported revenue of $20.1 million at the end of June, with expenses standing at $18.7 million.
On behalf of all of the organizations, we would like to thank SC State 1890 for their generous support and for being that human resource to provide technological assistance to those in need, said Willie Booker, director and board member of the Orangeburg Area Boys and Girls Club.

Those computers will enable our youth to use their skills and reach their dreams to become technological designers and operators in the future.

By donating computers to learning centers in rural areas, the Computer Access Program aims to bridge the digital divide and connect families to resources and opportunities to improve their quality of life and raise their standard of living.

The Computer Access Program is one of several innovative means by which we will conquer this challenge. We aim to propel limited resource communities to a better standard of living within the state, said Dr. Louis Whitesides, vice president and executive director of SC State 1890 Research & Extension.
Hospitalizations and deaths are also rising. South Carolina is averaging 30 deaths a day after being at less than three deaths a day in mid-summer.

Doctors across the state have held news conferences this week with grim warnings. They have all repeatedly said this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Around 90% of the COVID-19 patients in hospitals have not been fully vaccinated.

Hospitals across the state are warning of full emergency rooms and ICUs. Prisma Health, which operates hospitals in about half the state, had 464 COVID-19 patients Friday. The hospitals in the Midlands and Upstate had 12 on July 2, officials said.

Lexington Medical Center last week had almost 70 patients on ventilators last week, the most in the 50-year history of the hospital. The only reason the hospital hasn't set another record is several patients died, said Dr. Brent Powers, chief medical officer for the hospital.

The hospital has started plans to curtail elective procedures and clear room for extra patients. But at some point, nurses, doctors and other staff can only put in so many hours, Powers said.
She wasnt moving, he said. The girl started to sink.

McHone said he handed a flotation device to the two other girls, who were still swimming but screaming, then turned his focus to the unresponsive child. He dove under for her and brought her back to the surface.

The waves kept coming, breaking over their heads and pushing away the flotation device. The two girls hung on to McHone instead.

At that point I was thinking of survival for everybody. I knew I couldnt get all three of them onto shore, McHone said. The two girls were panicking on top of me, pushing me under, and I was thinking of the girl who couldnt fend for herself.

He estimated that he drank about a gallon of sea water while holding all three girls. He concentrated on keeping the unresponsive girl face up.

McHone was dunked underwater again and again, he said, and then everything turned white. At that moment a surfer from the beach arrived. He handed off the unresponsive girl to the surfer.

The surfer came back for both children and then McHone.
The conversation then started rolling with the special education department and board members for the possibility to help those students earn creditability with workforce skills, Urban said. The program has six to nine students participating at a time, he added.

For students to earn the employability credential, they must obtain 360 work hours and they will clock these hours as part of that, according to Traci Hogan, assistant superintendent for special education services. At the end of the nine-week program, they may have another job at Roper Mountain, at their school, or another location with a community partner.

It really depends on their interest and what is available, Hogan added. This particular program is in its early stages, but is unique in that it is a district facility that was designed with three purposes. Training for our own students with disabilities was one of the three.

The other purpose aside from providing on-site meals for students during field trips is for the food and nutrition services to test foods and prepare catering-type orders, Hogan said. Roper Mountain Science Center can be rented out, and schools and programs can order food to be prepared for meetings, events, etc.

Hogan said one of the hashtags for the special education department is #makingconnections.
We need new history standards in South Carolina and a better approach to creating them. As our children and grandchildren return to public schools across the Palmetto State, their history instruction will be governed by a new set of social studies standards that do not mention George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Susan B. Anthony or Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, they do not mention the names of most of Americas top historical figures or events. The new standards were not developed by a panel of subject matter experts but primarily by educrats.

Aside from being of poor quality, a Marxist-inspired historical viewpoint is also utilized. The heroic deeds of American patriots are de-emphasized in favor of a narrative that largely reduces the American story to a battle between classes of people: oppressors and the oppressed. This politically motivated approach is evident throughout the new standards, which even include a global citizenship theme.

The Department of Education has made an uninspiring mess out of history instruction, which at best undermines any sense of patriotism in our youth and at worst teaches our children and grandchildren to hate our country.
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SUNDANCE  On the instruction of Gov. Mark Gordon, the Wyoming Attorney Generals Office has filed a civil case in state court that could see Crook County Treasurer Mary Kuhl removed from office.

The petition, signed by Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill on behalf of the state of Wyoming, cites the felony and misdemeanor charges that are pending against Kuhl and also accuses her of theft from the Crook County Treasurers Office vault.

The petition for Kuhls removal is based on a verified complaint filed by the county commissioners with the governors office on July 26, shortly after the charges against Kuhl appeared in circuit court. According to the case file, Gordon, determined that it appears that Kuhl is guilty of misconduct or malfeasance in office.

On Aug. 9, Gordon directed Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill to commence a removal proceeding to seek Kuhls removal as county treasurer. The petition sent to district court lists the four charges against Kuhl and the statutes each one violated: a felony count of unauthorized use of monies and three misdemeanors, including one count of official misconduct and two of issuing false certificate.

The petition also accuses Kuhl of theft from the office vault.
The Wyoming Hospital Association is urging staff at the states hospitals and nursing homes to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The message comes as the number of COVID-19 patients in Wyoming hospitals continues to grow. As of Friday, the states hospitals were collectively treating 178 COVID patients, the highest number recorded since Dec. 14.

Cases have also shot up, coinciding with the emergence of the more contagious delta variant, which is now the dominant strain in Wyoming. The states number of total active cases stood at 3,538 on Friday. That number represented a 2,822 increase from a month ago.

We are urging all healthcare workers to receive the free, safe, and effective COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, the association wrote in a statement released Saturday. The WHA is available to assist all hospitals and nursing homes in whatever ways needed to achieve 100% vaccination in our facilities.

Wyoming has one of the poorest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the nation. Only 48% of the states adult population is fully vaccinated, the fourth-worst rate in the U.S., according to a New York Times count.
The campaign so far has seen missteps by both Laschet and Baerbock, helping give some momentum to Scholz.

The experienced Scholz has seen his personal ratings rise and his party's long-moribund support increase. We have a good plan, and I have a good plan, for the future ... and of course I've been able to prepare myself very well with all the positions I held in the past, he said.

In his closing statement to viewers, Laschet said: I have often faced headwinds, including now. But aren't we all feeling the wind of change blowing in our face? In such moments, we need steadfastness, reliability ... and that is my offer, the Union's offer: stability and reliability in difficult times.

Baerbock assailed her rivals for insufficient ambition on fighting climate change. This position that the climate crisis is escalating but we won't change the policy has led to us having a huge problem now, she said. So no more half measures on climate protection.

Laschet said the Greens' approach added up to putting chains on industry's feet and saying, Run faster.
Our lack of strategic consistency means that ISIS and al-Qaeda remain alive and well in Afghanistan and will most likely grow in strength under Taliban rule. After not losing a solider in the last 18 months in US/NATO training mission we lost 13 this past week to a hasty evacuation. The Haqqani Network, a terrorist organization with close ties to al Qaeda is stronger and more ensconced today than prior to 9/11 and was reportedly responsible for demanding the immediate abdication of Afghan President Ghani. Of more strategic concern, and as with the US withdrawal from Iraq  the withdrawal from Afghanistan will be celebrated as a victory of Islamic extremists over America and is bound to attract more resources and personnel to their cause. Perhaps most troubling is that due to the impending absence of a US ground presence in Afghanistan, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets will be unable to monitor the growth of hostile terrorist groups in the vacuum we are creating.

US politicians offhand derogatory use of the term nation building precludes American public from appreciating the magnitude of American achievements in Afghanistan and the unraveling tragic loss. US investments in Afghanistan, measured in the resiliency of its national institutions from the presidency to the security forces have largely been a failure. But if a nation is measured by its people than US achievements in Afghanistan are monumental and a source of pride for all Americans. The young Afghan nation with a median age of 18 was born and raised instilled with universal American values of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. No nation in the region holds a candle to the ability, aspirations, and verve of liberty loving Afghan youth. A whole generation of women learned how to read, write and dream. The life expectancy of an Afghan nearly doubled. Afghanistan boasted the most free and vibrant media in the region and the most able and ambitious pioneering women determined to leave their mark on their nations history. President Bidens actions abandoned and betrayed an entire Afghan generation at the cusp of its ascendancy to shape their young nation in their image.
Another man said masking causes kids permanent psychological damage because it deprives them of non-verbal communication  facial expressions  with their fellow students and teachers.

Other parents said masks were inefficient at blocking spread of the virus and caused breathing problems.

But mostly the arguments were familiar  personal freedom, the right to make their own health decisions, according to the video of the session.

One man read the Pledge of Allegiance and quoted from the Wyoming Constitution.

He said those documents gave citizens the right to choose.

Thats why some of us moved here to Wyoming, he said.

At any rate the Cheyenne School Board did not mandate masks for K-12 schools but recommended their use.

That put them in line with the policies adopted by most of the school districts in the state.

Also during the Cheyenne meeting, some parents protested a textbook dealing with the controversial critical race theory.
Then there is Rep. Chip Neimann, R-Hulettt, who faced blowback from his Republican colleagues when he pushed an election reform pledge because, as he wrote in an email to lawmakers, Wyoming has struggled with primary election integrity. That effort also prompted pushback from the county clerks who work quietly and tirelessly to ensure that Wyoming election system continues to be secure.

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We have worked our tails off to make sure that you have good elections, and we have not heard one single, solitary substantiated complaint that we have done something wrong, Crook County Clerk Linda Fritz told a legislative committee. So until we hear that, I think the legislative body really needs to consider what laws you pass to correct something that isnt wrong.

Lawmakers who are pushing the idea that Wyomings election system isnt secure say they are responding to concerns from their constituents. And there is likely some truth in that. Misinformation about the 2020 election is rampant. But the responsible thing to do would be to educate residents on the myriad steps that Wyoming takes to ensure our elections are secure, rather than indulging in conspiracies.
Editor:

Democrats are blaming Trump for America's defeat in Afghanistan. Republicans are blaming Biden. Actually, there's blame to be put on each party and each administration since the 9/11 attacks.

The biggest share of blame goes to the Bush/Cheney regime that got us into that war. A full-fledged, boots-on-the-ground invasion of Afghanistan wasn't necessary. There should have been some serious bombing of Al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan, Pakistan and wherever else they were found, along with an intense intelligence effort to locate Osama bin Laden and take him out.

Also, since there was an invasion, there was no need to keep the forces there for any longer than four years. The strongest military power on earth and several NATO allies could have whipped the Taliban within four years if they'd gotten serious about it. But no. In mid-2002 the focus shifted to an imaginary threat from Iraq, Afghanistan was left to simmer on a back burner and the no-win war got underway.

The Taliban were serious about winning, so they did.

RICHARD MILLER, Thermopolis

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Editor:

In recent days several governors, including Spencer Cox of Utah and Jared Polis of Colorado, have written to President Biden offering to settle as many refugees from the unfolding events in Afghanistan as they can.

Governor Cox wrote As you may already know, Utahs history guides our approach to refugees. 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 an appreciation for the wonderful contributions of refugees in our communities. Please advise us in the coming days and weeks how we can assist.

Governor Polis took a slightly different approach, noting that Our veteran community knows the value of the role these Afghans played overseas, and our greater Colorado community shares with you American values of humanitarianism and compassion. Colorado stands ready to receive Afghan refugees. Please advise on how Colorado can assist.
AS majority State-owned First Citizens Bank (FCB) ponders whether to participate in the new Additional Public Offering of shares in publicly listed Barita Investments Ltd, dozens of financial executives in Jamaica are more concerned to find out the details of a company called Barita Finance.
I never knew I was being abused... There was no hitting, no drinking, no cussing Nah that wasnt abuse; it wasnt happening because he was a pundit- so I would think. He was God sent. But yet still I always felt unworthy; I always felt abandoned
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The Pima County Health Department is struggling to quickly let students and staff know when they have been exposed to COVID-19 in school and need to quarantine, with only about a 40% response rate to notification calls, which means some exposed students come to campus when they should be in quarantine.

Schools work closely with the health department to identify students and staff who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and need to quarantine, but school districts are not all handling this process the same way.

Some districts, like Amphitheater Public Schools, report positive cases and give seating charts and contact information to the health department and then wait for health officials to tell the district who are close contacts. The delay leads to some people who were exposed and should have been asked to quarantine coming to school.

The Tucson Unified School District has also been relying on the health department to do contact tracing, which has led to a few instances of exposed students coming into school, but the schools contacted the parents and sent them home, said spokeswoman Leslie Lenhart.

Other school districts, like Vail and Marana, figure out who is a close contact themselves and let those people know that county health officials will be contacting them and they may need to quarantine.
They and another unit were assigned to take the city, in the middle of an opium-poppy-growing region.

We were moving through the suburbs while the other unit was actually helicoptered into the center of the city, he said. So we circled the city and fought in. They were dropped in the middle of the city and they fought out, and we all met.

The push took about three days. And in those three days, we killed a lot of people, because we just had overwhelming air superiority.

The Taliban there werent hiding, Martin said. They had set up ambush positions where they were dug in with sandbags and they were ready to fight to the last man. And they did. They all died.

Having changed plans at the last minute, his unit didnt get a clear understanding of what the plan was beyond taking the town, but they felt like they could accomplish something for a while. They got to know local people, didnt mess with the poppy crop, and kept the Taliban out.

So about three months into the deployment, we started to realize what they (American leaders) were trying to do. And what they were trying to do was to build up the Afghan forces to such a level where we can get out. And I think thats where a lot of the confusion comes from right now.
In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate.

In 2009, funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedys remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.

In 2013, in a sweeping new policy statement, the Justice Department said it would not stand in the way of states that wanted to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana as long as there were effective controls to keep marijuana away from kids, the black market and federal property.

In 2018, Sen. John McCain was remembered as a true American hero at a crowded service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade carried McCains body from the state Capitol. Kanye West apologized on a Chicago radio station (WGCI) for calling slavery a choice.

In 2019, President Donald Trump said the United States planned to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, and would then determine future drawdowns.
PHOENIX  Arizona is about to become the first state in the nation to eliminate the ability of attorneys to strike prospective jurors based on what may only be hunches, a practice that often ends up culling minorities.

The state Supreme Court will announce this week approval of a new rule eliminating what are called peremptory challenges. This is the ability of attorneys in civil and criminal trials to disqualify potential jurors without citing any reason at all.

Instead, as of Jan. 1, lawyers will need some specific reason to strike someone from the jury pool, like an admitted bias or their personal knowledge of the parties or the dispute.

The move comes over the objections from several prosecutors who contend, as does Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel, it will ultimately lead to trials that are less fair for all sides.

Instead, the Supreme Court justices accepted the recommendation of two judges from the state Court of Appeals, Peter Swann and Paul McMurdie, who argued that the move will go a long way to eliminating persistent problems with juries that often do not reflect the racial and ethnic backgrounds of their communities.

The primary tool by which this discrimination is practiced is the peremptory strike, they wrote in their petition.
Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, worries about the thousands of older people who potentially could be affected by about 9,000 pending eviction cases in the county.

Book said hes been trying to find people at risk new places to live, but many haven't taken the situation seriously because the moratorium has been extended numerous times.

But some local officials around the U.S. say the court's action is unlikely to set off the flood of evictions some advocates predict.

Scott Davis, spokesman for the Maricopa County Justice Courts that handle the bulk of Arizona's evictions, said he does not expect anything dramatic overnight. He said how things play out will depend on how landlords and their attorneys decide to handle cases.

We know that eviction case filings over the last 17 months are down about 50% from pre-pandemic, Davis said.  Some believe there will be a large flood of case activity; others believe it will be just a light sprinkle, which builds gradually over time. Again  its up to landlords.

Davis emphasized no one can be evicted immediately without due process, and the cases could take weeks to be carried out in the courts.
What is even more important is to teach these young children that law enforcement here in the United States is here to help, were here to protect, were here to serve, he said. Were here to provide peace to these children who come from another country or another set of variables. They can come here, they can study at peace and be comfortable.

The staff also needs to know that they can come and be comfortable that they can teach with ease and they dont have to worry about violence.

Before stepping into his office and after the flag-raising ceremony, Zavala stood in the breezeway at the school greeting numerous children with a good morning or the Spanish counterpart, buenos dias. He asked a few of the older youngsters if they were OK in both languages.

Most of the students have responded favorably to Zavalas presence, as have many nearby Naco residents who have told Zavala that they feel safe that hes at the school. Some of the older students though, have looked at Zavala askance, he said.

I think its just the age groups, Zavala says in a matter-of-fact tone. Theyre going from pre-teen to teen and they  especially the boys  like to think that theyre tough. We have some young ladies that are the same way.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Thirteen activists were detained Sunday in Poland for trying to destroy part of a barbed-wire barrier that Polish authorities have erected along the border with Belarus to stop migrants from crossing in.

The activists said it was an act of protest against Polish authorities for what they believe is the inhuman treatment" of migrants seeking to enter the European Union nation.

Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski, who is responsible for police and security, said what the protesters did was absolutely unacceptable and that those detained will bear all the legal consequences of their actions.

Those detained include 12 Poles and one Dutch citizen, according to Polish media reports.

Poland  like Lithuania  has seen a surge of migrants arriving across its border with Belarus in recent weeks. The government in Warsaw accuses Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of sending migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere across the border in a hybrid war to create instability in the 27-nation EU. The borders that Lithuania and Poland have with Belarus form part of the EU's eastern border.

In reaction, Poland has begun building a barbed wire fence along the border.
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.
OPINION: "Do you want your children, nephews or nieces or grandchildren to get COVID because you refuse to get the vaccine to protect others from a dreadful and deadly virus?" writes Tucson nurse practitioner Barbara Allen.
Born in Canada and based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, costume designer Beverley Huynh said after childhood vacations to California, Hawaii and the Bahamas, her family went on a trip that changed her life. We were in Vietnam for six weeks and I got to see my parents childhood home, met family I didn't know, and got to connect with my roots, said Huynh, whose work has been featured on Van Helsing, A Million Little Things and Arrow. It oddly felt like home. Going to Vietnam felt like I was connecting with a piece of me I felt was missing. That trip changed everything and travel became a part of me that I never want to give up. See more of Huynhs work on Instagram (@bevwincostumes) and her website (www.bevwin.com).
Scientists will use the observatory to gather data on precipitation, wind, clouds, tiny particles, humidity, soil moisture and other things. Along with a better understanding of the hydrology, they hope to learn more about how wildfires, forest management, drought and tree-killing bugs, for example, play a part in water availability.

A big issue in predicting water supply in the West centers on soil moisture and content, said Ken Williams, the lead on-site researcher and Berkeley Lab scientist. The monsoon season largely was a dud across the Southwest for the past two years, which means more melting snow soaks into the ground before reaching streams and rivers when it does rain, he said.

Climate experts said this week that southern Arizona and parts of New Mexico have seen impressive rainfall totals so far this monsoon season, with Tucson marking its wettest July on record. Mike Crimmins, a professor at the University of Arizona, called it an amazing reversal for the desert city.

Some parts of the Southwest have seen as much as four times their normal precipitation levels. But Crimmins noted other spots like Albuquerque, New Mexico, are either at average levels or still lagging.
Last year was a win for youth voter participation. We saw the highest-ever turnout for young voters, with half of 18- to 29-year-olds casting ballots. (Only 39% did so in 2016.)

But 2020 also made it clear that we have a lot of work to do. Changes to voting laws add confusion. Political differences and polarization add tension. And while we should celebrate the record-high 50% youth turnout, that means 20 million young people still didnt cast ballots.

Higher education institutions are in a unique position to engage young people, but civic engagement is often seen as beyond the purview of colleges and universities. This is a massive missed opportunity, for both higher education institutions and our democracy.

Here are three reasons your campus should invest in voter engagement:

1. Youre a trusted messenger and the first touch point for the newest, youngest voters who still cast their ballots at the lowest rates.

Who are young voters? The label (often 18-29, sometimes 18-34) is a bit of a misnomer. When your age bracket combines people straight out of high school who have never been eligible to vote before with those who might be 10 years into their careers, you gloss over critical nuances in behavior and needs.
Are you an employer looking to hire? Its your last chance to reserve your booth at Tulsas largest career fair.

Tulsa World Media Company has partnered with Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and Green Country Workforce. With a booth, youll get in front of more than 1,000 job seekers.

This event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 9. It is free and open to the public.

For years, Tulsa World Media Co. has hosted Tulsas largest career fair, said Bernie Heller, Tulsa World Media Co. president. By providing a space where companies with positions can connect with job seekers, everyone wins.

The career fair will be in the Central Park Hall at Expo Square, 1701 S. Sandusky Ave.

The Tulsa World has always been proud of the success weve had with our traditional in-person career fairs, said Kathryn Bezler, Tulsa World Media Co. classified manager. Its because of this success and experience that we are confident in our ability to deliver quality results for both companies offering positions and job seekers. We are very excited to partner with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission and Green Country Workforce to offer options for job seekers, as well as candidates for local employers.
I think its just awareness, Sinkbeil said. What once was thought of as, Suck it up and go to school, now we really need to be aware.

For example, a headache is not usually a big deal, she said, but then its day three or four, and they have a fever, and now they have potentially exposed a number of other people, she said.

A safer approach would be to keep at home a child who has a headache and see whether the child has improved by the following day, she said.

The chart gives parents guidance to keep children home sooner when symptoms of illness appear and also encourages earlier testing for the COVID-19 virus.

Really, its going to be the key to keeping our schools open, she said.

The simplicity of it is just to keep your students home if theyre sick. And that chart is a great tool to use to help make that choice.

Sinkbeil is reticent to wade into the minefield regarding mask mandates. The state Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt banned school districts from mandating mask use, leading some school districts to defy the new state law and a group of medical professionals and parents to file a lawsuit over the measure, Senate Bill 658.
Outside the courthouse, he said, Were on the front end of this. Well see what develops as I begin to go through discovery and I figure out what the facts are.

Demps was charged last week with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 35 counts of wire fraud and 34 of interstate transportation of stolen property.

The indictment accuses him of writing clerk's office checks to accomplices who cashed them at Columbus banks.

Much of the money is still unaccounted for, Hyde said.

The detention motion filed last week said Demps wired or caused to be wired over $500,000 to various locations in Africa between 2010 and 2018.

The money primarily went to Africa, and Cameroon specifically," Furtak testified.

She said it went to 40 people in countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Gambia, Ecuador and Canada.

Furtek said Demps wired money so often that Western Union eventually refused his business, suspecting him of laundering money.

Demps then began having others wire money for him, and sending it through another service or from an account of his own in Columbus, Furtek said.
Budget bashing: First District Congressman Kevin Hern, who seems to be emerging as one of the Houses most outspoken budget hawks, is pretty wound up about the Democrats $3.5 trillion budget resolution advanced last week.

Seen Thursday at the Tulsa Regional Chamber luncheon that featured Gov. Kevin Stitt, Hern was still fuming about not only the bill itself but the procedural maneuvers that put it into play before actually being written.

A few days earlier, Hern blasted the proposal at a Republican press conference.

Democrats like to act like our debts dont exist, Hern said. They think that its impossible for the United States to default on our debts, that we can spend as much as we want, when we want, with no consequences.

A drastic expansion of the federal government is not what we need, he said. The Green New Deal is not what the American people want. ... We sure as hell do not consent to this kind of reckless, wasteful, useless spending in our nations capital.

Hern was by no means the only member of the Oklahoma delegation to denounce the spending resolution.

All, in fact, did.
Stitt takes heat on COVID absence: Democrats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives last week continued to be one of the few groups challenging Gov. Kevin Stitts near-silence about the states rising COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and rates of infection.

Governor Stitt hasnt held a press conference on COVID since March, but today he found time to address the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, state Rep. Monroe Nichols, D-Tulsa, said following Stitts speech to the chamber on Thursday.

He didnt mention the 7,800 Oklahomans we have lost to COVID nor did he mention COVID at all. There was no plea to citizens to get vaccinated or any plan to protect the voters who elected him.

This crisis has left Oklahomans begging for a leader, and at every turn, Governor Stitt has shown that it isnt him, Nichols said.

Noting that Attorney General John OConnor, a Stitt appointee, says hell sue school districts that impose mask mandates, state Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, said COVID-19 continues to be one of the worst crises in our states history, and Oklahomans have not heard their top, elected leader address it in five months. How different today would look if the Governor would have used an hour a week addressing Oklahomans and advocating for the vaccine.
Tulsas next police chief had no idea where his life was headed when he walked into Warehouse Market to go to work at age 16. Hed lived quite a life already, but, unbeknownst to him, it was really only beginning.

Q&A: Police Chief Chuck Jordan discusses 50-year career, the Race Massacre and driving armed robber to a heist
Some friends owned a vacant lot near 41st Street and Yale Avenue, where they wanted to open a savings and loan next door to what was then a brand-new shopping center called Southland. But when they told Burt Holmes about their plans, he had a different idea.

Why dont you sell me that lot? Holmes suggested. Let me build the building and you be the ground-floor tenant.

He had co-founded QuikTrip about eight years before. But Holmes remained a mostly silent partner in the convenience stores while he concentrated on his insurance business and occasionally dabbled in other ventures.

Some of my investments were more successful than others, Holmes says with a wry smile.

QuikTrip, obviously, became the most successful. But the Southland Financial Center left its own mark on the city.

When it opened in 1966, a year after Southland Mall, the 11story building became Tulsas first suburban high-rise office tower.

It was a pretty big deal, says Holmes, who no longer owns the building but remains justifiably proud of his role in developing it.
A Grand River Dam Authority crew of 20 volunteers also are in Louisiana to help with hurricane relief efforts.

The GRDA crew, including powerline maintenance and vegetation management personnel, mechanics, and law enforcement, left Pryor at 6 a.m. Saturday to make the nearly 600-mile drive to the Lafayette area, where they will help Lafayette Utilities System (LUS) with anticipated repairs to the citys electric system.

The volunteers also will help repair any damage the storm may cause and to help provide water rescue efforts caused by flooding, GRDA said in a news release.

Six officers are part of a rescue and response contingent also comprised of personnel from Mayes County Emergency Management, Craig County Emergency Management, Pryor Fire Department, and the Quapaw Tribe. Two other officers are also with the GRDA utility crew in Lafayette.

Lafayette is located about 130 miles west of New Orleans and about 30 miles north of the Gulf coast.

GRDA also provided aid to Lafayette Utilities Systems in October 2020, after Hurricane Delta made landfall.

Along with Hurricane Delta and now Ida, GRDA has also helped restore power and provide water rescue assistance following hurricanes Rita, Irma, Matthew and Harvey.
ORLANDO, Florida (AP)  A Tesla using its partially automated driving system slammed into a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser Saturday on an interstate near downtown Orlando and narrowly missed its driver, who had pulled over to assist a disabled vehicle.

Earlier this month, the U.S. government opened a formal investigation into Tesla's Autopilot driving system after a series of similar collisions with parked emergency vehicles.

The trooper whose cruiser was hit shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday had activated his emergency lights and was on the way to the disabled vehicle when the Tesla hit the cruiser's left side and then collided with the other vehicle, highway patrol spokeswoman Lt. Kim Montes told The Orlando Sentinel.

The report said the 27-year-old man in the Tesla and the driver of the disabled vehicle suffered minor injuries and the trooper was unhurt.

Tesla did not immediately respond to an email sent to its press address.

Autopilot has frequently been misused by Tesla drivers, who have been caught driving drunk or even riding in the back seat while a car rolled down a California highway.
The unavoidable agony in the pandemic is behind us, but Oklahoma is in the thick of unnecessary suffering as overwhelmed hospitals and distraught health care workers try to cope, according to a COVID data expert.

Oklahomans are dying of COVID at nearly twice the rate of the U.S.  a top 10 ranking in the country  in a state that also rates poorly for cumulative vaccinations.

More than 90% of the states hospitalized COVID patients since July 1 have been unvaccinated people. That date is about when the delta variant-fueled surge began here.

Since July 11, 395 Oklahomans have died with COVID-19 infections; 53 vaccine-breakthrough cases have ended in deaths.

Its one thing to have had the death (rate) at the beginning of this pandemic because we didnt know any better, said Dr. Jennifer Clark, who leads Project ECHOs COVID-19 data and information sessions for Oklahoma State University and described virus-related deaths and illness as necessary suffering before vaccines and advanced therapeutics became available. All of the deaths that we have now, so many of them are unnecessary and preventable.

And that burden is not something we should ask anyone to bear  particularly our health care providers.
In response, police have refocused specialty units and patrols to areas of concern, although those efforts have been frustrated by city computer problems and the widespread nature of the shootings.

Franklin complains that police are having problems holding people in jail on relatively minor charges and that arrested juveniles go out and cause greater problems. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler somehow ties the problem to the U.S. Supreme Courts McGirt decision and recent reform-oriented legislation that reduced felony standards on property crimes and minor drug possession.

Neither of Kunzweilers arguments make a great deal of sense. Violent crimes remain just as illegal as they ever were; only the responsibility for prosecution has changed. Voter-approved smart-on-crime laws were designed to create more space in prison for prosecutors to hold the most dangerous convicted criminals, not petty shoplifters and people caught with small amounts of drugs.

That should be an asset in fighting gun crimes. Were disappointed that Kunzweiler doesnt get that, or that he does get it but is willing to blame reform laws for unrelated violent crime.

If a handful of violent criminals with big guns are shooting at each other, everyone is at risk.
I am writing to those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Watching the endless coverage of Afghanistan succumbing to enemy forces and Americans and supportive civilians fleeing as best they can amongst absolute turmoil rests heavily with us all.

But we cannot forget that those who served America in this region are watching this in a very different context.

To those of you who served in this theater, you carry the mental and physical scars of serving in a war.

And many of you are now wondering if your sacrifices were worth it, if you and your brothers and sisters in uniform made any difference at all.

You need to know that those sacrifices did make a difference.

For 20 long years, many Afghans enjoyed a measure of freedom that they otherwise would not have experienced, and for that same period of time America has been free of terrorism.

Whether or not this war was necessary is for each of us to decide.

Regardless, you can walk away knowing that you served your nation, you went to war, and you did so honorably. Your country cannot ask more of you.
Following former Secretary of State Mike Pompeos visit to Tulsa and his claim that "everything would have been different" under the former president, its worthwhile to remember the recent history behind our exit from Afghanistan ("Lankford's 2022 campaign launch contrasts with primary opponent's," Aug. 19).

We can all agree that we support the fine men and women of our military, and we can all agree that recent events are a tragedy not of their making. But the political history is worth recalling.

Shortly after President Donald Trump canceled his 9/11 Camp David invitation to the Taliban in 2019, Pompeo reached a withdrawal agreement February 29, 2020, in Doha with the Taliban, excluding the recognized Afghan government.

Its a short agreement; read it yourself.

They agreed to abandon Afghanistan to the Taliban in May 2021, including leaving them to empty out the prisons and promising to open economic ties and leave them alone.

Pompeo celebrated the agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan with a 9/11 visit there last year.
General Director of Acecook Vietnam Kajiwara Junichi has asserted that all of the firms instant noodles are safe for local consumers, following Irelands warning about a banned substance found in some of the company's products.

During a press conference on Saturday, Junichi said that Acecook Vietnam is exporting its products to 40 countries, adding that the company always focuses on transparency, quality, and safety.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland recently announced it had recalled batches of Acecook Vietnams Hao Hao sour-hot shrimp flavor instant noodle and Good spare ribs flavor instant noodle products, whose production dates are March 24 and May 10, due to the presence of ethylene oxide.

The two products are exclusively exported to the European market and are not available in the Vietnamese market, the general director said.

Junichi asserted that all of Acecooks products in Vietnam abide by the local law and are safe for the health of consumers.

Ethylene oxide is widely used to disinfect medical equipment, he continued, adding that the substance is also used to kill bacteria in some spices and dried vegetables.

It is accepted in such countries such as the United States and Canada, the executive claimed.

An image of Acecook Vietnam's Hao Hao sour-hot shrimp flavor instant noodle product on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's website

Acecook Vietnam absolutely complies with the regulations of the EU, Vietnam, Japan, as well as other countries, and does not use ethylene oxide in its production, preservation, and storage process.

The firm is conducting extensive analysis and investigation of related materials, equipment, and procedures to identify the cause of the incident.

It will take prompt and effective measures to ensure product quality and safety for all consumers, Junichi said.

Acecook Vietnam has also worked with suppliers of raw materials, who claimed they did not use ethylene oxide in their production process, he underlined.

Following the announcement of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed competent authorities to review all of Acecook Vietnams products in the country and inspect the firms production chain to detect any violations.

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The European Union (EU) is recalling dried noodle products produced by a Vietnamese food maker, Thien Huong Food Joint Stock Company, in the Norwegian market due to the presence of unauthorized ethylene oxide.

The recall of dried noodles with chicken- and beef spices has been launched after such products were found containing ethylene oxide, at 0.052 milligrams per kilogram, in violation of EU Directive 91/414/EEC, the Food Safety Department under Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade reported on Saturday.

The department is coordinating with relevant agencies to verify the EUs recall warning issued to Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (Vietnam SPS) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In Europe, ethylene oxide is classified as a pesticide product, which is banned from use in food because it can affect health if used for a long time.

The ministry has requested Thien Huong, based in Ho Chi Minh City, to report its production process for the recalled dried noodles to check for the presence of ethylene oxide, which is not on the list of substances subject to maximum limits of pesticide residues in food in accordance with a circular of the Ministry of Health.

The ministry also asked the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Management Board to inspect Thien Huongs compliance with food safety regulations and take samples from the companys products, including the recalled items, for ethylene oxide testing.

On August 20, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) announced on its website that certain batches of instant noodle products, including two from Japanese-invested instant noodle maker Acecook Vietnam, were subject to a recall due to the presence of the same unauthorized pesticide.

The batches include Acecooks Hao Hao sour-hot shrimp flavor instant noodle and Good spare ribs flavor instant noodle products, whose expiry dates are September 24, 2022 and November 11, 2022, respectively.

In its announcement, FSAI warned that consumption of ethylene oxide over a long period may cause health issues.

Therefore, exposure to this substance needs to be minimized, the agency said.

Vietnam SPS has asked competent agencies to request Thien Huong and Acecook Vietnam to take measures to remedy the violations immediately, if any, to protect consumer health and avoid undermining the reputation and quality of Vietnamese food exports.

Food production is a conditional business and producers or traders must take responsibility for the safety of the food they have made or traded, according to Vietnams Food Safety Law.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Vietnam's coffee exports in the first eight months of the year were likely down 6.9% from a year earlier to 1.07 million tonnes, while rice exports likely fell 14.8% on-year to 3.9 million tonnes, government data released on Sunday showed.

Coffee

The coffee exports for the eight months were equal to 17.8 million 60-kg bags, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said on Sunday.

Coffee export revenue for Vietnam, the world's biggest producer of the robusta bean, will likely be up 1.1% to nearly $2 billion in the eight-month period.

The country's coffee shipments in August are estimated at 105,000 tonnes, valued at $207 million.

Rice

Rice exports revenue in the January-August period is expected to fall 6.8% to $2.1 billion.

August rice exports from Vietnam likely totalled 430,000 tonnes, worth $211 million.

Energy

Vietnam's January-August crude oil exports were seen falling 45.1% from the same period last year to an estimated 1.92 million tonnes.

Crude oil export revenue in the period is expected to fall 14.1% from a year earlier to $1 billion.

Oil product imports in the first eight months were estimated at 6.5 million tonnes, down 18.7% from the same period last year, while the value of product imports increased 20.6% to $3.2 billion.
You dont know what youve got until its gone during COVID-19.

Living in the tourism mecca of Hoi An, with its big brother Da Nang just to our north, has always been a useful relationship. What we cant get in Hoi An can usually be found in Da Nang. Tools, imported foods, and unusual items are available these days in Hoi An but that wasnt always the case.

Although they are in different administrations, the integration between them is symbiotic and inseparable.

Packaging materials for restaurants and small businesses around our internationally famous tourist city were only found in Da Nangs markets and large department stores. Good quality teaching and fiction books could only be sourced in Da Nang. Things for the kitchen that foreigners take for granted like potato mashers, long bread knives, and can openers used to take a day trip up the road to our big brother. You get the idea.

Online shopping, delivery services between the cities, and the flood of mini-marts improved the hard to get situation that often stumped both locals and expats over the years to the point that we hardly thought about the problems anymore. It does help these days that you find help and directions to supplies and materials without roaming haphazardly on our scary roads.

Good proximity helps as well. With Da Nang airport just 35 kilometers away, the two-way food and tourist traffic grew into a monster of roaring buses and speeding taxis along the coastal highway linking both locations. The obvious benefits of so much money flowing though from Da Nang to Hoi An created boom economies.

Having worked in both places was a boon, as I had options for work and fun never too far away and always affordable, with the beach barely two kilometers apart and plenty of interesting company regardless of the venues whereabouts. Its something that I rarely had the chance to enjoy in larger cities overseas or in Vietnams two major metropolises, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Of course, whats really attractive as a standard of living are the relatively small populations of both municipalities compared to mega-massive Ho Chi Minh city, estimated at thirteen million and Hanoi, around eight million. Being coastal hubs helps keep the air pollution down while the community tend not to experience overwhelming crowds at the beach or in the city centers. Im sure many expats might argue about that but its my opinion!

But then COVID-19 struck and the disconnect from commuting, shopping, socializing, and travelling is all in serious upheaval. Our reliance on the ability to fly south or north for embassy stuff, medicals, and business within Vietnam is too unpredictable for many to book tickets, let alone plan ahead appointments, meetings, and other activities that just cant be adequately done online. Just the disruptions to overseas travel and restrictions on the tourist influx that drives Hoi Ans economy and, to a similar extent, Da Nangs hospitality industry are shocking in impact. Too many people are closing up shop or leaving the country.

The most lasting effect will be trying to open up again to domestic and international trade and tourism; and who knows when that will be? Im firmly in the camp who think nothing significant will begin to grow until early to mid-2022. It has always fascinated me just how much cross-flow of workers moves between the two places. Sadly, as the work has dried up in both directions, I cant see any method of rapidly improving this until vaccines are widespread and hopefully major lockdowns can be avoided. The strain on personal and future hopes for the young is hanging in the balance although the Vietnamese have one small advantage in being able to flee to hometowns to rough it out  something that is not so simple or even available in many Western countries. Thank heavens for the belief in families in Vietnam!

As much as Im frustrated by not being easily able to get to Ho Chi Minh City for my passport and some medical issues, it continues to be more annoying not to do quite a few scheduled and planned trips up to Da Nang. I can wait as Im not so heavily reliant on earning a living as others, yet I have noticed an alarming increase in peoples frustration, both on Facebook and in meeting someone passing on. Wishful thinking, Why cant they..., becomes such an all too frequent whine that I cant deal with it anymore.

Whatever happens next to all of us is mostly out of our hands and up to others to decide and manage. I guess its a piece of wisdom when you can accept that and live with it. Im an optimist by nature so even if the wait is long, well probably all appreciate getting out and about and not taking things for granted so much.

Either way, Ive always been thankful for ending in such a delightful part of the world where I can live in a small city with all the extra advantages of the big smoke nearby. And soon enough Ill be whizzing to Da Nang and relieved to get to back to Hoi An in one piece and with lots of goodies to enjoy! How lucky can I get?
Police in the northern Vietnamese province of Lao Cai have arrested three suspects to facilitate their investigation into a case where a 15-year-old girl was sold to a prostitution ring.

The police unit in Lao Cai City, the capital of the namesake province, confirmed on Saturday they were investigating a prostitution racket that reportedly traded teenage girls.

Officers have arrested Hoang Dinh Huan, 26, Le Duc Long, 20, and Nguyen Thi Hong, 31. Hong has been released on bail as she needs to take care of her child who is under 36 months old.

Preliminary information showed that the Lao Cai City Office of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs received a call for help from N.T.N., a 16-year-old girl hailing from north-central Thanh Hoa Province.

N. said she had been brought to Lao Cai by a man before being sold to a prostitution ring.

After being notified of the case, local police launched a probe and found out that Hong and Huan were members of the racket.

The two suspects stated they had 'bought' N. from Long at VND12 million (US$528) on August 19.

The girl was then taken to a house in Lao Cai City where she was forced to become a sex worker along with many others.

N. had to serve her clients twice on August 21 and 22, with Hong keeping all of the money she earned from the prostitution service.

On August 25, N. managed to escape from the place and asked some local residents to help her report the incident.

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Here are todays leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health reported 12,097 local COVID-19 infections, including 5,481 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, on Saturday, raising the countrys tally to 422,469, with 210,989 recoveries and 10,405 deaths.

-- From August 23 to 28, Ho Chi Minh City detected nearly 42,400 positive cases, accounting for 3.5 percent of the samples collected from the community, according to the citys Center for Disease Control.

-- Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have allowed delivery workers to resume operation in high-risk areas including Thu Duc City, District 8, District 12, Go Vap District, Binh Tan District, Binh Thanh District, Binh Chanh District, and Hoc Mon District.

-- Officials in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City have coordinated with Grab Vietnam to help local residents shop for food and other essentials via the companys mobile app during the ongoing shelter-in-place order.

Society

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications confirmed it has imposed fines worth VND122.5 million (US$5,390) on 15 people for spreading false news about the COVID-19 pandemic since April.

-- Police in the northern province of Lao Cai have arrested three suspects to facilitate their investigation into a case where a 15-year-old girl was sold to a prostitution ring.

-- A 27-year-old man has been apprehended for hitting an officer after he was allowed to pass a COVID-19 checkpoint in Hanoi on Thursday.

-- Commuters in Ho Chi Minh City have once again been required to file movement declarations at local COVID-19 checkpoints from Sunday. The regulation was previously implemented in mid-August but was later canceled as it caused serious congestion at the checkpoints.

Business

-- General Director of Acecook Vietnam Kajiwara Junichi said during a press meeting on Saturday that all of the firms instant noodle products are safe for local consumers, following Irelands warning over a banned substance found in Acecooks Hao Hao instant noodle and Good vermicelli.

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Authorities in a district in Da Nang have started operating drones on a trial basis to make sure local residents comply with an ongoing shelter-in-place order.

The plan began to be implemeted in Hai Chau District on Sunday to monitor the situation in local alleys.

Data collected by 15 camera drones was then transmitted to district authorities to assess residents compliance with pandemic prevention and control regulations.

Along with CCTV systems and officers regular patrols, the drones will help the local administration make sure people stay where they are as required by the Da Nang People's Committee, said Vu Quang Hung, secretary of the Hai Chau Party Committee.

A camera drone is pictured opposite an alley in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, August 29, 2021. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The drone deployment is aimed at preventing new outbreaks in the district, especially down local alleys, Hung continued.

After the trial concludes, Hai Chau authorities will review the data and pool feedback before deciding whether or not the plan will become official.

Da Nang has registered over 4,000 local COVID-19 cases since the fourth virus wave hit Vietnam on April 27.

Two men operate camera drones to monitor the situation in an alley in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, August 29, 2021. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The municipal Peoples Committee began requiring all residents to stay where they are from August 16 to 26 and later extended the shelter-in-place period to September 6 in areas at high risk of transmission.

Le Trung Chinh, chairman of Da Nang, recently directed all districts to further tighten surveillance in residential areas, especially in alleys.

District leaders will have to take the blame if residents go out without proper reasons during this period, the chairman asserted.

An aerial image of an alley in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, August 29, 2021. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vietnam had documented 422,469 COVID-19 cases by Sunday afternoon, with 210,989 recoveries and 10,405 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 418,320 local infections in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities in the ongoing flare-up

A neighborhood leader reminds residents to stay indoors in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, August 29, 2021. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications has removed over 300 social media posts containing false information on COVID-19, imposing fines on some people while criminally charging others.

These individuals were handled during a collaboration between the department and the municipal police forces to monitor and prevent the spread of coronavirus-related fake news during the ongoing outbreak, departmental director Lam Dinh Thang told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Officials have removed 112 social media posts, 182 YouTube videos, and 17 TikTok videos that circulate false information on the epidemic prevention progress in Ho Chi Minh City.

They have publicly debunked three fake news instances and transferred four cases to the Ministry of Information and Communications for further handling.

Phan Huu Diep Anh is held by police for allegedly abusing rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state.

Since April, the department has levied a total of VND122.5 million (US$5,393) in administrative fines on 15 fake new spreaders.

They also worked with local police to indict Phan Huu Diep Anh for abusing rights to freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state, as well as Le Thi Kim Dung for using her connections to sell COVID-19 vaccination slots.

Le Thi Kim Dung is held by police for selling COVID-19 vaccination slots. Photo courtesy of Ho CHi Minh City Department of Public Security

In light of these cases, the department would like to advise city residents against spreading unverified information, which may cause public hysteria and impede the citys effort in curbing the virus spread, Thang said.

His department would continue working with local authorities to keep an eye on fake news and violations in cyberspace, he underscored.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently the hardest-hit locale in Vietnams fourth wave of coronavirus transmission, with nearly 205,000 cases logged since the outbreak started in April 27.

The municipal authorities have enforced a social distancing drive at various levels since May 31 and asked people to stay where they are from August 23 to September 6, as part of their drastic measures to push back the serious pandemic, with the participation of police and soldiers.

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Vietnam announced an additional 12,752 domestic coronavirus cases on Sunday, as the national tally topped 435,000 patients and the toll exceeded 10,000 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The latest local infections were recorded in 39 provinces and cities while the country also logged 44 imported cases on the same day, the health ministry said in a report.

A total of 12,097 locally-infected patients had been confirmed on Saturday.

The ministry found 5,719 of the new cases in the community, with the remaining detected in isolated areas or centralized quarantine centers.

Binh Duong Province recorded 5,414 local infections, Ho Chi Minh City 4,957, Long An Province 533, Dong Nai Province 377, Hanoi 133, and Da Nang 106.

Vietnam has logged 431,072 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus flare-up emerged in the country on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City is hit the hardest with 209,921 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 104,208, Dong Nai Province with 22,641, Long An Province with 20,933, Tien Giang Province with 9,217, Khanh Hoa Province with 6,308, Da Nang with 4,122, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 3,373, and Hanoi with 3,326.

By comparison, Vietnam confirmed a combined 1,570 locally-acquired infections in the previous three waves.

Recoveries have reached 219,802, with 8,813 patients declared recovered on Sunday.

The health ministry documented 344 deaths nationwide on the same day, including 256 in Ho Chi Minh City and 31 in Binh Duong Province, taking the toll to 10,749 fatalities.

Vietnam has registered 435,265 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first struck it early last year.

The Southeast Asian country has received about 27 million vaccine shots to date, administering more than 19.4 million doses since vaccination was rolled out on March 8.

Roughly 2.4 million people have been jabbed twice.

Health authorities aim to inoculate at least two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

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If Luxe Listings Sydney is about millionaires row then The Block has always been about homes that represent the Great Australian Dream.

In its first season 2003 homes in Bondi sold for around $700,000.

Fast forward to 2021 and the property market has boomed.

Executive Producer Julian Cress tells TV Tonight he isnt so sure the homes in Hampton, south east of Melbourne, will necessarily top those sold in Brighton 2020 which saw price tags of over $4m.

We were in, arguably, a more expensive location last year. Although these houses are bigger, the prices that well be quoting for them will be lower than last years. But having said that, The Blocks always been aspirational. It was designed to be that, even when we picked the very first building on Bondi Beach.

If I could live there, that would be my dream!'

We always wanted it to be about people dreaming If I could live there, that would be my dream! The median price when we first started The Block was probably about $400,000 and now its over a million. So prices have come up a lot. I think a house of $3 million plus is as aspirational now, as it was aspirational to want to live beside Bondi Beach.

But I dont see the show ever doing $10 million houses unless, unless were on air for another 17 years!

The viewer of The Block wants to see renovations being done to a really high standard

If the Nine series has painted itself into a corner of continually outdoing its previous seasons, has it also put the homes out of reach of its viewing audience -and if so is that a problem for the show?

I think that the viewer of The Block wants to see renovations being done to a really high standard. They want to see people whove been given an opportunity of a lifetime to execute and to realise the best reward that they can get, he continues.

Weve always chosen really aspirational places to make the show and those places are the ones where prices have increased more than everywhere else.

Renovated homes first eclipsed $1m in only its third season, then $2m in Albert Park 2014, and $4m in Elsternwick 2017 (thanks Hughesy).

Were basically doing the homes that you see in Neighbours

Cress doesnt see the show trying to replicate property porn titles such as Luxe Listings Sydney or Selling Sunset anytime soon. In fact the Hampton series is much closer to another Australian series.

If we were doing homes that were selling for $5m or $6m we would be jumping that shark. But I think that doing five houses of three to four bedrooms with two car garages in a cul de sac, has been proven to be the Australian dream because Ramsay Street is in its 36th season.

Were basically doing the homes that you see in Neighbours, he says.

Bronte Court is Ramsay Street. Thats what I love about it.

Its like Ramsay Street except everybodys at each others throats all day.

The Block continues on Nine.
In a win for fans, Manifest has been rescued for a fourth and final season.

Netflix has renewed the series following the popularity of early seasons on its platform, combined with an active fan campaign on social media.

Since its premiere on Netflix in June, Manifest has proven very popular with our members, said Bela Bajaria, Netflix head of global TV. Jeff Rake and his team have crafted a beguiling mystery that has viewers around the world on the edge of their seats and believing again in second chances, and were thrilled that they will bring fans some closure with this final super-sized season.

What started years ago as a flight of fancy deep in my imagination has evolved into the jet engine journey of a lifetime, said showrunner Jeff Rake. Never in my wildest dreams could I have envisioned the worldwide outpouring of love and support for this story, its characters, and the team who work so hard to bring it all to life. That we will be able to reward the fans with the ending they deserve moves me to no end. On behalf of the cast, the crew, the writers, directors, and producers, thank you to Netflix, to Warner Bros., and of course to the fans. You did this.

The final season will comprise 20 episodes but there is media speculation it may be split and play out over a longer period.

The deal also includes season three of the series screening on Netflix as well.

Manifest screens in Australia through Nine which will likely remain the premiere broadcaster.

Source: Hollywood Reporter
Queer Eye star Tan France has accused the British TV industry of being tokenistic when it comes to diversity.

France, originally from Doncaster, England, said the US was lightyears ahead of the UK in regards to diversity, calling it embarrassing.

He explained how he gets offers for TV work in the US weekly but has to beg for scraps in the UK.

Speaking to the PA News Agency, France said: America isnt obviously where it needs to be as far as representing marginalised groups. But were light years ahead of the UK.

France said that the UK pays lip service to diversity, especially in the wake of last years Black Lives Matter protests.

If you add one person, thats not representation  that is tokenism. I think that the US does a much better job, he said.

People at the head of the networks in the UK need to really appreciate the value, the added value, that these diverse people add to their networks.

This is not the first time Tan France has spoken up about diversity in the entertainment industry.

He previously joined other celebrities in a video demanding better for Asian and Asian American actors and calling for an end to lazy stereotypes.

France was born in Doncaster to Muslim Pakistani parents and currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He is a fashion expert that has appeared on Netflix reboot of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy since 2018. This year he serves as the international editor of the Edinburgh TV Festival.

His comments about diversity follow a survey by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity which revealed widespread racism in the UKs film and TV industry.

Over half of performers of colour surveyed said they had experienced racism within the industry, and that many roles stereotype their race.
FILE PHOTO: A Danske bank sign is seen on a bank's headquarters in Copenhagen

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Danske Bank A/S and former top executives on Wednesday defeated an appeal in New York by shareholders claiming they were defrauded because the Danish bank allowed widespread money laundering at its former Estonian branch.

The lawsuit began after Danske said in September 2018 that an internal probe had uncovered about 200 billion euros ($235 billion) of suspicious transactions through its Estonian branch from 2007 to 2015.

But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that "money-laundering at a single branch in Estonia cannot alone establish that Danske Bank itself carried out a deceptive scheme to defraud investors."

Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs wrote for a three-judge panel that accusations that Danske improperly reported revenue from money laundering, downplayed supervision failures and mishandled whistleblower complaints did not support the fraud claims.

Four pension funds in New York and Massachusetts led the proposed class action, seeking damages for investors who lost money in Danske's American depositary shares from Jan. 9, 2014, to April 29, 2019.

Their lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Claims against former Danske Chief Executive Thomas Borgen, the estate of former Chairman Ole Andersen, and two former chief financial officers were also dismissed.

Wednesday's decision upheld an August 2020 ruling by U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan.

Authorities in several countries began investigating the suspicious payments made through Danske's Estonian branch, and Estonia ordered Danske to exit the country.

The bank has also faced litigation in Denmark, including a lawsuit by the U.S. government and the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board in the Copenhagen city court.

Danske spokesman Stefan Singh Kailay said the bank was pleased with Wednesday's decision, and will continue defending against civil shareholder claims in Denmark.

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The case is Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 773 Pension Fund v. Danske Bank A/S et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 20-3231.

(1 euro = US$1.175)

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bernadette Baum)
By Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) -Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended Britain's airlift from Kabul on Sunday following growing criticism that ministers had been "asleep on watch", potentially leaving thousands of eligible Afghans behind in the country.

Britain, like the United States, has been criticised for failing to predict how quickly the Afghan government would fall, meaning it had not made sufficient preparation for the chaos that would follow when the Taliban seized power.

Britain's last military flight left Kabul late on Saturday, ending a chaotic two weeks in which soldiers helped to evacuate more than 15,000 people from the crowds who descended on the capital's airport, desperate to flee the country.

Richard Dannatt, former chief of staff of the British army, said the government now needed an inquiry to establish why it had been so ill-prepared for the rapid turn of events.

"It is unfathomable why it would appear that the government was asleep on watch," he told Times Radio. "We've had this chaotic extraction, we should have done better, we could have done better."

The Observer newspaper said thousands of emails sent to the Foreign Office by lawmakers and charities, detailing cases of Afghan citizens who needed help to leave, had not been read.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said it had worked tirelessly to evacuate people but it had always cautioned that it would not be able to help everyone. The spokesperson declined to give any further details on the process.

Britain's defence minister, Ben Wallace, predicted last week that time had run out to evacuate around 1,000 Afghans who were eligible to come to Britain, including former staff to the UK.

Lisa Nandy, the opposition spokeswoman for the foreign office, said ministers had been completely unprepared for the withdrawal. "It really is an unparalleled moment of shame for this government, that we've allowed it to come to this," she told Sky News.

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Johnson said however that while Britain would not have wished to leave Afghanistan in the way it did, the armed forces should still be proud of their achievements.

Speaking to the 150,000 men and women who completed a tour of Afghanistan, and the families of the 457 who died there, Johnson said they had succeeded in keeping Britain safe and in improving the livelihoods for Afghan locals.

"I thank everyone involved, and I believe they can be very proud of what they've done," he said in a video online.

A flight carrying troops and London's ambassador, Laurie Bristow, landed in Britain on Sunday, with further flights expected. Bristow said Britain's embassy to Afghanistan would operate in Qatar for now, before it can return when safe to do so.

(Reporting by Kate HoltonEditing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
(AFP via Getty Images)

Australia reported a record 1,126 coronavirus infections on Saturday, the vast majority in New South Wales, the epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak.

More than half of Australians have been in weeks-long lockdowns as officials in Sydney and Melbourne, the countrys largest cities, and the capital Canberra struggle to quell the outbreak.

New South Wales, the most populous state and home to Sydney, reported 1,035 locally acquired Covid-19 infections, breaking Thursdays record of 1,029 as the outbreak that started in mid-June continues to grow.

Victoria reported 64 cases, mostly in its capital Melbourne, and Australian Capital Territory that includes Canberra had 26 infections. Queensland had one, Australias Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd told a briefing.

Despite the record in New South Wales, the states conservative Liberal Party government said it would ease some restrictions next week, allowing for five-guest weddings.

The states management of the outbreak - which has nearly 14,700 active cases - has been criticised by officials in neighbouring Victoria, who have imposed stricter restrictions, believing the outbreak there can be suppressed.

Im not sure 1,000 cases a day is a sign of hope, Victorias Health Minister Martin Foley said of the New South Wales infections.

Im pretty sure that if you ask those intensive care nurses in Sydney hospitals at the moment how they saw the situation, it wouldnt be a hugely rosy picture.

After months of supply delays with the Pfizer shots and public unease about the AstraZeneca vaccine, Australia has been racing in recent weeks to inoculate its population. At current rates, 80 per cent could be vaccinated by mid-November.

The federal government announced a plan last month that envisaged lockdowns as a key to quelling outbreaks until 70 per cent percent of the population gets vaccinated and a gradual re-opening of Australias borders when the number reaches 80 per cent.

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Just 33.7 per cent of people above age 16 have been fully vaccinated, but with some 49,800 cases and 993 deaths, Australia has kept its Covid-19 numbers relatively low.

Neighbouring New Zealand, which had been largely virus-free this year, is also fighting a Delta outbreak, reporting 82 new locally acquired cases on Saturday, all in the epicentre Auckland, as the nation remains under a strict lockdown.

Read More

Australias new Covid cases top 1,000 for first time as Delta spreads

Qantas plans to restart UK-Australia flights in December

Sydney hospitals battle coronavirus as daily infections hit record
Synagogue cemetery.

Fewer people come to the cemetery service each year. When I began serving this community, ten years ago, we would have at least a dozen. We'd set up a circle of folding chair and pray the afternoon service. And then people would take pebbles and quietly walk through the cemetery, leaving stones to mark their visits to parents or grandparents or great-grandparents. Some members of my shul are fourth or fifth generation; they have ancestors to visit here.

Older stones.

These days only a few people come. Many of those who used to attend the cemetery service each year are now buried in that same cemetery. I like to think that I am still davening with them each year when we convene on a Sunday before Rosh Hashanah. There was one gentleman who always used to come to the cemetery service and then quip, "Rabbi, don't forget, you're doing my funeral!" And I'd always say, "No time soon, please."

Mom's grave. San Antonio.

The custom of visiting our ancestors at the cemetery before the new year feels old-fashioned. It comes from a time when people didn't migrate much. Today most of the members of my small shul are not fourth- or fifth-generation members. They're transplants, like me. I've been here now for almost thirty years (and have served as the rabbi here for a decade.) This is my home, and my son's home. But our beloved dead aren't here.

My mother's parents; my father's parents. San Antonio.

My mother and my grandparents are buried in San Antonio. For great-grandparents, I'd have to cross an ocean. In 1993, we visited Prague (my grandmother's and my mother's birthplace) and we went to see my great-grandparents in the "new" Jewish cemetery from the 1800s. I remember my grandmother's satisfaction at being able to visit her parents' graves again. She told us how they used to picnic there with the ancestors on Sundays.

My grandmother and aunt at my great-grandparents' graves. "New" Jewish cemetery, Prague, 1993.

It feels right to pay our respects to the dead before beginning the new year. To remember that one day we too will return to our Source. This afternoon I will hold a smooth pebble in my hand and I will think of my beloved dead. I'll think of them too when I make challah before the new year: round, like the year, and studded with raisins for sweetness. Their headstones are far away, but their presence is as near as memory.
Kajiwara Junichi, general director of Acecook Vietnam, guaranteed at a press conference yesterday afternoon, August 28, that the companys products sold in Vietnam are safe for the health of consumers

Kajiwara Junichi, general director of Acecook Vietnam, addresses the press conference where he guarantees the safety of the companys products - PHOTO: HCMCPV.ORG.VN

Kajiwara Junichi, general director of Acecook Vietnam, guaranteed at a press conference yesterday afternoon, August 28, that the companys products sold in Vietnam are safe for the health of consumers, following Irelands warning over the contamination of the companys Hao Hao instant noodles and Good vermicelli.

Kajiwara said Acecook Vietnam are exporting its products to 40 countries. On August 20, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland decided to ban some batches of the Hao Hao instant noodles and Good vermicelli produced by Acecook Vietnam as the products allegedly contain ethylene oxide harmful to human health.

According to Kajiwara, the products banned by Ireland were produced exclusively for the European market, so they are not used for domestic consumption.

We guarantee that all of our products sold in Vietnam meet the countrys regulations and laws and are safe for the health of consumers. Acecook Vietnam always makes transparency, product quality and safety for users a high priority, he said.

Kajiwara said ethylene oxide is widely used to sanitize medical equipment. It is also used to kill bacteria in some spices and dried vegetables and are accepted in some countries such as the United States and Canada.

However, ethylene oxide is prohibited in food sold in the European Union. Acecook Vietnam always complies with the prevailing regulations of the EU, Vietnam, Japan, Australia and other countries. The company does not use ethylene oxide in any preservation, production and storage process, the CEO said.

We are inspecting all related materials and equipment to identify the cause of the incident and will take quick and effective measures to ensure the products quality and safety for the consumers, Kajiwara said.

The Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has asked Acecook Vietnam to respond to the Food Safety Authority of Irelands warning over the contamination of its Hao Hao instant noodles and Good vermicelli.

The ministry ordered the company to report the production processes of the Hao Hao instant noodles and Good vermicelli and clarify the differences between the batches for domestic consumption and export to evaluate the alleged existence of ethylene oxide in the two items.

The substance is not in the list of pesticides in food regulated in Circular 50 on the maximum residue levels. Besides, the ministry directed the competent units to review all the products made by Acecook Vietnam that have been distributed locally and point out whether it violated food safety regulations.

Source: SGT
Domestic enterprises have the opportunity to bring handicraft products to the global market via the US e-commerce giant.

One of Paper Color products is sold on Amazon. Photo: Paper Color



Vietnam needs to support enterprises to boost the export of handicrafts and thereby improve handicrafts production technology, Vu Quoc Huy, Director of the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) said.

At the webinar Exporting handicrafts on Amazon, held this week, Huy said that Vietnam has strengths in handicrafts with thousands of craft villages, traditional products, and artisans. Due to the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses have faced difficulties in doing business, so e-commerce has become an effective business channel to help them keep business afloat.

Through the e-commerce platforms, domestic enterprises have the opportunity to bring handicraft products to more than 200 countries and territories, especially via Amazon, according to the NIC.

Tran Xuan Thuy, Southern Regional Director of Amazon GlobalSelling Vietnam said, recently, the company has continuously coordinated with Vietnamese authorities in the deployment of many activities that support small and medium enterprises to bring their goods to the e-commerce platform, with the expectation of contributing to bringing Vietnamese goods to the world.

In the past years, many local businesses have been successful in selling via Amazons channel. Especially, those who are manufacturing and exporting handicrafts are looking for opportunities to export to the US and European markets and want to expand their global operations through Amazon.

Paper Color, producing 3D-pop-up cards, is an example. Le Thi Thien Ngan, CEO and Co-founder of Paper Color, said selling on Amazon helps the company save a lot of operation costs, learn about the market needs, how the market operates, marketing and consumer trends as well as how to solve problems. "This helps our business grow very fast without having to go through the traditional ways," she added.

After five years of establishment, the company has exported its products to more than 30 countries in the world, focusing on North America and Europe.

Towards sustainable brands

According to Tran Quy Hien, co-founder of Ecomstone Vietnam, in order to conquer customers, the products that are listed for sale in the e-commerce channel, in addition to being beautiful and of delicate designs, must be of quality and made of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials.

In particular, products must not infringe on trademarks, because there are some businesses whose accounts are locked for being found selling items on Amazon that have copied designs of famous brands.

Therefore, businesses must be creative in terms of designs or carefully check whether those designs are copyrighted or not to avoid risks. In addition, the product needs to be compact, easy to disassemble, and to transport, Hien added.

Pham Ngoc Anh, Amazon Global Selling Vietnam Senior Account Manager, noted that Amazon gives privileges and priorities to branded sellers who sign up for Amazon's protection program, including advertising diversity, tools to protect their brand, data analysis to control their business on Amazon.

Most importantly, the businesses need to develop a sustainable brand on Amazon, she underlined.

According to Amazon statistics, 59% of customers choose the brands they are familiar with. When a new brand or product appears in the market, Amazon is a favorite distribution channel for its broad outreach. Up to 80% of buyers use the e-commerce platform to find new products.

Hanoi has identified boosting e-commerce as one of the important tasks for the development of the capital city's economy. This year, the Hanoi People's Committee has launched an action plan to achieve the goal of improving the ranking of its e-commerce index.

The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade will connect and guide small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to promote their image and product brands on e-commerce platforms, organize cross-border e-commerce seminars to support key export industries, improve the capacity of export enterprises and craft villages to sell on the world's prestigious e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Alibaba.

The Hanoi Department of Information and Communications will support businesses to build mobile applications and allow customers to shop on mobile devices, instructing how to use electronic signatures to ensure information security.

The Department will develop a project to support traditional businesses in converting to digital platforms, and select a number of traditional businesses to pilot digital transformation and then expand the model.

Source: hanoitimes
After registering to take a train to return to her hometown, Thuong and her family members are still waiting for their turn. Her son has also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Le Thi Hoai Thuong and her son

Le Thi Hoai Thuong from Quang Tri province lives in a rented room in Tan Phu Trung Commune in Cu Chi District in HCM City. Her husband is a worker at a rubber plantation, and she is a housewife taking care of a five year old and a one year old.

The family income is just enough to pay for rent and food. After social distancing was imposed, they have not had any money to maintain their lives.

In early August, two months after Khuong became unemployed, the couple registered to take a train organized by the home province of Quang Tri to return to their hometown to stay with their brothers family. However, they are still waiting their turn.

In the empty rented room, they are struggling to survive. The landlord has reduced rent by 50 percent and sometimes gives them rice. However, their lives are still full of hardship.

The situation became worse when their elder son got got Covid-19 in mid-August from children in the same hostel. Three people were taken away to quarantine zones, while their son, who has mild symptoms, can home quarantine. Thuong has borrowed an empty room for her husband and the son to stay.

I still have not discussed the rent with the landlord, because I have no money to pay the rent, she said.

The room, electricity and water bills cost them VND1.5 million a month. As the landlord agreed to reduce the rent, they still have to pay VND1 million. However, they dont have money for food, let alone money for room rent.

Another migrant, Bui Thi Hien, from the northern province of Vinh Phuc has rented a room in Vinh Loc A Commune in Binh Chanh District for four years. She earns her living as a vendor, selling goods on the pavement.

Hien told VietNamNet that she and many people in rented rooms nearby have not received any financial support from the local authorities in the last few months, since the city began strict social distancing.

Since Hien does not have registration for temporary residence, she cannot receive aid from the Government.

Minh Phuong hopes he can get some support so that he can buy food and pay for his room

Hien and her husband left their kids at the grandparents in their hometown, while they live and work in HCM City to earn money for the family.

However, because of the pandemic, they cannot earn enough. We still dont know how we can survive. We have to count on my parents, she said with sigh.

Because they do not have temporary residence registration, the couple cannot register for vaccinations or get shopping coupons. They have tried to seek support from benefactors via social networks and sometimes rice or instant noodles.

We have shouted for help, but our shout has not been heard. Many people have rushed to go back to their hometown and dont want to stay in HCM City, she said.

VietNamNet reporters tried to contact the quick reaction team in Vinh Loc A Commune, but the line was always busy. They were also unable to contact the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune and Chair of the Red Cross.

On August 15, hundreds of people were stopped at a checkpoint on No 1A Highway and asked to return to their residences in HCM City instead of their hometown. Many of them returned to HCM City as requested but were very worried.

Duong Thanh Luu in Thu Duc City said he and his wife have been unemployed for several months. They registered with local authorities for support, but there has been no reply. Since they had run out of money, they had no other choice than to leave for their hometown on their motorbikes.

Luu said before leaving, he borrowed VND2 million and spent VND700,000 on Covid tests. The remaining money was used to buy medical equipment. He was asked by the landlord to pay the room rent of VND1 million and they had to mortgage property instead of paying money.

Minh Phuong, also in Thu Duc City, complained that he has run out of food and money. He has been eating instant noodles for the last three months of unemployment.

I really want to stay in HCM City, because I understand that its dangerous to go on the streets now. I hope I can get some support so that I can buy food and pay for my room to get by, he said.

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 (Joining forces with VietNamNet to stamp out the pandemic).

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.

Khanh Hoa

Food supply ensured for HCM City, southern region during stay-at-home period Food supply has been ensured for HCM City and the southern region during the social distancing period, according to a working group supporting the COVID-19 fight in the southern region.
The Vietnam People's Navy team preformed excellently to rank second, behind hosts Russia, at the Sea Cup category held in Vladivostok within the framework of the International Army Games 2021.

The Vietnam Peoples Navy team ranked second behind the host Russia at the Sea Cup category held in Vladivostok. (Photo: Hai Au)

On the same day, the Vietnam Peoples Navy team achieved equal results with their Russian colleagues in the exercise of using life-saving appliances, a competition within the final stage of the Sea Cup category.

Previously, the Vietnam People's Navy team also performed well in competitions at sea such as AK-176 cannon shooting, floating mines shooting, and other maritime skills.

In particular, the team won first prize in the AK-176 cannon shooting, ranking above Russia and China, and came in second in the two remaining competitions with close results compared to the winners.

Regarding the two competitions on the shore, including the competition for the fight for the survivability of a ship and competition for the use of life-saving equipment, the Vietnam People's Navy team performed excellently and ranked first alongside hosts Russia.

*Vietnamese team came in third in the Meridian competition with the participation of military topographers from the armed forces of Russia, Belarus, China, Vietnam, Iran and Laos.

The Vietnamese Meridian Team tried their best in the Weapons practice, Azimuth, and Topographic quadrathlon competitions and ranked third in the overall results.

Source: Nhan Dan
Located in the heart of Hanoi, one of the priorities of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Southeast Asia Regional Office will be to co-ordinate COVID-19 prevention and control activities throughout the region.

Dr. John MacArthur, CDC Southeast Asia Regional Director

The CDC Southeast Asia Regional Offices primary focus will be to help strengthen health security partnerships across this region, both at a bilateral level and with regional partners, said Dr. John MacArthur, regional director of CDC Southeast Asia, at a recent press conference that took place over the phone.

According to Dr. MacArthur, the nation plays a key leadership role in ASEAN and in the Global Health Security Agenda, having led one of the action packages for that agenda. Indeed, the Government has been very welcoming and supportive in working with CDC.

When I talked about CDCs 70-plus-year relationship in Southeast Asia,that actually began with a trip from malaria experts from CDC to Vietnam to work in the northern part of the country on malaria control. So we value our longstanding relationship with the people of Vietnam and we also value the 23-year history of our bilateral office here in Vietnam. We also have a strong history of working collaboratively with the Government of Vietnam and the people of Vietnam on such important diseases as HIV, influenza, and bird flu back when that was circulating, SARS, and others. And so we have this strong, strong relationship, he said.

The Government has been very welcoming and supportive in working with us, and I mentioned that at our launch on Wednesday we had the deputy prime minister, we had the vice minister of foreign affairs, and we had the health minister all in attendance of that launch, and I think that shows the strong, strong political commitment we have.

We are also looking long-term, and so we see this not as a five-year or ten-year commitment, but we think that the strategic relationship on health security between Vietnam and the United States is something that we will work together in a long-term fashion and we see support from the people of Vietnam for that, stated Dr. MacArthur.

One of the key goals of the regional office will be to help to co-ordinate the regional platform.

The regional office will therefore strive to build relationships with regional partners, support countries in the region that previously had a limited CDC presence, and enhance cross-country collaborations. The regional office will be working to strengthen core health security capacities in areas such as surveillance, data use, laboratory science, workforce development, and emergency preparedness.

Regarding the reason for choosing Vietnam as the location for the CDCs Southeast Asia Regional Office, Dr. MacArthur said, Vietnam was selected as a regional platform because of the successful relationships and the infrastructure developed through programs that weve had for many years here in the country, including PEPFAR, or the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and our global health security work. We recognize that Vietnam is an active participant in regional bodies such as ASEAN. They have been very active in the Global Health Security Agenda as well. The Vietnam Ministry of Health is supportive of this regional focus that CDC has and is very interested in working with us.

He added, Vietnam did a fantastic job early on in containing COVID-19. I think with the entrance of the Delta variant, its a little bit more challenging. They are in the process now of introducing vaccines to their population and rolling that out. Where Vietnam or other countries source their vaccines is an individual country choice, so we dont try to influence that. We only promote the use of safe and efficacious vaccines.

The US has so far donated over 23 million vaccines for emergency health and humanitarian use across ASEAN, including six million doses to the nation. They have also pledged $500,000 to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund and 500 million additional Pfizer vaccines to the Gavi for distribution through COVAX. This will represent the single largest vaccine donation in history and essentially half of what the G7 commitment has been thus far.

Source: VOV
Drummond said if not for her personal faith, prayer and her co-workers, she does not know how long she would be able to last as a nurse.

With the ongoing surge, Drummond has seen an increase in children with severe symptoms. In some cases children had been admitted to the pediatric hospital with COVID-19 while their parents were admitted to an adult unit.

Its really hard for them, Drummond said. Its scary to be a child and not have your parents with you when you are scared and feeling really sick.

Cox said there is never a day the stress is not felt.

It takes its toll because I worry about it every single day, Cox said. It takes away from your family because you are feeling that at home. You may be at home but you are not involved.

Green said the pull on nurses has caused a divide in their life-work balance, trying to navigate their home family and their work family, adding that many try to help out as much as possible.

Even if they say I cant, I just cant come in and work that shift, in the back of their minds they know that their co-workers are here short-handed so they have that stress, you feel guilt, Green said.
Compassion fatigue has set in. And if Im not quite ready to rejoice as the resolutely unvaccinated sicken and die, its hard at this point to believe anything other than some sure had it coming. The contempt and hostility many patriots have voiced for us sheep are now returned with a vengeance by fate. Ironically, were not the ones resisting vaccination and masks in favor of Ivermectin, which right-wing media peddle even though in its usual dosage its designed for livestock  you know, like sheep.

Among those who symbolize the folly of such rabid attitudes: 45-year-old State Republican Executive Committee member H. Scott Apley of Galveston County, who venomously likened mask mandates to Nazism. When nationally respected physician Leana Wen innocently celebrated on social media news of the Pfizer vaccines long-term efficacy, Apley not only branded her an absolute enemy of a free people but added this hashtag of hatred: #ShoveTheCarrotWhereTheSunDontShine.

The GoFundMe account set up to pay medical bills incurred by Apley and his wife, who both contracted COVID-19, will presumably now help pay his funeral bills. His death this month leaves behind an infant son.
Why was it necessary for Republican states to try and make it more difficult to vote? Things went well in this election, Hill said.

Marches were also scheduled for Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix and other cities under the banner of March On for Voting Rights, organized by Sharpton and King. Because of concerns over the fast-spreading delta variant of COVID-19, a march in Houston did not go on as planned.

A daughter of the late civil rights leader, Bernice King, led the march in Atlanta. In an interview with The Associated Press, she called for new levels of civil disobedience to push against voting restrictions.

We're going to have to disrupt some things. We've got to disturb this country to the point that people who are still uninvolved and on the periphery to get involved in some fashion, she said.

In Phoenix, the Rev. Terry Mackey, the pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, urged those attending an indoor rally to honor those who fought and shed blood for voting rights.

I want you to stand up and fight," he said, "until every person in this state has the same voting rights as anybody else.



Calvan reported from New York. Associated Press writers Alex Sanz in Atlanta and Paul Davenport in Phoenix 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 elementary program began with 721 students, 578 of whom were enrolled for the majority of the time. Students who ended up not attending due to illness or family vacations made room for others on a waiting list. A total of 78% of students attended at least three-quarters of the program, missing no more than six days.

Hartman noted that 92% of our summer students made progress on fluency as measured by the FAST assessment. Students were tested weekly on the Formative Assessment System for Teachers for their grade level this fall.

We also gave pre- and post- math tests and close to 95%  the vast majority  improved their math proficiency, she said. We were pleased with the progress.

Eight elementary students in danger of not moving on to the next grade werent retained because of the progress they made. We ended up having about 22 that we (are) retaining in K-1, Hartman added.

All the research will say if retention is going to work, its going to work in kindergarten or first grades, said Stephanie Mohorne, associate superintendent for educational services. But we did have other students in other grades that we just had to retain because of their academic progress and attendance, and usually the combination.
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The death of American servicemen and women in Kabul is only the latest debacle by President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats, Hinson said. She criticized the president for poor planning of the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Miller-Meeks, who served 24 years in the Army, took it up a notch, calling Afghanistan Bidens Saigon. She has called on Biden to resign.

The Marines did not deserve to be betrayed by their president, said Miller-Meeks, prompting calls of traitor and try him for treason.

Hinson set a tone for the afternoon, framing the 2022 election as being about the future of the country.

We all know whats at stake in this next election, she said. It is truly the future of this country. Its why you sent me to Washington to work for you, to be your voice.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, she said, Americas economy was strong. The Republican formula of lower taxes, less regulation and letting people do what they do best was working.

Were seeing President Biden and Nancy Pelosi take this country in the wrong direction, Hinson said. Weve put our safety and security at risk both here at home and overseas.
Since then the group's growth has been limited and its militants have fought the Taliban. But they have capitalized on uncertainty in Afghanistan in recent months to launch brutal attacks, and the impending withdrawal of troops by the United States threatens to give them a window in which to regain strength.

How was ISIS-K formed?

The group is a branch of ISIS, the terror group that first emerged in Syria and Iraq and, at its peak, controlled a huge stretch of territory stretching from western Syria to the outskirts of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The original group had its self-declared caliphate ended by US-backed forces in recent years.

But the connection between ISIS-K and its apparent parent group is not entirely clear; the affiliates share an ideology and tactics, but the depth of their relationship with regards to organization and command and control has never been entirely established.

US intelligence officials previously told CNN that the ISIS-K membership includes "a small number of veteran jihadists from Syria and other foreign terrorist fighters," saying that the US had identified 10 to 15 of their top operatives in Afghanistan.
While the boards three-member review panels face high-risk decisions in evaluating candidates for parole or release, Boettger said they either have to arrive at unique and appropriate situations to transition inmates under the conditions and constraints necessary for keeping them on the right track as well as keeping the community safe or consider a second option of building another state prison  which I dont think anybody involved in the criminal justice system thinks is the answer here.

There certainly are some folks where we make a decision and we know that its a measured risk  thats just the nature of what were doing. Were making tough calls, he said.

There also are situations where convicted offenders are allowed to leave incarceration because their sentences have expired  987 in fiscal 2020 and 519 last fiscal year  which Boettger said are the ones that give me the most sleepless moments.

Another focus is the rate of recidivism, or situations where a prisoner is paroled or released to work in the community and then relapses into criminal behavior that requires them to be returned to incarceration. In fiscal 2021, there were 1,042 probation revocations, 679 parole returns and 400 work release returns.
Reynold lashed out at President Joe Biden after receiving the letter and suggested the CDC has no scientific proof that masks work to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Asked Friday why judges, juries and lawyers need such protection but not children and teachers, Reynolds' spokesman Pat Garrett responded: The state Supreme Courts decision doesnt change the legislation the governor signed into law. She believes wearing a mask should be a choice not a mandate.

The courts have been asked to weigh in on the issue. On Thursday, Reynolds and other state officials were sued by a Council Bluffs woman with small children seeking an order requiring the state to issue a universal mask mandate for all students and school personnel until a voluntary plan can be implemented that segregates mask-wearing students and staff from those who opt not to wear masks.

Iowa is among nine states that have banned schools from implementing universal mask mandates.
Doocy then asked if the official White House position was that "There are no Americans stranded."

"I'm just calling you out for saying that we are stranding Americans in Afghanistan," Psaki said, "when we have been very clear that we are not leaving Americans who want to return home. We are going to bring them home."

Just for the record: There is some number, likely thousands, of Americans who want to get out of Afghanistan but who cannot safely travel through the country, much less get through Taliban lines around the Kabul airport. They are stranded. Hundreds of news reports in the past week have made reference to that simple fact.

Three examples, in addition to the New York Times' story quoted above: Yesterday, The Washington Post reported that "The Pentagon said U.S. troops had made multiple sorties beyond the airport to reach stranded Americans." Last week, CNN's Wolf Blitzer said: "Thousands of Americans remain stranded in [Afghanistan] right now." And at the same time, CBS News reported, "Thousands of Americans are stranded."

At the Pentagon on Saturday, a reporter asked Kirby whether helicopter missions "may be a way that other Americans who are still stranded might be able to get to the airport." Kirby did not object to the use of "stranded." Instead, he simply said he would not discuss future operations.
Dalmias argument was echoed by the novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose family fled Vietnam after the Communist takeover and later ran a grocery store in San Jose, California. The majority of Americans did not want to accept Southeast Asian refugees in 1975. Guess what? They were wrong, Nguyen tweeted. Millions of Southeast Asian Americans have contributed in ways great and small to the U.S. Afghans have done so and will do so.

Fear of immigrants is as old as the Republic, and the Afghan crisis has unleashed those ancient animosities. One trope is foreigner as terrorist. For example, heres Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin fulminating on Twitter: Afghanistan is a dangerous country that is home to many dangerous people. The Biden (administrations) plan to bring planeloads into the U.S. now and ask questions later is reckless and irresponsible.

Tucker Carlson on Fox rages that newcomers will do more damage with ballots than with bullets. If history is any guide, and its always a guide, we will see many refugees from Afghanistan resettle in our country, and over the next decade, that number may swell to the millions, Carlson said. So first we invade, and then we are invaded.
One crucial element that continues to fuel both the good and bad growth of the Industrial Mind is the rise of government in agriculture. In 1961, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had 96,000 employees and the U.S., 13 million farmers, according to Peter Daniels 2013 book Dispossession. By 2010, USDA had 113,000 employees and the U.S. only 2 million farmers.

So, in the five decades that encompassed the Industrial Minds salad days in agriculture, USDAs bureaucracy grew by 18 percent while the number of farmers it served collapsed 85 percent. Thats not a success in anyones mind.

Even more revealing is the taxpayer cost during this golden, 50-year marriage between big government and getting-big ag. From 1961 through 2010, U.S. direct farm program payments, in 2009 dollars, totaled $712.5 billion. Yes, $712.5 billion.

If you expand the period from 1961 to 2021 (again, in 2009 dollars), U.S. direct farm program payments total $909 billion.

And thats just direct government costs. Unaccounted coststhose Jackson points to like soil loss, foul water, climate change, and others such as health careare at least three times more costly than that every year, according to an analysis released in mid-July by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Its been nearly a year since the 150-year-old obelisk on the Santa Fe Plaza known as the Soldiers Monument was toppled by a crowd that gathered for whats known here as Indigenous Peoples Day 2020.

But there still has been no formal process for public discussion of how Santa Fe should move forward from an incident which, depending on your point of view, was criminal vandalism of local history and culture by an ignorant mob abetted by police inaction, a righteous act of protest against genocidal wars waged on Native Americans or maybe just overdue remodeling of a traditional Spanish plaza that really should have a unifying gazebo or fountain as its centerpiece.

In 2020, after George Floyds killing by Minneapolis police sparked a national reckoning on race, Mayor Alan Webber supported removal of the obelisk, and initially suggested a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to try to heal Santa Fes own particular community divisions.

Since then, and after the unauthorized toppling of the obelisk and its panel that honored soldiers who fought savage Indians (although the word savage was chiseled out decades ago by an amateur editor), the mayors idea has morphed into CHART  the Culture, History, Art, Reconciliation and Truth Committee.

Its taken months and months, but a consulting firm has been hired to work on the mediation and public outreach process, and the city has put out an open call for Santa Feans to become part of a paid project team to help lead CHART.

The urgency of getting started on this important work has been highlighted anew by recent vandalism at the Cross of the Martyrs, which honors 21 Franciscan friars killed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt against the Spanish, and at the monument to Kit Carson, whose various exploits included a scorched earth campaign against Native people, that stands in front of the downtown federal building.

Again, theres been shock, outrage and condemnation of vandalism as a way to express views. City Councilor Signe Lindell said the CHART process is the way forward, but added, appropriately, that she was also saddened that this process is taking so long.

It should be noted here that city officials continue to come across as clueless about what can happen as crucial dates approach during this era of racial reckoning.

There were protesters on and around the obelisk during the weekend before Indigenous Peoples Day last year. The monument had been vandalized earlier in the year. When Indigenous Peoples Day arrived, city workers were left to make a silly, last-minute and unsuccessful effort at building a barrier around the spire as the protesters fought to keep that from happening.

And red paint on the Cross of the Martyrs? Its happened so often over the years during the days of August around the Pueblo Revolts anniversary and leading up to Indian Market that its almost earned a spot on Santa Fes calendar of cultural events. If the semi-regular vandalism merits condemnation as hate and desecration of a sacred site, then its significant enough to also merit staking out the cross for protection.

Its taken too long to get a reconciliation process up and running. Webber signed an emergency proclamation back in June 2020 that called for the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to make recommendations about the future of the citys statues and monuments.

But the bottom line is that its good that a belated public discussion is about to finally begin on how Santa Fes various cultures can continue to work and live together, as they have for centuries and usually do today; acknowledge hard truths from the past; and somehow eschew divisive spasms of anger and conflict.

Whats in store? The citys contract to oversee CHART is the Artful Life organization, founded by former Santa Fe poet laureate Valerie Martinez with the goal of creating transformational change through the beauty and power of creative collaboration.

The goal of CHART is to foster mutual understanding or shared values of diverse backgrounds, Martinez told the Journal North by email. We will be doing this by offering smaller and larger community gatherings, surveys, one-on-one interviews, art activations, a cultural history series, and more.

Some of that may sound a bit soft and mushy  can we expect members of the traditional heritage group Union Protectiva de Santa Fe, which has filed suit to try to get the obelisk restored, to show up at an art activation? But theres no standard blueprint for approaching this kind of cultural reconciliation effort. Lets see how this one plays out.

Its certainly past time for the process to begin. The status quo is not solving anything and just allows conflict to simmer.

The only way CHART will succeed, or at least make progress, is for people from all factions, all parts of the community, to participate. Its worth a try.
When Fritz Scholder arrived at the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1964, he swore he would never paint a Native American figure.

The artist who would catapult Indigenous art into a contemporary realm believed its portraiture had devolved into a romantic cliche.

That all changed as Scholder found himself surrounded by students from New Mexicos pueblos. He carried his paints and brushes into the classroom, and filled his canvas with the same figures he pledged to avoid.

Scholder painted Indians with American flags, beer cans and cats. He targeted the loaded national cliche and the guilt of white culture. That subject eventually defined his work.

Open at Santa Fes LewAllen Galleries through Oct. 2, Fritz Scholder: Works on Paper showcases from 15-20 of the artists prints, paintings on paper and collages. The works reveal his use of distortion of the human figure in a warped, non-naturalistic portrayal as he explored themes of identity and psychology. Scholder created most of the prints at Albuquerques Tamarind Institute.

One-quarter Luiseno, a California Mission tribe, Scholder disrupted comfort zones by rawly exposing issues of alcoholism, unemployment and cultural differences.

He wanted to capture Native lives in modern society.

But that decision to paint politically-charged subject matter was secondary to his love of color and focus on composition. By the time he entered the Indian art world in 1961, his style and color had been heavily influenced by the abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning and the raw portraiture of Francis Bacon.

When Tamarind moved to New Mexico from Los Angeles in 1970, organizers invited Scholder to create their first major edition. The exhibition includes his first Albuquerque project with the print suite Indians Forever.

I think he saw himself as a kind of disrupter, said Alex Gill of LewAllen Galleries. At that time, there were so many stereotypes of not only American Indian people, but what American Indian art should look like. He liked to confront the things people take for granted.

Buckskin Indian, a color lithograph from 1974 created at Tamarind, features three colors in a magenta background.

In the hands and faces, hes using washes, which is technically difficult, Gill said. Theres no going back; you have to be spontaneous and careful. You have to engage with this tension of preplanning and spontaneity.

Wild Indian, another Tamarind lithograph from 1971, depicts a warped face sinking into a blanket.

Theres some very expressive mark-making in there, Gill said. Hes working additively and subtractively with the crayon and the stone. Its very emotional and abstract.

His use of color is in-your-face, Gill continued. It grabs your attention. He didnt want his work to slip into the background; he wanted to confront you. You can see an artist who is really confident in himself.

As Scholder aged, he dove into images derived from mysticism and the occult, such as Fallen Angel #7, from 1994 and 1993s Man Horse #1.

Fallen angels are sort of divine and evil, Gill said. Theres this conflict between the light and the dark.

The works conjure existential and psychological overtunes.

He loved the occult, Gill said. He had an antique vampire slaying kit. He owned an Egyptian sarcophagus. He saw it as part of the culture and the way people dealt with the unknown.
Valerie Martinez has been a teacher, a playwright, a librettist, a collaborative artist and an arts administrator. Ive done a lot of things, but poetry is at the core of who I am, Martinez said in a phone interview. My sense of the world as a poet guides all of my work.

Her recently published sixth book of poetry is titled Count and she said, It really captures who I am  .

It is a book-length poem organized in couplets. Martinez uses the visual arts word collage to describe the style of the poem. Like all of her poetry, she said, this latest is not linear.

Count has been percolating for nine years. Martinez began writing it in 2012 when she was teaching in Miami, Florida. Then she moved back to her home state of New Mexico. Born and raised in Santa Fe, she lives in Albuquerque.

What sparked the book was my deep concern for climate change and bouncing between a place where water is ever-present and traveling back to New Mexico where water is precious and scarce, Martinez said. Deeper into that concern, the poem expresses a foreboding that climate change is causing.

In Couplet No. 10, a professor of geological sciences at the University of Miami is showing a series of images:  Florida, Antarctica, a lecture entitled The Frightening Reality/of Sea Level Rise for the crush of a standing-room crowd/including the well-heeled and generously-housed residents/of Coral Gables 

By contrast, Couplet No. 24 recounts the ferocity of three forest fires in the Southwest over two days  the Jemez Fire, the Pecos Fire and the Black Forest Fire. Later in the same couplet, Martinez recalls the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona that chased  19 Granite Mountain Hotshots into a valley  the worst place, where the only choice/ was to wriggle into their silver, podlike heat bags and pray/as the fire roared through, taking them all. And the one/just a short distance away. All he could do: watch.

Martinez said Count can also be understood as a love poem for flora and fauna and at the same time a desperate call to change the way we interact with the planet, to work hard to restore balance so that we dont destroy ourselves and the planet will live in.

Sprinkled throughout the poem are couplets about flood stories of Indigenous cultures that still instruct readers about the need for balance; those cultures include the Hualapai of Arizona, the Mixtec of Mexico and the Wintun of northern California.

The necessity for balance between humans and the natural world has been a core value for Indigenous peoples.

We need to be reminded of that. There are so many stories of the deluge and we are still looking for signs of it, she said. Right now, in August 2021 those signs are so loud and prominent. So we need to change our ways. The poems title appears in various forms in the text. Here are some: A counting of alligators half submerged in the slough in Shark Valley in western Miami-Dade County; the downward countdown into hypnosis; the counting of plastic bags embedded in limestone at Oleta River State Park, North Miami; the 33 young Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins washed up on Gulf St. Vincents beaches in Australia; the millions of climate migrants who will flee coastlines and inland flooding in the next 35 years.

Referenced throughout the book are young people, Martinez said, because they are our legacy, who we are leaving our world to.

So, yes, the book wanders, intentionally, she said, yet its evocative stories and images comes together at the end with the idea of how to achieve a balance with the natural world and to be responsible to the planet to prevent climate destruction.

Take Martinezs advice: Given the nature of poetry, Martinez urged the public to reread Count.

I say to people that one thing I love about poetry is it cant be consumed in one reading. The language of poetry for me is not like the language or ordinary speech, she said. We need to go back to things slow and deliberate.

Martinez has spent most of her life teaching poetry and literature. She has also taught at the University of New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University, the College of Santa Fe, the Institute of American Indian Arts, the University of Arizona, the University of Miami and Ursinus College.

Martinez recently served as history and literary arts director at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Count is part of the University of Arizona Press Camino del Sol Latinx Literary Series. Rigoberto Gonzalez, the series editor, wrote in the books foreword that  Count is counting the days to our critical awakening or to our annihilation. Count is counting on us to follow the right path.
The speaker series at the Special Collections Library returns next month with a talk about women and space.

Local author Loretta Hall will be the featured speaker. Halls latest book, Higher, Faster, Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight, explores one of the pioneers when it comes to women and space. The memoir chronicles the life of Wally Funk, who was recently introduced to a new generation of Americans when she launched into space with Jeff Bezos on July 20 of this year.

The talk will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Hall grew up in California and moved to New Mexico in the 1970s with her husband. Hall said when she moved to New Mexico, she did not immediately realize it was the home to so many scientists. Hall said she always gravitated towards technical topics in school, which was uncommon for girls and women at that time.

I was often the only girl in my math and science classes, she said. But Ive been interested in human space exploration since I was a teenager.

She became a freelancer writer 30 years ago and has written magazine articles and books covering several topics including space exploration, construction, storm water management and architecture. It was the opening of the Spaceport America in 2006 that brought her back to the topic of space.

Hall grew up during the golden age of space exploration. It was a time when much of the countrys political, financial and scientific talent was focused on getting to and exploring space.

Women during this time also began to challenge their role in these efforts, including Funk. Halls talk, Women in the History of Manned Spaceflight, will discuss how Funk and other women worked to change the face of space exploration. Her talk will focus on mostly American women but will also mention women from the Soviet Union.

According to the program notes: Sixty years ago, thirteen women pilots challenged NASA to accept female astronauts for its first human spaceflight program They didnt succeed, but they started a movement that would not stop.

Hall has won several awards and is often a guest speaker. She is happy to be returning to in-person talks.

Its great to feel that personal interaction, Hall said. Its hard virtually to get that same interaction and a feel for the audience.

Hall will sign and sell copies of her most recent book at the talk.

The speaker series is getting a new name. It will be called Ever Changing, Ever Growing to honor the history, adaptability and resilience of the region.

All city library programming is set to return in September. Kathy Seidel, manager of the Special Collections Library, said it is nice to see people back at the library and that the talks are popular among local historians.

This will be the first program weve had (since March 2020), she said. I really love this community in Albuquerque and their interest in local history.

In addition, staff will give a guided tour of the library on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. The building is the oldest public library in Albuquerque and was once the main branch. It now houses the library systems special and research collections. The 1925 Pueblo and Spanish Revival-style building is a registered historical Albuquerque landmark and is part of the Huning Highlands neighborhood, the citys first residential subdivision.

Masks will be required to attend the talk and the tour. The library is located at 423 Central NE.
Emma Scherer, formerly of Chicagos Lyric Opera, will helm the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus beginning on Sept. 12.

Scherer worked as the manager of the Lyrics apprentice program for 3 years. Before that, she worked in the executive office and as the board relations manager for the Santa Fe Opera under its former director Charles MacKay.

Being in the directors office gave me a picture of what it takes to run a large artistic organization, Scherer said in a telephone interview from Chicago.

During the pandemic, Scherer worked with the Lyrics budgets and collaborations.

It was a year of exciting times, flexibility and new skills, she said.

Scherer grew up in the small farming community of Eureka, Illinois. She loved classical music from girlhood and often traveled to Chicago concerts with her mother.

At the Lyric she helmed the Ryan Opera Center, managing operations, programs and personnel, as well as tracking its $2 million annual budget. During the pandemic, Scherer helped produce large-scale virtual concerts and ongoing video programming.

At the Santa Fe Opera, Scherer collaborated closely with both the general director and board president and formed cross-cultural relationships.

Scherer replaces former director Daniel Crupi, who joined the Asheville Symphony at the end of last season. She majored in musical arts at Indianas DePauw University and minored in business administration.

I have always longed to come back to New Mexico, she said. This has been a fantastic opportunity for me.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A civil rights organization is banding with a local lawmaker to push for gun safety legislation after a recent shooting at an Albuquerque middle school left one 13-year-old dead and another charged with murder.

Harold Bailey, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Albuquerque, joined state Rep. Pamelya Herndon, D-Albuquerque, on Saturday to announce the drafting of the Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act.

Juan Saucedo Jr., an eighth grader at Washington Middle School, is accused of fatally shooting his classmate Hargrove during lunch break on Aug. 13. Authorities said Saucedo Jr. had taken the gun from his father.

Authorities are investigating whether the father will face charges in the case.

Bennie was shot not one time, not two times, but six times. Could it have been prevented? The answer to that question is absolutely yes, Herndon said during a news conference at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Albuquerque. All we are asking is that individuals who decide and determine that they want to have control of a handgun, or any type of weapon, that you control it in a safe and secure manner. 

Had that happened on that Friday afternoon  today we would not be here honoring the life of Bennie Hargrove.

Herndon said the legislation, the specifics of which are still being worked out, seeks to charge anyone who does not secure their firearms with a fourth-degree felony.

Bailey said the NAACP is particularly concerned with parents or adults who do not secure their guns and those guns end up in the hands of children. He said there must be consequences.

We have a problem here in Albuquerque and America: Our youth are becoming gangsters and killers at 12 and 13 years of age. We must address this phenomenon, consequences should be proportionate to the crime, Bailey said, noting that Saucedo Jr.s maximum possible sentence of eight years is not enough.

Eight years is too generous for such a violent, ruthless and, apparently, premeditated killing, he said.

Authorities say numerous children, school staff and others saw Hargrove fatally shot near the east end of the school near Downtown. Classmates told police Saucedo Jr. had shown the gun to others beforehand and Hargrove had tried to get Saucedo Jr. to stop bullying his friends when he was shot.

Hargroves mother, Collette Wise, clutched tear-soaked tissues and spoke briefly during the Saturday news conference, telling the crowd that the family is still hurting from the loss of Hargrove and wants justice to be served.
I felt the odd compulsion last weekend to clean out the books in my sons bedroom, stored there when the room was my study.

I was sorting the books when one paperback stopped me cold, my eyes affixed to its familiar cover.

The book was a 1992 edition of Who Killed My Daughter? by Lois Duncan. She had signed it, For Joline in memory of Kait  Lois Duncan.

In those frozen moments, I felt as if I could hear her voice speaking from the pages: Remember. Keep telling this story.

Crazy, I know. But if anyone has the fortitude to send messages from beyond the grave  she died in 2016  its Lois.

Two days earlier, my colleague Elise Kaplan had broken the story about an arrest in an unsolved homicide from the 1980s. It wasnt Kaits case.

But Paul Apodaca, whom Kaplan reported as the 53-year-old man charged in the 1988 stabbing death of University of New Mexico student Althea Oakeley, was also the man Lois, her family, their private investigator Pat Caristo and anybody who knew anything about the case had repeatedly urged Albuquerque police to investigate in connection with Kaits death.

He was there that rainy summer night, July 16, 1989, standing next to the red Ford Tempo smashed into a pole on Lomas near Arno NE.

Kaitlyn Arquette, a vivacious 18-year-old, was driving that car, heading home to her parents house before someone put two bullets in her head.

Detective Ronald Merriman, who passed by on his way to the Downtown police station, saw Apodaca there, a Volkswagen bug parked next to Arquettes car.

Officer Mariann Wallace, the first officer dispatched to what Merriman inexplicably called in as an accident without injuries, saw Apodaca there, too, the Volkswagen bug gone.

Apodaca was gone by the time rescue and ambulance personnel arrived on scene. Police were gone, too, ambulance workers said in affidavits, leaving a crime scene unprotected and a young woman dying.

I have written numerous times over the years about how Apodaca had been right under decades of detectives noses. Yet no member of the Albuquerque Police Department interviewed Apodaca that night or any of the 32 years of nights since Kaitlyn was killed.

Until now.

On Tuesday, three days after I found Lois book, APD announced at a news conference that Apodaca had confessed to killing Kaitlyn. I could hear Lois again: Remember. Keep telling this story.

She would be telling it if she was alive today, reminding you of all the evidence and interviews they had amassed over the years, all detailed in her two books about Kaitlyn and a 75-page report Caristo had written and repeatedly attempted to give to APD investigators.

Caristo, she would remind you, even hand-carried a copy of the report to then-Chief Joe Polisar sometime in the 1990s only to be told by Polisar that the report must have gotten lost in the mail.

She would remind you, I think, that while everybody is hopeful that Apodacas confession will lead to an arrest and a conviction in Kaitlyns murder, too much skepticism and distrust of APD and far too many questions remain.

For too long, it was only Lois and her family, Caristo and a small cadre of reporters, myself included, asking the questions and seeking the answers  not APD.

Its been too many years since weve been trying to fill in those blanks by ourselves, said Kerry Arquette, Kaitlyns older sister and the family member who has taken on her mothers role as outspoken spokeswoman for the family. Yes, this is a spectacular break in the case, and now we want to understand what happened to Kaity that summer night.

Her father, Don Arquette, a usually reticent man, pulled no punches.

I suspect that it will be a continuation of the half-truth and no-truth statements from the past, he told me. APD does not want to solve this case. Never has!

It certainly has felt that way.

Every time I have written about Kaitlyn, Ive asked APD about her case. In 1999, a decade after Kaitlyns death, then-Chief Gerald Galvin became the first  and I believe the only  chief to meet with the Arquettes and Caristo. The family was encouraged.

That same year, Detective Don Mayhew of the Cold Case unit told me he considered the case closed.

Were not going to look at it, he said.

In 2001, Cold Case Detective Paul Jassler echoed Mayhews sentiments:

That has never been a cold case. It has never been part of our files.

In 2004, Violent Crimes Sgt. Carlos Argueta blamed the familys emotions for not understanding why the case was going nowhere.

It is hard sometimes to explain why a case is investigated as it has been, or what we believe happened, he said.

But later that year, Cold Case Detective Don Roberts told me he was willing to meet with the Arquettes and Caristo. He had already started digging into Kaitlyns case, contacting Merriman, the first officer on the scene that night, and scribbling notes covering half a legal pad. He also planned to interview Apodaca.

Kaitlyns case, he said, had become a hobby.

Its absolutely an open case. It absolutely will be worked, he said. Its of great interest to me. Its on my desk right now. Its probably the biggest case that I have.

Once again, though, nothing happened.

In 2007, Detective Rich Lewis, one of the best investigators Ive ever met, stunned me when he told me he could find nothing more to do with Kaitlyns case.

As for Arquette, that case was completely reviewed within the last couple or three years, he said.

And in 2019, the 30th year since Kaitlyns death, APD gave me the same old conciliatory song: The case has been worked by many cold-case detectives throughout the years. The case remains active in a status of pending further leads, and as those leads become available, they are investigated. While it has been 30 years since this murder, detectives do not give up. They are committed to finding justice for victims and their families.

Blah blah blah.

Had police interviewed Apodaca that rainy night, they might have learned something. They might have seen that his criminal record detailed a violent history, especially toward women.

They might have followed up on reports from Kaitlyns neighbors that they had seen three men who may have been acquaintances of her boyfriend spray-painting a Volkswagen bug in her apartment parking lot shortly after the shooting.

They might have interviewed Apodaca while he was in prison for raping his relative in 1995, supposedly to get into prison to be near his brother, Mark Apodaca, who had been convicted of the murder of 17-year-old Adam Price in 1992.

Caristo interviewed him then.

They might have interviewed Caristo about the check she and her private investigator apprentices found in 2004 in the hull of what had been a mechanics shop at 824 Arno NE, just feet from Kaitlyns crashed car. In the 1980s, it had been a notorious druggie spot and it was the place Apodaca told Caristo he was going the night Kaitlyn was shot.

The check bore the name of the friend Kaitlyn had visited just before she was shot.

Lois never gave up telling everybody that, and I have always agreed that APD has never handled this case or this family right.

Years ago, Lois entrusted me with a DVD. She admonished me not to tell anybody I had it, not to watch it unless something bad happened to her. The DVD, a two-hour rundown of the evidence amassed in her daughters case, was her insurance that her story would survive if something nefarious happened to her.

Imagine that. She lived with the fear that she had angered powerful folks who might harm her because of what she knew and what she said, yet that fear did not stop her.

My mother was a little bird of a dreamer and all she wanted to do was write her novels, Kerry Arquette said. She was non-confrontational. But because of Kaits case, she had to morph into a mama bear. She had to fight. Eventually, it killed her. But she died still fighting.

Kerry was in Spain walking the famed religious pilgrimage trail, El Camino de Santiago, when she got the call about Apodaca.

It felt like of all the times to break this news, she said. It just seemed very appropriate.

She and her husband arrived home the night before the Tuesday news conference, which she found too self-congratulatory.

I think a little more humility would have been a far grander thing than bravado, she said. It would have been nice for APD to say, Look, we dropped the ball back then, but now we are on it.'

Still, she said she is pleased with the contact she has had with Detective Jodi Gonterman, who is handling the case, because finally someone is handling the case. Gonterman is asking questions, following leads, keeping the family informed, treating the family with respect and interviewing Apodaca at last.

And maybe, like Chief Harold Medina said at the news conference, he cant speak for how the investigation was conducted in the past, but he can make sure his investigators do a thorough job now.

Because Im not the only one who hears Lois words: Remember. Keep telling this story.

Because we will.

UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Prosecutors and police have argued unsuccessfully that New Mexicos bail reform law needs to be tweaked to make it tougher for defendants charged with violent felonies to be released while awaiting trial.

While their past legislative efforts have fallen short, they have gained an important ally in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who says she wants to see changes in the states pretrial detention system.

I believe a rebuttable presumption for individuals accused of violent crimes can be a wedge in the revolving door of repeat violent offenses that have characterized the worst aspects of the crime our state continues to experience, Lujan Grisham said in a statement to the Journal.

As the system works now, to have a defendant charged with a violent felony held prior to trial, prosecutors must show the accused represents a danger to the community  and that there are no conditions of release that will protect the community.

Lujan Grisham, who is seeking reelection, said she wants to shift the burden of proof so that people charged with violent offenses are required to show they can safely be released.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez, a candidate for the Democratic Partys nomination for attorney general who has pushed for similar changes in the past, said he welcomes Lujan Grishams support.

Im grateful for the governors leadership on this issue, Torrez said.

Chief Public Defender Bennett Baur said in a statement to the Journal that fear about rising violent crime has little to do with pretrial release and that this kind of change is guaranteed to sweep up the innocent along with the guilty.

Baur said only 3% of people released prior to trial commit a violent crime after their release pending trial.

Im extremely concerned about allowing the government to hold people in jail for months just because someone said you did something.

We hope the governor will look at the facts and not the emotion of the issue, Baur said.

New Mexico voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in 2016 that largely did away with the system of money bail bonds. The change meant many low-level defendants were no longer held simply because they lacked resources to post a bond. It also authorized judges to order defendants held in custody without bond pending trial if certain conditions on dangerousness and conditions of release were met.

In 2019, Torrez sought to have the Legislature pass a law that would require judges to lock up defendants prior to trial if they were charged in certain violent crimes, like murder and criminal sexual penetration. The law would put the responsibility on the defendant facing those charges to show that there are conditions under which they could be released prior to trial.

Torrez failed to get much traction in his 2019 push to get the Legislature to consider the changes. He intends to make another attempt this coming session.

Were not asking for low-risk, non-violent offenders to be detained, he said.

Torrezs suggested legislation would create a rebuttable presumption against release in the crimes of first- and second-degree murder cases, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated battery in the third degree, sexual exploitation of children, criminal sexual penetration, armed robbery and human trafficking of a child.

The law also would include defendants facing new charges while on parole or with a recent felony conviction for any of those crimes.

Charges that included great bodily harm and brandishing a firearm during the commission of the crime would also be subject to a rebuttable presumption against release.

In those cases, defendants would have to show that they could be released from pretrial detention without endangering the community.

Baur said the current process allows for truly dangerous people to be held prior to trial.

Changing the equation, Baur said, is guaranteed to sweep up the innocent along with the guilty. Innocent people are arrested every day, but currently there is a process that requires the government to separate the truly dangerous from those who pose little or no threat.

Torrez points to several cases in which people charged with violent crimes were released and either absconded from court supervision or committed more crimes when they were released from jail.

This week, Trey Bausby, 19, cut off his ankle monitor and failed to show up at a halfway house on Tuesday while on release on first-degree murder charges in the stabbing death of a woman at an Albuquerque motel in January.

Prosecutors had sought to keep Bausby in custody pending further proceedings in the case, but District Judge Richard Brown ordered him released with ankle monitoring and orders to stay in a halfway house.

The Court is putting too much faith in ankle monitors, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said in a statement.  Our officers and the public are at risk by these decisions.

Prosecutors also had argued that Bausby, who was arrested in Albuquerque early Friday morning, was a flight risk and was asking people if he could borrow money so he could get out of town.

Torrez also wants legislators to look at how the state deals with felons in possession of a firearm.

About 42% of the people we seek to detain, the crime involves possession of a firearm, Torrez said. Were losing over 52% of those detention cases.

In the federal system, a high percentage of defendants accused of gun crimes including being a felon in possession are held in custody.

Torrez says the changes he advocates would make New Mexicos system operate more like California, Washington, D.C., and the federal system on the issue of pretrial detention. New Mexico, he has said, is an outlier.

In addition to shifting the presumption on pretrial detention, Lujan Grisham said that in next years 30-day legislative session she wants lawmakers to approve $100 million to fund an additional 1,000 police officer positions throughout the state.

The governor also said she wants to continue to talk with legislators about other improvements to public safety.

Earlier this month she sent 35 State Police officers to Albuquerque because of the record high number of homicides the city has seen since January.

Republicans, meanwhile, have urged her to call a special session to deal with crime, pointing out that Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate have killed 10 GOP-sponsored tough-on-crime bills in the last two years.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Mohammad Sharif Sikandary knew the Taliban was aware of him in 2012 when he received a letter that contained a terrifying threat.

The Taliban letter warned that he needed to quit his job at the U.S. embassy in Kabul or face deadly consequences.

If I continue to work with (the United States), they are going to kill my family in front of my eyes and they are going to kill me too, the letter warned.

Working for the U.S. in Afghanistan  for the Taliban  that is a big crime, he said.

Today, 31-year-old Sikandary is a U.S. citizen living in Albuquerque, but his family remains in Kabul. They are in hiding somewhere in the city, and are being actively sought by the Taliban because of Sikandarys ties to the United States.

Sikandary said he is desperate to help his family escape Kabul. His mother gave him grim news when they spoke by phone on Thursday.

Sharif, they are looking for us, his mother told him, using his familiar name. They are not going to leave us alive. They are going to kill us right away.

Sikandary immigrated to the U.S. in 2014 and settled in Albuquerque on the advice of an American supervisor who said New Mexico would be an affordable home as he built a new life.

Im not going anywhere else, he said Thursday in an interview with the Journal. I like it.

Sikandary, who has a security clearance, said he expects to start a job soon as a translator under contract with the U.S. Army.

In addition to Sikandarys ties to the U.S., his family are Hazaras  a Persian-speaking ethnic group that long fought the Taliban and were persecuted under their rule.

Earlier in the week, Taliban fighters ransacked the familys home in Kabul. Then looters descended on the house, stealing anything of value.

The house was the home of Sikandarys extended family, including his mother and father, three uncles, and their wives and children. The family hasnt returned to the house since the Taliban raid.

The Taliban has offered neighbors cash for any information about the familys whereabouts.

I told my mom, just forget about this home, he said.

Sikandary himself doesnt know where his family is hiding other than that they are staying in a mosque in Kabul, dependent on generous strangers to provide them with food and necessities.

Banks are closed and the family has no ability to withdraw their savings, he said.

Deadly explosions Thursday outside the airport in Kabul have created even more uncertainty for the family.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terror attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 160 Afghans who were desperately trying to reach the airport in hopes of boarding evacuation flights.

Sikandary said he cant bring himself to watch news reports of the bombings.

When I see it, I feel so bad, he said. Im having a hard time  a really hard time.

Sikandary said evacuation by air remains his familys only viable means of escape, but he fears that window is closing as President Bidens Aug. 31 deadline nears for final U.S. withdrawal.

Sikandary said the family didnt make an effort to leave earlier because they believed the country would remain in government hands.

I didnt know that the Taliban was coming like this, he said. It happened so fast.

The U.S. Department of State has authority under federal law to issue special immigrant visas, or SIVs, for Afghans who were employed by the U.S. government and face serious threats as a result. The law also contains provisions to provide visas for family members.

But Sikandary said he has run into bureaucratic barriers in his efforts to help his family escape. He has made numerous calls to the U.S. Department of State and has filled out online forms in an effort to obtain visas, so far without success.

I never heard anything, he said. I dont know what I should do.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.  In hushed reverence, President Joe Biden stood witness with grieving families Sunday under a gray sky as, one by one, the remains of 13 U.S. troops killed in the Kabul suicide bombing were removed with solemnity from a military aircraft that brought them home.

The only sounds that could be heard during the mournful ritual of the dignified transfer were the quiet commands of the honor guards in battle dress who carried the flag-draped cases, the hum of the C-17 aircraft that had transported the fallen and the periodic sob of the sorrowful.

Biden and his wife, Jill, met privately with family members of those killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport before the president became the fourth commander in chief over two decades of war to stand at attention at Dover Air Force Base as the remains of the fallen from Afghanistan returned home.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. Five were just 20  born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.

They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me.

At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Biden held his hand over his heart and appeared to shut his eyes in prayer as each transfer case was taken off the military aircraft and placed in an awaiting vehicle.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present for the return of the remains of their loved ones to American soil. Thursdays attack left so many casualties that military officials said the Dover Fisher House, which the Defense Department provides for families of the fallen, was not large enough to accommodate all the grieving families, so some loved ones stayed off base.

Biden was joined by several top aides, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Eleven of the fallen service members families chose to allow their transfers to be open to media coverage. Two others took place out of view, but Biden was present for those as well.

Bidens three most recent predecessors as presidents all attended such dignified transfers. It was Bidens first time taking part in the ritual as president, but he has been here before.

Later Sunday, while getting a Hurricane Ida briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, the president opened his remarks by telling workers that he had just come from Dover. We met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in their service of our country and while were praying for the best in Louisiana, lets keep them in our prayers as well.

Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS Face the Nation that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.

The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Robert Burns and Matt Sedensky contributed to this report.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  Six months after Congress approved spending tens of billions of dollars to bail out renters facing eviction, South Carolina was just reaching its first tenants. All nine of them.

Like most states, it had plenty of money to distribute  $272 million. But it had handed out just over $36,000 by June. The pace has since intensified, but South Carolina still has only distributed $15.5 million in rent and utility payments as of Aug. 20, or about 6% of its funds.

People are strangling on the red tape, said Sandy Gillis, executive director of the Hilton Head Deep Well Project, which stopped referring tenants to the program and started paying overdue rent through its own private funds instead.

The struggles in South Carolina are emblematic of a program launched at the beginning of the year with the promise of solving the pandemic eviction crisis, only to fall victim in many states to bureaucratic hurdles, political inertia and unclear guidance at the federal level.

The concerns about the slow pace intensified Thursday, after the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some 3.5 million people in the U.S. as of Aug. 16 said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

The Supreme Court decision undermines historic efforts by Congress and the White House to ensure housing stability during the pandemic, Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement.

State and local governments are working to improve programs to distribute emergency rental assistance to those in need, but they need more time; the Supreme Courts decision will lead to many renters, predominantly people of color, losing their homes before the assistance can reach them.

The Treasury Department said this week that just over $5.1 billion of the estimated $46.5 billion in federal rental assistance  only 11%  has been distributed by states and localities through July. This includes some $3 billion handed out by the end of June and another $1.5 billion by May 31.

Nearly a million households have been served and 70 places have gotten at least half their money out, including several states, among them Virginia and Texas, according to Treasury. New York, which hadnt distributed anything through May, has now distributed more than $156 million.

But there are 16 states, according to the latest data, that had distributed less than 5% and nine that spent less than 3%. Most, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, are red states, often with tough-to-reach rural populations. Besides South Carolina, they include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Florida, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Mississippi and New Mexico.

There are myriad reasons for the slow distribution, according to the group. Among them is the historic amount of money  more than the Department of Housing and Urban Developments annual budget  which required some 450 localities to create programs from scratch. Getting the money out is also complicated by the fact that checks arent sent directly to beneficiaries like, for example, the child tax credit.

States and localities have also struggled with technology and staffing, as well as reaching tenants without access to the internet, or small landlords unaware of the help. Some have applications so complicated they scare off prospective applicants or have income documentation and pandemic impact requirements that can be time-consuming.

Efforts to use coronavirus relief money for rental assistance last year faced similar challenges.

A lot of states are lagging behind, said Emma Foley, a research analyst with the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The fact that this many states still have distributed so little is worrisome.

In South Carolina, lawmakers were slow to roll out the states program, waiting until April to charge the state housing authority with distributing the money. It took weeks to set up its program, with the first help not going out until June.

Housing advocates have also criticized the reams of documentation required and the months of waiting for tenants to find out whether they qualify.

Shaquarryah Fraiser applied in May and is still waiting to hear whether she will get help paying months of back rent for the mobile home she rented with her mother for $550 a month in Sumter, South Carolina. Fraisers mother died of COVID-19 last year, and the 29-year-old fell behind after getting sick herself with pneumonia and losing her phone survey job.

Itll take a lot of stress off of me. I wont be so anxious about this situation, said Fraiser of the prospect of getting the help.

In Arizona, delays have led to plenty of finger-pointing.

Arizonas House Democrats this month blamed the state for the delays in getting the money out  less than $7 million of its $900 million through July.

Arizonas Department of Economic Security points out the federal money has been allocated to 13 different jurisdictions, not just the state, and blames cities and counties for the slow rollout.

We have offered to assist overwhelmed jurisdictions with their workloads, the departments director Michael Wisehart wrote in a response to lawmakers. Regrettably, no jurisdiction has chosen to partner in this way.

Meanwhile, Arizona landlords and housing nonprofits blamed much of the problem on regulatory requirements tied to the money.

Mississippi, which has given out $18.6 million of its $200 million through Aug. 23, has struggled to reach smaller landlords and renters, many of whom live in rural areas without internet access. In addition, the state has no data base of renters  prompting it to hold events statewide to connect with potential applicants.

The Mississippi Home Corporation, which runs the program, also sent a letter to judges asking them not to allow an eviction if someone has applied for help and to inform landlords they wont get help if they evict after the moratorium ends. The agency also relaxed documentation requirements in 50 of its counties. But the program will still require proof of income and other documents in 32 other counties.

Youre trying to walk this line of speed and diligence, said Scott Spivey, executive director of the Mississippi Home Corporation. We are trying to make sure there is no fraud, waste and abuse and that were only giving assistance to the people who are entitled to it.

The Treasury Department has repeatedly tweaked its guidance to encourage states and local governments to streamline the distribution of funds. The Biden administration has also asked states to create eviction diversion program s that aim to resolve disputes before they reach the courts.

On Wednesday, Treasury released additional guidance to try to speed up the process. This includes allowing tenants to self-assess their income and risk of becoming homeless among other criteria. Many states and localities, fearing fraud, have measures in place that can take weeks to verify an applicant qualifies for help.

Treasury also said money can be distributed in advance of funds being approved as well as to tenants who have outstanding rental debt in collection, making it easier for them to find new housing.

There is no question we are seeing a level of excessive caution in getting the money out that does not seem to reflect either the flexibilities Treasury has provided or the fact we are facing a true public health and eviction emergency, said Gene Sperling, who is charged with overseeing implementation of President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package.

He said the new guidance is going the extra mile to provide even more clarity and strong encouragement to put getting immediate relief out ahead of unnecessary and time-consuming paperwork.

___

Casey reported from Boston. Associated Press writers Anita Snow in Phoenix and Leah Willingham in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.
WENN Music

The Foo Fighters star introduces kid drummer Nandi Bushell to fans during the band's concert in Los Angeles and invites her to perform 'Everlong' with the group.

Aug 29, 2021

AceShowbiz - British drumming sensation Nandi Bushell was invited to join Foo Fighters onstage at the Forum in Los Angeles on Thursday night (26Aug21).

Dave Grohl, who joined Nandi for an online drum battle last year (20), called her his COVID inspiration as he welcomed the youngster at the gig for a rendition of the band's "Everlong".

"She's the most bad**s drummer in the world," he told fans.

The 11 year old's father filmed her performance and posted it on YouTube, adding, "It Happened!!!. It was EPIC!!!"

Bushell's online covers have also impressed Tom Morello, Questlove, and Lenny Kravitz. Grohl took on a drum-off challenge a year ago (Aug20) after she posted her rendition of "Everlong" on YouTube.

He also wrote a song for the drumming prodigy.

"A rock legend has been inspired by me. That is amazing," Bushell told Rolling Stone earlier this year (21). "I'm inspired by him, so the fact that he's inspired by me... speechless."

Meanwhile, Dave Grohl responded to her online covers, "I've seen all your videos, I've seen you on TV. You're an incredible drummer. I'm really flattered that you've picked some of my songs to do for your videos and you've done them all perfectly."

Dave himself refused to be called a "good drummer." He insisted he didn't deserve any of the credit because he had always borrowed from icons of the disco genre.

"I'm the most basic f**king drummer," he told Pharrell Williams in a recent interview. "If you listen to Nevermind, the Nirvana record, I pulled so much stuff from The Gap Band and Cameo and Tony Thompson (from Chic) on every one of those songs. It's all disco! That's all it is. Nobody makes the connection."
Ten members of one family -- including seven children -- are dead after a US drone strike targeting a vehicle in a residential neighborhood of Kabul, a relative of the dead told CNN.

The US carried out what it called a defensive airstrike in Kabul, targeting a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber who posed an "imminent" threat to the airport, US Central Command said Sunday.

The Pentagon has said the strike resulted in secondary explosions, and those explosions may have been what killed the civilians.

The youngest victims of Sunday's airstrike were two 2-year-old girls, according to family members.

Relatives found the remains of one of the girls, Malika, in the rubble near their home on Monday. A family member told CNN that it was unclear whether Malika had been inside the vehicle or in the compound when the strike hit.

They were "an ordinary family," a brother of the one of those killed said. "We are not ISIS or Daesh and this was a family home -- where my brothers lived with their families."

Relatives of the victims spent Monday at a Kabul hospital identifying remains and separating them into coffins. The 2-year-old girls, Malika and Sumaya, were among the names marked on the coffins.

At a funeral held later in the day, family members shouted "Death to America."

Army Maj. Gen. William Taylor of the Joint Staff told a press briefing Monday: "We are aware of reports of civilians casualties. We take these reports extremely seriously."

On Monday, Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby said the US works hard to avoid civilian casualties. "We're investigating this. I'm not going to get ahead of it. But if we have significant -- verifiable information that we did take innocent life here, then we will be transparent about that, too. Nobody wants to see that happen," he said.

"But you know what else we didn't want to see happen. We didn't want to see happen what we believe to be a very real, a very specific and a very imminent threat to the Hamid Karzai International Airport and to our troops operating at the airport as well as civilians around it and in it and that is another thing that we were very concerned about."

Neighbors and witnesses at the scene of the drone strike in Kabul told CNN that several people were killed, including children.

"All the neighbors tried to help and brought water to put out the fire and I saw that there were five or six people dead," a neighbor told CNN. "The father of the family and another young boy and there were two children. They were dead. They were in pieces. There were [also] two wounded."

Another neighbor told CNN that they estimated that there might have been up to 20 people killed in the strike, "not much is left of their house and nothing can be recognized, they are in pieces."

Another witness told CNN that after the strike, neighbors and onlookers "removed six dead bodies" and believes that there are "children who are still missing."

The US military said in their statement on Sunday that "significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material," and "may have caused additional casualties."

"We would be deeply saddened by any potential loss of innocent life," Capt. Bill Urban, spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement.

US forces have been racing to complete their evacuation operation before Tuesday's deadline and under the threat of a new terror attack on Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. A suicide bombing outside the airport gates on Thursday killed 13 US service members and at least 170 others.

Sunday's drone strike on a vehicle is the second by US forces targeting the ISIS-K terror group in the space of three days. A US official confirmed the location of the strike as being in Kabul's Khaje Bughra neighborhood.

"US military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamid Karzai International Airport," the CENTCOM statement read.

The Taliban, which is now in control of Afghanistan, condemned the strike later Sunday, saying the US had violated the country's sovereignty.

Bilal Kareemi, a Taliban spokesperson, told CNN that it was "not right to conduct operations on others' soil" and that the US should have informed the Taliban. "Whenever the US conducts such operations, we condemn them," he said.

How the strike happened

The vehicle that was targeted by the US in Sunday's airstrike on Kabul was next to a building and contained one suicide bomber, a US official told CNN.

It remains unclear if the vehicle was intended to be a car bomb, or if the suicide bomber was using it for transport.

"It was loaded up and ready to go," the official tells CNN.

A Pentagon official told CNN that according to initial reports, the target was a vehicle believed to be containing multiple suicide bombers. The threat could also have been a car bomb or someone with a suicide vest, he said, citing initial reports.

One man told a journalist working with CNN who visited the compound that "a rocket hit and six people were in there who have been killed. There was a car inside." The journalist was not allowed to enter the compound.

Another man said that he heard the sound of a rocket and gained access to the scene from a neighbor's house.

"First we managed to remove a 3- to 4-year old child. The fire and smoke had engulfed the whole area," he said.

He added that "three people were inside the car" and three others were outside the car. The injured, who included children, were taken to the hospital, he said.

US President Joe Biden said Saturday that military commanders had advised that "another terrorist attack on Kabul's airport was "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," and the US Embassy in Kabul warned all US citizens to leave the airport area immediately.

Approximately 1,200 people were evacuated from the capital in the last 24 hours, almost entirely on US military flights, according to the White House on Monday. That figure is down from a high point last week when 21,000 people were evacuated in a 24-hour period.

It brings the total to approximately 116,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan since August 14, and 122,300 people since late July.

Biden traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday to mourn with the families of the 13 US service members killed in Thursday's attack as their bodies were brought back to US soil.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the 13 would be remembered as heroes. "These men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live," he said.

ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, has claimed that an ISIS militant carried out the suicide attack, but provided no evidence to support the claim. US officials have said the group was likely behind the bombing.

On Saturday, the Pentagon said two "high profile" ISIS targets had been killed and another injured in a US drone strike late Friday in Jalalabad, in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, in a retaliatory strike for Thursday's attack.

This story has been updated with additional information from the Pentagon about the airstrike.

The-CNN-Wire

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REDDING, Calif. - The Never Forgotten Games return to Redding for their third Cross Fit competition. The chairman of the Never Forgotten Games, Darren Hull, made sure the event went on this year after canceling last year due to COVID-19.

The event honors the lives of five first responders from Northern California who lost their lives in the line of duty. Each of their names and pictures hang on banners above the competition.

One of their family members said that they felt the support shown at the event was a form of therapy in itself.

"He thanks me afterward. He says you know, Ive had some friends tell me that I should probably talk to somebody about this, but I havent," said Hull.

So thanks for my first therapy session," Hull continued. "I mean that in and of itself makes it all worth it."

Over 50 teams entered the Redding Civic Auditorium to compete in the events.

The events are a Cross Fit inspired workout and are assigned to each of the first responders who were being honored:

Deputy Sheriff Jack Hopkins : Four rounds of 18-12-6 pull-ups, 9-6-3 sandbag squat cleans, and 75 solbs

: Four rounds of 18-12-6 pull-ups, 9-6-3 sandbag squat cleans, and 75 solbs Redding Fire Captain Edward Andrews IV : 15 weighted thrusters, 50-foot sled pull, and 50-foot sled push

: 15 weighted thrusters, 50-foot sled pull, and 50-foot sled push Davis Police Officer Natalie Corona : 25 synchronized worm deadlifts, 100-foot armored bearcat vehicle pull, and 25 calorie assault bike

: 25 synchronized worm deadlifts, 100-foot armored bearcat vehicle pull, and 25 calorie assault bike Ceres Police Sergeant : Four-person worm, 25 worm clean and jerks, 25 synchronized over the worm burpees, 50 worm squats

: Four-person worm, 25 worm clean and jerks, 25 synchronized over the worm burpees, 50 worm squats Lassen County Deputy Sheriff Larry Griffin: Two rounds of 25 synchronized toe to bars, one synchronized axle bar 'OT,' and 100 double unders

As a first responder, Hull knows how important fitness is to his line of work, and to the event.

"Fitness is a huge part of first responders life," Hull said. We have to be fit and we have to be healthy in order to have long careers."

"So, what better way to promote fitness and be able to give back to the community than to put on an event like this," Hull continued.

Athletes and amateurs come to the event regardless of experience level. Athletes like Tasha Braden came to compete in the event to pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate price. That is the main reason some participants show up.

"It is a huge privilege and honor to be able to come out and support all of the fallen officers, families, and anyone in our community who has been associated with the first responders," said Braden.

After a long year of planning, Hull is glad the event was able to find a new home this year at the Redding Civic Auditorium.

Originally, the event was going to be held at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson, but that space is being used by CAL FIRE as an Incident Command base for the Monument Fire.

Despite the time spent away from his family while volunteering for the event, Hull says its all worth it in the end.

"When youre in it and putting it together, youre kind of like, 'Well man, I hope were doing something great, I hope were doing something impactful,' -- but then you meet these family members and you meet these friends and you realize its worth it," said Hull.

"Its one hundred percent worth it all the way through," Hull added.

The event has earned at least $25,000 that came in through donations prior to the day of the event.

Most of the proceeds will go to charities like Concerns of Police Survivors and 555 Firefighter Fitness, as well as other community support needs that occur throughout the year.
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So, what is going on in the Ahwatukee real estate market? Is the bubble going to burst?
https://www.aish.com/ci/sam/Steven-Weinberg-and-the-Twilight-of-the-Godless-Universe.html

With the passing last month of Steven Weinberg, the world lost a great theoretical physicist.

With the passing last month of Steven Weinberg, the world lost a great theoretical physicist. Born to Jewish parents in New York in 1933, Weinberg received the Nobel Prize in 1979 for unifying two of the four fundamental forces of physics, the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces. His proposed unification, later confirmed by experiment, proved key to the development of the Standard Model of particle physics, the best current theory of fundamental physics and our guide to the strange world of elementary particles. In addition, Weinberg made seminal contributions to quantum theory, general relativity and cosmology.

His death also marks the twilight of an increasingly dated view of the relationship between science and religion. Though Weinberg was a friend to the State of Israel, he was not sympathetic to Judaism or any theistic belief. Weinberg wrote many popular books about physics in which he often asserted that scientific advance had undermined belief in God  and, consequently, any ultimate meaning for human existence. The First Three Minutes, his most popular book published in 1977, famously concluded: the more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it seems pointless.

Weinbergs aggressive science-based atheism now seems an increasingly spent force. Since 1977, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking, Victor Stenger, Lawrence Krauss and many other scientists have published popular anti-theistic broadsides. Many of these stalwarts have since passed from the scene. Others have so overplayed their hands with overt attacks on religion that they have provoked even fellow atheists and agnostics to recoil.

Figures such as historian Tom Holland, social critic Douglas Murray, and social scientist Charles Murray now openly lament the loss of a religious mooring in culture, though they personally find themselves unable to believe. These New New Atheists, as distinct from the Old New Atheists, do not regard sciences alleged support for unbelief as one of its great achievements, as Weinberg described it.

Nevertheless, many such religious skeptics have yet to recognize the most important reason to reject science-based atheistic polemics: The most relevant scientific discoveries of the last century simply do not support atheism or materialism. Instead, they point in a decidedly different direction.

If the physical universe of matter, energy, space and time had a beginning, it becomes extremely difficult to conceive of an adequate physical or materialistic cause for the origin of the universe.

In The First Three Minutes, Weinberg described in detail the conditions of the universe just after the Big Bang. But he never attempted to explain what caused the Big Bang itself.

Nor could he. If the physical universe of matter, energy, space and time had a beginning  as observational astronomy and theoretical physics have increasing suggested  it becomes extremely difficult to conceive of an adequate physical or materialistic cause for the origin of the universe. After all, it was matter and energy that first came into existence at the Big Bang. Before that, no matter or energy  no physics  would have yet existed that could have caused the universe to begin.

Such considerations have led other prominent scientists  such as Israeli physicist Gerald Schroeder and the late Caltech astronomer Allan Sandage  to affirm an external creator beyond space and time as the best explanation for the origin of the universe. The logic of this view made Weinberg initially reluctant to accept the Big Bang and inclined him, instead, to favor the rival steady state theory. As he explained before coming around, the steady state is philosophically the most attractive theory because it least resembles the account given in Genesis.

Fellow Nobel laureate and physicist Arno Penzias  whose discovery of the cosmic background radiation helped kindle Weinbergs interest in Big Bang cosmology  noted the obvious connection between the Big Bang and the concept of divine creation. As he argued, the best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the first five books of Moses, the Psalms and the Bible as a whole.

Weinberg also brilliantly used anthropic reasoning to estimate the value of the cosmological constant  the outward pushing, anti-gravity force responsible for the expansion of the universe from its singular beginning. He showed that if we assume the universe needed to produce life, then the cosmological constant had to fall within a narrow, highly improbable and otherwise unexpected range  as has proven to be the case.

Weinbergs own research built upon, or helped to make, two key scientific discoveries  the universe had a beginning and has been finely-tuned from the beginning  that do not imply a purposeless cosmos.

To explain such extreme fine tuning without recourse to a transcendent fine-tuner, Weinberg favored the postulation of a multiplicity of other universes, an idea he acknowledged as speculative. The multiverse concept portrays our universe as the outcome of a grand lottery in which some universe-generating mechanism spits out trillions and trillions of universes  so many that our universe with its improbable combination of life-conducive factors would eventually have to arise.

Yet, multiverse advocates overlook an obvious problem. All such proposals posit universe generating mechanisms that themselves require prior unexplained fine-tuning  thus, taking us back to the need for an ultimate fine-tuner.

On his passing, Scientific Americans tribute to Weinberg described how scientifically literate people need to learn to live in Steven Weinbergs pointless universe. Yet Weinbergs own research built upon, or helped to make, two key scientific discoveries  the universe had a beginning and has been finely-tuned from the beginning  that do not imply a purposeless cosmos. Arguably, they point, instead, to a purposeful creator behind it all.

This article originally appeared in the Jerusalem Post.
https://www.aish.com/ho/p/The-Bishop-who-Saved-1500-Jews.html

Pavel Peter Gojdic suffered mistreatment and humiliation for his outspoken defense of Jews during the Holocaust.

This is the story of a righteous gentile and his unsaintly nemesis. Pavel Peter Gojdic, a humble Catholic monk, was born in 1888 in Slovakia, where he served as resident bishop during World War II and a friend of the Jews who saved many lives.

Nazi Germany occupied the region in 1938 and quickly went about issuing anti-Jewish orders. Local authorities cooperated, limiting Jews freedom of movement and excluding Jewish children from non-Jewish schools.

Pavel Peter Gojdic

At personal risk as apostolic administrator, Gojdic openly spoke up in favor of Jews from the beginning of their persecution in Slovakia. On January 25, 1939, two days after the establishment of a special committee by the Slovak autonomist government charged with defining the program for the solution of the Jewish question, the bishop wrote a special letter addressed to all parishes in his Presov diocese, wrote Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust museum.

 In this letter he warned about disastrous results which might be caused by these discriminative policies. He reminded people of the basic principles of their belief  that every human being has equal rights when he faces God. He also warned of the consequences of Nazi ideology and racism.

Gojdic's activities did not sit well with the fascist Slovak state. Fellow priests turned on him. In the summer of 1939 they wrote a memorandum expressing their dissatisfaction with Gojdics actions. He resigned a few months later.

In 1940 the Vatican accepted his resignation from the position of apostolic administrator, but at the same time appointed him as bishop of the Presov, Slovakia, diocese. This only increased the tension between him and the government.

Nemesis Condemns Slovak Jewry to Destruction

Meanwhile, Slovakias new president, Jozef Tiso  also a priest  began expropriating Jewish property and deporting Jews to German-occupied Poland. He resisted most pressure from the Vatican and Jewish groups to end deportations.

Historian James Mace Ward, a visiting Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, cited a conversation in which Tiso regretted exempting 18,000 Jews from expropriation and deportation, due to his belief that they were sabotaging the economy.

Tiso Hanged

Wards research portrays Tiso as a man who helped condemn Slovak Jewry to destruction. Ultimately, Tiso met a violent fate himself. After World War II ended, a reunified Czechoslovakia convicted and hanged him for treason, suppression of freedom and crimes against humanity.

Despite posthumous efforts to brand Tiso a saint, Ward concluded that he was no saint.

On the other hand, Bishop Gojdic helped refugees, prisoners and inmates of concentration camps, and became known as the man with a heart of gold. He is credited with directly or indirectly saving as many as 1,500 Jews.

Righteous Gentile Saved Countless Lives

In 2007 Yad Vashem recognized Bishop Gojdic as one of its Righteous Among the Nations. Its webpage about him reports: On October 26, 1942, the Slovak Security Services informed the 14th Department of the Ministry of Interior about a high number of fictitious conversions taking place. The report pointed out several cases when only one member of a Jewish family converted to Christianity in order to defend his whole family. Out of 249 Jewish families only 533 Jews converted to Greek Catholic or Russian Orthodox faith in order to rescue another 1500 members of their families, who did not convert. Apart from that, most of those who had converted continued to actively pursue Judaism either in an open or a hidden manner.

Refusing to renounce his religion, he was given a life sentence for treason by the Communist state,Czechoslovakia.



Though he survived the Nazis, Bishop Gojdic endured a life sentence in prison when the Communist regime made the Greek Catholic Church illegal. The many letters written by Jews who were grateful for his work had no effect on this sentence. He died from cancer in the prison hospital of Leopoldov Prison in 1960, on his 72nd birthday.
https://www.aish.com/tp/ss/ssw/Nitzavim-5781-Judging-Those-Who-Judge.html

GOOD MORNING! This upcoming Monday night, September 7th, begins the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. The literal translation of Rosh Hashanah is head of the year  otherwise known as the Jewish New Year. There are many aspects to this holiday, but perhaps the overarching theme is that Rosh Hashanah is a day of judgement, and in fact, another name for this holiday is Yom Hadin  Judgement Day.

It is rather curious that Judgement Day should be associated with a holiday. I once had to testify at a trial for a close friend of mine (who in my view was wrongfully charged). The trial dragged on for weeks and I attended many of those sessions. There wasnt a moment while in that federal courtroom when I didnt feel a sense of dread and foreboding. My heart was in my mouth every time I entered the courtroom.

This same feeling of fear and apprehension was what I felt when I experienced Rosh Hashanah at rabbinical schools in both the United States and in Israel. The prayer service during the day was close to eight hours long and had a distinct heaviness to it. It was emotionally draining and psychologically taxing.

This attitude towards Rosh Hashanah can be traced to a passage from the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16b); Rabbi Kruspedai said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, On Rosh Hashanah three books are opened before the Holy One, Blessed be He: One book of wholly wicked people, and one book of wholly righteous people, and one book of middling people, whose good and bad deeds are equally balanced.

Wholly righteous people are immediately written and sealed for life; wholly wicked people are immediately written and sealed for death; and middling people are left with their judgment suspended from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, their fate remaining undecided.

Based on this one might easily conclude that on Rosh Hashanah we are quite literally praying for our lives. That would explain the feeling of dread and foreboding that is commonly felt on this very important day. However, if we take a closer look at this concept then we will see that it is simply not so.

If we are really honest with ourselves, we can easily see that whether or not a person goes to synagogue and prays their heart out on Rosh Hashanah has little to do with him or her meriting another year of life. There are no actuarial tables definitively proving that those who plead for their lives on Rosh Hashanah have longer life spans.

In addition, we all know many wicked people who are not immediately sealed for death. So what does this passage in the Talmud mean?

Perhaps the most critical question we must ask ourselves is: What are we really trying to accomplish on this important day?

The primary mission that each and every person is supposed to achieve on Rosh Hashanah is to coronate the Almighty as our king whose dominion spans all of creation; hence our pledge of fealty to Him. This is the day when we proclaim God to be our King and that our lives revolve around fulfilling His will, for us and all of creation.

A consequence of placing ourselves in a theocentric world is that we are immediately granted life. Why? Because being connected to the Almighty means a connection to the infinite and everlasting life. By contrast, if we unfortunately choose to live in an egocentric world, one where everything revolves around ourselves instead of God, we are choosing a finite reality, which means we are inexorably headed towards death and obliteration.

There is, in fact, a judgement that is made on Rosh Hashanah  the Almighty examines our deeds from the prior year and uses that as a basis for concluding whether we live in a theocentric world or in an egocentric world. Our goal on Rosh Hashanah is to reaffirm our allegiance to the Almighty and His goal for the world; a world unified under His sovereignty. This is what the judgement of Rosh Hashanah is all about.

The Talmud also makes a remarkable statement about how the Almighty, in His infinite kindness, actually grants people the benefit of the doubt  if they are so deserving. What makes a person deserving of this kindness?

With righteousness you shall judge your fellow man (Leviticus 19:15).

The famous biblical commentator known as Rashi (ad loc) explains that this verse is referring to the obligation that we are required to give a person the benefit of the doubt.

In other words, upon seeing that the nature of someones actions are questionable, we are required to give him the benefit of the doubt. This can take different forms; you may presume that you do not know the entirety of the situation or that the person only had positive intentions for his actions.

One of the sources for this is found in the ancient book Jewish ethics known as Pirkei Avos  Ethics of our Fathers, which states that we must judge everyone to the side of merit (1:6). The Talmud (Shabbos 127b) takes this one step further and states, anyone that judges his friend to the side of merit will be judged (by heaven) to the side of merit. Rashi in his commentary on Pirkei Avos likewise says that the Almighty judges favorably those who give others the benefit of the doubt.

This principle that God gives us the benefit of the doubt if we accord the same to others is difficult to understand. After all, when we give others the benefit of the doubt it is because we do not actually know what the persons intentions were nor do we know the entirety of the situation.

On the other hand, the Almighty is omniscient and absolutely knows everything that everyone does and why they do it. How are we to understand that God gives someone the benefit of the doubt when in truth He knows exactly what a persons intentions were and exactly what happened?

I am reminded of the time many years ago when a friend was telling me about an awful date he had gone on the previous evening. He started by complaining, The minute I saw her I just KNEW she would be judgmental. I stared at him, somewhat astonished by his breathtaking cognitive dissonance.

In truth, we all do this. When meeting someone new we open up a case file as to their worthiness of our friendship. We wait until this new acquaintance justifies a relationship with us. We hardly ever give someone the benefit of the doubt and extend ourselves until we are sure that they deserve our friendship.

But herein also lies a remarkable exception to Hashems system of justice, a system in which we must justify our existence. When a person judges others to the side of merit  when he gives other people the benefit of the doubt without making them justify their actions to him  the Almighty returns the favor.

God judging someone to the side of merit isnt referring to a specific act; of course He knows what the person intended and what he did. But if we are willing to suspend our judgement of others then God does the same for us.

This is also the corollary to one of the most important principles in the Bible: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. Just as you treated your neighbor the Almighty treats you. He doesnt make you justify yourself to Him either, but rather judges you to the side of merit and considers you worthy of another year of life.

This explains why Rosh Hashanah is in fact a holiday. The opportunity for mortals to earn an eternal life, and cheat death, is in fact a great kindness from the Almighty. Yes, it is a somber day, a day when we must focus on the coronation of our King, but it is also an opportunity to transcend our physical reality and that is truly something worth celebrating.

May we, along with the entire world, merit a sweet New Year filled with good health, prosperity, and an uplifting relationship with the Almighty that will truly bestow upon us the ultimate infinite existence. Shana Tova to you and yours!

Nitzavim, Deuteronomy 29:9 - 30:20

On the day of Moshe's death he assembles the whole Jewish people and creates a Covenant confirming the Jewish people as the Almighty's Chosen People for all future generations. Moshe makes clear the consequences of rejecting God and His Torah as well as the possibility of repentance. He reiterates that Torah is readily available to everyone. He warns us against idolatry (thinking anything other than God has power) and assures us that eventually the Jewish people will do teshuva (repent) and will be redeemed and brought back to the land of Israel  and those who hate the Jewish people and pursue us will get their just recompense.

Nitzavim concludes with perhaps the clearest and most powerful statement in the Torah about the purpose of life and the existence of freewill: I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil [] the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life that you may live, you and your descendants. (Now that's a real Quote of the Week!)



http://www.aish.com/sh/c/ The great risk of living is that we might not survive it.  J. Aleksandr Wootton



Dedicated with Deep Appreciation to



Susan and Stanley Rosenblatt




This week we were treated to a bloody horror show at Kabul airport and a preposterous performance (a full day late) by a president who claimed responsibility and then quickly proceeded to shun it, blaming everyone else. As commander in chief, he was responsible for the disastrous consequences of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by a plan only an idiot would have conceived or endorsed. What followed were continued lies from the Department of State, General Mark Milley, and probably the Department of Defense. Only individual Americans stood fast to preserve our tattered honor.

The Biden Bug Out Plan was exactly the opposite of the plan President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had crafted. In that plan, our well-fortified base at Bagram, some 40 miles from Kabul, was to be the last thing shuttered. In Bidens plan, it was the first. He had our troops turn off the lights and leave in the middle of the night without warning to the Afghan government, doubtless encouraging the rapid Taliban advance to Kabul. The president blamed the military for this decision, and General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, seemed to concur, although even as he fell on his sword there was wiggle room, for he predicated it on the need to get the troops down to about 600 or 700, a decision only Biden could have made. Essentially, a military briefer conceded this by asserting the mission to withdraw was Bidens and the emphasis on giving priority to protecting the embassy was also his. The Wall Street Journal explains how disastrous this nonsensical order of departure was.

The way U.S. forces quietly slipped out of Bagram was also demoralizing for the Afghan army and probably contributed to its collapse. The Associated Press spoke to soldiers wandering the base the next day. They lost all the goodwill of 20 years, one said, by leaving the way they did, in the night, without telling the Afghan soldiers who were outside patrolling the area. The word must have spread: If the U.S. is abandoning its prized air base, then it really was bugging out altogether. After the collapse of the Afghan government, Mr. Biden could have sent in enough U.S. troops to retake Bagram and provide for a safer evacuation. He declined that option in favor of getting to the exits as fast as possible, hoping to avoid a confrontation with the Taliban that could result in American casualties. On Thursday he got casualties anyway. The wreck of Mr. Bidens Afghan withdrawal is damaging enough. But he compounds the harm to his credibility, and Americas, when he refuses to acknowledge mistakes and spins defeat as a victory for realism. Mr. Biden should take responsibility for his own bad decisions, instead of trying to hide behind the military brass.

Left behind in Afghanistan were billions of dollars worth of armaments which will certainly be used against us and our allies. Also left behind are an untold number -- certainly in the thousands -- of Americans, green card holders, allied civilians, and Afghans who aided us and our NATO allies. They are being systematically butchered, with the aid of biometric records of those whom the jihadis are targeting. A huge potential hostage situation awaits. The administration concedes that we had already given the Taliban lists of people we wanted to give safe passage to. If that werent enough to target them for death, the biometric records sealed it.

The Taliban has mobilized a special unit, called Al Isha, to hunt down Afghans who helped US and allied forces -- and its using US equipment and data to do it. Nawazuddin Haqqani, one of the brigade commanders over the Al Isha unit, bragged in an interview with Zenger News that his unit is using US-made hand-held scanners to tap into a massive US-built biometric database and positively identify any person who helped the NATO allies or worked with Indian intelligence. Afghans who try to deny or minimize their role will find themselves contradicted by the detailed computer records that the US left behind in its frenzied withdrawal. [snip] US officials have not confirmed how many of the 7,000 hand-held scanners were left behind or whether the biometric database could be remotely deleted.

Apparently, Pakistani intelligence officers are assisting the Talibans Haqqani network in utilizing this tool.

As the work of the Haqqani Network becomes more visible, the Department of State, doubtless to bolster the administrations claim that it had been fine to count on the Talibans pledge to secure the Kabul airport, asserted that the Taliban and Haqqani are separate entities. This is a new one and a likely bald-faced lie. Section 1217,FY 2021 NDAA (PL116-283) of this years National Defense Authorization Act is very clear: "The Taliban....(B) includes subordinate organizations, such as the Haqqani Network, and any successor organization. At the Washington Examiner, Jerry Dunleavy spells out how ridiculous is the claim that these are separate entities.

The Taliban, Haqqani Network, and al Qaeda are deeply intertwined in Afghanistan, with the Taliban integrating Haqqani Network leaders and fighters with al Qaeda links into its command structure. ISIS-K has long clashed with the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan, claiming Taliban rule is illegitimate. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said last weekend, The Taliban, obviously, to a considerable extent, are integrated with the Haqqani network. Our effort is with the Taliban military commanders currently in charge of security in Kabul. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the deputy emir of the Taliban, currently leads the day-to-day activities of the Haqqani Network, according to the State Department, which explained that the Haqqani Network is allied with the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda. Sirajuddin has been designated a terrorist by the U.S., and the State Departments Reward for Justice program has offered $10 million for his arrest. The Long War Journal reported in 2017 that the Taliban again affirmed that the Haqqanis are an integral part of its organization -- not an independent faction.[snip] Sirajuddin is the nephew of Khalil Rahman Haqqani, another top Taliban figure who is now reportedly in charge of security in Kabul. The Treasury Department designated Khalil a global terrorist in 2011, alleging he was providing support to al-Qaeda. The Taliban, al Qaeda, and ISIS-K fighters are believed to have been among the thousands of prisoners freed from the Parwan Detention Facility when the Taliban entered Kabul last weekend. The prison is right next to Bagram Airfield, which the U.S. quietly abandoned in July.

On Twitter, Bill Roggio has more of the intertwining of the Taliban and Haqqani operations.

Just who, apart from their lapdog press, does the Department of State think they are fooling?

So disastrous has this Biden operation been that it is not being much defended. And in perhaps a slip of the tongue, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki finally said something believable:

[A]s I noted a few minutes ago, any day where you lose servicemembers is -- may be the worst day of your presidency, and hopefully theres not more. But we are certainly early in the presidency at this point in time.

I would not be surprised if no high-ranking official appears at the airport where the bodies of the servicemen and women will be unloaded. I imagine it's a combination of callousness and the desire to avoid any images which link the administration to the mayhem that followed its orders. Biden lives nearby and as I write this he has not committed to appear there.

Winding up his tardy address, Biden blustered that we'd get revenge for the killings. Its hard to see how, with no bases in the country, a bug-out that put at risk anyone who helps us and thousands of civilian hostages on the ground. But the Department of Defense came up with an over the horizon Biden bacon saver -- claiming that with a drone strike theyd killed an ISIS-K planner. Not sure what a planner is, and certainly it is unlikely anyone can verify this claim. So, I place this in the dubious, and even if true, ineffectual file. Another tale for the halfwits among us.

There were only two bright spots in the week. One brave Marine, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, attacked senior military officers for their lack of accountability in this mess, knowing it would cost him his command, and very promptly it did. Wade Miller notes how corruptly discriminatory this was:

@WadeMiller_USMC Lt. Col. Vindman went on national television and proactively attacked the Commander in Chief for partisan reasons. yet he kept his job. But Lt. Col. Scheller lost his command today for rightly demanding accountability from senior officers who allowed the Afghanistan disaster to unfold.

In a similar vein, active duty and retired naval intelligence officers are told they cannot disrespect the president over the Afghanistan debacle. The ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) directive even applies to civilian employees.

An internal ONI member told The Daily Wire that these policies were more relaxed under the Trump administration and recalled retired officers condemning the former President.

The more the senior officials try to button this up to cover for Biden, the more we lose any faith in them and the more obvious becomes the politicization of our military, the one domestic institution which still retained our faith and respect.

The only other bright spot was the marvelous Pineapple Express, the successful effort by U.S. special operations veterans who secretly helped evacuate more than 600 Afghan allies and their families, a story worth a movie.

One former SEAL who participated complained to ABC that our own government didnt do this. We did what we should do, as Americans. Another retired SEAL said of an Afghan veteran who refused to abandon his family and eventually led them all to safety, Leaving a man behind is not in our SEAL ethos. Many Afghans have a stronger vision of our democratic values than many Americans do.

There still are men in America. There still are honorable people in America. But darned if you can find them in official Washington.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Recently, one of Canadas best-known rabbis (an American by birth and a graduate of prestigious colleges in the USA) asked me bluntly and simply to explain the essence of Critical Race Theory. This is what I told him.

Critical Race Theory is the latest version of Marxism, except it has gone racial. This means that unlike traditional Marxist theory, which used to focus on the injustices experienced by working men and women in industrial and industrializing societies around the world and preached violent revolution to overthrow the capitalist democracy that persecutes them, the new victims are any kind of minority, usually people of color, but not exclusively. The white working class no longer counts.

In the USA, Cultural Marxists have elected African Americans to fulfill the role of those persecuted by capitalism, which is done by white people or people with white skin (despite the fact that more than 50% of self-defined African Americans belong to the silent, non-protesting, law-abiding middle classes or bourgeoise).

Almost any grievance group, whose goal is to bring down liberal democracy and capitalism, can join African Americans in their persecuted status. So even wealthy Muslim immigrants can do so. Or sexual adventurers can be granted that status. Privileged women of color like Ilhan Omar and others like her can also qualify, as can millionaires like Meghan Markle or Oprah Winfrey.

The key thing is to hate whites, hate capitalism, hate democracy, hate American, Canadian, and British political culture, and believe that whites have caused all the trouble in the world. For example, an activist from this thought group once reframed WWII as white on white violence.

In an odd but not surprising anti-Semitic twist, Israelis (most of whom look like Sicilians and come from the Arab world) are thought of as colonial whites from Europe oppressing indigenous Arabs -- so many of whom claim to have come to the land of Israel from Arabia some time ago. (Historical scholarship and truth are in short supply among the Cultural Marxists).

The last fifty years have seen an unhealthy and growing domination by Cultural Marxists of federal, state (provincial), and municipal bureaucracies, who then provide funds for a growing number of like-minded NGOs.

Together they argue that these new grievance groups deserve special treatment, reparations, and affirmative action from the whites, as a kind of compensation for bad behavior in both the past and present. And so, meritocracy goes to the wind and non-whites become privileged (that is, they get access to the public purse -- that is to say, our tax dollars.)

Classical Marxists like Bernie Sanders and historian Howard Zinn have always believed that Marxism explains superstructure. Marxists have argued that the base or mode of production of any society is the direct cause of its culture and institutions.

So, law, government, music, the arts, and the intellectual life of ideas are solely an expression of the base. There is no real freedom of thought. Those who think they are free are under an illusion. The Marxists call this false consciousness. It must be violently destroyed. There is no defense in following the law as it is by its own nature, corrupt.

As bourgeois culture embodies the false consciousness of the superstructure it is by definition immoral, evil, and must be destroyed. It is the evil guardian of structural inequality. Any social mobility is explained away by accusing those who rise, of joining the oppressors.

And so, Larry Elder, African American radio personality and contender for the position of Governor of California, is labeled a white supremacist by his Cultural Marxist-inspired critics in the media.

Old style, traditional Marxists and Leninists like Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Che Guevara, and Fidel Castro believed that the working class around the world would eventually rebel and set up a classless society. That did not happen. Workers in states have shown more loyalty to their nation than their class.

So just after WW II, Cultural Marxists (the Frankfurt School) began a campaign launched from New York City to undermine and subvert the bourgeois values practiced by lawyers, implemented by administrators, and until recently supported by police, the military, the media, and the educational elites. Their goal was to destroy capitalism and bring on a Marxist state, with a command economy and a revolutionary vanguard (they and their self-anointed political colleagues) who would run the country.

They have succeeded. They are now dominant in the Liberal Party of Canada and the Democratic Party of the USA.

Here is the clincher. The values of Cultural Marxists, when you read through their contradictory, dense, and boring books and articles are essentially a crude inversion of the pillars of the Judeo Christian tradition; that is to say, the Ten Commandments.

Let me, therefore, outline the ten basic commandments of Cultural Marxism which, not surprisingly, are violations of almost every one of the ten commandments of the Bible, values that permeate the Constitution of the United States and have informed much of British common law. Here they are:

God is dead -- therefore the means justify the ends. If the Cultural Marxists believe that bourgeois culture and society should be destroyed then, there is no moral restraint-look at Antifa riots to support this point One now worships Karl Marx. He is the substitute for God. And his prophets are violent and numerous. Language is flexible. You can take any name in vain. Words mean what you want them to mean if it furthers your agenda like largely peaceful protests The Sabbath means nothing. There is no rest for the righteous. They must be attacked during the 24/7 news round and on occasion arrested at gunpoint by the FBI or CIA. And so, defund the police and turn every city into a war zone. Mothers and fathers are not honored. Your children can be taken from you and their gender forcefully reassigned as God did not make man and woman according to sacred archetypes. Murder is okay if you are a political enemy. Remember Ashli Babbitt? Adultery is meaningless because marriage and the nuclear family are oppressive. Lying is what you do to defeat your enemies The property of your enemies (Jews, Christians, Vietnamese minorities, Korean grocers, whites of any kind) is up for grabs. Take it! Envy is everywhere and greed rules

This short enumeration of the ten commandments of the Cultural Marxists should provide a good grid from which to understand their values and goals. It permeates their writings and their practice. The rest is gobbledygook.

If you are religious you would call this the devils work. If you are not religious you would call this the devils work.

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The powerful bomb blast attack by an ISIS affiliate, ISIS-K (Khorasan), a deadly terror group of jihadists from Syria and other areas, on American forces and Afghan civilians in Kabul on August 26, 2021, killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 90 Afghans. This was a dark day for the U.S., the deadliest day for U.S. military forces in Afghanistan since 2011.

Internal and international controversy will continue and mount over the debacle in Kabul and responsibility. President Biden has declared that the "buck stops" with him. But the mistakes of his administration are more compelling than the rhetoric: the debate will continue on the hasty exit timetable for the U.S. from Afghanistan; on the disagreements among U.S. military leaders and the president on withdrawal; on Biden's abrupt abandonment of Bagram Airbase, which could have been used for evacuation of Americans; alleged sharing of security arrangements; giving a list to the Taliban of Afghans who aided the U.S. It is a notable lack of success in a country with remarkable assets: 150 countries host U.S. troops, 200,000 U.S. troops are located abroad, annual military spending is $770 billion, and the fleet has 11 aircraft carriers.

The world has been left uncertain about the acumen and practicality of Biden's policy in foreign affairs after the chaos to end what he called the "forever war." In view of his inability to secure the drawdown of U.S. troops in an orderly way, the question arises: "Is Biden reliable as an American and world leader, or is he detached from reality?"

Foreign countries are concerned: Ukraine, whether Biden can help deter Russia; can Taiwan rely on U.S. protection from China; should NATO leaders now call for an independent European security operation from which the U.S. is excluded? Most immediately, there is the problem of whether Biden is genuinely, as well as rhetorically, committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons power.

The ISIS massacre occurred about an hour before a meeting was to take place in the White House between President Joe Biden and Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, who was to be the first foreign visitor to the White House since the Biden decision of withdrawal from Afghanistan. Bennett, head of a diverse coalition of left, center, and right parties, doves, and hardliners, of which Bennett is one, with a wafer-thin majority of one, avoids issues that are divisive. He follows twelve years of leadership by Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu, with whom he has little in common except that they both speak perfect English. Bennett originally was an adherent of the Israeli right, a leader of a settler movement. He lived for a time in a settlement, and he even expressed an opinion for unilateral annexation of the West Bank. But he changed his views.

Bennett is anxious to make clear that he is not Netanyahu and is interested in bringing a "new spirit," a spirit of hope, goodwill, and cooperation to Washington with which Israel shares values of democracy and respect for human rights. Netanyahu, after Biden took office, reduced the flow of information that Israeli security officials conveyed to the U.S. about contemplated operations, above all in Iran. One can suggest four reasons: Bibi believed that the U.S. had leaked information about Israeli operations; intelligence-sharing had declined during the Obama administration; Bibi believed that U.S. spy agencies kept him under surveillance; Biden seems determined on returning to the Iranian nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, 2015, from which the Trump administration pulled out in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on the Iranian economy.

There had been a change under the Trump administration. The U.S.; Trump; and the thenCIA director, Mike Pompeo, were the only foreign officials briefed before the Mossad attack on Iran's nuclear archives in 2018. Israel was made aware of Israeli bombing attacks, of the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and cooperation in the killing of former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani, and another leader hiding in Tehran.

The close relationship cooled when Biden took office. He spoke of the "unalterable partnership" between the U.S. and Israel, but he also spoke of returning to the Iranian nuclear deal. When Israel was involved in striking the Iran nuclear facility in April 2021, the Mossad gave the U.S. only two hours' notice before the blast. Political differences emerged regarding Palestinians. Unlike Israel, Biden has mentioned the possibility of east Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

However, what is most important is the issue of the Iranian nuclear accord. Bennett has called an Iranian nuclear weapon a "nightmare for the whole world." The issue is stark. Biden appears to persist in pursuing a deal with Iran. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz holds that Iran is only two months away from acquiring the materials for a nuclear weapon and that its nuclear program could incite an arms race in the region and the entire world. Iran, an important power, is a manifest danger in many ways. It could operate through proxies in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza. It employs UAVs and guided missiles; it is able to disrupt maritime international trade, as shown by operations as in the Mercer Street attack. It operates in cyberspace.

By the JCPOA, the nuclear, agreement, Iran was prohibited from transferring weapons to other countries. Yet Iran, which possesses more than 1,000 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, has sent weapons to Hezb'allah, Hamas, and Iraq. It has rockets that can reach Israeli territory, including the Khorramshahr 2, with a range of 1,243 miles, and the Shahab-3.

Bennett has made no secret that Iran is Israel's top priority; that Iran is expediting its nuclear program; and that ties with the U.S. are essential on this issue to fend off and, as Antony Blinken remarked, to curtail Iran's attempt to dominate the region.

Biden on taking office made known his concerns; restoring millions in funding to Iran and providing relief from sanctions after Trump had ended this aid, including funds to UNRWA; repairing the U.S. relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the PLO; advancing a two-state solution; providing humanitarian assistance programs to the Middle East; and re-entering the Iran nuclear deal in return for promises not to pursue a nuclear weapon. But the reality is that Iran is accelerating its uranium enrichment program and building advanced centrifuges.

At the 50-minute one-on-one White House meeting on August 27, Biden again spoke of the "unshakeable partnership between our two nations" and of establishing a strong personal relationship with Bennett. An agreement was reached on some issues: U.S. support for Israel's Iron Dome system and progress on the U.S. Visa Waiver program, which would allow Israelis to visit the U.S., and vice versa, without a visa.

But differences remain: on a U.S. consulate to Palestinians in east Jerusalem, on the expansion of West Bank settlements, and above all on Iran. Iran is vital. On this, the U.S. position is enigmatic. Biden has said we're putting diplomacy first and seeing where it takes us. "If diplomacy fails, we're ready to turn to other options." The essential problem is whether Biden, regarding those "options," can carry a "big stick." Afghanistan has dented the cultivated image of Joe Biden as an experienced, wise, and capable leader.

Image: Chickenonline via Pixabay, Pixabay License.

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A few weeks ago, an ice cream company declared war on Israel. Shortly afterward multiple articles explained why this was necessary. The many arguments and accusations became disorganized and contradictory. To prevent further confusion in the anti-Israel community I am presenting here a basic guide to the Unending Sins of Israel as an aid to the modern anti-Semitic propagandist.

1) Frame the struggle to destroy Israel as a fight for human rights. Correlate the struggle with the civil rights struggle and downplay the inconsequential differences between non-violent protest and glorifying terrorism.

2) Emphasize that the Israelis are not permitting refugees to return to their homes. Do not mention these refugees would be from the 1948 war, along with their millions of descendants, and that their goal is to destroy the country.

3) Charge Israel with apartheid. This word demands moral indignation as well as the perpetrators heads. Virtually everyone on the planet knows someone who has been to Israel and can verify its not true. This does not matter. People who need to hate look for reasons to hate. Give them one.

4) Credentials are important. The traditional image of the anti-Israel activist is that of a guttersnipe who spouts nonsense. The creepy bigot of yesteryear now must be educated, erudite, and worldly with a social media presence, photogenic, and with credentials from the better universities, at a minimum. Of course, todays erudite hatemongers arguments are no more valid than his undereducated counterparts, just benevolently presented and loaded with anxiety for the victim de jour. Being a guttersnipe nowadays is art, science, and demanding.

5) Hide the fact that the final goal is to destroy Israel and her people. Do not advocate mass murder; merely justify it.

6) Ignore the Jewish communitys non-stop efforts for peace from the 1920s onward and the fact that the Arabs rejected every initiative. Israels enemies would appear silly if it got out that they kept losing wars to someone who wants to be a friend.

7) Avoid anything that may make the Palestinian government appear untrustworthy, such as the fact that Arafat violated the Oslo agreement literally before the ink was dry.

8) Use terms occupation and occupied territories. Do not mention that Israels enemies consider all of Israel to be occupied territory.

9) Do not be concerned about being denounced as a phony. Merely find yourself a circle that is so insulated that the truth does not penetrate or matter. Did I just define academia?

10) Use a Jew to catch a Jew. In medieval times the church would use converted Jews to argue against Judaism. Do likewise with regard to Israel. Just because the idea originated with the Spanish Inquisition does not mean its outdated.

11) Avoid mentioning that the only reason anyone hears of Israel is due to it being an easy beat for journalists. Israel is the only place in the world one can claim to be a war correspondent while sunning at a nude beach.

12) Seek legitimatization from international organizations by referencing the UN or NGOs. Overlook that no one trusts the UN and that NGOs have to worry about being overtaken in the race for victims to rescue.

13) Seize the moral high ground by misleading. Pro-Israel statements can be quoted out of context to appear anti-Israel. The Ben and Jerrys boycott is really about a strange pair of ice cream makers, not Israel.

14) If you run out of complaints about the way Israel treats the Palestinians find some other crime, such as Israel destroying the desert by making it bloom, converting seawater to freshwater without permission from the rest of the world, and taking artifacts from archeological sites without authorization from the original manufacturers.

Note that the list does not have to end here. Good luck with your new lifestyle!

Image: Arab and Jews in Jerusalem. YouTube screen grab.

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Many of us have been warning that its dangerous to elect a person and his party when they project weakness, show weakness, and are weak. And weve warned that, if a Party, its candidates, most of its elected politicians, and its media denigrate the military in front of the entire world they are only weakening our country.

Biden could immediately have exercised his power as the commander-in-chief of our military by explaining why we need a strong military. It would be one that would bring fear to our enemies, that he would be behind and willing to use to its fullest extent to protect our citizens and allies, and that hed use to project our strength to do good around the world if we find military action to be in our nations best interest.

He didnt do that. Instead, five days after he was inaugurated, Biden used one of his first executive orders, No. 14004, to announce that transgenderism must be protected in the military. Do you believe that sent shivers down the backs of Muslim terrorists?

Four days later, the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, issued a military-wide order lifting all restrictions on transgenderism. Do you believe that sent shivers down the backs of Muslim terrorists?

The following week, Austin issued another services-wide memorandum, this one ordering a stand-down across all branches of the armed forces to address extremism in the ranks. Do you believe that our enemies think the people now in charge of our government and military are serious people who one must be concerned about or afraid of?

In mid-March, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Department of Defense will prioritize lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people in its decision-making processes. Did this bring fear to Americas enemies?

This is not to say that anyone in the LGBTQ+ community should be subject to discrimination. However, if these are your first and most proudly advertised acts that definitely sends a message to our enemies around the world. Especially those in the Muslim countries who do not think highly of the LGBTQ+ community.

Then we have the chairman of the Pentagons Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, defending teaching the racist Critical Race Theory to Army cadets at West Point. He believes that these cadets should understand white rage. During a budget hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, he stated I want to understand white rage, and Im white, and I want to understand it. Do you believe that sent shivers down the backs of Muslim terrorists and our enemies in China or Russia?

Weve learned that the military was told on Wednesday of a possible terrorist attack on the Kabul airport coming in the next few days.

Did you know that we have a position in the Army called the Sergeant Major of the Army? The Sergeant Major is the highest enlisted rank in the Army.

What did the Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston tweet the morning of the bombing at the Kabul airport, a day after the warning that a terrorist attack is imminent? He tweeted about Womens Equality Day and the importance of not just diversity in the Army but inclusion as well:

Diversity is a number - do you have people that dont look or think like you in the room? Inclusion is listening and valuing those people. #WomensEqualityDay reminds us were smarter and more lethal when we come together as an inclusive, cohesive team. Our values demand it. pic.twitter.com/b72l2EcIn0  SMA Michael Grinston (@16thSMA) August 26, 2021

With this abysmal execution of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, we can see how the weak and the woke actually lead. Biden and his administration acquiesce to every Taliban demand. Biden and his administration work with the terrorist group that harbored and helped Al-Qaeda with their attack on America on September 11, 2001.

Politico reported on Thursday that:

U.S. officials in Kabul gave the Taliban a list of names of American citizens, green card holders and Afghan allies to grant entry into the militant-controlled outer perimeter of the citys airport, a choice thats prompted outrage behind the scenes from lawmakers and military officials.

Yesterday in his brief speech about the bombings and the death of 13 of our soldiers and over 90 Afghani people Biden admitted that the Politico report could be correct. This means his administration essentially gave a kill list to the Taliban terrorist group. We know that Biden and his administration left all the biometric information in a database of the Afghans who worked with the United States housed at the Bagram Air Base which was given to the Taliban.

We also know that Biden and his Administration ceded control of the perimeter around the airport to the Taliban.

Many of us warned everyone about Bidens weakness and his cognitive decline. For instance, why did it take him over 8 hours after the bombing and killing of our soldiers to address the American people yesterday?

This is the behavior of a failed leader and a failed administration.

This is the behavior of a weak and woke Joe Biden, a weak and woke Administration, and a weak and woke Democratic Party!

Renk is the host of the Live with Renk Show on Townsquare Media Stations in Michigan.

Image: Transgender soldier. YouTube screen grab.

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The news is so depressing lately that it takes nerves of steel to open the newspaper, turn on the TV, or visit an internet news site. However, there is good news out there if you know where to look.

First Item: Taiwan has been jolted awake by the Afghanistan debacle! For months, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been nervously watching The Peoples Republic of China (China) amass and marshal its land and naval assets in a continuing threat to try to conquer the island through military force.

President Tsai Ing-wen () has recently remarked that Taiwan must become stronger, writing on Facebook, I want to tell everyone that Taiwans only option is to make ourselves stronger, more united, and more resolute in our determination to protect ourselves. However, it was the Biden debacle in Afghanistan that added urgency to Taiwans realization that it must build a deterrent.

The August 27 editorial pages of the Taipei Times featured an editorial entitled Defense Autonomy To Deter China, which quoted President Tsai saying, It is not an option for us to do nothing ... and just rely on other peoples protection. The editorial continued:

It was an uncharacteristically forthright intervention by Tsai, designed to ram home an important truth to the Taiwanese public: The events in Afghanistan demonstrate that Washington will eventually lose patience with any US protectorate or ally that cannot stand on its own two feet or is not prepared to fight for its own survival. Moreover, Taiwan cannot assume that this or any future US administration would muster sufficient political support at home to place US troops in harms way to defend a far-flung nation about which the average American knows very little. As Tsai said, Taiwan must improve its defense autonomy. Taiwanese politicians and military planners can no longer assume that the nation only needs to hold out against China for a couple of days and US carrier strike groups would sail over the horizon to the rescue. Not only might this be militarily impossible, given Chinas investment in anti-access area denial capabilities  it might also be politically impossible.

The editorial ends on a hopeful note:

It cannot be a coincidence that a source within the Ministry of National Defense last week disclosed a plan to inject an additional NT$200 billion (US$7.16 billion) into indigenous missile defense capabilities to accelerate the mass production of precision and long-range missiles, including hypersonics. This is an astute move that would furnish the military with a potent asymmetric deterrent ahead of schedule, and signal to Washington that Taiwan is serious about defending itself.

The second item of good news is that there were boos heard in Alabama!

To no ones surprise, Donald Trumps recent campaign rally in Alabama was a raucous success, with the campaign raking in over a million dollars in contributions. But the high point of the rally was the booing that greeted Trumps advice to get the vaccination. This was genuinely refreshing because it reminded Trump (and everyone else) that Trumpsters are not mindless robots but thinking beings capable of independent thought.

We can cheerfully grin and bear it as Trump pats Xinnie the Pooh on the rump and declares his love for Chairman Xi all as humorous political theatre so long as he stays firmly tethered to Trumpism: border control, energy independence, China containment, national defense, rule of law, limited government, etc.

However, the boos refreshingly show that Trumpsters are for Trumpism, not necessarily for Trump. They should not be expected to mindlessly bleat approval when the Donald steps out of bounds, such as by promoting the vaccine or when hes seduced by the swamp sweetly whispering forever wars.

Sometimes matters drift along much like a swimmer floating along, unwittingly, in a riptide. Its only when the swimmer realizes whats happening that he takes actionand if he acts quickly and appropriately, he can save himself. Both these stories show that Bidens presidency is forcing people to pay attention, and thats good news.

Image: Taiwans military drills. YouTube screen grab.

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While the Biden team continues to praise itself as the hero in the Afghanistan pullout, the anger of parents of the 13 slain U.S. service members tells another story.

Kathy McCollum, mother of 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, called into the Wilkow Majority show on SiriusXM Patriot radio where revealed that she had just been notified at her home that her son was killed in the bombing that claimed the lives of at least 13 U.S. soldiers. That feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die, she said, speaking about Biden. I woke up at four oclock this morning, two Marines at my door telling me my son was dead. So, to [have her on] right before me and listen to that piece of crap talk about diplomatic crap with frickin Taliban terrorists who just freakin blew up my son and no, nothing, to not say anything about oh my god, Im so sorry for families. So, my son is gone. To all Democrats who voted for Biden, You just killed my son with a dementia-ridden piece of crap who doesnt even know hes in the White House, she continued. He still thinks hes a senator.

...and...

I never thought in a million years [my son] would die for nothing, for nothing, because that feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap who decided he wanted a photo-op on September 11th, she continued. Thats what kills me. I wanted my son to represent our country, to fight for my country. But I never thought that a feckless piece of crap would send him to his death and smirk on television while hes talking about people dying with his nasty smirk. The dementia-ridden piece of crap needs to be removed from office. It never would have happened under Trump.

And from the Daily Beast:

They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security, said [father of slaim Marine Kareem Nikoui, Steve] Nikoui. I blame my own military leaders Biden turned his back on him. Thats it.

The Daily Beast also noted this:

Through tears, Nikoui expressed flashes of anger along with his anguish. He said he wants to respect the office of the president, but doesnt have much love for President Joe Biden at the moment. A Trump supporter, Nikoui was happy that Trump was in office when Kareem joined the Marines. I really believed this guy didnt want to send people into harms way, he said.

Biden, who never stops emoting about his late son Beau, pretty well treated those 13 magnificent kids, average age 22, as disposable.

As one of the parents states, it was all about the photo-op for 9/11 and the opportunity for Joe to crow about it, never mind the impossible situation the Marines and other service members were put in, first being sent back after Biden realized he'd pulled the troops and left the civilians behind, and then leaving the Marines to deal with dangerous crowds at a panicked airport in a truly badly fortified position, relying on the Taliban for 'security' and tending babies thrown over the wall. It didn't take long for a suicide bomber to turn up and get them killed, even as the more protected airbase at Bagram was completely abandoned by Joe. Joe, of course, and all his staff, went on vacation, to Delaware, to the Far East, to the Hamptons.

You'd think someone who lost his kid, as he dubiously claims, to the "burn pits" in Iraq, would take more care, not less, with other people's kids, but not so with Joe.

Somehow, nobody made a mistake, nobody's getting fired, and accidents, see, happen.

Going through the bios of every one of those young service members (surely we owe it to them) though, is heartbreaking. The photos of the now-deceased are haunting, redolent of the often-slain drummer boy portraits of the Civil War. It's pretty obvious the Marines, the Army and the Navy had been sending their best for this critical operation, top people. "Model Marine," "Marine's Marine." "Died doing what he loved." "..respected by all who knew him," "I love my job." are the social media fragments and statements left in the wake of Biden's preventable disaster.

Look at these beautiful young women here. Look at this precious young man. I wrote about the people of his (and Nikoui's) Riverside County, California community a few months back here. And in 2014 here. That's them. And all of them were clearly exemplary.

According to the New York Times:

The service members killed in the attack, in addition to Sergeant Gee and Sergeant Rosario, include Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City; Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif.; Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha; Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind.; Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.; Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo.; Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif. The dead also include the Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn.

It's a vivid snapshot of America, and not completely what might be expected. The servicemembers are all painfully young. They are white and Hispanic. They are from conservative areas -- Utah, Wyoming, Omaha, Indiana, Riverside, Calif., and Rio Bravo, Texas. They come from a balanced geographical cross-section of the U.S. excepting big cities, and there are a couple of unexpected anomalies -- only one servicemember from the South, four from inland California. (The booming economy of the South and the appalling economy of California might explain that.)

Biden apparently has never called them, and there have been errant Internet reports that nobody from the White House has turned up for their caskets' arrival at the airport (these rumors fly because they represent what people suspect). Right now, Biden seems to be hiding. He reportedly does not want press as he meets with families and we all know the reason for that. To paraphrase the parents, he's turned his back on America. Cowards do that.

More disturbing, it's now coming out that Biden's claimed understanding of what happened is increasingly preposterous. Turns out the Taliban "chief of security" has ties to ISIS-K, even though Joe Biden had claimed that the whole thing was a security breach not meant to happen because Taliban and ISIS-K were "mortal enemies," and the Taliban had "self-interest" in a smooth pullout. Such garbage.

While Biden shows nothing but indifference and emotes only about Beau, the deaths of these young heroes, abandoned to Joe's political idiocy and cupidity, are clearly moving the American people. We are seeing spontaneous demonstrations like this for the service members and many outpourings of sorrow.

~200 gathered at the US Marine Corps War Memorial for a candlelight vigil this evening.



Crowd is singing the Marines hymn. pic.twitter.com/qgE6siKXZu  Kara Zupkus (@kara_kirsten) August 29, 2021

While @JoeBiden hides in the White House & licks his self-inflicted wounds, Patriots in Wentzville, MO line the street to show their respect for fallen Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, killed outside Kabul Airport#BidenIsADisgracepic.twitter.com/ZOHDHxKQ7Y  DrConservaMom (@ConservaMomUSA) August 28, 2021

In addition, Afghani exiles are gathering and speaking out.

It's a sign to Joe that this story won't vanish as he's calculating, with the photo ops and the news cycle.

Our troops deserve better than this, and certainly better than cynical fraudy Joe. Biden sacrifices nothing. Our troops have given all.

Image: Nicole Gee, via Instagram / U.S. Department of Defense, government work

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We are passing along a message received by Clarice Feldman from Mary Beth Long, who is on the ground in Afghanistan. She wrote about the situation there 6 days ago in American Greatness. Following the message is some background information about Ms. Long provided by Clarice. The unedited message is as follows:

For those of you interested in the REAL status on the ground:

- we are still working several USCITS who have been waiting DAYS and STILL cannot get in the gates;

- AMCITS required to fill out a local form with a face foto and passport open (we got a family turned away several hours ago because the fathers nickname on the on-site paper did not match his blue passport name, although foto clearly does). They had to start over;

- we are told not to bother with green card holders (not going to open the gates for them) or SIVS;

- about 22 beaten Christians  I am not clear whether they are the same Christians kicked OUT of the airport yesterday  are still trying to get in (Cheney and Graham working, but Taliban blocking);

- Childrens music school torched and them chased for the last day. They too in a bus trying to get in;

- MOI biometrics unit (yes, we dont want the bad guys to get that info) and a USAID convoy also still waiting trying to get in;

- Ukraine offer of plane to get folk out refused;

- we are told CIA also not permitted to fly planes in at this time for evac.

The situation is dire and a confused mess.

Civilian groups seem to be the only ones working. Last night we got over 300 SOF, nearly 100 girls, probably 100 DIA sources and several Americans in by working unofficial rat lines.

Horrific. Someone needs to be held accountable.
The U.S. government appears to have a closer relationship with the Taliban than with its Afghan and NATO allies. The military withdrew from Bagram Airfield in the dead of night without notifying the bases new Afghan commander who discovered the Americans departure more than two hours after they left.

The allies were not consulted when the US withdrew from forward military bases or withdrew from Bagram Airfield. Apparently, NATO allies were not informed about the closure of the U.S. embassy. This was only revealed when "German diplomats on their way to work noticed the US had withdrawn the forces to their own embassy." The Asia Times reported that "Lack of US consultation with NATO on its Afghanistan withdrawal plans left its allies in the dark and highly vulnerable." "U.K. officials told The Guardian that the worry is U.S. forces could leave and the British Army contingent is unable to secure the airport."

President Biden stated, I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world. Perhaps he has not seen questions about our credibility because he was on vacation or incapacitated. Armin Laschet, Angel Merkels replacement, described the Afghan withdrawal as the greatest debacle that NATO has seen since its foundation and called it an epochal change that we are facing. The UK Parliament voted to hold Biden in contempt for the Afghanistan pullout fiasco. Tony Blair declared, "America's retreat is imbecilic  and tells our enemies we don't have any interests or values worth defending.

With friends like these....

YouTube screengrab (cropped)

Friends and foes ask: is this a moment when the West is in epoch-changing retreat?" British MP Lord Forsyth of Drumlean stated, It is very hard to overestimate the scale of the catastrophe following the Biden Administrations disastrous implementation of the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan.  It was utterly disingenuous for President Biden to present the Afghans as unwilling to fight for their country, after having withdrawn vital US support services without an agreed ceasefire, precipitating the collapse of the Afghan state.

The Aug. 26, 2021 explosion at the Kabul airport is only the beginning. The explosives used in the attack were left behind by US forces as they withdrew from Afghanistan. As much as $83 billion worth of military equipment has been abandoned in Afghanistan. If the U.S. has to reenter Afghanistan, as former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says, the U.S. will face one of the best-equipped militaries in the world. Equipped by the United States. There are several high-security warehouses, so important that only military with Top Secret Security Clearances could enter them. Inside storage warehouses were things like shoulder-carry Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and a host of other special equipment.

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. Marys 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.

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Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller was fired for speaking the truth about the fact that the top brass in the Pentagon never pay for their bad decisions, even as the ordinary men and women get no quarter for their errors. As soon as hes free, Scheller intends to change that two-tiered system.

In fact, weve been watching unfold for some time in America a two-tiered justice system. In the civilian world, one tier, the higher one, is for leftists and the other, the lower one, is for conservatives.

It started in politics. Weve all noticed that Republicans who err got fired. Meanwhile, leftists who violated the law (e.g., Hillary) never got fired. The only exception was the #MeToo movement, which was obviously targeted at Trump but instead did nothing more than destroy a handful of prominent, but sleazy, leftists. Biden, despite a credible sexual assault charge and a compulsive need to paw and sniff little girls, was untouched.

In 2020 and 2021, that two-tiered approach to the law began to play out for ordinary people. Those BLM and Antifa activists who torched police stations, burned down buildings, destroyed public monuments, assaulted people, etc., walked. Meanwhile, a lot of older conservative folks who protested at the Capitol (as leftists regularly do, including entering the Senate and House floor) have been kept in solitary confinement under terrible circumstances for eight months (with craven Republican politicians too frightened to help them).

It turns out that the military also has this two-tiered justice problem. If youre not a high-ranking person in the Pentagon, the military is a harsh taskmaster. If you make a mistake, you get busted, whether you lose your rank, get the boot, or even get court-martialed. Meanwhile, the architects of the biggest military disaster in Americas history face no consequences. They havent resigned and Biden has made it clear that he doesnt intend to fire them.

One man, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller, a Marine with seventeen years in the service at his back, created a calm Facebook video explaining that its extremely bad for military discipline if the upper ranks dont face consequences just as surely as the lower ranks would:

Within one day, Scheller was relieved of duty and, as he made clear, will be leaving the Marines:

The militarys decision to jettison Scheller may have been a mistake because, now that hes free of the militarys constraints, hes on the warpathagainst the aging, incompetent baby boomers currently in charge:

The maverick Marine fired after he released a now-viral video slamming the US military for botching the exit from Kabul, issued a clear threat to his aging superiors Saturday. The baby boomers turn is over, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller told The Post. I demand accountability, at all levels. If we dont get it, Im bringing it. He also quoted Thomas Jefferson, saying every generation needs a revolution.

I foresee a grand post-military career for Scheller because hes absolutely right. We have a sclerotic upper echelon of military brass who have bought into Critical Race Theory and gender madness to such an extent that they really cant be bothered with winning wars and protecting their troops.

Nor do any of them have the courage or moral decency to do with what Scheller didput their career on the line to publicly break with a commander-in-chief who is no longer in his right mind and who ordered a retreat so bass-ackwards that only despair and death could follow. And of course, who left $83 billion worth of Americas best military equipment for the Taliban, Pakistan, and China. Biden should be tried for treason just for that.

Many years ago, when Iraq was still a hot war, I attended a naval event during which the speaker made a very interesting point. During WWII, the ship captains and other men responsible for winning the all-important Battle of Midway (which marked the inevitable beginning of the end for the Japanese Navy) were told what to do and then left alone to get it done. The difference in the 21st century, said the speaker, is that the military leaders in the field are expected to run every decision by the lawyers in Washington.

When you have that approach to warswoke generals and cautious lawyers without battle experienceall that will happen is that American men and women die for nothing. Scheller understands that and, as I said, the military has now lost control of him. Hes not gunning for the military; hes gunning for the people who drag it down, and we should all wish him great success.

Image: Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller. Facebook screen grab.

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Leftists constantly tell us that we must end the Second Amendments protections because doing so will end violent crime in America. What the useful idiots dont know and their leaders prefer that they never know, is that disarming a population is always a precursor to a tyrannical government turning on its own people. Sadly, its likely that Afghanistan will soon provide a real-time reminder of what happens to a disarmed populace.

The news out of Afghanistan is clear: The Taliban are demanding that all Kabul residents hand over any privately owned weapons and ammunition in their possession. (Hat tip: Twitchy.)

JUST IN - Taliban are calling on the population in #Kabul to hand over all privately owned weapons and ammunition within a week.  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 27, 2021

The Taliban has ordered Kabul residents to hand over weapons, ammunition and any state property they are in possession of to relevant Islamic Emirate authorities within the week  Murad Gazdiev (@MuradGazdiev) August 27, 2021

The Nazis first order of business when they took over Germany was to seize all Jewish-owned weapons, moving from there to seize all privately owned weapons.

China, which currently has imprisoned around a million Uighurs, has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the world. Mao fully understood that, as he said, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. By 1966, China had total, centralized gun control.

The already-forgotten genocide in Darfur, Sudan, when Arab Muslims first killed Christians and then African Muslims, was preceded by gun control laws:

In Sudan, it is virtually impossible for an average citizen to lawfully possess the means for self-defense. According to the national gun control statutes, a gun licensee must be over 30 years of age, must have a specified social and economic status and must be examined physically by a doctor. Women have even more difficulty meeting these requirements because of social and occupational limitations. There are additional restrictions on the amount of ammunition one may possess, making it nearly impossible for a law-abiding gun owner to achieve proficiency with firearms. A handgun owner, for example, can only purchase 15 rounds of ammunition a year. The penalties for violation of Sudans firearms laws are severe and can include capital punishment.

The Rwanda genocide was also made possible thanks to gun control. According to an article at Gun Owners of America,

Gun control promoted at least seven other major 20th Century genocides, including those in Rwanda, Cambodia, and the ex-Soviet Union. In just 103 days, 800,000 Rwandans were murdered in 1994, including several hundred thousand thanks to gun control (laws of 23 November 1964 and 1 May 1979). In these eight major genocides, a total of 57 million children, women, and men were murdered by officials of governments gone bad, thanks to gun control.

There is no killer in the world more deadly than a government that turns on its own, unarmed citizens.

And of course, its not always genocideor at least, it doesnt start that way. Australia has become a police state, with both the police and military hunting down anyone who violates the lockdown rules. (Apparently the police and military, in their useless little paper masks, are immune to COVID.) Australia has increasingly restricted gun ownership rights.

Currently, the Taliban are going door-to-door, looking for Christians and American allies to kill, and little girls to rape. In every one of the households they approach, people dont even have the consolation of taking a few of these savages with them. Instead, they die or are kidnapped alone and unarmed.

Joe Biden has unleashed a terrible evil on Afghanistan, and we can reasonably predict that this eviljihad unlimited helped along by leftists mad for gun controlwill spread.

Image: A disarmed citizenry. Public domain.

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The headlines are scary. Australia, locked down and people arrested for leaving home. Camps being set up for internment. In Chicago, a mother stripped of parental rights because she wont get the jab. Teen athletes, stricken with myocarditis and pericarditis. Eric Clapton, who took the shot and lost the use of his hands, writing a protest song. Restaurants and venues requiring vaccination certificates for entry. Articles showing that in Israel, the most vaccinated country in the world, the vaccinated are falling to COVID in droves, while the unvaccinated arent having the same problems.

What are we supposed to believe? Our own lying eyes, or our government and scientists performing under duress? How are we supposed to live when we know this is a nightmare and we cant get out?

Ive spent some time trying to make sense of the San Jose Mercury Newss incomprehensible report about a study from UCSF. The author of the study, Dr. Charles Chiu, is quoted extensively in it, so I dont know if the twisting of facts is his or the newspaper writers doing. I dont know if the study mentioned will pass peer review (it hasnt yet), but I know I am rolling my eyes trying to make sense of what it says and, while I dont have a medical education, I do read, extensively, about science and COVID.

The article starts out by talking about the troubling surge in breakthrough cases among the vaccinated. It opens using the phrase waning immunity and ferocious contagion. It talks about how the virus is learning to outsmart our immune system. But from what I can tell, what the virus is outsmarting, for the most part, is the vaccine and how it affects the immune system.

We know that those with natural immunity to COVID from having had the virus are the least likely to get one of the variants. Nobody knows for sure how long natural immunity will last. We do know now how long immunity from vaccination lasts, and its not a long time. Not that this article brings up any of this. What it says, instead, is that antibody-resistant mutations are playing an ever-larger role in our highly vaccinated regions pandemic.

Dr.Chiu found that 78% of infections in fully vaccinated people were caused by variants. He apparently makes no distinction (or the writer of this article didnt) between the unvaccinated who had COVID and those that didnt, but the article says only 48% of the cases [are] among unvaccinated people, who remained an easier target for earlier generations of the virus.

Despite the next statement  that a growing list of studies are unraveling why the vaccinated are still so susceptible to infectionthe article somehow jumps to the conclusion that everyone must get vaccinated to beat COVID. Oh, of course! Follow the orthodoxy, whether it makes sense or not!

Before it gets to that conclusion, the author discusses how the virus will mutate, ad infinitum, and Dr. Chiu is quoted saying that eventually, youre going to see the vaccine not work, or its efficacy will be reduced significantly.

His solution? Keep reformulating vaccines, to keep us safe.

The next set of statements in this twister of an article reassure us that people who have a breakthrough infection but dont get symptoms, carry low levels of the virus, the implication being that they wont infect others. Chiu says that the vaccinated people who have symptoms, can, however, spread COVID. Youre essentially as infectious as someone who was unvaccinated, he said.

Lets think about this: The virus mutates to beat the antibodies produced by the vaccine. People who acquired immunity due to having had COVID, are not as susceptible to the variants. Their immunity protects them, most likely (but this is not proven, for obvious reasons) long-term. More and more of the infections are caused by the mutant viruses that the vaccine doesnt protect against.

The articles conclusion is that we must vaccinate as many people as possible, and give them boosters, too, otherwise, if the virus continues to circulate and mutate, he said, this may become a never-ending round of whack-a-mole.

Why? Why not just let us get this treatable disease (those that are not at great risk of dying from it, so 98-99% or so of all people, especially those under 70), and develop natural immunity? Why not just do what Governor DeSantis is doing in Florida, which is to set up clinics to dispense monoclonal antibodies or allow people to get the ivermectin protocol treatment? Then, wed actually reach the elusive goal of herd immunity, as has Sweden, which didnt succumb to all this fear porn in the beginning. Instead, we are turning the country and much of the world, into a police state. Its time to say no!

Image: mRNA vaccine by spencerbdavis1. Pixabay license.

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When Joe Biden declared Kamala Harris his running mate in the 2020 election, it perplexed many among his allies and detractors.

Why on earth did Joe opt for a relatively youthful individual who makes him look even older than he is in contrast?

What caused Joe to choose somebody who lambasted him during the primaries and accused him of racism?

It has to be remembered that Kamala couldnt win a single state during the primaries and was compelled to drop out before the election commenced. She, therefore, brought no electoral benefits to Joe.

Joe had pledged to select a female running mate.

But among the myriad able, capable, and respectable female politicians in Washington and around the country, why Kamala?

Before there could be any more questions or speculations, the liberal media began the celebrations -- even where I am, in India.

She was a woman who had pigment in her skin. She was biracial, her mother is from India while her father is black and from Jamaica. Since diversity is the flavor of the moment, she satisfied all the criteria with flying colors.

There were fawning interviews, obsequious television profiles, and copious flattering magazine articles.

Conspiracy theorists claimed that the sinister puppet-masters pulling Joes strings were behind this, they knew Joe wouldnt last long owing to his rapidly declining cognitive abilities. At some point, Kamala Harris would replace Joe as president so that the far-left agenda can be implemented.

That would make her the first female president. There would be the reason for more flattering and slobbering by the media. Some even had already begun fawning.

The fact that Joe kept referring to his government as the Harris Biden administration and on some occasions called her President Harris further fuelled conspiracies

It, therefore, wasnt a matter of if but when Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden.

Now nobody expected Kamala Harris to be a great problem solver or an innovator. But those who witnessed her grill Bill Barr thought she would at least be a sharp and effective communicator.

One who could probably spin and answer questions with ease as Joe sounded befuddled. The fact that she had friendly media would make her job easier. She also had vast experience under her belt, she worked as District Attorney in San Francisco, she was Attorney General of California, and finally a U.S. Senator. She had to have something in her to have survived this long.

They were proved grievously wrong.

After they were 'elected', Biden has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge at the U.S. southern border and work with Central American nations to address root causes of the problem.

Kamala seemed reluctant to accept the role from the start, she took ages to even visit the border which caused her to take heat from both sides. In her infamous interview with a friendly interviewer Lester Holt, Harris struggled to answer a basic question of why she didnt visit the border. She finally traveled to the border only when President Trump made an announcement that he would be visiting the border. Her trip to Guatemala and Mexico was both uneventful and unsuccessful.

She was thus not only abominable at performing her duties assigned to her as vice president but also an appalling communicator. She appeared petulant and irascible when challenged. Perhaps ill-advised by her handlers to break into laughter to appear amiable whenever she faces tough questions, she ended up looking deranged and insensitive.

In a recent poll, Kamala Harris ended up becoming the most unpopular vice president since the 1970s. More Americans disapprove of her job performance, which is shown by her floundering poll numbers that indicate she is now "underwater,"

By contrast, back then, Joe Biden's approval rating in an average of polls is 51.3 percent, and disapproval is 44.9 percent. One of the most concerning elements for the White House is Harris's unpopularity among young people.

Those numbers must have further plummeted after the crisis in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is another crisis during which Harris appeared largely missing in action, despite claims that she too was involved in the decision to withdraw.

She continued with her trip to Asia which involved a stop in Vietnam, which many saw as awful timing considering the incidents in Vietnam are quite similar to those unfolding in Afghanistan.

Her lack of skill as a public speaker and as a foreign policy operative became apparent as she showed considerable hesitation for every syllable she uttered.

She struggled to answer questions about Afghanistan and her poorly timed giggles continued. In fact, her performance was so atrocious that she eventually refrained from taking questions. A BBC correspondent said that she made America appear like an incompetent, uncaring and unreliable ally.

It is now amply obvious why Bidens handlers chose Kamala.

They saw in her someone who was so inept and amateurish that she made the somnambulist Joe look like the brighter one.

Joe may be an utter fiasco, but he still isnt the completely calamitous catastrophe that Kamala Harris is.

Kamala Harris has made Joe unimpeachable.

It was a cynical but smart move by Joes handlers.

Sadly in all this chaos, the future of the United States of America is like that of a kite dancing in a hurricane. The crisis in Afghanistan is merely the beginning.

Image: MaxPixel / public domain

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Festival, Mittelfest in the name of peace and responsibility Slovenian President Pahor attended the opening ceremony

(ANSA) - UDINE, 29 AGO - Remembering the historic meeting of a year ago at the foiba of Basovizza, where he held hands with the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, the President of Slovenia Borut Pahor began his speech yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 30th edition of the Mittelfest in Cividale del Friuli (Udine), on the theme "Heirs," which until September 5 will present theater, dance and music performances from Mitteleurope. The governor of the Fvg Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, welcomed Pahor.



"When a year ago, President Mattarella and I held hands in front of the foiba of Basovizza - Pahor said - we felt we had the support of the peoples fighting for peace: we wanted to be the heirs of their successes and aspirations. So we chose the noblest inheritance - he added - the one that treasures the past for a better future for our children".



Governor Fedriga underlined that "the word heirs encompasses the meaning of responsibility for what we receive and also for what we hand down to future generations. Therefore, I thank President Pahor - he added - because the Slovenian people are a symbol of this responsibility." Pahor arrived in Cividale at the invitation of the President of the Mitteleuropa Association, Paolo Petiziol, with whom Mittelfest also collaborates to organize the FVG-Slovenia Forum scheduled for August 31.



The opening ceremony was attended by the mayor of Cividale del Friuli, Daniela Bernardi, the regional councilor for Culture, Tiziana Gibelli, the director of the Mittelfest Giacomo Pedini, the chairman of the Mittelfest association, Roberto Corciulo, and the Prefect of Udine Massimo Marchesiello, who officially gave the Festival the Medal of the President of the Republic.



Yesterday the festival presented a new 'episode' of "Remote Cividale," the touring show of Rimini Protokoll (Germany), the national premiere of "Mnemosyne" by the choreographer and visual artist of Hungarian origin Josef Nadj (both will be repeated tomorrow), and the premiere of the play by Lino Guanciale, "Europeana." Today's program includes the national premiere of "Once Upon a Song in Balkans," a performance in which Tijana Vignjevic (voice) and Belma Alic (cello) combine musical styles and languages of traditional Balkan music with classical and contemporary sounds. Furthermore, the Moldovan violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the Turkish pianist Fazil Say will perform in a concert dedicated to Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, and Leos Janacek, focusing on "Felix Austria" and the wounds inflicted on Europe by WW1. (ANSA).





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Albania: PM Rama, our dream is the EU, whatever it will take Europe is a religion for us, told ANSA in an interview

(by Stefano Giantin) (ANSA) - BELGRADE, AUG 29 - "I am nor optimistic and either pessimistic, I am just realistic, which means I know, we all know that it is not about us but it is about them, the EU I mean. We have done everything to deserve the formal start of negotiations since more then two years now. But they have not delivered yet because of their own problems and lately because Bulgaria is blocking North Macedonia," Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told ANSA in an interview. "So, bizarrely enough, Albania also has to wait Bulgaria to lift the veto on North Macedonia. Nevertheless, I think this struggle help us realize that we must push and push forward as much as we can, without illuding ourselves while never giving up on pursuing the dream of many generations to be integrated part of Europe, whatever it will take," Rama noted.



Albania and North Macedonia pursued painful reforms in the past years to progress in the EU path. They both met all criteria set by Brussels, but their accession path is still frozen. "Our two countries - Rama said - have become like the two guys of Waiting for Godot and the EU looks very much like Samuel Beckett himself. Italy has been our loyal and vocal advocate all the way. Renzi before, Gentiloni after him, Conte and especially Di Maio later on could not be more engaged to make the point that Albania deserves to start the accession talks. But the EU is far from being able to be strategic and very often polls of next elections in one country or another are much more important than goals about the future of Europe's next generation," Rama stressed However, there is no alternative to the EU integration, Rama noted, assuring that the so-called 'Open Balkans' initiative, pushed forward by Belgrade, Tirana and Skopje in july is no substitute to the EU path. "There is not and it cannot be a substitute alternative of the EU integration," Rama told ANSA.



"On the contrary, Open Balkan is a new tool to move faster towards the EU integration, by implementing in our region the four freedoms of the European Union; free movement of people, goods, services and capitals. It is a project of enduring peace and cooperation. Alone we are all small markets together we can be a fairly attractive common single market," Rama said.



With the EU integration process stalled, China, Russia, Turkey and certain Arab countries expanded nonetheless their influence in the Balkans. Do you see this more as a risk or as an opportunity? "This is more a myth then a reality for Albania and the Albanians," Rama replied. "There is no possible influence that can alterate our European belonging. Europe is a religion for us and beyond all constrains and disappointements we want to be fully part of it as a choice of our vocation." Albania that was also one of the first countries in Europe to welcome Afghans fleeing the Taliban. "It is about who we are and who we want our children to be," Rama said. "History and life taught us that there is a time to give and there is a time to get. Albania was the only country of Europe where there were more Jews after the Second World War then before it. Albania hosted half a million war refugees fleeing Kosovo ethnic cleansing. Albanians were the afgans of 30 years ago facing the coasts of Italy. We were sheltered and helped then and today thanks to Italy and others who did it for us our lives have changed forever. I know it is not an easy issue to deal with and there is not an easy answer, but let me say this. Until a few days ago we all there as NATO were their guardian angels. It cannot be that we now become for them shadows, fading away together with the ideals, the values, the principles and the very promise of freedom and democracy. It cannot just be that we, the strongest military alliance on earth, becomes a powerless, hopeless, meaningless creature not only in the eyes of the Afghan people but in the eyes of the world, of the millions of human beings that crave freedom, fight for justice, dream of democratic societies at home. It cannot be, it just cannot be that all of us here, our community of countries, cannot give hope, shelter, a new life to all of those there, the community of the people who trusted us, worked for us and fought for the promise of the future we represented." (ANSA).





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An Army major is to march 1,200 miles barefoot across the US as part of a 2.5 million campaign to fund a ground-breaking gene therapy treatment for his nine-year-old daughter.

Chris Brannigan, from West Byfleet, Surrey, is taking on the challenge to help pay for clinical trials of a potential treatment for the developmental disorder Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) which his daughter, Hasti, has been diagnosed with.

Major Brannigan has already walked 700 miles barefoot across the UK and raised 500,000 but will continue his campaign in the US, where the treatment is being developed.

He will set off on Tuesday from Maine and head to North Carolina, visiting the laboratory developing the treatment and other sites linked to supporting children with CdLS.

Hastis condition has left her with several learning challenges (Chris Brannigan/PA)

He anticipates it will take 53 consecutive days to walk the 1,200 miles, travelling up to 35 miles a day while carrying a 25kg kit bag, including his one-man tent.

The 41-year-old said the fundraising challenge was essential for the creation of the new treatment.

He told the PA news agency: It exists, it is on a shelf in a laboratory in Maine and we are currently about to start on efficacy trials, and all the staff are really optimistic about the kind of effect it will have.

We are hoping we will be able to move straight into clinical trials early next year but that is dependant on us having the funds necessary, and hence I am undertaking this fundraising challenge.

Describing the effect of CdLS on Hasti, he added: It is multi-systemic so it affects Hasti in many different ways, it causes seizures, cognitive disability, learning disability, it has reduced Hastis growth velocity which means she is required to take daily growth hormone supplements.

It affects her speech and language, she didnt begin speaking until she was five so her ability to communicate is down. It means lots of things that other children find easy are quite difficult for Hasti, its quite isolating.

He said that Hasti had been supporting his preparations for the trek and added: She has been helping me to get ready and pack my bags, and over the last three weeks we have been going for walks together, which has been really good to spend time together but I hope she will miss me as I will be away for a couple of months.

Maj Brannigan said that his previous barefoot trek in the UK had been really painful and led to multiple blisters and infections.

Major Chris Brannigan suffered blisters and infections during his previous barefoot trek (Chris Brannigan/PA)

Maj Brannigan and his wife, Hengameh, have set up a GoFundMe page for sponsorship as part of their charity CdLS Hope For Hasti.

He said that the military community including at Upavon in Wiltshire, where he is based, had been extremely supportive and helped raise much of the money so far.

For details visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hopeforhasti
The families of Afghan interpreters who have fled the Taliban to the UK will be offered free English courses as part of a comprehensive package to help them settle in their new home.

More than 8,000 Afghans and their families have been evacuated from Kabul airport since August 13 under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme.

And a new programme dubbed Operation Warm Welcome, overseen by Victoria Atkins who will become Afghan resettlement minister, aims to deliver all the refugees need to help them integrate into British society.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: For those who have left their homes with no more than a small bag of belongings, and in fear for their lives, coming to the UK will no doubt have been a daunting experience, but also one of hope for the future.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visiting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Crisis Centre (Jeff Gilbert/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire)

I am determined that we welcome them with open arms and that my Government puts in place the support they need to rebuild their lives. We will never forget the brave sacrifice made by Afghans who chose to work with us, at great risk to themselves. We owe them, and their families, a huge debt.

Operation Warm Welcome will be modelled on a similar scheme put in place for Syrian refugees and will include ensuring access to health and education services, as well as support into work and accommodation.

A central hub will also be created where organisations and individuals can register to give their support, after an outpouring of offers to support those coming to the UK.

This could be volunteering, jobs, professional skills, trauma support, or donations.

And free English lessons will also be provided as although many of those Afghans coming to the UK may have good English skills through working as interpreters, their families may not.

Home Secretary Priti Patel talking to Malalai Hussiny, a refugee from Afghanistan who arrived on a evacuation flight (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

It comes after all UK troops and diplomatic personnel were pulled out of Kabul on Saturday, marking the end of the evacuation effort.

Ms Atkins, who alongside her new role remains as minister for safeguarding, said: It is a source of great national pride that the UK steps up to support those in need. We owe so much to the people of Afghanistan who worked side by side with us.

I look forward to helping them, their families and other vulnerable people whom we resettle over the coming years to recover from their trauma and build a new life here.

Home Secretary Priti Patel added: This week we have all seen the relief on the faces of those who have made it from Afghanistan to safety here in the UK.

Our message to those who have already arrived, welcome  we are glad you are here and you will be treasured members of our communities.
Western nations behaved shamefully by deporting people to Afghanistan before leaving the nation to the Taliban, an advocate for Afghan refugees has said.

Abdul Ghafoor, the director of the Afghanistan Migrants Advice and Support Organisation (Amaso), said some nations were trying to deport Afghans back to the nation even until the day Kabul fell.

I have been advocating against the deportation to Afghanistan for the past six years my fear was what we are witnessing today, the 35-year-old told the PA news agency.

Its shameful to see that some of the countries were insisting (on deportations) until the last day  until Kabul had collapsed.

Abdul Ghafoor has worked for year helping displaced Afghans in his country, including those deported by the UK (Abdul Ghafoor)

Mr Ghafoor only named Belgium and Austria among countries that were insisting on deportations until the Taliban had taken Kabul, but added the UK has been very tough on Afghan refugees.

Home Office statistics released this week show a total of 6,033 Afghan nationals had enforced returns from the UK since 2010  but only 10 have happened in the most recent 12 months.

The highest number in any 12-month period was 1,392 in year to June 2011, while the lowest was the 10 returns in year to March 2021.

The UK has been very tough towards refugees, especially Afghan refugees, Mr Ghafoor said.

Those who were deported and those I had a chance to meet among them were people who actually had been granted asylum until they were 18.

As soon as they were 18, everything was ripped again from them  everything was taken and they were in limbo.

Abdul Ghafoor fled Afghanistan in the week after Kabul fell (Abdul Ghafoor)

My Ghafoor said those deported to Afghanistan are at a higher risk of being targetted by the Taliban.

Afghan returnees, among them you have Christian converts, atheists who have changed their religion, he said.

To the Taliban they are infidels.

Mr Ghafoor said most European countries including the UK are not offering enough legal routes for refugees to travel to their countries.

If you want to stop illegal migration lets do it  but whats your alternative? What legal or safer ways do you have for refugees? he added.

Separate Home Office figures show 3,476 Afghan nationals have been refused entry at UK ports since 2010  but just 167 in the year to March 2021.

The UK government has promised it would take up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, with as many as 5,000 in the first year, following the Taliban takeover.

The Home Office has promised 5,000 refugees will be accepted from Afghanistan in the next year (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

I dont think (5,000) is enough there are millions of people suffering, Mr Ghafoor said.

I dont sleep at night, just worried by my fellow Afghans back in Afghanistan.

Mr Ghafoor was working in his office in Kabul when the capital fell on August 15.

He quickly had to burn documents to protect thousands of Taliban targets, including his staff and the displaced he helps.

He then went into hiding for fear his work made him a target for the Taliban, before fleeing on an evacuation flight to Germany with his family several days later.

They were the most horrible experiences of my life, Mr Ghafoor said.
The Supreme Courts decision last week to strike down the pandemic-era eviction moratorium may arrive too late for many struggling independent landlords, even as it appears to heighten the risk of eviction for tenants behind on their rent.

Thursdays decision by the U.S. high court found that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lacks authority under federal law to impose an eviction ban, which was set to expire on October 3. The court stressed that Congress, rather than the CDC, must specifically authorize an eviction policy.

"The federal eviction moratorium was a lifeline for millions of families, the last remaining federal protection keeping them safely and stably housed throughout the pandemic," Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement to Yahoo.

"The tragic, consequential, and entirely avoidable outcome of this ruling will be millions of people losing their homes this fall and winter, just as the Delta variant ravages communities and lives," Yentel added.

At least half a dozen states, including New Jersey, California, New York and Washington, have policies in place to protect renters to help keep families in their homes.

You just can't flip a switch and evict people, said Paul Getty, CEO of First Guardian Group, a real estate investment and broker firm. The eviction process could take up months because of the backlog and the court systems, he explained.

You still need a legitimate case to do that. It's very problematic, Getty told Yahoo Finance.

However, the ruling doesnt mean renters in states without protections will be immediately removed from their homes  an outcome that appears all but certain to prolong the pain for mom and pop landlords struggling with mounting costs, some of whom havent been paid by tenants in over a year.

While eviction filings are expected to ramp up, it is unclear how quickly already backlogged courts can process new filings, or how effective the remaining patchwork of state and local protections will be in keeping renters in place until they secure rent relief.

Is the government going to now pay me $70,000 that they stole from me? I doubt it.James Bathgate, a landlord in California

Although ample federal relief is available, the Treasury Department said recently that barely 10% of the $47 billion allocated for tenant relief has actually been distributed, with states and localities struggling to dole out the money amid insufficient infrastructure and overwhelming demand.

Meanwhile, many struggling renters were hoping to receive emergency rental assistance from the government to pay back their rent and remain in their homes. However, applying for assistance has been challenging for tenants and landlords alike.

Organizations like the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have set up tools to help renters apply for assistance.

A recent survey of renters by the U.S. Census Bureau found an estimated 11.4 million were behind on rent as of early July. The pause on evictions provided a critical backstop in ensuring renters could stay in their homes until relief money was received.

To that end, the White House announced new steps to help renters and landlords hit by the pandemic. That includes help from the Treasury Department to reduce documentation requirements for hundreds of thousands of emergency rental assistance applicants.

The department has also warned state and local governments they could lose funding to jurisdictions doing a better job of providing relief payments to at-risk renters and landlords.

A landlords lament: It doesnt help us

A "For Rent" sign is displayed in front of an apartment building in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., June 20, 2021. REUTERS/Will Dunham

Some landlords, however, slammed the lifting of the ban, describing it as too late. Many independent property owners have been swamped by rising costs associated with taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep, even as tenants have gotten government lifelines.

We're already been forced to sell our house so it doesn't help us, James Bathgate, a landlord in California, told Yahoo Finance in an interview.

I do feel sorry for the thousands of other mom and pop landlords, many of whom are retired and living on fixed incomes, just like us and rely on rental income for their retirement, Bathgate said. If they've been able to hold out, hopefully they can now survive.

Bathgate owned a rental home in a rural town in San Mateo County, in Northern California, where he says he is owed more than $50,000 in unpaid rent dating back to March of 2020. Yet according to Bathgate, a tenant refused his pleas to pay and demanded a jury trial because she knew at the time the county wasnt holding trials.

After months of trying to strike a deal with his renter, whom he says was employed during the pandemic, Bathgate made the decision to put his house up for sale, which he has owned since 1983.

We had to sell the property because I couldn't afford it every month, not getting any income from rent and being forced to take $3,000 a month expenses on the property, he explained.

Even once the jury trials started up again in July, Bathgate doesnt expect to recover the money he has lost. Is the government going to now pay me $70,000 that they stole from me? I doubt it, Bathgate said.

Although the court ruled in favor of Bathgate, his tenant has yet to make good on the debt. His case is fairly typical of the estimated 40% of small and medium-sized U.S. landlords that count on rental properties to fund income or retirement.

These same property owners, many who continue to work with renters to help them get rent relief, have been frustrated they cannot remove tenants who are unwilling to apply for rental assistance.

For those reasons, a few landlords are actually paying their tenants to leave. Some say they have no wish to keep renting to tenants who have repeatedly shown them that they cannot or will not pay.

[If] I'm going to evict somebody, but they're not going to be evicted until January next year. And it's gonna cost me 3,000 bucks to do that, First Guardians Getty said.

Would I not be better off just offering three or $4,000 to that tenant and directly bypass the attorney, the eviction process and get them the heck out, he added.

Dani Romero is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter: @daniromerotv

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Climate experts have observed that Mumbai, of late, has witnessed some extreme weather conditions

Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has issued a grave warning to the country's business capital, saying several major areas in South Mumbai, including 80 per cent of Nariman Point and Mantralaya, will go under water in the next 30 years.

"Earlier, we used to hear about climate change events like melting glaciers, but not directly affecting us. But now it has come to our doorstep. The climate change threats have to be taken seriously to undertake preventive measures," he said while speaking at the launch of Mumbai Climate Action Plan website.

According to Mr Chahal, state secretariat Mantralaya and business hubs like Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade will be submerged under water by 2050 due to climate change. Majority of areas in the city's A, B, C and D wards, all located in island city, will be submerged due to rise in sea levels.

There are enough warnings that nature is giving, but if people do not wake up, the situation will take such a dangerous turn that 80 per cent of areas like Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point and Mantralaya will just disappear, he said.

Climate experts have observed that Mumbai, of late, has witnessed some extreme weather conditions, the latest being the Tauktae cyclone, when 214 mm rain was recorded on May 17, though monsoon arrives in early June. In 2020, cyclone Nisarga hit Mumbai for the first time in 129 years and in the last 15 months there have been three cyclones.

Before June 9, Mumbai recorded 84 per cent of the June rainfall and in July 70 per cent of months average rainfall was received in just four days  from July 17 to 20.

On August 5, 2020, about 5 to 5.5 feet water was accumulated at Nariman Point. There was no cyclone warning that day, but considering the parameters, it was a cyclone, Mr Chahal said.

The four-year period between 2017 and 2020 has seen a steady increase in extremely heavy rainfall events. This indicates that the frequency of such extreme weather events is increasing for the city of Mumbai, especially over the past four years, said Lubaina Rangwala, associate director, WRI India Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.
EV

In the video (embedded to this article), they talk about Alpha Motor Corporations plans as we, which implies they are part of the company. Green Car Reports talked to Alpha Motor Corporation and they were told the baristas are part of what the company calls its Move Humanity initiative. The two mention "move humanity" in the video and also that Alpha Motor Corporation is raising money with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to research and try to beat Parkinsons disease. However, a LinkedIn post from Lijewski makes that look like one more job from the company he founded with Boyt: Advanced Placement LLC.The unusual move makes us wonder what the people behind Alpha Motor Corporation wanted to achieve by having two marketing professionals who love coffee represent their company. So far, the startup has not presented a single executive nor how or where it intends to produce six electric vehicles. With a deadline to get that going by 2023, Alpha Motor Corporation only has two years to go and no working prototype as far as we know.When I worked for InsideEVs, I also tried to discover more about Alpha Motor Corporation. It was revealing multiple beautifully designed electric vehicles and was accepting pre-orders for them despite having presented only CGI. I tried to confirm if they were taking money deposits for these reservations and who the people behind it were, but all I found out just left me more intrigued.The company was founded in Delaware but is established in Irvine, California. Its headquarters are in a rented office from Discovery Park Irvine Spectrum, located at 530 Technology Dr. Suite 100, Irvine, California. Inspecting Alpha trademarks, the only name that is associated with them is that of Edward Y. Lee, with a mailing address in Tustin.Then I found an attorney in California with the same name, but he denied he was the same Edward Y. Lee from the trademarks. His law firm uses the internet address EYLLAw.com. In another apparent coincidence, the Edward Lee that established AlphaLLC with the Tustin mailing address also opened a company called EYLArt.Green Car Reports checked the incorporation documents for Alpha Motor Corporation and found that an Edward Lee (not Edward Y. Lee) was listed as an executive along with a new name: Michelle Quan. They further discovered that those people and the headquarters address connect Alpha Motor Corporation to another enterprise: Neuron Corporation, a company that also said that it would make electric vehicles.Neuron Corporation was created in California on September 10, 2018, by Edward Lee and Jonathan Leu. On August 12, 2019, an SI-550 (Statement of Information) form was filed to say Edward Lee would be its CEO and director and Michelle Quan its secretary and CFO. Neuron Corporations official address was changed to 530 Technology Dr. Suite 100, Irvine, California: the same one Alpha Motor Corporation currently has.On April 28, 2020, an electronic SI-550 filing informed that the new CEO and secretary for Neuron Corporation would be Gang Zheng. This venture capital investor founded Neuron New Energy Vehicle in China. It seems that the American company is a subsidiary of the Chinese enterprise, but we did not manage to confirm that.On June 3, 2020, Edward Lee dissolved Neuron Corporation. A little before that, on May 7, 2020, a person called Fang Chen incorporated Neuron EV . On August 5, 2020, an SI-550 form informed that Gang Zheng would be Neuron EVs director, Edmund Chen would be its CEO, secretary, and CFO, and Fang Chen would remain as its agent for service of process. Its address is also in Tustin, but it is different from that presented on the Alpha Motor trademarks. Also, on August 2020, Alpha Motor Corporation was registered in Delaware.To Green Car Reports , Alpha said it was not related to Neuron and is not funded by Gang Zheng. The Wolf electric pickup truck would not be based on any previous vehicle. If all the startup has to show is a mockup, we should add that it is based only on the CGI Alpha presented. Alpha Motor Corporation finally told Green Car Reports that, since it did not take money from any of its reservation holders, it has no obligation to disclose its plans.Although that is a valid argument, why then is Alpha Motor Corporation so focused on revealing its six vehicles (so far) if it wants to keep things close to the chest? Why did it hire two baristas to present its first mockup? Why is it trying to associate with the Petersen Automotive Museum and Michael J. Fox Foundation to promote its EVs?Most of all, what is the purpose of presenting products before any of them is anywhere close to being ready for delivery? That normally is a strategy for raising funds to develop these vehicles or to convince an automotive partner to join these efforts. It may also be something else entirely, but Alpha Motor Corporation already said it owes no one any explanation.Despite that, it is fantastic to see that Green Car Reports also wants answers from Alpha Motor Corporation, adding pieces to this puzzle. If Alpha were talking only to potential investors as a private company in private talks, that would indeed not be any of our business. When it starts publicly presenting vehicles regular customers may dream about buying, it is our obligation to check how instead of just increasing the hype around CGI and tech specs that cannot be verified.
Space exploration has been until recently something of a spectacle, a show put on by the great powers of the world to show the others how capable they are. Over the past decade, that however has changed, and humanity is now actively pursuing an expansion into the solar system as a means to ensure both our survival and our evolution.This decade, Earth will be sending its finest representatives to the Moon, a return to the planets natural satellite meant not just as a visit, but as colonization. Space stations and surface bases are planned for the mid-term future, meant to transform the rock into a staging area for even greater leaps.Leaps that will probably be impossible to make without something called in-situ resource utilization, or ISRU. That essentially means finding ways of using materials available at the destination for the next steps of space exploration, rather than having them all sent up from Earth.As far as we know, all of the places of interest in our solar system have most of the materials we need right there. The trick is coming up with the technology that would allow us to harness them all.Back in June, the European Space Agency ( ESA ) tasked four companies with designing a compact plant to demonstrate the manufacture of oxygen on the Moon. The four  Airbus, OHB, Space Applications, and Thales  have been hard at work over the past few months trying to come up with a solution.But wait, is there oxygen on Mars?Of course, loads of it. By analyzing the samples brought back from the Moon by previous missions, we now know the lunar regolith is made up of 40 to 45 percent oxygen by weight, its single most abundant element according to ESA.The problem is the element is not free, and not even easily obtainable. Bound up as oxides in the form of minerals or glass, it would require some fancy piece of equipment to set it free.And this is where the four companies come in. ESA asked them all to create a demonstrator  a hardware that could be scaled into a fully blown oxygen manufacturing facility on the Moon.As per the specs required, the hardware should be small as to be fitted on a number of lunar landers (with the soon-to-be European Large Logistic Lander, or EL3, envisioned as a means of transport to the Moon), it should not require a lot of power to work, and be ready by the middle of the decade.The systems included in the hardware should allow it to extract 50-100 grams of oxygen over a period of ten Earth days. Separately, it should also have the means to measure oxygen and metals production, and prove that more than 70 percent of the oxygen in a lunar rock can extracted.If it works, the system should open the door for oxygen production on the Moon, significantly reducing the cost and size of subsequent missions to be launched to the satellite. It could be used for anything from allowing astronauts there to breathe, to acting as propellant for spacecraft.ESA says it will select a winner for the competition next month. Once that is out of the way, the respective company will be tasked with making a detailed design that would eventually mature into an actual payload to be sent to the Moon.The mission, probably using the EL3, is expected to be approved by the ESA higher-ups over the course of next year. And it should make one thing clear: not all astronauts will go up there to be explorers - some will have to be miners.
The distance between the T-38 and an F-35 is night and day, said General David L. Goldfein, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff. F-35 and F-22 are USAFs fifth-generation fighter jets, and T-38 is the jet trainer thats currently in use, with a decades-long career.Although the T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer underwent a complex modernization process in the 2000s, it was only meant to extend its service life until 2020. The truth is that the T-38 fleet is aging, and the fatal 2019 crash confirmed it.Just a year prior to that, in September 2018, the T-X advanced pilot training system designed by Boeing and Saab had been selected by USAF, in order to replace the almost 60-year-old T-38 fleet.Todays most technologically advanced military aircraft require an equally capable jet trainer, and this is what USAFs T-X program was designed for. The $9.2 billion contract that had been awarded to Boeing included 351 T-7A aircraft, 46 simulators, plus the associated ground equipment.The future trainer was named Red Hawk, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, also known as the Red Tails, the first unit of African-American pilots and personnel who fought in World War II. Their P-51 Mustang aircraft had distinctive red tails, which gave them the famous name that would now be associated with the newest jet trainer.The T-7A is a game-changer, from the innovative way its been developed, to its impressive capabilities. It was designed by Boeing using 3D model-based processes that allowed it to go from concept to first flight in just 36 months, for the USAF competition. By the beginning of 2021, two T-7A aircraft were already in flight tests, ready to move to the second testing phase later this year.According to the manufacturer, the norm-breaking development process of the T-7A resulted in an 80% reduction in assembly hours, a 50% reduction in software development and verification time, and a 75% increase in engineering quality. The digital design and manufacturing techniques also meant that the future jet trainer would be able to integrate additional capabilities faster and easier.Another innovative aspect of the Red Hawk is its easy-to-maintain design. As both Boeing and Air Force officials stated, one of its key assets is the fact that it was developed with maintainers in mind. What this means is that it was built with features such as a side-opening canopy, for fast ejection seat changes, upright access to doors (high wings), plus drop down panels and doors, for rapid and easy access.Also, the use of interchangeable parts (rudders and actuators) makes things easier when it comes to supply chains. As far the engine goes, Boeing claims that four people can change it before lunch. All in all, these features make the future jet trainer easier to maintain, with fewer costs, while also lowering life cycle costs over time.Red Hawk is also as performant as it is easy to maintain. As Air Force officials stated in the aircrafts announcement, the new T-7As single engine can generate almost three times more thrust than the dual engines of the T-38C. Its also capable of flying in a way thats closer to real world conditions, thanks to the twin tails and big leading-edge root extensions that enable precise maneuvering at low speeds.Since its main purpose is to prepare pilots for fifth generation fighters, this jet trainer integrates capabilities that the T-38C was missing, such as high angle of attack flight characteristics, night operations, plus information and sensor management. With the help of this next-gen trainer, pilots will be better equipped to handle data links, radar information and smart weapons.The T-7As innovative digital DNA even helped accelerate testing and uncover issues that wouldve normally taken years to detect. Most recently, one of the two jets that were already built, successfully passed a high angle-of-attack maneuverability test, after an anomaly called wing rock had been previously detected and then fixed.Even though the recent health crisis has delayed the production of the T-7A, Boeing and USAF representatives are confident that the first jet trainers will arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, in Texas, by 2023, which will mark the beginning of a new era in military pilot training. Its no wonder that the T-7A Red Hawk was included in Popular Sciences top 100 most pivotal, influential and just plain awesome innovations of the year, in 2019.
According to research cited by HyPoint, a company thats developing hydrogen fuel cell systems for aeronautics, the global hydrogen aircraft market is estimated to grow rapidly within the next decades, getting from $27 billion in 2030 to $174 billion by 2040. On the other hand, studies also show that the eVTOL market is growing just as fast, so it makes sense to predict that developing hydrogen fuel cells for eVTOLs is becoming increasingly important.HyPoint has just taken an important step in this direction, by partnering with Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, a rotorcraft and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) platforms manufacturer, for the development of a certified hydrogen fuel cell system for eVTOLs. The $6.5 million agreement is focused on Piaseckis PA-890 compound helicopter, which is set to become the worlds first hydrogen-powered manned helicopter HyPoint claims that its hydrogen system is revolutionary in terms of performance, providing four times more energy density than lithium-ion batteries on the market, and twice as much power as the current hydrogen systems that are available, while also cutting in half direct operating costs for turbine-powered rotorcraft.This innovative fuel cell system was proven to deliver up to 2,000 watts per kilogram of specific power (three times more than liquid-cooled hydrogen), and an energy density of up to 1,500 watt-hours per kilogram, for a major increase in range.Under this recent agreement with Piasecki, HyPoint will develop five 650kW hydrogen fuel cell systems for the PA-890 eVTOL. HyPoint will continue to own its hydrogen fuel cell technology, with Piasecki gaining exclusive license to it. However, the bigger goal is to eventually make this technology available to the entire eVTOL market, as a customizable solution.The innovative approach of these two players in the aviation industry has already been recognized, which shows that they could be indeed headed towards a breakthrough. HyPoint won NASAs iTech Initiative for its aviation applications, while Piasecki is working with the U.S. Air Force, through the AFWERX STTR/SBIR program thats helping small companies commercialize groundbreaking technologies.The two companies plan to develop the full-scale system within the next two years, and begin order deliveries by 2025.
One of the few upsides to the ongoing health crisis is the unprecedented boom in interest towards two-wheelers, especially electric bicycles , in the urban landscape. Suddenly faced with the reality of having to share the same small space with strangers, commuters have turned to e-bikes as a life-saver under the strict conditions of social distancing. Environmental concerns had already boosted interest in e-bikes, but it was the health crisis that brought demand to unprecedented levels.Summer is winding down in most territories and that means were heading towards the windy, rainy fall season. For bikers, this also means counting down the days until the steed goes into storage, only to be taken out every once in a while when weather permits. RainRider, a company based in Germany and catering to that very specific segment of the market , says it doesnt have to be so.RainRider sells a variety of rain- and cold-weather related accessories for cyclists, from ponchos to pants, saddle and bike covers. Its latest and best (so they say) product is the SoftTop , which they describe as an all-weather, all-season protection for the rider, so that he or she never stops riding (hat tip to New Atlas ).SoftTop is like an umbrella for you when youre riding the bike, made of coated polyester fabric and transparent UV-resistant polyurethane, with air vents to prevent fogging. Its easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to carry and easy to travel with, the makers say. It perfect for rain and weather protection for cyclists, e-bikers on the way to work, to school, for shopping, summer, winter or as recreational athletes, touring bikers, hikers, outdoor athletes.Measuring 215 cm (84.6 inches) in height and 40 cm (14.7 inches) in width, it stretches from over the rider all the way down the sides of the fork. In theory at least, that means no part of you will get soaked, since it will protect your head, shoulders and back, down to your legs. RainRider also says that its meant to keep you warm but, based on the products official description, this only applies in terms of shielding you on windy days. Whatever warmth youd be feeling would come from bringing down the level of pedal-assist so that you pedal harder and faster.The biggest selling point of the SoftTop, aside from whatever protection from the elements it offers during rides , is that it comes on and off easily. The video below shows it in action, though somewhat hilariously, not on an actual rainy day  in fact, there isnt a single piece of promo material to show it in action on a rainy ride. On the bright side, at least we get to see it being taken off, which is, according to the makers, a couple minutes-type of job.The SoftTop attaches to the bike on the handlebars , and then on each side of the fork. Several aluminum and carbon fiber rods hold the bow shape, and theyre supposedly solid enough to keep it from turning inside out, like a regular umbrella does when caught in the cross-winds. When you park the bike temporarily, the SoftTop folds halfway down, offering protection for the rest of the bike. If you wish to leave it out for longer, you can simply unmount the SoftTop and start taking out rods to fold it down. You can then store it inside a small bag that comes with the product.According to RainRider, the SoftTop is lightweight (1.5 kg / 3.3 pounds), aerodynamic and safe, because it comes with B-Safe technology, which is just a fancy name for reflector strips for enhanced nighttime visibility. Its also minimalist and durable due to the high-quality materials used, and most importantly, sustainable because it helps you ride your bicycle throughout the year and not just during the drier seasons.You might look a bit silly with it mounted on the bike, but at least that thought will make up for it. The SoftTop costs 129.95 ($153) to buy.
No, Google is not killing off the full version of Android Auto, but only Android Auto for phones

Android Auto for phones will continue to work on devices where its installed

No future updates for Android Auto for phones will be released going forward

The support for Android Auto for phones will be pulled when Android 12 is released this fall

The supported car-optimized experiences in the long term are Android Auto, Android Automotive, and the driving mode in Google Assistant

Nothing changes on the full Android Auto front, with updates to continue to ship according to the schedule

The first of them is Android Auto, an application that requires dedicated hardware support in every car, with the Android smartphone connected to the head unit then mirroring the UI on the larger screen inside the cabin. The full version of Android Auto therefore requires an Android phone and a compatible head unit with support for either wired or wireless connections.The second is Android Auto for phones, a simplified version of the full app that runs on the phone but offers the same approach, user interface, and app support. In other words, what you typically see on the screen of your car when running full Android Auto is now displayed on your phone, with the same optimized experience available from one end to another. Android Auto for phones requires only an Android mobile device and eliminates the need for a compatible head unit, as the whole thing runs on the smartphone.The third and the most advanced option is Android Automotive , a standalone operating system that requires dedicated hardware and must be pre-installed on each car before it leaves the factory. Android Automotive is obviously the most advanced of all three, coming with deep integration of Google services, though its also the most expensive since it needs new hardware and additional processing power. It requires a new car pre-loaded with Android Automotive.So most recently, Google announced that its killing off Android Auto for phones, and for some reason, many believed this is the end of Android Auto altogether.Thats not true, as the Mountain View-based search giant is only retiring the mobile experience that we described above, and while for those who dont have a head unit capable of running the full version of Android Auto it may seem like a big loss, this isnt necessarily a bad thing. And its all because Google has already developed a fully-featured alternative.Its called driving mode and is powered by Google Assistant and Google Maps . At their core, Android Auto for phones and the new driving mode are pretty similar, though the latter comes with a more modern approach and no longer requires a dedicated app since its bundled with Google Assistant and Google Maps.The change takes place with the release of Android 12, so in theory, those who will stick with Android 11 will still be able to run Android Auto for phones in their cars. However, no new updates would be released for the app, and once they remove it from their phones, its gone forever.The driving mode, on the other hand, will continue to be further polished as part of future Google app updates, and going forward, its pretty clear this is the only focus for the search giant as far as the mobile driving experience is concerned.Just like Android Auto for phones, the new driving mode features deep integration of Google services, with navigation powered by Google Maps and voice commands support offered by Google Assistant. It also allows users to manage phone calls, send messages, and get app notifications just like Android Auto To sum up, here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked lately that Ive seen swirling around the web lately:
This file photo shows the Sawtooth National Recreation Area near Stanley, Idaho. An environmental group that wants to end public-land grazing has outbid a rancher in central Idaho for a grazing lease on state land that includes habitat for bull trout and steelhead.
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An unvaccinated elementary school teacher in California infected more than half of her students with COVID-19, ultimately resulting in a community-wide outbreak in Marin County, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

Why it matters: The outbreak, which took place in May, highlights the stakes surrounding a debate across the U.S. among school districts considering implementing stricter measures to curb the spread of the virus, like universal masking in schools.

Details: The teacher who caused the outbreak continued to show up at school for two days while experiencing symptoms before ultimately receiving a test.

The school in question requires teachers and students to wear masks indoors. But the teacher read to her students unmasked as she exhibited nasal congestion and fatigue.

The teacher tested positive for the virus on May 21, and 12 of her 22 students later tested positive, per the report.

The big picture: Thousands of students were forced to quarantine or isolate due to possible exposure almost immediately after schools reopened in August. Districts have had to temporarily close schools or suspend in-person instruction because of outbreaks.

What they're saying: The outbreak "highlights the importance of vaccinating school staff members who are in close indoor contact with children ineligible for vaccination as schools reopen," the report read.
"It is overwhelming and sad that the boys are suffering as bad as they are and that their business is just totaled," said their mom Lori Ryan.
CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Dillion and Andrew Ryan's lives changed in an instant Thursday morning. An explosion at Platinum Printing in Chandler sent four people to the hospital, including the Ryan brothers. Their small business is now destroyed.

1 Chandler explosion victim still in coma; another awaiting surgery CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - A day after the roof blew off of Platinum Printing, ATF agents we

"It is overwhelming and sad that the boys are suffering as bad as they are and that their business is just totaled," said their mom Lori Ryan.

On Saturday, their parents spoke exclusively with Arizona's Family for the first time since the blast. Both are heartbroken but thankful their sons are alive. Dillion and Andrew are sharing a room at the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Hospital. They are scheduled for surgery on Monday.

"Even though they survived it, there is so much pain that went along with it. It hurts to see them in that pain," said their dad Phillip Ryan.

The brothers have burns ranging from 20 to 30 percent of their bodies. Both men have wives and children and are now out of work. Lori said the outpouring of support from the community means everything. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $48,000 for the Ryan family.

"So heartening and humbling with the outpouring from everybody," said Lori Ryan.

Meanwhile, two other victims are also in the hospital recovering. One of them is Parker Mildebrant, who is expecting his first child next week. A GoFundMe was set up for him as well.

Arizona's Family is working to confirm the name of the fourth victim and get an update on their condition. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Communique de Presse - Emirates today has announced several commercial leadership movements across West Asia, Africa, the GCC, and Central Asia. Six seasoned team members in leadership roles, all UAE Nationals, will help drive the airlines commercial initiatives across key markets with a strategic focus on rebuilding its leadership position and growing its customer base as countries continue easing their restrictions. All of the new appointments are effective 1 September 2021.



All of the movements include Emirati talent into key leadership positions, either being promoted from within the organisation or through portfolio rotations, underpinning the airlines commitment to career development and progression of its UAE Nationals.



Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: Thanks to the strength of the Emirates brand, our laser focus on executing strategic customer and commercial initiatives, and rationally rebuilding our network based on tangible demand, the airline is well-positioned in the long-term to generate improved results as we navigate recovery. The movements within the commercial team that have been put in place significantly strengthen our management structure across key markets. Were proud of the hard work and dedication that UAE Nationals appointed to these roles have demonstrated to tackle the challenges of the last 18 months, and todays announcement demonstrates our commitment to build bench strength from within.



Jabr Al-Azeeby has been appointed as Vice President for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Jabr has been with Emirates for 16 years, previously holding Country Manager roles in Uganda, Cyprus, Thailand, Pakistan, before taking on his most recent role as Vice President, India and Nepal.



Mohammed Alnahari Alhashmi has been appointed as Vice President for Pakistan. Mohammed has held several roles throughout his 18 year career with Emirates, including management posts in Kuwait, Indonesia, Syria, the UAE, and most recently he held the role as Vice President for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.



Mohammad Sarhan, who previously held the role of Vice President for Pakistan, will become Vice President, India and Nepal. Mohammads first post with Emirates came in 2009 in Cote dIvoire, and since then hes held several commercial leadership roles in Vietnam, Greece, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.



Rashed Alfajeer, Manager Morocco, will become Country Manager Iran. Rasheds career with Emirates began in 2013 as part of the commercial manager training programme. Rashed has taken on several roles since then, including Commercial Manager Sri Lanka, District Manager Dammam and the eastern province in KSA, as well as Country Manager Tanzania.



Khalfan Al Salami, Country Manager Sudan, will become Manager Morocco. Khalfan joined the Emirates commercial management training programme in 2015, and went on to train further in Madrid before taking on a Commercial Manager role in Kuwait. Since then, hes held the Country Manager role in Sudan.



Rashed Salah Al Ansari, will become Country Manager Sudan. Rashed has been with Emirates since 2017, holding various Commercial Support Manager roles in Singapore and Jordan.




The US delves into the pain inflicted on Indigenous communities through boarding schools
Robert Price is a journalist for KGET-TV. His column appears here on Sundays; the views expressed are his own. Reach him at robertprice@kget.com or via Twitter: @stubblebuzz.
The historic former home of The Bakersfield Californian would be converted to residential use, starting with an Airbnb-type rental unit next d
The number of children diagnosed with COVID-19 has nearly doubled since school started for most students in Kern County.
The French Fire has grown to 25,411 acres and is 33 percent contained, according to the California incident management team overseeing the fire.
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Seven-time Emmy-winning actor Ed Asner, who starred as Lou Grant on both sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and hourlong drama Lou Grant before a late-career rejuvenation through his poignant voicework in 2009 animated film Up, has died. He was 91.

His publicist confirmed the news to Variety, writing that he died on Sunday surrounded by family. Asners official Twitter account posted a message from his family, saying Goodnight dad. We love you.

We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.  Ed Asner (@TheOnlyEdAsner) August 29, 2021

Asner had worked for many years as a character actor in series television and movies before hitting paydirt and stardom as the tough-talking TV newsroom head Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which brought him three supporting actor Emmys. When the sitcom called it quits, he returned as the same character in a harder-hitting hourlong series, which earned him two leading actor Emmys and a total of five noms. The actor picked up two additional Emmys for his work on the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots, and won a total of seven.

More recently he appeared on Grace & Frankie, Cobra Kai and provided voices for American Dad!

Within the industry he was respected for his activism on liberal causes that were close to his heart and for his service as Screen Actors Guild president from 1981 to 1985. In recent years he had been vocal in his opposition to the current SAG-AFTRA leadership regime. In December Asner was one of 10 actors who filed a class-action lawsuit against the union over changes made to its health care plan.

There have been few actors of Ed Asners prominence who risked their status to fight for social causes the way Ed did, said SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris. He fought passionately for his fellow actors, both before, during and after his SAG presidency. But his concern did not stop with performers. He fought for victims of poverty, violence, war, and legal and social injustice, both in the United States and around the globe.

During his time in office at SAG, Asner was criticized for making political statements about U.S. involvement in El Salvador. His outspokenness may have cost him his $60,000-per-episode salary on newspaper-centered series Lou Grant, which CBS controversially cancelled after five seasons, as well as other lucrative offers. He nonetheless continued to criticize the industrys labor standards and fight for unionism.

Asner also fought a tempestuous battle for the commingling of SAG and the Screen Extras Guild to which there was opposition from within the ranks, most loudly vocalized by actor Charlton Heston, which brought the two thesps to the brink of libel action.

Asner had rarely been active in politics or union activities, but he was vocal during the crippling 1980 SAG strike, the results of which prompted him to run for the office, which he won the next year. His battles included improving the employment and compensation conditions for actors as well as uniting SAG and SEG, which eventually came to pass; he also championed a SAG-AFTRA merger, but changed his view by 2012, when members approved the combination after Asner and other union activists failed to persuade a judge to grant a court order preventing the vote.

But he drew fire with his public pronouncements against U.S. involvement in El Salvador, which many saw as an abuse of his SAG office. While he was president an award to a former SAG president, Ronald Reagan, was rescinded because of the now U.S. presidents dissolution of the air traffic controllers union  although Asner himself did not vote on it. He also protested South Africas apartheid policies while in office.

Such controversies drew fire from Heston, an avid Reaganite, and a duel began that almost wound up in court. Asner was elected to another two-year term in 1983, winning by a landslide, after which he stepped down in 1985, throwing his support to Patty Duke. He continued to defend his political activism, calling it not a luxury, but a necessity, throughout his life.

He remained active in TV movies and miniseries beginning in the mid-70s, winning Emmys for such blockbusters as Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots. He also starred in such praised telepics as A Small Killing, and A Case of Libel. He also made the occasional movie during the 70s and 80s such as Skin Game, Fort Apache the Bronx, Daniel and, later, JFK.

His 1987 series on ABC, Bronx Zoo, was short lived and, at the time, Asner gave voice to concerns that his left-leaning politics were out of favor and possibly costing him work, telling Variety that he knew of a couple of cases in which hed lost work but Im sure that was the tip of the iceberg. He noted that ABC tested another Asner series, Off the Rack, by asking viewers, What do you know of Ed Asners politics and how would it affect your liking the show? Almost unanimously respondents said they knew nothing of Asners beliefs nor did they care.

Asner worked steadily on the bigscreen during the 1990s and 2000s with credits including Academy Boyz, Hard Rain, The Bachelor, Above Suspicion, Elf and Enchanted Cottage.

During the same period he regularly popped up on TV. For CBS he recurred on Hearts Afire and short-lived series The Trials of Rosie ONeill (drawing a supporting actor Emmy nomination for the latter), was a regular on brief Tom Selleck sitcom The Closer in 1998 and appeared as Pop in a 1993 production of Gypsy that starred Bette Midler. He also starred in a short-lived ABC sitcom, Thunder Alley, reprised the role of Lou Grant in an uncredited role on Roseanne and guested on Dharma and Greg, Mad About You, The X-Files and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

He also recurred as a judge on The Practice and as the chairman of the networks parent company on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and had a story arc on ER as a curmudgeonly old doctor who runs a storefront clinic.

In 2002 he starred as the pontiff in a movie for Italian television, Pope John XXIII.

He received an Emmy nom for supporting actor in a miniseries or movie in 2007 for Hallmark telepic The Christmas Card and an Emmy nom for guest actor in a drama series in 2009 for a spot on CSI: NY.

In 2011, the actor played Warren Buffett in the HBO telepic Too Big Too Fail and recurred on the CMT sitcom Working Class.

Asner also spent a great deal of time doing voice work for animated series including Fish Police, Batman, Captain Planet and the Planeteers (he drew a Daytime Emmy nomination), Gargoyles, Freakazoid, Spider-Man (another Daytime Emmy nom), WordGirl (a third Daytime Emmy nom) and The Boondocks  preparation, perhaps, for his fine voice work on 2009s Up, which won two Oscars, including for best animated feature.

The success of that film spurred interest in Asner, who was a very busy actor in the succeeding years, with roles on Law & Order: SVU, The Middle, Hawaii Five-0, The Sarah Silverman Program, Hot in Cleveland and Royal Pains, to name a few. He also recurred on the brief 2011 CMT laffer Working Class and on A&Es The Glades and did voice work on The Cleveland Show.

The actor appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in a recurring segment entitled Does This Impress Ed Asner?

The youngest of five children, Edward Asner was born in Kansas City. At Wyandotte High School he was all-city tackle and an editor of the school paper.

He spent two years at the U. of Chicago, followed by a stint in the Army. When he returned to Chicago he joined Paul Sills in the Playwrights Theater Group, which became the Compass Players and the Second City Group. He acted in 26 plays with the group over the next two years.

Asner left the troupe in 1955 to move to New York, where he played Peachum in The Threepenny Opera at the Theatre de Lys for three years at $65 a week while keeping himself solvent doing odd jobs. He made his Broadway debut in the short-lived Face of a Hero, starring Jack Lemmon, and continued to work onstage at the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford and the New York Shakespeare Festivals Central Park productions before striking out for L.A.

He moved in 1961 to Los Angeles, where he worked on TV series such as Naked City, Slatterys People, The Fugitive and Ironside, settling in to life as a character actor. His film work was also character driven in such films as Kid Galahad, The Satan Bug, The Slender Thread, El Dorado, Gunn and Change of Habit in the 1960s.

A 1970 pilot, Doug Selby D.A., didnt go anywhere but brought him to the attention of Grant Tinker, who cast him as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of his first attempts at comedy. The program ran for seven high-rated seasons and ran in syndication for decades.

Asner received SAGs Life Achievement Award in 2002, two years after winning the guilds Ralph Morgan Award. In 2003, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.

In 2013, Asner again took on a prominent role on a SAG-AFTRA controversy, serving as the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging extensive mishandling of $130 million in unpaid residuals and foreign royalties. The suit was dismissed in early 2014 but the federal judge in the case indicated that the plaintiffs might be able to file again.

Asner was twice married, the second time to producer Cindy Gilmore, and twice divorced. He is survived by four children, Matthew, Liza, Kate and Charles.

Launch Gallery: Ed Asner: His Life and Career in Photos

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PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona's top court is eliminating the longstanding practice of allowing lawyers in criminal and civil trials in state courts to remove potential jurors without explanation, a move that proponents said would help prevent discrimination in the selection of trial jurors.

So-called peremptory challenges will end Jan. 1., under a groundbreaking rule change ordered Tuesday and released Friday by the Arizona Supreme court.

In the meantime, a court task force will recommend possible changes to current court rules that also allow opposing sides in trials to ask judges to remove potential jurors for valid reasons such as stated bias or inability to serve, the order said.

Peremptory challenges are a hot-button legal issue nationally as illustrated by jury selection in the trial that resulted in the conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer in George Floyds death.

Robert Chang, a Seattle University law professor, said during an interview Saturday that he believed Arizona's impending outright elimination of peremptory challenges is believed to be a first such step by a U.S. state, though others such as Washington and California have recently moved to place new restrictions on the challenges.

Arizona clearly has gone further," said Chang, the director of a legal center that endorsed a competing Arizona rule-change proposal to restrict but not eliminate peremptory challenges. Arizona's move is big, and it will be fascinating to see what other states and courts do."

The Arizona court rejected the competing proposal and, as is its practice when it acts on requests to change rules, did not comment on its reasoning for its actions.

However, the two state Court of Appeals judge who proposed the rule change in January said it was a clear opportunity to end definitively one of the most obvious sources of racial injustice in the courts."

While many lawyers view peremptory challenges as a way to structure a jury favorable to his or her cause," that interest should be secondary if elimination of racial, gender and religious bias in the court system a controlling goal," Judges Peter Swann and Paul McMurdie wrote in their proposal.

The current system of allowing a side to object to the other side's peremptory challenge of a potential juror if discrimination is thought to be the unstated motive is ineffective and inefficient, according to the proposal by the two former trial judges.

Their proposal drew some support but also strong opposition from within the state's legal community while it was under consideration by the Supreme Court.

Eliminating peremptory challenges would make it harder to pick a fair and impartial jury because some potential jurors would be chosen if they said they could be impartial even though one side in a trial thought they likely weren't acknowledging biases, opponents said in comments on the proposal.

Expecting a prospective juror to candidly admit that they cannot be fair is not realistic," Maricopa County attorney Allister Adel said in a comment.

Supporters included nearly all the judges on a trial court in one mid-size county. Apart from preventing discriminatory abuse of peremptory challenges, their elimination presents opportunities to streamline jury selection, the Yavapai County Superior Court judges' comment said.

Chang, the Seattle University professor, said it'll be important to follow up the elimination of peremptory challenges by changing other rules to allow lawyers more time in court to question potential jurors about potential biases.

Otherwise, it's really hard to get the basis for making for-cause challenges," Chang said.
A former Port Arthur teacher, Alvin J. Walters, 72, returned to Southeast Texas on Saturday as an author working on her fifth book.

The new book will incorporate the life, language, and landscape of Walters old Southeast Texas home along with drama and mystery stemming from her familys history.

Walters was born in Marshall, and graduated from H.B. Pemberton High School and Wiley College. She also obtained a masters degree from Prairie View A&M University  which she still considers one of the best times of her life.

Growing up, Walters said she loved elementary school. However, as she got older  high school became more difficult as she became more aware of her familys financial circumstances. Her parents  a homemaker and automobile mechanic  had 14 children.

We did not have a lot of material things, but we definitely had love, Walters said.

A few memories stand out for Walters, who remembers competing for homecoming queen, her high school boyfriend and the friendships she built during those formative years.

But one of her fondest memories is of watching her parents, who did not have their high school diplomas or a formal education, using their intelligence and working together to decipher a manual on automobile mechanics in order to get a job done.

They were active learners and they taught us to love to read, Walters said.

Even as a small child, Walters also wanted to teach. She would teach her siblings how to read a clock and write. She also felt that she would write.

I just never could figure out how to make a living writing, so I had to pursue other ways to make a living, Walters said.

So, she pursued teaching.

Life would take her to Southeast Texas, where she became a teacher at Port Arthurs Thomas Jefferson High School and Stephen F. Austin High School. She would also meet a man from Beaumont, who she has been married to for 40 years.

Thats why it is like home to me, Walters said.

Walters looked forward to seeing old and new faces during a book signing event at Sertinos Cafe in Beaumont on Saturday, where she said a reader told her that she was hooked by the first page of one of her books. And as her readers turn the last page, her wish is that they walk away gaining something from the experience.

I hope that they get some enjoyment from it, Walters said. That theyve learned something about themselves and the people that they interact with daily.

Walters now lives in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, where she retired from the Fort Worth Independent School District in 2011 after 30 years in education.

It wasnt until her retirement that the time finally became right for her to begin to write.

It all began with Facebook, which connected her to former classmates and friends.

We would tell each other stories about what was happening in our lives, Walters said. My classmate said, you really should write a book.

Then, I wrote a book, she added with a laugh.

The first book, Secrets of the Groves, was set in the 1930s. The book was originally going to be based on a true story about her grandparents and their nine children. But as she started writing, she found it difficult to write and talk about. She also felt like it was not her story to tell with consideration to relatives who are still living.

She instead published the nonfiction story based on her family in 2015.

The quiet, sleepy bedroom community of Clover Grove has existed for decades as a haven for family life and traditions, the books back cover reads. The Dust Bowl, The Great Depression, the ending of World War I and the world on the brink of a new war brings changes to this somber community.

Walters thought she was done. Her readers had other plans.

They read the book and said, you cant leave us here, Walters said.

It became the first in a series loosely based on family history.

Whispers Among the Willows became the second book, followed by Runnels Creek: Where is Home, and Old Men and Sycamore Trees.

The fourth book, which is based on her grandfather, has been the most difficult book for her to write so far because of challenges outside of the household. Walters said two of her siblings were diagnosed with cancer and came to stay with her. She postponed her book to focus on family.

She recalled the advice of a late friend and classmate whose motto was if you want to writeyou will.

He would tell me, get off Facebook and write, Walters said. Bad writing is better than no writing. You can always go back and edit it.

Now that the fourth one is finished, Walters has shifted her attention to working on her fifth book, which is expected to be set in the 1970s through 1980s.

The book will tribute parts of her life that she cherishes, like the Southeast Texas cuisine and culture from her time here, but will also incorporate the tragic loss of her sister Myrtle Hudson and her daughter Willette.

The two were murdered in their Port Arthur home on Sept. 11, 1986. The cold case went unsolved for over 20 years.

Finally, in 2000, detectives assigned to the case were able to use DNA evidence to tie Tommy Lee Stewart, who confessed to the double slaying. He was sentenced to life in prison.

It took so long to find out who did it, Walters said. That will be part of that book.

Tragedy, delightful people. People who live on the swamps. All of that is going to be included in it.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Forecasters warned residents along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to rush preparations Saturday ahead of an intensifying Hurricane Ida, which is expected to bring winds as high as 130 mph (209 kph), life-threatening storm surge and flooding rain when it slams ashore in Louisiana on Sunday.

The National Hurricane Center warned that super-warm Gulf waters could rapidly magnify Ida's destructive power, boosting it from a Category 2 storm to an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane in just 18 hours or less.

Coastal highways saw heavy traffic Saturday as people moved to escape the storm's path. Trucks pulling saltwater fishing boats and campers streamed away from the coast Interstate 65 in south Alabama. Traffic jams clogged Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans.

Were going to catch it head-on, said Bebe McElroy as she prepared to leave her home in the coastal Louisiana village of Cocodrie. Im just going around praying, saying, Dear Lord, just watch over us.

Ida was poised to strike Louisiana 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. A Category 3 storm, Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, which took years to recover.

We're not the same state we were 16 years ago, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Saturday, pointing to a federal levee system that's seen major improvements since Katrina swamped New Orleans in 2005.

This system is going to be tested, Edwards said. The people of Louisiana are going to be tested. But we are resilient and tough people. And were going to get through this.

Edwards said 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged in 14 parishes for search and rescue efforts with high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters. And 10,000 linemen were on standby to respond to electrical outages.

A tropical depression two days earlier, Ida was strengthening so quickly that New Orleans officials said there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of the citys 390,000 residents, a task that would require coordinating with the state and neighboring locales to turn highways into one-way routes away from the city.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called for a voluntary evacuation and reiterated Saturday that the time to safely leave was growing short. Collin Arnold, the citys emergency management director, said the city could be under high winds for about 10 hours. Officials warned those who stayed to be prepared for long power outages amid sweltering heat in the days ahead.

Ramsey Green, the citys top infrastructure official, stressed that the levee and drainage systems protecting the city have been much improved since Katrina.

That said, if we see 10 to 20 inches of rain over an abbreviated period of time, we will see flooding, he said.

In Washington, President Joe Biden on Saturday called Ida very dangerous and urged Americans to pay attention and be prepared.

Lines at gas pumps and car rental agencies grew long as residents and tourists alike prepared to leave Saturday.

We were willing to wait it out but the hotel said we had to leave, said visitor Lays Lafaurie of Fort Worth, Texas, waiting in a rental car line at the citys airport. They said we had to leave by 7 tomorrow morning. But if wed waited that long there wouldnt have been any cars left.

Ida posed a threat far beyond New Orleans. A hurricane warning was issued for nearly 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Louisiana's coastline, from Intracoastal City south of Lafayette to the Mississippi state line. A tropical storm warning was extended to the Alabama-Florida line, and Mobile Bay in Alabama was under a storm surge watch.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency Saturday for the states coastal and western counties, warning Ida could bring flooding and tornadoes there.

In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves urged residents to stay off of interstate highways to make room for people fleeing Louisiana. He said 19 shelters had opened to take in evacuees. Several casinos on the Mississippi coast had closed ahead of Ida.

Meteorologist Jeff Masters, who flew hurricane missions for the government and founded Weather Underground, said Ida is forecast to move through the just absolute worst place for a hurricane.

The Interstate 10 corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is a critical hub of the nations petrochemical industry, lined with oil refineries, natural gas terminals and chemical manufacturing plants. Entergy, Louisianas major electricity provider, operates two nuclear power plants along the Mississippi River.

A U.S. Energy Department map of oil and gas infrastructure shows scores of low-lying sites in the storms projected path that are listed as potentially vulnerable to flooding. Phillips 66 said it was shutting operations at its refinery in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

Many gas stations in and around New Orleans were out of gas, and the few still open had lines more than a dozen cars deep.

Mike Laurent of Marrero, Louisiana, was filling up about a dozen gas canisters to fuel his generator and those of friends and family. Laurent said his family planned to weather the storm at home despite concerns about whether the nearby levee would hold.

I dont think its ever been tested like its going to be tested tomorrow or Monday, Laurent said. I bought a dozen life jackets, just in case.

By Saturday afternoon, Ida was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (168 kph) . The storm was centered about 325 miles (525 kilometers) southeast of coastal Houma, Louisiana, and was traveling northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

Cuba started to clean up Saturday after Ida tore through Isla de la Juventud and then western parts of the mainland. The storm toppled trees and damaged crops and buildings. There were no reported deaths.

___

Associated Press writers Stacey Plaisance and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston and Andrea Rodriguez in Los Palacios, Cuba, contributed to this report.
Robert's Meat Market & Steakhouse plans to rebuild and partially reopen this year following a fire in late July.

Fire officials and the owner Robert Ramirez, 73, confirmed no one was injured in the fire, but it has temporarily closed the doors of the longtime business.

We are hoping to open the meat market by Christmas, Ramirez said.

Hes unsure when the restaurant will reopen as the fire caused significant damage, including to where the steaks are cooked int he back of the building.

But this is not the first time the business has faced adversity.

Robert's Meat Market & Steakhouse opened in 1990 and later expanded to include the restaurant 14 years ago. The large building includes three backrooms that can seat more 40 people each, including one that can seat up to 80 people.

We go out of our way to take are of customers, Ramirez said.

Ramirez, who has been in the business for more than 40 years, said he originally started a meat market on Simmons Drive in 1980 before moving the business to its current location at 3720 West Park Ave. in West Orange after the Levingston Shipbuilders closed in Orange.

Since then, Ramirez said his customer-focused business has been blessed and done well. But, along with others in the area, hes endured hurricanes, ice storms, floods, a slow down during the novel coronavirus pandemic  and "now this.

It is what it is, Ramirez said as an excavator continued demolition in the background and a fresh coat of paint began to dry on the wall. What can you do? Just get back up and keep going.

The business still has 50 employees, who largely were hired for part-time positions. Ramirez earlier this month said he had not yet received the insurance funds to rebuild his business, but he kept his employees employed by having them help with the cleanup. Others have found other jobs.

I dont know when I am going to get the money, Ramirez said. Its a shame that you pay insurance but when you have a fire it takes some time to get the money back. But I get it.

Ramirez recalled receiving the phone call that his business was burning down just after 2:30 a.m. that July morning.

They told me the restaurant was on fire, and my first thought was somebody left the stove on, but they dont know where it started, he said as he stared at the damage in the main dining room. We are going to fix it and redo it.

Ramirez said an electrical issue now is the fires suspected cause.

He plans to post more updates about the business on social media following the investigation. Ramirez said he wanted to brag on the work and efforts of all of the fire crews who were able to suppress and manage the flames that fully engulfed the business.

The Pinehurst Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire with the help of Emergency Service District 3, ESD 4, Bridge City Fire and Orange Fire. Ramirez also believes an outside wall built with cinder blocks helped save the business.

They did a hell of a job, Ramirez said. It was a big fire. They were able to control it. It was a lot of damage but they were able to save the meat market part.

While the business described the incident as a tragedy, customers have helped the market and restaurant weather every storm over the years, and Ramirez feels optimistic that the business will be able to return.

Every time we open after a hurricane, we have a lot of support, Ramirez said. I know when we reopen the restaurant we are going to have a big crowd.

For those who would like to support the business, the phone lines are down, but Ramirez can be reached by a direct message on the businesss Facebook page.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Dennis Lund, who farms about 5,000 acres west of Cambridge, Wis., with his three brothers, has agreed to lease about a tenth of his land to a 300-megawatt solar farm. He said the income from the arrangement will allow him to keep the land for his children, including Kaylee, 12, and Brayden, 15.


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The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction has reportedly sent a notice of removal to seven employees  five corrections officers, a supervisor and a licensed nurse  following an investigation into the death of 55-year-old inmate Michael McDaniel, who died in custody.

According to WBNS, guards used excessive and unjustified force against an inmate before he died in custody in February.

The Franklin County Coroners office declared McDaniels death a homicide, ruling the cause as a stress-induced sudden cardiac death.

Video released by the ODRC shows an altercation that began when McDaniel was in his cell. Even though theres no sound, investigators say he was yelling. Two officers then approached McDaniels for a targeted search before opening his cell and pulling him out.

RELATED: South Carolina Deputies Fired After Jail Death Videos Released

In documents released by the ODRC, the agency says Lt. Bruce Brown took no steps to stop McDaniel from falling to the ground and failed to call for assistance from the medical staff to transport him, WBNS reports.

After McDaniel was taken to the med bay, records say Jamie Dukes, a licensed nurse, signed a document claiming McDaniel refused care.

However, Ms. Dukes was not in the room to actually hear Inmate McDaniel refuse treatment, the records state. The agency subsequently noted that McDaniel never refused treatment and Dukes was also terminated Friday.

Officials say three other staff involved in the incident previously resigned. A county prosecutor still has a decision to make when it comes to filing any criminal charges.
Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife are still battling the effects of COVID-19.

A family statement released on Friday (August 27) reveals that Jacqueline has been moved to an intensive care unit while the reverend has been transferred to a hospital focused on physical rehabilitation.

Jonathan Jackson, one of the couples five children, says in the statement that his fathers symptoms are abating, according to CBS News.

RELATED: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Wife Jacqueline, Responding Positively To COVID-19 Treatment

Jackson has Parkinsons disease. His son says he will receive intensive occupational and physical therapy at The Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago.

While Jacqueline Jackson isnt on a ventilator she is receiving increased oxygen at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Both of our parents are continuing to receive excellent medical care, Jonathan Jackson said in the statement. We urge that you continue to keep them in your prayers because we know this is a serious disease.

The husband and wife pair were admitted to the hospital on Saturday (August 21).

Jesse Jackson has been vaccinated against the virus and has been an advocate for getting the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday, Jackson told the Associated Press that his wife has not been vaccinated since she has a preexisting condition they were worried about.
News

COVID-19 patient surge continuing at area hospitals

The Medical Center at Bowling Green, TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital and Glasgows T.J. Samson Community Hospital all reported increases in COVID-19 patients for the third consecutive week.

Med Center Health Executive Vice President Wade Stone told the Daily News the hospital was still at full capacity Friday.

T.J. Regional Health Executive Vice President of Marketing Stacey Biggs said the Glasgow hospital was not at capacity yet but is bursting at the seams.

TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital Marketing Manager Michael Ferguson did not provide an exact number of COVID-19 patients the hospital had Friday, but he did say it had seen an increase in such patients the past few weeks similar to what the other hospitals are seeing.

Stone said as of Friday afternoon, The Medical Center had 65 COVID-19 patients. Thats an increase of 15 individuals from last Fridays tally of 51 such patients.

Of those 65, he said about 80% were unvaccinated. Stone said the hospital had 21 patients in critical care and 14 were on ventilators. About 90% of those in critical care or on ventilators were unvaccinated.

On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced record numbers of Kentuckians in intensive care, 590, and on ventilators, 345, and a positivity rate of 13.24%. He announced more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases and more than 90 deaths in the last two days leading to Friday.

Beshear also said three Federal Emergency Management Agency strike teams he requested arrived in Kentucky to assist the commonwealth with COVID-19 cases.

With hospital staff and resources stretched thin, Beshear announced additional help the state has coordinated to assist hospitals, including: securing the FEMA strike teams, deploying the Kentucky National Guard to support COVID-19 response in hospitals and providing COVID-19 testing assistance to some Kentucky hospitals.

The age of COVID patients has definitely moved down younger as this surge has continued, Stone said. We are still holding patients in the emergency department. The state has contacted us and we were offered assistance from the National Guard. We have about 30 National Guard folks who will be assisting Med Center Health starting next week.

Stone reassured the National Guard would only be present in an assisting role helping out with nonclinical support capacities. He said the staff at the hospital welcomes their support.

A Daily News reporter asked Stone what plans the hospital had in place if the surge keeps escalating, and he insisted they were prepared for the worst-case scenario.

They are still moving around surgeries to make room for COVID patients and communicating with other health care entities in the state.

We understand emergency preparedness, Stone said. Our entire staff is familiar with the process. We have made all the preparations necessary to ensure we can still serve the region. We want our community to know they can count on us. We feel very good about the steps our team is taking to prepare for whatever scenarios may come.

Stone also said 90% of all employees with Med Center Health were either vaccinated or planned to get vaccinated by Sept. 1. He said that number increased from 65% in just a few weeks time while 99% of all active physicians were vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Stone said Med Center Health officially passed 90,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered to the public.

I think its important for our community to understand the impact on hospitals that the current surge is having, he added. The most compelling reason to communicate that is to stress what we can all do to alleviate those constraints, which is to get vaccinated.

At T.J. Regional Health, Biggs said they had 36 COVID-19 inpatients as of Friday morning. That is an increase from the 22 they were treating Aug. 20.

Of those 36 individuals, four are fully vaccinated. Eleven of them are in the ICU and eight are on ventilators.

It has been a very busy week, Biggs said. Having said that, our surge plan is working well. We continue to update it as the surge continues. The plan is working and we are allocating resources the best that we can.

She said the hospital did receive additional ventilators last week, which has been a definite help.

We have multiple levels of the surge plan. Different triggers will indicate what level we are at, she said. One example is because we have been in this intense surge the past couple of days, we have greatly decreased the number of elective surgeries.

Biggs said the workload has taken a toil on the staffs mental, physical and emotional well-being. However, she said they were resilient and their level of collaboration has been amazing.

She urged the public to be patient with workers due to the longer-than-normal wait times the hospital now has, but people should still come to the ER if they need emergency care.

While Greenview did not provide exact numbers, Ferguson said the vast majority of COVID-19 patients being treated are unvaccinated.

On Aug. 20, Ferguson said the hospital had 30 COVID-positive patients. That more than doubled its previously reported number of 12 patients hospitalized with the virus.

When nearing capacity, we make every effort to expand additional step-down and medical bed areas, Ferguson said. Our hospital leaders are continually monitoring the situation closely and continue to plan by assessing resources and support to help meet the needs of our community.

The latest update from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Human Services on Friday said every county in the state was marked red for having a critical COVID-19 incidence rate.

Out of the 10 counties in the Barren River region, only five had a vaccination rate of at least 40% (Warren, Simpson, Logan, Barren and Butler).
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Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
With the objective to advance policy research

The National Institute of Science Communication & Policy Research (NIScPR), New Delhi and J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, YMCA, Faridabad have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration and networking to advance policy research and science communication by leveraging respective strengths.

The MoU signing ceremony was organized in the J.C. Bose University on 27 August 2021. The MoU was signed by the Director Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal on behalf of CSIR-NIScPR, New Delhi and the Registrar Dr. S.K. Garg on behalf of J.C. Bose University. The collaboration will open new avenues for knowledge sharing and skill development in science communication and STI policy research.

Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal said that both the institutes have a prosperous legacy of science communication, policy research and science education of more than 60 years. CSIR-NIScPR has been working at the interface of science, technology and society. It works for behavioural change, inculcation of scientific temper and rationality among the public. On the other hand, J.C. Bose University has a good hold on Industry-Academia linkage, technological expertise and has a strong alumni network. In this way, both the institutions can strengthen each other with their own capabilities and contributions by sharing resources including libraries, publications, programmes and laboratories.

A collector's edition (August 2021 issue) of the popular science magazine Science Reporter of CSIR-NIScPR was also released on this occasion.
A few weeks ago, we shared the story of a 21-year-old man from Ohio who, after being arrested for fentanyl possession, was legally required by the judge overseeing his case to get vaccinated as a condition of his probation.

Now, in a terrifying glimpse of what might be in store for parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids, a judge in Cook County Illinois (which includes Chicago and some of the surrounding area) has taken away the parental rights of a woman due to her refusal to get vaccinated.

In what all parties agree is a very unusual and perhaps unprecedented step, a judge at Chicago's Daley Center has stripped Rebecca Firlit of custody due to her refusal to get vaccinated.

"I miss my son more than anything. It's been very difficult. I haven't seen him since Aug. 10," Firlit told a local Fox affiliate station in an interview.

Thats the day Firlit appeared in court via Zoom, accompanied by her ex-husband, for a child support hearing involving her 11-year-old son. The two have been divorced for seven years and share custody and parenting time. Out of the blue, Cook County Judge James Shapiro asked her whether she had been vaccinated. Firlit told Shapiro she didn't get vaccinated because she has had bad reactions to vaccines in the past.

Shapiro then ordered that Firlit be prevented from spending parenting time with her son until she gets vaccinated. Over the past two weeks, Firlit has been able to talk to her son on the phone and through video calls, but has been unable to see him in person.

"I think that its wrong. I think that its dividing families. And I think its not in my son's best interest to be away from his mother," Firlit said.

Firlit is now appealing the court order, saying the judge has no authority to take away her parenting rights over her vaccination status.

"It had nothing to do with what we were talking about. He was placing his views on me. And taking my son away from me," Firlit said.

Her attorney, Annette Fernholz, claimed the judge has overstepped his authority.

"In this case you have a judge, without any matter before him regarding the parenting time with the child deciding 'Oh, youre not vaccinated. You don't get to see your child until you are vaccinated.' That kind of exceeds his jurisdiction," Fernholz said.

As she explained, the judge is acting completely on his own: Firlit's former husband didn't bring the issue before the court.

"You have to understand the father did not even bring this issue before the court. So its the judge on his own and making this decision that you cant see your child until youre vaccinated," Fernholz added.

However, the attorney representing Firlit's ex-husband, Jeffrey Leving, says they were also surprised by the judge's decision, but they support the ruling saying that given the pandemic, the child should be protected from an unvaccinated mother.

"There are children who have died because of COVID. I think every child should be safe. And I agree that the mother should be vaccinated," Leving said.

Since the start of the pandemic, fewer than 400 children in the US have died from COVID. In every case, the child had some kind of co-morbidity that dramatically complicated the situation.

The judge didn't respond to a request for comment. But it's worth noting that judges have broad authority, and this likely won't be the first time an American judge brings vaccination issues up during cases where it's not exactly relevant.
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On March 16, 2020, the Trump administration released a 15-day plan to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the US. That was 528 days ago.

Over the last year and a half, one of the largest power grabs in the history of the world has taken place as fearful citizens willingly surrendered their rights to the state for the promise of safety. But that safety never came and it never will.

What did come, however, was a slew of arbitrary and often ridiculous mandates and decrees from politicians who think that government force can stop a pandemic. Despite the economically devastating draconian lockdowns that killed countless small businesses, vaccine passports, and mask mandates, COVID-19 returned.

As TFTP has reported, we predicted this. Several studies have shown that the lockdowns were not effective at stopping the virus. In June, we reported on the study from the National Bureau of Economic Research which analyzed data from 44 countries and all 50 states. The study from the NBER found that these restrictions not only failed to save lives, and greatly exacerbated the destruction of the working class  but have in fact resulted in an increase of excess mortality. At the end of the day, they cost more lives than they saved.

Also in June, TFTP covered the findings of an MIT scientist who reported a data analysis of the economic impact of the lockdown  noting that whilst it played a key contributing role to the sharp rise of unemployment, it did not make a significant reduction in deaths.

And on June 22, a Harvard University study reiterated the fact that while this policy did not save lives it decimated the economy; while modern robber barons such as Zuckerberg, Gates, and Bezos saw their portfolios expand exponentially. This was yet another report, as TFTPs Don Via Jr. pointed out, that much like the aforementioned, did not receive national headlines from the corporate media.

On top of the sheer despotism brought about by team lockdown, government spending has reached historical levels and the already-unsustainable nature of such irresponsible fiscal policy has been fast tracked to complete meltdown. As the government prints more money, your savings is devalued, forcing more and more people to lean on the already stressed system. It is a recipe for disaster and the ones who have been paying attention know it.

Whats the tyrant class planning next? Well, more of the same it seems.

To be clear, no one here is claiming that COVID-19 is not serious and you shouldnt take precautions. However, granting government tyrannical powers in the form of business closures, mandates, vaccine passports, and more lockdowns, is most assuredly not the answer.

As John Locke famously stated in A Letter Concerning Toleration, It is one thing to persuade, another to command; one thing to press with arguments, another with penalties. This the civil power alone has a right to do; to the other good-will is authority enough.

In summary, good ideas do not require force.

Whats more, as the data analyses above illustrate, it is difficult to tell the difference between places which had strict lockdowns and mandates verses the ones that did not. You cant tyranny your way out of a pandemic  but you can pandemic your way into tyranny.

Sadly, Americans have a short memory when it comes to giving up their freedoms for a false sense of security. When a society surrenders individual liberty to the state, the state never gives it back.

Case in point: 9/11. After the tragic attacks on September 11, 2001, the U.S. government declared a state of emergency. That order granted the Office of the President broad discretionary powers over the military, powers that the President normally does not have. It also gives the Executive far more power than it should have which allowed for the creation of the massive surveillance state we see today.

Since that September day, weve entered into multiple wars of aggression while bypassing Congress, waged a massive domestic spying campaign, eroded the Bill of Rights, and constructed a monumental police state hear at home.

Under the National Emergencies Act, national emergencies expire after a year, unless the president renews them by notifying Congress. Since George W. Bush declared a national emergency on September 14, 2001, every president after him has extended it.

Because Americans have such short memories, we are once again yielding our freedom for the perception of safety. And, just like the government has done since 9/11, they will hold on to those freedoms and refuse to give them back.

Now, as the bogus and freedom-diminishing war on terror comes crumbling down, the tyrant class needs a new war to keep you in line and ready and willing to relinquish your rights. The targeted terrorists are no longer brown people in the Middle East, the new enemies are those who refuse to give up their rights at home.

This is why the Department of Homeland Security  which coincidentally did not exist before 9/11  issued a terror bulletin this month, claiming that anti-lockdown protesters could be potential terrorists.

Now is not the time to sit idle and hope for things to get better. As Rand Paul said earlier this month, we are at a moment of truth and a crossroads. Will we allow these people to use fear and propaganda to do further harm to our society, economy, and children? Or will we stand together and say, absolutely not. Not this time. I choose freedom.

The definition of freedom is not safety. Freedom comes with risks and it is up to us to assess those risks and make our own choices. Governments cannot eliminate risk and only tyrants claim to be able to do so as it gives them complete control over your life.

Will you be one who chooses freedom and assess your own safety, or, will you continue to believe in the totalitarian fantasy that is the government creating a world without risk? The choice is yours.
There is a larger story behind the recent terror events in Afghanistan. Here is an attempt to track it down.

Over the years several reports by the Afghan Analyst Network (AAN) about the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K) show that it had grown out of militant groups from Pakistan. A report from 2016 describes extensively how they were fostered by the Afghan state:

The IS fighters who pioneered the Khorasan franchise of the IS were Pakistani militants who had long been settled in the southeastern districts of Nangarhar, in the Spin Ghar mountains or its foothills, bordering the tribal agencies on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line. Before choosing to join ISKP, these militants operated under different brands, mainly under the umbrella of the ever-loosening Tehrik-e Taleban Pakistan (TTP). The bulk of these militants had been arriving in Nangarhar since 2010 mainly from the Orakzai, North Waziristan and Khyber tribal agencies.

Pakistan alleges that the TTP is supported by RAW, India's secret services. It may have also helped to finance the ISKP outlet.

Hoping to use them against Pakistan, the Afghan government started to woo some of these fighters, according to influential tribal elders involved in helping relation-building from the districts that sheltered the guest militants.

...

However, efforts by the Afghan intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), to woo Pakistani militants in Nangarhar have not been confined to Lashkar-e Islam or to militants from Khyber. Tribal elders and ordinary residents of Achin, Nazian and Kot testify that fighters from Orakzai and Mohmand agencies belonging to different factions of the TTP have been allowed free movement across the province, as well as treatment in government hospitals. When moving outside their hub in Nangarhars southern districts, they would go unarmed. In off-the-record conversations with AAN, government officials have verified this type of relationship between segments of the Pakistani militants and the NDS, as have pro-government tribal elders and politicians in Jalalabad. They described this state of affairs as a small-scale tit-for-tat reaction to Pakistans broader and longer-ranging, institutionalised support to the Afghan Taleban in their fight against the Afghan government.

The Afghan state's NDS was a CIA proxy agency. During the mid 1990s the intelligence chief of the Northern Alliance, Amrullah Saleh, had been trained by the CIA in the United States. After the U.S. overthrew the Taliban government Saleh became the head of the NDS. The NDS also had extensive relations with India's secret service.

While the U.S. pretended to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) consistent reports from various sides alleged that core ISIS personnel were extracted by unmarked U.S. helicopters from Iraq and Syria and transferred to Nangarhar where they reinforced the ISKP militants.

Hadi Nasrallah @HadiNasrallah - 1:18 UTC  Aug 28, 2021 In 2017 and 2020, Syrias SANA reported that that US helicopters transported between 40 and 75 ISIS militants from Hasakah, North Syria to an unknown area. The same thing was reported for years in Iraq by the PMU along with reports that US helicopters dropped aid for ISIS.

As Alex Rubinstein summarizes:

The list of governments, former government officials, and organizations in the region that have accused the US of supporting ISIS-K is expansive and includes the Russian government, the Iranian government, Syrian government media, Hezbollah, an Iraqi state-sponsored military outfit and even former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who called the group a tool of the United States ...

Like in Iraq and Syria the CIA's fostering of ultra-militant Islamists led to a backlash as the militants increasingly attacked the Afghan state. The U.S. military finally found it necessary to intervene against them. But the fighting against them on the ground was mostly done by the Taliban who for that purpose received direct support from the U.S. air force.

The Taliban operations were successful and a further spread of ISKP in east Afghanistan was prevented. Instead of openly taking more land ISKP then resorted to sensational suicide bombings against vulnerable targets in Kabul. In May 2021, for example, a car bomb placed in front of Hazara girl school in Kabul killed more than 90 people most of them children.

The CIA and the NDS had additional militants at hand to fight against the Taliban. They had grown and built special forces organized in several battalions (NDS-01 to -04 and the Khost Protection Force (KPF). These CIA controlled death squads had their own helicopter support:

As of 2018, the CIA is engaged in a program to kill or capture militant leaders, codenamed ANSOF, previously Omega. CIA manpower is supplemented with personnel assigned from United States Army Special Operations Command. In mid2019, the NGO Human Rights Watch stated that "CIA-backed Afghan strike forces" have committed "serious abuses, some amounting to war crimes" since late 2017.

The 2019 HRW report noted:

These strike forces have unlawfully killed civilians during night raids, forcibly disappeared detainees, and attacked healthcare facilities for allegedly treating insurgent fighters. Civilian casualties from these raids and air operations have dramatically increased in the last two years.

After the Taliban took Kabul it became clear that the CIA would have to shut down its 'counterterrorism' program and that it would lose control of a major part of its (drug) business in Afghanistan.

As Kabul was falling at least one of its Afghan units, some 600 soldiers, was ordered to help guard the airport of Kabul.

NDS 01 Unit @NDS_Afghanistan - 11:50 UTC  Aug 17, 2021 We will come

We will serve our countrymen as well .

#_ #Kabul #ANDSF

There the unit got into a friendly fire incident with German soldiers. The CIA Afghan troops at the airport are set to be evacuated. Other units, including the KPF, were reported to be going to the Panjshir valley where a new 'Northern Alliance' under Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud is supposed to be build. The Taliban are trying to hunt them down.

On Thursday a suicide bomber attacked a gate at the airport in Kabul where many people were trying to get evacuated from Afghanistan. The Islamic State claimed responsibility:

Thursday's suicide bombing in Kabul and the following panic killed more than 150 civilians (some 30 of whom were British-Afghan), 28 Taliban fighters and 13 U.S. troops. Before the attack happened a Taliban spokesperson had told RT that they had warned the U.S. of an imminent ISPK attack.

It is difficult to understand why the U.S., after it had been warned, did not take more precautions against such an attack.

Most of the casualties of the attack were not caused by the suicide bomber but by guards on the wall and in the watch towers surrounding the airport. "Most victims" had gun wounds to their upper bodies and the bullets had come from above. This has now been confirmed by multiple sources:

Sangar |   @paykhar - 1:02 PM  Aug 28, 2021 "Most victims of #KabulAirportBlast were not killed by the blast but by bullets fired at them by the Americans."

Faisal of Kabul Lovers channel interviewed aid workers at Emergency Hospital in #Kabul and this is what they have to say:

Embedded video

Earlier reports had claimed that the guard towers were manned by the CIA's Afghan forces.

U.S. media try to ignore those reports. Only deep down in a long New York Times piece one will find these lines:

For the first time, Pentagon officials publicly acknowledged the possibility that some people killed outside the airport on Thursday might have been shot by American service members after the suicide bombing. Investigators are looking into whether the gunfire came from Americans at the gate, or from the Islamic State.

It were neither the Americans at the gate nor the Islamic State but most likely the CIA's Afghan death squads in the watchtowers who caused the massacre.

The Washington Post analysis of the attack is likewise misleading:

Multiple gunmen then opened fire on the civilians and military forces. A local affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two days after the attack the CIA CNN published an interview by Clarissa Ward with an alleged ISKP commander said to have been recorded two weeks ago in a hotel in Kabul. Why the CNN blurred the man's face is left explained.

As RT mockingly headlines:

CIA tweets CIA interview with CIA: Viewers react to suddenly-released 'eerily prophetic' CNN interview with ISIS-K commander

Also a day after the airport attack the CIA killed an alleged ISKP 'planner' in Jalalabad who had nothing to do with the airport attack.

Dion Nissenbaum @DionNissenbaum - 10:43 UTC  Aug 29, 2021 Exclusive @WSJ video shows aftermath of US drone strike on Islamic State in Afghanistan, which used a "Flying Ginsu" missile. Pentagon says no civilian casualties. Eyewitness says a woman among the four injured.

Exclusive Video Shows Aftermath of U.S. Drone Strike in Afghanistan

The claim of a 'Flying Ginsu' missile, which contain no explosives, is inconsistent with the heavy shrapnel damage seen in the above linked video.

Now onto the big question.

If ISKP is, as shown above, a CIA/NDS product and if the guards at the airport who killed the 'most victims' in the attack are CIA led Afghan special forces why did all this happen?

We may find the answer in another New York Times piece headlined:

Amid Afghan Chaos, a C.I.A. Mission That Will Persist for Years

As the Afghanistan war wound down, the C.I.A. had expected to gradually shift its primary focus away from counterterrorism  a mission that transformed the agency over two decades into a paramilitary organization focused on manhunts and killing  toward traditional spycraft against powers like China and Russia. But a pair of deadly explosions on Thursday were the latest in a series of rapidly unfolding events since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban takeover of the country that have upended that plan. Like a black hole with its own gravitational pull, Afghanistan could draw the C.I.A. back into a complex counterterrorism mission for years to come.

The poor CIA - pulled back into an expensive 'counterterrorism' mission in Afghanistan and elsewhere that was supposed to end until ... well, until a CIA created terrorist outlet sent a suicide bomber to Kabul's airport and until CIA led Afghan forces shot up and killed a large crowd of refugees.

One might also call this the deep state's revenge for President Biden's order to retreat from Afghanistan.

This is the same deep state that had brought us four years of 'Russiagate' when a different president was likewise inclined to call U.S. troops back home and to thereby limit the CIA's fields of operation.

To make their point absolutely clear the NYT's CIA authors in their last paragraph issue this not very vague threat:

Any terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan would expose Mr. Biden to fierce criticism from his political opponents that it was a result of his decision to pull American troops from the country  yet another factor that is likely to bring intense White House pressure on spy agencies to keep a laser focus on Afghanistan.
The U.S. military has lied for 20 years about the war in Afghanistan. Do not expect it to suddenly tell the truth.

Thursday's suicide bombing in Kabul and the following panic killed more than 150 civilians (some 30 of whom were British-Afghan), 28 Taliban fighters and 13 U.S. troops.

Before the attack happened a Taliban spokesperson had told RT that they had warned the U.S. of an imminent ISPK attack.

Repeating Pentagon claims the New York Times describes the attack:

At 5:48 p.m., the bomber, wearing a 25-pound explosive vest under clothing, walked up to the group of Americans who were frisking people hoping to enter the complex. He waited, officials said, until just before he was about to be searched by the American troops. And then he detonated the bomb, which was unusually large for a suicide vest, killing himself and igniting an attack that would leave dozens of people dead, including 13 American service members.

If the suicide bomber was so close to the inner perimeter checkpoint manned by U.S. forces why were so many Taliban, who manned checkpoints at the outer perimeter, killed in the incident?

The Times writes:

Just after the bomb went off, Defense Department officials said, fighters nearby began firing weapons. The officials said that some of the Americans and Afghans at Abbey Gate might have been hit by that gunfire.

What fighters nearby?

The BBC correspondent in Kabul has asked people who where there:

Secunder Kermani @SecKermani - 7:21 UTC  Aug 28, 2021 Our report from last night on the awful ISIS attack outside Kabul airport as families still search Kabul's morgues for their loved ones..

Many we spoke to, including eyewitnesses, said significant numbers of those killed were shot dead by US forces in the panic after the blast

Embedded video

The correspondent talks to the brother a London taxi driver who was in Kabul to fetch his family:

A: "Somehow I saw American soldiers, Turkish soldiers and the fire was coming from the bridges, from the towers."

Q: "From the soldiers?"

A: "Yeah, from the soldiers."

(Side note: Some of the towers around the airport were reportedly manned by members of the CIA's Afghan death squads.)

Another witness:

Narrator: "Noor Mohamed had been deployed alongside American forces."

A man holding up an identity card of a friend talks about his death in English.

A: "The guy has served U.S. army for years. And the reason he lost his life - he wasn't killed by Taliban, he wasn't killed by ISIS, he was (unintelligible)."

Q: "How can you be sure?"

A: "Because of the bullet. The bullet went inside of his head. Right here." (Points to the back of his head.) "He doesn't have any (other) injury."

The Pentagon did not respond to the BBC's request for comments.
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FREDERICTON - Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole asserted Saturday that New Brunswick women do have access to abortion services despite the fact that the provincial government won't fund such procedures at a clinic in its capital city.

Conservative Leader Erin OToole puts on his mask after speaking to the media in Fredericton, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Canadians will vote in a federal election Sept. 20th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

FREDERICTON - Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole asserted Saturday that New Brunswick women do have access to abortion services despite the fact that the provincial government won't fund such procedures at a clinic in its capital city.

Speaking at a campaign stop in Fredericton  which has been at the centre of a simmering fight between the federal Liberal government and the province over Clinic 554  O'Toole said he's received assurances from Premier Blaine Higgs that women living in the province can access abortion services now and into the future.

Before calling the election set for Sept. 20, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau opted to hold back about $140,000 of New Brunswick's allotted annual federal health transfer money, slamming the province for not funding abortion services at the Fredericton clinic and saying it was making it difficult to access such procedures.

The province prohibits funding for abortions outside of three approved hospitals located in Moncton and Bathurst.

Days before the election was called, the Liberal government pledged $366,000 toward research to study abortion access in New Brunswick in hopes that would allow advocates to make the case for why a clinic is needed in the provincial capital.

O'Toole didn't answer when asked whether a Conservative government would withhold transfer payments to penalize provinces that don't fund adequate abortion services, only saying he raised the issue with Higgs, who told him there is already sufficient access.

When I was here in New Brunswick over a month ago, I spoke to Premier Higgs about ensuring that that access is there, and he assured me it is and will be," he said on Saturday.

This is how I will approach myself, always try and have positive relations with all the provinces, but I will always stand up for the rights of all Canadians, including women to access health services that are their right.

This is the second election where provincial funding for the clinic in Fredericton has emerged as an issue.

While campaigning for re-election in 2019, Trudeau pledged to take action over abortion access in New Brunswick, telling prospective voters he was prepared to use federal powers under the Canada Health Act to ensure the procedure was properly funded by the province.

Advocates for abortion rights have long called on the federal government to make more use of the law governing publicly funded health services to restrict health payments to provinces with limited abortion access.

Abortion has been an issue for O'Toole, who says he is personally pro-choice but whose caucus and party base include a significant chunk of anti-abortion social conservatives. He had to navigate the issue in the first week after the election was called due to his leadership campaign promise to recognize the conscience rights of doctors and nurses who object to performing or providing referrals for services that violate their beliefs.

A platform promise issued in the first week of the election campaign stated Conservatives would broadly recognize conscience rights, but O'Toole later clarified that doctors still had a duty to provide referrals for services they were not comfortable performing themselves.

O'Toole appeared to soften on another policy considered important by social conservatives on Saturday.

RightNow, an organization that opposes abortion and works to elect candidates who will advance that cause, reported during the Conservative leadership race that O'Toole told them he didn't believe funding for abortion services had a place in Canada's foreign aid.

He also backed a policy that had been in place under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper that banned Canadian foreign aid from funding abortion services.

The Liberals lifted that ban after first forming government in 2015.

Asked Saturday whether an O'Toole government would return to Harper's policy, he didn't directly answer, only saying, What services the NGOs on the ground want to provide, that will be something that we support their efforts.

RightNow co-founder Scott Hayward demanded more clarity.

"We are hoping that Erin O'Toole can provide clarity and keep to his commitment to pro-lifers during the leadership race on not funding abortion overseas," Hayward said.

"This is an official Conservative Party of Canada policy that was approved by Conservative members. We are looking forward to Mr. O'Toole providing clarity on this important question."

O'Toole was campaigning in New Brunswick as part of a tour he across the East Coast, where he spent Friday with candidates in western Newfoundland and North Sydney, N.S., where the party hopes to pick up seats.

He pumped up his party's plans for how to make life more affordable in Fredericton, the riding that is home to Liberal candidate Jenica Atwin, who in June crossed the floor from the Green Party of Canada.

From there, he travelled Saturday to Charlottetown where a crowd of around 70 people gathered outside a local ice cream shop waiting to greet him.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2021.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the campaign stop was in front of the clinic when it was at another location.
(The Center Square)  By the end of December, Austin will be the least affordable city to live outside of California, according to an analysis by the real estate company Zillow. It will be less affordable to own a home in Austin than Seattle, Miami, and New York City, the report suggests, with homeowners expected to spend more than 25.3% of their income on mortgage payments.

According to the Austin Board of Realtors, the median home price in Austin in June was more than $482,000, a 39% increase from last year.

Real Estate company RedFin notes that while the median home price rose astronomically, the number of homes that sold significantly over the asking price increased as well. Out-of-towners moving to the Austin region in general pay 7.8% over the asking price, compared to local buyers paying an average 3.7% more, Redfin found.

People relocating from major cities  particularly San Francisco  has contributed to the boom, RedFin says.

Wise Property Group told Business Insider earlier this year that Austin was attracting people moving from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Chicago.

The typical home buyer in June 2020 spent less than one-fifth (19.7%) of their income on mortgage payments, Zillow estimates. But one year later, by June 2021, that number jumped to 25.3%. And its continuing to climb.

By December, even if mortgage rates stay the same moving forward, home buyers in Austin should be prepared to spend 30.1% of their income on a mortgage above the 30% housing-burdened threshold, Zillow states.

The only markets that will be less affordable than Austin are in California: Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose and San Francisco, Zillow suggests.

Chuck DeVore, a vice president with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, agrees that Austin has often had the highest home prices among Texas urban areas. But he attributes this is partly due to its growth as a high wage high-tech hub and partly due to increasing development restrictions imposed by a leftwing city council. The average rent for an apartment in Austin is $1,539, In Houston, it's $1,172, but still far below San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley at $2,593 or New York at $3,872.

He disagrees that Austins unaffordability will surpass Chicagos or even New York Citys. Pointing to Bankrate.coms cost of living calculator, he told The Center Square, San Francisco is 84 percent more expensive than is the Austin metro, Manhattan is 137 percent more expensive, Los Angeles is 46 percent more expensive, Chicago is 21 percent more expensive, and Houston is 2 percent more expensive.

The Austin Business Journal says more people moving to Austin from Silicon Valley are bringing with them higher incomes that price everyone else out. It writes, If youre not in the technology industry, and youre not earning those wages, youre probably going to be priced out.

Californians with equity in tech companies like Facebook, Google or others can sell their million-dollar homes in the Bay Area and buy more for their money in Austin, including more square-footage and a yard they may not have had before while also spending far less in taxes than they did in California.

But higher costs mean more people are being priced out with less affordable housing options, a trend that led in part to more than 200,000 Californians becoming homeless in the past few years.

Austin also is plagued by homelessness, mirroring Californias tent cities on a smaller scale. After two years of fighting the city council over vagrancy laws, residents were able to enact changes through a ballot initiative.

And while Zillow suggests that one solution is to increase affordable housing options, critics have been arguing for years that the regulatory burden is prohibitive.

In 2017, referring to new solar regulations introduced at the time, the president of Austin firm Danze and Davis Architects told KXAN News, Every regulation the city does just adds another layer of cost to what would be an affordable house otherwise. What used to cost maybe $75 for us to do a site plan in Austin now costs over $2,000 because of the amount of time it takes to do all those regulations that we do.

Another report found that for the same project built in Austin compared to Dallas, Austin fees could cost a developer more than $1 million compared to $120,000 in Dallas. That was before the California exodus of 2019 and 2020, bringing more people from Silicon Valley into Austin and before the city council reversed vagrancy laws enabling homeless encampments to expand throughout the city  both factoring into affordable housing in the area.

Two years after the reports were issued, council member Greg Casar told KXAN News, Sometimes our own rules get in our own way. Weve seen time after time, where the City Council has gotten behind building more affordable homes, then some of our city rules can restrict the number of homes in a location by 50 percent, or up to 100 percent.

Still, the city council hasnt repealed restrictive regulations or solved its affordable housing or homeless crisis, but it does continue to raise taxes.

Austin has one of the highest property taxes in the U.S., with the city council raising taxes by 100% over a 13-year period. In 2008, the annual Austin property tax bill for the median homeowner was $705; by 2021, it was more than $1,400.

DeVore notes a silver lining, pointing out that Texas, due to a variety of factors, including stronger property rights that make it easier for developers to build to meet demand, has a cost of living almost 8% below the national average.

Fortunately, for people looking to move to the Austin area, there is plenty of land for new housing in Williamson County to the north and in Hays County to the South.
The ABC board has been told a three-part documentary about the 1979 Luna Park tragedy may have unfairly dealt with allegations connecting former NSW Premier Neville Wran to an underworld boss, but the program still provided compelling evidence for a new investigation.

The review of the three-part series Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire, conducted by award-winning journalist Chris Masters and University of Sydney Professor Rodney Tiffen, was provided to the ABC board last week and is expected to be made public on the ABCs website.

Caro Meldrum-Hanna, the presenter of Exposed: Ghost Train Fire. Credit:ABC

It was complimentary of the documentary makers Caro Meldrum-Hanna and Patrick Begley, but was critical of the way Mr Wran, now deceased, was portrayed, an ABC spokesperson said.

An independent review of Exposed: The Ghost Train Series has found the program performed an important public service and describes its production values as world-class and exemplary, an ABC spokesperson said. Since its broadcast, there have been responses by the coroner and by the police, who are now offering a reward for information about the fire, and widespread calls in parliament and elsewhere for a new inquiry.
Fuel supplier Viva Energy is pitching its plan to build Victorias first gas import terminal in Geelong as the cheapest short-term solution to the states looming gas crisis because it would avoid the heavy cost of overhauling a major pipeline.

As gas production from BHP and ExxonMobils 50-year-old Bass Strait fields rapidly dries up without enough new supplies to replace it, the Australian Energy Market Operator is warning the nations southern states are in danger of facing gas shortages in coming years, prompting fears of price rises.

Viva Energys Geelong oil refinery. Credit:

Mining magnate Andrew Twiggy Forrests Squadron Energy is developing a shipping terminal to begin importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) into Port Kembla in Wollongong to address the shortfall, which authorities say will help alleviate the pressure in Victoria.

However, gas market participants increasingly expect Viva Energys proposed terminal at the site of its Geelong oil refinery will also be required amid concerns about a $70 million upgrade to reverse the one-directional pipeline between NSW and Victoria leading to heavy tariffs for Victorian buyers.
Ed Asner, the star of television series Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show who moonlighted as a political activist against US President Ronald Reagans policy on Central America, has died. He was 91.

We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully, a tweet from Asners official Twitter account said Sunday, US time. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head  goodnight dad. We love you.

A cause for death was not given.

Actor Ed Asner, star of Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore show, has died at 91. Credit:AP

Asner continued to appear in TV shows, such as The Good Wife and Bones, even in the last years of his life. In 2019, Asner played a retiree who gave life advice in the Netflix show Dead to Me, which stars Christina Applegate. A new generation of moviegoers was introduced to Asner as the voice of curmudgeon Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar-Disney 2009 animated hit Up.
The nation needs to understand the hurt and whats been lost, and understand how its all played out and what its meant for us as a people and us as a nation. We need the maturity to step up and recognise that we are in 2021, and we need to be better and smarter in the way we do things when it comes to race relations in Australia.

What we need, proffers Wik vs Queensland filmmaker Dean Gibson, whose 90-minute documentary for NITV, Incarceration Nation , lays bare the causes and consequences of our unjust judicial system, could be something akin to a national group therapy session.

Indigenous deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission: 478. Percentage of Indigenous prisoners: 27. Percentage of juvenile prisoners aged 10-13: 65. We know the numbers. Weve seen the shocking CCTV footage from inside cells on Four Corners . We talk about raising the age of criminal responsibility. We take to the streets motivated by the police killing of an African-American man halfway across the world. We shake our heads, and still, systemic racism churns on, destroying the lives of First Nations people.

Like a concertina, the film expands with evidence that has been hiding in plain sight. With the blessing of courageous families, incredibly distressing vision of abuse and neglect at the hands of police and prison officers is relayed. Indigenous lawyers, barristers and advocates  many of them relatively new faces on television  dissect the issue, tracing it back to colonisation with appalling historical footnotes, and offer solutions.

I knew we were going to have a film that would yell and scream in parts, but I wanted to show Australia that there are some fantastic, educated, equipped, professionals all across the legal fraternity and industry that have really well thought-out responses to the issue.

Invaluable for his personal experience in the judicial system from the age of 14, and his advocacy and support work through Redfern-based organisation Deadly Connections is Keenan Mundine, who also appears on Karla Grants Living Black on Monday at 8.30pm on NITV. In one uncomfortable scene of Incarceration Nation, Mundine revisits the now-closed Parramatta Correctional Centre, where he transitioned to the adult system. He returned there, he explains, despite being still very traumatised, because if I dont show this narrative, people wont understand how the majority of children and young adults that are entrenched in the criminal justice system end up there.

Mundine rejects the idea that Indigenous viewers will find the film hard to watch.

I think its going to be validating for them, he said. I felt very isolated through what I was experiencing in Redfern, a kilometre away from the biggest metropolis in Australia. And there are kids today here still experiencing what I did in far worse conditions. If everyone else is going through it then there must be something that we can do to stop this  The time is now for changing. Wider Australia needs to understand its a bit bigger than just, dont do the crime.
As the government prepares for the COP26 United Nations climate talks in Glasgow in November, the survey showed 41 per cent of voters wanted the government to reach net zero before 2050 and 32 per cent believed net zero should be reached by 2050. By contrast, 12 per cent believe 2050 is too fast and 15 per cent believe no goal should be set. Almost 70 per cent of Victorian voters want the federal government to do more on climate, while in regional areas of the state this figure is slightly lower at 65 per cent. Not surprisingly, the numbers are lower for Coalition voters: in Greater Melbourne just over half want more to be done, while in regional Victoria its 47 per cent. A third of Labor voters in metropolitan Melbourne said climate change was their number one issue. For Coalition voters this number was about 24 per cent.

In the two most marginal Victorian Coalition-held electorates  Chisholm and Higgins  climate action plans are the number one priority for about one in three voters (29 per cent and 37 per cent). In Labors most marginal Victorian seat of Dunkley, a quarter of all voters (26 per cent) say plans for action on climate change are their priority in the next federal election. Monash academic and political commentator Zareh Ghazarian said the polling showed there was obvious concern about climate change, but it was impossible to say how this would translate into voting behaviour. Its interesting data because you can see climate change is important to a lot of people, Dr Ghazarian said. I suspect it would be at the top of the political agenda if we werent in a pandemic, and there is an appetite in the community for governments to be putting clearer ideas forward.

I suspect [climate change] would be at the top of the political agenda if we werent in a pandemic. Dr Zareh Ghazarian But in the last election voters didnt seem to embrace an opposition that was proposing a range of reforms in this area. There is a sense they wanted to keep policy ideas steady. Climate change is the number one federal election issue for 29 per cent of NSW voters and one of

the top three issues for 67 per cent. It is the most important issue for 31 per cent of Coalition voters in metropolitan areas and for one in five in regional electorates. In the Coalitions most marginal NSW seat, Reid, 71 per cent of voters wants the federal government to do more, while in Labors most marginal federal seat, Macquarie, 67 per cent want more federal action.

ROAD TO GLASGOW Mr Morrison has said the government intended to get to net zero as soon as possible and preferably by 2050, though critics are calling for a firm target. The Australian government has a target for reducing emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent by 2030, compared with the United Kingdoms target of 78 per cent by 2035 and the United States goal of 50-52 per cent by 2035. The government is expected to come under international pressure during the COP26 talks to increase its 2030 goals, though some of its MPs, particularly in the Nationals, are concerned about the economic and political cost of increased action.

ACF chief executive Kelly OShanassy said the group commissioned the polling because it believes time is running out to stop run away climate warming, and it expects key decisions to be made on Australias efforts in the lead up to COP26 and the next election. We also wanted to get polling down to an electorate level if we could possibly do it because that was a good way of measuring the diversity of views in Australia, but its also a good piece of information for MPs to see whether they are doing what their constituents want done. She said she was not surprised by the overwhelming support for renewable energy the survey found, but was that those views were shared in so-called coal seats. Even the electorates that have coal and gas communities in them are rejecting the idea of coal and gas being a big part of our energy future going forward, she said. Loading

The poll found that in the Queensland regional electorates of Flynn, Capricornia, Maranoa and Dawson support for new coal and gas-fired power projects is 40 per cent or less. One LNP adviser who asked not to be named said that if the poll was correct and held true until the election it suggested that climate could present a political problem in some seats in the next election. He noted, for example, that the research suggested that in battleground seats like Gilmore, Eden Monaro and Macquarie concern about climate was high. Because all these seats had been hit hard by Black Summer bushfires he expected that concern to be maintained until the election. But he warned that in other seats voter concerns may shift from climate as the campaign began. Loading

A second Coalition strategist said he was not surprised by the finding that concern about climate change was widespread in rural and regional electorates, and the government was aware that this was the case. He said the governments mantra of technology not taxes was based on an astute understanding that Australians want to see climate action but did not want some communities unfairly penalised to achieve it. He said that if the poll asked had asked voters how much they were willing to spend on climate action, or what their communities should sacrifice to act on climate, its results would have been significantly different. Cristina Talacko, chairwoman of Coalition a pro-climate action group aligned with the Liberal and National parties said the finding about the level of concern about climate change among rural and regional voters was significant. She said the perceived divide on climate change between rural and urban voters had been used as an argument against taking stronger action was disproved by the poll.
When Tati Tati elder Brendan Kennedy talks about his ancestral country, in far north-west Victoria on the Murray River, he describes it as a living body, a figure in the landscape.

The land where the remote town of Manangatang sits is a hand, Lake Carpul is a leg, the area of Woorinen is the mouth, other regions are the arms and hair. And the Murray  which he calls Milloo  and the other waterways are the veins.

They carry the water, the blood, to the wetlands and lagoons and floodplains that are like the organs, says Kennedy. Its all one entity.

Tati Tati traditional owner Brendan Kennedy wants governments to allocate and deliver water for cultural flows at Margooya Lagoon. Credit:Tim Herbert

One of these organs is the Margooya Lagoon, an ancestral site and culturally rich wetland near Robinvale, which Kennedy and his community say needs cultural flows  water entitlements and rights for First Nations people  to deliver it back to health.
Police have formally identified a man found with a gunshot wound after crashing into the front yard of a property in the NSW Hunter region as local David King.

Emergency services responded to a call about 1.45pm on Sunday that a car had hit a tree on Hideaway Drive in Salt Ash, in Port Stephens. They found the body of Mr King, 45, from Tanilba Bay.

A homicide investigation is under way after a man was fatally shot at Port Stephens on Sunday. Credit:Nine News

It soon became apparent that the male driver was deceased and lying just outside his vehicle with what we believe to be a gunshot wound, Superintendent Chad Gillies said on Monday.

He said the white Ford ute, being driven by Mr King, had collided with a letterbox in the front yard of a property.
With more than 70 per cent of its eligible population vaccinated, Canadas approach for sending children back to the classroom would appear more straightforward than NSWs current wrestle with a similar issue.

However, the daily COVID-19 case tally in Canada has exceeded 1000 for the past two weeks. Several provinces centralised online learning a year ago and, for the new school year, parents could select online or in-person learning for children early this month  before the escalation.

While the availability of online learning varies between provinces and schools, an absence of approved vaccines for children under 12 and vaccination rates among teachers and school personnel have made parents wary.

The Toronto district school board, the countrys largest, for example, asked parents to select either in-person or online learning before August 12. As cases escalated after this deadline, families now preferring their children switch to online learning have been pushed to a waiting list.
Queensland recorded one local case of COVID-19 in home quarantine on Sunday, as authorities announced a new mass vaccination hub in Brisbanes north with walk-in days to boost the sluggish uptake as more supplies arrive.

The single case was a household contact of early Indooroopilly cluster infections, linked to the Ironside State School, and had been isolated for their entire infectious period.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the opening of a new mass vaccination hub in Brisbane.

Because of this, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said there was no risk to the broader community. We have absolutely no concerns about that, she told reporters in Brisbane.

In an effort to boost the states lagging vaccination rate, amid an expected rise in Pfizer supplies, Ms Palaszczuk said her government would open a new mass vaccination hub at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall on September 8.
Several trucks blocked the M1 southbound on the Gold Coast in protest of COVID-19 restrictions, causing significant delays for motorists on Monday morning.

Police were advising there would be delays near exit 86 at Reedy Creek due to protest activity.

Truck drivers have blocked the M1 southbound on the Gold Coast in protest of mandatory vaccine requirements and lockdown restrictions. Credit:Nine News

They urged motorists to avoid the area.

After 7am, the southbound lanes reopened after the trucks moved.
Johns university career was almost derailed. A very active social and musical life led him to fail his first year, and he had to repeat it at the University of Queensland. Re-admitted to Melbourne University, he went on to get first-class honours and a PhD in physics.

Educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, two legendary teachers were a strong influence. Occa Ferres initiated his love of physics and Gunner Owen his love of English literature. John showed early talents in science and music, leading the school orchestra. In his final year at school, he built a linear particle accelerator consisting of a Van de Graaff generator and a high-vacuum tube. When he turned it on, the nearby Geiger counter went berserk. Occa shouted: Stand back! It will make you useless! The radiation might fry their balls.

John was the son of Vernon Swain and Wing Commander Louis Spence, a decorated RAAF fighter pilot, who was killed in action in the Korean War when John was four years old.

John Spence, the worlds leading electron microscopist of his generation, died in Boston, Massachusetts, in June. Born in Canberra in 1946, he was Regents Professor and Richard Snell Professor of Physics at Arizona State University. He was beloved by countless friends around the world with whom he sailed, made music, shared books, and spread happiness.

His subsequent career progression was meteoric. During post-doctoral studies at Oxford University, he developed a deep understanding of the dynamical theory of electron diffraction. He was then recruited to Arizona State University by his old Melbourne professor John Cowley. In 1986, the Spence group at ASU developed the first direct-detection EM cameras. Later, Spence led a team of researchers to obtain funding and develop a new instrument for cryo-EM, dedicated to biology. His friend Richard Henderson shared the 2017 Nobel prize for its further development.

In 1999, a team comprising Jian-Min Zuo, Michael OKeeffe and John Spence published a landmark paper showing the direct visualisation of a covalent bond between atoms. Prior to this time, covalent bonds had only been modelled by mathematical calculation. Their technique, using both X-rays and electrons to probe molecules, was the first to image both the atoms in a crystal lattice and the electron bonds holding them together, and was of fundamental importance. Their image was published on the front cover of Nature, and an article in The New York Times quoted John as saying: It was as difficult as weighing the captain of a ship by weighing a ship with the captain on it and then subtracting the weight of the ship.

Spences greatest achievement involved a radical and highly risky change of direction which is now revolutionising the study of protein structure and dynamics. The idea was to use the powerful X-ray laser at the US Department of Energys SLAC Laboratory to study proteins. The X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) produces radiation 10 billion times brighter than the sun. The key question was whether the proteins would emit a diffraction pattern in the infinitesimal interval before they were destroyed by the intense radiation.

John Spence: did everything with boyish enthusiasm.

No one knew the answer to this question. Accordingly, when the Australian Henry Chapman proved experimentally in 2006 that it was possible to outrun radiation damage by using fast X-ray pulses, it was met with great excitement. At this time, Spences lab was building a device for delivering proteins into the X-ray beam and developing the algorithms needed to decode the millions of fast diffraction patterns. Despite this groundwork, there were many naysayers and 10 grant applications from Johns laboratory were denied funding. John persisted, and one day I received an email from him with just two words: IT WORKED!
Train lines and roads throughout Melbournes fringe suburbs will become more congested in coming decades than was previously thought, as a shift in work patterns wrought by COVID-19 prompts more people to move to the citys outer edges.

Many thousands of people are set to populate Melbournes outer-northern and western areas due to work-from-home arrangements, the states infrastructure adviser has warned. This pattern will aggravate Melbournes urban sprawl, Infrastructure Victorias deputy chief executive said.

Erum Ali from Werribee hopes she never again has to take the train into the city for work. Credit:Eddie Jim

But with jobs and key services set to grow in the city centre, people will inevitably continue commuting to the CBD. This will put enormous strain on train lines that were already expected to reach their capacity by the end of the decade.

By 2051, crowding on trains servicing growth areas including Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Mitchell, Whittlesea and Wyndham will be 25 per cent worse than pre-pandemic forecasts, the advisory body found.
At the moment, Australia feels like a confederation, not a federation.

In a confederation, states come together under a national umbrella, but with their individual sovereignty largely unimpaired.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, WA Premier Mark McGowan, and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

In a federation, states unite in a way that cedes many of their sovereign powers to a national government. Thats, of course, how the Commonwealth of Australia was established. But you would not think that right now given the way states and territories are openly working against each other during COVID.

As the preamble to the covering clauses of the federal Constitution records, the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania  have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed the states lockdown will be extended beyond Thursday when it was planned to end.

Mr Andrews said there had been too many cases that had spent a long time in the community while infectious.

However, he said the state was still a chance of driving case numbers back toward zero, and that he hadnt given up hope of opening up again in the coming weeks.

Essentially, we see far too many cases today for us to be able to seriously consider opening up later on this week, he said.
Here at CBD we are mad for a business dynasty, particularly one that makes it to three generations without imploding. And lets face it, its hardly been salad days among the first families of business recently. Intergenerational empire building in the Packer and Murdoch families seems sclerotic, and the only ones winning from the unceasing Hancock/Rinehart intergenerational legal battles are the Perth law firms.

Lindsay and Peter Fox Credit:Jozsef Benke

So its pleasing to see a generation next young gun stepping up.

It was back in 1956 that Lindsay Fox founded the company that would become Australias largest privately owned logistics empire.

Peter Fox, the second of the six children of Lindsay and Paula Fox, followed in the family way by becoming a trainee cadet at Mayne Nickless, before joining Linfox in Brisbane as a trainee supervisor. He is executive chairman of Linfox, but now more famous for leaving Melbourne during the lockdown for Queensland and leasing Moto GP champion Mick Doohans mansion on the Gold Coast. He was granted an exemption by Queensland Police, never the most forgiving types, after telling them he was a truck driver and held a multi-combination drivers licence.
Levies on financial advisers to cover Australian Securities and Investments Commission costs will be slashed by almost $2000 under a federal government plan to take pressure off the sector due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Monday said ASIC levies charged for personal advice to retail clients will be reduced to $1142 per adviser for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years in what he described as targeted relief.

Levies for personal financial advice will be slashed for at least two years to deal with the impact of the pandemic. Credit:iStock

Advisers were facing a levy of $3138 for 2020-21 alone.

Mr Frydenberg said the move would reduce levies by $46 million for 2020-21 with a larger saving for this financial year.
Parts of Sydneys eastern suburbs have been given priority access to Pfizer vaccines for 16 to 49-year-olds as authorities scramble to stop rising case numbers that could see COVID-19 hotspots expanded.

As NSW hit another new high of 1218 Delta cases on Sunday, Pfizer priority has been expanded to include the Randwick local government area as numbers grow in the southern Sydney LGA of Bayside and health authorities become increasingly concerned about the spread after an illegal party in Maroubra.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian again stressed that the focus should not be on case numbers as the state reported 1218 new cases. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Other areas which have been prioritised for Pfizer are the 12 hotspots in south-western and western Sydney as well as Camden, which is not a designated area of concern but has had rising case numbers.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian again stressed on Sunday that she was more focused on the number of people in hospital and those being treated in intensive care than the number of infections.
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 As soon as Gunditjmara elder Alan Brown became eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, he rolled up his sleeves for the AstraZeneca jab. The decision to get inoculated was simple, but also steeped in this countrys dark colonial past. There was an introduction of measles and smallpox as part of the colonisation of our country, and then the Spanish flu pandemic hit Australia and heavily impacted on the Aboriginal community, he said. Theres a sense of learning from history and not letting this virus hit us the way other diseases have. New data released by the federal government this week has painted a picture of the widening gap between fully vaccinated Indigenous Australians and the overall population, raising concerns about the impact COVID-19 will have on First Nations people if Australia eases restrictions once 70 or 80 per cent of adults are vaccinated. Gunditjmara elder Uncle Alan is unequivoical in his advice to young Indigenous Victorians: get the jab. Credit:Justin McManus In Western Australia, just six per cent of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are fully inoculated, compared with 23 per cent of the entire WA population. In NSW, where the state is dealing with a serious COVID-19 outbreak, fewer than 11 per cent of Indigenous people have received two doses of the vaccine, compared with 27 per cent of the entire NSW population as of last Wednesday. The only heartening statistics are from Victoria, where the rate of Indigenous people who have been fully vaccinated, at 43 per cent, is almost double that of the Victorian population, which stands at 26 per cent. While 73 per cent of First Nations people have received their first dose, compared with 45 per cent of the rest of the Victorian population.

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The federal government releases weekly data on the number of Aboriginal people who have received a vaccine but does not reveal the proportion of the Indigenous population which has been inoculated. The Age calculated the data comparing the Department of Health figures against the Australian Bureau of Statistics population figures. Its important to be vaccinated from a physical point of view, but from an emotional and spiritual point of view ... I didnt want to be a victim, and I wanted to own my destiny and not wait to get sick, Uncle Alan said. The federal governments COVID-19 vaccination program has suffered multiple setbacks, including disruptions to global supply and the shifting advice to young people on AstraZeneca. However, with more Pfizer and Moderna - the preferred vaccines for Australians aged under 60 - coming into Australia, the Commonwealth announcing its four-phase plan towards COVID-19 normal, and the country racing to get vaccinated amid widespread outbreaks across the eastern seaboard, Australia could fully inoculate 80 per cent of its population by the end of this year, according to the federal government. Questions remain over when the total Indigenous population will reach the 80 per cent vaccination target set out by national cabinet, what lifting restrictions would mean for thousands of unvaccinated First Nations people, and why the rollout for this vulnerable community has been so slow. Australias handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indigenous community had been relatively successful. But as the virus rages in NSW, and with low vaccination rates among First Nations people, Aboriginal communities are fearing the worst. COVID-19 is running rampant in western NSW among the Indigenous population.

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A different picture has emerged in Victoria. Michael Graham is the chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, where almost 3000 people have been vaccinated. Michael Graham, chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, receives his AstraZeneca vaccination in March. Credit:Chris Hopkins Back in February 2020, when the world was watching as Italy and China grappled with the novel coronavirus and remained unsure whether it would constitute a pandemic, the service told the Aboriginal community, this virus is going to be a thing. The organisation, the second oldest Aboriginal health service in the country, published information and advice to its community throughout the crisis. As momentum gained around the COVID-19 vaccination earlier this year, Graham said the service was again on the front foot with information about the jabs, first and foremost encouraging health literacy among its community. When we do our inductions with staff, we tell our staff that any Aboriginal person who walks through this door is an owner of this organisation and needs to be treated as such  There was a 91-year-old who came in recently and she said I havent been to VAHS since the 80s, and I walked in for the first time to get my COVID vaccination and I was treated like royalty. Aboriginal community-controlled organisations have been embedded in their communities for decades, providing not just cultural support but one-stop health shops. So when a public health crisis emerged last year, the organisations already had the health authority to disseminate information. Staff visited Aboriginal people in their homes, distributed information via social media and telephone calls, equipped people with all the material on the virus and the vaccine to educate them, created rap music videos about COVID-19, and most importantly, Graham says, they have been embedded in their communities.

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Health behaviour researchers have consistently argued for tailored public health messaging, while community leaders repeatedly cautioned government officials about the challenges faced by some communities in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Loading A peer-reviewed Sax Institute report, published in March this year, unpacked the challenges experienced, and solutions offered, by culturally and linguistically diverse community (CALD) leaders in communicating health information throughout the pandemic. Although the First Nations people are not part of the CALD community, the researchers honed in on a strategy that, Graham says, has always been embraced by his service: achieving desirable behaviours in a target population is accomplished by understanding the needs of the population and the barriers and enablers to behaviour change. And that is why the service is urging the state and federal governments to step in with a funding boost for a mobile vaccination van. All those who are willing and ready to be vaccinated are coming in, but theres still going to be some who are a little bit afraid of coming out of their houses still, and were a little bit concerned for them, Graham said. Ive been speaking with the state government for 12 months about getting a mobile van to go to homes and gathering places and vaccinate there. We havent been able to get support, and this is a great idea, but were hoping that will come through at some stage, otherwise Im worried those people wont come out to get vaccinated.

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Professor Catherine Chamberlain, a trawlwoolway woman from the University of Melbournes Centre for Health Equity told The Age that achieving 100 per cent vaccination rates in Indigenous communities was unrealistic. Mark Morgan, 13, visited the Victorian Aboriginal Health Services last week to get his Pfizer vaccine. Credit:Justin McManus Well, the problem is you cant force people. People want to choose so theres always going to be people who refuse, she said. Chamberlain also stressed the urgency of inoculating Indigenous youth had previously been overlooked in rollouts of the vaccinations scheme. Weve got a higher proportion of our community that are young, very young, and under the vaccinatable age. So we need higher vaccination rates to account for that, as well as the higher transmissibility because of overcrowding in housing. I would describe that need as very urgent, given our age distribution has a higher proportion of children. Seventy to 80 per cent for us wouldnt be good. In the north-west of the state, the Mallee District Aboriginal Service in Mildura has stepped-up its vaccination drive after recently being guaranteed as much Pfizer as it can administer. The service is vaccinating all-comers, with restrictions lifted on administering Pfizer to people over 60 and to Indigenous children from 12-years-old, chief executive Jacki Turfrey, a palawa woman, said. The Delta strain outbreak on the New South Wales side [Wilcannia] was fairly close to us. It certainly got people motivated to come in and get vaccinated. So weve stepped up with the imminent risk of that coming across into Victoria, said Turfrey.

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A Nevada school board member said he had thoughts of suicide before stepping down amid threats and harassment. In Virginia, a board member resigned over what she saw as politics driving decisions on masks. The vitriol at board meetings in Wisconsin had one member fearing he would find his tires slashed.

School board members are largely unpaid volunteers, traditionally former educators and parents who step forward to shape school policy, choose a superintendent and review the budget.

Protesters gesture as they are escorted out of the Clark County School Board meeting at the Clark County Government Centre, in Las Vegas. Credit:AP

But a growing number are resigning or questioning their willingness to serve as meetings have devolved into shouting contests between deeply political constituencies over how racial issues are taught, masks in schools, and COVID-19 vaccines and testing requirements.

In his letter of resignation from Wisconsins Oconomowoc Area School Board, Rick Grothaus said its work had become toxic and impossible to do.
Ltd plans to roll out 700,000 smart meters for customers this fiscal, saying in a statement it will provide real-time consumption details and analytics to users.

Based on AEMLs submissions, for the first time the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) reduced consumer tariff by an average 18 per cent effective April 1, 2020.

The company is taking several technology-based consumer initiatives including increasing its Genius Pay Self-Help Kiosks, taking the installations from the current 96 to 200. With One Kiosk across every two square KMs of Mumbai, consumers can say goodbye to traveling long distances and waiting in long queues at the traditional consumer care centres. These kiosks will act as a single touch point for consumer applications, complaints, bill payments, amongst other services.

is investing in a Consumer Communication Module (CCM) and Customer Relationship Module (CRM), which will allow the company to service consumers more effectively and in a timely manner.

The company said the network team at AEML is commissioning new assets like distribution substations (DSS) while replacing assets like old cables, oil switchgears & transformers, old, corroded LT pillars & streetlights. These improvements are being executed while keeping in mind not only to improve the reliability and aesthetic appeal but also the safety and environmental impact.
has asked a New York court to dismiss a petition filed by Britain's for seizure of its assets to enforce USD 1.2 billion arbitral awards against the Indian government, saying the litigation was premature as an appeal against the arbitration award was still pending.

The petition by the airline, which is separate to Indian government's plea in a Washington court seeking dismissal of Cairn's lawsuit to seek confirmation of the arbitral award, said the New York district court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate a "mere hypothetical question" or one that depends upon contingent future events that may or may not occur.

Cairn first moved a court in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking confirmation of the arbitration award and then filed a petition in the New York court to seek declaration of as "alter ego" of the Indian government and so it should be made liable to pay the USD 1.26 billion arbitral award.

An international arbitration tribunal in December last year set aside the levy of capital gains tax, using a 2012 retrospective legislation, on a 2006 reorganization of India business that Cairn carried before listing it on local stock exchanges. It ordered India to return the value of shares seized and sold, dividend confiscated and tax refund withheld to enforce levy.

With India refusing to pay, Cairn moved courts in the US.

"Cairn's petition to confirm the Award is pending in the District Court for the District of Columbia," said in the August 23 petition seen by PTI.

It went on to state that the Indian government has filed before a court in The Hague -- the seat of the international arbitration tribunal -- a Motion to Stay and a Motion to Dismiss the arbitral award.

"In effect, the Complaint (by Cairn Energy) is a premature enforcement action dressed up as a declaratory judgment action, invoking this Court's federal jurisdiction to get a head start on executing the Award before the D.D.C. has had the opportunity to address the Republic of India's immunity defenses and its claims that the Award is not subject to enforcement under the New York Convention," Air India said.

"Such an attempt is improper, and the Complaint should be dismissed."



It sought dismissal on three counts - first because the court lacks jurisdiction "to issue a declaratory judgment because the alleged controversy is not ripe", second "Air India is immune from suit because none of the exceptions to sovereign immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) applies to a premature collection proceeding of a hypothetical judgment, and third "the Complaint, which presupposes an enforceable judgment that does not exist, fails to allege a cognizable cause of action."



The Indian government had earlier this month asked the US District Court for the District of Columbia (DDC) to dismiss the case, arguing that it lacks jurisdiction since the country never agreed to arbitrate tax disputes. Meanwhile, litigation filed by New Delhi in the Netherlands to have the award set aside also remains pending.

"Cairn asks this court to issue a declaration that Air India, as alleged alter ego of [India], will be liable on a judgment that does not, and may never, exist," the airline said in the August 23 petition.

"Unless and until the court in the Cairn confirmation action determines the threshold question of the enforceability of the award against (India), whether Cairn can then enforce that judgment against Air India under an alter ego theory is purely academic and not ripe for adjudication."



This comes within weeks of the government enacting a legislation to scrap the tax rule that gave the tax department power to go 50 years back and slap capital gains levies wherever ownership had changed hands overseas, but business assets were in India. That rule had been used to levy a cumulative of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of tax on 17 entities, including Rs 10,247 crore on Cairn.

The Indian government and Air India are defending their positions as rules for withdrawal of such tax demands are in the process of being framed.

"One of the requirements for the dropping of the retrospective tax demands is that the parties concerned have to give an undertaking for withdrawal of all cases against the government/tax department. So, while all this is in process, the government is obligated to respond in any legal matter where there is a time bar for doing so," an official explained.

The government in the dismissal motion filed on August 13 before DCC, cited protections afforded by the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976.

India in the filing said the court "lacks subject-matter jurisdiction under the FSIA because India never waived its sovereign immunity and, likewise, never offered - let alone agreed - to arbitrate the present dispute with Petitioners".

"India also never "clearly and unmistakably" excluded judicial review or delegated exclusive competence to decide these questions to an arbitral tribunal", implying that Cairn couldn't satisfy any exception to sovereign immunity under the US law, the filing said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With strong visibility for metro projects and government spending, is looking to double its civil business segment to Rs 2,000 crore in FY22.

We have six metro projects with us along with large water pipeline projects and construction orders from airports, oil&gas and data centers sections which assures us of doubling of topline this fiscal, Vimal Kejriwal, managing director and chief executive officer of told Business Standard.

Of the top three revenue streams of KEC International, its civil business is the third-largest contributor after transmission and distribution (T&D) and railways.

In the companys recent earnings conference call, Kejriwal informed that the company has a robust order book and the lowest bidding of Rs 4,500 crore for the civil business segment.

In FY21, the companys civil business has already grown three times to Rs 1,080 crore, up 187 per cent from Rs 376 crore noted in the same period of the preceding year.

With strong revenue visibility in the civil segment, the company has also been investing Rs 70-80 crore since last year as capex.





Around same amount of capex will be deployed this year as well as next year. Another positive for this business is that the equipment needed for this business are even available for rental or at cheaper price due to relatively low demand on the back of covid. So the capex amount though earmarked need not see the entire spend, said Kejriwal.

Capital goods company has to face stiff competition from large players such as Larsen&Tourbro (L&T), ABB India Ltd and Siemens Ltd among others.

Though the revenue growth for KEC Internationals civil business looks strong going ahead, for margins to pick up to the extent of its T&D and Railways business, it is likely to take some time.

We have built a lot of capability in our civil business. All that can yield a good margin once it has reached a particular size. Once we do Rs 3,000 crore topline, which is another 50 percent over FY22 and which is expected to achieve in FY23, we should be able to touch a double digit margin (in civil) which will be in line with our railways segment, said Kejriwal.

The companys T&D business margins are at about 12-13 per cent, while that of its Railways business is at 10 per cent.

In June quarter FY22, the companys total sales stood at Rs 2,540 crore, of which T&D segment contributed 51 per cent, while the non-T&D contributed 49 per cent.
After injectables and oral solid drugs, are focusing on coming up with re-purposed inhalation products for Covid-19.

While Lupin is working on a remdesivir powder for inhalation, Glenmark has tied up with a Canadian Biotech firm for nitric oxide nasal spray that reduces Sars-CoV-2 viral load and thus transmission.

Remdesivir, an antiviral drug developed by American drug major Gilead for Ebola, was repurposed for Covid-19. The drug was in such demand during the first and second waves of the pandemic that massive shortages and spiralling black-market prices were reported.

Mumbai-based drug major Lupin has now got approval from the subject expert committee (SEC) advising the drugs regulator to conduct Phase 2 clinical trials for remdesivir powder inhalation. Lupin had presented a proposal to conduct Phase 2 and 3 studies for remdesivir powder for inhalation before the SEC.

Lupin did not respond to the queries sent.

The inhaled version of remdesivir, which is now available only in intravenous injectable form, could be cheaper. Remdesivir roughly costs from Rs 800-1,000 a vial to Rs 3,500 a vial varying across brands. Each patient needs at least six vials for a full course. Moreover, a dry powder inhaler would also deliver the drug directly into the lungs, the affected organ.

The SEC has allowed Glenmark to start Phase 3 trials of the product with conditions that anyone vaccinated with Covid-19 should be excluded from the disease.

A Glenmark spokesperson said NONS is designed to kill in the upper airways, preventing it from incubating and spreading to the lungs. It is based on Nitric Oxide, a natural nanomolecule with proven anti-microbial properties, and which has a direct effect on SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid, the spokesperson said.

In March 2021, SaNOtizes clinical trials showed NONS was a safe and effective antiviral treatment that significantly reduced viral load in Covid-19 patients and reduced the severity of symptoms.
firm Ltd (PCBL) to pump about Rs 1,300-1,400 crore over the next two years on capacity expansion, a top company official said.

The expansion lined up is one Rs 800 crore greenfield plant near Chennai and brownfield expansion in Mundra for specialty carbon that would entail an investment of Rs 300-350 crore. The carbon major will pump Rs 100 crore in research and development facilities in Belgium and India, he said.

"Keeping the group's vision under Sanjiv Goenka to become a top global carbon black player, the company is ramping up capacity and total investment in two years will work to be around Rs 1,400 crore and of which about Rs 1,200 crore will be directed at greenfield plant in Tamil Nadu and brownfield expansion in specialty carbon at Mundra. Rest of the amount will be infused for R&D and maintenance of existing plants," PCBL managing director Kaushik Roy told PTI when asked if Covid impacted expansion.

PCBL now produces around 6,00,000 tonnes of carbon black annually from four strategically located state-of-the-art plants at Durgapur (West Bengal), Palej (Gujarat), Mundra (Gujarat) and Kochi (Kerala), it has also set up R&D centres at Palej (Gujarat) and Ghislenghien (Belgium).

The greenfield project will be of 1,50,000 tonnes per annum for manufacturing of various grades of carbon black and green power plant, spread over 60 acres of land in Tamil Nadu. The project is in progress and is likely to be commissioned by Q3 FY23.

The Mundra specialty carbon expansion will have an additional capacity of 40,000 tonne per annum.

"Despite a strong internal accruals there will be a gap of about Rs 500 crore for the due to high 30 per cent dividend policy to reward the shareholders. The company is deliberating on the options on raising resources. It can be equity, debt or in combination," officials said.

The company will seek shareholders nod to raise up to Rs 500 crore.

PCBL is optimistic about demand growth both in the domestic and overseas market. PCBL exports to some 40 countries.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The Japanese health ministry said on Saturday that two men had died after each received two shots of Moderna Inc.'s Covid-19 vaccine, local media reported.

According to the ministry, the two men aged 30 and 38 died within days of receiving the second injection on August 22 and 15, respectively, and no foreign matter was found in either of the vials of vaccine used on the two men, the Xinhua news agency reported.

It remains unknown whether there is a causal relationship between the vaccination and their deaths, the ministry said, adding that neither of them had an underlying medical condition or a history of allergic reactions.

Japan's health ministry said Thursday that foreign substances have been found in 39 unused vials at eight vaccination sites in five prefectures. The same day, about 1.63 million doses that came from the same production line of a Spanish factory were suspended to use as a precaution.

However, more than 500,000 shots have already been administered from the potentially contaminated batches, said Taro Kono, the Japanese minister in charge of the vaccination effort.

Although the foreign substances had been confirmed since August 16, the Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., which is in charge of the sale and distribution of the Moderna vaccine in Japan, waited until Wednesday to report the problem to the ministry.

Moderna and Takeda said in a joint statement Saturday that they were working with the health ministry to investigate the two deaths.

The two companies said that at this time, they did not find any evidence that these deaths were caused by the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.

--IANS

int/rs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seventy-one more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the total caseload in the northeastern state to 52,831, a senior health official said here on Sunday.

The COVID-19 death toll in the frontier state remained at 260, as no new fatality due to the contagion was reported in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Lower Subansiri reported the highest number of fresh cases with 12, followed by the Capital Complex Region and Lower Dibang Valley at 10 each, West Siang (7), Upper Siang (6), Pakke Kessang (5), East Siang (4), three each from Leparada, ChAanglang and West Kameng, two from Papumpare and one each from Kamle, Lohit, Longding, Tawang, Shi-Yomi and Tirap district respectively, the official said.

Sixty-eight new cases were detected through rapid antigen test, two through RT-PCR and one through TrueNAT method, the official said.

currently has 1,063 active COVID-19 cases, while 51,508 patients have recovered from the disease, including 120 on Saturday, Jampa said.

The COVID-19 recovery rate in the state now is 97.49 per cent while the active percentage stands at 2.01 and the positivity rate at 2.52 per cent, the official said.

The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 219, followed by Lower Subansiri (106), West Kameng (102), Papumpare and Upper Siang with 78 cases each.

Altogether, 10,50,462 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, including 2,814 on Saturday, Jampa said.

State Immunisation Officer (SIO) Dr Dimong Padung said that a total of 9,50,510 people have been administered COVID-19 vaccine doses so far in the state.

(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 (ED) has summoned leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for questioning in the registered against former state minister Anil Deshmukh and others, officials said on Sunday.

Parab, also a minister of parliamentary affairs in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been asked by the ED to depose before the investigating officer of the case at the agency's office in south Mumbai on Tuesday, they said.

Deshmukh has already skipped at least five summonses issued to him by the ED in this case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The probe pertains to the criminal investigation being carried out by the ED in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April.

The ED case against Deshmukh, who was earlier the home minister in the MVA government, and others came after the CBI booked him in the corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh had said Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.

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The first commercial batch of Covaxin was released on Sunday from the new plant of at Ankleshwar in Gujarat's Bharuch district by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

"Vaccination is the most important thing to strengthen the country's fight against coronavirus. Released the first commercial batch of #COVAXIN from Bharat Biotech's plant at Ankleshwar, Gujarat today. This will increase the supply of vaccine in the country and will help the vaccine reach every Indian," Mandaviya tweeted soon after the event.

The government had earlier this month given approval to Bharat Biotech's Ankleshwar-based manufacturing plant to produce anti-COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

In May, announced that it planned to produce an additional 200 million doses of Covaxin at its subsidiary's Ankleshwar-based facility. The Hyderabad-based firm had noted that it would utilise the manufacturing plant of its wholly-owned unit, Chiron Behring, to add another 200 million doses of Covaxin.

India administered 63.09 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccination in a nationwide drive till Sunday morning, as per the data released by the Union Health Ministry.

(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 India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued orange and yellow alerts for various districts of

For Sunday, the IMD has issued an Orange alert for Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts. It issued a yellow alert for the districts Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kasaragod.

The department has also issued a green alert for Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts.

The rest of the state will continue to get isolated heavy rainfall till August 30 and IMD predicts cloudy skies with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers till September 2. The IMD had issued a warning of heavy rainfall in yesterday.

As per IMD, green alert means 'Light Rain', yellow alert stands for 'Moderate Rain' and orange alert is for 'Heavy to Very Heavy Rain'.

(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.)
Forget the legacy of the past where the leadership's microscopic vision was restricted to 'mines and minerals' as it is a changed now with a futuristic approach and a road map for 15 years that offers plethora of untapped opportunities for investors, Chief Minister said on Sunday.

At the same time, the plans to push for more jobs to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Schedule Tribes (STs) under the state's employment reservation plans would never prove to be a deterrent for industries, Soren said.

"My government is moving ahead with a futuristic approach. I have said this time and again, the results of what my government is doing will be visible in 10-15 years. I believe in long-term sustainable impact which will benefit my people not just for my term but for eternity...the leadership (in the past) could never think beyond mines and mineral based industries. The state could not showcase a concrete policy," Soren told PTI in an interview here.

In neighbouring states, many industries are thriving on resources from Jharkhand; be it, mines and mineral-based industries, agro-food or meat processing, auto assembling units or textile for that matter, Soren said.

"You may not know that we are the largest producer of Tasar Silk in India. We are the second largest producer of horticulture crops in India, almost 40 per cent of the mineral wealth is in our state but the silk city of India is in Bihar. We are nowhere in the agro-food and meat processing industry. Why? Because of the microscopic vision of the leadership," Soren said.

For future investors, he said they could be sure that a substantial part of the state is still untouched where a plethora of opportunities are waiting to be tapped.

"We rank 5th in ease of doing business in the country and we provide investors with a robust single window facility. If they come and invest in Jharkhand, I will stand with them and get industry established. I want to move forward with (a motto of) 'Come, Let's Walk Together, Grow Together'," he said.

Asked that some see the reservation policy for employment in private sector industries as a deterrent, Soren said contrary to the perception it would be beneficial for the industries as houses honest and committed manpower.

"Reservation was not meant to discriminate some and benefit others. Whatever is good for the people of Jharkhand, we will do that. Talking about the new investors, would this affect them? No. If at any point in time, they find it difficult to fulfil their workforce requirement from locals they can claim exemption. There are provisions," he said.

All potential investors who would commit to engage 35 per cent of their workforce from Scheduled Tribes / Scheduled Castes communities will be incentivised over and above the existing provisions of the new Jharkhand Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (JIIPP) 2021.

A large number of migrant workers from the state have suffered during the pandemic and Jharkhand evacuated them from different areas realising their pain and hardships and if investors absorb them it would be a great job, he said.

More jobs to SCs and STs come against a backdrop of the Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates Bill to ensure about 70 per cent job reservation for locals in private sector jobs having a salary ceiling of up to Rs 30,000.

"if someone wants to invest, they won't find a better place and a better support system. We are in conversation with multiple investors. Our EMC (Electronic Manufacturing Cluster) at Adityapur is ready and operationalised. This is eastern India's largest EMC and an ideal hub for investments in ESDM (Electronic System Design and Manufacturing) sector," he said.

Most of the potential investors, if not all, appreciated "our draft policy on EV and termed it as transformational and holistic. We have taken their inputs and very soon we will launch one of India's best electric vehicle policies and create a world-class infrastructure for EVs," the CM said.

Soren said in his view any policy, be it for farmers or industrialists, should not be harassing in nature.

"Policies are a give and take matter, if you give someone the space to grow, that will return in terms of development of the state/country. We believe in a two-way communication which is bound to yield the best results," he said.

The Chief Minister said if someone wished to come and establish their industry, they won't have to struggle to find a suitable piece of land.

"We have ample space. As I told you, we have the capacity, we need support to grow. The government has established a separate entity, JIADA, for the allocation of land. If that doesn't suit someone, we can talk and find the best suitable land for that industry."



He said the state has called for private institutions to come and help it run engineering colleges as many of the college buildings are ready but they are kept unused.

"I invite interested corporate houses to come and help us create an infrastructure that will help our youth attain the necessary skills to thrive in the 21st century," he said.

Asked about Naxal menace in the state, Soren said Naxalism is now stuck in very few distant pockets of the state. "Even there, our police personnel and forces of the paramilitary have tackled the concern well. Many of the big leaders have either surrendered or have been arrested. So, this will never be a problem," 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.)
Vice President on Sunday called for innovative ways to promote

Observing that language is not a static concept, he stressed the need to adopt a dynamic and proactive approach to enrich languages.

He said a people's movement is needed to preserve the "living culture" of language and expressed happiness that a "cultural and linguistic renaissance" in the country is getting increasing support from people, according to an official statement.

Urging people to take pride in speaking their mother tongue, Naidu said there should not be any feeling of inferiority in the use of in day-to-day life.

Virtually addressing an event to commemorate the "Telugu Language Day", he observed that Telugu is an ancient language with hundreds of years of rich literary history and called for renewed efforts to promote its usage.

On the occasion, Naidu paid tributes to Telugu writer and linguist Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy whose birth anniversary is celebrated every year as the "Telugu Language Day".

He lauded the literary icon for his efforts in spearheading a language movement to make Telugu literature comprehensible to common people.

(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.)
Contaminants were found in Moderna Inc's Covid-19 vaccines at a large-scale centre in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, suspending inoculations, public broadcaster NHK reported on Sunday.



The Okinawa vaccines are from different Moderna lots already suspended by the Japanese government due to reports of contamination, NHK said.



Black substances were spotted in syringes and a vial, while pink substances were found in a different syringe filled with at the Okinawa centre, NHK said.



Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, the domestic distributor of the Moderna vaccines, is expected to investigate the possibility of contamination during production and hold talks with Japan's health ministry, the broadcaster said.



halted the use of 1.63 million Moderna doses, shipped to 863 centres nationwide, more than a week after Takeda received reports of contaminants in some vials.



The ministry said on Saturday that two people died after receiving Moderna's shots that were among lots later suspended following the discovery of contaminants.



Each had a shot from one of three manufacturing lots suspended on Thursday. The causes of death are being investigated.

is battling its worst wave of infections, driven by the Delta variant, with new daily infections exceeding 25,000 this month for the first time.



The country has inoculated 54% of its population with at least one dose and fully vaccinated 43%, according to a Reuters tracker.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sri Lanka's Defence authorities on Saturday received a batch of 300,000 doses of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, donated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of

The vaccines which arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday morning have been handed over to Sri Lankan Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne by Wang Dong, defence attache of the Chinese Embassy to Sri Lanka, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, Defence Secretary Gunaratne said that the service personnel, their families and the ex-servicemen are expected to be vaccinated with the vaccines.

"Since a greater number of service personnel have been vaccinated as of now, the general public could also be facilitated using the balance amount," he said.

Expressing gratitude to for the timely support, General Gunaratne said, "We are so happy that as a result of a request made by the Ministry of Defence of to the Defense Minister of China, we received 300,000 doses of vaccines for members of the security forces and their family members. This is a timely donation."

Recalling the remarkable and long-standing relationship between the two countries, Wan Dong said the Chinese people have never hesitated to extend their support to the Sri Lankans in difficult times.

The donation shows the solidarity between the two countries in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.

On his Twitter account, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked China's PLA for the donation, saying the assistance from will ensure the vaccination drive in a success.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that on the same flight, 2 million more doses of the Sinopharm vaccines had also arrived from China.

has so far received 18 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is the leading vaccine being administered across the country.

--IANS

int/rs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The capital of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday ordered all residents who received the Chinese state-backed Sinopharm over six months ago to get a booster shot by September 20, adding that recipients of other vaccines do not need the third dose.

The became the first country worldwide to formally offer the booster regimen earlier this year, following reports of Sinopharm recipients seeking the third shot amid concerns about an insufficient antibody response.

Abu Dhabi, which imposed some of the region's most stringent vaccine restrictions this summer, hardened its stance on Sunday, saying that those who received two doses of Sinopharm will no longer be able to access places like malls, schools and gyms without a third booster shot.

The new rule adds to growing questions over the coronavirus protection offered by China's Sinpoharm vaccine.

Aside from basic efficacy numbers, the Chinese manufacturer has released very little public data about its vaccine, prompting criticism for its lack of transparency. Nonetheless, the shot is at the heart of China's own mass immunization campaign and became the linchpin of the UAE's rollout, among the world's fastest per capita.

At first, Abu Dhabi exclusively used Sinopharm for its rollout, but in recent months started to offer Pfizer-BioNTech as well.

Across the country, the majority of low-paid workers from Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East who power the UAE's economy received the Sinopharm vaccine as the nation raced toward a swift reopening.

Infections in the have gradually declined from peaks reached in January but daily counts of new cases still hover at around 1,000 a day, far above last year's levels, even as over 75 per cent of the country's population has received both vaccine doses.

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Former promoters Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra have been shifted from the here to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail and Taloja Central Jail, following a Supreme Court order, officials said on Sunday.

Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel confirmed that the brothers were shifted on Saturday.

"Sanjay and Ajay Chandra both were taken under police escort to by train on Saturday morning. They reached and were lodged in the jails there in the early hours of Sunday," Goel said.

A bench of justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah had said that two reports of the Enforcement Directorate about the conduct of Sanjay and Ajay Chandra and the connivance of staff in flouting orders and undermining the jurisdiction of the court have raised some serious and disturbing issues.

"In the circumstances, we order and direct that both the accused, Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra be shifted from Tihar Central Jail to the premises of Arthur Road Jail, and Taloja Central Jail, Mumbai, respectively, the bench said in its 27-page order.

It directed the Delhi Police commissioner to personally hold an inquiry into the conduct of staff in regard to the Chandras and submit a report to the court within four weeks.

"In this backdrop, we are of the view that the Commissioner of Police must make an immediate enquiry into the contents of the communication dated August 16, 2021 addressed to him by the Directorate of Enforcement so that all the officers and staff of Tihar Central Jail who may be complicit in the violation of law are held accountable," the bench said.

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Ahead of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the AAP will take out a Tiranga Yatras in Ayodhya, Lucknow and Noida to mark the 75th year of India's Independence, party leaders said.

In Ayodhya, party sources said the yatra will make a brief halt at the Ram temple. The yatra is scheduled for mid-September.

The AAP will also hold Tiranga Yatras in Agra on Sunday and Noida on September 1, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will participate in these yatras.

Party leaders said as the country is marking the 75th year of Independence, the yatra aims to unite people against the politics of casteism and corruption.

Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in next year.

The AAP has announced its plan to contest polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On May 30, 2021, as India reeled under the second wave of the pandemic, a team of surveyors from Bihar's revenue department landed up in the western town of Chhapra. At a street near the city municipality building, where the state government has proposed a new flyover, the officials measured the land where shops and homes would be demolished to make way for the construction.

About 35 people who live and work in these buildings came out to protest. The government had not offered them any compensation for the loss of land, they argued. But this was unsurveyed land and hence public property, the team retorted.

"We have been here for generations," said Atul Kumar, one of the protesters whose house and metal fabrication workshop are marked for demolition. "And now they are just asking us to leave without any compensation."

is among the eight Indian states--and two Union territories (including Delhi)--that have not surveyed significant parts of their geographical area--ranging from 2% in Rajasthan to 75% in Delhi--according to data compiled in 2020 by the National Council for Applied Economic Research. Among the states, has the highest proportion of such unsurveyed land--20% of its area or 18,832 sq km, equivalent to the state of Nagaland. Most unsurveyed land lies in urban areas in India, according to the NCAER study.





ALSO READ: SPV of state-run firms may be tasked to redevelop land bank with sick PSUs

In over a decade, the Union government's Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme, which seeks to provide states with financial and technical help to update and digitise land records, has been able to carry out surveys on just 3% of the total geographical area of the country. In 2020, the government launched the SVAMITVA programme to survey residential areas in rural areas but this mission leaves out urban areas.

Why have so many areas in India been left unsurveyed and how does this leave people vulnerable to eviction without any compensation? For answers to these questions, we take a close look at Chhapra's case.

To begin with, only farms

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Manipur, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal lack records for parts of their land area, according to the NCAER, which obtained the information from state governments as a part of its effort to create a Land Records Services Index that measures the quality of state land records. The data on unsurveyed land relate to only unforested areas.

There are different reasons for why various regions remained surveyed, many of them going back to the time the British administered India. While initial land surveys in India date back to the Mughal Empire, the most prominent ones were carried out by the colonial government in the late 19th and early 20th century, according to a report of the department of land resources under the Ministry of Rural Development.

But the British only surveyed agricultural lands, leaving out inhabited areas of villages and cities as well as forests, said Deepak Sanan, a retired Indian Administrative Service officer and lead author of the NCAER study. "The point [for the British] was to survey areas from where land revenue came," he said.

After India adopted its Constitution in 1950, the maintenance of land records became the state governments' responsibility. They were supposed to survey all the lands again but the pace of this work varied, often grinding to a near-halt in some states, Sanan said.

Slopes, mining zones, riverine lands excluded

As a United Nations Development Programme report found in Odisha, land surveys were carried out on only flat land; slopes beyond the 10-degree gradient were classified as uncultivable wasteland. But these stretches are cultivated by tribal households without land titles.

In Karnataka's Ballari district, lands belonging to 12 villages that were a part of the former princely state of Sandur were supposed to be surveyed under a 1977 law but this has not been done yet. The villages are in iron ore mining areas and with no land rights in hand, villagers came under pressure to sell their land to mining companies and related infrastructure units.

Unsurveyed lands in are called 'topo' lands and are mostly situated on the banks of silt-laden rivers like the Ganga that shift their course every few decades, creating new land parcels. The first surveys in Bihar were carried out by the British between 1905 and 1915 and left out lands that subsequently emerged from the river. In 1959, the Bihar government decided to carry out a revisional land survey, but this has still not been completed despite a 2011 law requiring its expedition, according to a proactive disclosure under the Right to Information Act by the state revenue and land reforms department.

There are more states, such as Chhattisgarh, which have not surveyed forested lands. In India's north-eastern region most states have surveyed only urban lands and not community-controlled rural areas, said Sanan of NCAER.

To address the lack of surveys on forest lands, the Forest Rights Act of 2006 required that unsurveyed habitations within forests be converted into revenue villages before recognising the rights of Adivasis and traditional forest-dwellers.

This exclusion of forests and inhabited areas from land surveys is a crucial gap in land governance, said Sanan, because "forest areas are the most vulnerable lands, while inhabited lands are economically valuable".



ALSO READ: Centre's power reforms tied in knots amid protests by Opposition states

In 2008, the government included a component in its land records modernisation programme to provide funds and technical assistance to states to carry out surveys on lands, as we said. However, it has made just 3% progress since then--and that includes data for the resurvey of already surveyed land, according to the scheme's progress dashboard.

In 2020, the government launched another programme to survey lands. The SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme, under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, aimed to survey inhabited areas in villages and issue property cards to residents. But the scheme leaves out urban inhabited areas like in Chhapra, which constitute the biggest chunk of unsurveyed lands, as the NCAER study found.

State policy not clear

In Chhapra, the under-construction flyover passes through a densely populated neighbourhood and requires the partial demolition of 295 structures, according to a letter from the district collector of Saran (which covers Chhapra) to the state revenue department in June 2020. Yet, the area is unsurveyed land and there is no provision under law to grant land titles to the people living there, the letter said.

In 2015, the Patna High Court held that the state government could not evict people from unsurveyed land under the Bihar Public Land Encroachment Act 1956 because "the nature of [unsurveyed land] is yet to be established by the authorities" and hence is not "public land" as per the Act. But, in 2017, the state's law department said that all unsurveyed lands were state property.

Legislators have often raised questions in the state assembly about the need to survey such lands. In 2018, Mithilesh Tiwari said there was "a large chunk of land in Bihar, particularly along the rivers" that was unsurveyed. "People have been living on it for centuries and the government even takes taxes," Tiwari said. The government responded by assuring that it would bring out a policy on unsurveyed lands "soon".

"There are huge tracts of unsurveyed land in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh along the Himalayan rivers like Ganges and Gandhak," said a Bihar government official closely involved in land governance, who declined to be identified as he is not an authorised spokesperson.

The Bihar revenue department has, on several occasions since 2019, considered developing a policy to survey unsurveyed but occupied lands, according to the agenda of the department's meetings with district collectors (see here and here).

But there is no policy yet. In March 2021, state revenue and land reforms minister Ram Surat Kumar said in an interview that the state government had found that "land mafia" was involved in grabbing unsurveyed lands. Hence the government had set up a committee to come up with ways to grant ownership to the rightful occupants of such lands.

In January 2021, Chhapra's district collector issued a memo to Bihar Raj Pul Nirman Nigam Limited, the state government agency that oversees flyover constructions, stating that disputed and unsurveyed land belongs to the government. The state, the letter said, would only reimburse the cost of demolition if the residents were to demolish the marked properties themselves, according to a writ petition filed before the Patna High Court by 30 residents.

On March 10, the court ordered status quo on the project. The case is still being heard.

Chhapra protests

Saran district collector Nilesh Deore told IndiaSpend that the state advocate general had in 2017 said that lands that come up on riverbeds are government property. Following this, the state government stopped any registration or mutation of properties in unsurveyed lands, including the disputed area in Chhapra. Deore declined to comment further stating that the matter was pending before the High Court. "The total area for demolition is just 61 decimals (0.61 acres). This is an important project which will ease traffic congestion," he said.

In their petition before the high court, the residents have submitted documentary evidence of their possession of the land including property taxes and sale deed documents--some of it dating back to the 1930s.

"Merely because land has not been surveyed, [it] cannot be a ground to draw a presumption adverse to the interest of the citizens," their petition argued. It asks for a direction to the state to not dispossess them until the surveys are completed and their right to the land is decided.

Affected residents have organised as the Chhapra Shahar Bhumiswami Sangathan (Chhapra City Landowners Association), held press conferences to air their views and carried out street marches. They have said that they are willing to give up their claims if they are paid compensation. They have also questioned how their land, in the heart of the city, was left unsurveyed.

"The district collectorate and district courts are also located between our houses and the Ganges river. If we are on unsurveyed lands then so are they," said Atul Kumar, one of the protesters in Chhapra.

The land did eventually get surveyed--on May 30, 2021, during the pandemic--but this was for the construction work and not to create land records. That evening, the revenue official leading the survey filed a criminal case against the residents who had protested, charging them with voluntarily causing hurt, preventing a public official from discharging their duty, and violating the Covid-19 protocol under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as per the First Information Report filed with the police. In his complaint, the official said that the 'status quo' order of the High Court did not apply to the survey.

The Bihar government should have carried out a survey by now on the land, said Pranab Ranjan Choudhury, director of the Center for Land Governance in Bhubaneshwar. "And if this was encroachment, then the state should say why it wasn't removed earlier, and whether the responsible official was penalised," he pointed out.

Choudhury said that even if the occupants are encroachers, they are dependent on the land and must be offered compensation and rehabilitation to avoid conflict. In Odisha, the state offered land titles to residents of informal settlements, and in the case of the Ahmedabad Metro, the Gujarat government offered rehabilitation after verifying property claims using available documentary evidence, family trees, and participatory appraisals, he said. In the case of the Ahmedabad Metro, all affected people are eligible for compensation and rehabilitation irrespective of their land ownership status.

Former bureaucrat Sanan said that if the state admits the rights of the people, it would have to acquire the land under the Land Acquisition Act and pay double the market rate as compensation. Now that the state has the legal opinion to back it, it would rather classify the occupants as encroachers to get the flyover built quickly, he said.




The proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the UAE can result in enhanced exports of several sectors, including gem and jewellery, engineering, leather goods and chemicals to the Emirates as the pact would enhance competitiveness of domestic traders, according to exporters.

India has started negotiations for the agreement with the UAE, which is the third largest trading partner of New Delhi.

Under a free trade agreement, two trading partners reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them. Besides, they liberalise norms to enhance trade in services and boost investments.

Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Chairman Colin Shah said that the proposed FTA with the UAE can result in enhanced exports of gem and jewellery products to the Emirates which is really required presently as the exports from the sector to the UAE have declined significantly to USD 2.77 billion in 2020-2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

"The UAE is India's one of the top three major export markets for gem and jewellery products," he said.

He said the council has suggested the government to seek abolition of import duty in the UAE on the exports of gold, silver and platinum jewellery from India; besides reduction of import duty from 7.5 per cent to 4 per cent in India on the imports of gold bars/silver bars/platinum bars from the UAE.

Council for Leather Exports (CLE) Chairman Sanjay Leekha said that there is a lot of potential for Indian exporters in the UAE, which has a huge Indian diaspora.

"We have lots of commonalities. Huge potential for exports in areas like footwear, and leather goods. The FTA will help us in enhancing competitiveness," Leekha said adding the export of leather, leather products and footwear from India to the UAE was USD 169.86 million during 2019-20.

He added that UAE entrepreneurs can be requested to invest in the leather, leather products and footwear industry, or enter into JVs/ collaborations with Indian companies, considering the huge opportunities in the domestic market and exports.

Sharing similar views, leading exporter and former President of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) S K Saraf said that the UAE is a key trading partner of India and it is a main hub for re-exports.

"FTA with the UAE will benefit Indian exporters a lot. This pact is most important and that will certainly help domestic exports. FTA with the UAE is a great idea," Saraf said, adding the government should put some strong safeguard mechanism in the pact so that nobody can misuse it.

Hand Tools Association President S C Ralhan said that the engineering sector holds huge potential for exports there.

He added that the reduction in import duty on gold from the UAE would help the domestic gems and jewellery sector and also cut smuggling of the yellow metal in the country.

FIEO Vice-President Khalid Khan stated that the UAE is a key export destination for Indian exporters and the UAE is a gateway for countries like Iran, Iraq and African nations.

Bilateral trade between India and the UAE stood at USD 43.3 billion in 2020-21. Exports were USD 16.7 billion and imports aggregated at USD 26.7 billion in 2020-21.

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A voter turnout of around 13 per cent was registered till Sunday 10 am in the second phase of to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti in six districts of to decide the fate of 1,680 candidates.

Polling began peacefully at 7.30 am in the districts of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Sirohi, officials said.

State Election Commissioner P S Mehra said 1,680 candidates will try their luck in the electoral fray for 28 Panchayat Samitis in this phase. Ten candidates have already been elected unopposed.

In the first phase, more than 62 per cent voters cast their votes, he said.

In the second leg of the election, polling is underway to elect 536 members of 28 Panchayat Samitis and their respective Zila Parishad members.

A total of 1,680 candidates have submitted their nomination for these posts.

Mehra said that in the second phase, about 10,500 Electronic Voting Machines are being used. A total of 25,60,153 voters will be able to exercise their franchise at 3,459 polling stations.

Voting for the third phase of Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members will be conducted on September 1, while counting of votes will be done on September 4 at all district headquarters.

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British troops have left Kabul, ending the UK's evacuation operation and its 20-year military involvement in

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the heroic evacuation effort, even as the government acknowledged some eligible Afghan civilians had been left behind. The UK's top military officer conceded that we haven't been able to bring everybody out."



The government said late Saturday that about 1,000 troops who ran an airlift of British nationals and Afghan civilians had departed from Kabul airport, hours after the final evacuation flight for civilians. Most countries apart from the United States had already left.

Before departing, Britain's ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said from Kabul airport that it was time to close this phase of the operation now.

But we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave, Bristow said in a video posted on Twitter. We'll continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of They deserve to live in peace and security.

Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 people from Kabul in the past two weeks but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the have been left behind. Some British lawmakers who have been trying to help stranded constituents and their families believe the true total is higher.

We haven't been able to bring everybody out, and that has been heartbreaking, and there have been some very challenging judgments that have had to be made on the ground, the head of British armed forces, Gen. Nick Carter, told the BBC.

Foreign citizens from around the world and the Afghans who worked with them have sought to leave the country since the Taliban's swift takeover this month after most US forces departed. About 117,000 people have been evacuated through Kabul airport, according to American officials.

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US Secretary of State discussed the current situation in with his Indian counterpart External Affairs Minister on Saturday.

"Spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar today to discuss our shared priorities including continued coordination on and in the United Nations. Look forward to continuing to deepen our partnership," Blinken tweeted.

The leaders spoke as the US, along with the Nato, is set to complete its troop pullout from Afghanistan, capping its longest foreign war, spanning over 20 years after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

In a readout of the phone call, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said: "They discussed a broad range of shared priorities, including continued coordination on and in the United Nations."



Blinken and Jaishankar agreed to remain closely coordinated on shared goals and priorities to deepen the US-India partnership, he said.

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The last remaining UK troops began landing back from Kabul in on Sunday, ending the country's 20-year military campaign in where the have seized power.

The insurgents stormed across the country on August 15, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.

A Royal Air Force (RAF) plane left Kabul airport on Saturday night and arrived at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, including with British ambassador to Sir Laurie Bristow who had been assisting the evacuation process.

Vice-Admiral Sir Ben Key, who ran the UK's evacuation dubbed Operation Pitting, said there was a "sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished".

In a video posted on Twitter on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the end of Operation Pitting was the "culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes", and that British troops and officials had "worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions".

"They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives, said Johnson. "They've seen at first hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job," he said.

In a letter to the armed forces community, Johnson acknowledged the fall of Kabul to the would have been hard for them to watch and "an especially difficult time for the friends and loved ones of the 457 service personnel who laid down their lives" during the war.

He noted that the UK's involvement in "kept Al Qaeda from our door for two decades and we are all safer as a result".

Paying tribute to the efforts of UK forces since 2001, he added: "Though we would not have wished to leave in this way, we have to recognise that we came in with the United States, in defence and support of the US and the US military did the overwhelming bulk of the fighting.

"Together with our allies in America and Europe and around the world, we will engage with the Taliban not on the basis of what they say but what they do, Johnson said.

Describing the conclusion of the military campaign launched by former British prime minister Tony Blair as a time for reflection, Johnson reiterated a previous statement that if the new regime in Kabul wanted diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming an incubator for global terror.

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph', Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK was ready to consider sanctions against the militants but this would "depend on the choices the Taliban make on key issues" including on enabling safe passage out of the country.

The UK government has said it intends to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Kabul "as soon as the security and political situation in the country allows".

Downing Street said the number of people evacuated from Afghanistan included about 2,200 children, with the youngest born to an Afghan refugee on one of the evacuation flights.

About 5,000 British nationals and their families were airlifted, alongside more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their families and those considered at risk from the Taliban.

It has been the UK's largest military evacuation since World War II.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he thought between 800 and 1,100 eligible Afghans would be left behind, along with around 100 to 150 Britons although he said some of those were staying willingly.

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Former officials and lecturers at have called on the to maintain and upgrade the country's education system instead of creating a new one.

Former minister of higher education Abas Basir said Sunday at a conference on higher education held by the that starting over is a mistake made by previous governments.

He says: Lets not reject everything, starting a new system, we should work more on what we already have.

caretaker higher education minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani criticised the current education system founded by the community, saying that religious education was considered insignificant.

World tried to take religion out of scientific education which harmed the people, Haqqani said. He added that every item against Islam in the educational system will be removed.

The Taliban policy on women's education was not clear but Tariq Kamal, chancellor of a private university, said women were very interested in some higher education fields and we need the guidance of Taliban leadership on them. Kamal spoke for private in

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Finland's evacuation operation in ended late on Friday night when persons responsible for the security of Finnish Embassy personnel were successfully sent to Kabul airport, the country's Ministry for Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.

The total number of security guards and their family members is 83. The group got on a flight away from the Afghan capital early on Saturday morning, the ministry said in a press release.

To date, has evacuated a total of 413 people from Afghanistan, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Finnish national broadcaster Yle, the evacuated include Finnish citizens, Finnish permanent residents and locally hired embassy workers as well as their families. Evacuees also include people working with the European Union and NATO missions.

The ministry noted that Finland's evacuation operation in completed when the ministry's relief team and the Defence Forces' unit tasked in ensuring the efforts had left Kabul.

The Finnish Defence Forces announced that the Finnish troops who supported evacuation efforts in Kabul arrived in on Saturday morning. The troops were sent to about one week ago.

The ministry said that it will continue to provide assistance to Finnish citizens and permanent residents of in Afghanistan to the extent possible.

In Portugal, another 37 Afghan refugees evacuated from Kabul landed in Lisbon on Saturday, a media report said. Portugal already on Friday received 24 Afghan citizens who have collaborated with the Portuguese forces in Afghanistan in recent years.

--IANS

int/rs

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Iran and vowed on Sunday to take mighty steps to confront U.S. sanctions imposed on the two regional allies, saying their relations will strengthen under Iran's new leadership.

The announcement was made by Iran's new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, was received at the airport a visit to Damascus by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.

Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops in Syria's 10-year conflict that has killed half a million and displaced half the country's pre-war population of 23 million.

With the help of Russia and Iran, Syrian government forces now control much of But the country has been suffering for years under American and European Union sanctions.

U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia, and which is responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.

American sanctions were imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.

The sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in Syria, which has been relying mostly on Iranian oil shipments that have been subjected to mysterious attacks over the past two years. has blamed Israel for the attacks.

The leadership of the two countries will together take mighty steps to confront economic terrorism and reduce pressure on our people, Amir-Abdollahian said at the airport. He did not say how the two countries will fight the sanctions.

Amir-Abdollahian's visit to Syria comes a day after he represented Iran in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing regional tensions.

Amir-Abdollahian described Syria as the land of resistance, adding that Damascus and Tehran had worked together on the ground and achieved joint victories.

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With the final drawdown of foreign forces from just a few hours away, the has evacuated nearly 2,900 more people from

"From August 28 at 3:00 AM EDT to August 29 at 3:00 AM EDT, a total of approximately 2,900 people were evacuated from This is the result of 32 U.S. military flights (26 C-17s and 6 C-130s), which carried approximately 2,200 evacuees, and 9 coalition flights, which carried 700 people," said White Hosue.

Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 114,400 people. Since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 120,000 people.

On Saturday, the sealed off airport in order to prevent large crowds from leaving the war-torn country as final NATO evacuation flights left

New layers of checkpoints sprang up on roads leading to the airport, some manned by uniformed fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces, reported Euronews.

This comes as US President Joe Biden is heading to Dover Air Force Base on Sunday to attend the "dignified transfer" of the remains of 13 US troops who were killed in the Kabul attack.

In the morning, the President and the First Lady will travel to Dover, Delaware. The departure from Joint Base Andrews and the arrival at Dover Air Force Base will be covered by the out-of-town pool.

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There is no existence of the in and other smaller notorious outfits in the country cannot create chaos, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Kamal has said, dismissing concerns that the insurgent group's victory in may encourage militants in the Muslim-majority nation.

The minister's comments came after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said the Taliban's victory in would create a new wave of militancy in the sub-continent, including in Bangladesh, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Talking to reporters after the inauguration of a supermarket in Savar, Kamal said that there is no existence of and other militants in

is a country of peace. have come to power in and Kabul is located far from Bangladesh. So it has no effect in Bangladesh, the newspaper quoted Kamal as saying.

"There are many small notorious groups in the country. But they have no capacity to create chaos,' the minister said.

Some miscreants are appearing in different names to create anarchy in the country, he added.

The Bangladesh government has repeatedly denied the existence of any foreign terrorist groups in the country.

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In aftermath of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, more than 20,000 Afghan nationals and other foreigners have landed at from the war-ravaged country.

A total of 332 flights had landed at the after the start of a special flight operation on August 16, ARY News reported.

The evacuation mission from the neighbouring country has been limited to

According to local media reports, the evacuation flights for transit passengers will now be operated by the Islamabad airport only while the operation has been suspended at Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar airports.

"We have made special arrangements at the Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore airports but now the operations have been suspended," the sources in aviation said, as quoted by Ary News.

Meanwhile, pedestrian traffic through Pakistan's South-western Chaman border crossing has swiftly increased after the terrorist group's lightning siege of

"About 18,000 people are now crossing the border on a daily basis," Hameed Ullah, the head of the Coronavirus Health team at the Chaman border told CNN.

Earlier, approximately 12,000 people used to cross this border in a single day, the official added.

People also informed that there is a "situation of tension at the Chaman border" at the moment and "thousands of people" are coming to side of the border, CNN reported.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan- border crossing at Chaman was reopened on August 14 after the Taliban's forceful shutdown of the border.

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The on Saturday sealed off in order to prevent large crowds from leaving the war-torn country as final NATO evacuation flights left

New layers of checkpoints sprang up on roads leading to the airport, some manned by uniformed fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces, reported Euronews.

The massive US-led airlift wound down ahead of an August 31 deadline of the Britain too began bringing its troops home from Afghanistan, as a Royal Air Force plane carrying soldiers landed at the RAF Brize Norton airbase northwest of London.

The troops are part of a contingent of 1,000 that has been based in Kabul to help run the airlift, reported Euronews.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised Friday to "shift heaven and earth" to get more people from to Britain by other means, though no concrete details have been offered.

Italy's final evacuation flight of refugees from also landed at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport. The Italian Air Force C-130J with 58 Afghan citizens aboard arrived Saturday morning, some 17 hours after it departed from the and after a planned stopover, reported Euronews.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Saturday (local time) warned that another terror attack at is "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours".

"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," Biden said in a statement.

The remarks come after a suicide bomber and multiple ISIS-K gunmen killed 13 US service members and at least 169 Afghan civilians in the attack at Hamid Karzai Airport on Thursday.

The US Embassy in Afghanistan also urged Americans to leave the Kabul airport area because of a specific threat in Afghanistan.

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all U.S. citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport (HKIA), including the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport should leave the airport area immediately," the embassy said in a security alert on Saturday (local time).

Thousands of Afghan nationals are camped outside the perimeter of the airport in desperate attempts to escape on the last flights out after the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip has signaled his willingness to help the Taliban develop

Citing Turkey's experience in large-scale construction and infrastructure projects, he said: We want to help on this point ... But to help, the doors need to be opened. That's why our intelligence (agency) is currently meeting Taliban representatives.

Speaking to journalists on a return flight from Montenegro, stressed the importance of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and ex-Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who led talks with the Taliban. Both men remained in Kabul after its fall two weeks ago.

He said the Taliban's reformist approach to issues such as women's rights would be taken into consideration in any future negotiations.

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The in is urging Americans to leave the area because of a specific threat in

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all U.S. citizens in the vicinity of (HKIA), including the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport, should leave the airport area immediately," the embassy said in a security alert on Saturday (local time).

US citizens are being urged to avoid travelling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time.

On Friday, the White House admitted there was clearly a breakdown in the security process that failed to prevent this week's suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, which left scores dead, including 13 US troops.

Earlier, the British and Australian governments issued similar warnings, with Australian officials describing "an ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack."

Marise Payne, Australia's Foreign Minister, said at a news conference Thursday that the will allow Australian citizens and visa holders to leave safely but added, "Our travel advice remains: You should not come to Hamid Karzai airport because it is not safe to do so, and if you are in Kabul, you should shelter in place, move to a safe location and await further advice."

Thousands of Afghan nationals are camped outside the perimeter of the airport in desperate attempts to escape on the last flights out after the takeover of by the

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The US has evacuated approximately 2,000 people from the Kabul airport in the last 24 hours, the White House has said, as the countdown for the end of America's longest military mission begins in

Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 113,500 people. Since the end of July, it has re-located approximately 119,000 people, it said.

From August 28 at 3:00 AM EDT to August 28 at 3:00 PM EDT, a total of approximately 2,000 people were evacuated from Kabul. This is the result of 11 U.S. military flights (11 C-17s), which carried approximately 1,400 evacuees, and 7 coalition flights, which carried 600 people, the White House said on Saturday.

This is an incredible number of people who are now safer thanks to the heroism of the young men and women who are putting their lives on the line each day to evacuate American and vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul," Major General Hank Taylor Commander, Army Operational Test Command told reporters at the Pentagon.

We continue to evacuate American citizens and vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul. In fact, there are approximately 1,400 individuals at the Kabul airport who have been screened and manifested for flights today, he said.

On Friday, 32 U.S. military aircraft, 27 C-17s and five C-130s departed with approximately 4,000 personnel. Combined with 34 coalition aircraft and departures, an additional 2,800 personnel left Kabul for various intermediate staging bases. Sixty-six flights left out of Kabul on Friday in that 24-hour period with 6,800 evacuees.

Today, I can report an updated total evacuation that is more than 117,000. The vast majority of which are Afghans. Of this total number, approximately 5,400 are American citizens, he said.

As the military mission begins to end in Kabul, thousands of service members are working across the globe and within the to complete this incredibly important mission, Taylor said.

Out of the EUCOM AOR, six flights will transport about 2,000 Afghans to the Since August 20 the EUCOM AOR has received nearly 30,000 vulnerable Afghans and evacuees, he said.

The US, according to a State Department spokesperson, have continued to provide assistance to any American in who would like to leave the country. That effort has included around-the-clock outreach consisting of tens of thousands of calls, emails, texts, and WhatsApp messages conducted multiple times a day to contact individuals who gave them their information.

We have received confirmation that at least 5,400 Americans and likely more have been safely evacuated from since August 14. This includes nearly 300 Americans in the last day, the spokesperson said.

At present, approximately 350 Americans have told the US that they are still seeking to leave the country.

These roughly 350 individuals are currently the only Americans we can confirm are in Afghanistan and seeking to leave. Our team on the ground has this information and continues to provide assistance around the clock. We believe that some of these people are nearly or already out of the country, the spokesperson said.

Additionally, the officials have actively communicated with roughly 280 additional individuals who self-identified as Americans in Afghanistan but who have not informed them of their plans to leave the country, or who have told that they do not intend to leave at all.

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US forces are in the final phase of leaving Kabul, ending two decades of involvement in Afghanistan, and just over 1,000 civilians at the airport remain to be flown out before troops withdraw, a Western security official said on Sunday.

The country's new rulers are prepared to take control of the airport, said an official from the hardline Islamist movement that has swept cross Afghanistan, crushing the US-backed government.

The have already taken over control of three gates at Kabuls airport from US forces and will be in charge of the rest soon, an official from the group said.

The whole airport is slowly coming under the control of the Taliban, Enhamullah Samangani, a member of the groups Cultural Commission, said by telephone. The group is looking forward to operating the airport after they all leave by Tuesday, he said.

The US Embassy in told citizens to leave the vicinity of the airport following a specific, credible threat of another terrorist attack. US President warned on Saturday that a further attack there is highly likely based on an assessment by his military commanders. A suicide bomber on Friday killed at least 88 people, including 13 US service members in the area.

The Western security official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters a date and time for the end of the operation was yet to be decided.

President has said he will stick by his deadline to withdraw all US troops from by Tuesday, 20 years after they invaded Kabul and ousted the government for shielding the perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"We want to ensure that every foreign civilian and those who are at risk are evacuated today. Forces will start flying out once this process is over," said the official, who is stationed at the airport.

The Western-backed government and Afghan army melted away as the Taliban entered the capital on Aug. 15, leaving an administrative vacuum that has bolstered fears of a financial collapse and widespread hunger.

Under a deal with the United States, the Taliban has said it will allow foreigners and Afghans who wish to leave to fly out.

The United States and allies have taken about 113,500 people out of in the past two weeks, but tens of thousands who want to go will be left behind.

A US official told Reuters on Saturday there were fewer than 4,000 troops left at the airport, down from 5,800 at the peak of the evacuation mission.
It is now clear that the US Federal Reserve is considering reducing the pace of its asset purchase. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in his much-anticipated address at the annual Jackson Hole symposium last week said several members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), including he himself, were of the view that the economy had evolved as expected, and it could be appropriate to start reducing asset purchase this year.

The next FOMC meeting is scheduled in September, though it is not clear at this stage as to when the Fed will start tapering and at what pace. In any case, unlike the 2013 ...
Ahead of Assembly elections, general secretary of the All India Committee, Vadra virtually addressed the party workers of the Uttar Pradesh' training campaign and asked them to brace for the upcoming polls.

General Secretary Vadra indicated that the party is open for an alliance with "smaller parties" in the state. The indication came during a virtual address to party workers on the first day of the Uttar Pradesh' Congress training campaign where she also asked them to prepare for the upcoming Assembly polls.

Recalling the history of Congress in the state, she said, "Our Congress party has been out of power since 1989 i.e for the last 32 years in the state. In 2017, we (Congress) decided to contest elections solo but that did not work out in our favour."

Hinting at Congress' openness towards an alliance with "smaller parties" in the state for the upcoming assembly polls.

The Congress General Secretary said that the campaign will be very important for party workers.

On Friday, the ' Congress training campaign' started wherein 700 training camps will be organised across the state during the next 100 days. About two lakh office bearers will be trained in the process, sources informed.

The name of the campaign is "Parikshan se parakram--Congress Vijay Sena nirmaan".

Vadra also lauded the efforts of former Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's maiden 'Khat Sabha' journey in September 2016. She suggested party workers to follow similar steps to reach out to the masses.

"Congress's Gram Sabha President will be made in 58,000 gram sabhas in the state in 20 days. Workers and officials should go to every village and every household during this period and talk about the Congress party's mission," she added.

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The once-powerful backroom operator of the and the trusted friend and lieutenant of late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, V.K. Sasikala is waiting in the background to spring a surprise and take over the AIADMK, looking forward to an apt time for the final assault.

Sasikala, who was the last word in due to her close camaraderie with Jayalalithaa, is now cold-shouldered by the leadership and even her staunchest supporters did not meet her privately, even after the drubbing the AIADMK faced in the 2021 Assembly elections.

E.K. Palaniswami, handpicked by Sasikala and foisted as Chief Minister after O. Panneerselvam rebelled against her, has now turned her staunch opponent, making all the moves to checkmate her. He also has the support of New Delhi (read BJP high-command).

While Sasikala is now down, she is not out, according to those who know her closely.

Padmanabhan R., a social activist and managing trustee of the Socio Economic Foundation, a social research institute based out of Madurai, told IANS, "Sasikala knows all the backroom manoeuverings and how to work out among the AIADMK leadership. I'm sure that she is waiting for the right moment to take control of the party. is a long game with goals set for the long-term."

Sasikala and her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who has floated the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), are expecting the corruption cases against Palaniswami and his erstwhile AIADMK colleagues to gain momentum and then choose their moment to strike accordingly.

The recent interrogation of the first accused in the Kodanad estate murder and heist case has raised the fever in the AIADMK camp with the supporters of Palansiwami coming out in the open, saying that the DMK government is trying to frame the former Chief Minister in the case.

The AIADMK leaders said that even after the chargesheet was submitted, the first accused has been questioned for three long hours in the presence of Nilgiris Superintendent of Police, a move allegedly aimed at framing Palansiwami.

Another factor which haunts the AIADMK leadership is that two ministers in the Palansiwami cabinet, former Transport minister M.R. Vijayabaskar and ex-Urban minister S.P. Velumani, had to face early morning raids at their homes and other premises associated with them with the Crime Branch cell of the Tamil Nadu police acting on complaints against them.

The Palansiwami camp is of the opinion that if there is some mention on the part of the first accused in the Kodanad murder and heist case, the Tamil Nadu police may question Palaniswami, and Sasikala is waiting for such an opportunity to try and capture the AIADMK.

Sasikala, who has been continuously speaking to selected AIADMK cadres and lower-level functionaries ever since her return from the Bengaluru central prison, is silent for the past few days. Sources in her camp told IANS that 'Chinnamma', as she is popularly known in the AIADMK circles, is keeping quiet and that she is waiting for Palansiwami to fall on his own weight.

She is also aiming for a political realignment with her one-time associate Panneerselvam, taking into consideration that both she and Panneerselvam are from the powerful Thevar community and that this may lead to a forging of unity between them.

However, for such an association to take place, there has to be solid charges against Palaniswami, and the DMK government too needs to make a move against him.

With the BJP, which is in power at the Centre, supporting Palaniswami, the AIADMK leadership is expecting that the DMK government might not take action against the former Chief Minister without getting proper proof.

Sasikala and her associates are expecting that if some action is taken by the DMK government against the Palaniswami, the Leader of the Opposition, the BJP leadership at the Centre, including the Prime Minister, may not have a moral ground to throw their weight behind the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The 'Mannargudi Family', as Sasikala and her clan is known in Tamil Nadu's political circles, is expecting such a situation and to then take over AIADMK with the support of the faction close to Panneerselvam by bridging the differences with him.

--IANS

aal/arm

(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.)
Ahead of the the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government's focus is on five major developmental projects related to roads and airways. Some of these projects will be completed before the elections, while works on others will continue even after the elections. The government is regularly monitoring the progress of four major expressways, of which the work on three is underway, while the fourth one is yet to start.

These highways will connect each and every part of to the capital Lucknow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon lay the foundation stone of the proposed International Airport in Greater Noida's Jewar district. The completion of these development projects will provide a major boost for the BJP to pitch development as a poll plank in the state Assembly elections. Saffron party leaders hope that these development works will help the party win the elections.

Purvanchal Expressway is being constructed for a length of nearly 400 km. After the completion, Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh and the major districts of Purvanchal will be directly connected to Ghazipur. The construction work is almost complete and it is likely to be inaugurated in September-October this year. The foundation stone was laid by PM Modi in 2018, since then the construction is going on. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed to extend this expressway to Ballia district.

The second major project is 296-km long Bundelkhand Expressway from Chitrakoot to Etawah. The construction work is expected to be completed by April 2022. So far 67.29 per cent work has been completed. The construction of bridges along the Yamuna, Betwa and Ken rivers is already underway. This four-lane expressway can be converted into six-lane in future. One side of this expressway is set to be opened for traffic by the end of 2021 or in early 2022.

The third ambitious project is the Ganga Expressway which will connect western Uttar Pradesh with eastern part. The Uttar Pradesh government is going to start the construction from September 2021. The total length of this expressway will be 594 km. This expressway will connect Meerut to Prayagraj directly. The Uttar Pradesh government has already acquired more than 80 per cent of the land required for this project. PM Modi will lay the foundation stone before construction starts.

Gorakhpur Link Expressway is another ambitious project in the pipeline of the Uttar Pradesh government. The construction of Gorakhpur-Azamgarh Link Expressway is going on in full swing, which is expected to be completed by March 2022. Sources say that the Yogi government can launch this project before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The proposed International Airport at Jewar in Noida is on the priority list of both the Central and the Uttar Pradesh government. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been regularly monitoring the development of this project in various review meetings. The project is delayed by a year due to Covid-19 pandemic. So far, only the work of constructing the boundary wall has started. A total of 1,334 hectare of land has been acquired for the first phase of Jewar International Airport after which the work will start on this project.

The Swiss company Zurich International AG has been given the contract for the construction of Jewar International Airport. Sources say Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone soon.

--IANS

nnm-rjs/khz/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.)
The pandemic has seen a proliferation of digital bureaucracy, adding to the inconveniences of everyday life and travel.



Perhaps all the new apps, QR codes and endless clicking havent fazed the web wizards. But what of the millions of digital dinosaurs like me who dont worship our gadgets? If even my nimble children stumbled down the rabbit hole of the British governments online Passenger Locator Form and failed to find the right Covid PCR test providers due to badly designed IT, what chance do I have?

One answer is go to Estonia, the Baltic republic with a tiny population (just more than 1.3 million people), high-tech achievements and more vaulting international ambitions. Here you can become a naturalized digital citizen, with instant access to all the states services, without a geeks expertise.

For everybody under the age of 35, digital comes naturally. For everybody else it goes against nature, says Kaja Kallas, Estonias prime minister, who I visited in Tallinn, the capital of the Baltics Digital Republic, last week.



Kallas, often compared to the unstuffy prime minister Birgitte Nyborg in the Danish TV drama Borgen, answers questions in English more fluently than Boris Johnson at the House of Commons Despatch box. Whereas the U.K. prime minister spouts Churchill-isms, she quotes from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Although her family played a leading role in both of Estonias independence movements from neighboring Russia, in 1919 and 1991, Kallas has her eyes fixed firmly on the future. Shes championing a national project to overcome the great digital divides that arise from generational differences (my recently deceased mother in her nineties couldnt operate a mobile phone) as well as socioeconomic ones. Her goal is to narrow the gap between the analogue oldies and digital youth.

I could do with Kallass help too. I am easily bored by form-filling and I make frequent mistakes on tiny keyboards.



The first Afghan family arrived in - our aim is to help people who stood for human rights, including the rights of women and children. I thank our diplomats and Allies, especially France for the ongoing quick evacuation operation.  Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) August 25, 2021

Yet during the pandemic, technology has been the only way for millions of us to communicate with our friends, family, colleagues and communities. The digital future looks closer than ever. But most of us want our transactions with government, welfare services and business simplified, so that a forgotten password or errant keystroke doesnt feel like a looming disaster.

In the U.K., however, there are more than a hundred different sites to log into to access government services  whether it's the National Health Service portal for medical concerns or the Government Gateway for tax and benefits. Your day can be spent trying to dig up and sort through log-in details. Its password hell out there.

Compare this with Estonia, which has a one-stop digital shop for services. You can easily file your taxes online (tax attorneys are out of a job here, jokes Kallas), get drug prescriptions, book hospital treatments, and fix residency details and identification digitally without a physical ID card. You can even vote online  a feat that other democracies have found forbidding.

What about something more complex, like renewing a passport? In Estonia, you dont even need to remember to apply. The authorities remind you six months before your passport expires, and they fill in the renewal form for you  and all you have to do is download a new photo. Its a great example of the once only principle where private citizens and businesses only have to give information once.

Taken together, these measures save approximately 2% of national GDP in bureaucratic time-wasting  a percentage that handily matches Estonias defense commitment to NATO (the Russians are still the old-fashioned threat to this emerging digital utopia). And private data is secure, courtesy of blockchain technology. There is no central database but systems are interoperable and all citizens have the right to see their personal information as its recorded and used by the government.

And you dont have to emigrate in person to enjoy the benefits. People can become e-citizens of the Digital Republic from wherever they are. Up to 54,000 foreigners have applied for a government digital identity under the e-residency scheme, which allows people to conduct business in the country and access all the countrys simplified digital services.

Thats handy for small British companies selling into as well as giant U.S. corporations. The U.K.s departure from the single market has gummed up exports at the borders with form filling, delays and red tape. Many entrepreneurs have set up e-residency in to avoid the sort of foul-ups that have recently been making headline news in the U.K., such as shortages of chickens at Nandos to milkshakes at McDonalds.

Estonias private sector, invigorated by the success of Skype, its first local tech unicorn, has lent its expertise to the state to help effect many of these changes. Now it's moving fast to make everyday life more convenient too.

For instance, one of the most trying ways to begin a holiday after a long flight is to join the snaking queue at a kiosk for rental car services to pick up a car. In Tallinn, my wife and I tapped our ride-hailing Bolt app to locate a car nearby, walked over to it, touched the Bolt app again to open the door and turned the key waiting in the ignition. In less than ten minutes, we were able to drive off without breaking a sweat.

The great leaps in of the last two decades have made my life and those of others richer and more varied. But it is high time to take the drudgery out of e-government and e-commerce.

Small punches above its digital weight. Yes, bigger countries have more complex systems and knottier challenges. But if the energy behind the Baltic states digital ambitions has rubbed off on a reluctant techie like me, it might be worth more governments on either side of the Atlantic paying attention to it.
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Easter Seals UPC, a nonprofit, will take over the operation of Station Club Enterprises in Morehead City, effective Saturday, Sept. 18. (Cheryl Burke photo)
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Photo: The Canadian Press Manitoba PC Leader Brian Pallister and his wife, Esther, enter his party's election victory party in Winnipeg, Tuesday, April 19, 2016.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he will step down on Wednesday.

Pallister had announced earlier this month his plan to retire and not seek re-election.

The Progressive Conservative party scheduled a leadership vote for Oct. 30.

Pallister says he is leaving sooner to avoid any perception that he is influencing the leadership race.

The Tory caucus is to choose an interim leader this week to hold office until the party's leadership vote.

Pallister plans to stay on as a member of the legislature for a short time.

He has been premier since 2016 and enjoyed strong support in opinion polls until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manitoba was hit hard by the second and third waves and had to ship dozens of intensive care patients to other provinces.
Celebrities are human just like everyone else. That means that they, too, dont only have things to celebrate, but also difficult times such as mourning the loss of a loved one. That grieving process is even more difficult when a loved one is taken in a violent way. Here are a few celebrities that have endured after losing a family member under excruciating circumstances.

Jennifer Hudson lost three family members in a shocking murder

Jennifer Hudson | Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for Live Nation

American Idol star Jennifer Hudson had it all. Though the star didnt win the competition (she came in seventh), her talents went far beyond the Fox reality competition show. By 2008, her career had just begun to take off. Hudson scored an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls and her self-titled debut album had just been released.

Then, tragedy struck. On Oct. 24, 2008, Hudsons mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, were found shot to death. At the time, Hudsons 7-year-old nephew Julius King, remained missing. Police later made the grim discovery of Juliuss body three days later.

Juliuss mother and Hudsons sister Julia had received threats from Julias estranged husband, William Balfour. He was sentenced and convicted to life in prison where he currently resides. After taking much-needed personal time to process the horrendous events, Hudson continued on her upward career trajectory and with her sister Julia, she opened the Hudson-King Foundation for families of Slain Victims, People reported.

Kelsey Grammer

While Kelsey Grammer is most widely known for his role as Frasier Crane on his self-titled sitcom as well as cameos on Cheers, Grammer has been through his own form of grief. When living with his father as a teen, he lost his father to murder by a stranger outside their house, according to Nine News. Arthur B. Niles shot Frank Grammer and was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Five years later, Grammers 18-year-old sister Karen became a victim of a serial killer, Freddie Glenn. He and two others were eventually captured. Glenn was sentenced to death but it later turned to life in prison.

After another five years, Grammer lost his two half-brothers, Billy and Stephen, to a scuba diving accident.

Charlize Theron

Well I never got to go to prom, but this year for my bday my friends decided to change that. I love these humans more than words can describe. Only they could know that an 80s prom murder mystery party on a boat is my literal dream birthday. What a family, what a night pic.twitter.com/9Qm1Fwr3Bj  Charlize Theron (@CharlizeAfrica) August 7, 2021

Everyone knows Charlize Theron as an accomplished actor but her childhood was marred by tragedy. The star grew up in South Africa with her mother, Gerda, and father, Charles. Theron told Today that Charles terrorized them and that he was abusive toward Gerda.

On June 21, 1991, Gerda shot Charles in self-defense after hed drunkenly shot at them, but missed. South African authorities deemed the death of Charles a justifiable use of defense and no charges were filed.

Im not ashamed to talk about it because I do think that the more we talk about these things, the more we realize we are not alone in any of it, she said.

Mark Ruffalo

Though Mark Ruffalo makes a living playing a superhero, the actor lost his brother in 2008 in a case that still remains unsolved. As Medium reported, Scott Ruffalo was found shot to death in his Beverly Hills condo on Dec. 1, 2008. Though he was taken to a nearby hospital, he died a week later at the age of 39.

Investigators met with two persons of interest who were with Mark at the time. Shaha Adham and her boyfriend Brian B. Scofield were released, booked on suspicion of murder, the released again. Adham claimed Mark shot himself during a game of Russian Roulette.

His death was initially ruled a suicide but later re-named a homicide but there have been no other leads.

DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled has a bustling music career. As a DJ and producer of some of the radios biggest hits, it appears as though he has it all. However, just before he married his wife, Nicole Tuck, a horrific tragedy took her brother Jonathan. While visiting an apartment in the Bronx on Feb. 4, 2018, Jonathan was murdered by intruders during a break-in by Richard Jimenez, according to Vibe.

According to multiple reports, Jiminez only intended to strike Jonathan with his gun but it accidentally went off. Nicole later wrote to the judge asking for a harsh sentence. He was given 20 years.

Dave Navarro

RELATED: The Most Tragic Child Star Deaths That Stunned Hollywood

Many know Inkmasters Dave Navarro as the guitarist in Janes Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as his marriage to TV personality Carmen Electra. Long before fame, Navarros mother, Connie Navarro, along with her friend Sue Jory, were murdered.

The New York Times reported that the tragedy happened when Navarro was only 15 years old and was also supposed to be there that night, but a schedule change had him with his father instead. The killer wasnt caught until Americas Most Wanted featured the story, leading to the arrest of John Riccardi  Connies ex-boyfriend.

Riccardi was sentenced to death, but it commuted to life without parole. In the 2015 documentary, Mourning Son, Naravvo reveals a visit with Riccardi in prison in which Navarro said the meetup was awkward and said of Riccardi, Hes just some old dude dying in jail.

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
When Forrest Gump was released in 1994, few people realized what an impact it would have on people. In the movie, Forrest (played by Tom Hanks) wandered his way through several huge cultural events, unwittingly bringing change. One of those events was when he accidentally gave a speech at a huge protest. But because of some interference in the event, what he said couldnt be heard in the movie. Viewers have wondered for decades what exactly Forrest had to say in that speech.

Forrest Gump: An unexpected war protest

Tom Hanks | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Turner

Mental Floss reports that one of the scenes Forrest stumbled into was a Vietnam War protest. He believed he was sightseeing in Washington DC after receiving a medal for his heroic action in the war. But instead of taking in the views, he was pushed into a line to speak to a huge crowd gathered around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

As he stepped up to the microphones to speak, a high-ranking military officer slipped up to the stage. Intent on stopping the protest, he unplugged the microphones from the speakers.

The protest organizers scrambled to replace the plugs while Forrest spoke, his words unintelligible over the noise of the crowd. When the final plug was returned and the microphones came back to life, the final words of his speech could be heard: Thats all I have to say about that.

Whatever he said moved Abbie Hoffman to tears. But viewers didnt get a chance to hear it.

What Forrest Gump said

When you finally see a familiar face at a party https://t.co/DgFidDtWqy pic.twitter.com/gxh2vagy6D  Forrest Gump (@ForrestGumpFilm) June 20, 2019

Hanks was asked about the missing speech, and he reported that Forrests speech was short and typically sweet. Apparently, he said, Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they dont go home at all. Thats a bad thing. Thats all I have to say about that.

Its an indication of how deeply audiences reacted to this movie that even the microphones that were used in the protest speech scene are still considered special. According to IMDb, the vintage equipment was provided by Brandywine Electronics, LTD, a company that is now known as BEL.com. The microphones are still on display in their Delaware office to this day.

Some details were almost quite different

As iconic as Forrest Gump is now, its hard to imagine it being made any other way. But there were a few details that almost looked entirely different from the movie we know today.

According to Cinema Blend, director Robert Zemeckis tried to create a speech for Forrest to say at the Lincoln Memorial. He wanted something that was way funnier and more important. He contacted two of the best comedians of the day, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal, to see if they could help write it. In the end, he was never able to come up with a speech that was what he wanted, so they went with Forrests unheard words.

Hanks almost sounded much different as well. He didnt want to use such a heavy Southern accent, because he wasnt comfortable with it. However, Zemeckis convinced him that it was important to the story. Hank modeled his accent after Michael Humphreys, who played young Forrest, so it would sound consistent throughout the movie.

For almost three decades, Forrest Gump has been a favorite of movie lovers. Like any cultural milestone, there are always stories behind the stories we know. As Forrest might say, Thats all I have to say about that.

RELATED: Why Forrest Gump Director Robert Zemeckis Went Into a Deep, Severe Depression After the Tom Hanks Classic
BTS achieved their first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020 with Dynamite, their first English-language single. Since then, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook of BTS have had five No. 1 hits on the chart: Dynamite, Savage Love (Laxed  Siren Beat) with Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo, Life Goes On, Butter, and Permission to Dance.

Butter spent nine non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 and has remained in the top 10 spots on the Hot 100 since being released. In a recent interview with Billboard, the members of BTS were asked about ARMY, BTS fan base, manipulating charts. RM pushed back against the idea and pointed out that BTS success is often doubted.

BTS | Cindy Ord/WireImage

RM questioned the idea that BTS fans manipulate music charts

BTS debuted in 2013, and it took over seven years for the septet to achieve a No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Since debuting, the band steadily gained fans and began slowly breaking into different music industries outside of South Korea.

With ARMY being a dedicated fandom, digital and physical sales for BTS albums and songs are often quite high, which raises the groups success on music charts. While BTS music always has strong sales, songs like Dynamite and Butter received substantial radio airplay upon being released.

When asked about ARMYs dedication to purchasing music compared to other artists having strong streaming and radio airplay statistics, RM questioned if it really counts as chart manipulation.

Its a fair question, RM told Billboard. But if there is a conversation inside Billboard about what being No. 1 should represent, then its up to them to change the rules and make streaming weigh more on the ranking. Slamming us or our fans for getting to No. 1 with physical sales and downloads, I dont know if thats right  It just feels like were easy targets because were a boy band, a K-pop act, and we have this high fan loyalty.

RELATED: Big Hit Music Cancels BTS Map of the Soul Tour

BTS label challenged the chart manipulation claim

In the interview with Billboard, Shin Young-Jae, the president of Big Hit Music, denied that BTS large fandom was capable of altering an entire industry.

Wouldnt it be nice if we actually had the ability to mastermind such a thing? Shin told Billboard. I get that there are market developments [related to BTS] that are head-scratchers for some people. But I dont believe the U.S. market is one that can be handily topped by downloads alone. We think the songs impact was shown in many ways, and we are proud of that achievement.

BTS success is often questioned

This is not the first time BTS success has been the subject of criticism, and unfortunately, it will most likely not be the last. The more popular the group grows, the more detractors appear to try and poke holes in the bands accomplishments.

RELATED: BTS: Suga Hints the Band Will Release More Hip-Hop Tracks Soon

For those critics who fear BTS could disrupt the music industry in the U.S., RM made it clear the band has no intention of doing so.

I dont think we could ever be part of the mainstream in the U.S., and I dont want that either, he told Billboard. Our ultimate goal is to do a massive stadium tour there. Thats it.

While it is true the members of BTS hope to win a Grammy Award one day, their main goal has always been to perform in front of fans. This desire to connect is why BTS repeatedly sells out stadiums around the world, because when it comes to BTS, fans show up.
When Tom Holland was cast as the new Marvel Cinematic Universes Spider-Man, fans fell in love with his personality. From his comical interviews to his iconic Lip Sync Battle performance, fans learn more characteristics of the MCU hero every day.

But Holland didnt reach fame overnight. The actor has a wide range of roles under his belt, and his first feature film was a hefty weight for a young, up-and-coming actor to carry.

Tom Holland | Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Tom Holland has musical theatre experience

The English actor began performing as a dancer in London. He auditioned for Billy Elliot the Musical eight times and trained for two years before landing the role of Michael Caffrey. This was his West End theatrical debut. Later, Holland landed the musicals leading role for its fifth anniversary.

The Spider-Man star learned dancing and gymnastics during his time in Billy Elliot.

After gaining worldwide recognition for his MCU role, Holland appeared on Lip Sync Battle with his Spider-Man co-star, Zendaya. His performance went viral, and it is still a popular video with over 90 million views in 2021.

Holland began the performance with a modest rendition of Singin in the Rain, followed by a surprising re-entrance to perform Rihannas Umbrella. The crowd quickly roared with enthusiasm at the sight of Holland in his black outfit.

Throughout the performance, Holland showed off his dancing skills, showing a different side that many viewers werent aware of.

Hollands first film was physically and emotionally difficult

In his feature film debut, Holland took on the role of Lucas Bennett alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor in The Impossible. The movie is based on the true story of Maria Belons family during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

It focuses on the Bennett family on a Christmas vacation in Thailand. Maria Bennett (Watts) and her husband (McGregor) are separated from each other. Lucas is Marias only help as she clings to life with fatal wounds.

Holland discussed the challenging experience he had onset. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor was only 11-years-old when he auditioned for the Spanish disaster drama. [Lucas] goes from one extreme to another, Holland said. To be an actor and to have to play that diversity was very exciting. And also quite scary and challenging.

The film was shot using a 35,000-gallon water tank. Many actors performed stunts, but the movie concentrates on how the physically damaging catastrophe psychologically affects the characters. The actors, therefore, performed with this in mind.

I remember [Noami Watts and I] were hugging this tree, Holland described. But because of the current, it would blow our legs underneath, so if you look at some of the outtakes, we would be doing the scene, and suddenly one of us would disappear and would shoot across the way. It was quite technically difficult, and we had a few funny momentsIf youre on set and have a question that only your character can answer, a lot of times actors cant ask that question because their characters fictional or not alive, and I had my character there.

Tom Hollands upcoming projects

Hollands career wont stop with Spider-Man. He starred in the thriller film Cherry and Chaos Walking, with upcoming releases of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Uncharted.

The London native also revealed a Back to the Future remake was possible. The original 1985 film starred Michael J. Fox in his breakout role and became one of the most successful film franchises.

According to Screen Rant, Holland mentioned he was a potential prospect for a reboot. Id be lying if I said there hadnt been conversations in the past about doing some sort of remake, Holland admitted. But that film is the most perfect filmor one of the most perfect films, one that could never be made better. That said, if [Robert Downey Jr.] and I could just shoot that scene that they remade for funhe could pay for it cause hes got loads of moneyI would do it for my fee, and we could remake that scene.

However, the reboot idea was ultimately abandoned.

RELATED: Cherry Star Tom Holland Recalls the Abuse His Body Took for the Role
The Star Wars franchise continues to be one of the biggest in film and television history, with millions of adoring fans all over the planet. Unfortunately, the franchise has a dark history that many dont know about, and some celebrities were caught up in the wreckage. One such actor, Jake Lloyd, quit acting shortly after playing a role in the franchise. Learn more about who Jake Lloyd is, why he quit acting, and what he is doing now.

Who is Jake Lloyd?

Actors Jake Lloyd and Daniel Logan | Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Jake Lloyd was born in 1989 in Fort Collins Colorado and began his acting career in 1996. His first role came as Jimmy Sweet in the TV series ER, according to IMDb. He then took on the role of J.J. in the 1996 film Unhook the Stars, which also featured Gena Rowlands and Marisa Tomei. In that same year, he was featured in two more movies, portraying Jamie Langston in Jingle All the Way, and Mark Armstrong in Apollo 11.

From 1996 to 1999, the child star also portrayed the roles of Young Angelo, Timmy, and Ronny Collins in the TV series The Pretender for a total of five episodes. His last big role before entering the Star Wars franchise was playing Jack on the TV movie Host, a sci-fi thriller featuring Peter Gallagher, Mimi Rogers, and Andy Comeau.

Lloyd was cast as young Anakin Skywalker in the first movie of the Star Wars Prequel trilogy, Star Wars: Episode I  The Phantom Menace. He also lent his voice to several video games based on the film, including Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, and Star Wars: Racer Revenge.

Why did he quit acting?

Although Lloyd had acted in several projects before his Star Wars debut, he had never experienced the level of fame and recognition that he received after the film. Lloyd earned a Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Skywalker, but that didnt stop critics and fans from unloading criticism, and even disdain, about his performance.

Lloyd was just 8-years-old when he was cast in the role, and he had the bad luck of being involved in a film that was the most highly criticized film of the franchise. Devoted fans were disappointed in the movie, and many took it out on Lloyd, as well as Ahmed Best, the voice of Jar Jar Binks. Looper reports that Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the franchise, stated, Im still angry at how they treated Jake Lloyd. He was only ten years old, that little boy, and he did exactly what George [Lucas] wanted him to do,

Because of the poor reviews, and likely school hood jealousy, Lloyd was the victim of severe bullying at school. Best Life reports that Lloyd once stated,  Other children were really mean to meThey would make the sound of the lightsaber every time they saw me. It was totally mad. He also mentioned that My entire school life was really a living hell, and I had to do up to 60 interviews a day, which would have been overwhelming for anyone, let alone a young child.

What is he doing now?

Not much is know about Lloyd now, other than struggles with his mental health. ScreenRant reports that he had been studying film and psychology in college, though he dropped out after one semester.

In 2015, Lloyd was arrested for assaulting his mother in her house, reckless driving, and resisting arrest. His mother later revealed that her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has since been transferred to a psychiatric facility.

Being a child star isnt easy, and many young actors face horrible and unique challenges, making many of them feel utterly alone and traumatized. Hopefully, Lloyd is receiving the help he needs, and hopefully directors, fans, and the media have learned how to better support child actors as they navigate an unimaginable upbringing.

RELATED: Star Wars Actor Disliked His Lines and Didnt Know Harrison Fords Name
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation sold a record number of guitars in 2020, driven in part by people forced to stay at home during the pandemic. The company calculates that nearly a third of those new musical instruments were purchased by people who play in praise and worship bands.

This may not be surprising to anyone who knows a worship leader.

Worship leaders are always commenting about wanting to get a new guitar, said Adam Perez, a postdoctoral fellow in liturgical studies at Duke Divinity School. There are conversations about needing to up my guitar and discussions about types of guitar. For a lot of worship leaders, the guitar is that companion that marks your journey and marks your development as an authentic worship leader.

No one knows the first person to bring a guitar into church, but it became common in charismatic congregations in Southern California in the 1970s.

Folk, rock, and folk-rock went to church with the hippies who converted during the Jesus People movement, and guitars became staples of the Calvary Chapel and Vineyard church style before spreading to other evangelical churches.

The style signaled openness and authenticity to white baby boomers raised on the Beatles, but guitars also had some practical advantages, according to Perez. They were portable. When a new church started in a school, or someones house, or even on the beach, no one had to haul over an organ. Guitars are also easier to learn to play than the pianos and organs traditionally used in church music.

People joke about how simple it isthree chords or four chordsbut that was a strength, not a weakness, Perez said. You could have a beginner guitar player who learned to play to lead their small group, their cell group, or even a new church. Youre democratizing access to the sacred.

Worship music in the 2020s is not all guitar-based, but industry experts know there is a lot of money in church guitars. According to Ultimate Guitar, an estimated one million guitar players are gigging at churches every weekend, and more people play praise and worship music than any other genre in the US.

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Biden blasts Chinas lack of transparency in response to report on COVID-19 origins

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A U.S. intelligence report says its 90-day investigation ordered by President Joe Biden to look into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, including whether the virus leaked from a Chinese lab, is inconclusive due to Chinas unwillingness to cooperate.

Chinas cooperation most likely would be needed to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of COVID-19. Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the United States," stated the 17-agency U.S. intelligence communitys report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday.

It, therefore, remains inconclusive whether the virus, which has killed 4.6 million people worldwide, leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, in 2019, or it was transmitted from an animal to a human, the report claims.

All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and laboratory-associated incident, it said, adding that the virus probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019.

Four intelligence agencies said with low confidence that the coronavirus was initially transmitted from an animal to a human. But a fifth intelligence agency believes with moderate confidence that the first human infection was linked to a lab, according to the report.

The report also said: These actions reflect, in part, Chinas governments own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead as well as its frustration the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China.

President Joe Biden released a statement on the report, saying:

Critical information about the origins of this pandemic exists in the Peoples Republic of China, yet from the beginning, government officials in China have worked to prevent international investigators and members of the global public health community from accessing it, he said. To this day, the PRC continues to reject calls for transparency and withhold information, even as the toll of this pandemic continues to rise.

Kash Patel, who worked at the U.S. National Security Council under former President Donald Trump and the Obama administration, previously said that Biden had 13, 14 months and more of intelligence that was gathered under his predecessor that detailed where the U.S. intelligence agents believed the virus originated.

Theres been Presidential Daily Briefings produced by career intelligence officials every week since this outbreak occurred and before that. It doesnt take 90 days to look at it. It does take 90 days to look at it and allow people to possibly manipulate what theyre finding to suit a narrative that [Dr. Anthony] Fauci and others have been espousing for over a year, Patel asserted in a June interview with The Epoch Times.

China responded to the U.S. intelligence report, alleging it is not scientifically credible.

Jim Geraghty, a senior political correspondent at National Review, previously wrote about a documentary film by YouTube creator Matthew Tye on the coronavirus outbreak, which suggests the virus accidentally escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a bio-weapons laboratory.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology in China posted a job opening in November 2019, asking for scientists to come research the relationship between the coronavirus and bats, Geraghty wrote.

The same institute posted a second job posting in December 2019. The translation of a part of that posting said a large number of new bat and rodent new viruses have been discovered and identified, the correspondent added.

They talk about a certain kind of bat, but that bat wasnt in that area, Trump said at the time, according to The Washington Times. But that bat wasnt sold at that wet zone. It wasnt sold there. That bat was 40 miles away. A lot of strange things are happening.

Geraghty acknowledged that theres no definitive proof that COVID-19 originated from a bat at either the Wuhan Center for Disease Control & Prevention or the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as that would require much broader access to information about what happened in those facilities in the time period before the epidemic in the city.

However, he concluded that it is a remarkable coincidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was researching Ebola and SARS-associated coronaviruses in bats before the pandemic outbreak, and that in the month when Wuhan doctors were treating the first patients of COVID-19, the institute announced in a hiring notice that a large number of new bat and rodent new viruses have been discovered and identified.
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Dont let American public schools copy Oregon State standards: lowering high school graduation requirements so that no student can possibly be denied a diploma. Thanks to Oregons Governor Kate Brown signing Senate Bill 744 into law, now high school students need not worry about proficiency in math, reading, or writing. Apparently, it is discriminatory to students of color to have these unfair requirements in order to graduate.

In essence, in the name of racial equity, all students will be handed a diploma regardless of effort, excellence, or cognitive ability. If we ever hope to have real equity in our communities it will not be through having the next generation of citizens unable to read, write, or comprehend basic math skills.

Low-income and indigenous students populate the rural Western Washington State schools where I live. Rather than lowering expectations, there is an effort to increase learning opportunities. Where possible, federal funding is used to provide extra tutoring, so students dont lag behind. In one remote Native American village, the graduation rate is nearly 100% and colleges are seeking these students and offering generous scholarships. This wouldnt be possible if the students had been held back with low-bar expectations.

COVID interruptions with in-person classroom time have made this a critical year for all our students. According to a recent McKinsey report, students are 4 months behind on reading and 5 months behind on mathematics, compared to where they would have been had school not shuttered. Schools that predominately serve students of color and low-income children have even greater shortfalls in academic progress. Currently, America has 12 million marginalized students  this could easily be Americas next poverty-stricken generation.

But heres something all schools can take advantage of  the $190 billion in emergency federal COVID school aid. Rather than lower expectations, lets hire tutors, have extra classroom time, and prepare students for the global economy that is increasingly becoming more literate and computer science oriented.

In the name of diversity, equity, and inclusion we are quickly abandoning the prior efforts to increase American academic prowess. Remember President Obamas Race to the Top? Lets not lower the bar at a time when we need educated and motivated citizens. When pollsters asked citizens what the purpose of K-12 education is, many responded that its to help students have the skills needed for future employment. Unfortunately, some of Oregons high school graduates  many of them students of color  will be left with few skills and be sentenced to a lifetime of low-wage jobs.

We can do better America. We are pouring our tax dollars into our public schools. Lets demand more and expect our school administrators to prioritize competency and literacy. Its the only way we will prepare our graduates to face the demands of the 21st Century.
16-year-old boy suffers burns over 60% of his body in suspected anti-Christian attack

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A 16-year-old Christian boy suffered burns over 60% of his body after an acid attack in eastern Indias Bihar state. The family says they suspect Hindu nationalists are behind it because the boy is a leader in a local church and the area they live in has anti-Christian sentiments.

The victim, identified as Nitish Kumar, was attacked with acid last week soon after he left his house in a village to go to the market early in the morning, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported Saturday.

Almost immediately after leaving the house, the boy was carried back by people as he screamed due to burns all over his body, the victims sister, Raja Davabi, was quoted as saying.

It was a horrifying scene of my brother, she said, I started yelling and crying looking at my brother. He was in terrible pain at that point and all that I could do is to share the pain by wrapping him in my hands.

The boy was taken to a nearby clinic for first aid treatment and then transported to a specialized burn unit in the state capital of Patna.

The attacker has not been identified but the victims family and the local Christian community suspect it is the work of anti-Christian activists in the village.

The family, which regularly holds Christian gatherings in their home, converted to Christianity two years ago after being delivered from an evil spirit, and the victim and his brother are active in the church and conduct daily prayer gatherings.

I dont understand why this happened to my son and who might have done it, we didnt do any harm to anybody in our village or anywhere else. My heart pains when I see my son, the victims father, Bhakil Das, was quoted as saying.

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.
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."
Postcard from Colorados Grand County

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Grand County may upon first impression feel like any other place in Colorados High Country. Yet, there is something that sets it apart from some of the better-known destinations.

That something is the ability to have multiple experiences over the course of just a few days without ever leaving the countys 1,870 square miles.

The peaks, cliffs and endless natural beauty of the Master Artists handiwork are mostly unspoiled. Sure, outposts of Starbucks and McDonalds can be found along U.S. Highway 40 but there are no ritzy resort factories. One of the few chain hotels is a utilitarian Holiday Inn Express.

My visit to Grand County started in Winter Park, a fairly typical purpose-built town with a ski resort.

Located two hours by car from Denver, this is a convenient first stop.

The big draw here is everything outdoors. One such activity is an off-road excursion through the Arapahoe National Forest to Corona Pass, also called Rollins Pass, which at 11,660 feet in elevation is the top of the Continental Divide  a contiguous ridge on the continent that marks the spot where water either flows east to the Atlantic or west to the Pacific. I reached the summit on an early morning guided all-terrain vehicle trip with a half-dozen other people. In hindsight, I would have rented my own ATV as group tours always feel rushed.

Forty-five minutes to the Northwest is Kremmling, an old ranching town situated in a valley called Middle Park at the confluence of Muddy Creek and the Blue and Colorado rivers.

This location, not far from the headwaters of the Colorado River, makes it a popular spot for adventure with some of the best rafting, kayaking and fishing anywhere in Colorado. In latter case, its fly-fishing in gold medal-designated waters.

Between Winter Park and Kremmling are the towns of Granby, the countys most populous community with around 2,000 souls, and Hot Sulphur Springs, the county seat.

Granby is also where you turn on U.S. Highway 34 for Grand Lake. The unpretentious community is built around the states largest natural lake, which, as you might expect, is also called Grand Lake.

As you get closer to Grand Lake, the western gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park, a fire-charred landscape comes into focus.

It was here last year where the East Troublesome Fire burned 193,812 acres.

Hundreds of homes  totaling over $146 million in value  were destroyed as the second-largest wildfire in state history exploded across this swath of remote Colorado and threatened the town proper with its predominantly wood buildings. Think log cabins and Adirondack-style homes. Full recovery is years away, but many businesses, as well as world-class hiking trails within the national park, are once again open.

If you go

Stay a couple of miles north of Winter Park in Fraser at the Holiday Inn Express. Alternatively, book a short-term vacation rental through Stay Winter Park. Another option is the Western Riviera in Grand Lake. The old-school motel was featured on the Travel Channels Hotel Impossible.

For restaurants, the Granby Garage, Tabernash Tavern, Denos Mountain Bistro and Backstreet Steakhouse are recommended.

Mad Adventures is one of the better operators of excursions and guided tours. Their offerings include Corona Pass (both private and groups) and Colorado River rafting trips.

Be sure to stop at the Pioneer Village Museum in Hot Sulphur Springs to learn about how Grand County was first settled. You can even see the original jail and courthouse, both of which look straight out of an Old West movie.

In Grand Lake, the annual U.S. Constitution Week festival runs Sept. 13-19.

I flew into Denver International Airport, where I had to wait over two hours for a rental car due to Hertzs ongoing inventory issues as it emerges from bankruptcy. Depending on airfares, rental car rates and flight schedules, you may want to look at Yampa Valley Regional Airport. Besides United, Southwest has daily service during the summer and fall to and from the airport by Steamboat Springs.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
Supreme Court rejects Biden admins attempt to stop Remain in Mexico policy

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The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a request by the Biden administration to prevent the reimplementation of the Remain in Mexico immigration policy.

In an order released Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito denied President Joe Biden's request to stop a lower court decision ordering the restart of the Remain in Mexico policy, also known as the Migrant Protection Protocols.

The applicants have failed to show a likelihood of success on the claim that the memorandum rescinding the Migrant Protection Protocols was not arbitrary and capricious, stated the order.

Our order denying the Governments request for a stay of the District Court injunction should not be read as affecting the construction of that injunction by the Court of Appeals.

The order noted that Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor would have granted the application requesting a stay.

As a result of the Supreme Court's refusal to intervene, the Biden administration is expected to continue enforcing the Remain in Mexico policy for illegal immigrants as litigation continues.

In January 2019, the Department of Homeland Security implemented the Remain in Mexico policy, which mandated that immigrants seeking to live in the U.S. would remain in Mexico while their immigration proceedings and asylum claims were vetted, with Mexico providing humanitarian needs.

In a statement released at the time, DHS said the policy will help restore a safe and orderly immigration process, decrease the number of those taking advantage of the immigration system, and the ability of smugglers and traffickers to prey on vulnerable populations, and reduce threats to life, national security, and public safety, while ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the protections they need.

After Biden became president, he attempted to end the policy, only to be sued by Texas and Missouri, with U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruling in favor of the states earlier this month.

In his ruling, Kacsmaryk concluded that the Biden administration had failed to consider several critical factors when deciding to eliminate the Remain in Mexico policy.

A few days after the district court ruling, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a per curiam ruling and denied a motion to put the lower court ruling on hold.

Even if the Government were correct that long-term compliance with the district courts injunction would cause irreparable harm, it presents no reason to think that it cannot comply with the district courts requirement of good faith while the appeal proceeds, read the Circuit Court panel decision.

Therefore, the Government has failed to demonstrate that it will be irreparably injured absent a stay pending appeal.
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The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban has implications far beyond the borders of that nation. Thats because the Taliban takeover provides fresh inspiration for Islamic radicals worldwide while at the same time providing a liberated zone for Islamic terror. As the Islamists love to say, Allahu Akbar! Islam, in their eyes, is triumphant once again.

Just listen to this sermon, titled War on Islam, and preached last Friday by Canadian Imam Younus Kathrada at the Muslim Youth of Victoria Islamic Center.

To paraphrase his words, Look at all the money spent by Jews and Christians to destroy Islam, Look at what the West tried to do for 20 years in Afghanistan. And now what has happened? Islam has overcome! Islam will overcome! As for the Jews and Christian, they are not our friends. We must stand with our brothers in Afghanistan and support Sharia Law!

Then, he declared in Arabic, We say Allahu Akbar!

In his view, and the view of many other Muslims worldwide, Americas botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, with more ghastly consequences each passing day, was a sign of our weakness and lack of resolve. We could not stand up to the strength of Islam.

Yes, this is the message that will be pushed globally, inspiring and rallying a new wave of radical Muslims, just like the fall of Iran to Ayatollah Khomeini 1979 and the 9-11 terror attacks of 2001 inspired Islamic extremists worldwide.

The Taliban victory will inspire more terror and encourage more Islamic fundamentalism, reinvigorating groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda and giving birth to other, destructive groups.

Not only so, but Americas abandonment of Afghanistan now means that Islamic terrorist have a safe haven and a new base of operations. (Lets not forget that our whole reason for invading Afghanistan in the first place was that the Taliban gave shelter to our arch-enemy Osama Bin Laden.)

In his book Holy Terror, Iranian author Amir Taheri explained the strategies of Hassan al-Sabbah (1050-1124), founder of the Order of Assassins. He wrote, Almost a modern revolutionary, Hassan understood the four phases of a successful politico-religious movement: study, propagate, organize, and attack. He also knew that a genuine revolutionary movement needs at least one liberated zone from which to launch its bid for the conquest of the world.

In a certain sense, even though there will certainly be feuds between rival Islamic groups, Afghanistan now serves as a massive, liberated zone from which Islamic radicals can regroup, organize, train, and export terror around the globe.

Just think of the Muslims who flocked to ISIS in Syria to join their demented cause. This was time for holy war, and this was the place where you could join.

As for the close connection between radical Islam and violence, the Catholic Islamic scholar Samir Kahlil Samir noted that, Violence was definitely a part of the rapid rise and expansion of Islam. At the time, no one found anything blameworthy in Muhammads military actions since wars were part of the Arab Bedouin culture. Today, the problem is that the fiercest Muslim groups keep adopting that model. They say, We have to take Islam to non-Muslims as the Prophet did, through war and violence, and they base these statements on some verses from the Quran. (111 Questions on Islam)

As for the horrific practice of suicide bombings, which took more innocent lives on Thursday, Samir pointed to a document released at the end of a major summit held in Beirut in January 2002, in which more than 200 Sunni and Shiite religious scholars came together from 35 countries.

They wrote (addressing the question of Palestinian suicide bombers): The actions of martyrdom of the mujahidin [jihadists or freedom fighters] are legitimate and have their foundation in the Quran and in the prophets tradition. They represent the most sublime of martyrdoms because the mujahidin accomplish them in full conscience and freedom of choice.

And whats good for Palestinian jihadists is good for jihadists worldwide. Death to the infidels! Instill terror in their hearts! Blow yourself up to kill unbelievers and be welcomed into paradise!

Samir also noted that, This perspective has found widespread acceptance in legitimizing the suicide actions. It also can be found in the field of education: many books used in Palestinian schools teach young people the obligation of jihad in all its forms and give legitimacy to the actions of those called martyrs of Islam by explaining that they must not be considered suicides but heroes who are destined for heaven because they made a true jihad. In fact, they behaved in conformity with the Quran and sacrificed themselves for the Islamic cause.

Now, throughout the nation of Afghanistan, children will be indoctrinated in principles of Islamic terror as they live under the shadow of Taliban Sharia, an especially harsh, draconian version of Islamic Law.

By all means, then, let us continue to pray for Afghanistan, and let us pray that, as Islams ugliest aspects are revealed to the world, many Muslims might awaken to the truth.
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With the advent of the primacy of postmodernism in the university curricula, there has been a growing loss of meaning and purpose among generations of students. By postmodernism, I am referring to the assertion that there is no meta-narrative or absolute truth that we can hang our hats on.

Of course, this is nothing new. We observe this in the Gospel of John when Jesus told Pontius Pilate that He came to bear witness of the truth. Pilate responded by saying, "What is truth"? (John 18:38).

The preponderance of postmodernism has resulted in a devaluation of religious narrative, truth, morals, and boundaries; along with a deconstruction of language, structure, and categories (such as male and female)  leaving in its wake a rise of suicide, depression, and hopelessness (all the fruit of its nihilistic philosophy).

By Nihilism, I am referring to the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often believing that life is meaningless. (Thus, Nihilism involves stripping humanity of the grand narrative of Christianity and all the other major religions.) Nihilism also maintains that nothing in the world order is real, leading to a post-structural order of extreme anti-establishment, anarchy, and rebellion against all institutional authority. (This is why Buddhism and the Eastern New Age philosophies are popularized in college campuses, since one of their primary mantras is "maya," which asserts that all distinctions, in reality, are a delusion).

Consequently, students who are fed and embrace any form of Nihilism are often filled with negativity, cynicism, pessimism and can become anti-social and suicidal.

Of course, doubting the essence and reality of the concept of absolute truth have been going on for millennia, which is a result of original sin (Genesis 3). The "fall" not only separated humankind from God, resulting in spiritual and physical death (Romans 5:12-19) but also darkened (and limited) our rational understanding (Ephesians 4:17-19; 2 Corinthians 4:4).

Hence, when Jesus claimed to be the "Truth," He was revolutionary, and countered the negative (rational) effects of the fall in more ways than one. His resurrection power enables the eyes of the believing heart to be opened, and minds can be transformed to, once again, love and serve God and humanity with the heart, mind, soul, and strength (Ephesians 1:18, Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 22:37-40).

Unfortunately, the embrace of postmodernism has been catastrophic in the following ways:

It robs people of faith and hope



The grand narrative of Christianity simplifies life, gives believers a handle on reality, and enables them to rest in the fact that their Creator designed them for an eternal purpose. Conversely, the contemporary popularization of postmodernism and its expressions of Nihilism has resulted in a dire increase in youth suicides and depression. (Any honest social scientist will have to admit that the increase in dehumanizing behavior amongst grade and high school students corresponds to our nation going from the sacred to the secular worldview.)

It dehumanizes humanity



If there is no grand narrative, there is no Creator; if there is no Creator, there is no distinction between human and animal, living and non-living, male and female, good and evil. All of this confusion takes away from the sanctity of human life. Its devaluation leads to murder, abortion, maltreatment of people, including slavery, abuse, violence, and objectification.

It removes all boundaries and distinctions



If there is no God and no transcendent purpose, there is no concept of good versus evil. This leads to a world of subjective morality based on the opinions of those in power. This can eventually lead to totalitarian governments that usurp the rights of individual human freedom.

Hence, the power and success of American exceptionalism are based on our unique philosophy of governance in which the foundation of our constitution is the Declaration of Independence. It declares that we have unalienable rights given to us by God and not by men or earthly elites.

This is one reason why progressive liberals operate with humanistic mindsets like intersectionality. They are attempting to discard our nation's founding documents to deconstruct the U.S. and reconstruct it as a nation without borders, religious boundaries and morals.

The folly of postmodernism and its nihilistic outcomes will eventually collapse upon itself to the dismay of the far-left university elites and the progressive culture at large.

The general population of God-fearing people is getting fed-up with the irrational conclusions of the post-structural secularist who, in the name of human enlightenment, embraces and pronounces things today that would be unheard of only a decade ago.

The only hope for the next generation is for the church to equip, prepare and send young people to school. They must be given a robust biblical worldview so that they can effectively release their potential and be the bright lights the world has been waiting for (Romans 8:19-21).
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In their plot to stage a full-scale coup of Americas judiciary, proponents of court-packing wont be satisfied by stacking four more justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, or even by adding an extra 203 judges to the lower district courts.

The left has recently reignited its intimidation campaign to boot Justice Breyer from the Supreme Court, as they seek to create another vacancy for President Biden to fill with a liberal appointee:

Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) stated in a recent interview with CNN that if Justice Breyer decides to retire from the Supreme Court, he should do so sooner rather than later.

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said: Justice Breyer has been a great justice, and he recognizes, I am sure, the political reality of our [Democrats] having control of the Senate now. But elections always have risks, so, hopefully, hes aware of that risk, and he sees it accordingly.

The Atlantic called it a pathological disregard for other human beings that Justice Breyer has not made a final decision to retire.

The liberal activist group Demand Justice drove a billboard truck around Capitol Hill with a sign reading: Breyer, retire. Its time for a black woman Supreme Court justice.

A headline from Rewire News Group it bluntly: Justice Stephen Breyer, for the Love of God, Please Retire.

The New Republic also said the quiet part out loud: Breyer should retire as soon as possible. He should have retired in January, to be honest, so that Biden could get someone on the court during his honeymoon period.

Even as a growing majority of Americans continue to reject court-packing, the Lefts intensifying bullying of Justice Breyer and its persistent calls to reform the courts make one thing crystal clear: Intimidating a justice to step down is all about grabbing power.

Justice Breyers seat is prime real estate for the radicals who want to allegedly restore balance to the Supreme Court. In addition to ballooning the Court with four more seats, ousting Breyer would give them another vacancy (a fifth empty slot) to further cement the liberal automatic majority they need to rubber-stamp their radical agenda and policies.

Its true  at least right now under the current rules and the law  that the Left cannot force Justice Breyer to retire. In the end, its up to him to decide when hell step down from the bench.

However, just because they cant forcefully remove Breyer doesnt make their plot any less distasteful. And more than that, history shows that intimidating judges is a dangerous move taken straight form the authoritarians playbook.

Retirement by intimidation: The tyrants tool to cement power & control

Intimidating or rigging the rules to force judges into stepping down from the bench is a Machiavellian, power-by-any-means-necessary tactic that destroys judicial independence, the rule of law and, ultimately, freedom.

Dictators and majority party elites have abundantly used judicial intimidation, forced removal and retirement of judges as a way to consolidate power:

In 1997, the Peruvian Congress (controlled by allies of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori) fired three judges of the constitutional court who opposed the presidents bid for reelection.

After Viktor Orban assumed power in Hungary in 2010, he packed the Constitutional Court with his preferred justices and forced 400 judges into retirement.

In the early 2010s, Hugo Chavezs regime created nine vacancies on the Venezuelan Supreme Court by adopting a new rules that gave several judges on the highest court the authorization to retire before the end of their 12-year term.

In 2018, the ruling party in Poland purged the countrys Supreme Court of nearly half its judges by introducing a law that forced 27 judges retirement. After the ousting, Polands President appointed new judges in a secret ceremony.

As recently as 2019, President Erdogan tightened his grip on power by purging Turkeys judicial system, sacking nearly 4,000 judges and prosecutors from their posts, including more than 500 reported to be in jail.

During the most recent meeting of President Bidens judicial commission, court-packing proponents let out their usual trope, collectively groaning that democracy is under assault by this Supreme Court. (By that, theyre actually saying theyre unhappy with the current composition of the Court because its not full of judges who will rule their way.)

However, the lessons of countless countries show that court-packing and manipulating courts for political gain are the real assault to democracy, liberty and the rule of law.

If we allow the party in power to coerce and intimidate judges into retiring, then our country will quickly head down the dark road to tyranny  where there is no judicial independence or system of checks and balances to stop ruling elites from weaponizing the courts to take away our freedoms.

Whether its here in America, or in any country, judicial purges and court-packing all yield the same result: the erosion of constitutional liberties and rights of citizens, including religious freedom.

Originally published at First Liberty.
Caleb Wallace, a Texas anti-mask organizer who allegedly treated himself with the horse dewormer ivermectin, has died after contracting COVID-19. He was 30 and is survived by his pregnant wife and three children.

Wallace founded the anti-mandate group "The San Angelo Freedom Defenders." Its Facebook page says its goal is to "encourage [citizens] to actively participate in their duty to secure God-given and constitutionally protected rights." On the Fourth of July, Wallace organized a so-called "Freedom Rally" for people "sick of the government being in control of our lives."

Because of his views, he was a regular presence at San Angelo city council meetings and on the local news.

My health has nothing to do with you. As harsh as that sounds, our constitutional, fundamental rights protect that. Nothing else," Wallace said at a November 2020 San Angelo COVID update meeting. "Im sorry if that comes off as blunt and that I dont care. I do care. I care more about freedom than I do for your personal health."

By late July, Wallace was infected with the coronavirus. According to the San Angelo Standard-Times, he tried to treat himself with ivermectin. Ivermectin is widely available as a deworming agent for livestock, but over the last year has become increasingly popular among fringe groups who distrust doctors and vaccines. The FDA has repeatedly cautioned against self-dosing with the livestock treatment.

"Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea," the FDA says on its website. "Ivermectin is not an anti-viral (a drug for treating viruses)."

READ MORE: 21 heartbreaking stories of people who regret not getting a COVID-19 vaccine

By early August, Wallace was unconscious and required intensive care at the hospital. His wife Jessica Wallace, who is eight months pregnant, posted frequent updates on his condition on her GoFundMe page.

"You all have the right to feel the way you feel as Caleb once fought for his beliefs," she wrote on Friday. "He was an imperfect man but he loved his family and his little girls more than anything. To those who wished him death, Im sorry his views and opinions hurt you. I prayed hed come out of this with a new perspective and more appreciation for life."

On Saturday, she confirmed that her husband had died. "Caleb has peacefully passed on," she wrote. "He will forever live in our hearts and minds."

Shortly before his death, Jessica Wallace spoke with the San Angelo Standard-Times. She said she believes in wearing a mask.

"Caleb would tell me, 'You know masks aren't going to save you,' but he understood I wanted to wear them," she said. "It gives me comfort to know that maybe, just maybe, I'm either protecting someone or avoiding it myself."
Courtesy of GHBA

Chesmar Homes, a trail blazer within Houstons home building industry on many levels, recently built and sold its seventh GHBA Benefit home. The home was built with donated materials, labor and services by GHBA members. The goal is to recruit as many donations as possible so that the home is built at little cost and then sold at market value. The majority of the proceeds are presented to two local charities, HomeAid Houston and Operation Finally Home. This 41-year-old charity fundraiser has raised more than $12 million.

Chesmar didnt even blink when they heard we were recruiting a builder for 2021, and this was during the height of the pandemic, said Patrick Mayhan, chairman of the fundraiser. That reflects on the confidence Chesmar has in their product, the market, and their commitment to giving back to the community.
TOKYO (AP)  Afghan athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli have arrived in Tokyo, via what's been described as a harrowing journey from Kabul to Paris, to compete in the Paralympics.

For now, they are sequestered in the Paralympics Village alongside Tokyo Bay, will not be available for media interviews during their stay  before or after they compete. And where they go after the Games close on Sept. 5 is unclear.

The International Paralympic Committee said they arrived in Tokyo from Paris early on Saturday evening, having passed all the required COVID-19 tests to enter Japan. IPC spokesman Craig Spence said they'd need a few days to get their bearing and needed some privacy.

This is a really complex situation, one of the most complex weve ever been involved in," Spence told a briefing Sunday. "So what we can say is limited. Human life is the most important thing here. Having the athletes here isnt about getting media coverage. Its about these athletes fulfilling their dream of being able to attend the Paralympic Games.

Spence did not say how they got out of Kabul, but mentioned the help of several governments and other agencies. He had said for several days that the IPC was monitoring their whereabouts, and at the opening ceremony on Aug. 24, a volunteer carried an Afghan flag to represent the absent team.

The addition of the Afghan team means that 163 delegations are participating, which includes a refugee team.

We always knew there was a remote chance both athletes could participate at Tokyo 2020 which is why the Afghan flag was paraded at the Opening Ceremony," IPC President Andrew Parsons said in a statement from the IPC.

Like all the athletes here at Tokyo 2020, we never gave up hope, and to now have Zakia and Hossain in the Paralympic Village alongside 4,403 other Paralympians shows the remarkable power of sport to bring people together in peace.

Khudadadi would become the first female Afghan athlete to compete in the Paralympics since 2004. She will challenge in the womens 44-49-kilogram weight category in taekwondo on Thursday.

Rasouli has a tougher road.

He was to run the 100-meters in the T47 class, but arrived too late for that. So organizers placed him in a 400-meter race for next Friday. Apparently, he was not enthused about that choice, which Spence revealed in quoting Rasouli.

Look, Im a 100-meters sprinter. Doing 400 is going to be pretty exhausting," Spence quoted Rasouli as saying.

Instead, he's been entered in Tuesday's long jump in the T47 class  and without much practice.

The question of asylum hangs in the air and will they return to Paris?

That is a question that will be open to the athletes to choose, Spence said.

We have a duty to protect these athletes," Spence added. "And that starts with their welfare and their mental health. The last thing they want at the moment is to be asked multiple questions about whats going on, or the future.

Spence choked back tears a few times as he described a meeting on Saturday evening at the Paralympic Village with Khudadadi and Rasouli, IPC President Parsons, and other officials.

As you can imagine the meeting was extremely emotional, Spence said. "There were lots of tears from everyone in the room. To actually see them in person  theyre actually here  was remarkable.

___

More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2020-tokyo-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Mohammed Jan Sultani had clutched his national Taekwondo championship certificates as he waded through the multitudes pushing to get into Kabul airport late last week.

The 25-year-old athlete wasn't on any evacuation lists. Yet he had hoped his achievements would make him and his young family special enough to be let into the gate and onto one of the flights rescuing foreigners and Afghans fleeing the Taliban.

As he forged ahead, an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated two dozen pounds of explosives in the crowd just before nightfall Thursday, killing 169 Afghans, including Sultani, and 13 U.S. service members.

His wife and two children, 4-year-old Zahid and 2-year-old Zahra, survived; he had told them to stay back a bit as he advanced toward the gate.

Three days later, Zahid remains in shock. He cries, but doesn't speak.

The athlete's father, Ali, said his son had expected a bleak future under the Taliban.

He didn't know where he would go, the bereaved man, who goes by the last name Rahmani, said Sunday. The United States, Europe, it didnt matter," Rahmani said, holding some of his son's medals, his voice laced with sadness.

Everyone in the country seemed to be escaping, he said.

Najma Sadeqi was also among those trying to get out that afternoon. The 20-year-old, who was in her last semester in journalism school, feared the Talibans return to power would bring a harsh version of Islamic rule in which women would largely be confined to their homes.

Getting through those airport gates held the promise of career somewhere else, far away from all the threats and judgement.

Thursday's blast killed Najma, as well as her brother and a cousin who had escorted her to the airport to ensure her safety.

Najma had gotten her start in journalism with a YouTube channel a few years back and eventually went to work for a couple of private broadcasters, said her older sister, Freshta.

In the two decades since the U.S.-led invasion drove the Taliban from power, women have made gains in education, politics and business  but it hasn't been easy. Afghanistan remains a deeply conservative country, especially outside urban areas. Many of Najma's own relatives objected to her nascent career, with some even cutting off contact.

Freshta said her sister received threatening phone calls and text messages from unknown men who objected to her appearing in public.

I was the only one she told about her security concerns," Freshta said. "She didnt want to share it with the family because they might prevent her from working with media.

But as the Taliban rapidly advanced, capturing most of the country in a matter of days and rolling into the capital earlier this month, Najma decided to join the exodus, fearing that the takeover would spell the end of a career that was only just beginning. She compiled the threatening text messages and brought them to the airport, hoping they would help her convince the Americans to put her on a plane.

Najma planned to restart her YouTube channel from her new home  wherever that might be  and document the lives of Afghan migrants, Freshta said. She dreamed of building a career in media despite the challenges she faced."

Najma and tens of thousands of others outside the airport gate have not been swayed by Taliban promises to allow women in public life and girls to attend schools.

Ali Reza Ahmadi, a 34-year-old who had worked as a journalist for nearly a decade, was so desperate to get out that he went to the airport just months after getting engaged. He and his younger brother, who had hoped to travel with him, were both killed, according to Khadim Karimi, a close friend and colleague.

He said Ahmadi was already struggling with depression and financial problems before the Taliban swept in. He was so distraught, so he decided to go to the airport and stay there until he could get an airlift from whatever country would take him, Karimi said.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Maps on display in the Mississippi Capitol give a vivid picture of how population has shifted within the state during the past decade, and legislators will use those in drawing new boundaries for legislative and congressional districts.

Republican Rep. Jim Beckett of Bruce is chairman of the legislative committee in charge of redistricting. He said during a public hearing in Jackson last week that the first order of business will be redrawing the four congressional districts because federal elections are being held in 2022. State House and Senate races will be on the 2023 ballot.

Mississippi, Illinois and West Virginia are the only states that lost population from 2010 to 2020, according to the Census Bureau. Mississippi did not lose enough people to also lose a congressional seat, but Illinois and West Virginia are losing one seat each.

The only one of Mississippi's four U.S. House districts that lost population was the 2nd District, which stretches through the Delta, southward along the Mississippi River and eastward into the city of Jackson. It is the states only majority-Black congressional district, and the only one represented by a Democrat.

The four Mississippi maps in the Capitol rotunda depict population losses and gains across the state. One shows the U.S. House districts, one shows the 122 state House districts, one shows the 52 state Senate districts and one shows population in each of the 82 counties. The maps were produced by the Mississippi Automated Resource Information System, and they are also online.

The county-by-county map and the two state legislative maps are color-coded like traffic signals. Growth areas are in green, areas with some population loss are in yellow or orange and areas with the highest percentage of population decline are in red.

Yellow and orange are the dominant colors on the county-by-county map, showing the continued population drain from rural areas that have few job opportunities. The growing areas have strong public schools and stable economies.

Eight counties gained 5% to 18% in population during the decade.

Lafayette County, which is home to the University of Mississippi, was the fastest-growing, with a 17.9% increase. That growth is evident with new shopping centers, subdivisions and apartment complexes that have sprung up in places that used to be covered in trees.

Lamar County  next door to the county that is home to the University of Southern Mississippi  had a 15.4% population increase. DeSoto County had a 14.9% increase; it has been one of Mississippi's fastest-growing counties the past three decades as people migrated southward out of Memphis, Tennessee.

The other dark green counties on the map are Madison with 14.6% growth, Harrison with 11.5%, Rankin with 10.9%, Oktibbeha with 8.6% and George with 7.9%.

Madison and Rankin are suburban communities for Hinds County and the capital city of Jackson. Harrison is on the Gulf Coast and has military installations and casinos. Oktibbeha is home to Mississippi State University, and George is just north of coastal Jackson County.

Ten counties gained up to almost 5% in population. They are Hancock at 4.8%, Forrest at 4.3%, Pontotoc at 4.1%, Stone at 3.1%, Jackson at 2.6%, Union at 2.4%, Itawamba at 2%, Pearl River at 0.6%, Lee at 0.5% and Lincoln at 0.1%.

Hancock and Jackson counties touch the Gulf of Mexico, with Stone and Pearl River just to the north. Forrest County is home to the University of Southern Mississippi. Pontotoc, Union, Itawamba and Lee counties are in northeast Mississippi, which has jobs in furniture and automotive manufacturing. Lincoln County is in southwestern Mississippi, along the Jackson-to-New Orleans route of Interstate 55.

The counties with the largest percentage population losses are all rural and poor. Quitman County lost 25% of its residents, Sharkey was at minus 22.7%, Coahoma was at minus 18.2%, Tallahatchie was at minus 17.3% and Humphreys was at minus 17%.

Republicans hold wide majorities in the state House and Senate, and that bipartisan balance is unlikely to change through redistricting.

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Emily Wagster Pettus has covered Mississippi government and politics since 1994. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.
CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP)  Federal authorities have run into some delays while investigating the cause of an explosion at a Chandler strip mall print shop that seriously injuring four men inside the building.

Tom Mangan, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agencys National Response Team cant go into the building until its walls are deemed structurally sound after the roof was blown off.
ELKADER, Iowa (AP)  After about 50 years working in the business of books, local author Arthur Geisert still loves the beginning of the process.

The initial idea is fun, he said. Thats also when youre working the hardest. (The drawing and etching) is just labor. Its time and routine.

Geisert houses his studio in Elkader, complete with a 3,000-pound etching press that he uses to print his book illustrations. Throughout the decades, he estimates that he has worked on nearly 30 childrens picture books.

Four years ago, Geisert said he purchased the Elkader studio, which measures 18 feet wide and used to be a dry cleaners. But his press has traveled with him from previous residences in Galena, Ill., and Bernard, Iowa. He noted that the press functions similar to an old washing machine, with a big wheel to move paper through it.

In the 1970s, Geisert said it took five hours to move the press up dozens of stairs with a rigging to get to his then-newly built Galena home, as there was no vehicle or equipment access to the house. The press comes apart in 500-pound chucks in order to move it.

Its pretty primitive stuff. We were a tired group of people when we were done, Geisert recalled. It was just me, my brother Steve and 26 other guys.

Now, the Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports the press sits prominently in Geiserts studio as the first thing people can see when walking through the door.

After drawing out his pieces for each book, Geisert said he spends time etching the mirror image onto copper plates. The plate then is thickly inked and set on the press.

Next, Geisert runs a large sheet of paper through the press, which lays the paper on top of the copper etching and transfers the image before he hand-colors the picture. He noted that the paper must be soaked in water and a bit of bleach for an hour before the printing process.

He said it typically takes 200 sheets of paper for him to create a book, and he has continued using the same special sheets even as their price increased throughout the years.

In 100 years from now, this paper is going to be just as white as it is now and just as flexible, Geisert said.

The length of time from idea to holding a copy of his book typically takes about two and a half to three years, Geisert said. However, his latest book, How the Big Bad Wolf Got His Comeuppance, was delayed a year longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The book, which is set in Clayton County, will be featured at two upcoming signings: One on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Dubuque Museum of Art and one Saturday, Oct. 23, at his Elkader studio.

Geisert teamed up with Elkader Public Library Director Lisa Pope to create the book. Pope offered to help Geisert with editing text for his prior book, Pumpkin Island, and Geisert suggested she write the text for How the Big Bad Wolf Got His Comeuppance.

Im good at doing the pictures, but not so good at writing, Geisert said. I can do the writing for a picture book, which is around 200 words, but I couldnt do a storybook.

Pope said she felt honored to be asked to pen a book of Geiserts, who has donated copies of his previous books in the past.

Its kind of a backwards process, she said of creating the book. He did all the illustrations and sketches first, and then, I added words and text to the illustrations.

She also called it an honor to have someone so unique in his field right in Elkader.

There arent a lot of people who do etchings for childrens books anymore, Pope said. Once you see the process, you can see why many dont.

Pope also will be writing the text for the next book Geisert is working on, Turkey River Trolls, which draws its setting from both Elkader and Clayton County.

Geisert said he will start creating the etchings for that book soon, as the copper plates are expected to arrive sometime in late August or early September.

He added that he started making etches again, as he had to pause for health reasons. While he said he is OK now, he was going through radiation treatment for prostate cancer, and the fumes from the etching process werent good for him.

But the preliminary sketches for Turkey River Trolls were hanging throughout his studio in August, waiting to be etched. The story will follow a group of trolls living under a bridge similar to the one in Elkader, Geisert said, and they will make trouble for the towns residents  something Geisert joked he enjoyed doing himself.

One of my goals here is to become a public nuisance, he said with a laugh. The trolls dont do violence, but they do make a nuisance of themselves.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP)  In hushed reverence, President Joe Biden stood witness with grieving families Sunday under a gray sky as, one by one, the remains of 13 U.S. troops killed in the Kabul suicide bombing were removed with solemnity from a military aircraft that brought them home.

The only sounds that could be heard during the mournful ritual of the dignified transfer were the quiet commands of the honor guards in battle dress who carried the flag-draped cases, the hum of the C-17 aircraft that had transported the fallen and the periodic sob of the sorrowful.

Biden and his wife, Jill, met privately with family members of those killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport before the president became the fourth commander in chief over two decades of war to stand at attention at Dover Air Force Base as the remains of the fallen from Afghanistan returned home.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. Five were just 20  born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.

They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me.

At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Biden held his hand over his heart and appeared to shut his eyes in prayer as each transfer case was taken off the military aircraft and placed in an awaiting vehicle.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present for the return of the remains of their loved ones to American soil. Thursday's attack left so many casualties that military officials said the Dover Fisher House, which the Defense Department provides for families of the fallen, was not large enough to accommodate all the grieving families, so some loved ones stayed off base.

Biden was joined by several top aides, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Eleven of the fallen service members families chose to allow their transfers to be open to media coverage. Two others took place out of view, but Biden was present for those as well.

Biden's three most recent predecessors as presidents all attended such dignified transfers. It was Biden's first time taking part in the ritual as president, but he has been here before.

Later Sunday, while getting a Hurricane Ida briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, the president opened his remarks by telling workers that he had just come from Dover. "We met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in their service of our country and while were praying for the best in Louisiana, lets keep them in our prayers as well.

Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS' Face the Nation that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.

The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Robert Burns and Matt Sedensky contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (AP)  The sergeant had so little use for the tablet that she did not bother to grab it from the seat of her squad car when she ran into the house where a suicidal man was screaming and slamming his head against the floor.

But when she saw the man might harm himself, his family or her officers with knives he was threatening to use, she sent an officer to retrieve the tablet. She turned it on, handed it to the man and told him to talk to the woman whose face appeared on the screen. And then she watched as the man immediately calmed down.

"When I saw how this tool pacified him, I was like, holy smokes, this is incredible, said Cook County Sheriff's Police Sgt. Bonnie Busching.

The scene marked the first time the department took the idea of the Zoom call that has become so common during the COVID-19 pandemic and inserted it into one of the most dangerous things a police officer can do: answer a domestic disturbance call.

Law enforcement agencies are struggling nationwide with increasing violent crime as calls mount for changing how police interact with citizens, especially those with mental health issues. Police are still most often the first called to the scene, and the sheriff's department's Treatment Response Team is a novel approach to managing such calls.

Started two years ago, the effort was designed to help the sheriff's department's 300-member police force deal with a skyrocketing number of drug overdose calls during a national opioid crisis.

Then, as the pandemic left more people isolated in their homes, either unable to connect to services or unwilling to step outside and risk getting sick, the department was faced with an explosion of 911 calls linked to threats of suicide and other mental health crises.

The sheriff, who made national headlines for putting in place programs at his jail dealing with the growing number of inmates with mental health problems, now saw the same kind of issues playing out for his officers on the street.

We were being asked more and more to be the first responders for mental health cases and they were being asked to do things they dont have training for or minimal training for, said Tom Dart, whose department is the second largest sheriff's office in the nation and patrols unincorporated parts of Cook County and many of its smaller communities. It has seen the number of 911 calls involving mental health issues increase by nearly 60% this year.

There are other programs around the country, but most involved mental health professionals riding around with police officers or in ambulances, Dart said. That's fine for smaller communities but wasn't practical for Cook County, where getting from one end to the other  without traffic  takes well over an hour.

How many ambulances would we have to buy and how many would we have to hire to man them all? Dart asked

Enter the tablets.

We wanted a tool for the officers to get that mental health expert on the scene immediately, said Elli Petaque-Montgomery, the team director.

Thus far, the department has 70 tablets  35 purchased with grant money when the program began and 35 more when it became clear that the number of Zoom calls, which has now climbed past the 50 mark, would increase.

Also, with a program that the department is using throughout the county as well as the west side of Chicago, there have been times Zoom calls have been impossible, due to spotty service or other reasons. In nearly 20 instances, officers set up a phone call between the people in crisis and mental health professionals.

At the same time, four clinicians and other mental health professionals already working for the department have been joined by four more to answer calls. Dart said the price of the clinicians and the tablets  a couple hundred dollars each  is a fraction of what it would cost to send out a small army of mental health professionals ready to hit the streets.

We're not asking anyone to work an 8-hour shift, but we're just asking them to be available," said Dart, whose office announced last week that one suburb, Oak Lawn, has joined the program. The hope is others will follow.

Still, such a program cannot work unless police officers, particularly those who have been around for a while and have a certain way of doing things, embrace the idea of handing over at least some control of situations to someone  and something  else.

I don't play video games and I wasn't brought up in an era where you FaceTime and text instead of dealing face to face, Busching said. And she didn't like the idea of someone on a video screen looking over her shoulder and telling her what to do.

But on that night in December, she quickly concluded she had no choice, and borrowing a famous line from a game show, told the man she was going to phone a friend."

I looked at the guy and said, 'This lady is going to help you, she's not the police, she's a therapist,' Busching said.

Busching may be one of those not all that comfortable with Zoom calls and text messages, but she quickly learned what anyone with teenage kids already knows.

People spend a lot of time on electronic devices, they're comfortable with them and they feel safer talking face to face with a person, said Petaque-Montgomery, who was on the other end of the call. And, she said, by handing the man the tablet, Busching signaled a level of trust.

That signaled something to the officers themselves.

They've seen they could go into (situations ) that historically meant hours and hours and tons of paperwork and potentially the use of force and hand the tablet over to the clinician and let the clinician do their job so they could do theirs, Petaque-Montgomery said.

We can even slide a tablet under a door so they don't even have to see a cop, Dart added.

One mother of a troubled 12-year-old boy who kept running away and needed mental health assistance a few weeks ago could see the change in her agitated son's demeanor when the officer handed him the tablet. It changed even more when the conversation with the clinician started.

The way he (the clinician) talked, my son could see he was understanding, said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she does not want her son identified. He likes it because somebody is talking to him and seeing the human behind the voice helps.

For Busching, the questions she had about the tablets and the worries about what might happen if she was forced to try to restrain a man who had threatened to kill himself vanished when what looked like a situation that might easily turn into a physical confrontation ended quietly.

He gave me his hand and walked to the ambulance with me, she said.
As Louisiana reels from a fourth COVID-19 wave  with the highest single-day cases since the pandemic began  hospitals in the state are preparing for yet another public health crisis with Hurricane Ida battering the coast. The Louisiana governor said this hurricane will be one of the strongest to hit the state in more than 150 years.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said evacuation of hospitals in threatened areas  something that would normally be considered  is impractical with COVID-19 patients.

That isnt possible. We dont have any place to bring those patients. Not in state, not out of state, Edwards said.

More than 2,600 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across Louisiana, according to state data . The seven-day average has begun to decline in recent days, having reached nearly 2,700 hospitalizations  the peak from April 2020.

Video above: Louisiana hospitals prepare for Hurricane Ida's arrival

"We have been talking to hospitals to make sure that their generators are working, that they have way more water on hand than normal, that they have PPE on hand," Edwards said.

Officials decided against evacuating New Orleans hospitals. Theres little room for their patients elsewhere, with hospitals from Texas to Florida already dealing with a spike in coronavirus patients, according to Dr. Jennifer Avengo, the citys health director.

At the state's largest hospital system, Ochsner Health System, officials ordered 10 days worth of fuel, food, drugs and other supplies and have backup fuel contracts for its generators. One positive was that the number of COVID-19 patients had dropped from 988 to 836 over the past week  a 15% decline.

Some hospitals appeared to have evacuated their most critical patients ahead of the storm, as they prepared to lose power. According to The Advocate , the Ochsner Health System evacuated 17 of its most critically ill patients from three hospitals, with 100 patients remaining at those locations.

In Mississippi, workers at Singing River Gulfport expected to have to raise flood gates to keep rising water out of the hospital that is full of COVID-19 patients, the vast majority of whom aren't vaccinated, said facilities director Randall Cobb.

Complicating matters, he said, was that the hospital is short-staffed because of the pandemic and also expects to get a flood of patients suffering from ailments that typically follow any hurricane: broken bones, heart attacks, breathing problems and lacerations.

It's going to be bad. It's going to be really bad, Cobb said.

Located a few miles from the coast, the hospital has enough generator fuel, food and other supplies to operate on its own for at least 96 hours, he said, and it will help anyone who has a serious, life-threatening condition. But officials were trying to get the word out that people with less severe medical problems should go to special-needs storm shelters or contact emergency management.

Its very stressful because its too late if we have not thought of everything. Patients are counting on the medical care but also on the facility to be available, Cobb said.

President Joe Biden approved a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana ahead of the storm. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said FEMA plans to send nearly 150 medical personnel and almost 50 ambulances to the Gulf Coast to assist strained hospitals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Hundreds of people gathered outside the Minnesota Capitol Saturday to protest COVID-19 vaccines and face covering requirements as more local governments, businesses and school districts have moved to require masks and shots.

In what organizers billed as a medical freedom rally, many in the crowd held up signs criticizing vaccines, masks and mandates and chanting slogans such as My body, my choice." About a half-dozen Republican legislators and two candidates for governor addressed the group that stood together without wearing masks.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Thirteen activists were detained Sunday in Poland for trying to destroy part of a barbed-wire barrier that Polish authorities have erected along the border with Belarus to stop migrants from crossing in.

The activists said it was an act of protest against Polish authorities for what they believe is the inhuman treatment" of migrants seeking to enter the European Union nation.

Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski, who is responsible for police and security, said what the protesters did was absolutely unacceptable and that those detained will bear all the legal consequences of their actions.

Those detained include 12 Poles and one Dutch citizen, according to Polish media reports.

Poland  like Lithuania  has seen a surge of migrants arriving across its border with Belarus in recent weeks. The government in Warsaw accuses Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of sending migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere across the border in a hybrid war to create instability in the 27-nation EU. The borders that Lithuania and Poland have with Belarus form part of the EU's eastern border.

In reaction, Poland has begun building a barbed wire fence along the border.

But local attention has focused heavily on 32 people  described by a refugee group as Afghans  who have been stuck in a no man's land along the border near the Polish village of Usnarz Gorny for weeks. Poland's government says they are on Belarusian soil and will not let them walk the short distance into Poland to apply for asylum. It argues that Belarus is responsible for them.

In a statement, the activists who tried to cut through the barbed wire barrier said: We do not agree to humiliation, inhumane treatment and refusal to provide medical assistance to refugees, and we do not agree to the use of illegal push-back procedures.

___

Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP)  Things were getting fishy in the Scottsbluff High School culinary lab kitchen last week. The advanced culinary high school students prepped and plated around five or six different sushi dishes. The students prepared the dishes with the help of former SHS family consumer science instructor Nancy Sakurada and SHS 1984 alum Anita Eisenhauer, who is now an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York.

Eisenhauer just happened to be back in the area visiting family and wanted to get together with Sakurada to make some sushi. Sakurada, who helped implement the ProStart culinary program at the high school in the mid-2000s, has visited SHS as a guest instructor on multiple occasions for sushi classes. She thought it would be a great opportunity for both Eisenhauer and the students to work together in class.

I called Nancy because I wanted to say hi to her, and I said, Hey, can we get together and make some sushi? Can you show me how you make sushi? And so I thought it was just going to be her and I at her house. Then a couple of days ago she said, Hey, why dont we do that at the high school?

The two, alongside SHS culinary instructor Hannah Liptac, helped the students make California and vegetable rolls, Inari sushi, and musubi. Both Eisenhauer and Sakurada were pleasantly surprised with the students skills and desire to learn.

This is a college-level class, Sakurada told the Star-Herald. These are the advanced kids and they just want to do everything. They want to cooperate, they want to learn, they want to try. This is absolutely fantastic. You just have to show them once, and then theyre just ready to go.

Eisenhauer, who didnt have this kind of a program when she was in school, was not only glad that Sakurada took the initiative to start the program, but that students at her alma mater have really run with it. In fact, a 2021 SHS grad, Andrew Larson, will be attending the CIA this fall.

Its the first time I can remember a Scottsbluff High School student coming to the CIA since Ive been there, she said.

Larson, who will leave for New York this weekend, came to the sushi class to observe and meet one of his soon-to-be instructors. He said he liked meeting someone from the area who knew about the CIA.

Its kind of interesting because some people dont even know what that is out here, so to have someone who works there and is familiar explaining part of it is nice, he said.

Sakurada said that she enjoys coming back year after year to see the students, and the program, evolve from the program she began years ago.

Scottsbluff is putting out good students, she said.

One of those students in Sakuradas mind would be current culinary instructor Hannah Liptac, who was a student of Sakuradas while she still taught at the high school. Under Liptacs guidance, students have won several culinary awards and competitions.

It was clear in their careful plating skills as they worked to make their various sushi plates into eye-catching presentations Tuesday afternoon. Each piece of California roll and tofu pocket was placed precisely on a plate with tasteful saucey swirls whirled around them.

It might help that, aside from eating the food, plating is one of most students favorite parts about the culinary arts.

I love plating, Priscilla Martinez, whos been in the program for three years now, said. I dont really think I want to go into culinary, but its just good skills to have.
NORFORK, Ark. (AP)  The search continued Sunday in north Arkansas for a Texas man who went missing while kayaking on the White River.

Authorities began searching for the man after getting a call around 1 p.m. Saturday that he had gone under in the White River and had not resurfaced, said Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery.
GRETNA, La. (AP)  The wine selection is completely in your hands at Stained Glass Wine House, where a bank of self-serve wine dispensers forms the heart of the operation. You might skip from an Austrian riesling to a Portuguese rose to a California cabernet.

However, it feels like no aspect of this new wine bar has been left to chance. That starts with its location.

Stained Glass Wine House is stylish, contemporary and found in downtown Gretna. Thats because its founders have West Bank roots, and they set out to create a social draw in their part of the community.

Much of the tight synchronicity of the place can be chalked up to military can-do.

The new business was created by Rick Davis, his wife, Tasha Davis, and their friends, Kyle Gregore and Gary Lipkos. All are master sergeants in the Louisiana Air National Guard, and their day jobs are working in military engineering squadrons.

They built their plan for the wine bar around identifying a need and devising ways to meet it with consistency and sustainability.

That blueprint might sound as dry as a Chianti. But in practice what theyve created is a buzzy, fun, easygoing space to sample many different wines and kick back in a unique setting.

Were all enlisted  were the working class of the military, Gregore said of his partner group. We wanted to build a place where everyone feels welcome. Our goal here is upscale but not pretentious.

A high level of nuanced detail is worked throughout the operation. But one striking element is on display all across the space  a collection of art by Josh Wingerter, who became a street art hero for his work in the first lockdowns of the pandemic.

Wingerter developed his gallery upriver a bit in Westwego, and having the West Bank connection through the art was key to the Stained Glass partners.

Growing up on the West Bank, you always heard people putting it down. We want to change that to people saying Have you seen whats on the West Bank now? said Gregore.

Self-serve systems have been in use for years at some local spots, including the downtown wine bar W.I.N.O. and the tabletop beer taps at Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux locations.

To begin a visit at Stained Glass, you essentially open a tab at the counter and are given a card that tracks your purchases. It also tracks the amount youve consumed and cuts off after a certain number of ounces, which varies depending on the type of alcohol. This builds in a safety measure for responsible serving. If you hit the limit and want more, staff can assess and make the call, just like a bartender would.

The dispensers are lined with 24 different bottles of wine, and screens display information about the wine, the grape or the blend. Insert your card and pick your wine, ordering up a one-ounce, half-glass or full-glass pour.

You can get this breadth of knowledge sampling around the range, without committing to a whole bottle or even a whole glass, Tasha Davis said.

There is also more than wine. Across the room, theres a bank of taps for beer, hard seltzer and a batched cocktail made with local Happy Raptor rum. Another dispenser pours four different high-end spirits. All are coordinated through the same card system.

On a recent Wednesday, people started filing in soon after the doors opened for the afternoon, arriving as couples and small groups of friends, including a young mom and dad who parked their baby in his stroller at an outside table as they took turns fetching more wine.

Without a central bar, the tables and sofas around the room become little hubs of activity. At the wine dispensers, people share tips from their past pours.

The partners are learning more about wine as they go too. But they knew they wanted distinctive wines from small producers, so they partnered with local distributor Bizou Wines for their selection.

This changing array runs from crisp Basque country txakolina to velvety Oregon pinot noir to bubbly Alsatian cremant (which, like all the other sparkling wines here, is served by the bottle rather than from the dispensers).

For snacks, there are premade charcuterie boards from local purveyor Tusks and dessert boxes from the bakery Magic Oven.

Davis jokes that these are their Lunchables for grown-ups.

Theres no kitchen, and anyway, the point is not to be a restaurant but to augment the neighborhoods restaurant scene. Its a place to come before or after dinner, or maybe for a football game.

Gregore points out that a divider wall for the non-wine taps was built low so that you can still keep an eye on the game when you get up to pour yourself another beer.

Theres just something satisfying about pouring your own beer, he said, while graciously showing how its done.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Trial has begun for a Florida man in one of three separate slayings he is accused of committing during a short period in 2017.

Jury selection began last week in West Palm Beach in the case of 37-year-old Jonathan Gray Shuler. This trial is about the killing of Junior Petit-Bien, 34, who was shot 13 times inside his father's home on Feb 3, 2017.
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The Hatch Green Chile harvest has become a culinary celebration in the Southwest

Fresh, authentic Hatch Green Chiles can add flavor to any at-home meal, from cheeseburgers to enchiladas. The harvest timeframe is limited, so many people stock up during the season and freeze Hatch Chiles so they can use them year-round.

For Hatch Chile restaurant menu offerings at Tarbells and Blue Clover Distillery:
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There is a rising presence on Israels Hebrew-language media scene  Arabs. Arab reporters and commentators are now a more regular presence in the media here, and some of what they cover even goes beyond Arab affairs.
Beachwood, OH (44122)

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 26)  The Philippine economy will not rebound to its pre-pandemic levels during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, estimates from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed Thursday.

Still, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA chief Karl Kendrick Chua said prospects for this year "remain encouraging".

His bullishness was being driven by the government's ramped-up vaccination drive against COVID-19, the "safe reopening" of the economy, and the full implementation of the recovery package, such as the 2021 budget, Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) and Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) law.

These will allow us to recover to pre-pandemic levels some time at the end of 2022 if not, early 2023, Chua said during the House Committee on Appropriations deliberations on the proposed 5.024 trillion national budget for 2022.

"This will also help prevent long-term scarring and productivity losses," he added.

The Philippines crawled out of a pandemic-induced recession with 11.8% growth from a year ago in the second quarter of 2021 despite the reimposition of the hard lockdown in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis the economy was still down by 1.3%.

READ: PH out of recession with 11.8% growth in Q2, meeting expectations

Chua previously said this year's restrictions are different from 2020 as more industries and services are allowed to operate. Public transportation also got authorization for additional capacity, he added.

"This is a clear indication that managing risks, instead of shutting down large segments of the economy, stands a far better chance of improving both economic and health outcomes," he earlier said.

But an international think tank, Capital Economics, expressed a bleak outlook on the Philippines' capacity to record a strong economic rebound, citing the quarter-on-quarter decline.

That leaves GDP around 9% below its pre-crisis level and a whopping 17% behind its pre-crisis trend, said Capital Economics senior Asia economist Alex Holmes.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa said earlier this month the economy needs to grow by 8.2% to meet the lower end of the governments 2021 target band in the last half of the year, and by 10.2% to meet the higher endpoint.

The government recently downgraded its growth target to a 4-5% range.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Sunday said it is temporarily stopping the implementation of its circular suspending the payment of claims to hospitals linked to fraud.

We will suspend the implementation of the circular. We will be coming out with an official advisory on this, PhilHealth spokesperson Shirley Domingo told CNN Philippines.

In an advisory, PhilHealth president and CEO Dante Gierran said "all other issuances to address fraud shall remain in effect."

PhilHealths Circular 2021-0013 provides guidelines on the issuance of Temporary Suspension of Payment Claims (TSPC) against healthcare providers and claims under investigation for fraud, unethical acts, and abuse of authority.

The circular received negative feedbacks from hospital groups, which claim that the state health insurer still owes them 86 billion in claim payments.

Gierran earlier said during a Senate hearing that he will consider putting on hold the decision to suspend claim payments to some hospitals.

READ: Hospital groups: Ties with PhilHealth 'bound to collapse'

Meanwhile, the Philippine Hospital Association welcomed the development.

The announcement is a happy culmination of a long negotiation where the voice of the people has finally prevailed, said PHA president Dr. Jaime Almora in a statement.

CNN Philippines' correspondent Tristan Nodalo and multi-platform news writer Vince Ferreras contributed to this report
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said the second-highest executive official has no power to audit government agencies, refuting an earlier statement of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte has earlier said that if he is elected to the position next year, he would launch an examination into the finances of the Commission on Audita constitutional body with its own mandate.

Robredo, however, said no such function for the vice president was stated in the Constitution.

Wala 'yan sa mandato namin. 'Yung pag-audit, nakalagay 'yan sa constitutional body para may independence, she said during her weekly radio show.

[Translation: That is not in our mandate as vice president. The auditing function is under the constitutional body so it will have independence.]

Based on the Constitution, the duties of the vice president include assuming a Cabinet position that the top leader may offer. In 2016, Duterte named Robredo to a Cabinet position but later ordered her through an emissary to desist from attending Cabinet meetings.

Aside from the cabinet post, the vice president is mandated to assume the presidency "in case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President."

Dutertes remark to audit state agencies came during a taped address on Thursday following a series of COA findings of multibillion-peso deficiencies in the financial management of different government units, including the Department of Health.

Last week, Duterte said he will run for the vice presidency in next years national elections.

READ: Duterte says hell audit agencies if elected VP

READ: Duterte confirms vice presidential run in 2022 elections
(CNN) -- Another terrorist attack on Kabul's airport is "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," President Joe Biden said commanders have informed him.

The President's Saturday afternoon statement came hours after the Pentagon said two "high profile" ISIS targets were killed and another was injured in a US drone strike in Afghanistan, a retaliatory step following the terrorist attack that killed 13 US service members and at least 170 others outside the airport on Thursday.

"This strike was not the last," Biden said in his statement, vowing to "hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay."

"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high," Biden said, adding that he has asked commanders to "take every possible measure to prioritize force protection."

The Pentagon addressed the drone strike earlier in the day.

"I can confirm, as more information has come in, that two high-profile ISIS targets were killed, and one was wounded. And we know of zero civilian casualties," Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations, said in a news conference. "Without specifying any future plans, I will say that we will continue to have the ability to defend ourselves and to leverage over-the-horizon capability to conduct counterterrorism operations as needed."

"Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," he said in the statement. "I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritize force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground."

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said all the targets were hit in a single strike, and that they were "ISIS-K planners and facilitators."

A US defense official told CNN earlier Saturday that one of the individuals was believed to be "associated with potential future attacks at the airport." The US located him and "had sufficient eyes on and sufficient knowledge" to strike, the official said, adding that he "was a known entity" but that the US is not calling him a "senior" ISIS-K operative.

The individual was in a compound in the Jalalabad area, another defense official told CNN, and new intelligence following the terrorist attack in Kabul was firmed up to give justification for the strike. The source said surveillance continued on the compound until the target's wife and children left before the US conducted the targeted drone strike.

"I'm not going to talk about specific capabilities ISIS may have lost in this strike. They lost a planner, and they lost a facilitator. And they have one wounded. The fact two of these individuals are no longer walking on the face of the Earth, that's a good thing," Kirby said Saturday.

"It is a good thing for the people of Afghanistan, it's a good thing for our troops and our forces at that airfield."

The announcement of the strike came a day after Biden vowed to retaliate for the terrorist attack in Kabul even as he said the frantic mission to airlift Americans from Afghanistan would continue. Biden approved the strike on the ISIS-K planner, according to an official familiar with the matter.

"We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," the President said in remarks from the White House on Thursday.

The US, Biden said, "will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place we choose and the moment of our choosing. Here's what you need to know: These ISIS terrorists will not win."

An Afghan journalist who visited the scene of the drone strike said it destroyed a house close to Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. Photos shared with CNN by the journalist show a small vehicle at the compound badly damaged as well as what appears to be heavy shrapnel damage in the immediate vicinity.

According to locals in the area of the strike, at least three people were killed and several others injured.

ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, has claimed that an ISIS militant carried out Thursday's suicide attack, but provided no evidence to support the claim. US officials have said the group was likely behind the bombing.

Final days of the evacuation

Biden and his team are now bracing for the possibility of another terrorist attack in the final days of the evacuation operation. The US Embassy in Kabul again on Friday advised US citizens at a number of gates at the airport to "leave immediately," citing security threats, and Kirby announced Saturday that the US military has begun departing from the airport, but confirmed the August 31 departure deadline still stood.

"Make no mistake, nobody is writing this off and saying: 'Well, we got them, so we don't have to worry about ISIS-K anymore.' Not the case. As I said earlier, the threat stream is still active, still dynamic. We're still laser focused on that and force protection. We aren't thinking for a minute that what happened yesterday gets us in the clear. Not a minute," Kirby said Saturday.

"But do we believe that we hit valid targets, bad guys who can do bad things and plan bad missions? Absolutely. Do we think that will have some impact on their ability going forward? Absolutely."

There are approximately 350 Americans still looking to leave Afghanistan, according to a State Department spokesperson on Saturday. These individuals are currently the only Americans the State Department can confirm are still in the country and seeking to leave, the department says, and it believes some of them are nearly out or already out of Afghanistan.

The department also says it has communicated with roughly 280 additional individuals who self-identified as Americans but who have not told the department of their plans to leave the country, or who have said they do not intend to leave at all.

Nearly 300 Americans were evacuated in the last day, the State Department said, and about 5,400 Americans have been evacuated since August 14, the Defense Department said earlier Saturday.

Approximately 6,800 people were evacuated by US and coalition flights from 3 a.m. ET Friday to 3 a.m. ET Saturday, according to a White House official Saturday morning. The latest numbers are noticeably smaller than those from recent days, something the White House has said should be expected in the final days of the mission.

Overall, the US has evacuated or facilitated the evacuation of about 111,900 people since August 14, according to the White House official.

A source directly familiar with the situation at the airport said only a skeletal US diplomatic crew of staff to process evacuees would remain after the bulk expected to be departed in the next 24 hours. The source added it was unclear if the evacuation of local embassy employees had finished, but that hundreds more had been reported as having made it to the airport and that "hundreds more have departed for interim locations."

This story has been updated with additional information Saturday.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Biden says another terrorist attack on Kabul airport is 'highly likely' while vowing that US retaliatory strike was not 'the last'".
The 58th anniversary celebration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza in State College.

Beginning at the Sidney Friedman Parklet, the march ended at the plaza, where live music and speakers awaited attendees. Although the march and event were in person, there was also a livestream option.

Approximately 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the 1963 March on Washington, which "aimed to draw attention to continuing challenges and inequalities faced by African Americans a century after emancipation," according to History.com. It also featured Martin Luther King Jr.s famous I Have a Dream speech.

The anniversary celebration, according to the borough, aimed to point up the specific issues of racial, gender and economic justice facing the nation, with an eye to championing positive change."

The event also marked Kings January 21, 1965 visit to Penn States Rec Hall, along with other notable moments from the civil rights leaders life, according to the release.

Now, 58 years later, the movement and message continue on.

Today, just like in 1963, to honor the legacy of [the Rev.] Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we include and recognize the work of our local faith-based organizations and our churches who are walking out their ideals to bring about grace and reconciliation locally and across the globe, Leslie Laing said in her opening remarks.

Curtis Price delivered an invocation of love, which called on all listeners to have a lifelong courageous commitment toward defeating hate and injustice.

Price and other family members of Terrell Jones, the Rev. Dr. Donna King and Thelma Price, figures who were part of the civil rights and social justice movement in State College, were presented with a framed State College borough official proclamation in recognition of the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington and the celebration that was held Saturday.

Multiple speakers addressed those in attendance on a variety of topics, including Assistant Dean for diversity and inclusion of Penn State's Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications Gary Abdullah.

Abdullah addressed the history of the 1963 March on Washington, Charles Dumas made a tribute to John Lewis and State College Borough Council president Jesse Barlow discussed local politics on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Let us have faith that we will be able to work together to stand up for freedom together, knowing that justice, equality and equity may be inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable, but it can be achieved, Laing said in her closing statement.

Jean Marrow, an attendee, said the event meant a lot to her.

I was 17 when the original March on Washington happened, so it means a lot to me, Marrow said. I was especially happy to hear Jesse Barlow talking about things that are happening locally. I think this is huge. Its very exciting that we have some really powerful leaders in this community  I feel blessed in that way.

Abdullah also explained how the event was meaningful for him.

We need to do these things to let people know that these issues are here. Its not something that happened in [Washington] D.C. a long time ago  its Happy Valley, its us, Abdullah said. Its remembrance, and its moving forward.

MORE CENTRE COUNTY COVERAGE
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!
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As the U.S. rushes to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan, a growing number of Republicans are questioning why the U.S. should take in Afghan citizens who worked side by side with Americans
A Marine from Missouri who was among 13 service members killed in the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan was an amazing young man who decided early in his high school years to join up
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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
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In 1956, American engineer John Bardeen won the Nobel Prize in physics. The prize was for his work on semiconductors (which would turn out to be pretty important in the decades to come) and the transistor effect (also very important we're sure, even if we don't understand what it is).

He received his medal at a ceremony in Sweden, which was marred by just one thing: The king pointed out that Bardeen had brought just one of his children to accompany him. Bardeen promised that he would bring all his kids along the very next time he won a Nobel Prize.

Then in 1972, he won the Nobel Prize in physics again. This time, the honor was for his work in superconductors. Superconductors are not to be confused with semiconductorsthe latter's used in computers, and the former makes powerful magnets. Bardeen once again came to Sweden for the prize ceremony, and this time, he did indeed bring all three of his children. They were slightly older than when he'd made that promise.

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To realize how surprising it was that Bardeen kept his promise, you need to realize that only four people in history have won multiple Nobel Prizes. One was Marie Curie, who clearly cheated by winning in physics and chemistry (save some fields for the rest of us, Marie). Another was Linus Pauling, who after winning chemistry, became an activist and won the Peace Prize. Only one person other than Bardeen won twice in the same field, and until 1972, no one had.

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It's also lucky that the king, Gustaf VI Adolf, was still around to greet Bardeen in 1972, else this whole story would have been for nothing. Gustaf turned 90 in 1972 and would die the following yearprobably, he was holding on solely to see Bardeen win another Nobel.

This fact came from the new One Cracked Fact newsletter. Want more like this, straight from your email inbox, without any ads or popups? Join here:

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For more Nobel history, see also:

The 6 Most Baffling Nobel Prizes Ever Awarded

6 Famous Awards Way More Full Of Nonsense Than You Think

6 Realities Of Growing Up The Product Of A Eugenics Scam

Top image: ProtoplasmaKid/Wiki Commons
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The only thing wilder than that is if you make a prequel to it where the fashion designer was actually an anarchist fighting against the bourgeoisie after her mom was killed by rich Dalmatians. Except you're wrong because before Cruella even existed, there already was a bonkers 101 Dalmatians story. See, 101 Dalmatians is based on a bookand that book has a sequel.

The Starlight Barking starts when every human being in the world falls asleep. Yes, you read that right, and all other animals too. Except for dogs. After Pongo freaks out a little bit, his worries are reassured by the television, which, like every television, is taken over to dispense a message to all dogs everywhere, to be outside in a starlit place by midnight. What about dogs in a place where it's daytime? They can't get to a place like that in time! Don't worry; every dog in the entire world gains the ability of swooshing.

William Heinemann Ltd. Swooshingjust do it.

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This grants them the ability to levitate off the ground and fly around like mini-rocket ships. And in case anyone gets lost while they're zipping around like Iron Man, all of them can now telepathically talk.

What about Cruella, though, you ask? Don't worry, there's a subplot where a cat tries to kill her. The cat was named an honorary dog, so she's still awake and believes Cruella is the cause of all this. However, she's asleep too, and now into tin coats instead of fur coats, which ... okay, girl, you do you.

William Heinemann Ltd. A visionary.

Eventually, they find out that all of these gifts are given to them by Sirius, the Dog-Star, who arrives on Earth to announce his good tidings. The Earth and humanity are doomed, but he has come to take the dogs home with him. He admits he's lonely and wants them to avoid the fast-approaching threat of nuclear war. But instead of taking this offer of heavenly peace, Pongo convinces the other dogs that they need to be loyal to humans but that dogs will look at the sky sometimes? Which Sirius takes because it's better than nothing.
Held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each
Hartford Police / Contributed Photo

HARTFORD  Hartford Police Department said they are investigating a shooting early Sunday that wounded a man in his 20s.

Hartford Police officers responded to St. Francis Hospital around 3 a.m. on a report of a gunshot victim arriving for treatment. The victim, a male in his twenties, was suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, police said.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  The number of new coronavirus cases in New Zealand has fallen significantly for the first time since an outbreak was detected nearly two weeks ago.

Officials hope it is an indication that a strict nationwide lockdown might be working to halt the viruss spread.

Health authorities on Monday reported 53 new community cases, down from 83 a day earlier. Some of that decrease may have been attributable to fewer tests being completed.

New Zealands government is pursuing an elimination strategy in which it tries to stamp out the virus entirely whenever it appears. The government put the country into the toughest form of lockdown after the first case of the current delta-variant outbreak was detected Aug. 17.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

__ Louisiana hospitals are packed with COVID-19 patients, fear the arrival of Hurricane Ida

 Croatia thrilled at summer tourism season success despite COVID-19

 Russias virus-related deaths hit record of over 50,000 in July

 Once a beacon of safety, Hawaii is seeing a surge of coronavirus cases driven by delta variant

 U.S. intelligence agencies remain divided on the origins of the coronavirus

 U.S. battle over masks in schools has shifted from school boards to courts

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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:

CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia has seen its highest number of weekly cases of the coronavirus in seven months, fueled by the more contagious delta variant.

The 5,333 new positive cases reported statewide for the six-day period ending Saturday were the highest since more than 5,900 cases were reported for the seven-day week ending Jan. 17. Figures for Sunday will be released on Monday.

The number of deaths from COVID-19, the illness that can be caused by the coronavirus, grew for the second straight week. There have been at least 3,064 virus deaths statewide since the start of the pandemic.

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HONOLULU -- Hawaii has reported nearly 1,700 new COVID-19 cases, which is the states highest level for the pandemic, though officials note that the count includes a backlog from one lab.

The Hawaii Department of Health reported 1,678 cases Sunday, while noting that it included a partial catch-up of reporting after one lab experienced system errors from Aug. 15 to Aug. 25.

The state saw 10,817 new confirmed coronavirus infections documented in the last 14 days.

The state health director Dr. Elizabeth Char says that this tidal wave of cases is straining our ability to respond at all levels  our hospitals, our labs and even our morgues are nearing or at capacity.

Hawaii also reported two deaths from COVID-19, both women older than 60 with underlying health conditions. That brings the states totals since the pandemic began to 62,229 coronavirus cases and 589 deaths.

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HONOLULU -- Hawaii has reported nearly 1,700 new COVID-19 cases, which is the state's highest level for the pandemic, though officials note that the count includes a backlog from one lab.

The Hawaii Department of Health reported 1,678 cases Sunday, while noting that it included a partial catch-up of reporting after one lab experienced system errors from Aug. 15 to Aug. 25.

The state saw 10,817 new confirmed coronavirus infections documented in the last 14 days.

The state health director Dr. Elizabeth Char says that this tidal wave of cases is straining our ability to respond at all levels  our hospitals, our labs and even our morgues are nearing or at capacity.

Hawaii also reported two deaths from COVID-19, both women older than 60 with underlying health conditions. That brings the states totals since the pandemic began to 62,229 coronavirus cases and 589 deaths.

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ATHENS, Greece  Clashes erupted in Athens on Sunday evening between the police and some participants in a protest rally against COVID-19 vaccinations.

Police estimate the participants in the rally in central Syntagma Square at between 7,000 and 8,000.

As the last of the speeches denouncing government plans to make vaccinations for health workers and students mandatory were finishing, some youths attacked police standing before the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, next to the Greek Parliament with bottles, firecrackers and some firebombs.

Police used tear gas, stun grenades and a water cannon to disperse protesters, who shouted obscenities at the police and against Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

While over 5.7 million people in Greeces population of 10.7 million have been fully vaccinated, there has been a recent resurgence of cases and hospitalizations, almost entirely fueled by the delta variant and mainly affecting the unvaccinated.

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WASHINGTON -- The governments top infectious disease expert says the U.S. is sticking with its recommendation for Americans to get coroanvirus booster shots eight months after receiving the vaccine but will be open to changes based on evolving data.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says theres no doubt in his mind that people will need to get an extra shot after they have received the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, given the highly contagious delta variant.

He indicated the administration remained focused on doing that in an expeditious and feasible way after the eight-month mark, with doses beginning the week of Sept. 20, pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

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BERLIN  Protesters who oppose the German governments coronavirus measures took to the streets again in Berlin on Sunday, defying bans on several planned gatherings.

Throughout the afternoon, thousands marched in the German capitals Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte neighborhoods. More than 2,000 police officers were on duty across the city to respond to the protests.

Police had banned more than a dozen planned protests for this weekend, including from the Stuttgart-based Querdenker movement, the most visible anti-lockdown movement in Germany. A court ruled to allow one such protest, planned for an estimated 500 people on Saturday and Sunday.

Sundays demonstrations follow a similar turnout of several thousand on Saturday, also in defiance of police bans.

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SANAA, Yemen -- Yemens internationally recognized government on Sunday received more than 151,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine.

The 151,200 doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Aden airport, the U.N. children and health agencies said. The shipment is from the United Nations-backed COVAX initiative.

The doses would be used to vaccinate healthcare workers and other priority groups in the war-torn country, the UNICEF said.

Earlier this year, Yemen received a 360,000-dose shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX initiative.

Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014.

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JERUSALEM -- Israel has expanded its coronavirus booster shot program to include anyone over 12.

The decision, approved Sunday, is the latest phase of a booster program that began last month with Israelis over 60. It was expanded in phases over several weeks to people in their 50s, 40s and 30s. Some 2 million people  more than 20% of the countrys roughly 9 million people  have received a third dose.

Israel was one of the first countries to vaccinate its population early this year, allowing the government to drop almost all restrictions on public activities. But it now has one of the worlds highest rates of infection due to the rapid spread of the delta variant, even among the vaccinated, and has reinstated mask mandates and limits on crowd sizes.

Israel approved the booster program after experts concluded the vaccines effectiveness wanes over time. It is now offering boosters to anyone vaccinated over five months ago. Early data has indicated that the booster is slowing the spread of the delta variant and preventing serious illness among the vaccinated.

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TEHRAN, Iran  The police chief for Irans capital says a gang of thieves has robbed scores of COVID-19 vaccines after attacking a hired car carrying the doses, media reported.

The robbery comes as Iran, with over 106,000 virus-related deaths, has the highest death toll in the Mideast but only 8% of its people are fully vaccinated.

Tehran police chief Hossein Rahimi said robbers attacked and seized 300 vaccines after a courier service left a Health Ministry medical storage facility south of the capital.

He did not say which vaccine was stolen. Iran generally uses the Chinese-made Sinopharm, although it also has used some Russian made Sputnik-V, AstraZeneca and its own domestic CovBarekat vaccine.

On Sunday, Iran registered 581 daily deaths and more than 31,000 new cases. Last week on Tuesday, Iran hit a record of 709 patients dying in a single day.

The country is struggling through a fifth wave of the disease driven by the highly contagious delta variant.

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DUBROVNIK, Croatia  Summer tourism has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations in Croatia this year. Beaches along the countrys Adriatic Sea coastline are swarming with people.

Guided tours are fully booked, restaurants are packed and sailboats were chartered well in advance.

Croatias tourism industry was caught by surprise. There had been fear that the coronavirus pandemic would discourage people from traveling.

A tour guide in the southern city of Dubrovnik that is known for its Old Town and nightlife and is Croatias most popular destination said this week that its almost like 2020 never happened.

The success of the summer season is essential to Croatias economy, which is among the weakest in the European Union.

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TOKYO  Japans minister in charge of the vaccine rollout has promise a timely administering of booster shots for the coronavirus as the nation aims to fully vaccinate its population by October or November.

Taro Kono said Pfizer and Moderna booster shots will arrive early next year in time for medical workers and the elderly, who were prioritized and mostly got their second shots by July.

Japan is aiming for 80% vaccination levels, Kono said on a nationally broadcast Fuji TV show.

A digital system for proof of vaccination will be available later this year, he added.

Japan has lagged among developed nations on vaccinations, with its fully vaccinated now at about 43%.

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WASHINGTON  The rancorous debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms.

In at least 14 states, lawsuits have been filed either for or against masks in schools. In some cases, normally rule-enforcing school administrators are finding themselves fighting state leaders.

Legal experts say that while state laws normally trump local control, legal arguments from mask proponents have a good chance of coming out on top. But amid protests and even violence over masks around the United States, the court battle is just beginning.

Mask rules in public schools vary widely. Some states require them; others ban mandates. Many more leave it up to individual districts.

Big school districts that want to require masks are in court and battling governors in Florida, Texas and Arizona. Worried parents are suing over similar legislative bans on mandates in Utah, Iowa and South Carolina.

Lawsuits fighting mask requirements have popped up in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky and Montana.

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HONOLULU  Kuulei Perreira-Keawekane could barely breathe when she went to a Hawaii emergency room. Nausea made it difficult for her to stand and her body throbbed with pain.

Like many Native Hawaiians, she was not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Perreira-Keawekanes situation highlights the COVID-19 crisis that is gripping Hawaii as hospitals are overflowing with a record number of patients, vaccinations are stagnating and Hawaiians are experiencing a disproportionate share of the suffering.

Hawaii was once seen as a beacon of safety during the pandemic because of stringent travel and quarantine restrictions and overall vaccine acceptance that made it one of the most inoculated states in the country. But the highly contagious delta variant exploited weaknesses as residents let down their guard and attended family gatherings after months of restrictions and vaccine hesitancy lingered in some Hawaiian communities.

On Friday, the state reported a record high 1,035 newly confirmed cases.

Now the governor is urging tourists to stay away and residents to limit travel, and leaders are re-imposing caps on sizes of social gatherings. And in an effort to address vaccine hesitancy, businesses and nonprofits launched a public service campaign aimed at Native Hawaiians, many of whom harbor a deep distrust of the government.

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BEND, Oregon  Oregons emergency management department says the U.S. states death toll from COVID-19 is climbing so rapidly that two counties have requested refrigerated trucks to hold the bodies.

Department spokeswoman Bobbi Doan said Saturday that Tillamook and Josephine have requested the trucks.

Tillamook County Emergency Director Gordon McCraw wrote in his request to the state that the countys sole funeral home is now consistently at or exceeding their capacity of nine bodies. He added that virus cases among staff have made them unable to transport bodies to other counties.

The refrigerated truck arrived in the county on Friday. Doan said that it was loaned by Klamath County.

The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners says there were six COVID-19 deaths in the county from Aug. 18 to Aug. 23. The number surpassed the five total COVID-19 deaths that occurred during the first 18 months of the pandemic.
Catherine Iino first learned that her small town of roughly 6,000 people might have a problem earlier this spring,

Iino, the First Selectwoman in Killingworth, was contacted by state environmental officials in March and informed that several water samples would need to be pulled from the wells that supplied town hall, the volunteer fire station and a nearby garage used by the local public works department.

Similar testing at a neighborhood less than a half mile to the north, she was told, showed signs of several man-made chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The state was concerned the compounds, which have been studied for possible ties to developmental issues, thyroid disorders and several cancers, might have also found their way into other nearby water supplies.

Those worries were not unfounded, as the results would soon prove.

Several of the water samples taken from the town buildings contained concentrations of the chemicals that were far above a recommended health limit established by the state. And the results continued to get worse from there.

In the weeks that followed, state officials also sampled the wells at another 70 nearby homes to test whether their drinking water was safe and to determine how far the contaminants may have spread underground.

Roughly 34 of those private wells contained lesser amounts of the chemicals, and 15 of the wells exceeded the advised health limit, just like the tap water at the town hall.

Those results marked one of the first times that Connecticut officials uncovered widespread drinking water contamination tied to PFAS. But it is unlikely to be the last.

Connecticuts health and environmental agencies believe there are other pockets of contamination hiding throughout the state. Thats why the agencies plan to expand their search for the chemicals, with officials fanning out to test soil, streams, fish, groundwater and drinking water sources for signs of the toxic compounds.

If additional drinking water contamination is found, it is likely to cause quite an uproar.

In Killingworth, a rural town in Middlesex County, several public meetings were organized for residents earlier this year, and the state quickly stepped in to install treatment systems to reduce the chemical concentrations in peoples tap water to safer levels.

Even so, many of the homeowners with contaminated wells remain extremely frustrated with their circumstances and the ongoing response.

Michele and Mark Krumenacker, who own one of wells that tested positive for significant levels of the chemicals, said theyve been meeting with their neighbors to talk over the long-term implications.

The group has a lot of lingering questions: How did chemicals get into the groundwater in the first place? How will they affect their health? Will the compounds harm their children? Who is going to pay for health screenings and their water treatment in the coming decades? And what will the news of the contamination do to their property values?

A wider search for PFAS contamination

PFAS have been used in the United States for decades to produce things like non-stick pans, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant carpets, grease-resistant food packaging and a firefighting foam that was routinely sprayed during emergencies and training exercises.

That firefighting product grabbed news headlines in Connecticut in 2019 when a private hangar at Bradley International Airport, north of Hartford, spilled an estimated 21,000 gallons of the chemical-laden foam into the Farmington River.

That episode was likely the first time that most Connecticut residents were introduced to the word PFAS. The spill also showcased how pervasive the chemicals are and how quickly they can spread, which is exactly why the state is casting a wide net in its investigation into potentially-contaminated sites.

In recent months, the state Department of Public Health and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection developed a map of more than 2,400 locations in Connecticut where the agencies suspect the chemicals may have been used or released in the past.

Those sites include airports, landfills, industrial facilities, manufacturing locations, sewage treatment plants, fire stations and firefighter training areas.

The two agencies intend to use the new map, which is not yet available to the public, to pinpoint locations where the chemicals may pose the greatest risk to public water supplies and private drinking water wells.

Its unlikely that all of the locations highlighted on the map are contaminated with PFAS, but they will provide a starting point in the states scavenger hunt for the chemicals. The map was one of several recommendations that came out of a 2019 taskforce on PFAS that was set up by Gov. Ned Lamont.

With so much testing expected in the coming years, the state is preparing to hire five new employees who will oversee the states sampling for the chemicals in drinking water.

Connecticuts health agency is also plans to spend roughly $500,000 to purchase specialized lab equipment that is needed to detect extremely small amounts of the chemicals in the water.

That equipment will save the state time and money by allowing health officials to run the tests in-house, instead of shipping the water samples to private labs, as they did in the Killingworth case.

Democratic state Sen. Christine Cohen, whose district includes Killingworth and several neighboring communities, said those investments are well worth the money to safeguard peoples health.

Cohen, who chairs the legislatures Environment Committee, helped pass legislation this year to restrict PFAS in food packaging and limit the use of the firefighting foam, which state officials are currently collecting from local fire departments. That new legislation should limit future spills and public exposure to PFAS, but it will do little to correct any historic contamination that exists in the state.

Research shows the chemicals dont break down in the environment over time. That means they can continue to pose a threat to drinking water long after they are released onto the ground and seep into the groundwater.

Thats why lawmakers are eager to provide the agencies with the necessary resources to find the various sources of contamination.

Cohen and other legislators voted in June to spend $2.3 million over the next two years to pay for testing and treatment of drinking water that is shown to be contaminated.

We need to take action and figure out exactly what we are up against here, she said, and the only way to do that is to be testing water across the state.

Emerging concerns

Connecticut isnt the first state to undertake a widescale search for PFAS. Other states, like Michigan, New Jersey and New Hampshire, dispatched state health and environmental officials on similar missions in recent years.

And the results of that testing were often the same: Significant levels of the compound were found in lakes, rivers, groundwater, fish populations and drinking water sources.

Rainer Lohmann, a professor at the University of Rhode Island who has studied PFAS contamination, said residents in Connecticut should expect similar findings once widespread testing gets underway here.

If you look for the chemicals, you will find them, and if you dont look, you only pretend like its not a problem, said Lohmann, who leads a program called STEEP, which stands for Sources, Transport, Exposure and Effects of PFAS. If you want to protect your citizens, you have to look.

PFAS have been used in the United States since at least the 1940s and 1950s, but for most of that history there was very little information about the chemicals available to the public or regulatory agencies.

That started to change in the early 2000s when it was first reported that DuPont, a manufacturer of Teflon cookware, had severely contaminated several community drinking water systems near Parkersburg, W. Va., with one of the chemicals included in the PFAS family.

Lawsuits filed on behalf of those communities led DuPont to pay for a groundbreaking health study in which epidemiologists sampled the blood of nearly 70,000 people near Parkersburg for the chemicals and tracked the health outcomes of those individuals over roughly seven years.

The study eventually found probable links between the chemicals and several health issues, including high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Since then, further studies and lab testing on animals have raised other medical concerns, including growing evidence the chemicals may affect peoples immune response. The compounds have also been shown to pass from mothers to their children during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

The known sources of PFAS contamination have also expanded since the early 2000s. One of the most common sources of the chemicals in the United States has been the firefighting foam, which was commonly used by local fire departments, airports and the U.S. military.

The manufacturers of that foam, including 3M, are now being sued by hundreds of plaintiffs in federal court for what some people have described as the biggest environmental liability since asbestos.

PFAS are known to accumulate in peoples bodies over time, just like they do in the environment. And most Americans have some level of the man-made chemicals in their blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The public health response, however, is focused on people who have been exposed to significant levels of the chemicals over extended periods of time. That includes families and communities consuming higher levels of the chemicals in their drinking water.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not set an enforceable limit for the chemicals in drinking water at this point. But the federal agency and several states have developed so-called health advisory levels for the chemicals in tap water.

In Connecticut, that advised limit is 70 parts per trillion. That is comparable to finding several drops of the chemicals in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

That miniscule limit is reflective of the serious concerns that health experts have about the chemicals.

A lot of towns like Killingworth

Lori Mathieu, who oversees the Department of Healths drinking water program, is well aware of the massive amount of work ahead of her team  and the likelihood that they will find other contaminated tap water in the state.

There is some positive news, however.

Many of the largest public drinking water systems in Connecticut have already been sampled for PFAS in past years, Mathieu said. That testing showed homes and businesses in larger cities like Hartford, New Haven and Stamford did not have significant levels of the chemicals in their tap water.

Those results, Mathieu said, could be a sign that Connecticut was not home to a major manufacturer of PFAS or a factory that used large quantities of the chemicals. They could also be attributed to Connecticuts decades-long efforts to protect its reservoirs and other major sources of drinking water from pesticides, industrial waste and other pollutants, she said.

Still, Mathieu is concerned that the states smaller water systems and some of the more than 322,000 private drinking water wells in Connecticut wont be so lucky. She told the legislature as much during a hearing earlier this year when lawmakers asked about the upcoming PFAS testing.

The good news is were not finding it in the numbers that were found in other states  But as we start testing more broadly, I think were going to find it, Mathieu told the lawmakers in February.

The water sampling in Killingworth is already proving that prediction right, Mathieu said.

Connecticut may not find extensive PFAS contamination problems near major factories like Minnesota, Alabama and West Virginia did over the past two decades. But that doesnt mean that smaller contamination problems dont exist next to airports, landfills and fire departments.

Many of Connecticuts 169 towns and cities rely on drinking water systems that are similar to Killingworth, Mathieu said.

Those communities often have a couple public water wells that supply local schools, a library or a few government buildings. And they are surrounded by homes that are supplied by private wells that are maintained by the individual property owners.

More than 20 percent of Connecticuts residents receive their water from private wells.

The thing that is concerning is how much is out there that we are not aware of at this point, Mathieu said. In small communities such as Killingworth, one finding can lead to many.

The water testing that takes place over the next two years, Mathieu said, should give the state a better understanding of how big of a problem PFAS might be in Connecticut. But she said it could take many more years to find and isolate all of the sources of PFAS contamination.

We are taking it in phases, Mathieu said. There is so much more to do.
BRIDGEPORT  Police have opened a homicide investigation after a 21-year-old Bridgeport man was found shot following a motor vehicle accident on Lincoln Avenue.

Just after 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Bridgeport Police responded to the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue after receiving a report of a motor vehicle accident with shots fired and a party down.

When police arrived, they found the operator and sole occupant of a red Honda had been shot and was involved in the motor vehicle accident.

The victim, a 21-year-old Bridgeport man, was quickly transported to St. Vincents Medical Center where he later died. Police have not released his identity.

Police said that the Detective Bureau Homicide and Identification Units are following several strong leads.

Lincoln Avenue has been reopened.

Those with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Keith Hanson at 203-581-5243 or the Bridgeport Police Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS.
BRIDGEPORT  City police have identified the 21-year-old killed in a midday shooting Saturday on Lincoln Avenue.

The victim, 21-year-old Jamel Hayden of Bridgeport, was transported to St. Vincents Medical Center following the shooting, but was later pronounced dead, according to officials.

Officers were first called to the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue around 12:31 p.m. when they received reports of a motor vehicle accident with shots fired and a person down, officials said.

Police learned the operator of a red Honda CRV, later identified as Hayden, had been shot and involved in the crash.

Police said the departments Detective Bureau and Identification Unit responded to take over the investigation. The investigations remains in its early stages, but officials said the detectives are working on several strong leads.

Police are asking anyone with information about this crime to contact Detective Keith Hanson at 203-581-5243 or utilize the Bridgeport Police Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  A U.S. drone strike blew up a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers from Afghanistan's Islamic State affiliate on Sunday before they could attack the ongoing military evacuation at Kabul's international airport, American officials said. An Afghan official said three children were killed in the strike.

The strike came just two days before the U.S. is set to conclude a massive two-week-long airlift of more than 114,000 Afghans and foreigners and withdraw the last of its troops, ending America's longest war with the Taliban back in power.

A statement from U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. is aware of reports of civilian casualties and is assessing the results of the strike. Navy Capt. William Urban, spokesman for Central Command, said that substantial and powerful subsequent explosions resulted from the destruction of the vehicle, which may have caused additional casualties.

The U.S. State Department released a statement signed by around 100 countries, as well as NATO and the European Union, saying they had received assurances from the Taliban that people with travel documents would still be able to leave the country. The Taliban have said they will allow normal travel after the U.S. withdrawal is completed on Tuesday and they assume control of the airport.

The Afghan official spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. Witnesses to the drone strike said it targeted two cars parked in a residential building near the airport, killing and wounding several civilians. Officials had initially reported a separate rocket attack on a building near the airport, but it turned out to be the same event.

According to a senior U.S. official, the U.S. military drone fired a Hellfire missile at a vehicle in a compound between two buildings after individuals were seen loading explosives into the trunk. The official said there was an initial explosion caused by the missile, followed by a much larger fireball, believed to be the result of the substantial amount of explosives inside the vehicle. The U.S. believes that two Islamic State group individuals who were targeted were killed.

The official said it appears that the secondary explosion did significant damage to one of the buildings next to the vehicle. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information about a military operation.

Dina Mohammadi said her extended family resided in the building and that several of them were killed, including children. She was not immediately able to provide the names or ages of the deceased.

Karim, a district representative, said the strike ignited a fire that made it difficult to rescue people. There was smoke everywhere and I took some children and women out, he said.

Ahmaduddin, a neighbor, said he had collected the bodies of children after the strike, which set off more explosions inside the house. Like many Afghans, the two men each go by one name.

"We would be deeply saddened by any potential loss of innocent life, said Urban.

Earlier in the day, Urban said in a statement that the U.S. was confident that the missile successfully hit the target. And he said that the large secondary explosions indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material in the vehicle.

The strike came two days after an Islamic State suicide attack outside the airport killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members. The U.S. carried out a drone strike elsewhere in the country on Saturday that it said killed two IS members.

President Joe Biden had vowed to keep up the airstrikes, saying Saturday that another attack was highly likely. The State Department called the threat specific and credible.

The Sunni extremists of IS, with links to the groups more well-known affiliate in Syria and Iraq, have carried out a series of attacks, mainly targeting Afghanistan's Shiite Muslim minority, including a 2020 assault on a maternity hospital in Kabul that killed women and newborns.

The Taliban have fought against the IS affiliate in the past and have pledged to not allow Afghanistan to become a base for terror attacks. The U.S.-led invasion in 2001 came in response to the 9/11 attacks, which al-Qaida planned and executed while being sheltered by the Taliban.

The Taliban increased security around the airport after Thursday's attack, clearing away the large crowds that had gathered outside the gates hoping to join the airlift.

Britain ended its evacuation flights Saturday, and most U.S. allies concluded theirs earlier in the week. But U.S. military cargo planes continued their runs into the airport Sunday, ahead of a Tuesday deadline set by President Joe Biden to withdraw all American troops.

Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the U.S. has the capacity to evacuate the estimated 300 Americans who remain in the country and wish to leave. He said the U.S. does not currently plan to have an ongoing embassy presence after the withdrawal but will ensure "safe passage for any American citizen, any legal permanent resident after Tuesday, as well as for those Afghans who helped us.

In interviews with Sunday talk shows, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. was working with other countries to ensure that the airport functions normally after the withdrawal and that the Taliban allow people to travel freely.

The Taliban have given similar assurances in recent days, even as they have urged Afghans to remain and help rebuild the war-ravaged country.

Tens of thousands of Afghans have sought to flee the country since the Taliban's rapid takeover earlier this month, fearing a return to the harsh form of Islamic rule the group imposed on Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001. Others fear revenge attacks or general instability.

The Taliban have pledged amnesty for all Afghans, even those who worked with the U.S. and its allies, and say they want to restore peace and security after decades of war. But many Afghans distrust the group, and there have been reports of summary executions and other human rights abuses in areas under Taliban control.

The shooting of a folk singer in a tense region north of Kabul was bound to contribute to such fears. Fawad Andarabi's family said the Taliban shot him for no reason, just days after they had searched his home and drank tea with him.

He was innocent, a singer who only was entertaining people, his son, Jawad, said. They shot him in the head on the farm.

The shooting happened in the Andarabi Valley, for which the family is named, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kabul, where the Taliban battled local fighters even after seizing the capital. The Taliban say they have retaken the region, which is near mountainous Panjshir, the only one of Afghanistan's 34 provinces not under Taliban control.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his group would investigate the shooting, without providing any further information. The Taliban banned music as un-Islamic when they last ruled the country.

Andarabi played the ghichak, a bowed lute, and sang traditional songs about his birthplace, his people and the country. A video online showed him at one performance, sitting on a rug with the mountains behind him.

There is no country in the world like my homeland, a proud nation, he sang. Our beautiful valley, our great-grandparents' homeland."

Karima Bennoune, the United Nations special rapporteur on cultural rights, said she had grave concern over Andarabi's killing. We call on governments to demand the Taliban respect the #humanrights of #artists, she tweeted.

Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, also decried the killing.

There is mounting evidence that the Taliban of 2021 is the same as the intolerant, violent, repressive Taliban of 2001," she tweeted. Nothing has changed on that front.

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Baldor reported from Washington, Akhgar from Istanbul and Krauss from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.
PORT HURON, Mich. (AP)  A monument dedicated to Tuskegee Airmen who died in Michigan during World War II training was unveiled Saturday near the international Blue Water Bridge.

Michigan served as an advanced training ground for many graduates of the Tuskegee University pilot training program.

Surviving Tuskegee airmen and their descendants attended the event in Port Huron, part of a three-day celebration that recognized the accomplishments of Americas first Black military pilots.

Fifteen Tuskegee airmen were killed while training in Michigan, including five pilots lost in Lake Huron and one in the St. Clair River, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Wreckages from two planes have been found in the river and the lake. In 2014, the remains of a P-39 aircraft were found in Lake Huron, 70 years after it crashed. The body of 2nd Lt. Frank Moody washed ashore a few months after the April 1944 crash.

A dive team spent a week in Lake Huron in 2015 surveying the wreckage.

He was my buddy. I knew him personally, Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, who attended the event in Port Huron, said of Moody.

The planes wing, landing gear, engine block, tail, propeller, cockpit door, instrument panel, 50-caliber machine guns and ammunition are being restored and will become an exhibit sponsored by the National Tuskegee Airmen Museum in Detroit.

At least three other planes flown by Tuskegee Airmen remain in Lake Huron, according to Diving With a Purpose, a Tennessee-based group that focuses on the maritime history of Black Americans.
Local health directors, doctors and school nurses are now, by executive order of the governor, allowed to access the vaccination records of every Connecticut resident.

Though privacy advocates warn that Gov. Ned Lamonts order should not set a precedent, it is not one they are fighting in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

This should not and cannot become the norm for how we handle public health emergencies in the future, ACLU of Connecticut Executive Director David McGuire said.

The executive order, signed by Lamont on Aug. 19, does not conflict with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly referred to as HIPAA, according to John Cogan, an assistant professor of law at the University of Connecticut.

People get all wigged out about the release of medical information, he said.

Prior to taking his post at UConns school of law, Cogan worked for the federal department of Health and Human Services, where he was involved in drafting the HIPAA privacy provisions.

He said those regulations are often misinterpreted, and assumed to cast a far wider net than they were intended to cover.

The privacy regulations were designed to limit the use and disclosure of protected health information under certain circumstances by a limited number of entities, he said.

HIPAA, Coga explained, only applies to very specific groups of people. Doctors, for example, and health insurance companies, are prohibited by law from sharing a patients personal medical information without the persons consent.

But the governors executive order specifically grants the state commissioner of public health the power to disclose information reported to the Department of Public Health regarding a COVID-19 vaccine recipients immunization information, for the purposes of reducing the spread of COVID19.

HIPAA, Cogan said, does not prevent the state Department of Public Health from sharing that data.

If Im walking down the street, and I find all your medical records in a box, I can give them to whoever I want, he said. That is not a violation of HIPPA because I am not a covered entity under HIPAA.

This information isnt barred by HIPAA, Cogan said. To my knowledge, release of this information is not barred by any other law.

The question for Cogan and McGuire, is how this order is implemented. Cogan said he does not expect this information will be used in any coercive manner. Nobodys going to appear at your door with a needle, he said.

But McGuire said the ACLU will be paying attention. Hes concerned about mission creep, he said, and how this sort of order is replicated either by Lamont or his successors.

We have to make sure this is not precedent, whether for this governor or future governors, he said. This is an order that should be used judiciously by public health officials.

Though he said there is the possibility that it will be overused or misused by a municipality, McGuire said, I dont think its intended and should not be used as an in to use pressure tactics on people.

Lisa Morrissey, who has been a public health official for nearly a decade, said the idea that local health officials will be accessing individual vaccination records and accosting unvaccinated residents is far-fetched.

We just dont have that capacity, said Morrissey, who is New Milford health director and the interim public health director for the Pomperaug health district. I dont think you would find any public health official who would even support such a measure.

The access granted by the governors executive order helps when residents have lost their vaccination cards, Morrissey said, and when a person does contract the virus, it helps local health officials make sure everyone else is safe.

Sometimes people say that they were vaccinated and they dont have to quarantine, she said. We look up in the system to see if they are vaccinated.

State law has long granted access to students immunization records, and doctors have always had access to their own patents medical data. Even Morrissey said much of the information was already obtainable by local health directors through the states CT WiZ system.

Max Reiss, a spokesperson for Lamont, said the existing statute does not address disclosure of adult COVID vaccinations which the CDC required vaccine providers to report to their home state immunization system.

The executive places the access by providers, school nurses and local health departments to COVID-19 vaccine information in the same position as childhood immunization information, Reiss said.

The executive order amends the existing statute to allow access to adults vaccination records. Usually, only the state legislature, not the governor, has the power to create or amend law, according to Cogan.

The governors order purports to modify a statute, he said. The order also states that the governor has the power to do so under the Constitution and the laws of the State of Connecticut. However, the order does not specify the exact source of that authority.

That authority is derived from the governors power under the emergency declaration. Specifically, state law stipulates that following the governors proclamation of a civil preparedness emergency  or a public health emergency  the governor may modify or suspend in whole or in part by order  any statue, regulation or requirement or part thereof whenever the governor finds such statute, regulation or requirement or part thereof is in conflict with the efficient and expeditious execution of civil preparedness functions or the protection of the public health.

Were in a unique period, McGuire said. There is a compelling interest for the governor to go further than usual.

The executive order reminded Cogan of a landmark case in public health law, Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

In that 1905 case, a resident of Cambridge, Mass., refused to be vaccinated against smallpox, and though Cogan said many people recall the details incorrectly, the case was not about holding Jacobson down and plunging the needle into his arm.

It was about whether he had to pay a fine or not, Cogan said. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state and ordered Jacobson to pay the $5 fine for not being vaccinated.

Cogan speculated the governors executive order may have the effect, intended or otherwise, of allowing vaccine mandates by municipalities and companies.

Its not a HIPAA violation for your employer to ask if youre vaccinated or not, he said. With the final approval of Pfizer, I suspect that the state is going to make it easy for people to enforce mandates.
Photo: Diane39/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Not long before the COVID-19 pandemic began savaging the world in March 2020, Steven Jiang, who lives in Ningbo, a coastal city in Southeast China, was thinking of buying a house in New York City. The father of two, who made a good living as the owner of a transportation company, wanted to do what many upper-class Chinese parents have: He planned to move his family to the U.S. in a few years so his preteen daughters could attend American boarding schools. So he contacted a New York City broker whom a friend had introduced him to before the pandemic.

But that summer, the friend, who had lived in New York for two years, fled back to China. He told Jiang it was prompted by what seemed to be a losing war against the virus in the U.S., the riots accompanying the Black Lives Matter protests, and the rise in violent attacks on Asian Americans. Now Jiang has postponed his plans to buy in the city. The pandemic has revealed a lot of negative characteristics about the U.S. that I hadnt realized before, he said.

For the past six years, house hunters like Jiang have made China the top international source of U.S. home buyers. But this year, the Chinese dropped to third place, after Canadians and Mexicans, according to the annual survey of foreign home purchases released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Although New York is still one of the top three locations in the U.S. for Chinese buyers, the real-estate business is taking note of their waning interest. I had many potential clients at the beginning of the pandemic, and then, they all dropped off, said Chloe Ren, founder of the Chloe Ren Group, a high-end-properties agency in New York that specializes in Chinese buyers. While the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the Trump era and pandemic travel restrictions discouraged foreign buyers in general (the NAR survey showed that the proportion of foreign buyers dipped by 31 percent last year), Ren said thats not the whole story for Chinese buyers.

Just ask Yi Luan. At the start of the pandemic, the Beijing native, who first came to the U.S. to attend New York University, had already worked in New York for four years and was planning on buying an apartment in the city. But last autumn, she packed up her things and moved back to Beijing for good. In a blog entry that went viral in China, Luan detailed many reasons for her decision, including Americans refusal to mask up, Trumps proposed ban on the Chinese social-media platform WeChat, and the extremely long wait for a green card. When I went to study in the U.S., the distance between the two countries was like 100 versus 70, and now it is like 100 versus 90, wrote Luan. To sacrifice so much to stay in the U.S. only for that ten-point difference is really not worth it.

For people living in China, these negative perceptions of the U.S. can be even more stark. Chinese media play up both American anti-Asian sentiment and gun violence, said Georg Chmiel, a co-founder and group executive chairman of Juwai IQI, a property tech portal that promotes global properties to Chinese buyers. The news is especially alarming in a country where private gun ownership is banned and anti-Asian attacks dont happen with any frequency. Personal safety is an important criterion for Chinese buyers, more so even than for those from other parts of Asia, Chmiel added. Perhaps the most concerned group? Parents. Families concerned about safety might send their children to study in Singapore, Australia, or the U.K. instead of in the States, Chmiel said. And that would make a significant difference, given that China is the largest source of foreign students in the U.S., totaling 372,000 before the pandemic. Some parents have bought properties for their children while they are still toddlers.

Fearing that Chinese buyers will be missing for some time, some developers have changed tactics. Strategic Capital, an affiliate of a Chinese government corporation, along with American developers Cape Advisors and Forum Absolute, initially promoted Greenwich West, a 169-unit luxury condo in Greenwich Village, to Chinese buyers in 2018. But it has completely focused on selling to American residents ever since. This strategy paid off, with half of the building expected to be sold mainly to locals by the end of the summer (only ten units sold to Chinese buyers). We are a Chinese company. We understand the Asian buying market, said Phillip Gesue, the chief development officer for Strategic Capital. But at the end of the day, this project is really a SohoTribecaWest Village project. He doesnt expect buyers from China to come back to the New York market anytime soon. Thats over, Gesue said.

It was just over a decade ago, in 2009, when the mere presence of Chinese home buyers was an event unto itself. When SouFun, a major real-estate internet portal in China, brought 21 Chinese billionaires on a house-hunting tour throughout the U.S., they visited six cities in a ten-day blitz, searching for bargains left behind by the 2008 financial crisis, and were hounded by reporters on every leg of their trip.

The buying spree really picked up in 2014, when the U.S. began granting ten-year tourist visas to Chinese citizens instead of one-year visas. Meanwhile, Chinese developers and investors made headlines purchasing marquee buildings in New York, like Fosuns $725 million purchase of One Chase Manhattan Plaza in 2013 and Anbangs $1.95 billion takeover of the Waldorf Astoria in 2015, a record high for an American hotel. But when Beijing tightened its restrictions on money going out of the country at the end of 2016, Chinese developers began to sell off their properties. Others were forced to default on their loans and faced foreclosure.

Still, until COVID hit the U.S., individual Chinese buyers found ways to bypass the currency curbs, and they spent $11.5 billion purchasing 18,400 homes in 2019, more than buyers from any other country. Unlike the pioneers in the early 2010s, who would spend $10 million or more in cash on a beacon property to raise their social status, the buyers in this current wave are more likely to be part of the global elite, people who have studied in the U.S. and may be working as executives of Chinese companies listed in the stock market here, said Daniel Chang, head of Asia for the Field Team at Sothebys International Realty. For them, an American home is less a status symbol than a practical investment. But last years events and unrest has tamped down a lot of that enthusiasm.

If Chinese buyers no longer come, some Chinese Americans wont miss them. They were so aggressive before 2018. They pumped up prices of the land by at least 30 percent, said Bentley Zhao, chairman of New Empire, a New York development company founded by his immigrant father in 1997. The company has lost out a few times when it was bidding against Chinese investors for land in Manhattan. They seemed to have endless cash, said Zhao. We use our own money. We couldnt afford the bidding war.

But it isnt just Chinese American developers who are relieved. According to Tarry Hum, the chair of the Department of Urban Studies at Queens College, its clear that Chinese developers and home buyers both have transformed Chinese immigrant neighborhoods in New York like Flushing, Manhattan Chinatown, and Sunset Park with luxury towers, malls, and other projects. What resulted, she said, was hypergentrification. One day Prince Street just had mom-and-pop noodle storefronts, and the next day it was brand-new upscale businesses that sold a lot of fancy bubble teas and pastries, and the affordable noodle shops were gone, said Hum. It feels like this is part of the development vision  that Flushing is going to cater to a global elite.

Steven Jiang, the businessman from Ningbo, is not aware of such tensions. He still thinks his daughters may one day come to study in the U.S. But as for buying a New York home, he might wait until they are actually attending college. I might buy them apartments then, he said. Who knows what the market will be like years later? And who knows what America will be like?
Donald Lee Brock, Sr. 83 of Tunnel Hill passed away Tuesday August 31, 2021 at Hamilton Medical Center. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Thelma Brock; his brother Jerry Brock and brother-in-law, John Marcus. Donald is survived by his sons, Donald Lee Brock, Jr. (Jay Ann) 
Pop-up restaurants, many started as stopgap measures by struggling chefs and owners, may have staying power as consumers continue to embrace takeout and delivery and the delta variant threatens to make dining in less of an option
Twenty-four years ago, the European Union developed its rules for the movement of food into the customs union from what they call third countries  essentially, any nation fully outside the EU.

These rules were designed in a decade marred by BSE and salmonella food scares and constructed to deal with cross-sea container ships carrying long-life or frozen food. In a pre-digital era, they relied on paper documents and physical checks and inspections.

Since January, these same out-of-date rules have applied to UK food exports across all EU entry points.

The implementation has been set up to fail, as these arrangements are at odds with a modern, fresh food, supply chain between close trading partners.

The result is a fandango of bureaucracy, extra costs and food waste. Any product with animal-related ingredients, even staples like butter, has to carry a signed and stamped paper veterinary certificate, with up to 13 different variants depending on the product.

The implementation has been set up to fail, as these arrangements are at odds with a modern, fresh food, supply chain between close trading partners (stock image)

That means a separate vet certificate for each delivery of butter in a sandwich is repeated time and again, even though it is the same butter from the same dairy.

On average, Marks & Spencer wagons now travel to the ports with 700 pages of documentation, equivalent to three paperback books.

Border control officials are meant to check the documents against the contents of the wagon  firstly, an impossible task and, secondly, resulting in needless delays.

So great is the extra workload that only 80 per cent of M&S products are now getting through to Ireland, and even less to France.

Typically, fresh food is arriving 24 hours later and, in a time of an acute driver shortage, requires 30 per cent more driver hours. Of course, all this is pointless. UK food standards are the same as they were before Brexit and amongst the highest in the world.

All the extra costs and delays are for no purpose at all because there is no change in the risk.

Ee risk lumbering French cheese producers and Spanish chorizo manufacturers with the same costs as we have faced trying to export food to the EU.

And it is about to get worse. Under the current Northern Ireland protocol, when the grace period ends on September 30, the same rules will apply to Northern Ireland.

The result would be substantial reduction in food supply from the UK to Northern Ireland and an increase in prices for its citizens. Already, M&S has had to cancel sales of our Christmas Food to Order, our top-end range service, into Northern Ireland because we just dont know if we can get it there.

This is not a one-way street. At the moment, the Irish Government is following EU guidelines and implementing their draconian controls. But by contrast, the UK has allowed EU products to continue to flow into the country, no veterinary checks, no border inspection.

Starting in October, that is going to change when UK Government rules are set to mirror those of the EU. So in a mutual act of self-destruction, we risk lumbering French cheese producers and Spanish chorizo manufacturers with the same costs as we have faced trying to export food to the EU.

For the Republic of Ireland, this will be very serious as nearly half its beef and about a third of dairy products come to the UK. The delays, driver shortages and paper mountains could be spectacular.

On average, Marks & Spencer wagons now travel to the ports with 700 pages of documentation, equivalent to three paperback books. Pictured: Archie Norman in 2018

The obvious way forward would be to agree on equivalence. This means the EU and UK recognise each others standards so can trade without checks. In a rational world, we would all agree on equivalence tomorrow. Given there are no significant changes planned on food standards, a period of equivalence would be in everyones interest, should common sense have its day.

With or without a period of equivalence, customs controls need to be bought into the modern age. Even the EU recognised this. In 2017, the European Parliament and Council passed a resolution instructing the development of a system of digital controls. But nothing happened.

Technology could also be the answer to the Northern Ireland protocol and the challenge of avoiding a hard border with the Republic.

Our proposal of a digital system would make every single product traceable; tracking from the point of departure to its store destination and proving products have stayed in the confines of Northern Ireland and not strayed into the single market  meaning certificates are no longer needed.

We could build on this principle for UK-EU trade with all of the paperwork transferred to digital files. And with common sense, one vet certificate should cover all the butter from one plant for three months.

These solutions are practical, implementable and already exist. It is time for the politicians to come together and apply common sense solutions to make borders work.
Make no mistake, this is a foreign policy failure of historic proportions. After 20 years, more than two trillion dollars of investment, the grievous loss of 475 British forces, and more than 2,000 American soldiers and hundreds more of other nationalities, the best-equipped and best-trained forces that the West can assemble are being drummed out of Afghanistan by a Kalashnikov-toting militia.

Did it have to end like this?

Certainly, there is bound to be an intense debate about what went wrong as the public consciousness is indelibly imprinted with shocking images from Kabul airport.

Some will argue that we stayed far too long, that we should have left immediately after the US-backed Northern Alliance deposed the Taliban government in November 2001.

I disagree. Had we cut and run then, we would have left Afghanistan in chaos, with the country ruined and an interim government without funds or authority. Al Qaeda would have been back within months.

Britain's former man in Washington Kim Darroch asks 'Did it have to end like this?' Pictured: The British parachute regiment

After 20 years, more than two trillion dollars of investment, the grievous loss of 475 British forces, and more than 2,000 American soldiers and hundreds more of other nationalities, the best-equipped and best-trained forces that the West can assemble are being drummed out of Afghanistan by a Kalashnikov-toting militia

I believe that we should still be there. We should have announced at the outset that our exit would be dictated by outcomes, not dates: that we would stay for as long as it took to ensure that Afghanistan could never again become a haven for terrorists.

This proposition invites dissent on several fronts: that no government can afford the unending cost in blood and money of a forever war; that one glance at Afghanistans history demonstrates the folly of attempting nation building; even that such a policy would amount to colonisation.

But the reality is that the modern world is strewn with, if not forever wars, then at least forever interventions.

The US has kept more than 28,000 troops in South Korea for almost 70 years, since the 1953 ceasefire in the Korean War (there has never been a peace treaty between the North and South).

For 47 years there has been a UN force of 1,000 soldiers in Cyprus since the Turkish invasion. A European force of several hundred has stayed in Bosnia since the Dayton Agreement at the end of the Balkans War divided the country into two self-governing entities. A Nato deployment of more than 2,000 has been maintained in Kosovo since the Serbs left.

All of these deployments pre-date the intervention in Afghanistan. With each of these conflicts, a political settlement has proved elusive. But the continuing international military presence has contributed critically to each areas stability and security.

It has meant that children have gone to school, had careers, lived peaceful and productive lives. Indeed, only those who have lived in a war zone will appreciate how very precious such achievements are.

Certainly, there is bound to be an intense debate about what went wrong as the public consciousness is indelibly imprinted with shocking images from Kabul airport

And, crucially, this is what the international forces were providing across much of Afghanistan until the abject Trump deal with the Taliban in February 2020  described as a surrender agreement by Trumps former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster  and President Joe Bidens disastrous decision earlier this year to implement it.

As for the argument that public opinion would not tolerate further casualties or costs, of course every death or life-changing injury is a tragedy, for the individual, the family and the country. But the reality is that casualties and costs have been massively lessened over the past decade, as coalition forces have reduced to a few thousand and moved back from the front line to a training and support role.

And talk to any soldier and they will tell you they want to get the job done  to come home believing that they delivered the mission.

Indeed, its crystal clear from the outpouring of anger from those British forces who served in Afghanistan that they disagree with the withdrawal; that they feel passionately that it makes the sacrifice of their comrades look pointless. But it is done. The last British troops will be out within 48 hours.

So what does the future hold?

For Afghanistan, it looks bleak. Thousands will try to leave overland, creating chaos at the borders. Rebellions will spring up around the country. The economy will seize up: the banks are already running out of money and the countrys reserves will remain frozen in American banks as possible future leverage. Perhaps Russia and China will step in to help  but with conditions.

And, most chillingly, on the evidence of the terrible carnage at Kabul airport last week, terrorists are again roaming the land. As for the global picture, the fall of Kabul comes within weeks of President Biden announcing: America is back.

A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the terrorist attack which killed over 100 people outside Kabul airport

How hollow that now sounds. His decisions to continue with the withdrawal and the August 31 deadline, despite requests from allies to extend, look more like America First.

As regard to US-UK relations, President Bidens actions illustrate the eternal truth that no relationship is that special when set against perceived American national security interests. But they also mean that Bidens presidency, after his strong start on domestic policy, is now irretrievably tarnished.

Russia and China will have watched this self-inflicted Western defeat in Afghanistan with rapt attention.

Russia has, of course, had its own troubles there, with the failure of its 1980s intervention in the Afghan civil war. But Vladimir Putin must be looking at the vacuum developing there and contemplating what opportunities it offers.

As for the Chinese, they famously take the long view. They will judge the American withdrawal as confirmation of a fundamental lack of strategic patience: here today but then gone before the job is done.

Beijing has a tricky relationship with the Taliban. The Chinese leaders will worry about the Taliban victory inspiring resistance among their own, oppressed, Muslim minority of Uighurs. But my guess is that Chinas strategy will be to reach out to the Taliban while the West is shunning them; to buy influence through recognition, support and funding.

Pictured: A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people, at Kabul airport on August 27, 2021

Significantly, they will continue to construct military installations in the South China Sea, to bully and intimidate their neighbours and to threaten Taiwan. All the while building relationships and financial leverage globally, through the Belt and Road initiative, which involves Chinese investment in 70 countries in Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

This Western retreat will add to their belief that this is their time. And perhaps they are right.

Perhaps the pictures on our TV screens do foreshadow a fundamental shift in global power.

After Iraq and Afghanistan, I wonder how long it will be before any American President risks another major international intervention in pursuit of a better world.

In February 1941, Henry Luce, the founder of Time magazine and champion of American internationalism, published a famous editorial entitled The American Century, calling on it to lead the world and transform international relations through the application of American principles.

Were he alive today, I wonder what he would be thinking?
Amid the blood-spattered horrors of Kabul, perhaps the most startling response has been an outpouring of warlike passion from disaffected young Western men. But theyre not backing Western soldiers. Theyre cheering on the Taliban.

Far-Right groups are gloating. One user on an online message board called the toppled Western-backed Afghan government globohomo-clownworld. He characterised this as powered by liberalism, consumerism, secularism, usury, democracy, global capitalism and most of all, feminism/womens rights/womens liberation.

Such men consider abhorrent this value system that an America-led coalition spent trillions of dollars trying to instil, via two decades of Afghan nation-building.

These alienated men hate all of it  the whole woke world view, from racial tolerance to LGBT rights to feminism. And theyre lionising the Taliban as heroic anti-woke freedom fighters.

One meme circulating on social media as Kabul fell depicted barefoot Taliban fighters next to a photo of American soldiers wearing high heels for a PR stunt, mockingly connecting Western support for gender-bending to a failure of military competence. And, above all else, these angry Western men detest feminism.

Taliban fighters patrol the streets armed with weapons in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Saturday

Following the American retreat, one far-Right forum member highlighted a report that an Afghan woman had been shot for refusing to don the hijab. He commented: Whores get what they deserve.

Another claimed that all women secretly want to be oppressed, stating that soon every Afghan female will embrace their natural place and start to be happy like they havent been in the last 20 years.

Others dream of imposing Islam-style modesty for women in the West. One high-profile anonymous Twitter account suggested that after the pandemic ends, women should continue to wear face masks. Islam is right about women, he declared.

A small minority of young Western men, then, see the Wests enemies as heroic freedom fighters against a despised regime.

The Taliban are lionised not just in homophobic, antisemitic and misogynistic terms but as icons of manliness. One common image is the Chad, a stereotypically hyper-masculine man. And with the fall of Kabul, Talichad images began to appear, adapting the Chad with an Afghan-style turban and beard.

There has been a call for an Aryan Talichad empire to free the world from the yolk [sic] of LGBT. The Taliban is epic, said another. As soon as we left, the Taliban took over the country in like 12 hours.

A US Marine carries a baby as a family is processed through the evacuation control centre at an airport in Kabul

Ill be the first to condemn this swamp of hatred  and, of course, there is a danger that in discussing it, the noxious opinions reach a wider audience. But just think for a moment about what it implies. Far from feeling a patriotic love for their own culture and nation, a minority of fighting-age Western men viscerally hate it.

Theyre looking at images of gun-waving men in a violent, war-torn wasteland where women can be beaten with impunity. And theyre not horrified. Theyre envious.

So how did we get here?

Mainstream public culture has changed immeasurably over even my adult life. Aged 18 and working in a pub, I was told by the landlady that sexist remarks on my appearance were part and parcel of the job. These days, Id have grounds to take her to court on sex discrimination charges.

We have more female MPs than ever. Half of all doctors are female. More women than men go to university. Big companies publish gender pay gap data.

Across the West, you can be fired for being lecherous to women, or saying unkind things about LGBT people: in July, a teacher was fired from a Surrey school for referring to a transgender pupil as that.

Even the American military industry is now run by women. Defence manufacturing behemoths Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman all have female CEOs. Its difficult to find mainstream cultural imagery that doesnt at least superficially support the girlboss consensus.

U.S. service members assist the Department of State with a non-combatant evacuation operation in Afghanistan on Saturday

Gillette faced a backlash in 2019 for lecturing its (male) customers on toxic masculinity. Nike, a company that (according to its own reports) makes twice as much money from selling menswear as womenswear, ran a campaign that featured a pink-haired teenage girl sneering at patriarchy.

If youre a middle-class white woman, as I am, this is all greatly to your advantage. But clearly not everyone is on board.

When a 22-year-old man shot dead five people in Plymouth earlier this month, his horrifying actions were widely connected to his radicalisation by an ideology spread by the same men lionising the Taliban.

The shootings prompted an outbreak of Nice White Women on TV, talking about toxic masculinity and the poisonous bigotry of radicalised far-Right online cultures.

But the only cure usually available to deal with such disaffection is a mixture of therapy and repression. As one feminist cartoon put it, more mental-health resources plus a redoubling of efforts to strangle misogyny at the root.

But if education was the answer to creating egalitarian young men, we wouldnt be where we are.

De-industrialisation has driven an increasingly feminised education and employment landscape. Traditional sources of male employment have been replaced by service-economy and caring roles, where physical strength and camaraderie take second place and soft skills are all-important.

To meet these changing employment needs, schools turned away from teaching knowledge in a disciplined, competitive environment in favour of teaching soft skills. Teachers are 70 per cent female  82 per cent so at primary level.

Pictured: A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people, at Kabul airport on August 27, 2021

And yet somehow this isnt translating into universal male adoption of a more feminine  or feminist  mindset. Instead, boys are tuning out: girls now consistently outperform boys at school.

Meanwhile, as the youth unemployment rate has soared over the pandemic, its hit young men far harder than young women.

Amid rising unemployment, these alienated, embittered young men spend their days marinated in violent, misogynistic pornography and violently sexist computer games. They see shrinking opportunities, contempt for masculine role models, and a world that appears to hate them. Small wonder, perhaps, that such men look enviously at Afghanistan, the one place in the world where a cartoonish woman-hating machismo looks to be winning.

Just as they tried in Afghanistan, our Moral Betters have sought to impose liberal democracy and woke feminism from the top down here. And like in Afghanistan, theyve failed to win hearts and minds. Instead, theyve created a paper-thin fake consensus over a boiling pit of angry resentment.

You dont have to agree with those posting Talichad memes to think this an ominous state of affairs. And, I fear, it will be our daughters wholl pay the price.

Mary Harrington is a columnist for UnHerd.
The one downside of holidays is that you wait ages for one and then, unlike buses, three dont arrive at once, says Alexandra Shulman (pictured above)

The one downside of holidays is that you wait ages for one and then, unlike buses, three dont arrive at once.

Instead, blink and suddenly youre home as if youd never left, fretting about the dying dahlias and back sitting on the same sofa scrolling your way through Netflix.

Weve just spent ten days in Greece, which, like all successful holidays, has prompted me to dream of a change of lifestyle  swapping grimy London for the quayside of a warm Aegean island where I could spend hours watching the boats pass.

Not that I much enjoy the reality of being on a boat  Im the woman who was so frightened of the Thames that, in the days when the Telegraph group had little boats to ferry their staff up to the newly installed HQ at Canary Wharf, I had to be decanted downriver at Tower Bridge.

But what I do love is the hypnotic, timelessness of the way they glide past, whether theyre a massive ferry or a tiny fishermans caique.

Greece is such a seafaring nation that its impossible not to be aware of the importance of boats of every kind.

At some point all conversations turn to the sea  the winds that maroon the holiday yachts in the Cyclades, the closure of the Corinth Canal due to a landslide, the huge increase in container shipping revenue this year.

Its as much a part of the daily chat as the British weather. And just as compelling when youre there.

Weve just spent ten days in Greece, which, like all successful holidays, has prompted me to dream of a change of lifestyle, writes Shulman (file photo of Athens)

Heres one Harry we should all copy

Im not attempting to compete with my fellow Mail on Sunday writer Piers Morgan on the celebrity holiday companion front (how could anyone?), but the other day I found myself having a drink alongside the very friendly Harry Theoharis, the Greek minister for tourism.

When we parted, he gave us his mobile number in case we needed it on our island-hopping travels.

On a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that his British counterpart would do the same?

Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis is pictured speaking during an interview in Athens, Greece, on March 10 this year

My suitcase is just a clothes museum

Most of us already have holiday wardrobes  those familiar clothes brought into the light of day only once or twice a year, for the annual trip to the sun.

But does that stop us wanting to add to them when were away? Of course not.

Holiday shopping, particularly for women, is a huge part of the enjoyment and we often justify it to ourselves with the idea that we can scoop up something impossible to find back home.

This is naturally nonsense, since almost everything can be found online now. But who cares?

Theres nothing like finding something gorgeous and wearing it for the first time after showering off a day in the sun.

My own huge collection of holiday clothes is now beginning to qualify for museum status, so elderly are some of the items I cant bring myself to get rid of.

I can see it all now on display behind glass: red bias-cut skirt  provenance S. Italian market 20th Century. Greek striped linen shirt thought to be have been worn over swimwear, approx 1989. Blue cotton T-shirt, possibly once white, 1990s. From the collection of Alexandra Shulman, 20th Century journalist and holidaymaker.

Theres nothing like finding something gorgeous and wearing it for the first time after showering off a day in the sun, writes Shulman (file photo)

Covid tests make me feel so negative...

Alongside holiday shopping, theres now the mandatory business of Covid testing to occupy our time.

Self-administered lateral flow tests are pretty simple, but even so there was a moment, as we sat in our hotel room juggling little sticks and samples and completing endless forms, that was fraught.

What if we dropped the plastic tube? What if we sullied the sticks? And, most importantly, what if, instead of the single line we were expecting to show up on the tester, the dreaded double appeared? What if we tested positive?

I have no idea what we would have done. Even being two well-prepared travellers, we had absolutely no plan B for that possibility.

And neither, I expect, do most people.

Alongside holiday shopping, theres now the mandatory business of Covid testing to occupy our time (file photo)

I rode an e-bike all the way to heaven

For years I refused to buy an automatic car on the grounds that, without gear and clutch activity, it wasnt real driving.

Ive felt similarly about electric bikes  until now. Riding one around the hills of Poros has provoked the same evangelic conversion as found in ex-smokers.

What heaven it is to think you are exercising without exerting yourself at all, and getting the smug satisfaction of being all eco-friendly to boot. Im already investigating buying one for the city, although whether it will have quite the same appeal when Im negotiating Londons Hyde Park Corner in the rain remains to be seen.

Its a very black day for taramasalata

Last week there was a shortage of fresh whitebait and anchovies on the menu, explained to us as being due to the full Moon.

Apparently, these small fish swim much deeper at this point in the lunar calendar and escape not only the Moons illuminating brilliance but the trawling nets too.

Instead we were served black taramasalata in one restaurant. It looked like squid jelly, although my one mouthful proved it tasted similar to the usual white or pink version. Nevertheless I confess I found the unexpected colour completely offputting.

It reminded me of an art gallery dinner I once went to on a rooftop in the small emirate of Sharjah. The menu was colour-themed  the first course all white, the second red, the third black  or something like that.

At any rate, it all tasted disgusting because a plate of single-colour food looked completely unfamiliar and unrecognisable, even if the flavours werent so strange.

Taste, it turns out, is deeply connected to sight.

Why airport queues are just childs play

Passengers are pictured queuing at UK Border Control in Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, London, on June 29 this year

It seemed churlish to balk at the queues at Heathrow arrivals, in comparison with the horrendous images at Kabul airport. But that didnt stop a lot of eye-rolling, foot-stomping and muttering from the adults waiting in line.

In contrast, the many small children stood patiently and quietly, making no fuss at all as their parents humphed and grumped their slow way to the front.

Incidentally, we werent once asked to show either our negative Covid tests or our painstakingly compiled passenger locator forms.
'To those that carried out the attack, know this - we will not forgive, we will not forget and we will hunt you down and make you pay.'

Resolute words from the US President in response to this week's devastating terrorist attack in Kabul.

But words alone cannot hide the uncomfortable truth: our world is now a more dangerous place than it was just a month ago.

Why?

Because President Biden's decision to follow through on Donald Trump's election promise to 'bring our troops home' was made with little thought as to what might happen next.

The carnage that now unfolds illustrates what a monumental own goal this has been leaving the US and indeed the West with diminished credibility and influence.

Afghanistan is now a more dangerous adversary than when we arrived there.

President Biden's decision to follow through on Donald Trump's election promise to 'bring our troops home' was made with little thought as to what might happen next, writes Tobias Ellwood

Biden has gifted the Taliban $85 billion worth of abandoned US military equipment, including 600,000 weapons, 75,000 vehicles and 200 aircraft.

The Taliban now have more Black Hawk attack helicopters than 85% of the world's countries.

Worse, the President claims that leaving Afghanistan enables us to focus on the bigger geo-political threats of China and Russia.

But look where Afghanistan sits - squarely between the two. China and Russia are already stepping into our shoes, ready and willing to finance and bolster the very people that allowed 9/11 to happen.

And we will know little because, most critically, we have lost complete intelligence oversight of their plans as we have lost our eyes and ears on the ground.

Now the country is in play again, we have no traction. US money, which propped up three-quarters of the Afghan Government's annual budget, is gone.

But China has already offered $60 billion for access to the country's rich mineral resources.

It was not as if Afghanistan was a terrible drain of the West's blood and treasure.

Only 2,000 troops remained. Combat operations had ended in 2014.

Yes, Afghanistan was messy, corrupt and the governance model we imposed totally inappropriate.

But things were plodding in the right direction. It was entirely the wrong moment to withdraw troops.

In short, we have cut and run. We have armed our enemy and handed them to Presidents Xi and Putin, our historic rivals.

Pictured: People injured in twin explosions at Kabul airport on August 26 are take to hospital. More than 180 people were killed in the attack

If this isn't what defeat looks like, I don't know what does.

The magnitude of this single presidential decision is likely to be a turning point in the West's ability and desire to form alliances as a force for good.

What a complete contrast to the energy and resolve of the G7 summit where Biden declared 'America is Back.'

It has also shone a spotlight on how reactionary British foreign policy has become, lacking the bandwidth to offer our own strategic input.

The so-called 'special relationship' isn't very special at a time, post-Brexit, when we need it to be close, effective and global in reach and ambition.

I can confirm the back channels are not what they used to be.

We have been kept out of the loop on all the strategic decisions involved in the deciding to withdraw.

Our own ability to influence the Taliban is reduced to holding back aid spend if a ruthless interpretation of sharia law is pursued.

But this will hold little sway given that much of this money is directed to supporting women's education and employment projects.

So, it perfectly suits the Taliban's narrative to see the programmes fold.

This is therefore a completely empty threat. We have lost all our leverage.

And the Taliban will now turn to China for financial support who, given their own human rights track record, will place few conditions - other than securing access to Afghanistan's vast lithium deposits and other rare earth metals.

My frustration about where we are today is all the more bitter because I am a supporter of President Biden. I welcomed his election victory, ending the dangerous isolationist policies of his predecessor.

I was born in the States.

What is a surprise is how, like Trump, Biden (pictured) makes his own key decisions rather than Obama's more consensual approach

I'm a dual national and have worked hard to develop friendships with both Democrats and Republicans. Indeed, I worked with Joe Biden before his Presidential candidacy on veteran's mental health issues. He was my special guest at a veterans event in the House of Commons.

It's therefore with great sadness that I say his decision to withdraw now from Afghanistan is a huge geo-strategic blunder that can only benefit our enemies as well as heighten the threat of terrorism around the world.

It's now 20 years since the twin towers fell and we had to confront the threat of global terrorism  a direct assault on our values.

Similar attacks, smaller in scale, now take place on a regular drum beat, across the world.

Yet, by leaving Afghanistan we are further away than ever from overcoming the extremist ideology where a suicide bomber believes he will be fast tracked to paradise if he is willing to conduct such attacks.

We can drone strike as many as many ISIL-K as we like but the threat will persist and the attacks will continue.

To be fair. the President is nothing if not consistent.

He was a critic of the troop surge in Afghanistan under President Obama so perhaps his decision now should come as no surprise.

What is a surprise is how, like Trump, Biden makes his own key decisions rather than Obama's more consensual approach.

Thanks to a single decision the world is indeed a more dangerous place today.

With global power bases shifting, and adversaries enjoying the West in such chaos - what happens next could have serious repercussions for the next few decades.

And so much will depend upon Joe Biden.

We need to step up as the US's closest security ally to give backbone to a West now drifting and gifting global leadership to countries whose purpose is to destroy the liberal, international order we have struggled so hard to build since the end of the Cold War.

History never sleeps.

We must ensure we are not dozing our way to not just irrelevance. but also danger.
The retreat is almost over, the humiliation complete. Now the question facing Western leaders is something that would have been inconceivable just a few months ago: Can we do deals with the Taliban?

Many will still find it unimaginable that the West could even consider negotiating with the heirs of the barbarians who facilitated the 9/11 atrocity.

Because of the Talibans record of supporting Al Qaedas terrorism in the past and, in the last few days, their brutal repression out of sight of the Western media, it seems utterly immoral to have anything to do with the new government in Afghanistan.

Yet, unpopular though it may be in the traumatic aftermath of the Wests debacle, we have to try to rescue what we can from the disaster.

We have to negotiate with them to try to save the lives of those poor souls we left behind, as well as to prevent the country from again becoming a haven and training ground for terrorists intent on attacking the West.

Unpopular though it may be in the traumatic aftermath of the Wests debacle, we have to try to rescue what we can from the disaster. Pictured: Taliban fighters in control of the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul

Of course, after our humiliating retreat, our leverage is very weak. Threats of sanctions and other financial strangleholds could simply encourage the Taliban to deal with the Chinese and Russians who would happily take advantage of any new influence they could secure. And the fact is the Taliban might not want to deal with us at all.

Yet there are incentives for the new regime in Kabul to be less brutally blinkered in its approach to dealing with the West than its predecessors 20 years ago.

One of the things that led to a flow of popular support from the corrupt former government to the Taliban was the economic plight of so many Afghans.

Drought has left millions dependent on international food aid. Keeping that aid flowing from the West and the prospect of getting Afghanistans money held in foreign banks gives the Taliban an incentive to restrain hardliners wanting to confront the world.

We also have an enemy in common. The Taliban loathe the even more hardline Islamic State  or Isis-K  group. Taliban fighters executed the local Isis-K leader when they captured him in Bagram prison, and they are only too aware that the attack on Kabul airport was aimed at destabilising the Taliban as well as murdering the US soldiers and departing Afghans there.

Kabul is already mindful of a massive refugee crisis on its borders, particularly with Pakistan  a country that helped foster the Taliban. Pictured: Members of the British and US military engage in the evacuation of people out of Kabul

Certainly, there are hideous fundamentalist dogmas shared by both Taliban and Isis-K, but the new Taliban leaders seem anxious to avoid the mistakes of their predecessors in 2001. Whereas Isis-K wants to re-use Afghanistan as a base to attack the West, the Taliban want to avoid provoking another Western intervention.

The Taliban are well aware of what has changed since 2001. More than half the population has been born since then. The younger generation grew up loathing the corrupt Ghani regime and did not want to fight for it, but these young people have also been socialised by mobile phones and social media rather than in rigid Islamic madrassas.

Keeping hordes of discontented, jobless young people from becoming a problem is a priority. Letting some of these unhappy people emigrate is one way to keep a lid on things while appeasing Western concerns.

Many will still find it unimaginable that the West could even consider negotiating with the heirs of the barbarians who facilitated the 9/11 atrocity. Pictured: The World Trade Center in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in 2001

Kabul is already mindful of a massive refugee crisis on its borders, particularly with Pakistan  a country that helped foster the Taliban  which said this weekend that the West must engage with the new Afghan government to ensure it remains moderate.

The fact is that the West has to engage. We have to make best use of the few carrots we have  like aid money and diplomatic recognition  to reduce the terrorist threat.

Since our diplomats have long dealt with fundamentalist regimes like Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office should be able to adapt to the Talibans new norms. It is depressing to admit defeat but swallowing our pride could still rescue something from the horror.

Mark Almond is director of The Crisis Research Institute, Oxford.
Melanie Wood (pictured), from Perth, quit her office job to work at a gold mine

A 'city girl' has revealed how she went from 'living paycheck to paycheck' to earning a six-figure salary after she quit the rat race to work at a gold mine.

Melanie Wood, from Perth, was working as an administration assistant for a strata management company when she made the career switch at the age of 45.

'I just felt stuck, I craved adventure and wanted to do something way out of my comfort zone,' Melanie, now aged 47, told Daily Mail Australia.

'I was only just getting by at my office job in the city, living paycheck to paycheck.'

When she was offered a mining role in the Western Australian goldfields, a 10-hour drive from her home, she decided to turn her back on her nine-to-five job for gruelling 10-hour shifts working in scorching temperatures of up to 49C.

'I quit my job to move 900km away to a remote town called Leonora to find gold - something I knew nothing about. Everyone thought I was crazy to leave my comfortable life and secure job to move to the middle of nowhere,' she said.

When she was offered a mining role at the Western Australian goldfields, a 10-hour drive from her home, she decided to turn her back on her nine-to-five job for a gruelling 10-hour shift working in scorching temperatures of up to 49C

While it's physically hard work, Melanie said it's 'rewarding' when she finds gold

The 'city girl' was working an administration assistant for a strata management company when she made the career switch at the age of 45

On her first day of work, Melanie said she was told she 'wouldn't last a day out here' because she was working in a predominately male industry.

'People were saying "it's a man's world" but it just made me more determined to push through and succeed,' she said.

Just one week after she moved, she found herself having 'nowhere to live' because the mine site was forced to shut indefinitely due to a Covid-19 lockdown.

'Instead of going home with my tail between my legs I decided to stay, live off my savings and learn everything I could about gold mining,' Melanie said.

'I slept in a swag as the job on the mine site I originally came up for was also my accommodation - but they shut down production. I slept outside under a wooden pergola for the first few months and showered under a hose.'

Melanie said she quit her job to 10 hours away to a remote town called Leonora to find gold

On her first day of work, Melanie said she was told she 'wouldn't last a day out here' because she was working in such a predominately male industry

For the first few months, she slept in a swag outside under a wooden pergola (pictured)

Melanie said she struggled with the heat at first - but she wanted to prove everyone she could work just as hard as men.

'It was a bit overwhelming at first. Summers here are brutal with temperatures reaching 49 degrees and the millions of flies added to the equation,' she said.

'My team works 10 hours a day and it's physically hard work, but when you see gold at the end of a shift it's so rewarding.

'The first time I went metal detecting and found a nugget, I was hooked. Digging up a piece of gold that has been in the ground for millions of years is an incredible feeling.'

Her job involves digging up pieces of gold that have been in the ground for millions of years

Melanie said she struggled with the heat at first - but she wanted to prove everyone she could work just as hard as men

Fast forward 16 months, Melanie said she's 'loving' her life working as a gold miner with her typical day starting at 6.30am and finishing by 4.30pm

Fast forward 16 months, Melanie said she's 'loving' her life with her typical day starting at 6.30am and finishing by 4.30pm.

'I'm on a six-figure income, my quality of life is so much better and I don't miss driving in peak hour traffic every day,' she said.

'I love the freedom out here, the animals and the sunsets are just amazing, every day is different and I'm still learning so much.

'I have learnt to drive a loader, operate an excavator, pan for gold, and run a processing plant.'

Melanie said she met her British partner Alex who has been gold mining for years after moving to Western Australia from Cornwall.

'He has taught me all there is to know about gold and gold mining,' she said.

She now runs her own small mine site where she has taken on various roles - including welding, servicing equipment and operating the processing plant to recover gold

By sharing her extraordinary story, Melanie said she wanted to 'show off this beautiful part of the world' and see more women move into the mining industry

Melanie now runs her own small mine site where she has taken on various 'male dominated' roles including welding, driving a loader, operating an excavator, servicing equipment and operating the processing plant to recover gold.

'I plan to hire more women up here as I build my business and my goal is to purchase more leases to mine,' Melanie said.

A mining lease gives the holder the exclusive right to mine for minerals over a specific area of land.

By sharing her extraordinary story, Melanie - who calls herself a 'gold digger' on Instagram where she documents her gold discoveries - said she wants to 'show off this beautiful part of the world' and see more women move into the mining industry.

'I would love to see more woman working up here, they bring a different dynamic and I believe the stereotypical miner being a masculine role is in the past. If I can learn how to do it I feel anyone can, anything is possible,' she said.

'My advice to anyone is to not give up at the first hurdle, learn as much as you can and don't be scared to try something new.'
With spring just around the corner, an interior stylist has offered her ultimate guide to choosing the perfect houseplants for every room in your home.

Tara Solberg, from New South Wales, rounded up the best indoor plants, ranging from a classic peace lily in the bedroom to an air purifying snake plant in the kitchen.

'Having plants in your home promotes wellbeing and clean living, especially now that we're spending a lot of time at home,' Tara said.

If there's plenty of natural lighting in your home, she suggested going 'all out' to create an indoor oasis with lush potted and hanging plants and cascading greenery.

Australian interior stylist Tara Solberg (pictured) has offered her ultimate guide to finding the perfect houseplants for every room in your home

Bedroom: A classic peace lily (pictured) helps improve air quality and oxygenate the room

BEDROOMS

The founder of Australian homeware brand Few & Far said your bedroom should always be 'comforting' and 'relaxing'.

'It's a place for you to rest and rejuvenate. With this in mind, the greenery you select for this sacred space must promote a sense of tranquility and calm,' she explained.

Consider plants associated with aromatherapy like lavender or jasmine to boost your mood or promote restorative sleep.

If fragrance isn't your thing, choose something to improve air quality and oxygenate the room like a classic peace lily.

'Plants from the Chinese evergreen family don't thrive in a draft or any wind, so they're perfect for a bedroom where the air is still and calm,' she said.

In the kitchen, Tara suggested keeping a small potted snake plant (right) and herbs (left)

KITCHEN

In the kitchen, Tara suggested keeping a small potted snake plant because of its ability to 'filter the air of some of the harmful toxins caused by cleaning products'.

Growing fresh herbs in the kitchen will not only transform the space with greenery, but will offer easy snipping distance when you're in the middle of cooking.

If you want to include a pop of colour in your bathroom, add an exotic orchid like a purple phalaenopsis

'Keep a couple of essentials like basil or mint near a sunny window or style them next to your basin,' she said.

BATHROOM AND LAUNDRY

In the bathroom or laundry, she said any plants you include will need be those that thrive in a hot, humid environment and can tolerate low, indirect light.

'So, straight away, you can rule out any succulents and cacti,' she said.

Ferns are absolutely perfect for bathrooms. The maidenhair fern or devil's ivy are two particularly pretty plants, especially when its delicate little leaves drape over the edge of a pot.'

If you want to include a pop of colour in your bathroom, especially if you're renting or the bathroom has been made all-white, she said you should consider adding a collection of exotic orchids like a purple phalaenopsis or bright yellow potinara.

'They thrive in humid settings and, when cared for correctly, will produce colourful blooms each and every year,' Tara said.

In the bathroom or laundry, Tara recommended maidenhair ferns (pictured) because they thrive in a hot, humid environment and can tolerate low, indirect light

HOME OFFICE

For the home office, Tara said plants should not be 'too big that they impede the way you work' or 'encroach on your eyeline' because you run the risk of becoming too distracted.

'For this reason, you might like to keep a small, green plant on the side of your desk or hanging above your computer. Consider placing succulents for your tabletop and devils ivy, air plants or hoya plants for hanging,' she said.

In the living room, Tara said you should consider styling with statement plants like a rubber fig (pictured) or an indoor palm tree

'Jade plants are also great because they are said to contain "chi", or positive energy, and when it comes to the past 12 months, this is something of which we can all use a little more.'

LIVING ROOM

In the living room, Tara said you should consider styling with statement plants because you have a bigger space to play with than bedrooms or kitchen.

'It is important to consider how the plant will appear in the living room both vertically and as part of the floor plan overall,' she said.

'Embrace playfulness and scale. Vast, tall potted palms are perfect in the living space, because they can add life and colour to an unused corner in the room.

'If your living room doesn't allow for a large pot, you might like to include smaller, more manageable houseplants like the rubber or cast-iron varieties that can sit atop feature planter stands.'
Iconic Melbourne bakery Lune has confirmed it will bring its world-famous croissants to Sydney, after lengthy delays cast doubt over its arrival in the Harbour City.

The renowned croissanterie - widely touted by food critics as the best in the world - was due to launch in New South Wales in August 2021, but problems on the construction site slapped the brakes on its interstate expansion.

Co-founder Cam Reid, who opened the flagship store with his sister, Kate, in Fitzroy in 2015, confirmed on Friday that the Sydney branch should open in 'late 2022 or early 2023, but stayed tight-lipped on the location.

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Iconic Melbourne bakery Lune has confirmed it will bring its world-famous croissants to Sydney after lengthy delays cast doubt over its arrival in the Harbour City

The renowned croissanterie - widely touted by critics as the best in the world - was due to launch in NSW in August 2021, but problems on the construction site slapped the brakes on its interstate expansion

'The site in Sydney requires a lot of restoration,' Kate told Broadsheet.

'Delays started happening - one month, two months, six months. Suddenly, we had...all of these processes in place ready to go north and expand, but the site wasn't available.'

Things moved faster further north in Queensland, which got its first taste of Lune's magic with the opening of a new store in South Brisbane on August 5.

Hundreds of hungry Brisbanites queued for hours to get their hands on the croissants in the midst of a seven-day Covid shutdown earlier this month.

A long line of customers outside the Lune Croissanterie in Brisbane on August 5, 2021. The queue stretched for more than 350m down the street and around the block at one point as the world-renowned bakery opened its first branch in the city

Long lines of pastry fans were pictured outside the Lune Croissanterie in South Brisbane as staff opened its doors for the first time on August 5.

At one point the queue stretched for more than 350 metres down Manning Street and around the block.

Punters hoping to try the famous croissants queued from as early 5.30am to be first in line for the grand opening at 7.30am.

Lune co-founder Kate Reid said staff were told to give customers outside the Brisbane branch clear instructions about social distancing requirements.

'We've got staff stationed down the line setting the expectation of how customers will need to interact with the line in order to get served,' she said.

'We have also liaised with the police to check with them if they had any problems.

Punters outside the Lune Croissanterie wait in line to try one of the 'world's best croissants'

'We showed them our plan and invited them to come and check and they have been incredibly happy with what we're doing.'

She said the bakery has more than a year of experience operating in Melbourne during Victoria's first and second waves.

'We take it super seriously because one case or one infection shuts it down, it costs us so we take it incredibly seriously,' she said.

The Sydney store is sure to draw crowds when it finally launches if the response to the Brisbane bakery is anything to go by.

Lune has been catching the attention of chefs and international pastry makers for many years, with a 2016 New York Times article asking: 'Is the world's best croissant made in Australia?'

Lune's croissants (pictured) have been catching the attention of chefs and international pastry makers for many years

Kate Reid used her background as a Formula 1 aerodynamicist and a stint studying pastry-making in Paris to produce buttery, flaky croissants that have become a Melbourne institution

Originally opened in a hole-in-the-wall in Elwood in 2012, Kate Reid used her background as a Formula 1 aerodynamicist and a stint studying pastry-making in Paris to produce buttery, flaky croissants that have become a Melbourne institution.

In 2015 she opened Lune's flagship store in a converted warehouse on Rose Street in Fitzroy, which was quickly followed by a smaller store in Melbourne CBD.

Earlier this year, the team took over a second space on Rose Street and launched Moon, a sister bakery that makes nothing but 'crullers', a braided cousin of the deep-fried doughnut popular in the US and Canada.

Locked-down foodies are standing in line for up to an hour to get their hands on one of six signature flavours: vanilla glaze, cappuccino, chocolate, raspberry/passionfruit and cinnamon

Kate brought the idea from New York where she was first introduced to the cruller in 2016 by New York Times food critic, Oliver Strand, Broadsheet reported.

The semi-permanent pop-up serves six flavours - vanilla glaze, cappuccino, dark chocolate, raspberry and passionfruit and cinnamon sugar with a touch of ground cardamom - for $5.50 a piece.

Since opening just 250 metres from Lune on May 28, Moon has played host to queues of customers that snake their way down the full length of Rose Street from 7.30am on Thursdays and Fridays, and 8.30am on Saturdays and Sundays.

Instagram is filled with photos of crullers which are often accompanied by cups of coffee, hot chocolate and chai latte from Moon's in-house brand, Coffee Supreme.

Instagram is filled with photos of crullers which are often accompanied by cups of coffee, hot chocolate and chai latte from Moon's in-house brand, Coffee Supreme

Moon crullers (pictured) are being fried just 250 metres from the original Lune Croissanterie

Fans have been gushing about the pastries in excited posts since the bakery served its first customer just 12 days ago.

'Went to the Moon today, lucky it was within my 10km radius. All I have to say is, it was worth the one hour wait,' one woman wrote.

Another added: 'Never thought I'd end up queuing up for more than an hour but f**k, worth it.'
Australian 'van lifers' travelling the country to escape Covid lockdown are stopping at a secluded spot that's home to one of the country's 'most beautiful untouched beaches'.

Tucked away off the beaten track in Denmark, 442 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia, Waterfall Beach is a quiet oasis where pristine white sand meets sparkling turquoise water.

The beach gets its name from a waterfall that courses through rugged bushland and spills over the rocks down onto the sand - but only in winter.

This is the perfect time of year to see the scene in its prime, though it might be too chilly for swimming with average August temperatures of just 14 degrees.

Australian 'van lifers' travelling the country to escape Covid lockdown are stopping at a secluded spot that's home to one of the country's 'most beautiful untouched beaches'

Tucked away off the beaten track in Denmark, WA, Waterfall Beach is a quiet oasis where pristine white sand meets sparkling turquoise water

The beach boasts dozens of five star reviews on TripAdvisor, with many saying it is 'well worth' the almost five-hour drive from Perth.

'This little beach is not easily accessed but is well worth the effort,' one visitor wrote.

A second added: 'Beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, great for swimming. The colour of the water was a vivid light blue.'

A photo of the beach uploaded to Instagram page, Let's Get Outta Here, by travelling couple Kurt and Carly drew stunned responses, with many saying they had put it top of their Western Australia bucket list.

'Dream scenes,' one woman wrote.

'Absolutely beautiful,' said a second, while a third added: 'This looks like a magazine.'

Travellers who have visited the beach advise getting there first thing in the morning to avoid crowds, especially during school holidays and high season from March to May.

The beach gets its name from a waterfall that courses through rugged bushland and spills over the rocks down onto the sand throughout the winter

The beach boasts dozens of five star reviews on TripAdvisor, with many saying it is 'well worth' the almost five-hour drive from Perth

Waterfall Beach, 442 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia

Waterfall Beach is just one of many domestic destinations drawing record numbers of visitors while Australia's international border remains shut.

On the east coast, adventure-starved Aussies have been flocking to a spectacular oasis hidden in the Queensland highlands.

The stunning waterhole that looks like a natural swimming pool is tucked away in Blackdown Tableland National Park, 814 kilometres north-west of Brisbane - but you won't find it marked on a map.

The twin pools sit 240 steps below Rainbow Falls and can only be reached by walking down a steep path hewn into the forest by footsteps.

On the east coast, adventure-starved Aussies have been flocking to a spectacular oasis (pictured) hidden in the Queensland highlands

The twin pools (pictured) sit 240 steps below Rainbow Falls in Blackdown Tableland National Park and can only be reached by walking down a steep path hewn into the forest by footsteps

How to reach the swimming 'oasis' in Blackdown Tableland 1. Walk to Rainbow Falls (Gudda Gumoo), following signposts all the way. 2. Once you get to a sign that says '240 steps down to the falls', take a right and follow the path that has been created by footsteps. 3. Follow it until you reach the pools. Travellers advise heading first thing in the morning to avoid crowds. Source: Let's Get Outta Here Advertisement

Travelling couple Kurt and Carly learned about the swimming spot on Wikipedia and said they were blown away by its unspoiled beauty.

'It was one of the most unique waterholes we have visited, we loved that it wasnt overcrowded,' Carly told Daily Mail Australia.

Others agreed, with one woman who recently visited the spot insisting photos don't do it justice.

'What a place! When we drove out here on a long corrugated road to the middle of nowhere we werent sure what to expect,' she wrote on Instagram

'We were so surprised to find that this place looked exactly like (if not better than) the photos.'

Rising above a sea of sand dunes and dry desert landscape, Blackdown Tableland National Park is a lush oasis brimming with colourful animals, thundering waterfalls and spectacular views.

The park can be explored by taking a scenic loop around almost a dozen breathtaking lookouts, but it's only suitable for 4WD or specialised off-road vehicles.

Photos of the park and its enchanting swimming spots have drawn stunned responses on social media, racking up thousands of 'likes' and hundreds of comments from travellers eager to visit.

'This looks amazing,' one woman wrote.

'So keen to get here,' said a second, while a third added: 'What a place!'
A concerned mother whose son is being bullied over his school lunches has been met with some witheringly blunt answers after asking for help on social media.

The woman, who is believed to live in the US, sought advice in a Facebook parenting group when her 10-year-old son admitted his classmates were 'making fun' of his packed lunch.

A photo of his lunchbox uploaded to the group shows a plastic container filled with grapes, a peach and two hardboiled eggs in cupcake cases, all chopped into halves.

The mother said she was baffled about why her son was being bullied, writing: 'Is there something I can do to help this? He seems to be picked on a lot.'

Her plea sparked dozens of 'mum shaming' comments, with many criticising her for treating her 10-year-old like a baby by cutting his food and packing it in paper cases, while others urged her to avoid sending eggs and other foul-smelling snacks.

A photo of the 10-year-old's lunchbox uploaded to the group shows a plastic container filled with grapes, a peach and two hardboiled eggs in cupcake cases, all chopped into halves

Poll Do you think there's anything wrong with the mother's lunches? Yes, her son is too old for cut-up food No, the snacks are balanced and nutritious Do you think there's anything wrong with the mother's lunches? Yes, her son is too old for cut-up food 1485 votes

No, the snacks are balanced and nutritious 1665 votes Now share your opinion





'Don't cut his grapes, don't use the cupcake liners and use a regular lunch box. Just being honest,' one woman wrote.

She added: 'Lunch looks great, but he's in fourth grade and a boy.'

'Why are you cutting his grapes? He's in fourth grade,' said a second.

'I wouldn't send boiled eggs, they smell. Also can you send an uncut peach? My kids like fruit whole, they're in third and fifth grade.'

But some defended the mother, insisting there was nothing wrong with the lunches she was making for her son.

'It looks delicious. The first thing you should do is let the school know there's an issue  there's noting wrong with his lunches,' one woman wrote.

Others encouraged the mother to ask her son to explain exactly what was being said to him so that she can identify the item that is causing the bullying.

'If it's a specific thing, say the egg, maybe the kids are saying 'it's stinky' and that's what is getting to them,' one woman said.

'Also ask him to tell you what the other kids are eating, just to understand the why  not to conform.'

Another agreed, urging the mother to 'ask ALL the questions'.

She added: 'Is it just playful picking, or actually being mean? I always try to dig in whenever my kids tell me something to get the actual story/full details.'
Prince Philip had a number of 'very close female friends', according to leading royal expert Robert Jobson, author of upcoming book Prince Philip's Century: The Extraordinary Life of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip, who died on April 9 this year aged 99, had various close friendships with women throughout his life, according to Jobson.

One woman - who Jobson declined to name - told him her relationship with the late Duke of Edinburgh was so close that 'people will think we went to bed together' - though she clarified that they never did.

He added that of his female friendships, the 'longest and most meaningful' Prince Philip had was with Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

Jobson made the comments while speaking on a recent episode of The Royal Beat on True Royalty TV.

Discussing some of the conversations he'd had with the women associated with the late Duke of Edinburgh while writing the book, Jobson said: 'Some of the quotes [are] from very close female friends that he had.

'One of them said, "People will think we went to bed together. But you know, we never did, but I had a real close physical chemical connection with him"'.

'It was a very bizarre quote, you know.'

According to the author, the Duke of Edinburgh's most enduring female friendship was likely with Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

Jobson said: 'He had several lady friends. But probably the longest and most meaningful was with Countess Mountbatten.

'The Queen accepted the friendship between the Duke and Penny, andit just shows you how mature the Queen was that she invited her to the funeral.

'There were very small numbers and there she was. I think that shows a degree of respect.'

Prince Philip, pictured here in 1953 wearing the uniform of Marshall of the Royal Air Force, reportedly shared close friendships with a number of women throughout his life

Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, shared an enduring friendship with the Duke of Edinburgh, according to a royal expert. She was one of the few guests at his funeral

Royal commentator Robert Jobson, author of an upcoming book about Prince Philip , described the Queen as 'mature' for inviting Countess Mountbatten to the funeral

Countess Mountbatten was one of just 30 mourners at his funeral on the April 17, as Covid restrictions meant the original guest list of 800 had to be slashed.

The Countess is also said to be a close friend of the Queen, 95. Informally known as 'Penny', she was introduced to the monarch and her husband in 1975.

While people speculated on his female friendships throughout his life, there is no evidence Prince Philip was unfaithful to the Queen, and in fact, the rumours seemed to annoy him.

Speaking to a journalist in 1992, he said: 'Have you ever stopped to think that, for the last 40 years, I have never moved anywhere without a policeman accompanying me?

'So how the hell could I get away with anything like that?'
A huge cannabis farm close to the Californian mansion of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is causing a major stink among the area's upmarket residents.

Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle, 40, moved into their 11 million mansion in the Californian enclave close to Santa Barbara in July 2020.

While the nine-bedroom luxury pad may appear to be the dream home, an entirely legal weed factory lies just 10 minutes down the road from the house they share with son Archie, two, and two month-old daughter Lilibet.

The farm has 20 large greenhouses full of the pungent plants, and many residents have made complaints about the distinctive smell, leading the Santa Barbara Coalition of Responsible Cannabis and Cannabis Association for Responsible Producers to promise they will install 'odour control systems'.

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Montecito is home to a number of celebrities - including Oprah Winfrey, who conducted an explosive interview with the couple earlier this year - but local residents aren't happy about the smell coming from a legal cannabis farm nearby

The smell is reportedly so bad that one local had to stop and pull over while driving down the road.

Gregory Gandrud, 60, told the Sunday Mirror: 'The stink was getting stronger and heading their way. I was driving along the freeway and was hit hard by the smell.

'It doesnt make you high but its not what you want driving at 70mph.

'I had to pull over. It made me completely lose my train of thought. Lots of people here are suffering.'

Speaking about the planned odour control measures, he added: 'This is good news for us, and Harry and Meghan.'

Richard Mineards, another neighbour, added: 'Growing cannabis near here became legal in 2016 and lots of growers jumped on the bandwagon.'

Harry and Meghan bought the 11 million California mansion this year after getting financial help from Prince Charles and taking out a mortgage. The pad is just a ten-minute drive from the weed farm

Both Harry and Meghan have allegedly partaken of marijuana in the past, with Prince Charles sending his youngest son to rehab aged 17, after learning he had smoked the drug.

And according to reports, Meghan handed out joints during her first wedding - when getting hitched to ex-husband Trevor Engelson - in Jamaica, in 2011.

Harry and Meghan's 16-bathroom home - which has a sauna, library, and cinema - is surrounded by celebrity neighbours, most prominently Oprah Winfrey, who lives in an enormous mansion nearby.

Oprah Winfrey - who conducted the couple's so-called 'bombshell' interview earlier this year, in which they made a number of allegations against the Royal Family - lives in a neighbouring huge multi-million home.

Notably, the couple's mansion is almost home to the bench Meghan immortalised in her 2021 children's book 'The Bench'.

Harry and Meghan's Montecito mansion - which has a staggering 16 bathrooms - is also home to the family's favourite bench, which was immortalised in Meghan's 2021 children's book of the same name

The missive, which contained just 169 words, was panned by critics, with the Telegraph branding it a 'semi literate vanity project'.

While it hit the top of the New York Times Bestseller list for children's picture books in the US, it failed to break the Top 50 sales chart in the UK, selling just 3,212 copies in its first week.
The BAFTA-award winning star of smash hit show Sex Education has revealed she once thought she was 'too ugly' to land major roles after being tormented by bullies.

Aimee Lou Wood, 26, from Stockport, returns in the latest series of the Netflix series, which airs in September, playing the character of Aimee Gibbs.

Ahead of the third series, the actor - who began her career in theatre - discussed some of the struggles she's had with self-image in the past, as well as her eating disorders.

Aimee revealed to the Observer how she used to be bullied over her appearance when she was younger, being picked on about her body and teeth.

Aimee Lou Wood, 26, from Manchester, plays the character of Aimee Gibbs in the smash hit Netflix series Sex Education. She recently discussed her body image issues

Wood told the Observer she used to think she 'looked too weird' to ever get a television role - she won the BAFTA for best female performance in a comedy programme in June

This led to the star, who attended top acting academy RADA before taking on meaty theatre roles at The National in London among others, believing she wouldn't get a TV job, saying she was 'too weird-looking'.

She added: 'Anyone who's been bullied knows what it's like to hear these things, to internalise it and turn it in on yourself and go "If I was just less ugly, just less this, just more this...".'

The rising star also struggled with anorexia and bulimia, saying that her eating disorders were often a reaction to being too much of a people-pleaser.

'I always know if I've had a particularly people please-y time,' she said. 'Suddenly, I'm not eating. Or I have that feeling, "I have to make myself sick!"

'You've compromised your integrity, or you've not expressed yourself, then its all built up, and its the inward "Here we go".'

Although the problem was noticed by staff at RADA - an intervention Aimee described as 'necessary' - she's still had some moments of self-doubt while filming Sex Education's sex scenes.

The star - who formerly dated co-star Connor Swindells (who plays Adam Goff) - also discussed how the show hired an intimacy coordinator to help actors and directors plan out their sex scenes.

Wood spotted earlier this year grabbing coffees while filming season 3 of Sex Education in Wales

This was helpful when filming a scene in which she masturbates - which she described as 'a bit awkward' as you 'don't have another actor to joke with'.

Speaking earlier this year on the Make It Reign podcast, Aimee admitted she worried about about how she looked during the shoot a short time after wrapping, saying the intimacy co-ordinator had warned her this could happen.

According to Aimee: 'The intimacy co-ordinator said sometimes you'll feel pretty exhilarated after you've just done the sex scene, then a day or two later you get a bit of a vulnerability hangover and you're like, "S**t!"

'So she checks in on us a day or two after we've filmed it to see how we're feeling. With the scene, I was so supported on set. But a couple of days later I was like, "Oh, my god!"

Earlier this year the star discussed having a 'major vulnerability hangover' after filming a masturbation scene for Sex Education. But she says the show's intimacy coordinator helped

Aimee added that filming the scene gave her a 'major vulnerability hangover', saying: 'I was like, "I look hideous, my a*** in the air, so unflattering".'

But she concluded that she was glad producers didn't airbrush anything, adding: 'Now I look back at that and think, "wow, great!".'

She scooped the gong for best female performance in a comedy programme at an awards ceremony in June and, aside from season 3 of the Netflix show launching, the actor now has several projects in the pipeline.

Among them is her first lead film role in 'Living', playing opposite Bill Nighy in the adaptation of a 1952 Japanese film Ikiru, as well as a smaller role in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy.
French millennials have apparently developed a penchant for naturism, seemingly as a way of trying to inject a little excitement into life while covid restrictions still reign.

Julien Claude-Penegry, spokesman of the Paris Naturist Association and co-author of the guide See France Naked, told the Le Parisien that naturism was on the rise across the country amongst young people aged between 18 and 25.

The author and experienced naturist said 30 per cent of the 2 million French people who like to bare all are under 30.

Traditionally, naturists have populated restricted beach areas where nudism is allowed and other designated areas, including its famous Village Naturiste, in Cap D'Adge in the country's south, which is frequented by 45,000 people - naturists or the simply curious - every day.

More French millennials are turning to naturism to reconnect with nature, a nudist and author claims (pictured: a nude visitor at an art exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in 2019)

'Naturism has always been for mixed ages. Its above all a family affair. But recently, there has been an explosion among 18-to-25 year olds,' Claude-Penegry said.

He said this generation of new, young naturists is a far cry from the usual stereotype of the older man playing boules.

He added covid-19 and several lockdowns have acted as catalyst for many who want to reconnect with the 'essential' and 'get closer to nature.'

Figures from the French Naturist Federation show that roughly 600,000 French millennials are dropping their clothes and trying the lifestyle out.

Nudist holidaymakers, pictured, hit the beach at the Cap D'Agde, a famous beach resort in France

Roughly 400,000 French naturists are based around Paris, and they are pushing to be able to live their clothes-optional lifestyle near the capital.

In 2019, the council agreed to open a special naturist area in the Bois de Vincennes, located in the east end of Paris.

There have also been pro-naturists events organised around the city, including a special night opened to naturists at the Palais de Tokyo, a modern art venue in 2019 where nude patrons could stroll the museum at ease sans vetements.

During a similar night that same year, a play called 'Nude and Approved' was staged at the Palais des Glaces in front of a naked audience.

The new nudist wants to enjoy art and plays in the buff, a group of naturists in Paris have claimed (pictured: a woman at an art exhibition in Paris, in 2019)

A woman pictured buying vegetables in the nude in the 1980s at the Cap D'Adge nudist village in the South of France. New generations of nudists say they want to break the old stereotypes

It's also going swimmingly for naturists in two pools in the capital where nude nights are on offer.

The 'Young Naturists of France' aimed at 18-to-35 year-olds, said they did not seek the old lifestyle of nudist colonies like the Village Naturiste.

A spokesperson said: 'We are no longer motivated by health or sport but ecology and [the] desire to live differently by shedding the dictates of society.'

The organisation's founder, known only as Alexandre, said young nudists wanted to experience new things with no clothes on, including going to plays and visiting museums.

Back in 2020, the Village Naturiste Cap d'Adge reported that 95 vacationers had tested positive for covid-19. The nudist resort contains multiple indoor areas, including shops, banks, restaurants, bars and clubs.
Millions of UK holidaymakers have visited a stately home or crumbling castle this summer  and if you were among them, youve no doubt spotted 2021s hottest cook already.

Yes, nudge up Nigella and move over Mary Berry, the latest culinary star to hit our screens and our shelves  with her best-selling book piled high in every gift shop  is none other than Victorian country house cook Avis Crocombe.

Whether preparing a kedgeree breakfast complete with prawns, parsley and quails eggs, a fruity spotted dick or a quivering apple cream, fans cant get enough of her traditional dishes and no-nonsense approach.

Of course, you wont have seen her on television  she died nearly 100 years ago. Instead, she has been brought back to life courtesy of historical interpreter Katherine Hipperson, who plays her in a series of YouTube cookery videos that have become a huge, and rather surprising, worldwide hit.

Dressed in a simple floral dress from the period, with a crisp white pinny and mop cap, Katherine cooks genuine Victorian recipes from a kitchen at Audley End House in Essex, one of the finest Jacobean homes in England. Its also where the real Mrs Crocombe worked as a cook for the family of the 5th Baron Braybrooke in the 1880s.

Revival: Katherine Hipperson as Mrs Crocombe. Mrs Crocombe is the hot new cook, with millions loving her pigeon pie and 14-egg sponge cake - even though she's been dead for 100 years

The cooks following snowballed during lockdown and has carried on growing ever since, from a modest dedicated fan club to global adoration, with her 55 videos put out via English Heritages YouTube channel garnering more than 100 million views.

Blame Downton, but theres immense interest in how life was for ordinary people in late-Victorian times, says Katherine.

The daughter of a Devon farmer, Avis became a domestic servant at just 13 and didnt leave the kitchen until marrying in her mid-40s. She is down to earth, quite stern yet joyful to watch.

Ive been bingeing on the videos since discovering them this summer and I have to agree. Im especially taken with the trifle episode, where Mrs C certainly doesnt skimp on booze, using sherry and brandy with the sponge cake, jam, ground almonds and sponge fingers, plus crystallised ginger, candied pansies and primulas to decorate.

If todays chefs turn their noses up at ready-meals and processed food, Mrs Crocombe has a similar horror of pre-made trifle mix and, perish the thought, packet custard.

SAVOY CAKE Serves 810 (makes 1 x deep 21 cm/8 inch cake) Butter, for the tin

340 g/12 oz/1 cups caster sugar, plus extra for the mould

5 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

225 g/8 oz flour

2 tsp almond extract (or 55 g/ 2 oz very finely ground almonds)

2 tsp orange flower water, or a few drops of extract This is the first recipe in Mrs Crocombe's book. Fatless sponges were also known as Savoy cakes. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Start by buttering the mould or cake tin. Toss in some of the sugar and roll it around to coat the base and sides, tapping to remove any excess. (This will give it a crispy coating.) Whisk the eggs until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and pale. Separately sift the baking powder with the flour to aerate it. Add the flour to the egg mixture very gently, folding it in and trying to keep as much air in as possible. Midway, add the almond extract and orange flower water. Transfer the batter to the mould or tin. Tap gently on the worktop to remove any trapped air pockets and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for another 30 minutes before demoulding. You can either serve this plain, or pipe it with royal icing. Advertisement

So why has a stern, no-frills Victorian cook so captured peoples imaginations?

The YouTube videos have taken on a life of their own, agrees Dr Annie Gray, one of Britains leading food historians and an expert on Mrs Crocombe who helped recreate the kitchen set at Audley End House.

I believe people want to see servants lives too, she says. Mrs Crocombe has plenty of anecdotes about her day-to-day living besides recipes. I want to gently open the publics eyes to what happens beyond the Bridgerton upper-class society.

Its also about the food, of course. Historical recipes often represent the antithesis of fast, over-processed junk. There is something soothing about a dish that takes hours to make, starting with plucking feathers and picking herbs.

This summer also saw the publication of a glorious facsimile edition of the recipe journal kept by Martha Lloyd, Jane Austens great friend, who lived with the Austen family from 1798 to 1830.

Martha Lloyds Household Book contains gems such as the recipe for Janes favourite toasted cheese sandwich (Grate the Cheese & add to it one egg, & a teaspoonful of Mustard, & a little Butter . . . Send it up on a toast or in paper Trays).

The Mrs Crocombe fan club is not restricted to the UK  she has a massive following in the U.S., Australia and, perhaps more surprisingly, in the Philippines and Japan, too (the rights have even been sold to a Japanese publisher).

Among the most popular videos are those for making butter, gingerbread cake, bacon and onion roly-poly pudding, and cucumber ice cream (see box, below right).

She even has a guide to the perfect cup of tea: brewed for five minutes in a warmed pot, served in a china cup with milk added last.

Mrs Crocombes revival is thanks in no small part to her great-great nephew Robert Stride who, following a sort-out at his home, stumbled on a collection of her recipes in her handwriting.

The notebook is a mix of her own creations, her tweaks on classics and her favourites from Victorian cookbook authors of the day, including Eliza Acton.

Mr Stride donated the book to Audley End House, and its these recipes that are used in the YouTube videos and accompanying book, How To Cook The Victorian Way With Mrs Crocombe, by Annie Gray and Andrew Hann, head of the historians team at English Heritage.

While many dishes are relatively straightforward and translate well into the modern household, others are less appetising.

Sheeps brain croquettes, anyone? How about the pigeon pie with actual pigeons feet waving above the crust?

Other recipes are gloriously, ridiculously extravagant. Take the turbot a lAnglaise, for example, which sees Mrs Crocombe advising us to get a scullery maid to wash and pat dry the fish.

She then rubs it with half a lemon, puts it in a turbot kettle and adds water. She prepares a sauce with butter (always salted), diced lobster and pounded roe and gets a kitchen maid to push it through a sieve.

What I love most, and must surely contribute greatly to Mrs Crocombes appeal, is that everything is done the old-fashioned way, with no short-cuts.

With no modern gadgets at her disposal, Mrs Crocombe demonstrates how to rub in, cream and whisk egg whites in a highly covetable copper bowl. This is slow cooking at its most soothing and satisfying.

Unsurprisingly, given her appeal, English Heritage has created a small line of rather tasteful kitchenware to go with the recipes.

The range includes a copper measuring beaker, a cake rack and a wooden egg holder, all very similar to those seen on YouTube.

The videos are punctuated with quirky asides and tips, such as using an old-fashioned sugar shaker for a fine dusting. A sponge cake (which uses 14 eggs!) is baked using wet cloths fastened around the tin to stop the cake cooking too quickly round the outside and so peaking in the middle.

And if your dishwasher ever breaks down, Mrs Crocombe will show you how to wash up: stale bread on frying pans, baking soda on larger pots and everything dried immediately.

Id like to see Jamie Oliver try that.

CUCUMBER ICE CREAM 1 large cucumber

230 g/8 oz caster sugar

285 ml/ pt water

3 tbsp ginger wine, or 2 tbsp ginger brandy

Juice of 2 lemons

Green food colouring

570 ml/1 pt whipping or double cream

Blackcurrants and their leaves, and fern sprigs, to garnish (optional) Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon (discard them). Chop it into chunks and put it in a saucepan with half the sugar and all the measured water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender (about 15 minutes). Put the mixture in a blender and puree. Add the ginger wine or brandy, the lemon juice and a little green colouring  you want it to be pleasantly green, rather than scarily fluorescent. Chill. Whip the cream and remaining sugar in a large bowl to form soft peaks. Fold in the chilled cucumber mix. Put this into an ice-cream maker and churn until it is stiff. If you want to mould it, spoon it into a plain mould and freeze until you are ready to turn it out. The Victorians would have garnished it with spun sugar, chilled fruits in syrup, or a maidenhair fern sprig. We have added blackcurrants and their leaves. To make iced desserts, Mrs Crocombe would have used a sorbetiere and bucket, or a hand-cranked freezing pail. Both methods relied on ice and salt, packed around a pewter freezing pot. The salt lowered the temperature of the ice, reducing its melting point. It could easily get to below -20C/-5F, colder than most modern freezers. You can still make it this way: use a plastic bowl of crushed ice and lots of salt, with a metal-lidded coffee caddy as the freezing pail. You can also put the mixture straight into the freezer, stirring it every 1015 minutes. Advertisement

How To Cook The Victorian Way With Mrs Crocombe by Annie Gray and Andrew Hann, 25, english-heritageshop.org.uk and online in full at ckbk
Demand for cosmetic tweakments jumped 250 per cent following the broadcast of the latest series of the reality show Love Island.

According to an analysis of Google searches, Britons are asking the search engine questions such as Do lip fillers hurt? and How much do lip fillers cost UK? at least 200 times more than they were before the seventh series, which came to an end last week, began in late June.

The ITV hit has been criticised for glamorising cosmetic treatments. Many of the female contestants admit to having multiple procedures to plump their lips and enlarge their breasts.

In 2019, one Harley Street surgeon said he had noticed a huge rise in 18-to-25-year-olds seeking lip fillers. Many young women are coming to my clinic with pictures of the shows contestants and asking how they can achieve that appearance, said Dr Tijion Esho of The Esho Clinic.

According to an analysis of Google searches, Britons are asking the search engine questions such as Do lip fillers hurt? and How much do lip fillers cost UK? at least 200 times more than they were before the seventh series

Toddlers spread Covid at home

Toddlers are more likely to spread Covid to their family than teenagers, according to new Canadian research.

Researchers from Public Health Ontario analysed health records from more than 8,000 households in which children had the virus and found that those under three were up to 43 per cent more likely to pass Covid on to their family members, compared with 14- to 17-year-olds.

That could be because teenagers are more likely to spend time in their rooms, away from their family.

But the study, which spanned a pre-vaccination period between June and December 2020, found that teenagers were more likely than younger siblings to bring the infection into the household.

Overall, 27 per cent of households with child coronavirus cases saw transmission within the household.

Toddlers are more likely to spread Covid to their family than teenagers, according to new Canadian research (file photo)

Being hard of hearing can trigger depression, according to a British study.

A third of Britons over 65 suffer some form of hearing loss, which has long been linked to cognitive decline and dementia.

But now, an analysis of more than 74,000 Britons aged 50 to 89 shows the problem may be a significant factor in the development of mood disorders too.

The University of Manchester researchers found a strong correlation between the increase in hearing loss and the onset of depressive symptoms.

Dialechti Tsimpida, a psychologist and co-author of the paper, said routine hearing tests at the GP surgery may prevent or delay the onset of depression.

A third of Britons over 65 suffer some form of hearing loss, which has long been linked to cognitive decline and dementia (file photo)

One in three multiple sclerosis patients has not seen a specialist for more than a year due to Covid, a survey has found.

They say routine and urgent appointments have been delayed or cancelled because of the pandemic.

A survey by Novartis in partnership with the MS Trust of more than 1,800 multiple sclerosis sufferers found that 35 per cent said they had not seen a specialist for at least a year.

It also found a third of patients saw worsening symptoms as a result of increased levels of stress and anxiety due to Covid.
Scientists also discovered it is more accurate as it can identify minuscule clots

New technique carries no such risks, because the dye is injected into the arm

Previously, doctors used an angiogram to spot clots - but test is not without risk

Patients are soon to be offered ultra-accurate scans that can flag up blood clots  helping doctors take steps to prevent heart attacks.

The simple procedure involves a harmless dye being injected into the bloodstream which lights up microscopic ruptures in arteries that are often the beginnings of a life-threatening clot.

Previously, doctors used an angiogram to spot clots  an invasive procedure that involves a thin tube being threaded through an incision in the groin to reach the blood vessels around the heart.

But the test is not without risk, and on rare occasions can itself trigger a heart attack or stroke.

The new technique carries no such risks, as the dye is injected into the arm.

The procedure involves a harmless dye being injected into the bloodstream which lights up microscopic ruptures in arteries that are often the beginnings of a life-threatening clot

Your amazing body They might be tiny, but babies have nearly 100 more bones than adults. A newborn baby will have roughly 300 parts to their skeleton, compared to 206 in an adult. Much of this is the tough, flexible cartilage  the skeletons shock absorber  which solidifies into bones. As children grow, the extra bones fuse to form larger ones, which reduces the overall number by the time they reach adulthood. Advertisement

Scientists have also discovered it is more accurate than an angiogram as it can identify minuscule clots that have just begun to form.

The results of a landmark trial, presented at European Society of Cardiology last week, showed the scan identified 80 per cent of deadly clots, while angiograms tend to spot about 60 per cent.

Doctors say the tool is likely to be available on the NHS within years, and could benefit the nearly eight million people in the UK living with heart disease.

Every year, more than 100,000 Britons need hospital treatment after a heart attack. Although survival rates have improved dramatically over the past few decades, these still lead to as many as 450 deaths every day.

The most common cause of a heart attack, where the blood supply to the organ is suddenly interrupted, is coronary heart disease.

A key factor in the progression of heart disease is atherosclerosis, where inflamed areas called plaques develop inside the arteries. These plaques can rupture, triggering the formation of a blood clot which can break away and block the arteries supplying the heart, leading to a heart attack.

The first sign of a heart attack is usually chest pain and shortness of breath. Sufferers often undergo an ECG to monitor electrical activity of the heart. But although the test can determine that a heart attack has happened, it cannot identify the cause.

It may be brought on by an infection, but it may also be coronary heart disease, meaning patients are vulnerable to a further attack. In these cases, doctors look for clots using an angiogram.

If the clot is large and presents a clear danger of further heart attacks, doctors may insert a stent into the blood vessel to hold it open. Less risky clots can be treated with anti-clotting medicines.

Scientists have also discovered the scan is more accurate than an angiogram as it can identify minuscule clots that have just begun to form (illustration of a blood clot, above)

Weird science The burps that could light fires If you worry about bad breath, spare a thought for the man whose burps were a serious danger to life and property. In the early 1900s, Scottish doctor James McNaught came across a patient who set matches alight when he burped. According to the tale, told by historian Thomas Morris, the man claimed to have given up smoking due to worries about setting his house on fire. The doctor passed a tube down the patients throat to find an obstruction in the bowel which had caused the contents of his stomach to ferment. A by-product of the fermentation process appeared to be a highly flammable type of gas  which was responsible for igniting the fires. Advertisement

The new hour-long test involves a dye being injected into the arm. The patient then undergoes a detailed scan to look for bright spots that can indicate ruptures.

A University of Edinburgh trial of 94 patients, half of whom had recently had a heart attack, showed the scan was highly effective at spotting clots. In more than one in ten patients, the test picked up clots outside the area of the heart, such as in the lungs.

Dr Evangelos Tzolos, a cardiology specialist at Edinburgh University, describes the tests precision as impressive.

He says: Spotting the smallest ruptures means we can be confident in treating some patients with blood-thinners, as opposed to something more intensive. Dr Tzolos and his team are recruiting patients for a trial to see if the test can prevent strokes in those who have already had one.

Ronald Klein, 66, a retired post office worker, is one patient to benefit from the new test. He suffered a heart attack last November and had a stent fitted. The following month, scientists at Edinburgh invited him to take part in the trial of the new test, funded by the British Heart Foundation, to check for any further clots.

He says: They put the dye in my arm and then I went under the scan. It was all done in an hour.

The dye picked up a small clot forming in one of the arteries leading into Ronalds heart, which doctors had not spotted originally. There was a danger the clot could have come loose at any time, potentially triggering another attack.

Ronald says: Without the scan Im not sure they would have known to look there. The doctors immediately put me on medication to break up the blockage.
My friend brought gifts of champagne, vegan candles, vegan chocolate and nice coffee

My friend Helen has been to stay for three days. She brought with her gifts of champagne, vegan candles, vegan chocolate and really nice coffee.

Unlike other visitors, she offered to take my dogs out when I had one of my dizzy spells, instead of refusing to go on a dog walk as that looks like a slope. I didnt do anything in preparation at all, bar buy half a pint of milk: no gin, no tonic, no unwaxed lemon. She paid for lunch out. She washed her hands after using the bathroom. She doesnt smoke. She kept saying how beautiful everything is, rather than saying I live in the arse end of Richmond, North Yorkshire. She picked up dog bowls rather than stepping over them.

Told she mustnt come before 5pm as I was working, she didnt arrive red faced and eager at two minutes past but turned up at 8pm. She didnt look at my new pink Smeg fridge and say, Mine is bigger. I didnt have to put on make-up.

Out for dinner with two friends, Helen made intelligent conversation instead of sitting in a grump, jealous not to have me to herself. Crucially, she didnt once switch on an overhead light or say the underfloor heating is too hot. She didnt storm off after eating a curry that took me two hours to prepare. Best of all, I didnt have to have sex with her.

Tomorrow, Im off on a mini break in the Lake District* for three days, my first holiday since 2014**, when I went inside the Big Brother house. Im taking the three collies and going with my friend who is celebrating her 60th birthday. If we were in Monaco, she wouldnt say, Its too hilly. She wouldnt order foie gras just to wind me up: Im already as coiled as a spring.

Im quite sure that when we leave our little rented house, she wont empty the fridge of food but will leave a generous tip. She wont make me be her IT consultant for two days. She wont speed in my new car. She wont leave coins on surfaces. She wont call me a typist. Best of all, she wont demand Birthday Sex.

Its getting quite doubtful I will ever have sex again, given my ex ex said, I dont think we should see each other, I was stood up by a man on our second date, and a Michael Fassbender lookalike blocked me on Twitter and WhatsApp seconds after we had arranged to meet in a Peak District pub. He must have Wikipediad me. But Im quite sure I wont miss sex. And heres why

1 Myla thongs arent meant to be stretched, nor thrown in a corner in a ball like a dead spider. I spend the entire time during sex worrying about the location of my knickers, and how soon I will be able to pop them in the laundry basket.

2 I suffer from vertigo, and have found the suggestion, Can we do it while Im sitting up, and dont make any sudden movements goes down like a lead balloon

3 I always get cystitis.

4 My expensive face cream always gets licked off.

5 Men are of the mistaken belief you should be grateful. One ex-boyfriend, Trevor, he of the high-waisted trousers, used to ask me to say thank you after sex. I was always afraid to tell him but have no such compunction now: I have better orgasms when youre not in the room.

6 I take my hearing aids out for sex, which means I cant always hear instructions. What? Eh? Pardon? Which means Im always on edge in case they ask me to do something, and I get the wrong end of the stick. Literally.

*Its not a staycation, as that means going on day trips to Frinton and your mum buttering rolls and diluting Kia Ora

**Staying one night in a hotel in London doesnt count: its work, and quite stressful

Contact Liz at lizjonesgoddess.com and stalk her @lizjonesgoddess

Everyones talking about Liz Joness Diary: The Podcast! 

Join Liz and her trusty (long-suffering) assistant Nicola as they dissect her weekly YOU magazine diary and delve into the archives to relive the bust-ups, betrayals, bullets and much more in this brilliant podcast. Theyre outspoken, outrageous and utterly hilarious. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and mailplus.co.uk
Youre not alone! So here to help you save face are these insider tips from the pros

Hannah Martin, the make-up pro who created Princess Eugenies wedding look; Ruby Hammer MBE, pioneering make-up artist and brand founder; Justine Jenkins, ethical make-up artist and author of Sustainable Beauty. To be published by White Lion Publishing on 2 November, price 18. To pre-order a copy for 15.30 go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. Free UK delivery on orders over 20

After spending so much time at home, bare-faced, Ive recently had a raft of women telling me they dont know how to apply their make-up properly any more. And they no longer seem to be able to do it quickly. To top it all off, were still wearing face masks and dealing with all their associated problems. Yes, it seems that many of us have lost our make-up mojo.

So to help you get your skills and routine back in shape, I have asked three of my favourite make-up artists (below) to share their essential tips, as well as any tricks, about how to easily update a look.

@edwinaingschambers

FOR A FLAWLESSLY 'NATURAL' BASE

By Terry Hyaluronic Global Face Cream (60, spacenk.com); Erborian BB Creme Nude (38, spacenk.com )

If you find your foundation goes patchy, Hannah Martin blames thirsty skin. When skin is dehydrated it will drink whatever you put on top of it, including the moisture in your foundation, so consider more hydration. Hannah loves By Terry Hyaluronic Global Face Cream (60, spacenk.com) as it is full of hydrating hyaluronic acid but light.

A mistake that Ruby Hammer sees is the way people apply foundation. She says, Its a myth that it needs to be everywhere. Look at your face and figure out which areas need covering. Usually its under the eyes, around the nose, sometimes the chin.

Delilah Time Frame Future Resist Foundation SPF20 (34, delilahcosmetics.com ); Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF30 (30, bareminerals.co.uk )

For those of us struggling with texture or shade matching, Hannah suggests a lighter formula. Tinted moisturisers are more sheer than matt foundations. And theyre richer in emollients (which soften and smooth) so they give a more hydrated, healthy finish.

Hannahs picks: Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF30 (30, bareminerals.co.uk) is dreamy but barely there. Delilah Time Frame Future Resist Foundation SPF20 (34, delilahcosmetics.com) is beautiful and lightweight. Erborian BB Creme Nude (38, spacenk.com) is heavier but gorgeous.

FOR PERFECTLY DEFINED BROWS

Zao Eyebrow Powder (17, greenerbeauty.com); Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo (24, cultbeauty.co.uk)

Justine Jenkins says avoid blocking out the brows with product: Use micro pencils or powders, and fill in using small feathery strokes. She likes Zao Eyebrow Powder (17, greenerbeauty.com) as its not only refillable, but doubles up as a handy eyeshadow.

Ruby also favours brow powders. Her product of choice is Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo (24, cultbeauty.co.uk) which comes in a multitude of shades to suit every colouring, including redheads.

Ruby Hammer Magnetic Brush Set 02 (28, cultbeauty.co.uk); Beauty Pie Arch-ology Tinted Eyebrow Sculpting Gel (7.21 for members, beautypie.com)

Justine and Ruby agree that a spoolie (a brush designed for eyebrows) is your brows best friend. Ruby uses one (pictured above left) in her Ruby Hammer Magnetic Brush Set 02 (28, cultbeauty.co.uk) to brush up hairs to look awake without the need for colour, while Justine uses hers after applying brow powder to blend.

Hannah agrees its important not to lay too much colour on to the skin behind the hairs, and favours tinted brow gels as a nice segue back into shaping and filling in brows without feeling too heavy. Her newest favourite is Beauty Pie Arch-ology Tinted Eyebrow Sculpting Gel (7.21 for members, beautypie.com) to quickly help brows look thicker.

FOR A HEALTHY POP OF CHEEK COLOUR

Beauty Pie Pro Angled Contour Cheek Brush (6.30 for members, beautypie.com )

To avoid applying too much blush, there is one resounding sentiment from all three make-up artists: never go too near the nose. Starting a finger or two away from the edge of the nostril, blend up the colour from the apple of the cheek towards the top of your ear, ensuring there are no hard edges.

Hannah likes to dip her Beauty Pie Pro Angled Contour Cheek Brush (6.30 for members, beautypie.com) into the blush before pushing the head of the brush into the palm of her hand, rather than tapping the excess off which causes the pigment to fly away. She says, If you press it into your hand youre pushing the pigment from the tip of the bristles into the head of the brush. Then when you apply the colour you wont get a whopping pile of pigment sitting on the end; its all in the brush and you can work it on to the cheek gently.

Vieve Sunset Blush (23, vieve.co.uk ); My Beauty Brand Pure Power Blush in Samiya Rose Pink (18, mybeautybrand.com ); All Earth Mineral Cosmetics Lips, Cheeks and Eyes Tint (16, allearthmineralcosmetics.com )

Rubys pick: Vieve Sunset Blush (23, vieve.co.uk) is a powder formula that melts into the skin. Hannahs pick: My Beauty Brand Pure Power Blush in Samiya Rose Pink (18, mybeautybrand.com) is a muted pink with a hint of brown, neither flat nor super bright. Justines pick: All Earth Mineral Cosmetics Lips, Cheeks and Eyes Tint (16, allearthmineralcosmetics.com) is a cream texture thats easier to control than a powder.

FOR LIPSTICK WITH STAYING POWER

Nude by Nature Defining Lip Pencil (14, boots.com ); Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Pillow Talk Liner (17, charlottetilbury.com ); Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick (18, feelunique.com )

The right formulation and foolproof application are key to lipstick that lasts and can hold up to wearing a face mask. Justine says: If you never wear lip liner, now is the time to introduce it into your routine. Using a soft-textured lip pencil such as Nude by Nature Defining Lip Pencil (14, boots.com), she lines the lips before filling in across the whole lip for extra staying power.

Ruby favours Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Pillow Talk Liner (17, charlottetilbury.com), while for a seriously longwearing liquid lipstick, Hannah likes Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick (18, feelunique.com). She says the trick lies in not being too heavy-handed. A light application, press the lips together, allow a minute to dry and you should get at least eight hours wear. Apply too much and it will feel tacky, plus it wont last as well.

My Beauty Brand My Perfect Pink Lip Oil (19, mybeautybrand.com )

If youre worried about smudges, this is where tinted lip oils and balms come into play. A sheer moisturised look is the most current and modern way to dress your lips, and an oil can even be worn as a topper to revitalise a longwear liquid lip, says Hannah. Her go-to is My Perfect Pink Lip Oil (19, mybeautybrand.com), from her collection in collaboration with My Beauty Brand which has a foolproof doe-foot sponge applicator that wont deposit too much product.

FOR ACCURATE EYE FLICKS

The Quick Flick eyeliner stamp (19.99, superdrug.com ); Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (1.99, superdrug.com ); Ecoslurps Reusable Cotton Buds (7.99 for two, ecoslurps.com )

The most important thing with winged eyeliner is what works best for you. For a small flick with a subtle finish, Ruby opts for a pencil as this has a softer pay off. Simply hold the pencil flat along the upper lash line, tilting upwards as you reach the outer corner.

Justine recommends mapping out a basic structure: looking straight into a mirror, place a tiny dot on the outer corner of the eye where you want the flick to end. Start by lining the top lash line a third of the way in from the inner corner, before joining up with the dot to create a flick you can fill in. This gives you the chance to get a rhythm going before attempting the tricky bit, she says.

Hannah also does the lash line first. Her trick for a perfect feline flick is to imagine it follows the trajectory of your lower lash line to match the shape of your eye. For the more nervous, there is a cheats way out  The Quick Flick eyeliner stamp (19.99, superdrug.com) comes in four sizes so you can print a flick before joining it to your lash line with the liner pen included.

If any mistakes are made, simply clean up smudges like the pros with a cotton bud dipped in Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (1.99, superdrug.com). With an estimated 1.5 billion cotton buds thrown away every day, Justine loves Ecoslurps Reusable Cotton Buds (7.99 for two, ecoslurps.com).

Beauty assistant and additional reporting: Alice Robertson
Britain's listed supermarkets have gained more than 8billion in value after private equity interest in groceries sent shares soaring.

A bid for Morrisons in June set the industry ablaze with speculation, while reports last week of potential interest in Sainsbury's has boosted stocks even further.

Overall, supermarkets have now added 8.2billion to their market value since Morrisons revealed it had rejected a bid from buyout firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice on June 19. Morrisons shares alone have surged by 62.8 per cent, adding 2.7billion.

Supermarket sweep: Overall, supermarkets have now added 8.2billion to their market value since Morrisons revealed it had rejected a bid from Clayton Dubilier & Rice on June 19

Marks & Spencer saw its shares rise 20.1 per cent, increasing its value by 584m while Sainsbury's rose 19.3 per cent and added 1.2billion. Tesco saw its shares rise 14.9 per cent and its market value by 2.6billion. And Ocado, which has a joint venture with M&S for online groceries, rose 8.3 per cent and gained 1.2billion in value.

Clive Black, of Shore Capital, said the interest in supermarkets stems from improvements to their prospects. After slashing costs and becoming more competitive, they have also benefited from the pandemic online shopping boom.

Stronger sales and fatter profit margins  as well as assets owned  are attracting private equity investors 'like bees to a honeypot', he added.

Black said: 'These previously unloved, out-of-kilter supermarkets are now seen as a square peg in a square hole.

'I would not be surprised if we no longer have any listed British supermarkets in due course because even Tesco is not too big to be taken out by global private equity.'

The private equity raid on the groceries industry began last year when the Issa brothers and TDR Capital swooped on privately-owned Asda in a deal worth 6.8billion.

The surge in interest has raised fears about jobs, pensions and debt levels. Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, has been urged to probe the 7billion Morrisons deal over its impact on supply chains.
Sergeant Matt Locke (pictured) received the Medal for Gallantry alongside SAS comrade Ben Roberts-Smith in 2006

Ben Roberts-Smith gave his Medal for Gallantry - Australia's third-highest award for bravery in combat - to the young son of a Special Air Service comrade who was killed in Afghanistan.

Mr Roberts-Smith and Matt Locke were both awarded the MG for their heroism during two days of fierce fighting on a mountain range south of Chora in Uruzgan province in June 2006.

Sergeant Locke, who was deployed four times to Afghanistan, was killed by Taliban small arms fire while leading a patrol through the Chora Valley in October the following year. He was 33.

The slain soldier, who was among Mr Roberts-Smith's best mates and one of his SAS mentors, left behind a widow, Leigh, and 12-year-old son Keegan.

Ms Locke-Thomas said that Mr Roberts-Smith gave his MG to Keegan so the bravery medals the two men had earned together could be united forever.

Three years later Mr Roberts-Smith would be awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry in Afghanistan.

Ms Locke-Thomas also expressed her bewilderment that Mr Roberts-Smith's ex-wife Emma wanted to sell his medals for cash in the wake of their marriage breakdown.

Emma Roberts told friends and family she deserved two thirds of the value of the medal group including the Victoria Cross, Australia's highest award for gallantry.

Ben Roberts-Smith gave his Medal for Gallantry - Australia's third-highest award for bravery in combat - to the 12-year-old son of his Special Air Service comrade Matt Locke after he was killed in Afghanistan. Sergeant Locke is pictured with his wife Leigh

Ben Roberts-Smith (centre) and Matt Locke (right) were both awarded the MG for their heroism during two days of fierce fighting south of Chora in Uruzgan province in June 2006. They are pictured after receiving their MGs from then Governor-General Michael Jeffery (left)

Sergeant Locke, who was deployed four times to Afghanistan, was killed by Taliban small arms fire while leading a six-man patrol through the Chora Valley in October the following year. He was 33. Fellow SAS members are pictured carrying his casket at a ramp ceremony in Perth

Mr Roberts-Smith is now engaged in a high-profile Federal Court defamation case against Nine newspapers, which in 2018 accused him of committing war crimes in Afghanistan.

Ms Locke-Thomas said she could not comprehend how Ms Roberts would try to sell her ex-husband's medals, which are on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

'I was aware of her intentions to get Ben to sell his medals,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I just couldn't believe it when I first heard about it. It's incomprehensible. That's how I feel.

'It's his medals that he earned and I can't see how that could happen because to me they belong in the hands of the person who earned them.'

Ms Locke-Thomas, who remarried, said Mr Roberts-Smith gave Keegan his MG about the time of her first husband's November 2007 funeral in Perth.

'Ben gave my son that MG because he said they both belong together,' Ms Locke-Thomas said.

'Back then I took it because I just thought, what a beautiful gesture. He would have done anything to take some of mine and Keegan's pain away.

'Sergeant Locke, from my observations, was a magnificent soldier,' Major General Michael Jeffery said. 'He was brave, he was an absolute professional, but he also had a wonderful sense of humour and was very compassionate and I know that he will be missed, not just by his patrol, but also by the whole regiment.' Sergeant Locke is pictured in Afghanistan

The ex-wife of war hero Ben Roberts-Smith told friends she deserved two thirds of the value of his Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the Commonwealth. Emma Roberts wanted to the majority share of her husband's medal group in the wake of the couple's bitter break-up. The former couple is pictured

'But after things settled down for myself and I got in a bit of a clearer head space I gave it back to Ben.

'I thought about it and I said to Ben, "I know what you're doing and you think it's right in your heart". But we knew it wasn't because it's something for him to pass on to his children.'

Ms Locke-Thomas returned the medal to Mr Roberts-Smith a couple of months after he gave it to Keegan, who is now 26 and has recently finished six years in the army.

Mr Roberts-Smith has told his defamation trial of the close relationship he maintains with Keegan.

'I basically talk to Keegs every week, and he uses me as a sounding board,' he said. 'I talk to him about his career and what he's going to do and how life's going because he doesn't have a dad.'

Daily Mail Australia reported last week that Ms Roberts told friends and family she wanted the majority share of her husband's medals when they split.

The medal set has previously been valued at approximately $1million and Mr Roberts-Smith was willing to take his ex-wife to the High Court to keep it.

Multiple sources who were once close to either or both Mr Roberts-Smith and Ms Roberts were aware she reckoned she was entitled to more than half the medals' worth.

The VC in particularly turned Mr Roberts-Smith into a celebrity solider who was feted at military gatherings and much in demand as a public speaker. Ms Roberts is pictured meeting the Queen with her husband in Perth in October 2011

Multiple sources who were once close to either or both Mr Roberts-Smith and Ms Roberts are aware that she reckoned she deserved over half the medals' worth. She is pictured in Brisbane in June

It is understood Ms Roberts told friends she believed she was entitled to the majority share of the medals' value due to her contribution to the marriage.

Ms Roberts declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia, as did Mr Roberts-Smith.

What the VC means to Ben Roberts-Smith Mr Roberts-Smith has told the Federal Court about the complicated effects of being honoured with the VC after the Battle of Tizak in June 2010. 'It's interesting because - people obviously ask you all the time, and I would say that of course I'm proud of it,' he said. 'But I'm nowhere near as proud of that as I am able to count myself amongst that number of men on that day in that battle. 'Because everybody fought with the bravery, everybody fought with gallantry, and most people, at some point, were fighting for their lives. 'And as I have said and maintain and will maintain until the day I die, that Victoria Cross is for what we achieved, because you cannot go into battle alone. 'You simply can't do it. You have to do it together. That's what it means.' But for all the good the award had brought Mr Roberts-Smith, it had also been a cross to bear. 'Because for all of the good that is has brought me and has enabled me to do... it has also brought me a lot of misfortune and pain,' he told the court. 'As soon as you become a tall poppy that gives people the opportunity to belittle you and drag you down and undermine you, and use that award against you out of pure spite.' Advertisement

An appraiser who has looked at recent sales of Victoria Crosses believed the Roberts-Smith medal collection could be worth up to $2million.

Mr Roberts-Smith, 42, and 45-year-old Ms Roberts - who dropped the Smith from her surname after their split - were together about 20 years.

The former couple has twin daughters who were born months after the action for which Mr Roberts-Smith was awarded his VC.

Mr Roberts-Smith earned his VC while serving with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan in June 2010..

He also holds a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his performance as a patrol commander with the Special Operations Task Group in the same conflict.

Just 101 Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross in the past 121 years. Mr Roberts-Smith's VC and MG make him the country's most decorated living soldier.

The VC in particular turned Mr Roberts-Smith into a celebrity solider who was feted at military gatherings and much in demand as a public speaker.

Ms Roberts met the Queen and dignitaries including Prime Minister Scott Morrison while accompanying her husband to functions around the country.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine newspapers in the Federal Court over allegations he was involved in six murders in Afghanistan - claims he has consistently and vehemently denied.

Ms Roberts is set to give evidence against her ex-husband in his defamation trial, having originally indicated she would support him.

Mr Roberts-Smith was awarded his VC for his actions at the Battle of Tizak in northern Kandahar province's Shah Wali Kot district on June 11, 2010.

He had exposed his position to draw fire away from members of his patrol who were pinned down, then stormed two enemy machine gun positions.

Ben Roberts-Smith's Victoria Cross made him the most famous soldier in Australia but also allegedly led to jealousy among some of his colleagues. The Queen is pictured shaking hands with him during an audience at Buckingham Palace in May 2018

Ben Roberts-Smith's Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry make him the most decorated living Australian solider. His medals, on display in the Australian War Memorial, are pictured

The corporal became just the second Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross since the Vietnam War, following fellow SAS soldier Mark Donaldson in 2008.

Mr Roberts-Smith's citation reads: 'For the most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril as a patrol second-in-command with a Special Operations Task Group on Operation Slipper'.

His barrister Bruce McClintock SC gave Justice Anthony Besanko a short history lesson on the medal early in the defamation trial.

'It is a cliche or it's a truism to say it is the highest award for gallantry in Australia... in the British Commonwealth, since it was instituted by Queen Victoria during the Crimean War,' he said.

'But on that day at Tizak my client killed many insurgents, as did other Australian soldiers also kill significant numbers of the enemy.

'The total number of the enemy dead, which the Commonwealth will not permit me to say in open court, was extremely high.'

Ben Roberts-Smith (centre) is pictured with fellow Victoria Cross recipients Mark Donaldson (left), who received his medal for action in Afghanistan, and Keith Payne, who is the only surviving Vietnam War recipient

Mr McClintock described the Battle of Tizak as 'the largest Australian engagement since Vietnam'.

'It's generally regarded as the high-water mark of Australia's presence in Afghanistan during the war,' Mr McClintock told the court.

Mr Roberts-Smith has told his trial he was proud of being awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions but it had also made some colleagues jealous of him.

'It put a target on my back,' Mr Roberts-Smith told the court.

He has told friends he is so disgruntled by his treatment by the Department of Defence since war crimes allegations were raised against him he will never wear the medals again.

Mr Roberts-Smith has stood down for the duration of his trial as general manager of the Seven Network in Queensland, which is part of Seven West Media, owned by billionaire Kerry Stokes.

Mr Stokes' private investment company Australian Capital Equity has extended a $1.9million line of credit to Mr Roberts-Smith as he sues newspapers including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Mr Roberts-Smith has provided his medals including the Victoria Cross as security.

Roberts-Smith is pictured receiving the medal from then governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce in 2011. Dame Quentin was never withdrawn her support for the former soldier but will not be giving character evidence on his behalf for 'personal reasons'

In the event Mr Roberts-Smith cannot repay the money Mr Stokes has said he will donate the medal set to the Australian War Memorial, of which he is chairman.

'The funding of his legal action is a private matter, however he has put his medals up as collateral on a loan and will relinquish them if required,' Mr Stokes has said.

'If this eventuates, I will donate his medals with Ben's approval to the Australian War Memorial, as I have done so with other VCs and medals in the past.'

Historian, publisher and valuer Tom Thompson said based on past sales of VCs and Mr Stokes's previous purchases a 'conservative estimate' for Mr Roberts-Smith's medals would be $1.5million to $2million.

'I don't believe hearsay would tarnish the value of gallantry in action,' Mr Thompson said.

Mr Roberts-Smith left Ms Roberts in January 2020 and the former couple sold their home on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for more than $2million in December that year.

Mr Roberts-Smith and Ms Roberts settled their divorce in February this year and she gave a statement to Nine a fortnight later outlining the evidence she would give against him.

Mr Roberts-Smith this year stepped out for the first time with his new girlfriend Sarah Matulin - who quit her job at Channel Seven when their relationship became serious. Mr Roberts-Smith is Seven's general manager in Queensland

The couple had rocky periods before they parted, with Mr Roberts-Smith admitting having an affair with a woman known as Person 17 from October 2017 until April the following year.

Five Victoria Crosses for Australia awarded Just five Victoria Crosses for Australia have been bestowed since the award was created in 1991, in addition to 96 of the imperial version presented to servicemen from the Boer War to Vietnam. SAS trooper Mark Donaldson was the first Australian to be awarded a VC for action in Afghanistan. He received his medal in 2009, having earned it the previous year. SAS Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith was presented with his VC in 2011 for action in 2010. Corporal Daniel Keighran of 6RAR was presented with a VC in 2012 for actions in Afghanistan in 2010. Corporal Cameron Baird from the 2nd Commando Regiment was posthumously awarded a VC in 2014 for heroism in the same war the previous year. The last Victoria Cross of Australia was awarded posthumously to World War II seaman Teddy Sheean in 2020 - 78 years after he went down firing his gun from HMAS Armidale. Advertisement

He has given evidence he separated from his wife in September 2017 but they eventually reconciled. Ms Roberts is expected to deny there was a separation or having knowledge of the affair until it was over.

Mr Roberts-Smith took several swipes at his ex-wife while giving evidence in the defamation trial in June.

'It's very sad that my my wife has involved herself in these proceedings, Your Honour,' he told Justice Besanko.

'And I take absolutely no joy in describing my wife in any way that is negative, but the reality is she is extremely bitter.

'She has done things along the way that have been detrimental to my family, and particularly to me, because she thinks it will hurt me.'

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Ms Roberts in a separate action, accusing her of hacking into an email account he used for legal correspondence before the start of his defamation trial.

His lawyers allege Mrs Roberts accessed confidential emails about his defamation case and an inquiry by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.

They further claim Ms Roberts lied in affidavits sworn in response to accusations she hacked into his private email account.

Mr Roberts-Smith is in a relationship with 28-year-old Sarah Matulin, who worked at the Seven Network in Queensland until she quit in December to take up work with a PR company on the Gold Coast.

His defamation trial has been adjourned until November 1 due to Covid-19.
Advertisement

Ask women what life is like in the Sydney suburbs with the tightest Covid restrictions and you won't get the same response twice.

Most are relatable, many unprintable, some tragic and, surprisingly, a few are actually heart-warming.

The tragic speak for themselves: They've lost loved ones to Covid, often with little warning, and sometimes haven't been able to say goodbye.

Meanwhile, the Premier's hints at new 'freedoms' to come - with speculation of picnics and being allowed to get a haircut or a manicure if you're vaccinated - do little to improve their mood.

Dozens of suburbs in 12 local government areas of concern - mostly in Sydney's west and south-west - cannot leave their homes after 9pm, are only allowed out of their homes legally for one hour a day, and have police and soldiers patrolling their streets in what is the toughest lockdown in Australia.

Karla, from Dolls Point, is relieved she's single when she hears how hard life is for married mums during lockdown

Single mum Jayde, 28, (right, with Violet, 3), tragically lost her mother at just 46, six weeks ago, during the lockdown and feels a huge 'mental strain' coping on her own

But Karla, 40, from Dolls Point, told Daily Mail Australia she felt a huge sense of relief when she talked to her married friends, especially those with kids.

'They are all pretty pent up,' she said. 'Some of them are about to lose their s***. Their kids are throwing things so they have to escape on walks.'

'I'm loving life right now.'

Lockdown has made her grateful for her free and easy life, so much so she isn't even up for a boyfriend.

'I'm trying to look on the the bright side - it's too good being single. I don't have a pain in the ass kids or hubby to annoy me!'

'All I need to think about is my job, healthy eating, and staying fit.'

She does that by beach running at Brighton.

What does she miss most of all?

'Parties. There's gonna some bloody good parties after this.'

'For me and my girlfriends it's the year of the 40th. We need to get out and dance for that!'

Jayde (pictured, right) hasn't been able to attend her mother's funeral and uses a weekly catch up with best mate Georgina (pictured left, with Frankie, 1)

Georgina, 25, (above) moved to Liverpool with her partner and hasn't seen her family for months. She started a sweet business in lockdown named after her one-year-old, Frankie (pictured)

Warehouse manager Tino, 33, from Rosemeadow near Campbelltown, got so stressed when her American girlfriend contracted Covid that 'she started drinking every day'.

'It's under control now. But some days I don't know what day it is,' Tino told Daily Mail Australia at the southern Sydney mass vaccination hub at Glenquarie on Thursday.

Her partner Esmeralda, 34, is recovering in Las Vegas.

'But when I heard she couldn't breathe, that pushed me to come here today.'

Jayde, 28, lost her mum, 46, just six weeks ago - but she wasn't found immediately because Covid rules mean she can't have visitors.

Sadly Jayde hasn't been able to get an appointment to find out if it was Covid-related because doctors are so busy.

Jayde hasn't been allowed to have a funeral for her mum yet, and is struggling to raise her three-year-old Violet without a partner, childcare help or income, having lost her job as a bar tender in Bankstown.

'I'm struggling with the isolation,' said Jayde, who was raised as a warden of the state.

'Not seeing friends, family is so hard, it's just mentally straining. I feel depressed and don't want to do anything.'

Mum Jessica is working 14-16 hours a day juggling three kids, a job and domestic duties - all while living in a locked down suburb under curfew

Warehouse manager Tino, 33, got vaccinated at Glenquarie after her girlfriend caught Covid in the US and couldn't breathe

In mid-August Lifeline recorded 3,505 calls in one day  the single biggest day in the service's 57-year history.

It was the fourth time the record was broken in just one month.

Painting with little Violet helps Jayde pass the hours, as does a weekly catch-up and dog-walk with Caesar and her good mate Georgina, 25.

Georgina, a former hairdresser, moved to Liverpool a year ago to live with her husband.

Now she cannot see her family, who are too far away - in Sydney's east and north.

She started an online business selling Chamoy and tajin sweets, named after her one-year-old Frankie.

So far Frankie's sweets has had more orders than she expected.

She is trying to retrain online as a 'Doula', who assists a new mum before, during and after childbirth, but Covid means she can't complete the practical requirements of her course.

These three sisters don't want a picnic as a reward for getting vaccinated - they want to go out to the pokies and clubbing

Emma, 17, and her mum Sharon, 51, got vaccinated at Glenquarie on Thursday. Emma doesn't want an 18th birthday on zoom like some of her girlfriends

Pressure on households and mums especially - who, despite improvements in recent years - still do most of the domestic duties and child rearing.

Many are juggling work, working from home, homeschooling and chores.

Monterey mum Jessica, who is locked down in Bayside LGA, is busy up to 16 hours a day with her job in human resources and looking after three children.

The only break she gets is a brisk walk to a nearby cafe for a morning coffee and if there's time, a walk in her local park in the afternoon.

Young mum Aleeya, 32, from a housing commission estate at Macquarie Fields, has to look after four children, aged between 2 and 15, by herself.

She says the hardest thing about lockdown is keeping four bored kids - three girls and a boy - schooled, entertained, out of trouble, washed and fed.

'My 13-year-old is really acting out. She's having crazy moods.'

Chantelle, an IT worker from Redfern, decided to volunteer for the SES, and was rostered to help out at the southern Sydney vaccination hub at Glenquarie on Thursday

She also fears her eldest is being turned into an anti-vaxxer via social media.

'We are having a bit of a battle,' Aleeya says, nodding to her daughter Lakisha, 15.

'My father had it but I am undecided.'

'A lot of people around here are into conspiracy theories,' she says.

'Some refuse to get the vaccination because they think it's microchipping them.'

Lakisha admits the teenage boys in her friendship group laugh at the curfew.

'It makes them more likely to go out,' she said. 'We've had military stopping us to make sure the kids have masks on.'

'The little ones don't understand any of it,' she says. 'They ask if there's a war on.'

How does Aleeya cope?

'Sleep. And joining in my kids Zoom exercise classes.'

And how do she and her girls feel seeing images of people on the beach at Bondi, sometimes mask-less, with occasional police patrols walking past apparently uninterested.

'If we did that around here, we'd be fined in a heartbeat,' she says.

Aleeya, who lives at these Macquarie Fields units but did not want to be photographed, is struggling to keep her four kids entertained and to stop the oldest from turning to conspiracy theories through social media

The freedoms that New South Wales residents will get back when vaccine milestones are hit has been a regular topic at the Premier's daily briefings - with picnics for vaccinated citizens the latest carrot waved.

The number one freedom locals in Sydney's south-west expressed to Daily Mail Australia this week is to be able to visit family - but not all were the same.

But three Samoan sisters living together at Casula, Malia Eteaki, Ashley Eteaki and Tala Pelo, gave very different answers.

'The pokies,' laughed Malia, 23, who works in a warehouse.

Not family, like so many others, or the beach?

'Nah. We see them them every day,' Ms Eteaki said.

What do they think of the offer of a picnic for getting vaccinated?

Ms Pelo rolls her eyes.

'I wanna go out for dinner, then go clubbing. I'm looking forward to that,' Ms Pelo, 24, a recruiter said.

'The main conversation with our friends and family is that everyone is p***ed about lockdown, we can't do anything, we can't go anywhere until we reach that 70 per cent mark,' Ms Pelo says.

'We are waiting for this to end so we can get our freedoms back.'
More than 500 migrants have been rescued by an Italian military vessel from a decrepit smuggling boat drifting off the tiny southern Italian island of Lampedusa.

The rescue of 539 migrants from a single fishing boat on Saturday delivered one of the largest numbers of migrants to the Italian island in a single day.

The passengers aboard the vessel included three women and several unaccompanied minors, according to Alida Serrachieri, a nurse who runs the Doctors Without Borders' operation on Lampedusa.

The migrants had been travelling across the Mediterranean Sea from Libya, but Serrachieri said she did not know how long the crammed fishing boat had been at sea.

The rescue of 539 migrants (pictured) from a single boat that travelled from Libya on Saturday delivered one of the largest numbers of migrants to the Italian island in a single day

The passengers (pictured at the port of Lampedusa) aboard the vessel included three women and several unaccompanied minors, according to nurse Alida Serrachieri

But she added that the migrants had spent weeks or even months in Libya awaiting passage in traffickers' boats in hopes of reaching Europe.

After being examined by medical personnel, it was discovered that at least 20 of the migrants had 'wounds' from torture or physical violence.

'They had burn wounds, firearms wounds,' Serrachieri said. '[They] were very worn down, some were dehydrated.'

Many of the migrants were from North Africa or West Africa but some were from Bangladesh, she added.

Italian prosecutors have opened an inquiry to determined what may have happened, with investigators looking at the possibility that the migrants may have been falsely imprisoned in Libya, according to local media.

Two coast guard vessels and a customs boat from Italy's financial crimes police, the Guardia di Finanza, ferried the migrants ashore in small groups.

Two coast guard vessels and a customs boat from Italy's financial crimes police, the Guardia di Finanza, ferried the migrants ashore (pictured) in small groups

Earlier on Saturday, another two smaller boats (one pictured) with around 15 migrants each aboard also reached Lampedusa's waters unaided from Tunisia

The island's housing complex can hold about 250 people. Pictured: Members of Guardia di Finanza prepare to help around 15 migrants get on board on Saturday

The island's Mayor Toto Martello has described Saturday's rescue as 'one of the biggest landings in recent times'.

Earlier on Saturday, another two smaller boats with around 15 migrants each aboard also reached Lampedusa's waters unaided from Tunisia.

A third such boat with about 20 aboard was also spotted approaching Lampedusa on Saturday afternoon, Serrachieri confirmed.

The island's housing complex, where migrants stay while the initial paperwork is done for asylum applications, can hold about 250 people.

But Saturday's arrivals swelled the number of occupants to approximately 1,200, with many migrants awaiting transfer by boat to Sicily or the Italian mainland.

Political and economic crises in Tunisia are feeding steadily increasing streams of migrants determined to reach Europe, many of whom set out in smugglers' boats from Libyan shores.

Earlier this month, Italy stepped up pressure on fellow EU nations to open their ports to migrants rescued by humanitarian ships as political tension simmers in the Italian government's coalition over a sharply rising number of arrivals this summer.

The office of Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said she had a long telephone conversation with the European Union's internal affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson.

The Italian interior ministry's statement said those factors figured in Lamorgese's request for 'an urgent change of direction in the interventions of the Union's migratory policy'.

In May and June, the number of migrants who reached Italian shores more than tripled compared to the previous year's figure, according to the ministry's count.

In July, the year-to-year difference was less marked - 8,600 in 2021 compared to 7,000 in 2020.

Right-wing leader Matteo Salvini, whose anti-migrant League party, is a prominent partner in Premier Mario Draghi's coalition, has been increasingly forceful in his criticism of Italy's management of migration.

The island's Mayor Toto Martello has described Saturday's rescue as 'one of the biggest landings in recent times'. Pictured: Around 15 migrants get on board finance police vessel

Political crises in Tunisia are feeding steadily increasing streams of migrants determined to reach Europe. Pictured: Member of rescue boat Astral approaches migrants on Saturday

'I am convinced that Draghi will wake up Lamorgese,' Salvini said earlier this month after talks with the premier. Lamorgese is a career interior ministry official who was tapped by the premier for the post when he formed his pandemic-unity government in February.

Salvini noted that in the first seven months of 2021, nearly 30,000 migrants have stepped ashore in Italy, roughly double the number in the previous year's same period.

'What are we waiting for, that they become 100,000?' Salvini told reporters.

During the pandemic, Italy has been transferring many of the rescued migrants to unoccupied passenger ferries so the migrants can do a precautionary quarantine against Covid-19 before eventually transferring them to residential facilities on land.

Past years have seen Italy's pleas for fellow EU nations to take in some of the migrants, many of whom want to reach families in northern Europe, go unheeded as part of a voluntary solidarity arrangement in the 27-member bloc.

Many of those brought to Italy's shores are fleeing poverty, not conflict or persecution, and are eventually found to be ineligible for asylum.

But only a few countries, notably Tunisia, have repatriation agreements with Italy, and tens of thousands of migrants wind up staying illegally for years.
A Stanford University professor who claimed parents' opposition to mask and vaccine mandates is caused by their 'whiteness,' has been accused of racism.

Hakeem Jefferson, a black political science professor at the California university, tweeted on August 17, when he claimed the protests are inspired by 'whiteness,' while applying the same logic to the January 6 Capitol riots.

'Whiteness is the most pressing threat to the nation that isnt climate change,' one of Jefferson's tweets read.

Pictured: Hakeem Jefferson, a political science professor at Stanford, who claimed anti-mask and vaccine protests are inspired by 'whiteness'

'Make no mistake, this crazy opposition to mask wearing that is leading folks (read white ppl) to act violently at school board meetings & council meetings & everywhere elseyeah, you cant disconnect it from whiteness,' he wrote.

Jefferson made it clear that any kind of national dialogue on such subjects are 'incomplete' until this 'whiteness' is acknowledged.

'And discussions that dont acknowledge this are incomplete.'.

Jefferson added that white people believe such 'whiteness' puts them above the law.

'Aint like masks are comfortable for non-white people. But you dont see a bunch of Black folks storming meetings. And its not just cause these white folks are GOP,' he stated.

'Its cause theyre white, & believe whiteness confers upon them a kind of power that places them above gov action.'

The Stanford professor further stated that whiteness is not a skin color, but rather an 'ideology,' and that even some people of color are 'committed to the ideology of whiteness.'

'It is attractive to those it so often oppresses.'

Jefferson currently serves as a faculty affiliate with the university's Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, with his dissertation earning him the 2020 Best Dissertation Award from the American Political Science Association.

According to his website, Jefferson specializes in the politics of African Americans and those who support the 'tough-on-crime' politics of the GOP.

For his part, Jefferson says his job is to 'clarify and contextualize' racism, which he calls 'core features of the American project.'

'Its like my reaction to jan6. You dont have to be an expert in identity to know that whiteness is driving the behavior,' his Twitter tirade continued.

Jefferson is a political science professor at Stanford University (pictured)

Anti-vaccine mandate protesters demonstrate, on August 24, 2021, outside of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, to support the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act

'The crowds are overwhelming white. You think this just randomly happened? Nah, whiteness be working overtime. Like we say in the south, the devil is busy!'

Twitter users were quick to criticize his tweets.

'This is facile, childishly simple minded, and racist,' one person replied.

'You should find a profession that does not require the ability to connect with reality. What do you do again?'

'What the hell are you blabbering about,' another wrote in response.

Meanwhile, Campus Reform reached out to Jefferson for a comment on his tweets, which prompted him to tweet again, this time mentioning the outlet by name and claiming his classroom antics are even more radical than his Twitter.

'A reporter from Campus Reform reached out to ask if I have any comments on this tweet because theyre writing a story about my comments. I think the tweets speak for themselves. Wait until they hear how I teach about race and injustice in the classroom!' Jefferson tweeted.
Protesters clashed with police in Berlin on Saturday as thousands of anti-vaxxers and Covid conspiracy theorists flooded the streets in the latest illegal demonstrations.

Police had banned nine planned demonstrations for Saturday, including one from the Stuttgart-based Querdenker movement, the most visible anti-lockdown movement in Germany.

Some demonstrators tried to get past barricades to the government district around the Reichstag parliament building and clashed with officers, police said. Four officers were injured, the Berliner Zeitung reported.

About 50 people were detained, some for assaulting officers, the force said.

The protesters, few of whom wore masks, waved banners marked with the messages 'I have my own opinion' and 'Covid-84' in a reference to George Orwell's book '1984' about a totalitarian state.

Pictured: Riot Police officers arrest a protester during unauthorized protest against anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin, Germany, 28 August 2021

The Querdenker movement has united a disparate mix of those opposing vaccinations, coronavirus deniers and right-wing extremists.

A court ruled in favour of allowing one event, planned for 500 people, on Saturday and Sunday.

Still, like the last round of protests in early August, thousands ignored the bans and turned out to voice their opposition to government measures.

With chants of 'We are the people!' the protesters made their way through Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte neighborhoods.

More than 2,000 police officers were stationed around the city to respond to those who showed up despite the bans.

At one protest Saturday evening in Mitte, German media reported that police used pepper spray to disperse a crowd unwilling to leave once the protest had ended.

Pictured: A protester argues with Riot Police officers during unauthorized protest against anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin, Germany, 28 August 2021

Unannounced rallies against anti-coronavirus measures, among them a protest by 'Querdenken 711' - a protest group consisting of anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theory supporters and far-right groups, were held despite a Berlin police ban of all protests due to violations of hygiene regulations

Riot Police officers on guard in Berlin during unauthorised protest against anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin, Germany, 28 August 2021

The crowd eventually thinned as it began to rain.

Meanwhile, a counter-protest complete with techno music drew a crowd of several thousand as well.

Those demonstrators back government restrictions to slow the spread of virus and oppose the Querdenker movement, stressing Berlin's diversity and advocating for more social cohesion.

Berlin police said they dispersed the counter-protesters when the crowd became too big to allow for social distancing.

The Saturday protests came amid a debate in Germany about whether to impose restrictions on unvaccinated people, a question taking on more urgency as daily infections rise.

The country has reported more than 3.9 million coronavirus cases and is facing a fourth wave of infections. It reported 10,303 new cases and 22 fatalities on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 92,096.

Pictured: A group of Riot police stand in the middle of a protest against anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin, Germany, 28 August 2021

Riot Police officers arrest a protester during unauthorised protest against anti-coronavirus measures in Berlin, Germany, 28 August 2021

Similar protests took place in Berlin in early August, which ended in clashes with police and hundreds of people detained.

The marches came a month before a federal election. The leading candidates vying to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel have pledged there will be no return to the strict lockdowns of last year and earlier this year.

To nudge more people to get vaccinated, the government has said it will stop offering free tests from Oct. 11, except for those for whom vaccination is not recommended, such as children and pregnant women.

The government will require people to be vaccinated, test negative or have a recovery certificate to enter indoor restaurants, participate in religious ceremonies or do indoor sport.
The gun used to kill Billy the Kid has sold for $6 million  a world record auction price for a firearm.

The Colt single-action revolver that Sheriff Pat Garrett used to bring down the outlaw was sold to an anonymous buyer for the equivalent of 4.4 million.

It was described as a relic of one of the most important and well-known stories of the Wild West before it went under the hammer at Bonhams in Los Angeles.

Emilio Estevez plays Billy the Kid in the 1988 film Young Guns

The $6 million sum is twice what auctioneers had predicted.

Billy the Kid  real name Henry McCarty  was one of the most notorious figures of the era, and is said to have killed eight men, including Sheriff William Brady.

In April 1881, at the age of 21, he was convicted of that murder and sentenced to hang.

But he managed to escape from jail, and had been on the run for three months when Garrett shot him in the chest at Pete Maxwells Ranch in New Mexico.

Garrett had taken the gun from another member of Billy the Kids gang he had arrested. Bonhams senior specialist Catherine Williamson said the weapon had been in the hands of both the lawman and the outlaw at various times.

It was described as a relic of one of the most important and well-known stories of the Wild West before it went under the hammer at Bonhams in Los Angeles

She added that Billy was this charismatic and funny character that you kind of like to see  a trickster getting one over on the law. That kind of character is really compelling to people.

Despite being on different sides of the law, Billy and Garrett were said to have shared a bond, and it is even rumoured that Garrett allowed Billy to escape  although a jury at the time asserted that they saw the outlaws body.

The Colt army revolver involved ended up in the extensive collection of Wild West experts Jim and Theresa Earle, which went under the hammer on Friday.

Despite being on different sides of the law, Billy and Garrett were said to have shared a bond, and it is even rumoured that Garrett allowed Billy to escape

Another lot was the gun Billy the Kid used to kill deputy Bob Olinger during his escape from Lincoln County jail.

The outlaw took the Whitney double-barrel shotgun from the lawman before shooting him with it.

Bonhams said it was the only identified gun Billy the Kid was known to have used, and it was sold for 978,000.

The Earles full collection, which they began in 1973, fetched a total of 9 million.

Ms Williamson said: The Earle collection is truly one of the most remarkable and unparalleled private collections of Western material seen in years. It was a tremendous privilege to bring it to auction.

The top lot, Pat Garretts gun that killed Billy the Kid, attracted attention from all around the world and led to a world auction record for a firearm. This momentum continued and determined bidding drove the sale as one of the most valuable private collections of Western memorabilia offered at auction.
UK vaccine watchdogs are under pressure to approve the roll-out of jabs for children as young as 12 as doctors say it could save thousands of lives by Christmas.

They say vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds is urgent as it would cut the number of Covid deaths and hospitalisations by a fifth  and protect the youngsters themselves.

The dramatic findings, seen by The Mail on Sunday, come in a new study by Exeter University Medical School, set to be published this week.

It follows Health Secretary Sajid Javids instruction to the NHS last week to start preparing to jab 12- to 15-year-olds amid fears children starting back at school could trigger a new Covid wave.

A new study by Exeter University, set to be published this week, says vaccinating 12 -to 15-year-olds is urgent as it would cut the number of Covid deaths and hospitalisations by a fifth (stock image)

But it also comes amid anger that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has still not given the go-ahead for the shots.

That is despite the fact that other countries, including France and the United States, have been vaccinating children as young as 12 for weeks.

Even Australia  which has dramatically lower rates of Covid than the UK  has now approved vaccines for 12 to 15s, with its vaccines committee saying the benefits far outweigh the potential risks.

Tory MP and former Cabinet Minister David Jones said last night: It is welcome that preparations are now well under way to jab 12- to-15-year-olds but there is a danger of missing the boat, given children will very shortly be returning to school.

Another Tory MP said privately that he was at a loss as why the JCVI is taking so long to give the go-ahead.

However, others insist schoolchildren should only be jabbed to protect their own health  not to save older generations more at risk from Covid.

Sources said the JCVI is expected to make a decision within ten days.

But the Exeter University study made clear there is no time to lose.

Dr David Strain, senior clinical lecturer at the universitys medical school and a working hospital consultant, said the Delta variant had changed the rules of engagement.

He said: This new variant produces 1,000 times more copies of itself, which means 12-, 13-, and 14-year-olds who previously couldnt generate enough copies of virus to infect their parents now can.

It follows Health Secretary Sajid Javids (pictured) instruction to the NHS last week to start preparing to jab 12- to 15-year-olds amid fears children starting back at school could trigger a new Covid wave

And while earlier strains rarely made youngsters very sick, Delta was causing more to fall seriously ill.

A quarter of Covid patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospitals respiratory support unit this summer are under 25, he said.

He and his team predict jabbing all 12-to-15s will cut total Covid-related deaths by 18 per cent, and hospitalisations by 21 per cent, compared to the current strategy  vaccinating just youngsters with health conditions plus those who live with at-risk others.

Under a conservative scenario, jabbing 12- to 15-year-olds could prevent 28,000 hospitalisations across all age groups and save 2,250 lives.

But if there is a bigger autumn wave, vaccinating younger adolescents could stop 77,000 hospitalisations and save 6,500 lives.

Dr Strain said Covid was now rife in youngsters, who act as super-spreaders. Failing to vaccinate them would increase the risk of another lockdown.

It is thought the main reason the JCVI is hesitating is concern the Pfizer and Moderna jabs given to young people can trigger a heart condition called myocarditis. But Dr Strain said the risk was very low  four per million in 20- to 25-year-olds. Even if the risk in under-18s was double that, it would only translate to 37 UK cases if we vaccinate all adolescents.

There have been two deaths from vaccine-induced myocarditis worldwide, he said. But at least four per cent of young people made ill by the virus suffered long Covid.

A source said the JCVI was considering all available evidence.
Celebrity chef Nick Nairn's restaurant has burnt down in 90 seconds while terrified diners ran for their lives after a piece of equipment reportedly malfunctioned and exploded.

The Scottish chef, 62, praised emergency services for helping panicked customers flee outside after a piece of equipment malfunctioned at the bistro in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire.

More than 30 firefighters were tackling the blaze after being called to the scene on Henderson Street at 8.17pm on Saturday to find a 'well-developed' fire in the kitchen.

Devastating photographs on social media showed plumes of smoke and flames pouring out of the building's windows.

More than 30 firefighters were tackling a blaze (pictured) at a Nick Nairn restaurant after being called to the scene at 8.17pm on Saturday to find a 'well-developed' fire in the kitchen

Mr Nairn's staff reportedly tried to dampen the flames with a fire blanket and tackled it with extinguishers, but were forced to flee when the appliance 'exploded'.

The chef said that an off-duty police officer and firefighter were both dining with the restaurant at the time and assisted with getting terrified diners to safety.

Mr Nairn told The Sun: 'We had a full house, it happened right in the middle of service.

'Luckily an off-duty cop and off-duty firefighter were dining with us, they assisted with the evacuation.

'Everybody is okay  that's the main thing.'

Six fire engines and a command support unit rushed to the scene, where two people were treated for smoke inhalation.

Mr Nairn, youngest Scottish chef to win a Michelin star in the 1990s, was working at another branch at the time, but rushed straight to the restaurant when he was told about the fire.

Six fire engines and a command support unit rushed to the scene (pictured), where two people were treated for smoke inhalation

The chef (pictured) said that an off-duty police officer and firefighter were both dining with the restaurant at the time and assisted with getting terrified diners to safety.

Mr Nairn, youngest Scottish chef to win a Michelin star in the 1990s, took to Twitter to thank everyone for the support following the 'terrible' fire at his Scottish restaurant

Sharing the news of the blaze on Twitter, Mr Nairn wrote: 'Just to let you know, terrible fire at Nicks BofA tonight, but thankfully all staff and customers unhurt.

'Huge respect and thanks to the emergency services who were incredible.'

He later added: 'Just processing the enormity of tonights fire at Nicks BofA. Overwhelmed by the love! Thank you all so much. Love right back at you Xxx'

Mr Nairn said it will be at least 24 hours before he is able to get into the building to access the damage, adding that the blaze is a 'bitter pill to swallow' after a difficult 18 months for hospitality businesses amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: 'We got a call at 8.17pm to a building alight. We sent two crews from Dunblane and Tillicoultry.

'On arrival crews confirmed this was a well developed fire within the kitchen and requested further attendance.'
The chairman of Marks & Spencer today warns that Britons could face shortages of Spanish chorizo and French cheese as the result of a fandango of bureaucracy at the borders.

Writing in The Mail on Sunday, Archie Norman says pointless post-Brexit red tape on food transported from the UK into the EU is causing huge delays at the borders, extra costs and unnecessary waste.

And he warns imports into Britain will be hit by similar chaos from October when the strict new rules are suddenly mirrored for food imported from the EU to the UK.

Mr Norman writes: In a mutual act of self-destruction, we risk lumbering French cheese producers and Spanish chorizo manufacturers with the same costs as we have faced trying to export food to the EU.

The chairman of Marks & Spencer today warns that Britons could face shortages of Spanish chorizo and French cheese as the result of a fandango of bureaucracy at the borders (file image)

M&S has more than 1,500 stores and serves over 100 international markets. Mr Norman reveals that M&S trucks now travel to EU ports with 700 pages of documentation  the equivalent to three paperback books.

He says border checks now mean fresh food is arriving a full day later and have increased the amount of driver hours by 30 per cent.

Of course, all this is pointless, he writes. UK food standards are the same as they were before Brexit.

The bureaucratic nightmare is exacerbating the lorry-driver shortage. A perfect storm of Covid, Brexit and longstanding issues recruiting drivers has been blamed for food shortages at the likes of McDonalds, Nandos and The Co-op.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday rejected calls from firms to loosen immigration rules for lorry drivers and urged companies to prioritise training UK-based workers.

But now fears are growing that the situation could dramatically worsen in October when EU exporters are forced to battle new red tape, which experts say will lead to more delays, shortages in supermarkets and restaurants  and possible price hikes.

Mr Norman writes: In a mutual act of self-destruction, we risk lumbering French cheese producers and Spanish chorizo manufacturers with the same costs as we have faced trying to export food to the EU. Picture: Stock

From October 1, EU food exporters will need to get authorised vets to inspect shipments of meat, fish and dairy products, produce certificates and file declarations. Meanwhile, UK importers will need to declare the goods with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs. Further physical checks on all goods will follow next January.

Mr Norman, a former Tory MP, said the UK and Europe should agree a period of equivalence  where the UK and EU accept each others food rules and standards, even if they are not identical  and move from the slow, paper-based customs controls currently in use to a fully digital system.

Business chiefs backed Mr Normans call. Dominic Coyte, co-founder of the Borough Cheese Company, which imports high-end French cheeses, said: The Government has left us high and dry. It seems like the rules are being made up on the hoof. I thought the paperwork would gradually get simpler but it seems to be getting more complex.

A fifth of companies have ditched their EU supplier in favour of one based outside the bloc, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply industry body. A further seven per cent intended to replace their EU supplier in the future.
Hotshot neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has denied 'appalling and inaccurate' claims he operated on the wrong side of two patients' brains, and slams his critics for rallying to get him banned from medicine.

The famed doctor performed a craniotomy on 19-year-old Michelle Smith, from Bradbury in Sydney's west, in 2003 to remove a brain tumour that was causing debilitating seizures.

According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, specialists who reviewed the MRI scans 12 years later accused Dr Teo of removing healthy brain tissue from the other side of her brain.

But the celebrity surgeon hit back at the 'slurs' on his professional reputation on Sunday, and said he has 'never operated on the wrong side of the brain in my entire career'.

Dr Teo who is a father to four daughters said his children cried at the news he may be leaving his career behind for good

'I was not given the opportunity to answer these slurs,' he told the Sunday Telegraph.

'If I had been given a chance to address the allegations I would have welcomed the opportunity.'

Dr Teo explained that the surgical technique used when operating on Ms Smith required approaching the tumour from a 'difficult location' to reduce the risk of the procedure.

He said the technique, known as the contralateral trans-falcine approach, is 'well documented' and Ms Smith awoke in excellent neurological condition, and was not experiencing seizures at the time of her post-op visits.

Ms Smith knew the tumour had not been entirely removed during the operation, but Dr Teo said he was not aware that her seizures had returned until she filed a lawsuit against him in 2019.

She said the surgery cost $46,000 and Dr Teo sent her home the next day, but the seizures persisted for years after until the tumour was eventually removed.

In 2016 she received another surgery free of charge from a different neurosurgeon who removed the rest of the tumour.

Dr Teo credits his 'big personality' and the fact he trained in the US as the reasons his colleagues were quick to dismiss him

Dr Michael Donnellan, the Sydney neurosurgeon who operated with Dr Teo, told the Sunday Telegraph: 'There is a big difference between a wrong side surgery, versus a contralateral approach - or approach from the opposite side - to a tumour that is close to the midline of the brain.'

She said the approach is well-recognised and has been used by the celebrity surgeon a number of times with good results.

Ms Smith's case was settled out of court.

The SMH also reported that a medical malpractice suit was filed against Dr Teo after he performed a biopsy on a military serviceman's brain in Arkansas, in the US.

Dr Teo said he was 'never named' in the lawsuit, but explained the biopsy was successful and resulted in a diagnosis for the patient.

'The issue that raised concerns was that the pre-operative scan was mis-labelled,' he said.

The neurosurgeon (pictured with partner) has decided to take three months off to weigh up whether a 35-year career is worth the toll put on him and his family

'The radiological department accepted full blame and both myself and the resident doing the case were exonerated,' he said.

US radiologist Warren Stringer confirmed he was the radiologist involved in the case, and said the CT scan used to guide the biopsy was mis-labelled meaning right and left were reversed.

Seventeen other patients scans were affected in the bungle, but Dr Teo's patient was the first.

The high-profile doctor is well known for performing 'last chance' brain surgery on patients after other neurosurgeons have deemed their condition inoperable.

But he has been criticised by some who allege he overcharges patients and has acted inappropriately in the operating theatre.

Temporary restrictions have now been placed upon the renowned Sydney doctor's medical licence by the NSW Medical Council after complaints were made about his work, including allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

In Dr Teo's eyes it means his enemies are finally 'going in for the kill', telling The Saturday Telegraph one attacker who he labels 'The Mole' has been working for years to destroy his reputation.

Australian model Cheyenne Tozzi defended Dr Teo who operated on her mother after she was diagnosed with multiple brain tumours in 2013

In the wake of the outcry the neurosurgeon has decided to take three months off work to weigh up whether a career spanning 35 years is worth continuing.

'Well-intentioned colleagues have warned me over the years to be less outspoken and to stop giving contrary second opinions because if the day ever came that I would be facing a medical council tribunal, there would not be a single surgeon to support me. I naively ignored those warnings.' Dr Teo told the publication.

Dr Teo said 'The Mole' was determined to paint him as a 'money-hungry sexual predator'.

An allegation surfaced in September 2019 that Dr Teo had told a nurse 'while you're down there...' as she bent down to pick something up.

The neurosurgeon admitted he made the 'bad joke' but said it had been taken out of context and the nurse in question had been with him for 12 years, was like a 'sister' and the pair always joked around together.

Dr Charlie Teo (pictured right) has denied operating on the wrong side of a patient's brain

The nurse told the publication it was taken as a joke and she was not offended in any way.

Other complaints being fired against him by disgruntled peers include the notion he overcharges patients for his own financial gain - an allegation Dr Teo says offends him the most.

He argued if the claims were true he wouldn't spend months out of the year conducting charity work overseas or fund a hospital in India out of his own pocket.

He described his house and suburb as modest and admits he wears his clothes until they're ready to be thrown out.

When controversy surrounded a surgery that cost $120,000, Dr Teo said $80,000 was for hospital costs while the rest was split between providers.

'For the last 20 years I have offered to operate on public patients in the public system, in their hometown for free. This would require their local neurosurgeon to invite me to operate there and in 20 years I have only twice been invited,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Dr Teo for further comment.

Famed neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo is considering leaving his career behind after having medical restrictions imposed on his work

The NSW Medical Council has ordered Dr Teo to provide proof that he's explained the financial costs and risks to patients before operating.

He is also not permitted to perform certain operations until he obtains written approval from a fellow neurosurgeon.

The restrictions follow the Medical Council of NSW calling on Dr Teo to attend an 'immediate action panel' last week.

The neurosurgeon accepted the directions and said he has always consulted with a colleague, often from a leading medical school.

He will retrospectively review outcomes of surgeries with a colleague as part of the directives.

Dr Teo said he felt 'emotionally spent' having not only been forced to battle with the medical council but also bitter colleagues 'jealous of his success'.

He's now concerned his method of operating may be clouded by his 'own professional survival' and what has been enforced by the council instead of the method he normally takes: treating every patient as if they're a member of his family.

'I don't want to be one of the doctors who I never wanted to be. I've never wanted to be one of those surgeons who've put their own interests before their patients' interests,' he said.

Since the restrictions were imposed hundreds of patients and their families have shared testimonies defending and praising Dr Teo for his work.
Britain's longest-surviving heart transplant patient has celebrated his 90th birthday  defying medics who said he would live for just another eight years.

Ted Warner underwent surgery in 1990 and has had the same donor heart beating away inside him ever since.

Despite being warned the transplant would give him just shy of a decade, Mr Warner  who puts his resilience down to his family and friends  is still going strong.

Ted Warner, Britain's longest-lived heart transplant patient, has celebrated his 90th birthday - 31 years after getting a donor organ fitted

Mr Warner, from Leicestershire, said: Its all possible because of my donor. I wrote a letter to their family many years ago and had a little bit of contact, but then they moved with no forwarding address and I could no longer reach them.

But thats OK because it must have been so tough for them and what they were going through.

I think about them almost every single day, even now. Especially now. You cant ever put into words how kind, generous and unselfish he and his family are for donating his heart to somebody he doesnt know.

Mr Warner, who had been using a pacemaker, was told by a cardiologist at Leicesters Glenfield Hospital that he needed a heart transplant, following tests in January 1990. However, he had to wait seven months for a donor, not long after being told he had three weeks to live.

The Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire, which performed the UKs first successful heart transplant in 1979, confirmed the expected survival rate was eight years at the time of Mr Warners operation.

Now, 31 years on, he is the oldest person in the UK alive with a transplanted heart, the hospital said.

I couldnt have got through this without the incredible support of my late wife Annette, my two sons Neil and Adam, and friends who have been with me throughout my journey, he added.
A grief-stricken father has revealed the final words his beloved daughter spoke to him before she took her own life on her 18th birthday.

Isabella Emma Pearce died in the Princess Alexandria Hospital on January 31 this year after she was found by two 10-year-old boys in a south Brisbane park.

Her death was two days after she rode off on her bicycle and told her father: 'I'm never coming home, Dad'.

Isabella Emma Pearce (pictured) died on her 18th birthday in Brisbane's Princess Alexandria Hospital in January of this year while waiting for an appointment with a psychiatrist

'The hospital wanted to keep her alive so she didn't have to die on her birthday, but there was no point,' Mr Pearce, 57, told the Courier Mail.

He said he felt angry thinking of Bella's unfulfilled potential and wondered if he could have persuaded his daughter to reconsider her actions.

Mr Pearce, along with his wife Fiona, believe Queensland's child mental health system let their vulnerable daughter down when she needed support the most.

Mrs Peace said on that ill-fated day in January, Bella was 'inconsolable' after breaking up with her boyfriend and told her over the phone what she planned to do.

'I told her to hold on, that she was so loved by all her friends and by us, and that I was on my way to her, but it wasn't enough,' she said.

She explained her daughter had been a happy child but begun to struggle with her mental health during puberty.

In 2018, she attended the prestigious Catholic school Our Lady's College in Annerley and was severely bullied while in Year 10, attempting suicide in August.

Bella's heartbroken mother explained her daughter (pictured) had been a happy child but begun to struggle with her mental health as soon as puberty hit

Two days before Isabella Pearce (pictured) took her own life in a south Brisbane park she told her heartbroken father 'I'm never coming home Dad'

The teenager transferred to Loreto College in Coorparoo where she found a better network of friends but continued to battle with her inner demons.

In October of 2019 Bella attempted suicide again and was given a seven-day 'safety plan' to prevent any further attempts.

In her final year of high school the teenager called her mother from the Coorparoo campus and told her she was feeling suicidal.

Mrs Pearce said she took her daughter to the Queensland Children's Hospital for treatment from someone in the mental health unit.

'I should have made a formal complaint because this person made a mockery of Bella's suffering, and made her feel worse about herself, if that was possible,' she said.

The broken-hearted mother said she believed her daughter would still be alive if she was admitted to hospital that day.

Bella Pearce was transferred to Loreto College in Coorparoo (pictured) where she found a better network of friends but continued to battle with her inner demons

However Bella was simply told to go back on the waiting list to see a psychiatrist, a process that could take several months.

Mrs Pearce said the 'horribly broken' mental health system needed to have places for teenagers like Bella who are in a critical situation.

'We need an emergency centre, specifically dedicated to helping these kids, because there are so many who lack resilience,' she said.

Over 500 people attended a memorial for Bella held at her younger brother Josh's school, St Laurence's College, on February 17.

On the last photo the teenager posted to her Instagram account dozens of her friends and loved ones continue to share their grief.

'I'm sitting in the car, sobbing because of how much I miss your voice,' one said.

In her final year of high school Bella called her mother from the Coorparoo campus (pictured) and told her she was feeling suicidal

'Missing you tonight. I hope you're ok up there my angel,' a second wrote.

'Love you, I wish you were here for my 18th, not the same without you pretty,' a third commented.

A GoFundMe page was set-up for the family to collect donations for funeral costs and bills by friend Alicia Stinchcombe.

'Bella was looking forward to her 18th birthday with so much excitement,' she wrote.

'She was an amazing young lady with a smile that could light up a room, a laugh that would fill an entire house and a personality as big as an ocean.'

For crises support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
The terrorist bombing that killed at least 170 people outside Kabul Airport sent shockwaves all the way to the U.S., where Afghan immigrants have been left terrified for their loved ones struggling to flee the country after the Taliban seized control.

My wife is in Kabul right now and she was supposed to go to the airport yesterday, Ziatulla, a 43-year-old Uber driver from Fresh Meadows, Queens, where hundreds of Afghans have made their home, told DailyMail.com on Friday. They told her to go home and wait.

'I worry so much. Im not sleeping at all,' he added.

The U.S. has just until Tuesday to get as many as 1,000 Americans out plus another 5,000 Afghans who helped in the war.

Ziatulla said that his wife, sister and brother-in-law are all in Kabul, trying to escape after the Taliban took over the capital and all of Afghanistan

Afghanis and their families gathered at the Masjid Al-Saaliheen mosque, in Queens, as they worried about family members still stuck in Kabul

Fears are growing that crowds could try to storm the airport once civilian mercy flights stop, or that opportunistic terrorists could attack the densely-packed crowd

Thousands of desperate Afghans are still arriving at the Hamid Karzai International Airport despite the constant threat of another terrorist attack.

International fury is mounting over President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the country. It led to the Taliban's lightning-fast takeover of the country and sparked the desperate evacuation, with foreign countries being given an August 31 deadline to get their citizens out.

Then came the horrific bombing at the airport which took the lives of 13 American service members.

Ziatulla joined dozens of Afghans Friday for afternoon prayers at Masjid Saaliheen, a storefront mosque on Kissena Boulevard in Fresh Meadows where he prayed for his wifes safe return.

I called her after the attack, he said. Shes scared.'

His wife has been visiting family for the past two months in Kabul, where shes staying with a 43-year-old cousin who served as a captain in the Afghan National Army.

He was already threatened by the Taliban because he was working with the Afghans and the U.S. government, Ziatulla said. Luckily my wife was there with him. Shes trying to evacuate him if possible.

Ziatullah found comfort in talking with fellow Afghan immigrants outside the mosque

Many Afghans in the U.S. are awaiting updates from family members about the situation in Afghanistan as threats of another attack at Kabul airport persist

Kids of Afghan immigrants walked about as their parents congregated at the local mosque

He blamed Biden for the breakdown in security.

I dont understand  why are we losing more lives when we (the United States) come out of there? he asked.

Biden did not plan this well. He should have started preparing and evacuating people in February. Its a disaster.

Amanullah Fardoq, 46, who works at Bakhter Halal Kababs in Fresh Meadows, said his mother is struggling to catch a flight out Kabul.

She wants to come to the United States, but she cant get out, he said. I tell her I cant do anything because of the immigration law. There is no embassy for her to go to in Afghanistan, nothing. Theres no way out.

My mom, brother, sister and cousin are all in Kabul, he added. With all the chaos, theyre being held up in their house and cannot go out because they live close to the airport.

Fardoq, who worked in Afghanistan between 2012 and 2015 driving an armored vehicle to transport American contractors to work, spoke with his mother Monday as the threat of an imminent attack loomed.

She was worried, but she didnt want me to panic so she didnt cry on the phone, he said. A relative who was with her told me she broke down and cried immediately after getting off the phone.

Amanullah Fardoq said his mother, brother, sister and cousin are all trapped in Kabul

Desperate Afghans waded through a sewage ditch on the outskirts of Kabul airport this morning while pleading with soldiers guarding the opposite bank to put them on a plane out of the country as time runs out to flee Taliban rule

A lucky man is hauled to safety by a soldier (left) and allowed one step closer to freedom, but most were left wallowing in filth as their pleas fell on deaf ears with as little as 24 hours left until civilian mercy flights top

Mahmood, 51, who was collecting donations from worshippers, spoke Thursday with his 80-year-old father whos in Kabul. The father, an American citizen, is waiting for the dust to settle before returning to the States.

He told me, Im in no rush, that he has no desire to go rush to the airport after the explosion, he told DailyMail.com. The embassy called him and told him to come to the airport. He told them hes going to wait until the dust settles.

Mahmood expects the Taliban will let his father and other Americans leave even after the U.S. withdrawal is complete.

The Taliban, theyre not going to shut down the country and not let people travel, he said.

Mohammad Omar, 50, whose sister lives in Khandahar, said hes anxious to see whether the Taliban indeed has moderated since the war began.

The Taliban says theyve changed, that theyre different now than they were, he said. Lets see. We have to give them time to see if they bring real peace or not.

Mohamed Omar, said he's anxious about the situation in Afghanistan and has some hope that the Taliban could be more moderate than when the war first began

Afghans in the U.S. have blamed both former President Donald Trump, left, and current President Joe Biden for the situation in Afghanistan for their part in ordering a withdrawal

He said he doesnt blame Biden for the chaos.

Trump signed the agreement with the Taliban to get out, Omar said. There would have been chaos no matter which president was in power because there was no secure government in Afghanistan.

No matter which regime is in charge, we just want peace, he added. Were tired of war.

As the Afghan victims of the suicide bombing were being buried, friends and relatives spoke of 'the best and the brightest of their generation being cruelly cut down in their prime.'

The faces of the tragic, mainly young, victims came from all corners of Afghan society, but they all shared a hope for a better life away from the Taliban's rule.

The funerals taking place across the capital city have ranged from that of a talented young woman journalist to a member of the Afghan national taekwondo team. Several families were devastated by the loss of more than one cousin or sibling, and one family lost four young men.

The deaths at the airport have caused uproar in the U.S., with the fathers of at least two of the Marines killed in the bomb attack blaming Biden, saying he turned his back on the troops on the ground with his chaotic evacuation attempt that made them sitting ducks for ISIS-K.

A US marine carries a child towards an evacuation aircraft at Kabul airport as the final mercy flights depart the country

Afghan families are pictured boarding a military evacuation flight at Hamid Karzai Airport as the US prepares to withdraw from the country, with other western nations set to follow

An Afghan woman accompanied by a young child walks towards a US evacuation plane sitting on the runway at Kabul airport

Afghan civilians pack on to a Canadian evacuation flight out of Kabul, as western nations prepare to end the mercy missions

Navy hospital corpsman Max Soviak, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, and Marines Hunter Lopez, Rylee McCollum, David Lee Espinoza, Kareem Nikoui, Jared Schmitz, Daegan Page, Taylor Hoover, Humberto Sanchez, Johanny Rosario, Dylan Merola and Nicole Gee were the U.S. service members killed in the attack.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed late on Friday that a drone strike had eliminated the suspected architect of the airport attack, an ISIS-K member in Nangahar province.

About 110,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban entered Kabul, Reuters reported.

The U.S. has airlifted about 5,100 U.S. citizens

The U.S. now one of the only nations still evacuating from Kabul amid increasing threats of another ISIS attack.

Some of the Afghans being helped by Pineapple Express were injured in yesterday's suicide bomb attack but it's unclear if any were killed.
The Royal College of Nursing has scrapped its three-day annual conference in Liverpool following what it described as serious allegations of sexual harassment.

In an unprecedented move, the powerful union, which has 465,000 members, said it had decided to hold the meeting entirely online after receiving independent legal advice.

It was due to take place at the ACC Liverpool, a conference centre on the banks of the Mersey, from September 18 to 20.

Last night, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) refused to give any further details of who had been accused of sexual harassment, what has been alleged, or even whether police have been informed.

The Royal College of Nursing has scrapped its three-day annual conference in Liverpool following what it described as 'serious allegations of sexual harassment' (stock image)

Nurses took to Twitter to express their shock with several asking the union to explain its decision more clearly.

In a statement the union said it had no greater priority than the safety, security and wellbeing of its members.

The notice contained the warning: This story contains information which members may find distressing.

It went on: In light of serious allegations of sexual harassment and after independent legal advice, elected members of the RCN Council met and decided the best way to safeguard members attending Congress is to move this years meeting to a fully virtual event.

As a matter of urgency, RCN is undertaking a full review of all safeguarding policies and procedures as part of our cultural change.We take a zero tolerance approach to such allegations at all times. This decision is only one part of the RCNs response and the organisation is committed to proactively addressing concerns wherever they arise.

It was due to take place at the ACC Liverpool, a conference centre on the banks of the Mersey, (pictured) from September 18 to 20 but has now been moved online

Nurses took to Twitter to express their shock with several asking the union to explain its decision more clearly, asking is it not a 'criminal matter for the police'

Carol Popplestone, chair of the RCN Council, said: We have acted fast and took a unanimous decision that protects all attendees. We know that many members planning to attend were looking forward to seeing each other in person for the first time in two years. But this decision was made with members safety at the top of our minds. That is what we are here to safeguard at all costs.

I am absolutely determined that Congress will still be its usual fascinating mix of debates, events and speeches. Getting together virtually wont stand in the way of that.

The decision is likely to detract from the key issue facing the union  nurses pay. It has been lobbying for a 12.5 per cent pay rise.

Last night, nurses expressed their disbelief on Twitter. Learning disability nurse Catriona McIntosh wrote: Are RCN Council announcing they believe the risk of sexual assault at Congress outweighs the effective running of our union? Would that not be a criminal matter for the police, not Council? Why are you not concentrating on the pay campaign?

Another, Paul K Watson, wrote: This isnt a Council matter it sits with the police... My confidence in this organisation has gone. But others backed the decision.

The last time the RCN held its annual meeting in person was in May 2019, also in Liverpool.

It was held online last year due to the pandemic. Normally around 3,000 people attend but the union was expecting smaller numbers, in the hundreds, due to the hybrid nature of the event as planned.
hort-haul economy-class flyers with BA must now pre-order or use app for drink

For many, being handed a glass of bubbly or a G&T at 30,000ft is when a holiday really starts. But traditional in-flight service could soon be a thing of the past following a move by British Airways.

Instead of air hostesses wheeling trolleys along the aisle, short-haul economy-class flyers with BA must now pre-order or use an app  similar to those in Wetherspoon pubs  if they want a drink.

BA, which once billed itself as the worlds favourite airline, insists the move is to cut down on aircraft weight and food waste.

But critics say the lack of personal touch is another example of the nations flag carrier running down its services.

Thing of the past? A British Airways cabin crew member serves alcohol and snacks to passengers. Instead of air hostesses wheeling trolleys along the aisle, short-haul economy-class flyers with BA must now pre-order or use an app if they want a drink

Former BA stewardess Amanda Epe, who wrote a book about her experiences in the sky, told The Mail on Sunday: You can never replace people with apps, and thats why we call it service  because of the human touch.

With all the profit in the airline industry, its not right to do this. They seem to be ditching tradition for no good reason.

In May, The Mail on Sunday revealed how BA executives were moving upmarket again after the pandemic.

Under new boss Sean Doyle, cabin crew are set for new uniforms designed by Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng, while Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge has overhauled the menu.

At the time, Tom Stevens, BAs director of brand and customer experience, said: From booking until landing, BA needs to feel like a premium experience.

Part of the revamp was the Buy Before You Fly scheme, where drinks and food could be ordered from home up to five days before travel. Duty-free and other online shopping could also be done in advance.

In May, The Mail on Sunday revealed how BA executives were moving upmarket again after the pandemic. Pictured: file photo of a BA Boeing 787-9 arriving at London's Heathrow Airport

The Mail on Sunday comment Was there ever a more refreshing, delicious taste on the tongue than that of the first drink of the holiday, sipped from a misted, chilled glass, safely aboard a smooth, swift British Airways jet bound for a well-earned break from normality? The glamour of flying may mostly have departed, but our beloved BA has managed to uphold a few of its pleasures in an era of cheap, bare, basic travel. And thank goodness for that. So please let it not be true that the national flag carrier is getting rid of trolley service on shorter flights, and passengers must instead grapple with yet another miserable smartphone app, just to get a gin and tonic or a glass of wine. The days may yet be coming when a holiday flight abroad has all the joy of a crowded bus ride on a wet Monday morning. But please, not yet, and especially not on British Airways. Advertisement

BA said not having so much stock would reduce the weight of the plane, so it would burn less fuel. But passengers now having to use a smartphone app to order from their seat, via the aircrafts wi-fi system, are not impressed.

Passenger Hellen Madden wrote on Twitter: BA, can you explain why there is no on-board trolley service on this three-hour flight to Greece?

Another commented: In the 1960s, the air stewards used to carve roast beef for you  now you cant even get a glass of wine without a kerfuffle.

Since January, BA has been giving passengers a bottle of water and a snack, typically a packet of crisps or a biscuit.

But a woman who flew BA with her family to Portugal this month said they had been given a bottle of lukewarm mineral water and a packet of foul-tasting crisps, yet had been able to buy a gin and tonic and packet of shortbread from a trolley on the easyJet flight back to Britain.

I never imagined that the service on a budget airline would trounce that on BA, but it most certainly did, said the mother-of-two. BAs boast of being the worlds favourite airline now seems pretty hollow.

A trolley service is still available on long-haul flights  but they are seldom taken in Covid times.

Mr Doyles predecessor, Alex Cruz, was accused of trying to take BA downmarket and compete with budget airlines.

There have been grumbles about cramped business-class cabins and dog-eared interiors while complaints soared in 2017 when BA axed free food and drinks on short-haul economy flights.

Mr Stevens said: The feedback we have had from customers who have been able to travel and have ordered from our new Speedbird Cafe [app] has been extremely encouraging.
They were once the preserve of the rich and famous, but nowadays one in five couples sign a pre-nuptial agreement before marrying.

New research suggests around 20 per cent of those who have tied the knot since 2000 have put arrangements about their finances in place before walking down the aisle  up from just 1.5 per cent 40 years ago.

Wealthier couples are, perhaps unsurprisingly, most likely to set out how their assets would be divided should their marriage fail.

Around 44 per cent of those in managerial, administrative or professional jobs said they had a pre-nup, compared to just 18 per cent of mid-level managers, skilled and semi-skilled workers.

New research suggests around 20% of couples sign a pre-nuptial agreement before marrying, with wealthier couples most likely to set out how their assets would be divided (stock image)

Harry Benson, research director for the Marriage Foundation which commissioned the study, said: Pre-nups are no longer a legal curiosity or quirk associated with the mega-rich and famous but appear to be becoming an integral part of getting married for large numbers of couples. This seems particularly true for high earners and where there might be substantial assets before the start of the relationship.

Marriage Foundation founder Sir Paul Coleridge suggested the rise of pre-nups was partly due to couples marrying later in life when they had already accumulated substantial assets individually.

With the increasing age at which couples marry, either for the first or second time, it is more likely that one or other will have established wealth which they feel they want to protect, he said.

The study of 2,000 adults by polling company Savanta ComRes found evidence that far from increasing the chance of divorce, pre-nups actually made splits less likely during the first decade of marriage.

Sir Paul said: Couples who take time to confront potentially tricky financial or other issues before they marry are less likely to be derailed by them if and when they arise.

Among those reported to have signed pre-nups, Kim Kardashian is said to be in line receive $1 million (730m) for every year she was married to Kanye West (pictured together in 2020)

Pre-nuptual agreements are not legally binding in the UK, but courts tend to take them into account when deciding on disputed financial agreements.

Silvia Devecchi, of Vardags family law firm, said she had absolutely seen an increase in the use of pre-nups, adding: We now see them in many more situations, not just when you have a wealthy party and a party that wasnt wealthy. You see people both wanting to protect their wealth. Divorce is also no longer as stigmatised and therefore you can have a frank conversation about what will happen to your assets should you separate.

Among those reported to have signed pre-nups are Kim Kardashian, who is said to be in line receive $1 million (730 million) for every year she was married to Kanye West. However, Amazons chief Jeff Bezos was not believed to have had a pre-nup with his wife MacKenzie when they split in 2019, despite being worth 100 billion.
Almost70 per cent of teenage girls receiving help for psychological abuse were targeted through smartphones or tablets, shocking new statistics reveal.

Experts have warned of the 'growing opportunity' for abusers to use technology, with increasing numbers of young women being referred to domestic abuse charities.

Emma Pickering, tech abuse team manager at domestic violence charity Refuge, said: 'Young people have more devices, more accounts, so there are more options for a perpetrator.'

Almost 70 per cent of women referred to abuse charity Refuge between 2019 and 2020 were targeted using smartphones and tablets (file image)

Between 2019 and 2020, 714 girls aged 16 to 19 were referred to Refuge, with 70 per cent of them suffering psychological or emotional abuse.

In 68 per cent of those cases, the perpetrator  overwhelmingly husbands or boyfriends  had used technology.

Young women are under pressure to share passwords and account details 'to prove trust in a relationship'.

Suzy, an 18-year-old university student, described on a podcast how her abusive boyfriend would constantly monitor or even take her phone.

'He'd freak out about something and I'd show him my phone to prove him wrong and then he'd just go through it,' she told You Don't Know Me.

Her boyfriend attacked her when she refused to hand over her phone.

Refuge chief executive Ruth Davison said: 'It's very common for teenagers' relationships to play out, at least in part, online and this is giving perpetrators growing opportunities to use technology to abuse and harm.'

The Home Office said: 'The new statutory definition of domestic abuse now specifically recognises psychological abuse as a form of domestic abuse, and captures a range of different behaviours, including abuse through technology.'
Bureaucratic rigidity threatens to condemn this country, and the EU itself, to a wholly needless crisis over trade between the UK and the Brussels-ruled bloc.

In a powerful article today in The Mail on Sunday, Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman dissects the problem and warns of dire consequences to both sides if it is not quickly resolved. He says border inspection arrangements have been set up to fail, being wholly at odds with the modern world.

Thanks to obsolete rules drawn up nearly a quarter of a century ago, when computers were still a comparatively minor feature of life, British exports to the EU are already being pointlessly hampered by multiple demands for paperwork that will mostly never be read.

Mr Norman, a former Tory MP who almost uniquely in this country combines direct experience of Parliament and business, reveals that M&S lorries now each need 700 pages of documentation to pass through EU customs controls imposed since Brexit.

Bureaucratic rigidity threatens to condemn this country, and the EU itself, to a wholly needless crisis over trade between the UK and the Brussels-ruled bloc. Pictured: lorries queue at border control for the port of Dover on January 15 this year

In a powerful article today in The Mail on Sunday, Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman (pictured in July 2018) dissects the problem and warns of dire consequences to both sides if it is not quickly resolved

This folly is already delaying fresh food, so making it less fresh and undermining one of the main purposes of such checks  to ensure high health and safety standards.

It is especially nonsensical since this countrys food standards have long been among the best in the world and have not declined since we regained our independence.

Meanwhile, the position in Northern Ireland, supposedly agreed to make things easier and to avoid an accidental frontier with the Republic, grows worse. But this has had no impact on the madness, which is about to intensify.

In October, as the grace period agreed in the Brexit talks comes to an end, we are supposed to impose our own similar tiresome and self-harming restrictions on goods coming into this country from the EU.

In fact, none of this is any surprise to trade experts or civil servants or diplomats. They had long months in which to find ways to overcome such difficulties. We have to wonder whether it is not a political legacy left to us by the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier  who has openly declared his candidacy for the French presidency and perhaps thinks his ambition will be helped in the coming vote by a reputation for giving the English Rosbifs a hard time.

There were always too much politics and too little trade and diplomacy in these talks. This was dangerous but easy to ignore when a rigid EU-UK border was just a theoretical problem. But now that it is a practical fact, and about to grow into a bigger one, it must be reopened and addressed seriously before both sides are gravely damaged.

We have to wonder whether it is not a political legacy left to us by the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier (pictured)  who has openly declared his candidacy for the French presidency

The easiest approach, and the one most likely to avoid posturing by Brussels, must be one of modernisation. The use of electronic tracking and checking instead of paperwork is a badly needed reform, and would simply bring this important activity up to the standards of the present day.

Business and trade, as Mr Norman well knows, have been transformed for the better by such methods. His sensible suggestion that the EU accept the equivalence of our quality and health controls may be harder to achieve, but is rational and workable.

In any case, there is no time to be lost. This countrys goodwill and its desire to trade profitably with its friends and neighbours is not in doubt, and we are sure that most people and leaders in the EU feel the same. Let us act together for this good aim.
British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today.

The rescue of Sayed - along with his wife, their three-month-old baby and three-year-old son - came as officials complained Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while interpreters remained stranded.

Sayed, a 32-year-old interpreter who was blown up while working for the UK in 2011, became the last person who served along-side British forces to be allowed inside Kabul airport and processed for a flight to the UK, The Sunday Times reported.

The rescue of Sayed and his family was ordered by senior figures inside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the gates to the airport were closed to new arrivals.

Before his escape, the Afghan father had spent more than four days trying to find a way to the airport's Abbey Gate where British troops were clearing those who were eligible for sanctuary in the UK.

Despite being part of the crowd ordered to leave by the Taliban, who now control Kabul and most of Afghanistan following their take-over this month, Sayed told the newspaper that he stood his ground refusing to give up hope.

Pictured: Members of the British and US military engage in the evacuation of people out of Kabul, Afghanistan as part of Operation Pitting, that has now drawn to a close. British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today

The interpreter stood in the baking sun for hours wading through sewage, all while holding his young daughter, but after reaching the correct gate he was not called forward.

After Thursday evening's suicide bombing that killed an estimated 170 people, he and his family were forced to give up hope and return to their home.

Speaking earlier this week, Sayed had said that it hurt that his name was not called at the gate after working for Britain as an interpreter.

'I always put my life in danger to save British troops because we were living as brothers,' he said, according to The Sunday Times. 'But now that we need them the most, no one will hear us.'

During the time in which Sayed was trying to escape the capital via the airport, former British Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing's campaign to put pressure on officials to allow him to fly to Britain with over 180 rescue animals succeeded.

While gaining huge support, the campaign led by the founder of the Nowzad animal shelter was also accused of taking up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul.

MoD officials - frustrated that Mr Farthing's animals were being saved while Afghans loyal to Britain were set to be left behind - picked up Sayed's case.

Despite the gates to the airport officially being closed to prepare for the final evacuation flights from Kabul, British troops were ordered to find him.

During the time in which Sayed was trying to escape the capital via the airport, former British Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing's campaign to put pressure on officials to allow him to fly to Britain with over 180 rescue animals succeeded. Pictured: Pen Farthing with a rescue dog, 2013

On Friday night, Sayed received a call from a British interpreter to take a taxi to the airport and once again go to the gate.

He said he had to walk 30 minutes after the taxi ride to reach the gate, where he found that there was another large crowd.

Sayed was once again called by the interpreter, who told him to leave the crowd and signalled him with a light.

'When I reached the light the British forces took me and my family over the barbed wire. It was amazing, I am happy now,' he told The Sunday Times. 'I thank everyone who worked hard for my family.'

Sayed worked with UK forces for three years. He was given permission to come to the UK months ago, but his baby was born before the flight meaning officials required more paperwork.

As the Taliban swept across the country and seized Kabul, the family's passports were with the British embassy, leading to further delays.

But after a 100-hour battle to get him out of the capital before it became impossible, Sayed and his family are on their way to start a new life in the UK.

In this handout photo provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel climb onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, August 28, 2021

Pictured: British soldiers secure the perimeter outside the Baron Hotel, near the Abbey Gate, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, August 26, 2021

Afghan woman gives birth on evacuation flight to UK By Glen Owen for the Mail on Sunday Cradles in a red airline blanket, this little girl was born at 33,000ft while on an evacuation flight to the UK yesterday. Her Afghan mother, Soman Noori, was on the flight from Dubai to Birmingham  having previously left Kabul  when she went into labour. There was no doctor on board, forcing the Turkish Airlines cabin crew to deliver the baby girl in airspace over Kuwait. She has been named Havva, which translates to Eve in English. Havva is the third child of Ms Noori, 26, and her 30-year-old husband, Taj Moh Hammat. Turkish Airlines said mother and baby were healthy, and although the plane landed in Kuwait as a precaution, it continued on its route to Birmingham and landed at 11.45am. Video footage shows Havva sleeping in her mother's arms before being cooed over by cabin crew. Ms Noori is not the first woman to give birth while fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power. An unnamed woman gave birth last week on a US military plane that had just landed in Germany. She named her Reach, after the aircraft's call sign. Pictured: Air crew hold baby Havva who was born on an evacuation flight destined for Birmingham Advertisement

Meanwhile, it was announced on Saturday by his spokesman that Pen Farthing had taken off from Kabul airport and was on his way home with his dogs and cats on a private charter plane.

The jet landed at the Afghan capital's airport earlier today and was loaded up with rescue animals, owned by the former Royal Marine, by British troops.

But Paul 'Pen' Farthing's 'Operation Ark' campaign, that petitioned the British government to get his staff and animals out of Kabul, has divided public opinion.

It was revealed yesterday that as many as 150 Britons and 1,100 Afghans that assisted British efforts in Afghanistan will be left behind in the country, while the charter plane flies 180 cats and dogs to safety.

The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Karachi, Pakistan, landed at around 6pm local time, after the last UK flight dedicated for civilians left last night and all further flights today are for military and diplomatic personnel.

A Tory MP Tom Tugendhat criticised the decision to use soldiers to evacuate Mr Farthing's animals while the lives of Afghans who assisted the British during the 20-year occupation of the country are under threat from the Taliban.

'The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport and we've just used a lot of troops to get in 200 dogs,' the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee said.

'Meanwhile my interpreter's family are likely to be killed,' Tugendhat - who served in Afghanistan and Iraq - added. 'As one interpreter asked me a few days ago, why is my five year-old worth less than your dog?'

When asked what his answer was to his interpreter's question, Tugendhat replied: 'I didn't have an answer, what would your answer be?'

The MP's comments came as Major General Nick Carter, the head of the British Army, told the BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme that the army's 'priority has been to evacuate human beings,' amid anger over the decision to evacuate animals.

'We obviously worry about everything that needs to be evacuated, but of course these are very difficult times, and there are very difficult judgements to be made.'
Australia logged a record 1,323 local Covid-19 infections on Sunday, as debate rages on whether the country should start living with the virus in the community.

New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state and the epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak, reported a staggering 1,218 cases on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Victoria, which is in its sixth lockdown, recorded 92 new infections on Sunday, the highest in nearly a year, while the Australian Capital Territory had 13 new cases.

The rise in cases comes as NSW authorities are set to slightly ease restrictions after nine weeks in lockdown, which is scheduled to last until the end of September.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged states to reopen their borders once a vaccination target of 70 per cent of those 16 and older is reached, and NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian vowed to reopen once this goal is reached.

New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state and the epicentre of the Delta-fuelled outbreak, reported 1,218 cases on Sunday. Pictured: People in Sydney on Sunday

'No matter what the case numbers are doing (...) double-dose 70 per cent in NSW means freedom for those who are vaccinated,' Berejiklian said.

On Sunday, she confirmed that the state has reached the halfway point of achieving the target.

Elsewhere in Victoria, the country's second most populous state, which is in its sixth lockdown since the start of the pandemic, there were 92 new infections on Sunday - the highest in nearly a year.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said his state's lockdown, due to end on Thursday, will be extended, but did not confirm how long for.

'We see far too many cases today for us to seriously consider opening up later on this week,' Andrews said.

The Australian Capital Territory, home to the national capital Canberra, had 13 new cases.

However, Australia has faired much better than most developed nations, recording just more than 50,100 Covid-19 related cases and 999 deaths.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured in November 2020) urged states to reopen their borders once a vaccination target of 70 per cent of those 16+ is reached

Meanwhile, Victoria, which is in its sixth lockdown, recorded 92 new infections on Sunday, the highest in nearly a year. Pictured: A person wearing a face mask crosses a street in Melbourne

Since the national government closed international borders early in the pandemic, its six states and two territories have used various combinations of state border closures, lockdowns and strict social distancing measures to combat Covid.

But the government now insists that the Covid-zero strategy, which had been successful in suppressing earlier outbreaks, is unrealistic after the highly contagious Delta variant reached its shores and is harmful to the economy.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been urging states to reopen their borders once a vaccination target of 70 per cent of those 16 and older is reached, but virus-free Queensland and Western Australia states have hinted they may not follow.

Nationally just 33.7 per cent of those eligible have been fully vaccinated, although in recent weeks Australia has been racing to inoculate its population.

At current rates, 80 per cent of the population could be vaccinated by mid-November.

'Learning to live with the virus is our only hope,' The Age newspaper cited Australia Treasurer Josh Frydenberg as saying on Sunday.

'To delay and deny that fact is not only wrong but incredibly unrealistic.'

The Australian Capital Territory also recorded 13 new cases on Sunday. Pictured: People wearing face masks walk through the deserted streets of Sydney on August 27

The rise in cases comes as NSW authorities are set to slightly ease restrictions after nine weeks in lockdown. Pictured: Police officers during anti-lockdown protest in Coolangatta on Sunday

NSW Health switches to recording patients as dying 'with' Covid instead of 'from' NSW Health has switched to recording patients as dying 'with' instead of 'from' Covid as it acknowledges not all of the country's 933 deaths were directly linked to the deadly virus. Dr Jeremy McAnulty made the admission on Saturday, saying the change in language was because it was 'very difficult to know' whether someone with Covid died from the virus, or another health complication. 'We know when elderly people die, they can have a range of comorbidities, and also, being old increases your risk of death,' he said. 'Covid may often play a role in the death, but it may not. Sometimes, some of our cases who have sadly died appear to have recovered from Covid, and then they have died of something [else]. 'We report people who have died "with" Covid, unless there is a very clear alternative.' He added that it was difficult for doctors who were looking after patients to know exactly how much the virus contributed to their death. As explained by Dr McAnulty, some of the deaths previously reported as 'from Covid' were actually the consequence of another health condition or the victim had fully recovered from the virus before their death. Advertisement

Earlier this month, University of NSW School of Population Health researcher Nic Rebuli said NSW should not even consider lifting restrictions until there were less than 100 cases.

Professor Rebuli claimed even if NSW achieved a 70 per cent vaccination rate, border closures and lockdowns should remain in place until case numbers were drastically reduced.

His advice was despite warnings that a Covid-zero approach could mean Sydney will remain in lockdown until November or December.

Professor Rebuli agreed, however, that bringing down cases partly depended on increasing vaccination rates.

'NSW's hope is if they can get vaccines to more at-risk areas such as essential workers, they can bring transmission down while also increasing vaccination rates,' he told The Age.

Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley has said a Covid-zero stance it was the only way to end lockdown.

'Victoria has to do its bit. Queensland has to do its bit. Every state and territory has to do its bit. The biggest challenge is clearly NSW,' he said.

'I would encourage NSW to take all the measures it needs to, to drive those numbers down... we can't have that level of confidence until all of us have achieved the preconditions that the Doherty modelling is predicated on.'

Victoria has supported the federal reopening plan, but state authorities believe the current outbreak, now at 778 active cases, can be suppressed with a strict lockdown, which involves a nightly curfew for Melbourne, Victoria's capital.

The June quarter economic growth figures, due to be released on Wednesday, may hint whether Australia would enter its second recession in as many years.

The September quarter, to be released later in the year, is broadly expected to show a contraction, reflecting the current outbreaks and lockdowns.
Parents of a Marine killed in Afghanistan in 2011 were 'incensed' after hearing 13 US troops were killed in suicide bombings in Kabul, saying they were mad because of Joe Biden's 'incredibly stupid move' to pull out of Afghanistan.

'It evoked raw and intense emotions we hadn't felt in a long long time,' they said.

Paul and Nanette Zanowick's only son Marine Corporal Paul W Zanowick II, 23, was shot by a sniper and killed on June 3, 2011 during Operation Enduring Freedom.

He enlisted after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and did two tours in Afghanistan between 2008 and his death two years later.

Marine Corporal Paul W Zanowick II, 23, was shot by a sniper and killed on June 3, 2011 during Operation Enduring Freedom

Zanowick enlisted after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and did two tours in Afghanistan between 2008 and his death two years later

Paul and Nanette Zanowick (pictured right and left at their son's grave) were 'incensed' after hearing 13 US troops were killed in suicide bombings in Kabul

The Zanowicks said the recent deaths of American military members in Kabul 'struck home to us because they were Marines'. There were 12 of them. They were on a fire team in the Marine Corps and our son was on a fire team the day he died in an ambush in Afghanistan,' Paul said.

Paul blamed the president and his 'incompetent' Afghanistan exit for the deaths of the 13 American troops and 170 Afghans lost in the bombing at Kabul airport.

When asked if he believes Joe Biden has blood on his hands, he replied: 'Hell yes, hell yes.'

Paul, who describes himself as a 'freedom-loving... libertarian' that votes Republican, dismissed any suggestion his anger came from political allegiance but from frustration at Biden's choices.

The Zanowicks said the recent deaths of American military members in Kabul 'struck home to us because they were Marines'

The fallen Marine's parents said they were mad because of Joe Biden's 'incredibly stupid move' to pull out of Afghanistan

Rocky pictured with his wife and son Uriah, who was born on August 19, 2009

'I don't care who he was, if he would've made the decision they made I would've been equally upset. I am mad because it was an incompetent behavior on moves,' he added.

'I am mad because it was an incompetent behavior on moves. Anybody who knows anything - or can actually just think logic - would understand that this move was incredibly stupid.

'And if you know anything about the military - if you know anything about the facts at hand - then its even worse,' Paul said.

Paul, who describes himself as a 'freedom-loving... libertarian' that votes Republican, dismissed any suggestion his anger came from political allegiance but from frustration at Biden's choices.

'I don't care who he was, if he would've made the decision they made I would've been equally upset. I am mad because it was an incompetent behavior on moves,' he added.

'I am mad because it was an incompetent behavior on moves. Anybody who knows anything - or can actually just think logic - would understand that this move was incredibly stupid.

'And if you know anything about the military - if you know anything about the facts at hand - then its even worse,' Paul said.

Rocky and his son Uriah were pictured in March 2011 just prior to his last deployment

In 1998 Rocky was a Boy Scout

From left to right: Rocky, his mother Nanette and his sister Nicole pictured in 2003

He blamed former President Obama for his son's death when he was in office in 2011 because of rules of engagement that prevented Marines from defending themselves against Taliban members without guns in their hands.

'When our son's unit came across Taliban, the Taliban guys would put their guns down, put their hands in the air and say: "Oh, we're just farmers, we're just farmers." And our son - the Marines - had to let them go,' Paul explained.

Another rule of engagement was called a battle damage assessment. 'Every time our guys shot their guns they had to justify the expenditure of ammunition...so any time there was a firefight our son had to go into this really bad earlier where the fight was earlier in the day,' he said.

'Our son's unit had to go back in there to do the battle damage assessment and was shot by a sniper. The reason why I say I blame Obama is because if they didn't have those stupid kinds of processes our son would be alive,' Paul added.

The father attributed his opinions to 'the fact that the Taliban are not stupid people'.

'They know - they figure out - what our methods of operation are. What our habits are,' he said.

Cpl Zanowick was killed by a sniper while on his second seven-month deployment in Afghanistan

Marines carried Cpl Zanowick's casket was carried into Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church in Miamisburg, Ohio

Marine personnel comfort the family of Marine Cpl Paul 'Rocky' Zanowick II as they wait

Loved ones gathered for a funeral mass on Saturday, June 11, 2011 to honor Cpl Zanowick

In light of the recent suicide bombings in Kabul, Cpl Zanowick's parents do not believe their son's death was in vein but admitted the question does cross their minds. 'I believe they (the US military) have been let down. I have aa serious loss of trust in the leadership,' Paul said.

To the parents who are experiencing as much grief as the Zanowick's experienced nearly a decade ago, Paul said: 'They have to know that their children - their sons and daughters, their husbands and wives - died for a cause bigger than themselves.

'They died for the cause of freedom and they are heroes.'

Cpl Zanowick's mother Nanette does not believe time heals all wounds 'but time allows us to speak more freely' and encouraged the families of the recently-fallen soldiers in Kabul to talk about their loved ones in efforts to make sure they are never forgotten.

'It's one more reason someone knows his name so he's not forgotten,' Paul added.

The couple agreed that the death of US troops 'can destroy more than the lives of those lost.'

Left to right: Marine Corps Staff Sgt Darin T Hoover, Army Staff Sgt Ryan C. Knauss, Marine Corps Sgt Nicole L Gee, Marine Corps Sgt Johanny Rosario Pichardo

Marines Corps Corporals left to right: Daegan W Page, Hunter Lopez, Humberto A Sanchez

Marine Corps Lance Corporals left to right: Kareem M Nikoui, Dylan R Merola, Rylee J McCollum, Jared M Schmitz

Marine Corps Lance Cpl David L Espinoza (left) and Navy Hospitalman Maxton W Soviak (right)

Paul said: 'Our lost military are at peace with God - or wherever in the universe - and they are home. But the ones left behind...there's no way to explain it.

'Its going to be an incredible journey - horrific journey - for them and the only other thing I can say to that is please please get help and get support. Talk about it, dont bottle it up.

'Most people go back to their day-to-day life and don't realize that there is a true cost for this freedom that we have. The cost is these 13 lost military. They're our sons and daughters.'

Killed on Thursday were Navy corpsman Max Soviak, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, and Marines Hunter Lopez, Rylee McCollum, David Lee Espinoza, Kareem Nikoui, Jared Schmitz, Daegan Page, Taylor Hoover, Humberto Sanchez, Johanny Rosario, Dylan Merola and Nicole Gee.

The Zanowicks warned: 'Nine-eleven happened and 20 years in Afghanistan but guess what, the wars not over because we want it to be over. The Taliban said otherwise. The Taliban said the wars not over, were going to kill some of your people and were going to continue to do so.

'My point in saying this is that we need to be diligent and we need to keep our heads in this. Well know when the war is over. Well know but its not today.'

Since the suicide bombings in Kabul President Biden has said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last'.

'The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,' Biden said in a statement on Saturday.

US Central Command confirmed late on Friday that a drone strike had eliminated the suspected architect of the airport attack, an ISIS-K member in Nangahar province

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan, the president defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

Moving forward the Pentagon's policy is to return America's fallen troops to their loved ones as quickly as possible.

Once the aircraft lands at Dover AFB, service-specific carry teams remove the transfer cases individually from the aircraft and move them to an awaiting transfer vehicle, according to information from Dover's office of Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations.

The vehicles then transport the fallen to the mortuary facility at Dover for positive identification by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System and preparation for transport to their final resting place.

The transfer event, which the military does not consider a ceremony but rather a 'a solemn movement of the transfer case', can be open to the press for photography and video at the discretion of the fallen troop's family.

It was not immediately clear whether the families of the troops killed in Afghanistan would sanction press access to the transfers.
NSW residents will only be allowed to travel overseas when 80 per cent of the entire country is vaccinated, even if the state reaches its own target months beforehand.

Federal Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has insisted both state and national averages must reach the milestone before the country is reopened.

This is a blow for several states like NSW that are ahead of the national vaccination rate and expected to reach their 80 per cent target as early as late October.

Other states, such as Queensland, have lagged behind in their rollout with the target not expected to be reached until as late as December.

NSW residents will only be allowed to travel overseas when 80 per cent of the entire country is vaccinated even if the state reaches its own target months beforehand

It comes as a blow for several states, such as NSW, which are ahead of the national vaccination rate and expected to reach its target as early as the end of October

Tasmania leads the charge with 40.62 per cent of its population already fully vaccinated. The figure pushes the state ahead of the national average of 33.9 per cent.

Tasmania is expected to have fully vaccinated 80 per cent of its population by October 27.

The ACT is expected to hit the milestone at the same time with 40.44 per cent of residents already double-jabbed.

NSW is next in line with the state on track to hit the 80 per cent mark less than a week later on November 5, but it is likely to be up to two weeks earlier.

About 35.43 per cent of the state has been fully vaccinated.

Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory are the three slowest states to vaccinate their residents.

Western Australia won't hit its 80 per cent vaccination rate until November 21, the NT on November 26 and Queensland on December 10.

The slow uptake in vaccinations has prompted MPs to push for their states to reopen sooner than others.

Liberal MP for the northern beaches seat of Mackellar, Jason Falinski, argued it was unfair to expect NSW to wait for slowpoke states.

'To do anything else would be punishing the people of NSW,' he said. 'We have done so much of the heavy lifting.'

Federal Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has insisted that both state and national averages must reach the milestone before the country is reopened

Vaccination rates state by state Federal Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has insisted that both state and national averages must reach 80 per cent vaccination rates before the country is reopened. It comes as a blow for several states, such as NSW, that are ahead of the national vaccination rate which sits at 33.9 per cent. Below is a list of the states and the percentage of residents (aged 16 and above) who have been fully jabbed: ACT: 44.4 per cent NSW: 35.43 NT: 36.65 QLD: 30.74 SA: 32.96 TAS: 40.62 VIC: 33.33 WA: 30.46 When states are expected to reach the 70 per cent target: TAS: October 12 ACT: October 12 NSW: October 20 SA: November 2 VIC: November 2 NT: November 5 WA: November 4 QLD: November 11 When states are expected to reach the 80 per cent target: TAS: October 27 ACT: October 27 NSW: November 5 SA: November 19 VIC: November 19 WA: November 21 NT: November 26 QLD: December 10 Advertisement

'What you're saying is even when we reach 80 per cent we won't have the full entitlements and freedoms that we deserve because other state governments haven't done the heavy lifting and shirked their responsibilities to the rest of the nation? That's not right.'

Liberal MP for Wentworth, Dave Sharma, joined the chorus and called for travel restrictions to be lifted for some states sooner.

'I'd prefer not to see a two-speed Australia but if other states want to take a more cautious approach I don't see why NSW needs to be held back by that,' he said.

Mr Tehan has stood firm on his decision and insisted that the country must reach the 80 per cent target before considering reopening.

'The commonwealth government wants all states and territories to adhere to the national plan as we will adhere to it,' he said.

He confirmed a travel bubble will be created between Australia and Singapore with flights expected to recommence by the end of the year.

'We'll be looking to build on and expand the bubbles consistent with the national plan once we hit that 80 per cent mark.'
New South Wales has had another record-breaking day with 1,218 new Covid cases, just days after Gladys Berejiklian promised to reopen as early as October.

The premier said at her Covid press conference on Sunday that NSW also had its best-ever week of vaccination, with 834,000 people rolling up their sleeves.

Sixty-five per cent of the population have had one dose, and 35 per cent have had two.

'So we are halfway to that magic 70 per cent number across the state in order to have those extra freedoms,' she said.

Ms Berejiklian explained the government is 'looking forward to providing freedoms' once 70 per cent of the population has had a double dose -

She hinted that local councils with lower, and falling, case numbers before mid-October could have reduced restrictions.

'October will be here before we know it. But obviously, before then, if local government areas are demonstrating a decline in numbers, they will be opportunities for us to act in that regard as well,' she said

On Friday, 156,165 people came forward to get vaccinated - the highest daily vaccination rate number the state has seen thus far

Businesses are expected to reopen once 70 per cent of the population has been vaccinated - a target which is expected to be achieved in mid-October

On Saturday it was revealed the NSW Government is considering plans to ban unvaccinated residents entering pubs and restaurants.

There is also a possibility all hospitality staff and patrons will need prove they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine before entering bars and restaurants.

Ms Berejiklian also said there will not be any more lockdowns once NSW reaches the 70 per cent vaccination milestone.

'The point of getting to those vaccination milestones means you don't have lockdowns in the future - it means you manage the disease,' she said.

'No way will we need a statewide lockdown once we get to 80 per cent double dose, and that is the key number that we need to get to.

'Seventy per cent double dose gives us lots of freedoms for those who are vaccinated, but it does still mean to use QR codes. It does still mean we have good social distancing, that we follow the health guidelines, but it means a much fairer existence than we have now.'

Six people died in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, including three people in their 80s and three people in their 70s.

Four were unvaccinated and two only had one dose.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) urged people not to worry about case numbers and hospitalisation rates, but to focus on vaccination rates instead

Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that the Delta strain will still exist in the community even when businesses reopen

There are 126 people in ICU - 113 of whom are not vaccinated, 12 who have had one dose and one who has received both doses.

But Ms Berejiklian urged people not to worry about case numbers, but to focus on vaccination rates instead.

'The case numbers are always concerning when they are going up. We would love to see them come down but that is not the most relevant number for us,' she said.

'I don't want people to go through the daily rollercoaster of case numbers going up and down.

'In other countries around the world, we see a doubling or tripling of cases throughout the day in unvaccinated populations but we are seeing in NSW that the vaccines are holding up well.

'Hospitalisation is declining. People in intensive care would have been much larger if we did not have a brace on to vaccinate our population.'

Ms Berejiklian said once the state gets to a vaccination rate of 80 per cent, there will be no need for lockdowns

People in Sydney are allowed to go outside for an hour to exercise under the currently restrictions. Pictured: Surfers in Bondi

NSW Covid-19 figures on Sunday:  813 COVID-19 cases are in hospital  126 people are in intensive care  54 require ventilation  There were 106,038 Covid-19 tests reported.  NSW Health administered 49,849 COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday. Of the 1,218 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm on Saturday night:  466 are from Western Sydney  421 are from South Western Sydney  96 are from Sydney CBD  67 are from South Eastern Sydney  66 are from Nepean Blue Mountains  28 are from Northern Sydney  25 are from Western NSW  13 are from Illawarra Shoalhaven  7 are from Hunter New England  2 are from Central Coast  2 are from Far West  25 cases are yet to be assigned Advertisement

She also reminded residents that they will have to learn to live with Covid for the foreseeable future.

'I am encouraging people to start preparing for living with Covid-19. When we get to 70 per cent double dose, we will have to shift our mindset.

'What will matter the most will be keeping people out of hospital and measuring intensive care patients and hospitalisation as opposed to the number of cases.'

Despite the ever-growing list of Covid-related deaths, NSW has switched to saying the six people who lost their lives on Saturday died 'with' Covid, not 'from' Covid.

Dr Jeremy McNulty from NSW Health said this was because it was 'very difficult to know' whether someone with Covid died from the virus, or another health complication.

'We know when elderly people die, they can have a range of comorbidities, and also, being old increases your risk of death,' he said.

'Covid may often play a role in the death, but it may not, sometimes, some of our cases who have sadly died appear to have recovered from Covid, and then they have died of something.

'We report people who have died "with" Covid, unless there is a very clear alternative.'

The premier said she was 'disappointed' after a demountable building was set alight and vandalised at North St Marys, in Sydney's west, at 11pm on Saturday.

Conspiracy theories were found spray painted on the walls at the site and included phrases, 'Covid = lies' and 'Fight the government, refuse control'.

The premier said she was 'disappointed' after a demountable building was set alight and vandalised at North St Marys, in Sydney's west, at 11pm on Saturday (pictured)

Two women aged in their 70s and 80s died in Sydney hospitals overnight. Pictured: A man receiving Pfizer in Belmore on Saturday

'It is always disappointing when people ignore health advice or pretend that Covid-19 is not a serious problem,' she said.

'But fortunately, those people are in the minority.'

There have been 89 Covid-19 related deaths in NSW since 16 June 2021, and 145 in total since the start of the pandemic.

A total of 18,792 locally acquired cases have been reported since 16 June 2021, when the first case in this outbreak was recorded.

When asked about the hospitalisation rates, Ms Berejiklian acknowledged it was a 'scary time' and October could see even more people in intensive care.

'Given that case numbers are where they are I suspect that in October we will probably have the highest that we do have in intensive care,' she said.

'I do not think we have reached the peak but how hard we work now will keep people out of hospital and that is important.'

Pictured: People at Bronte Beach on Sunday morning, as the state had a record-breaking 1,218 new cases

Pictured: Police officers patrolling Coogee Beach on Sunday morning, as Sydney enters its tenth week in lockdown

She conceded that the healthcare system has been stretched, but said authorities have been planning for more casualties.

'You have to accept they will be people who are not vaccinated, and sometimes those that are, but very rarely, very rarely,' Ms Berejiklian explained.

'I think we have only had to examples of double dose vaccinations ending up in intensive care - really is a pandemic, an epidemic, of the unvaccinated. No doubt about it, if you look around the world and even around Australia.'

The 1,218 figure includes two new cases in Wilcannia and Dubbo, 18 in Bourke and three in Narromine - all in far west NSW.

Dr McNulty said the military have been deployed to assist with the outbreak in those areas and reduce the risk of transmission, and Ms Berejiklian said the federal government was supporting at-risk communities.

'I really want to thank our Indigenous community leaders in particular for the role they have played in supporting our efforts to vaccinate as many people as we can, but also to make sure that people ask for medical attention when they need it as well,' she said.

Pictured: Women in active wear at Bronte Beach on Sunday. About 35 per cent of people in the state have had both jabs

Pictured: People flocking to Bronte Beach to soak up the sunshine during lockdown on Sunday

Thirty-one cases are associated with the Parklea Correctional Centre in Sydney's north-west, which went into strict lockdown on Saturday.

Twelve inmates housed in the same wing tested positive on August 27 and 28.

'My understanding is that the initial investigation suggests it was initially introduced by somebody from the community,' Dr McAnulty said.

'He probably acquired it in the community, and the investigation is ongoing to both understand how transmissions occurred [and] make sure that the isolation, testing, and vaccinations are in place to minimise further spread.'

The premier also said the 30 per cent rise in young people in NSW self-harming is 'concerning', and explained mental health has been a big factor in the government's decision making.

'That has to be balanced against mental health issues and that is why I was keen to provide an incentive for our citizens once we got to that six million jabs,' she said.

'I am especially concerned about families in western and south-western Sydney who have very strict lockdown restrictions imposed on them at the moment.

People un Sydney are allowed to exercise outside for one hour. Pictured: A man doing push-ups at Bronte Beach on Sunday

The premier said she is concerned about the mental health crisis in young people in NSW. Pictured: A woman at Bronte Beach on Sunday

'If there is some relief we can offer at any stage, including when we get to 70 per cent first doses, we will consider those because they want us to continue to have a balanced approach.'

She also hit back at people who criticised her government's refusal to lock the state down when the outbreak first started in June, and who demanded she bring case numbers down before opening up Sydney.

'We will keep making decisions in the best interest of our citizens,' she said.

'I do not shy away from that and I will take any criticism levelled at the government because what we need to do is ensure a balance.'

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Saturday that Covid restrictions on weddings in NSW will be eased from 12.01am on Friday September 3.

Wedding ceremonies will be allowed to go ahead with up to five guests on top of the people required for the actual service.

On Saturday, NSW reported 1,035 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases and two deaths.
Boris Johnson and Priti Patel last night faced renewed calls to adopt a more radical approach to Britains deepening migrant crisis amid warnings that nothing is going to fix the existing system.

Immigration and Services Union officer Lucy Moreton urged the Government to draw up plans to address the Channel migrant fiasco in a different manner.

Her comments come as figures show that almost 12,500 migrants have made the 21-mile journey across the Channel in small boats so far this year  almost 4,000 more than in all of last year.

Immigration and Services Union officer Lucy Moreton urged the Government to draw up plans to address the Channel migrant fiasco in a different manner. Pictured: A group of around 40 migrants arrive via the RNLI on Dungeness beach earlier this month

Figures show that almost 12,500 migrants have made the 21-mile journey across the Channel in small boats so far this year. Pictured: Around 40 migrants arrive via RNLI boat on Dungeness beach

In a sobering assessment of the current situation, Ms Moreton, who represents Border Force staff, told The Mail on Sunday:

Migrants are now around three times more likely to arrive in boats than by stowing away on lorries;

Huge numbers of migrants have previously lost or made asylum claims in Europe;

The failure of the French authorities to register detained migrants is allowing them to make multiple attempts to enter the UK;

Border Force staff are expecting 1,000 arrivals on a single day in the next few weeks and officials strongly suspect that more migrants have died in the Channel;

People smugglers are using the Governments rhetoric on halting crossings as an advertising tool to encourage migrants to travel now.

Boris Johnson (pictured on Friday) and Priti Patel last night faced renewed calls to adopt a more radical approach to Britains deepening migrant crisis amid warnings that nothing is going to fix the existing system

Official statistics show a record 125,316 asylum claims are currently being managed by the Home Office at an annual cost of 1.3 billion. They include more than 70,000 initial claims, a 73 per cent leap in two years.

It is understood that the Border Force is now expecting as many as 22,000 migrants to make the journey across the Channel this year, despite the Government handing 200 million to the French over the past five years to stem the flow.

Ministers want to prevent Channel migrants from making asylum appeals and a proposed Borders Bill would block illegal migrants claiming residency, but critics say the plans are flawed without returns agreements being made with EU countries. You need another macro-political solution, said Ms Moreton.

If thered been an easy answer to irregular migration in Europe, wed have got it ten years ago, but we didnt  it relies on international co-operation in Europe.

The Home Secretary and Prime Minister have to say, This is how were doing it differently and this is how were paying to do it differently, because as it stands nothing is going to fix this system.

She added: Were paying money to the French, but we dont know what theyre doing with it. The frustration is that when the French catch someone they dont compel them to regularise their stay, they just let them go to try again.

A source close to Ms Patel (pictured on Thursday) said she understood the current system was broken

We dont see it so directly with boats because were not there, but in Calais, Coquelles, Dunkirk  where were searching freight  its common to see the same person four or five times, every shift, for three or four shifts, then theyve vanished, so you know theyve done it, theyve made it across.

We still see huge numbers that have been refused asylum elsewhere in Europe. Theyve been in Europe for some time, had their asylum claim running in another country, its been refused and theyve taken this route.

Ms Moreton said her members strongly suspect that the number of migrants who have died in the Channel is greater than the eight reported deaths since last year. Intelligence suggests that people smugglers are using the Governments crackdown pledge to encourage migrants into boats on the basis that the borders will soon close.

A source close to Ms Patel said she understood the current system was broken. We are also keenly aware of the need for a fresh agreement with France and the EU, but at the moment they dont want to hear any of it, the source added.

Clare Moseley of charity Care4Calais, said: These Government policies of deterrence and increased security dont work with refugees. We need a new approach.
A California mother fought off a mountain lion with her bare hands after it attacked her five-year-old son and dragged him across the front lawn.

The 65-pound mountain lion came across the boy outside his home in Calabasas, in Los Angeles County, on Thursday and 'dragged him about 45 yards,' said Capt. Patrick Foy, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The boy's mother had heard the commotion from inside and rushed to his aid, 'punching and striking the mountain lion with her bare hands' until it let go of her son and fled, Foy said. A wildlife officer later shot and killed the lion.

'The true hero of this story is his mom because she absolutely saved her son's life.'

Los Angeles County residents had not seen a mountain lion, pictured, attack since 1995

Calabasas is located near the Santa Mounica Mountaions National Recreation area. About 100 mountain lions living in the mountain range are collared and tracked by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The department confirmed that they lion killed was the one that attacked the boy

The parents immediately drove the boy to a nearby hospital. He suffered from traumatic injuries to his head and upper torso, but was reported to be in stable condition.

The authorities were then notified of the attack and went looking for the mountain lion.

An officer discovered the lion still nearby the home, couching in the bushes with its 'ears back and hissing,' officials said.

'Due to its behavior and proximity to the attack, the warden believed it was likely the attacking lion and to protect public safety shot and killed it on site,' the wildlife department said in a statement Saturday.

The National Park Service recommends people fight back against mountain lions if attacked

Two other mountain lions were spotted in the area and were tranquilized. DNA evidence found that they had not attacked the boy, nor had they had violent histories.

The tests confirmed that the lion who was shot and killed was the one who attacked the boy.

The other two lions were released back into the Santa Monica Mountains, where nearly 100 mountain lions are monitored using GPS radio-collars.

The lion that attacked the boy was found to have no such collar on it.

The attack was the first of its kind since 1995, according to the CDFW.

The National Park Service said that mountain lions are generally calm and elusive.
It's a salary fit for a City slicker  but now a plumbing firm is hiring tradesmen who could earn 150,000 a year for fixing boilers and clearing drains.

London-based Pimlico Plumbers has seen customer callouts soar by a fifth this year to 120,000, and it is recruiting 50 skilled engineers to meet the demand.

It said the 150,000 annual pay for new recruits was 'a realistic figure' due to the boom in bookings as customers carried out maintenance and home improvements they had put on hold over the pandemic.

Chief executive Scott Mullins said: 'From the moment lockdown restrictions began to lift and people realised they couldn't spend their money on travelling abroad, improving or repairing their homes became a priority. The phones have been ringing red hot.'

Pimlico's engineers are paid per job, based on hourly rates. Plumbing starts at 120 an hour on weekdays, rising to 200 for late-night callouts.

The plumber takes about half of the fee, with the rest going to the company.

Before the pandemic, Pimlico's top earner was paid more than 200,000.

The company employs some 300 tradesmen and it said up to a fifth of them could earn at least 150,000 this year.

London-based Pimlico Plumbers has seen customer callouts soar by a fifth this year to 120,000, and it is recruiting 50 skilled engineers to meet the demand

The firm has branched out from plumbing to offer services such as mending fridges, installing CCTV and plastering.

It hit record revenues of some 50 million over the year to May, generating a profit of about 8 million.

But Mr Mullins said he was struggling to find skilled staff, with the pool of experienced engineers 'ever-decreasing' due to a lack of Government investment in apprenticeship schemes.

He warned that the shortage had created 'a major skills time-bomb that's about to go off', adding: 'If 50 experienced tradespeople walked through our door tomorrow, we'd have them inducted, in uniform and in a Pimlico van immediately.

'Unfortunately, it's not as simple as that because the number of engineers is sadly limited.'

Chairman Charlie Mullins, a former Tory donor, founded Pimlico Plumbers in 1979 and built up a list of celebrity clients including actors Hugh Laurie and Keira Knightley.

Earlier this year, he enforced a 'no jab, no job' policy for staff, arguing it will protect them and customers.

He said: 'Any staff who have not had the jab by January 1 will be given the boot to protect our staff and customers and for the good of the country.

'Firing people who refuse to have the jab may seem a bit strong, and it is, but for good reason. The whole population needs to be vaccinated  it's as simple as that.'

This month he criticised the Government's plans to ban gas boilers within 14 years in favour of eco-friendly heat pumps or hydrogen boilers.

He called the target 'so unobtainable that consumers and businesses like Pimlico can't begin to take them seriously', adding: 'Heat pumps cannot currently produce the energy to heat water sufficiently, and there is even the suggestion they may increase the risks from legionnaire's disease.'
Gladys Berejiklian has slammed arsonists who set a testing clinic on fire and spray-painted Covid-denying slogans on its walls.

The premier said she was 'disappointed' after the demountable building was set alight and vandalised in North St Marys, in Sydney's west, at 11pm on Saturday.

'It is always disappointing when people ignore health advice or pretend that Covid-19 is not a serious problem,' she said during a press conference on Sunday.

'But fortunately, those people are in the minority.'

Conspiracy theories were found spray painted on the walls at the site and included phrases, 'Covid = lies' and 'fight the government, refuse control'.

Gladys Berejiklian has slammed arsonists who set a testing clinic on fire and spray painted Covid-19 conspiracy theories on its walls

The premier said she was 'disappointed' after the demountable building was set alight and vandalised at North St Marys, in Sydney's west, at 11pm on Saturday

'It is a reminder to us that unfortunately a minority of people do have those views and demonstrate them from time to time and that is the threat of Delta,' Ms Berejiklian said.

The premier acknowledged the stay-at-home orders across Sydney were taking its toll on families as the city came close to finishing its ninth week of lockdown.

'I know that the decisions the NSW Government has taken and the language we have used in dealing with Covid-19 might seem confronting,' she said.

'But this is the way for all of Australia and into the future and those people who think that Covid-19 is not serious or those who think we do not need to take the action we are taking are in the minority, fortunately.'

A crime scene has been established at the burned testing clinic and firefighters are investigation the cause of the fire. It is being treated as suspicious.

NSW has had another record-breaking day with 1,218 new Covid cases.

Ms Berejiklian said the state also had its highest-ever week of jabs, with 834,000 people rolling up their sleeves.

A crime scene has been established at the burned testing clinic and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. It is being treated as suspicious

The premier acknowledged the stay-at-home orders across Greater Sydney were taking its toll on families as the city came close to finishing its ninth week of lockdown

Sixty-five per cent of the population have had one dose, and 35 per cent have had two.

'So we are halfway to that magic 70 per cent number across the state in order to have those extra freedoms,' she said.

Ms Berejiklian explained the government is 'looking forward to providing freedoms' once 70 per cent of the population has had a double dose - adding that LGAs with lower case numbers before mid-October could have reduced restrictions.

On Saturday it was revealed that plans are being considered by the NSW government to ban patrons from entering pubs and restaurants unless they've had the jab.

There is also a possibility all hospitality staff and patrons will need prove they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine before entering bars and restaurants.

Six people died in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, including three people in their 80s and three people in their 70s.

NSW has had another record-breaking day with 1,218 new Covid cases reported on Sunday
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has hinted lockdown restrictions could be relaxed ahead of the milestone 70 per cent vaccination mark.

The three key targets for easing the NSW lockdown laws so far have been 6 million jabs, then 70 per cent and finally 80 per cent of the adult population double-jabbed.

NSW surpassed 6million inoculations and the 65 per cent first dose mark this week but the 70 per cent double-dose target is unlikely to be reached before October.

However at the Sunday morning Covid briefing, the premier suggested some areas which are the least affected by the current outbreak could see relief even sooner.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) has hinted lockdown restrictions could be relaxed ahead of the milestone 70 per cent vaccination mark

'If local government areas are demonstrating a decline in numbers, there will be opportunities for us to act in that regard as well,' Ms Berejiklian said.

The glimmer of hope came despite the state suffering yet another record-breaking day with 1,218 new Covid cases and six deaths reported overnight.

However NSW also had its highest-ever week of jabs, with a whopping 834,000 people rolling up their sleeves.

Sixty-five per cent of the population have now had one dose, and 35 per cent have had two.

Ms Berejiklian is confident that the growing widespread rollout of the vaccination will have a huge impact in the fight against Covid.

The three key targets for easing the NSW lockdown laws so far have been 6 million jabs then 70 per cent and finally 80 per cent of the adult population double-jabbed. (Pictured, a group of men enjoying a pre-lockdown drink at North Bondi in June)

She insisted the state would relax at least some of the current public health orders once the state hit 70 per cent double-dose vaccinations.

But she conceded the yardstick going forward for making decisions on opening up again will now depend on hospitalisation and ICU numbers.

'What we can do at 70 per cent double dose will depend on the case numbers and how many people are in ICU,' she said.

'I'm incredibly alarmed by anybody that needs hospital care, or is an intensive care, and that is the figure that we need to look at.

'While we'll have more freedom than what we do today, the extent of the freedoms the extent of what we can do, will depend on a whole range of factors.

Ms Berejiklian insisted the state would relax at least some of the current public health orders once the state hit 70 per cent double-dose vaccinations. (Pictured, a queue of people awaiting a vaccination at the NSW Health vaccination clinic at Sydney's Olympic Park on Saturday)

'But that is why I don't want to see anybody in ICU. We don't want anyone to have to go through that.

'COVID is a horrible disease, especially when you get it in a serious way. It is a horrible existence.

'The quicker we can get those vaccination rates up, the lower the number of people who will end up in ICU.'

But Ms Berejiklian stressed that the days of lockdown were numbered once vaccination rates hit those landmark figures.

'Getting to those vaccination milestones means you don't have lockdowns in the future,' she said. 'It means you manage the disease.

'But what it might mean is that from time to time you ask people to do things a bit differently whether it's density in a venue or whether it's the amount of people you have at a major sporting event.'

NSW surpassed 6million inoculations and 65 per cent first dose mark this week but the 70 per cent double-dose target is unlikely to be reached before October. (Pictured, a man being vaccinated at Belmore in Sydney on Saturday)

She said the state would use the various specific levers it has available to try to control the spread of the disease, but ruled out lockdowns in future.

'Seventy per cent double-dose gives us lots of extra freedoms for those that are vaccinated,' she added.

'But it does still mean we use QR codes, it does still mean we have good social distancing, that we follow the health guidelines, but it means a much freer existence than what we have now.'

The UK is currently seeing peak numbers of daily Covid cases in excess of 30,000, but death rates are tiny compared to pre-vaccination death rates.

Similar case numbers in January saw more than 1200 deaths every day, but in the UK now, the seven-day average death rate is now 100.

The premier predicted that, going forward, those who will be badly affected by Covid will be almost exclusively those who have not been vaccinated. (Pictured, a vaccination jab being given in Bankstown)

The increased spread of the Covid in the UK means 94.2 per cent of the adult population in England have Covid antibodies, either through vaccination or from having had the disease.

The official total UK population vaccination rate is 63.6 per cent.

Ms Berejiklian also warned of the two-three week delay in vaccinations taking effect before hospitalisation numbers start to drop, and also the delay between contracting the disease before it kills its victims.

And she flagged a possible large rise in case numbers and hospitalisations in the days ahead, but insisted the infrastructure was in place to deal with any coming crisis.

'Remember, there is always a lag, so it takes a few weeks before people get the disease and then succumb to it in a serious way and end up in ICU,' she said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) said the yardstick going forward for making decision on opening up again will now depend on hospitalisation and ICU numbers

'I anticipate those numbers will go up from what they are now, but the system will cope. We have been planning for this.

'No doubt the health system is stretched, no doubt there will be days when people feel overwhelmed, especially our health staff, who are doing an incredible job.

'But this is what we have been working towards, to make sure that our system can cope.'

The premier predicted that, going forward, those who will be badly affected by Covid will be almost exclusively those who have not been vaccinated.

'It really is a pandemic, an epidemic, of the unvaccinated,' she said. 'No doubt about it, if you look around the world and even around Australia.

'What we're seeing, not just in Australia but around the world, is the vaccines providing enormous protection for people.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian flagged a possible large rise in case numbers and hospitalisations in the days ahead, but insisted the infrastructure was in place to deal with any coming crisis. (Pictured, a health worker speaks to the queueing crowd at the vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park)

'Out of all the people in intensive care, there's only one person who's fully vaccinated.

'Yes, the case numbers are always concerning when they're going up, we'd love to see them coming down, but that is not the most relevant number for us.

'What is the most relevant number for NSW is how many people are vaccinated, and how many people are heading out of hospital and out of intensive care and that is what is really important for us.

'The message is, "get vaccinated, protect yourself and the community, hope is just around the corner. October will be here before we know it".

'But obviously, before then, if local government areas are demonstrating a decline in numbers, there will be opportunities for us to act in that regard as well.'

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) predicted that, going forward, those who will be badly affected by Covid will be almost exclusively those who have not been vaccinated

On Saturday it was revealed that plans are being considered by the NSW government to ban patrons from entering pubs and restaurants unless they've had the jab.

There is also a possibility all hospitality staff and patrons will need prove they have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine before entering bars and restaurants.

Six people died in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, including three people in their 80s and three people in their 70s.

Four were unvaccinated and two only had one dose.

There are currently 126 people in ICU - 113 of whom are not vaccinated, 12 who have had one dose and one who has received both doses.
A retired officer with the U.S. Army has blasted the Biden administration's decision not to name two ISIS terrorists killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan on Friday.

Lt. Col. Brian F. Sullivan, who was involved with the withdrawal of soldiers from Vietnam in the 1970s, told the New York Post that the choice not to name the terrorists means that they were not considered high-value targets.

However, he conceded that it was also possible the Pentagon had decided not to reveal the names not to jeopardize future missions to other large targets.

'Normally if they get a high-profile guy they like to name him,' Sullivan said.

He added: 'They keep talking BS about 'eyes over the horizon' but I think a lot of this is the administration blowing more smoke.'

'They're throwing this up as if the US is reacting with strength and power. So that makes the score something like ISIS 200-US two. Who are they kidding?'

Lt. Col. Brian F. Sullivan, left, blasted the Biden administration's decision not to name two ISIS terrorists killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan after Major Gen. William Taylor, right, referred to the two dead terrorists as a 'planner' and 'facilitator' of the attack on the Kabul airport

Sullivan noted that the Pentagon 'must have known' who the planner of the ISIS suicide bombing attack in Kabul was before it happened because the U.S. was able to quickly strike them down by drone.

'If they knew about this why didn't they drone the sonofab***h beforehand? They are flat-a** lying to us,' Sullivan said.

Sullivan's comments come after Major Gen. William Taylor simply referred to the two dead terrorists as a 'planner' and 'facilitator' of the horrific attack on the Hamid Karzai International Airport which left 13 U.S. troops and at least 90 Afghans dead.

Taylor did not reveal if the dead terrorists had played specific roles in the attack, which was conducted by Islamic State Khorasan, known as ISIS-K.

President Joe Biden released a statement on Saturday morning after meeting with his national security team in Washington.

'I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have,' Biden said in the statement.

'This strike was not the last. We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay. Whenever anyone seeks to harm the United States or attack our troops, we will respond. That will never be in doubt.'

Afghans lie on beds at a hospital after they were wounded in the deadly attacks outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday

Afghans lie on beds at a hospital after they were wounded in the deadly attacks outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday

Hundreds of people gather, some holding documents, near an evacuation control checkpoint on the perimeter of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul on Thursday

Biden said in the statement that the threat of terrorist attacks on the Kabul airport remains high and that attacks are 'highly likely' in the next 24-36 hours.

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan issued a security alert on Saturday for Americans who remain near the airport.

'Due to a specific, credible threat, all U.S. citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport ... should leave the airport area immediately,' the alert reads.

Biden said that the United States continues to evacuate civilians from the war-torn country and retrieved 6,800 people, including hundreds of Americans, on Friday.

'Today, we discussed the ongoing preparations to help people continue to leave Afghanistan after our military departs,' Biden said.
Gladys Berejiklian has denied calling prime minister Scott Morrison a 'bully' and 'evil' and insisted the pair are on good terms despite reports of flaring tensions.

Speaking at her Covid press conference on Sunday, the premier outright denied reports that she had resorted to name calling behind the prime minister's back.

'I completely say do not believe what you read,' she told reporters. 'Can I say this, a number of times, some of you in this room might not like what I'm about to say.

'A number of times I've read things during the course of this pandemic that hasn't been based on fact. I always say listen to the briefings and what we say here, because that is fact.'

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the premier outright denied reports that she had resorted to name calling behind the prime minister's back

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ms Berejiklian told colleagues she believed Mr Morrison was a 'bully' and described his behaviour as 'evil'.

Ms Berejiklian was pressed by reporters to corroborate the claim before she vehemently denied the reports. The premier had nothing but praise for Mr Morrison.

'Can I thank the prime minister for his support during the entire course of the pandemic, but especially in relation to this outbreak,' she said.

'Those extra doses of Pfizer he was able to give to NSW are making a real difference, and I have thanked him privately. I also want to thank him publicly for that incredible support.'

Senior colleagues said the premier was fuming after a source from the prime minister's office contacted The Sunday Telegraph.

They told the paper the prime minister advised Ms Berejiklian to impose a state-wide lockdown days before she introduced one on August 14.

Sources close to Ms Berejiklian claimed the leak had the premier fuming and she took it as an attempt by the prime minister's office to undermine her authority.

'Usually he briefs against her for doing her job with some measure of competence,' they claimed.

'He doesn't like the contrast  he makes himself look big by trying to make others look small.'

The SMH reported Mr Morrison is jokingly known as the 'Prime Minister for Mr Morrison' or the 'Prime Minister for NSW' within Ms Berejiklian's inner circle.

They claim she finds it so unpleasant to work with Mr Morrison that she would have preferred Defence Minister Peter Dutton as prime minister.

Mr Dutton was narrowly defeated by Mr Morrison in a leadership spill in 2018 that deposed former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

NSW ministers say the premier vented her frustration over the political leak during private discussions with colleagues.

'Those extra doses of Pfizer he was able to give to New South Wales are making a real difference, and I have thanked him privately,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Gladys lost her s**t. She said 'That's rubbish, that's absolute rubbish',' a NSW minister told news.com.au.

'She said, 'If they want to start backgrounding on stuff like this, maybe it's time I started leaking stuff that the PM says to me that never comes to fruition, like on vaccines'.'

Mr Morrison previously confirmed the NSW premier had been advised to lockdown the state under the recommendation of chief medical officer Paul Kelly.

'Well, I can confirm the decision of the NSW government to have a statewide lockdown is consistent with the advice that I had received from the chief medical officer that the government had considered and had been discussed with the NSW Government,' Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

Asked when Ms Berejiklian was told, and why she did not act on the advice, Mr Morrison declined to address the questions.

'I confirm what our position was and how we've relayed it and I'm pleased the decision has been taken and I think it is really important now that we just focus on making it work,' he said.

Ms Berejiklian was pressed by reporters to corroborate the claim before she vehemently denied the rumour

Sources close to Ms Berejiklian claimed the leak had left the premier fuming and that she took it as an attempt by the prime minister's office to undermine her authority (pictured, Sydneysider at Burwood)

But the premier refuted the prime minister's claim just an hour later while addressing the media at a press conference in Sydney on August 1 .

Asked whether Mr Morrison urged her to lock down the state, Ms Berejiklian said she made the decision after being advised by Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant.

'Can I say, what I'm about to say is the absolute fact. Yesterday, after the press conference, I went upstairs for a briefing with Dr Chant,' she said.

'She provided me with additional advice. I shared that advice with the Deputy Premier. We then moved to lockdown all of rural and regional NSW.

'To be frank, yesterday most of the state was locked down already.

'It was just a few local government areas in regional and rural communities.

'Please know, that in a pandemic, you have to act on the health advice he receive and we had received advice yesterday about many people moving from the ACT to the southern parts of NSW which was a concern given what is happening in the ACT so that advice was provided to me yesterday and we took that advice immediately.'
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says Queensland is doing everything it can to resolve its Covid border dispute and demands NSW 'get its act together', as police brace for thousands of anti-lockdown protesters to storm state lines.

Hopes of ending weeks of heartache for southern Gold Coast and Tweed region communities were upended on Saturday, with a new war of words over a proposal to move Covid checkpoints south.

Queensland has put forward a very clear option for a border bubble as a means of resolving an issue having a major impact on people's lives, Ms Palaszczuk says.

Pictured: People at Coolangatta on the NSW and Queensland border during an anti-lockdown protest on Sunday

Pictured: Police arresting a man at the Queensland/NSW border protests on Sunday morning

'We've extended the olive branch and we'll hand it over to NSW now to see if they'll come to the party,' she told reporters on Sunday.

'We're trying everything we can from our end.'

That includes dispatching state disaster co-ordinator and deputy police commissioner Steve Gollschewski who will meet with the NSW border commissioner.

Ms Palaszczuk's plea comes as dozens of officers gathered in Coolangatta on Sunday morning anticipating a repeat of last week's protest attended by thousands of people.

Hundreds flooded to either side of the border to protest the closure, which has divided families and even stopped many from getting to work.

After one man was arrested, furious locals could be heard chanting: 'Let him go.'

'For your crimes they're going to have a Nuremberg two in Australia and you're all going to be held accountable for your crimes,' one man yelled at cops.

Pictured: A woman holding a sign at the NSW/Queensland border protest on Sunday

Protesters yelled 'let him go' after police arrested a man at the border protests on Sunday

People from the border towns gathered in a bid to pressure the NSW and Queensland governments into ending border closures. Pictured: A man with a loudspeaker at the protest

A plane could also be seen flying over the area with a banner trailing behind that read: 'End lockdowns - vote liberal democrats.'

On Saturday, police reminded protesters that they are not allowed to cross the state line border unless without a current and valid exemption.

Those taking part in demonstration deliberately ignore the directives could face fines up to $4,135 for failing to comply.

Earlier this week Gold Coast police fined a Murwillumbah man following investigations into alleged actions during protest activity in Coolangatta last Sunday.

Police will allege the 52-year-old man was riding a horse when he crossed the border into Queensland without a permit.

Investigators located the man on August 24 and he was issued with a $4,135 infringement notice.

Furious locals showed up at the demonstration in an attempt to pressure the government into getting rid of border closures

Pictured: Police arresting a man at the anti-lockdown protests on Sunday morning

Pictured: A protest sign on the Queensland/NSW border that reads 'End lockdowns - vote liberal democrats'

Queensland in late July reintroduced a hard southern border in response to the spiralling NSW outbreak, progressively tightening exemptions for interstate travel.

Only a small class of essential workers from NSW can cross the state line, despite the area essentially functioning as one cross-border city.

Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said on Saturday NSW had come to the table after earlier declining offers to move checkpoints to temporarily include Tweed Heads within the northern state.

However, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro insisted no agreement had been struck 'despite noise from the Queensland government' and that the southern state vehemently opposed moving the border checkpoint.

'What we want is a genuine border bubble so that workers can get to work and people can access vital health care,' he told reporters.

Police anticipated that thousands of people would flock to Coolangatta and protest on Sunday morning. Pictured: A protester holding a bottle of coke

Hundreds of police officers stood on the NSW side of the protest, while others handled the situation on the Queensland side

Police allege a 52-year-old man was riding a horse when he crossed the border into Queensland without a permit during last week's protest (pictured)

A border bubble would still require travel permits, while moving the border south would not but would create a challenge for Queensland to police an area outside its own jurisdiction.

There is no neat geographical feature which can be used to support enforcement and compliance operations, NSW authorities say, and the region's access to health care would be diminished if Tweed Hospital was temporarily absorbed into Queensland.

Ms Palaszczuk says she is 'very encouraged' by Queensland's vaccination rate.

Some 49.4 per cent of adults have had their first dose of the vaccine and 37 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Queensland reported one new virus case on Sunday but the premier said it was linked to the existing Indooroopilly cluster, had involved no community exposure and was of 'absolutely no concern'.
A Georgia police officer who frequently posted messages against the COVID-19 vaccines has died of coronavirus.

Captain Joe Manning, 57, of the Wayne County Sheriff's office, died after a short battle with COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Before his death, Manning had posted that he was not vaccinated against the virus, celebrating the fact that it was his 'choice' and 'right.'

He also promoted the use of Ivermectin, which is used to prevent heartworm disease in farm animals, to combat COVID-19. The drug does not treat COVID-19 and can be dangerous for human consumption but has been touted as a cure in anti-vaxx circles.

Capt. Joe Manning, of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, in George, died from COVID-19. He was survived by his wife, Tammie, and their three kids

Manning was vocal about his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine and usually boasted about his unvaccinated status

Manning also wrote in favor of Ivermectin to combat COVID-19, telling others where to buy it

While some forms of Ivermectin can be prescribed to humans who are suffering from parasitic worms or lice, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly urged people not to use the drug against the coronavirus.

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office confirmed the death of Joe Manning after a short bout with coronavirus

'You can also overdose on ivermectin, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma and even death,' the FDA warned.

'You are not a horse. You are not a cow,' the FDA posted on Twitter. 'Seriously y'all. Stop it.'

After posting about the drug in July, Facebook deleted one of Manning's posts, citing misinformation, The Independent reported.

'I have been censured again in regards to posting an opinion on COVID and being one who hasn't been vaccinated,' Manning wrote in July.

Manning, a 31-year old veteran of the force, had been promoted to captain in 2017 and served as the administrator at Wayne County Jail.

'Captain Manning was an integral part of our family and our hearts are broken. Our love and prayers go forward to his family,' according to WSAV.

He was survived by his wife, Tammi, their three children and eight grandchildren.

Manning complained when Facebook took down one of his posts about Ivermectin in July

Manning leaves behind three children, and eight grandchildren

Manning was a 31-year veteran of the force and had been promoted to captain in 2017

Calls to U.S. poison control centers about Ivermectin exposures have increased five-fold from before the pandemic, with a drastic rise in July, the Center for Disease Control said.

The drug was prescribed 88,000 times in one week, a 24-fold increase over a typical pre-pandemic week, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Clinical trials and observational studies to evaluate the use of ivermectin to prevent and treat COVID-19 in humans have yielded insufficient evidence for the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel to recommend its use,' the CDC wrote in a statement on Thursday.

'Data from adequately sized, well-designed, and well-conducted clinical trials are needed to provide more specific, evidence-based guidance on the role of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19.'

The FDA has repeatedly warned Americans not to use Ivermectin to combat COVID-19

Prescriptions of ivermectin, a deworming drug, have increased 24-fold from pre-pandemic levels. The drug has been touted by some conservative figures as a treatment for COVID-19.

Warnings from the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other officials have not prevented Americans from inappropriately using ivermectin.

The drug became popular in some circles after falsehoods about ivermectin's alleged ability to treat COVID-19 spread on social media after some misinterpreted earlier studies into the drug's effectiveness.

Some prominent figures in the media have pushed the drug as well.

Between March and this month, Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham promoted the drug's use as an alternative COVID-19 treatment.

In June, Sen Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, had his YouTube account suspended for posting a video recommending viewers to take ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as treatments for the virus.

Last week, Mississippi officials reported that 70 percent of recent poison control calls in the state were because of misuse of the dewormer.

Texas has reported a sharp spike in poison calls as well when compared to last year.

In August 2020, Texas reported two poison control calls related to ivermectin, reported WFAA.

This August, the state received 55 calls, a 27-fold increase.

Additionally, Texas Poison Control recorded 23 ivermectin poisoning cases from January to August 2020, compared to 150 this year - a 552 percent increase.

These figures are likely an undercount.
Internet bullies are just as mean in real life, according to a new study.

The study, from the political science department at Aarhus University, debunks the long-held theory that people are only nasty while posting anonymously online.

It also found that people who are nice may choose to avoid all political discussions online - whether the forums are hostile or not, according to the study published in the American Political Science Review.

The researchers did find that the hostility levels of online political discussions are worse than offline discussions, but that the frequency of behaviour was about the same online and in real life.

Michael Bang Petersen, the professor who co-authored the study, told the magazine Engineering & Technology that the behavior of an internet troll 'is much more visible' than the behavior of the same person offline.

'Our research shows that the reason many people feel that online political discussions are so hostile has to do with the visibility of aggressive behaviour online,' Peterson told the magazine.

Internet trolls are mean just as often online as they are in real life, according to a new study which has debunked a theory that people are nicer in person than when they can post on websites anonymously

The study published in the American Political Science Review by researchers with the political science department at Aarhus University

The researchers began the paper with an apparent dig at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who was named the Time Magazine 'Person of the Year' in 2010.

'Facebook wants to populate the wilderness, tame the howling mob and turn the lonely, antisocial world of random chance into a friendly world,' the Time Magazine article on Zuckerberg reads, as cited by the researchers.

The researchers noted that efforts from social media giants to get people to engage in civil discussions on topics such as politics have failed spectacularly.

'Online discussions about politics turned out to be nasty, brutish and not nearly short enough,' the researchers wrote.

The researchers cited a 2017 Pew Research Center survey which found that 62% of Americans believe online harassments has become a major problem for the country.

'There appears to be a hostility gap where online discussions are felt as significantly more hostile than offline discussions,' the researchers wrote.

A chart shows the distribution of discussions perceived as hostile online versus offline in the United States and Denmark

A chart shows that people witnessed hostility towards strangers far greater than against friends or themselves in both the United States and Denmark

A chart shows a high correlation between self reported online and offline political hostility

While conducting their study, the researchers considered the 'mismatched hypothesis' - one of the most common theories in academic debate about online hostility.

The mismatch hypothesis theorizes that people who are 'otherwise agreeable' can turn into nasty trolls when they cannot physically see the person with whom they are arguing.

Alexander Bor, a post-doctorate researcher who co-authored the study, tweeted about the results of the study.

'The people hateful on Twitter offend others in face-to-face conversations too,' Bor tweeted.

There are 'many psychological reasons' there are many reasons people can get angry online and that 'fast-paced written form of communication can easily lead to misunderstandings,' Bor told the magazine Engineering & Technology.

He said that the best way to deal with online hostility would be to by policing online formers through methods such as heavy moderation.

'We cannot remove online hate through education because it is not born out of ignorance. Hostile people know their words hurt and that is why they use them,' Bor told the outlet.

'Our research suggests that it is necessary to describe what is okay and what is not okay for each specific discussion page and to police those norms, for example by using moderators.'

In the study's conclusions, the researchers noted that future studies could evaluate whether the actions of provocateurs like Russia's infamous Internet Research Agency could instill hostility in nicer people by hijacking online discussions.

The study indicated that 'aggression is not an accident triggered by unfortunate circumstances, but a strategy [hostile people] employ to get what they want including a feeling of status and dominance in online networks.'
One of founders of the 'Freedom Defenders' - a local Texas group fighting against COVID-19 restrictions, mask mandates and vaccines - died of COVID-19 on Saturday.

Caleb Wallace, 30, leaves behind his pregnant wife, Jessica, and three young children.

Jessica posted on the GoFundMe page, 'Caleb has peacefully passed on. He will forever live in our hearts and minds.'

For almost a month, Caleb was unconscious, ventilated and heavily sedated in the ICU at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas.

Caleb developed symptoms in late July but was very resistant to turn to professional medical help, Jessica said in a previous interview with the San Angelo Standard-Times.

'But every time he would start to cough, it would turn into a coughing attack, and then that would cause him to completely go out of breath.

'He was so hard-headed. He didn't want to see a doctor, because he didn't want to be part of the statistics with COVID tests.'

Caleb Wallace, 30, (left and right with his wife ) is one of the founders of the 'Freedom Defenders' a local San Angelo group fighting against COVID-19 restrictions, mask mandates, and vaccines

By Saturday, August 21, Caleb will have spent more than 12 days on a ventilator

Instead, Caleb opted to treat himself with a cocktail of Vitamin C, zinc, aspirin and ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug that has been falsely touted by some as an effective COVID-19 treatment.

This month the FDA issued a warning for Americans to stop taking the anti-parasitic drug intended for livestock as a treatment.

The FDA tweeted, 'You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it.'

Caleb's outlook looked bleak by the middle the week.

Jessica posted an update on Wednesday to her Facebook page saying, 'He's not doing good.

'It's not looking in our favor, his lungs are stiff due to the fibrosis. They called and said they've run out of options for him and asked if I would consent to a do not resuscitate. And it would be up to us when to stop treatments.

'My heart just can't. I can't imagine my life without him. I'm sorry if I don't respond to any calls or texts or messages, I am just broken up.'

The Wallace family has called Caleb on FaceTime every night for the past three weeks. Caleb is unable to respond as he has been unconscious for over two weeks now

On Wednesday, his wife Jessica Wallace posted a 'heartbreaking update' of his condition to Facebook writing that doctors have 'run out of options for him and asked if I would consent to a do not resuscitate'

In the GoFundMe post, Jessica - who's expecting their fourth child on September 27 - said she needs help paying the 'mortgage, water, electricity and necessities for the girls.'

'Anything helps at the moment. I'm trying to prepare for this month and the next,' she said.

'With being this far along in pregnancy I can't get a job and after delivery I'll need a few weeks to recover.'

The family has called Caleb on FaceTime every night for the past three weeks, but this week Caleb was unable to respond to his young girls.

The girls tell Caleb how their day went, how much they love and miss him, and how badly they want him home.

'Keep fighting, daddy,' the girls told their sick father on Thursday during the video chat, according to the Standard-Times. 'We miss you.'

The family is expecting their fourth child, Emsley Jean Wallace, on September 27. Jessica has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for household ad medical bills which she as an expecting stay-at-home can not cover

In a promotional video for the group posted to crooksandliars.com in October, Caleb explains what the 'Freedom Defenders' are standing for.

'We're fighting to get people to work. We're fighting for people to get on their feet. We're fighting for people to start talking with their neighbors and to have conversations instead of shutting down or looking at their phones all day. Let's start opening up with each other.'

'If we don't start doing something now. We're gonna lose much more than we bargained for,' he said in the video.

Just a few weeks before being hospitalized, Caleb helped organize 'The Freedom Rally', which was advertised as a protest against 'government being in control of our lives.'

The Texas father was one of the founders of the local San Angelo, Texas group fighting against 'COVID-19 tyranny.'

The group actively resisted COVID-19 restrictions for an 'open Texas' and opposed masks and vaccines.

As one of the founding leaders, alongside Coco Simpson, he gave interviews questioning public health measures and scientific findings and organized rallies and protests.

In an open letter written to San Angelo Independent School District on April 10, Wallace condemned lockdowns and mask mandates.

He falsely claimed there is 'little evidence that masks worked for anyone.'

'What have been the benefits of lockdowns and masking? I say to you that there is ZERO benefit to this continued practice.'

He ended the letter demanding that the school district 'rescind ALL COVID-related policies immediately!'

Texas joined a growing list of states that are seeing record numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a surge that is overwhelming doctors and nurses and afflicting more children.

Intensive care units around the nation are packed with patients extremely ill with COVID-19 like Caleb.

The same day Jessica posted the Facebook update on Caleb's condition, Texas reported more COVID-19 patients in their hospitals than at any other time since the pandemic began, 14,255 and 2,074, respectively, according to US Department of Health and Human Services data.
The ACT recorded 13 new coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, all of them linked to outstanding infections.

'This means we know how and where they became infected,' ACT chief minister Andrew Barr told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.

Mr Barr said eight of the new cases were already in quarantine and the other five were infectious in the community.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr (pictured) announced the ACT has recorded 13 new coronavirus cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, all of them linked to outstanding infections

The territory has now recorded 250 cases in the current outbreak, 20 of which have recovered. One person remains seriously ill in intensive care.

The ACT lockdown is due to end on September 2 but Mr Barr says there will need to be a staggered exit from restrictions.

He says he believes Canberra is on the path to quashing this outbreak.

'But we are still exposed to a new spark, another wave of the virus coming in to the ACT,' he said.

'So whatever we do between now and when we get to the very, very high levels of vaccination that we need, we are going to have to be very careful and measured in our response.'

He ruled out having different restrictions for different parts of the ACT depending on their rate of vaccination.

NSW, which surrounds the ACT, announced a record 1218 virus cases on Sunday and Mr Barr warned that that number may keep on growing, possibly reaching 2000 cases a day.

The territory has now recorded 250 cases in the current outbreak, 20 of which have recovered. One person remains seriously ill in intensive care (pictured, a woman receives an AstraZeneca vaccination in Canberra)

'Our hope, is that the NSW government's more immediate and clear regional lockdowns have a much greater dampening effect on viral spread on the basis that they got into it earlier,' he said.

Around 64 per cent of Canberrans have had one coronavirus jab and just over 40 per cent have had two.

But Mr Barr believes it will require a continuous program of vaccination beyond hitting 70, 80 or even 95 per cent targets.

'All the evidence from the northern hemisphere suggests that the vaccines provide very effective protection but they do need to be boosted,' he said.

'I think we can anticipate, if Covid follows the path of other infectious diseases, that it's with us for the rest of our lives and we will need to have a booster shot every year.'
Tinder app playboy and acquitted murder accused Gable Tostee has been caught in a vicious row with another dating app match.

Schoolteacher Sabrina 'Bree' Collins claims she was harassed in a sinister rambling voicemail message from a female friend of Mr Tostee's that told her to kill herself.

She claims furious texts from Mr Tostee, 35, threatened to jeopardise her job by contacting her school bosses and taking legal action against her.

Ms Collins responded by mashing the savage voicemail messages - where a woman tells her to 'neck herself - into a disturbing YouTube clip called 'Trolling Horror Story'.

Schoolteacher Bree Collins (pictured) says she's been harassed in a sinister rambling voicemail message from a female friend of Mr Tostee's that told her to kill herself

Mr Tostee was cleared of murder after Tinder date Warriena Wright, 26, plummeted 14 floors from his unit balcony on the Gold Coast in 2014.

British-born Ms Collins, who teaches drama at Beenleigh State High School, only recently arrived in Australia and said she was unaware of his past when she made contact through an online dating app.

Despite her shock when she discovered his legal history, Ms Collins told the Gold Coast Bulletin the pair became 'friends'.

But the relationship soured around Christmas when she was contacted by an alleged friend of Tostee's who left menacing voicemail messages.

Dating app playboy and acquitted murder accused Gable Tostee (pictured) has been caught in a vicious row with yet another former online lover

The abusive messages called her a 'f**king disgusting psycho bitch', a 'pathetic cow', an 'obsessed loser' and accused her of being on meth.

One ended: 'Have a nice life, f**king psycho, feel free to neck yourself.'

The unnamed woman added: 'You are no one to him and that's exactly why he blocked your psycho f**ken a**e,'

Ms Collins said she had got into an argument with the woman and called in police over the messages, but the fight continued online with Mr Tostee himself.

'If you don't cease this, I and [his female friend] will pursue criminal charges. At the very least I'll report your actions to dept of education. I do not care about you, I am not interested, never will be. It's weird and creepy,' he told her.

Mr Tostee responded to the latest controversy by releasing the texts of his recent correspondence with Ms Collins to the media.

He added: 'I've made it clear to her I do not want to deal with her and have told her to quit obsessing over me.'

Online lothario Gable Tostee was cleared of murder and manslaughter after Tinder date Warriena Wright, 26, (pictured) with Mr Tostee) plummeted 14 floors from his unit in 2014

Gable Tostee texts with Bree Collins BREE COLLINS June 27 - I think seeing you on Tinder stirs up old emotions. You told me you were getting back with [REDACTED] and they you get with [REDACTED] who is a single mum with 3 kids. It's just mind games. Please don't keep showing up on my Tinder. I don't need it. July 12 - I think you have amnesia as you keep popping up on my Tinder. lol August 7 - You got me wrong! I always protect my boys they just don't understand my tactics. Lol. Have fun. No hard feelings! GABLE TOSTEE August 18 - Are you alright in the head? We met what twice over a year ago and you're obsessing. You need to cut it out or I'll get a court order on you ya f**king weirdo. Why are you stalking [REDACTED]? You're a teacher right? I might report your nutty video and screenshots of everything to department of education. COLLINS Your girlfriend is an idiot and doesn't deserve to have her ex pay for her parasitic lifestyle! See you in court losers! You both are a pair of parasites and I feel bad for the man having to pay for this show! TOSTEE I do not care about you, I am not interested, never will be. Stop obsessing. It's weird and creepy. I will not let you hurt [REDACTED]. F**k off Bree. End of story. I will pursue this. But you won't get my attention like you want. Give it up. Move on Advertisement

Gable Tostee (pictured) started using the name Eric Thomas on Tinder and Instagram in the wake of his 2016 trial

Gable Tostee started using the name Eric Thomas on Tinder, Facebook and Instagram after his 2016 trial.

On New Year's Day last year, a Tinder date frantically called police fearing for her safety at a home in Brisbane when the 28-year-old woman discovered his past.

In April, police were again called when another Tinder date threatened to throw herself from their 10th floor hotel room at Surfers Paradise.

A senior police officer at the time said there was no suggestion Tostee had done anything wrong. He added: 'He just happened to be present when the incident occurred.'

He was also embroiled in another online flame war, this time with a Pilates studio, in May after its owner told him to 'get off Bumble and Tinder, you f**k'.

Mr Tostee and his friends responded by flooding her business with bad reviews.

On New Year's Day last year, a Tinder date frantically called police fearing for her safety at a home in Brisbane when the 28-year-old found out Gable Tostee had been acquitted of murder. (Pictured, Mr Tostee outside Brisbane Supreme Court after he was found not guilty)

'Pro tip: if you're going to send someone deranged abuse because of some delusion in your mind, don't make your business name and details public for everyone to see,' he bragged at the time.

He later added on Facebook: 'What a dream it would be to live my life in peace.'

Mr Tostee now uses his Eric Thomas Facebook account to comment frequently on the coronavirus pandemic and transgender New Zealander weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Collins and Mr Tostee for further comment.
said the figures were 'concerning' but defending the long lockdown

New South Wales is in the throes of a youth suicide crisis with 40 teenagers rushed to hospital every day for self-harm as Sydney's lockdown enters its tenth week.

The NSW Suicide Monitoring System found 8,489 people under 18 were rushed to hospital for self-harm and suicidal thoughts this year, to July 29.

The shocking figure, equating to 40 children a day, was a rise of 31 per cent over the same period last year, and 47 per cent from 2019.

When the numbers were presented to Premier Gladys Berejiklian at her Covid press conference on Sunday morning, the state leader complained she would be criticised whether she kept the state locked down or not.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian defended Sydney's lockdown, which is now entering its 10th week, even though youth suicide rates have spiked

'It is concerning to see the mental anguish people are going through, especially young people, that is why NSW has always tried to take a balanced approach,' she said.

'From day one, we have been criticised no matter what we do. We will keep making decisions in the best interest of our citizens.

'I do not shy away from that and I will take any criticism levelled at the government because what we need to do is ensure a balance.'

Ms Berejiklian said she was particularly concerned about western Sydney families struggling through a harder lockdown than the rest of the city, and hoped she could ease restrictions in the next few weeks.

'We all remember when we were younger, when you are young, you see things differently as to when you are an adult. We appreciate those challenges that families are going through,' she said.

'Anything we can do to relieve that... if there is some relief we can offer at any stage, including when we get to 70 per cent first doses, we will consider those because they want us to continue to have a balanced approach.'

She conceded that pandemic has been a 'stressful time' for citizens, and said her government would end the lockdown 70 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated - even though the state continues to see record-breaking case numbers.

'I know what a stressful time this is for people. Those of us who have got means to cope with it find it difficult enough, let alone children and adolescents,' she said.

The state recorded 1,218 new infections on Sunday, breaking the previous record by almost 200

The state recorded 1,218 new infections on Sunday, almost 200 more than its previous record, which was already the biggest in Australian history.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health said he was not a mental health expert, but acknowledged there was an increase in people who have self-harmed arriving in hospital.

'That is a trend that has happened over a long period and experts are still trying to untangle how much is Covid-19 related or due to other causes,' he said.

'It is very concerning and we all need to support those people who are presenting [and help] them manage their anxiety.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty from NSW Health (pictured) acknowledged that there has been an increase in people who have self-harmed

'Covid-19 is an extremely stressful time for all of us, particularly if you are in lockdown or if you are a case or a contact of a case and you are anxious about your physical health.'

The report showed that the demand for mental health services has risen in all age groups since the start of the pandemic, but more so for children and teenagers.

Acute mental health admissions up to July 22 for children were up 43 per cent over 2020, but only rose two per cent for the whole population.

Mental health hospital admissions, which include psychotic episodes not related to suicide, rose 26 per cent compared to six per cent for everyone.

Mental health admissions for children up to July 22 were up 43% over 2020 statistics, but only rose 2% for the whole population

In Victoria, 156 teens a week in the first five months of 2021 were rushed to hospital after self-harming and have suicidal ideations, 88 per cent more than the same time last year, according to The Australian.

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg referred to the situation as a 'shadow pandemic' on Sunday.

'There is, too, a shadow pandemic occurring before our eyes - anxiety, depression and far worse is on the rise  and only an easing of restrictions will stem the tide,' he told the Sun-Herald.

He added that the economic and health costs would be high if premiers and chief ministers didn't stick with their reopening road maps.

Almost 8,500 people under the age of 18 were rushed to hospital for self-harm and suicidal thoughts throughout the past year, to July 29 (stock image)

'Jobs will be lost, businesses will close, debt will increase and the mental health of our community  particularly among kids  will suffer,' he said.

NSW chief psychiatrist Murray Wright said not being able to go to school was particularly damaging as it hurt not only their career aspirations but their social development.

'You might feel that you can tolerate an interruption for a certain period of time, but I'm sure lots of people hoped or expected that things would be better by now. That's not a criticism of anybody but when things drag on, that's a significant effect on people's mental health,' he told the SMH.

The NSW budget in June allocated $109.5 million to improve child and adolescent mental health services in every local health district.

For 24/7 confidential support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Louisiana hospitals already packed with patients from the latest coronavirus surge had to spend their weekends bracing for Hurricane Ida, a historic category four storm which crashed ashore on Sunday.

'Once again we find ourselves dealing with a natural disaster in the midst of a pandemic,' said Jennifer Avegno, the top health official for New Orleans. She called on residents to 'prepare for both.'

Hurricane Ida hit slammed into the region around midday local time, with windspeeds of 150mph - just 7mph short of the strongest category five hurricane - as the weather event is predicted to be one of the most severe ever to hit the southern state.

It comes as hospitals and their intensive care units are already filled with patients from the fourth surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, this one sparked by the highly contagious Indian Delta variant and low vaccination rates statewide.

Nursing coordinator Beth Springer looked into a patient's room in a COVID ward at the Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport last Tuesday, as the state sees an uptick in cases

Lauren Debroeck, who is on oxygen as she recovers from COVID-19, talks to her husband, Michael, who also contracted COVID-19 and is being kept alive with the help of an oxygenation machine. As of Sunday, more than 400 patients were on ventilators

By Saturday, nearly 68 percent of all hospital beds in the state were filled

The state is currently in a 'severe outbreak,' according to its COVID-19 dashboard, with a seven-day average of 220 new infections

Daily tallies of new cases went from a few hundred a day through much of the spring and early summer to thousands a day by late July.

Statewide, hospitalizations had peaked at around 2,000 or less in three previous surges. But that number peaked at more than 3,000 in August.

The number reported Saturday was near 2,700, still high enough to stress hospital capacity limits. More than 400 of those patients were on ventilators, according to the state Department of Health.

By Saturday, Business Insider reports, nearly 68 percent of all hospital beds in the state were filled, including about 84 percent of all ICU beds.

The state is currently in a 'severe outbreak,' according to its COVID-19 dashboard, with a seven-day average of 220 new infections.

Last month, CNBC reports, the state saw its largest single day increase in cases with 6,800 new cases reported in a single day.

Just about half of Louisianans have received at least one COVID vaccine dose and 40 percent being fully vaccinated, according to USA Facts.

Meanwhile, the United States is facing a surge in cases with 176,742 new cases reported on Friday and 1,329 new deaths.

About 61.5 percent of all eligible Americans have received at least one COVID vaccine dose, with 52 percent being fully vaccinated.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said evacuation of hospitals in threatened areas is something that would normally be considered under other scenarios, but its impractical as COVID-19 patients fill beds in Louisiana and elsewhere.

'That isnt possible. We dont have any place to bring those patients. Not in state, not out of state,' Edwards explained.

He warned residents to shelter in place in a news conference Friday, as National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott noting: 'This will be a life-altering storm for those who aren't prepared.'

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell also called for a mandatory evacuation of any area in New Orleans outside the city's levees, but said the city does not plan to evacuate any of its hospitals and patients will remain in place.

'Hurricane Ida represents a dramatic threat to the people of New Orleans,' she said. 'Time is not on our side.

'The city cannot issue a mandatory evacuation because we don't have the time.'

The storm made landfall in Port Fouchon on the Louisiana coast at 1:02pm EST Sunday

A person walked through the French Quarter of New Orleans on August 29, even after Governor John Bel Edwards warned residents to shelter in place

Ida hit Louisiana Sunday, on the 16th anniversary of Katrina with a 17 mile-wide eye, 150mph winds and 16 foot storm surges that experts fear could overwhelm levees and other flood defenses.

It made landfall in Port Fouchon on the Louisiana coast at 12:02pm CST, as an 'extremely dangerous' category four hurricane.

The hurricane's eye was 17 miles in diameter, with the extreme weather event also set to bring flash floods, thunder, lightning, storm surges and tornados to areas in or close to its path.

Nola.com reported that officials are increasingly worried Ida's foot storm surges could overcome levees - banks of earth, often topped with concrete barriers, built to offer protection from flood waters.

Jefferson Parish, which sits close to New Orleans, is said to be particularly vulnerable to a breach.

This would be the first time the newly-upgraded defenses have been breached since they were strengthened in the wake of Katrina, which struck on August 29 2005 and killed 1,800 people.

President Joe Biden has already approved a federal emergency declaration for the state, with FEMA expected to send nearly 150 medical personnel and almost 50 ambulances to the Gulf Coast to help the already struggling hospitals - many of which have already begun delaying emergency procedures and patient transfers.

A satellite image showed Hurricane Ida as it approached Louisiana on Sunday

It had a 17 mile-wide eye, with 150mph winds and 16 foot storm surges

Officials at Ochsner Health, which runs the largest hospital network in the state, said Saturday that they considered evacuating some of their facilities closer to the coast but that wasn't possible considering how packed other hospitals are in their network. Roughly 15 of their hospitals are in areas potentially affected by Ida.

But they did evacuate some individual patients with particular medical needs from smaller hospitals in more rural areas to their larger facilities.

'COVID has certainly added a challenge to this storm,' said Mike Hulefeld, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Ochsner Health.

But the hospital chain says in other ways it feels as prepared as it can be.

Hulefeld said three days ago they ordered 10 days worth of supplies for facilities in areas that might be affected by Ida and everything has arrived. Each facility has backup power that's been tested and a backup fuel truck on site. Many of their hospitals also have water wells should city water go out.

'Were as ready as we can be,' he said.

Jeff Elder, a doctor who is also the medical director for emergency management at LCMC Health, said that the systems six hospitals will go into lockdown mode Sunday morning.

The staff who were going to stay at the hospitals for the duration of the storm were coming in Saturday and Sunday morning and would sleep at the hospital.

Elder said one of the first things their hospitals do when storms come in is discharge any patients who are able to leave. However, their patient load is higher than usual because of the pandemic so theyre not able to reduce by that much.

But he said the hospitals in the system are much more robust since 2005s Hurricane Katrina, which killed more than 1,800 people after flood defenses failed.

'Weve learned a lot since 2005,' he said.

Key pieces of infrastructure are now raised to keep them out of flooding. For example, at University Medical Center in New Orleans, which was built after Katrina, the generator is raised, diesel supplies are protected and the first floor doesnt have essential services so even if flood waters get that high nothing essential is lost.

All of the hospitals in the system also now have generator backup power, Elder said.

And he stressed that communication is much better between hospitals in the hospital system as well as with various levels of government than it was back then.
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Pen Farthing today told of his 'mixed emotions and sadness' after landing in Heathrow from Kabul with his dogs and cats after being forced to leave his Afghan staff behind - amid reports he had immediately taken a connecting flight to Oslo to be with his wife.





The former Marine tweeted: 'Arrived Heathrow with partial success of #OpArk Mixed emotions & true deep feeling of sadness for Afghan today. Heathrow Ops centre, Border Force, HARC & Air Pets were all bloody amazing. Witnessed 1st hand the compassion Heathrow is showing Afghan refugees.'





Mr Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, as audio of a foul-mouthed rant in which he threatened to f*****g destroy' an MoD was leaked to the media. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport.





The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground.

The cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'. A spokesman for Heathrow declined to comment.

Mr Farthing's friend said the ex-Marine had succeeded in evacuating the 170 animals to the UK but 24 staff had to be left behind. Dominic Dyer, an animal welfare campaigner, said the former marine was forced to travel back alone after being told it was not possible to find people to fill the plane's seats.

Mr Dyer said the shelter staff were 'still in their homes' with the charity in contact with them, adding that efforts would be made to try to get them out of Afghanistan. 'They are one of thousands of Afghans... that have a right to leave the country but actually have no safe passage out at the moment,' he said.

The activist said the staff were denied entry to the airport in Kabul on Thursday, with the Taliban claiming they did not have the right paperwork. 'Tragic and not the ending we wanted, but we fell victim to the chaos and the difficulties of getting through those gates,' he added.

All of the almost 100 dogs and 70 cats on the flight were 'healthy', with the dogs placed in kennels, Mr Dyer said. He said armed forces personnel 'willingly and voluntarily' helped Mr Farthing load the animals' crates on to the aircraft in Kabul, but extra passengers were not found.

Mr Dyer claimed an appeal was put in to the British Government 'to see if we could fill seats with refugees within the airport. They told us there was no one they could find that could actually fill that aircraft.'

An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it is understood

Mr Farthing confirmed he had landed in Heathrow this morning. It has reported he took a connecting flight to Oslo to be with his wife

Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity

Mr Fathing's staff and 179 cats and dogs, near the airport in Kabul as they attempted to flee the country

Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane.

But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. It was revealed yesterday that up to 150 British nationals and 1,100 Afghans who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan will be left behind in the country.

Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a vocal opponent of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticised the decision to use British troops to evacuate 180 cats and dogs while Afghan ex-UK staff are left fearing reprisals under Taliban rule.

'The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport and we've just used a lot of troops to get in 200 dogs,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'Meanwhile my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. As one interpreter asked me a few days ago, why is my five year-old worth less than your dog?'

When asked what his answer was to his interpreter's question, Mr Tugendhat replied: 'I didn't have an answer, what would your answer be?'

Major General Nick Carter, the head of the British Army, told the BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme that the army's 'priority has been to evacuate human beings,' amid anger over the decision to evacuate animals.

'We obviously worry about everything that needs to be evacuated, but of course these are very difficult times, and there are very difficult judgements to be made,' he said.

But in a blow to Mr Farthing, it emerged his animals will be locked up when he arrives in the UK. Officials said the dogs and cats face a four-month quarantine in kennels and catteries until at least Christmas.

Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport

Earlier Mr Farthing revealed how 'depressing' it was that he was forced to leave his Afghan staff behind. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport yesterday.

His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke of her joy that her husband was on his way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.

It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.

The strike came amid what the White House called indications that Isis-K planned to strike again as the US-led evacuation from Kabul airport moves into its final days. A devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at the airport on Thursday.

Mr Farthing flew out of Afghanistan for Tashkent in Uzbekistan with 94 dogs and 79 cats on a private jet and will later return to Britain. But the day was marked with sadness as he was forced to leave behind his workforce to the Taliban.

He told the Sun: 'It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.

'There were lots of tears when we said goodbye. I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them [but] I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals.'

The Ministry of Defence, which assisted his evacuation, confirmed he was through the airport in a tweet on Friday night.

It said: 'Pen Farthing and his pets were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces. They are currently being supported while he awaits transportation. On the direction of the Defence Secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK Government.'

Mr Farthing told how his employees at the animal sanctuary drove with him to the airport in two cattle trucks. But he revealed they had been banned from crossing into the area controlled by British soldiers by armed Taliban fighters.

Tom Tugendhat (pictured August 18 in the House of Commons) today criticised the decision to use soldiers to evacuate Mr Farthing's animals while the lives of Afghans who assisted the British during the 20-year occupation of the country are under threat - including his own interpreter

It comes as the US military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the so-called Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate (pictured, Kabul airport yesterday)

'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes': Boris Johnson praises UK troops on last flight out of Kabul ahead of 'remorseless deadline' - but PM says Britain 'will return' after 150 Brits and 1,000 Afghans were left behind Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last remaining British troops leave Kabul, bringing our two decades of military involvement in the country to an end. In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives. 'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.' As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, Mr Johnson pledged to return to Afghanistan when it is safe to do so. Some 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. In a bid to put a positive gloss on Britain's departure, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary. Advertisement

Soldiers helped him unload 125kg of dry pet food, 72 tins, 270 litres of water, 12 industrial size rolls of paper towel and 20 bottles of disinfectant in a warehouse.

Despite his misery at having to leave behind his staff, Mr Farthing's wife was chuffed he was on his way out. Kaisa was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when Pen video-called her from inside Kabul airport. 'You should have seen the smile on my face,' she said.

Following Thursday's carnage, Kaisa knew her husband was planning another attempt to reach the airport  but had no idea when. She said yesterday: 'He's now inside the airport and we had a quick video call. The second I saw him safely inside... you can imagine.'

Her husband and his animals escaping Kabul is the dream she has clung to ever since she was flown out of the city on a near-empty flight. She learned Pen, having made it through Taliban checkpoints, had been finally allowed to board a flight with 150 rescue cats and dogs from his Nowzad charity - but he was forced to leave his staff members behind.

'I know Pen had a very hard choice. He faced that same choice when he was inside the airport with his staff and their families on Thursday and the animals and the staff were not allowed through,' says Kaisa.

'So, he went back to the compound to ensure everyone was safe and to discuss with them what to do. They decided he should go to the airport again with the dogs.

'He was devastated to leave his staff but knew that by removing both the dogs and himself he would remove two big risk factors.'

Mr Farthing's supporter and animal rights campaigner Dominic Dyer told the Mail: 'Pen is OK, but he is very stressed. He has no choice but to leave and bring the animals with him. We are looking forward to getting them to the UK.

'We are very pleased we've got him out and are very grateful to the British Government for their help, and for the support of the Armed Forces.'

Kaisa was sitting at her mother's dining room table in a top borrowed from her sister and a newly bought pair of jeans. She had fled Kabul with nothing but a toothbrush and some deodorant.

Even the book she had been reading was left behind on the table beside the double bed that, until ten days ago, she shared with Mr Farthing. That they may soon hold each other again - and can start to plan their married life together - is enough to bring her to tears.

'I cried as I was leaving Kabul,' she says. 'I was one of the lucky ones. When I was in the Norwegian camp at the airport there were three kids - babies - I was playing with who'd been separated from their parents. We had to leave them behind.

'I thought, 'I won't see Kabul again. I might not see Pen again'. I was crying for those babies. What the f*** is this crisis about that we're leaving small kids behind who have no one?'

She showed a short video on her phone of the children playing at the airport. The soldiers and evacuees fussed over them.

'Two days later, I heard Norway had decided to bring them [the babies] over here. I told Pen on the phone that the babies were in Norway now.

'His first reaction was 'tell them we want to adopt one'. I want kids with Pen.'

The hope in her voice could not be further removed from the distraught woman I'd spoken to earlier this week.

UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday

Mr Farthing's group also narrowly avoided the airport suicide bomb blasts which rocked the area earlier this week, killing 12 US serviceman and up to 90 Afghans. Above: Wounded Afghans in hospital after the blasts

'No one has any money': Taliban beat protesters with branches and hurl stones as desperate Afghans gather outside Kabul bank amid cash crisis Afghanistan's banking system is on the verge of collapse, with the country's banks still closed nearly two weeks after the Taliban seizure of power and leaving many people without access to cash amid fears of an economic and humanitarian disaster. Images show huge crowds of desperate Afghans queueing outside a bank in Kabul, with reports claiming that locals are getting unruly and are being pelted with stones and beaten with branches by Taliban militants standing guard as the country plunges into chaos. Sources at the Afghan central bank told CNN that banks remain shuttered days after the Taliban ordered them and other services to reopen because they have virtually run out of cash. The Afghan economy is heavily reliant on access to foreign currency and international aid, most of which has been blocked since the capital fell to the jihadists in a stunning coup. Grants finance 75 per cent of Afghanistan's public spending, according to the World Bank. The development has sparked fears of a severe economic and humanitarian crisis in the Central Asian country, where 47 per cent of households in Afghanistan live in poverty. Advertisement

On Thursday she feared the worst when, having been advised by the British Government to go to Kabul's airport to board a charter plane to safety, Mr Farthing - along with his 25 staff, their immediate families and 150 crated cats and dogs - was turned away at the last moment.

'I was fearing for his life,' Kaisa said. 'I had this heavy feeling. When he was outside the airport I was afraid because I hadn't heard from him.'

His group had been caught up in the hellish scenes on Thursday as Isis-K bombs killed at least 170 people, including 13 US military personnel.

Pen and his staff were tear-gassed and shot at as they fled for their lives.

'When they got out he called me he said 'oh, Kaisa Jan [an Afghan endearment meaning 'dear'], hell just broke loose. I've had an AK gun in my chest twice now'.'

MoD sources last night made clear Mr Farthing and his convoy did not get preferential treatment and were not on board a military flight.

While Mr Farthing's supporters said he had been turned away by the Taliban on Thursday, sources said he may have gone to the wrong gate.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace initially dismissed Operation Ark, saying it would put 'people before pets' in the rush to flee Kabul.

He later agreed to 'seek a slot' for the plane carrying out the mercy mission, but insisted the convoy would not be able to jump the queue.

There were suggestions by Mr Farthing's supporters his change of tone was prompted by an intervention from Boris Johnson's animal-loving wife Carrie - but this was denied by Downing Street sources.

Asked if Mr Farthing had been a diversion to the overall evacuation mission, Mr Wallace yesterday told LBC: 'I think it has taken up too much time of my senior commanders dealing with this issue when they should be focused on dealing with the humanitarian crisis.'

But he added: 'I hope he comes back, he was advised to come back, his wife came back last Friday, so I hope he does as well.'

The only sadness for Kaisa now is that Pen has been forced to leave his beloved staff behind.

'When the Taliban took over Kabul, I thought 'if you have to put all the animals to sleep, do it'. There will be other dogs but you can't do anything if you're dead,' she says.

'But then I realised something. Pen has a mother, a brother and me. We are his three family members. Many of his staff have not gone home to their families during lockdown but stayed to help him.

'When there was a big kidnapping threat here a few years ago they wouldn't go home. They stayed in the office to protect him. They are his family.'

Two boys embrace each other as they weep in the parking lot at Wazir Akbar Khan hospital, in Kabul, after the blast

British troops were seen securing the perimeter outside the Baron Hotel, near the Abbey Gate in Kabul on Thursday following the bombing

Kabul animal rescuer Pen Farthing is accused of 'costing lives' as recording reveals his foul-mouthed rant threatening to 'f***ing destroy' an MoD official in the middle of Afghanistan airlift

By Glen Owen Political Editor For The Mail On Sunday

A former Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Kabul 'cost lives' as a result of his mission to evacuate 173 cats and dogs from Afghanistan, senior defence sources said last night.

Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials.

A leaked voice message obtained by The Mail on Sunday has revealed the behind-the-scenes bitterness over the airlift, with Mr Farthing telling an Ministry of Defence official that he would 'spend the rest of my time f****** destroying' him if he did not secure clearance for a flight out of the country.

The official, Peter Quentin, an adviser to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, is understood to have also received death threats from supporters of Mr Farthing as a result of his involvement in the animal rescue.

On the recording, which was shared by officials as part of an investigation into the alleged threats, Mr Farthing can be heard demanding 'an ISAF number'  a military callsign which has not been in use since 2014  for a charter plane to take him, his animals and staff out of the Afghan capital.

Pen Farthing (pictured), who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials

Mr Farthing, who served 22 years in the military, accuses Mr Quentin of 'blocking' his efforts to leave the country, saying: 'Here's the deal buddy. You either get me that f****** ISAF number and you get me permission to get on that f****** airfield or tomorrow morning I am going to turn on you. The whole f****** country is going to know that it is you.'

During the two-minute rant, Mr Farthing also says: 'I served for 22 years for the Royal Marine Commandos. I am not going to take this b******* from people like you.'

Friends of Mr Quentin, who denies trying to block a flight, say he was particularly incensed by the 'people like you' line as he has also operated in Afghanistan  learning Dari in the process  and returned several times to conduct research and write a book on the conflict.

They also maintain that Mr Quentin had been personally helping with the evacuation of Afghans and to ensure Nowzad staff were on the evacuation list.

Mr Farthing's publicity campaign has angered the MoD because of the distraction it has provided from the 'core mission' of airlifting refugees.

A defence source said: 'This selfish charade has cost lives.' Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery.'

Yesterday, senior Tory MP and former soldier Tom Tugendhat issued a withering condemnation of the way MoD resources had been used for the animal evacuation.

Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals (pictured) meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery'

Mr Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan, revealed how his former interpreter, who is now stuck in Kabul, asked him: 'Why is my five-year-old worth less than your dog?

'I didn't have an answer,' he says.

The MP, who is chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told LBC: 'People have been focusing on the aeroplanes. It's not the aeroplanes that are the problem. There's quite a lot of space on the aeroplanes.

They are coming and going relatively easily. The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport.

'And we have just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile, my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. We run an NHS in the UK that taxes us all about one in seven pounds we spend. What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?'

Mr Farthing's flight left without charity staff who were prevented from entering the military-controlled area at Kabul airport, despite having been granted visas for the UK.

They had helped to bring the pets to the airport in two cattle trucks. Mr Farthing said armed Taliban militants stopped the Afghan staff from crossing into the British-controlled zone where they could board the privately chartered flight to the UK.

Speaking about his staff members, Mr Farthing, whose real name is Paul, said: 'It is just so depressing that I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.

'I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them, I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals. There were lots of tears when we said goodbye.'

Carrie Johnson's close friend Nimco Ali made a thinly veiled attack on Mr Farthing on Friday.

In response to a story posted on Twitter by the BBC which told how he said he 'went through hell' to reach Kabul airport only to be turned away, the activist wrote: 'So have countless Afghans. But we don't know their names and they might never get out.'

Reports had suggested that animal-lover Mrs Johnson had used her influence to lobby for Mr Farthing's cause, but the Prime Minister firmly denied such claims.

Mr Quentin declined to comment last night and when the MoS contacted Mr Farthing's wife, Kaisa, about the outburst, she also declined to comment.
In NSW, 145 people have died with the virus since the start of the pandemic

He said it was 'difficult to know' exactly how much virus contributed to death

NSW Health has switched to recording patients as dying 'with' instead of 'from' Covid as it acknowledges not all of the country's 933 deaths were directly linked to the deadly virus.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty made the admission during Sunday's Covid briefing as the state recorded 1,218 new cases of coronavirus.

Six people died with Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday bringing the total death toll of this outbreak to 89 death since June 16.

Dr McAnulty said the change in language was because it was 'very difficult to know' whether someone with Covid died from the virus, or another health complication.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty (pictured) from NSW Health announced the department would switch from recording patients as dying 'with' instead of 'from' Covid-19

'We know when elderly people die, they can have a range of comorbidities, and also, being old increases your risk of death,' he said.

'Covid may often play a role in the death, but it may not. Sometimes, some of our cases who have sadly died appear to have recovered from Covid, and then they have died of something [else].

'We report people who have died "with" Covid, unless there is a very clear alternative.'

He added that it was difficult for doctors who were looking after patients to know exactly how much the virus contributed to their death.

The symbolic change in language comes as NSW Health begins to acknowledge the country's 933 Covid deaths were not all direct results of the deadly virus.

As explained by Dr McAnulty, some of the deaths previously reported as 'from Covid' were actually the consequence of another health condition or the victim had fully recovered from the virus before their death.

Six people died with Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday bringing the total death toll of this outbreak to 89 death since June 16 (pictured, a vaccine clinic in Bankstown)

Earlier this month, Ady Al-Askar (pictured) a forklift truck driver from Liverpool collapsed in his shower after contracting Covid-19 from his wife Yasmin who works in aged care

Earlier this month, Ady Al-Askar a forklift truck driver from Liverpool collapsed in his shower after contracting Covid-19 from his wife Yasmin who works in aged care.

The 27-year-old was isolating with his wife in their unit in Sydney's southwest and barely showed any Covid symptoms before his untimely death.

However, heart conditions reportedly run in the Al-Askar family, and his cousin, Khalid Thijeel, told Daily Mail Australia he believed it was this that cost the man his life, not the virus.

Mr Thijeel said his cousin, a factory worker, had not yet been vaccinated despite government directives for all Sydneysiders - particularly those living in hotspots - to get the jab.

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said Mr Al-Askar was being cared for by the local health district but 'suddenly deteriorated'.

'He was being checked daily and he did complain of feeling a little fatigued but the deterioration happened suddenly, is my understanding. We are aware that with Covid you can get sudden deaths,' she said at the time.

Paramedics who responded to the emergency reportedly confirmed that Ms Al-Askar suffered heart failure, whereas the hospital and Dr Chant specified that Covid was a contributing factor in his death.

Heart conditions reportedly run in the Al-Askar family, and his cousin, Khalid Thijeel, told Daily Mail Australia he believed it was this that cost Ady (pictured) his life, not the virus

Osama Suduh (pictured) from Sydney's Covid-hit south-west, became the state's youngest victim of Covid-19 after dying of meningitis in hospital on August 15

A few weeks later, Osama Suduh from Sydney's Covid-hit south-west, became the state's youngest recorded victim of Covid-19 - though he died of meningitis.

The 15-year-old was admitted to hospital though with pneumococcal meningitis - a life-threatening infectious disease that causes inflammation of the layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Osama was moved into intensive care and placed on life support after testing positive to Covid-19.

The Kingsgrove North High School student is understood to have died at Sydney's Children Hospital in Randwick on August 15.

The hospital said Osama was not vaccinated against Covid-19, as he was too young, but was up-to-date with his routine childhood vaccinations.

'The family has agreed that we can indicate that he has pneumococcal meningitis,' Dr Chant said at the time.

Last Monday, a 30-year-old woman was found unresponsive at her home in Emerton, with NSW Health confirming she was Covid-positive when she died.

Ianeta Isaako, a mother-of-three, tested positive to the virus just days before her condition took a turn for the worse.

Dr Kerry Chant later confirmed Osama Suduh (pictured) had been admitted to hospital for pneumococcal meningitis but was also Covid-positive

There have been 145 NSW residents who have died with the virus since the start of the pandemic and 933 total deaths across the country (pictured, people exercising on Sunday)

There are 145 NSW residents who have died with Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic and 933 total deaths across the country.

Of the six deaths reported on Sunday, three were aged in their 80s and three were aged in their 70s.

One of the men in his 80s lived in southwest Sydney and died at Nepean Hospital where he acquired the infection, bringing that cluster to a total of five deaths.

Another man aged in his 80s caught the virus at the Wyoming Aged Care facility in Sydney's inner west and died at Concord Hospital, bringing that outbreak to five deaths.

There are 813 patients in hospital with Covid with 126 people in intensive care, 54 of whom require ventilators.
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Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last British troops landed in RAF Brize Norton this morning, bringing our two decades of involvement in the country to an end.

In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.'

The final British troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue trapped British nationals and Afghan allies who assisted us during our intervention.

A Voyager aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton airfield in Oxfordshire this morning, with roughly 250 personnel on board including members of 16 Air Assault Brigade who were stationed at Kabul airport. The plane flew in from Al Minhad airfield in the United Arab Emirates near Dubai where the UK's evacuation flights from Afghanistan first landed.

British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, was among those who landed at RAF Brize Norton base. Further flights carrying personnel are expected later on Sunday.

Speaking on the runway, Sir Laurie vowed to continue to help British nationals and Afghans who remain in the country and still need help. He also said: 'It's been an extraordinary, intense effort by the Foreign Office, the military and Border Force together to bring over 15,000 people to safety in under two weeks.'

As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, the Prime Minister pledged to return to war-torn Afghanistan when it is safe to do so.

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

In other developments:

The last British rescue mission landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning;

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow arrived on one of the last flights back from Kabul;

Dominic Raab was accused of abandoning 1,000 people eligible for evacuation by staying on holiday;

Labour has accused Government ministers of being 'missing in action' during the Afghanistan crisis;

Tory MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan;

The Taliban is unlikely to have changed since it was last in power in Afghanistan 20 years ago, retired senior military and diplomatic figures have said;

Ex-head of British Army said it was 'unfathomable why Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials;

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing landed in Heathrow early today and flew out to Oslo, it has been claimed;

The ex-Commando is accused of 'costing lives' with campaign to evacuate 173 cats and dogs;

Banks across Afghanistan have remained shut two weeks after the Taliban seizure of power;

ISIS-K leaders suspected of masterminding airport attack 'riding a tuk-tuk' when they were killed in US strike;

Priti Patel hailed Operation Warm Welcome, the plan to help Afghan refugees to resettle in the UK;

Government has committed to take about 5,000 refugees in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years;

Sources claimed that Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was trying to 'muscle in' on Ms Patel's scheme.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

Members of the British armed forces and diplomatic staff arrive on a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, west of London on August 29, 2021

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade disembark an aircraft after being evacuated from Kabul

Britain's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow is greeted by Philip Barton, Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, after disembarking a Royal Air Force Voyager at RAF Brize Norton

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade disembark a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes'

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade depart a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

In this handout photo provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, August 28, 2021

Kabul animal rescuer Pen Farthing is accused of 'costing lives' as recording reveals his foul-mouthed rant threatening to 'f***ing destroy' an MoD official in the middle of Afghanistan airlift A former Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Kabul 'cost lives' as a result of his mission to evacuate 173 cats and dogs from Afghanistan, senior defence sources said last night. Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials. A leaked voice message obtained by The Mail on Sunday has revealed the behind-the-scenes bitterness over the airlift, with Mr Farthing telling an Ministry of Defence official that he would 'spend the rest of my time f****** destroying' him if he did not secure clearance for a flight out of the country. The official, Peter Quentin, an adviser to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, is understood to have also received death threats from supporters of Mr Farthing as a result of his involvement in the animal rescue. On the recording, which was shared by officials as part of an investigation into the alleged threats, Mr Farthing can be heard demanding 'an ISAF number'  a military callsign which has not been in use since 2014  for a charter plane to take him, his animals and staff out of the Afghan capital. Mr Farthing's publicity campaign has angered the MoD because of the distraction it has provided from the 'core mission' of airlifting refugees. A defence source said: 'This selfish charade has cost lives.' Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery.' Yesterday, senior Tory MP and former soldier Tom Tugendhat issued a withering condemnation of the way MoD resources had been used for the animal evacuation. Mr Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan, revealed how his former interpreter, who is now stuck in Kabul, asked him: 'Why is my five-year-old worth less than your dog? 'I didn't have an answer,' he says. The MP, who is chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told LBC: 'People have been focusing on the aeroplanes. It's not the aeroplanes that are the problem. There's quite a lot of space on the aeroplanes. They are coming and going relatively easily. The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport. 'And we have just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile, my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. We run an NHS in the UK that taxes us all about one in seven pounds we spend. What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?' Advertisement

US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw his forces by the end of the month left Mr Johnson with no alternative but to follow suit - putting the so-called 'special relationship' under strain and prompting angry Tory MPs to question Mr Biden's suitability for the White House.

Yesterday, Mr Biden said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last'.

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Mr Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal, the President defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

The Taliban condemned the US drone strike, with a spokesman describing the operation as a 'clear attack on Afghan territory'.

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport last week, have also been whisked to safety.

In a bid to put a positive gloss on the withdrawal, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who 'gave their all', Mr Johnson said: 'Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.' He added: 'It was no accident that there's been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

'It was thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces who fought to knock out (Osama) Bin Laden's networks. Thanks to the devotion of British troops and aid workers and diplomats and others, we've helped educate 3.6 million girls. Whatever the future may hold for Afghanistan, they will have that gift for the rest of their lives, a gift they will pass on to their daughters as well as their sons.'

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton, Vice-Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commands Operation Pitting, said: 'Although the United Kingdom's Operation Pitting finishes today, of course the United States are still engaged in their own withdrawal and I would be very nervous in saying we had completed a successful withdrawal from Afghanistan until all our allies and partners have returned.

'The United States has provided the framework for security in Kabul as part of a huge international effort and so operations continue even if the UK's particular contribution concludes today.'

On the fact that not everyone eligible for evacuation from Kabul could be rescued, he said: 'That is both true and a matter of great sadness for all of us that have been involved in this.

'Whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we have - no matter how hard our efforts - we have been unsuccessful in evacuating.'

Vice-Admiral Key added: 'There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short.

'So, this isn't a moment of celebration for us at all, this is a moment to mark a tremendous international effort to evacuate as many people as we could in the time available.

'That sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished and we will continue to work ... in the future with the next leadership of Afghanistan, with the Taliban, and others to make sure those who would wish to come back to his country continue to have an opportunity to do so.

'Sadly, we have just not been able to evacuate them under this framework.'

Speaking to the PA news agency, Vice-Admiral Key said pictures from the airlifts showed UK service personnel were 'deeply tired' having 'given their all over the last two weeks'.

He said: 'Some of the pictures that have come back in the last few days have painted a really good impression of just how desperate and difficult those conditions have been in the last few weeks.

'The pictures of them sitting in the aircraft coming back, these are deeply tired people who have given of their all over the last two weeks. They have travelled with very little equipment - we didn't allow them to carry much kit - and in many cases they have lived in the clothes they have been wearing for many days.

'They have been sleeping in rough conditions, eating off ration packs and their sole motivation has been to help as many of the Afghans and British entitled personnel as they possibly could.

'We will do all in our power to give the Afghan people the future they deserve': UK's ambassador Laurie Bristow promises to help those left behind as he arrives in UK on last flight out of Kabul The British Ambassador to Afghanistan has vowed to help British nationals and Afghan translators who assisted our troops during the intervention now stuck in Kabul and 'do everything' to 'help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve'. In a video message on Twitter, Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, said the British diplomatic mission to Afghanistan will operate from Qatar as the country fell to the Taliban. Speaking on the runway at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning as the last British plane from Kabul landed, he said: 'This is Laurie Bristow. The team touched down at Brize Norton a few moments ago. It's been an extraordinary, intense effort by the Foreign Office, the military and Border Force together to bring over 15,000 people to safety in under two weeks. 'We've had to leave Afghanistan for now and the embassy will operate from Qatar for the time being. We will continue to stand by the people of Afghanistan, working on humanitarian, diplomatic and security work, and above all bringing to the UK Afghans and British nationals who still need our support, and we will be putting pressure on the Taliban to allow safe passage for those people. 'We will reopen the embassy as soon as we can. We will do everything we can to protect the gains of the last 20 years and above all to help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve.' Advertisement

'It's been a combination of deep professionalism, considerable courage, really sophisticated judgment and, on occasion, huge compassion, and it's been difficult for those of us back here not to just have the most enormous admiration for what they've done and how they've gone about it.'

Vice-Admiral Key continued: 'Am I optimistic for the future? I think I watch with interest. I am hopeful the investment we have made will grow into greater things, but I don't think there's any of us would say the last 20 years have not been worth it.'

On the evacuation effort, he said: 'Of course we would have liked (more time) because then we could have brought more people out.

'It would have allowed us to pull in those people who we know were still trying to get across from the city to the airport.

'It would have given us a chance to really make sure we had reached out to those who had helped us so wonderfully and courageously over the last 20 years.

'But the truth is no more time was granted to us by the Taliban, who were very clear that by the end of August not only had the evacuation had to be completed but we, the western militaries, had all withdrawn as well.

'I don't think there is a single person deployed forward, whether the thousand or so in Kabul or the many hundreds of others drawn across from Her Majesty's Government in the Middle East or back here, who could have given more in the last two, two-and-a-half, weeks.

'The effort has been, frankly, truly humbling to see hours worked with exhaustion painted on people's faces, so we tried our best, we have absolutely tried our best.'

Sir Laurie said: 'It's time to close this phase of the operation now, but we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave.'

A former head of the British Army has said it was 'unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials.

Speaking on Times Radio, General Lord Richard Dannatt said: 'On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media.

'This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year.

'I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands. It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch.

'I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction.

'We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster.'

Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan. The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: 'Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

'We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.'

He warned that 'terrorism will raise its ugly face again' and 'until we defeat this ideology, we can have as many drone strikes as we like, we can invade as many countries as we like, we will never win'.

Mr Ellwood added: 'Unfortunately, we've made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where it's now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.'

The last Afghan evacuee saved by British troops: Paras helped interpreter climb over fence in final mission launched by MoD officials angry that Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while people remained stranded British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today. The rescue of Sayed - along with his wife, their three-month-old baby and three-year-old son - came as officials complained Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while interpreters remained stranded. Sayed, a 32-year-old interpreter who was blown up while working for the UK in 2011, became the last person who served along-side British forces to be allowed inside Kabul airport and processed for a flight to the UK, The Sunday Times reported. The rescue of Sayed and his family was ordered by senior figures inside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the gates to the airport were closed to new arrivals. Before his escape, the Afghan father had spent more than four days trying to find a way to the airport's Abbey Gate where British troops were clearing those who were eligible for sanctuary in the UK. Despite being part of the crowd ordered to leave by the Taliban, who now control Kabul and most of Afghanistan following their take-over this month, Sayed told the newspaper that he stood his ground refusing to give up hope. The interpreter stood in the baking sun for hours wading through sewage, all while holding his young daughter, but after reaching the correct gate he was not called forward. MoD officials - frustrated that Mr Farthing's animals were being saved while Afghans loyal to Britain were set to be left behind - picked up Sayed's case. Despite the gates to the airport officially being closed to prepare for the final evacuation flights from Kabul, British troops were ordered to find him. On Friday night, Sayed received a call from a British interpreter to take a taxi to the airport and once again go to the gate. He said he had to walk 30 minutes after the taxi ride to reach the gate, where he found that there was another large crowd. Sayed was once again called by the interpreter, who told him to leave the crowd and signalled him with a light. 'When I reached the light the British forces took me and my family over the barbed wire. It was amazing, I am happy now,' he told The Sunday Times. 'I thank everyone who worked hard for my family.' Sayed worked with UK forces for three years. He was given permission to come to the UK months ago, but his baby was born before the flight meaning officials required more paperwork. Advertisement

Mr Johnson said: 'Twenty years ago, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the first British soldier set foot on Afghan soil aiming to create a brighter future for the country and all its people. The departure of the last British soldiers from the country is a moment to reflect on everything we have sacrificed and everything we have achieved in the last two decades.

'The nature of our engagement in Afghanistan may have changed, but our goals for the country have not. We will now use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years and give the Afghan people the future they deserve.'

The final flight from Kabul marks the end of a fraught period for Mr Johnson's administration. Footage purporting to show British troops inside a military aircraft as it left Kabul was last night posted on social media.

Despite the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, a Government source insisted: 'We intend to re-establish our diplomatic presence in Kabul as soon as the security and political situation in the country allows and are co-ordinating this effort with allies.'

By yesterday afternoon, the number of Afghans brought to the UK had reached 10,000  double the number anticipated, with the UK evacuating more people than any country apart from the US.

Video and pictures from inside military aircraft shared online by The Parachute Regiment on Saturday showed British troops leaving the Afghan capital.

The Ministry of Defence, which also later released its own images, told the MailOnline that soldiers were in the process of being withdrawn.

The footage, along with pictures of British solders on military aircraft, was shared by the official Twitter account of The Parachute Regiment on Saturday at 12:25pm GMT (16:55pm in Afghanistan).

The video showed smiling soldiers sitting on the floor of the aircraft listening to 'Ride of the Valkyries', while the pictures - taken in the dark - showed troops sitting and facing the front of the aircraft.

Thousands of refugees have been unable to get to the Taliban-guarded airport or are too fearful to do so for the constant threat of terrorism. On Thursday, an ISIS suicide bomber killed at least 170 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, two Britons and the child of a UK national outside the airport walls.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Taliban had sealed off Kabul's airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as most Nato nations flew out their troops after two decades in Afghanistan, winding down a frantic airlift that Western leaders acknowledged was still leaving many of their citizens and local allies behind.

The Pentagon announced yesterday it carried out a retaliatory drone strike that killed two ISIS 'planners and facilitators' and wounded another militant in Nangahar province, eastern Afghanistan.

Washington described them as 'high profile ISIS targets' but would not specify their roles in the airport bombing.

U.S. troops now face a 'very difficult' few days acting as the 'rear guard' to the withdrawal, he added. It has also emerged that British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today.

The rescue of Sayed - along with his wife, their three-month-old baby and three-year-old son - came as officials complained Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while interpreters remained stranded.

Sayed, a 32-year-old interpreter who was blown up while working for the UK in 2011, became the last person who served along-side British forces to be allowed inside Kabul airport and processed for a flight to the UK, The Sunday Times reported.

The rescue of Sayed and his family was ordered by senior figures inside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the gates to the airport were closed to new arrivals.

Before his escape, the Afghan father had spent more than four days trying to find a way to the airport's Abbey Gate where British troops were clearing those who were eligible for sanctuary in the UK.

Despite being part of the crowd ordered to leave by the Taliban, who now control Kabul and most of Afghanistan following their take-over this month, Sayed told the newspaper that he stood his ground refusing to give up hope.

The interpreter stood in the baking sun for hours wading through sewage, all while holding his young daughter, but after reaching the correct gate he was not called forward.

After Thursday evening's suicide bombing that killed an estimated 170 people, he and his family were forced to give up hope and return to their home.

Speaking earlier this week, Sayed had said that it hurt that his name was not called at the gate after working for Britain as an interpreter.

Pictured: Taliban Badri fighters, a 'special forces' unit equipped with US gear, stand guard as Afghan wait at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport on Friday

Pictured: Two Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, August 28 as operations by foreign countries to get their citizens out of the country come to an end

Pictured: Five Taliban fighters carrying weapons ride in the back of a truck as they patrol Kabul on August 28, 2021

Taliban members stand guard at a checkpoint around Hamid Karzai International Airport, the centre of evacuation efforts from Afghanistan since the Taliban took over, after yesterday's explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 28, 2021. The picture shows a U.S. military Humvee that has been seized by the Taliban

Pictured: The aftermath of Thursday's suicide bombing, which killed 170 people including three Britons and 13 U.S. soldiers

Afghan woman gives birth on evacuation flight to UK Cradles in a red airline blanket, this little girl was born at 33,000ft while on an evacuation flight to the UK yesterday. Her Afghan mother, Soman Noori, was on the flight from Dubai to Birmingham  having previously left Kabul  when she went into labour. There was no doctor on board, forcing the Turkish Airlines cabin crew to deliver the baby girl in airspace over Kuwait. She has been named Havva, which translates to Eve in English. Havva is the third child of Ms Noori, 26, and her 30-year-old husband, Taj Moh Hammat. Turkish Airlines said mother and baby were healthy, and although the plane landed in Kuwait as a precaution, it continued on its route to Birmingham and landed at 11.45am. Video footage shows Havva sleeping in her mother's arms before being cooed over by cabin crew. Ms Noori is not the first woman to give birth while fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power. An unnamed woman gave birth last week on a US military plane that had just landed in Germany. She named her Reach, after the aircraft's call sign. Pictured: Air crew hold baby Havva who was born on an evacuation flight destined for Birmingham Advertisement

'I always put my life in danger to save British troops because we were living as brothers,' he said, according to The Sunday Times. 'But now that we need them the most, no one will hear us.'

During the time in which Sayed was trying to escape the capital via the airport, former British Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing's campaign to put pressure on officials to allow him to fly to Britain with over 180 rescue animals succeeded.

While gaining huge support, the campaign led by the founder of the Nowzad animal shelter was also accused of taking up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul.

MoD officials - frustrated that Mr Farthing's animals were being saved while Afghans loyal to Britain were set to be left behind - picked up Sayed's case.

Despite the gates to the airport officially being closed to prepare for the final evacuation flights from Kabul, British troops were ordered to find him.

On Friday night, Sayed received a call from a British interpreter to take a taxi to the airport and once again go to the gate. He said he had to walk 30 minutes after the taxi ride to reach the gate, where he found that there was another large crowd.

Sayed was once again called by the interpreter, who told him to leave the crowd and signalled him with a light.

'When I reached the light the British forces took me and my family over the barbed wire. It was amazing, I am happy now,' he told The Sunday Times. 'I thank everyone who worked hard for my family.'

Sayed worked with UK forces for three years. He was given permission to come to the UK months ago, but his baby was born before the flight meaning officials required more paperwork.

As the Taliban swept across the country and seized Kabul, the family's passports were with the British embassy, leading to further delays.

But after a 100-hour battle to get him out of the capital before it became impossible, Sayed and his family are on their way to start a new life in the UK.

'I think our American allies are going to be very challenged because the threat from ISIS-K has not gone away and of course there are still lots of desperate Afghans trying to get out,' Sir Nick said.

General Sir Richard Barrons warned that ISIS now posed a threat which reached beyond Afghanistan to the UK.

'What [the suicide bombing] does do is illustrate that Isis-K is a risk to the United Kingdom, here at home, and to our interests abroad,' the general said.

'We're going to find common cause with the US, and indeed I think the Taliban, in bearing down on this terrible organisation for as long as it takes to neuter them.'

The MoD said last night that 14,543 people had now been extracted from Kabul since August 13, a mix of Afghan and British nationals, and that now the focus would turn to getting diplomats and service personnel out.

Some 8,000 of those were Afghans and their families under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which applies to those who helped the UK and are at risk of persecution by the Taliban.

Tory MP and Afghan veteran Tom Tugenhadt said people should 'forget' about getting to Kabul and attempting to fly from the airport, due to the numerous dangerous checkpoints that have been installed along the motorways.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'Forget about getting to Kabul. You know there's 10 checkpoints between them on the motorway, let alone down the motorway, all the way to Kabul.

'You can absolutely forget about trying to get to the airport because every one of those checkpoints has a danger point where Taliban or indeed affiliated groups, drug dealers or just simply bandits could murder, and certainly have, been murdering various people.'

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee added: 'I'm extremely sad about this and I very much hope that it might go beyond the August deadline but we found out a few days ago that it wasn't, so I was expecting it.

'It still leaves me extremely sad that so many of my friends have been left behind.'

Questioned over whether the UK could have done better when withdrawing personnel from Afghanistan, Mr Tugendhat said: 'In the last week, probably not, but this has been a sprint finish after a not exactly sprint start.'

'There are going to be questions to be asked to the Foreign Secretary about the processing in the UK in recent weeks that we're going to have to see what the answers are.'

Afghans boarding an Italian plane at 3pm on Friday, the C-130J jet took off from Kabul with the last 58 Afghan citizens on board who were due to arrive in Italy at the Fiumicino airport early Saturday

Afghan civilians in Italian military planes (left and right) on Saturday. They will be among the last to leave as the Tuesday deadline looms

Afghan evacuees queue before boarding one of the last Italy's military aircraft C130J during evacuation at Kabul airport on Friday

British troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade walk off the runway after arriving back at RAF Brize Norton on Saturday

Taliban leaders hold a celebratory summit in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, on Saturday to mark their victory

Pictured: Afghan people wait to enter Pakistan through Chaman border crossing in Chaman, Pakistan on August 28, 2021

Pictured: Afghan people wait to enter Pakistan through Chaman border crossing in Chaman, Pakistan on August 28, 2021

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously admitted there were between 800 and 1,100 Afghans eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme who would be left behind, while around 100 and 150 UK nationals will remain in Afghanistan, although Mr Wallace said some of those were staying willingly.

But a number of MPs have said that based on the correspondence they had received asking for help, they thought this was an underestimation.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said: 'This is the brutal truth, despite getting more than 14,000 people out, there are probably 1,000 Afghans who have worked with us over two decades in Afghanistan, helped our troops, our aid workers, our diplomats, that we promised to protect, but we're leaving behind.

'And I know those troops in particular will feel our failure on this as a country is a betrayal of many of those who risked their own lives to work alongside us.

'And I think what's important now is that we may be giving up the airport, but we cannot give up on the Afghan people or fighting to try and protect the gains that they and our troops and our diplomats and aid workers have worked so hard over two decades to gain in Afghanistan.'

Mr Johnson has admitted he felt a 'great sense of regret' about the many hundreds that UK forces had been unable to evacuate from Kabul.

Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the Foreign Affairs committee, said the fact people would be left behind filled him with 'anger and shame' and warned 'we may find ourselves with the biggest hostage crisis the UK has ever seen.'

'Quite rightly, British citizens and entitled persons are literally in fear of their lives right now.'

The former Army Lieutenant Colonel is one of a growing number of MPs from across the political spectrum to have accused the Government of 'failing' in its mission to keep Afghan staff safe by not completing the evacuations.

Mr Tugendhat added: 'Defeat means you don't get a say... we have just been defeated, we have no influence over Kabul anymore.'

Displaced families living in tents in Kabul. The advance of the Taliban across the country has forced thousands to flee their homes - many had headed for the relative safety of the capital only for it also to fall

Pictured: Afghan collaborators, their families, Spanish soldiers and members of the embassy board a Spanish military plane as part of their evacuation, at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 27, 2021

Pictured: An Afghan man hands his child to a British Paratrooper assigned to 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment while a member of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conducts security at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug 26, 2021

British troops were seen securing the perimeter outside the Baron Hotel, near the Abbey Gate in Kabul on Thursday following the bombing

Pictured left: Muhammad Niazi, a British Afghan who travelled there from London to help his family. Pictured right: One of Mr Niazi's daughters. As of last night, his wife, youngest child and eldest daughter were still missing, according to the broadcaster, with his brother and survivor of the blast - Abdul Hamid - saying 'I saw some children in the river'

ISIS-K, short for ISIS Khorasan Province, are believed to be operating in the east of Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan

And security sources said they feared that elements of the Taliban or Isis-K could capture vulnerable Afghans or UK citizens and demand a ransom.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke of his 'great sense of regret' at those left behind. He said: 'Of course, as we come down to the final hours of the operation there will sadly be people who haven't got through, people who might qualify.

'What I would say to them is that we will shift heaven and earth to help them get out, we will do whatever we can in the second phase.'

One of the victims of Thursday's Kabul suicide bombing has been named as Muhammad Niazi, a British Afghan who travelled there from London to help his family at the airport, according to the BBC.

As of last night, his wife, youngest child and eldest daughter were still missing, with his brother and survivor of the blast, Abdul Hamid, telling the broadcaster: 'I saw some small children in the river, it was so bad. It was doomsday for us.'

According to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Niazi was a taxi driver from Aldershot who travelled to Afghanistan to rescue his family as the Taliban bore down on the city, and chaos led to scenes of mass panic at the airport.

It is feared that his wife and two of their daughters were also caught up in the bombing, and possibly killed, and the couple's other daughter and only son are understood to have been severely injured, the newspaper reported.

He is understood to have flown from Heathrow to Azerbaijan, before travelling to Afghanistan in an attempt to take his family to safety.

Imran Naizi, a friend and member of the same mosque as Muhammad Niazi (of no relation), told The Telegraph that the Afghan community and Aldershot are mourning the loss of a dedicated family man.

Another 1,000 'could've been saved if Dominic Raab cut his holiday short': Up to 9,000 left behind in Kabul as it emerges Foreign Secretary didn't make a single phone call to Afghan or Pakistani ministers in the six MONTHS before the crisis

By JACK WRIGHT for MAILONLINE

A furious blame game over the Afghanistan crisis has broken out in Whitehall, with Ministers claiming that Dominic Raab's decision to stay on holiday in the Mediterranean as Kabul fell to the Taliban meant that up to 1,000 people have not been evacuated who otherwise would have been.

Cabinet Ministers and Whitehall officials have accused the Foreign Office of negligence in preparing escape routes out of war-torn Afghanistan and claimed that up to 9,000 people who could have been eligible for evacuation would be left trapped there.

The Sunday Times reports that the Foreign Secretary did not make a single phone call to the Afghan or Pakistani Foreign Ministers in the six months before the Taliban coup because he 'thought Afghanistan was yesterday's war and the Government was totally focused on Brexit'.

Mr Raab has faced calls to resign after allegedly defying orders from Downing Street to cut his holiday short by two days before returning to London while Kabul fell to the jihadists. Instead, he was accused of topping up his tan at the Amirandes Hotel in Crete, a five-star resort which boasts its own private beach and 'one of the biggest pools you'll ever see,' according to its website.

Anyone who gets to a third country and qualifies for the resettlement scheme for Afghan former British staff will be offered a free flight to the UK. However, the neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are reluctant to provide free passage for refugees.

One Minister told the paper: 'The Foreign Office failed to roll the pitch with these countries for months. The PM wanted third countries involved and Raab did nothing. Boris is exasperated that the Foreign Office has not done what he told them. They also took their people out and that cost us several days.

'I suspect we could have taken out 800 to 1,000 more people if they had not done that.'

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, some 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

Labour has accused Government ministers of being 'missing in action' during the Afghanistan crisis, with leader Sir Keir Starmer raging: 'The complacency and incompetence of this Government has been exposed yet again and with tragic consequences.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visit The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Crisis Centre at the Foreign Offices on August 27, 2021 in London

Mr Raab has faced calls to resign after allegedly defying orders from Downing Street to cut his holiday short by two days before returning to London while Kabul fell to the jihadists. Instead, he was accused of topping up his tan at the Amirandes Hotel in Crete

A US Marine with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit checks an Afghan woman as she goes through the Evacuation Control Center during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade depart a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

The luxury Crete hotel where Dominic Raab 'was staying as Taliban went on the rampage in Afghanistan' It styles itself as a 'sparkling boutique resort for the privileged and perceptive' 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 at the five-star Amirandes Hotel Mr Raab was spotted 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 Amirandes, which is situated on its own private beach, says it has 'a first-class dining scene and one of the biggest pools you'll ever see'  and is said to be 'inspired by the palaces of Minoan kings'. The Amirandes, which is situated on its own private beach, says it has 'a first-class dining scene' Advertisement

A senior Pakistani official told the Sunday Times that Mr Raab had shown no interest in talking to Islamabad in the months before the takeover because 'he just didn't care'. 'He thought Afghanistan was yesterday's war and the Government was totally focused on Brexit,' the official added.

It is understood that Mr Raab had spoken twice to the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on August 22 and again on Friday - but he apparently did not have earlier conversations.

Responsibility for speaking to the Afghan Foreign Minister was delegated to Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia. However, earlier reports alleged that Lord Ahmad was on leave when the Taliban marched into Kabul.

A Foreign Office spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have been working tirelessly to evacuate over 15,000 people from Afghanistan in the last two weeks. We deployed a 24/7 cross-Whitehall team based in our crisis hub to triage incoming emails and calls from British Nationals, ARAP applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans.

'We always cautioned that the nature of the security situation in Afghanistan and our responsibility to keep our people safe meant that we would not be able to evacuate everyone we wanted to. Our efforts have now turned to doing everything we can to help any remaining British nationals and the Afghans who supported us leave Afghanistan safely.'

Sir Keir slammed the Government's handling of the crisis, adding: 'We've known for 18 months that this moment was coming. It is unconscionable that there was no strategy in place to get all the British nationals and Afghans we owed a debt to out.

'I pay tribute to all the FCDO staff and military personnel who have, as ever, stepped up when their leaders have failed them.

'The fact that so many emails have simply gone unopened is not the fault of civil servants but of government ministers who have been missing in action during this whole crisis. MPs and their staff have been hearing harrowing stories from so many people we should have taken care of but who have been abandoned to the Taliban.'

Labour MPs tweeted about the efforts their staff had gone to collate the information to send to officials. Sir Keir added: 'Can the Government tell us how many of the people in those emails got out, or more importantly haven't who were eligible to?

'We need urgent answers from the Prime Minister on what will be done to ensure the safety of those left behind, on proper support for MPs to be able to do their job and on new leadership at the Foreign Office.

'Serious times call for serious leadership and this Government simply isn't up to the job.'

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last remaining British troops leave Kabul, bringing our two decades of military involvement in the country to an end.

In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.'

As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, Mr Johnson pledged to return to Afghanistan when it is safe to do so.

In a bid to put a positive gloss on Britain's departure, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who 'gave their all', Mr Johnson said: 'Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.' He added: 'It was no accident that there's been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

'It was thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces who fought to knock out (Osama) Bin Laden's networks. Thanks to the devotion of British troops and aid workers and diplomats and others, we've helped educate 3.6 million girls.

'Whatever the future may hold for Afghanistan, they will have that gift for the rest of their lives, a gift they will pass on to their daughters as well as their sons.'

US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw his forces by the end of the month left Mr Johnson with no alternative but to follow suit - putting the so-called 'special relationship' under strain and prompting angry Tory MPs to question Mr Biden's suitability for the White House.

Yesterday, Mr Biden said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last.'

'The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,' the President said in a statement on Saturday.

A Taliban Badri fighter, a 'special forces' unit, stands guard as Afghans hoping to leave Afghanistan wait at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport in Kabul

Internally displaced Afghan families live in a temporary shelter at a park in Kabul, Afghanistan

US Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit process evacuees as they go through the Evacuation Control Center during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan

'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes': Boris Johnson praises UK troops as they land in UK on last flight out of Kabul - but PM says Britain 'will return' amid strain on Biden relationship after 150 Brits and 1,000 Afghans were left behind Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last British troops landed in RAF Brize Norton this morning, bringing out two decades of involvement in the country to an end. In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives. 'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.' The final British troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue trapped British nationals and Afghan allies who assisted us during our intervention. British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, was among those who landed at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire this morning. Advertisement

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Mr Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal, the President defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

'I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have. This strike was not the last. We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay,' Mr Biden said in the written statement.

The Taliban condemned the US drone strike, with a spokesman describing the operation as a 'clear attack on Afghan territory'.

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport last week, have also been whisked to safety.

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton, Vice-Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commands Operation Pitting, said: 'Although the United Kingdom's Operation Pitting finishes today, of course the United States are still engaged in their own withdrawal and I would be very nervous in saying we had completed a successful withdrawal from Afghanistan until all our allies and partners have returned.

'The United States has provided the framework for security in Kabul as part of a huge international effort and so operations continue even if the UK's particular contribution concludes today.'

On the fact that not everyone eligible for evacuation from Kabul could be rescued, he said: 'That is both true and a matter of great sadness for all of us that have been involved in this.

'Whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we have - no matter how hard our efforts - we have been unsuccessful in evacuating.'

Vice-Admiral Key added: 'There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short.

'So, this isn't a moment of celebration for us at all, this is a moment to mark a tremendous international effort to evacuate as many people as we could in the time available.

'That sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished and we will continue to work ... in the future with the next leadership of Afghanistan, with the Taliban, and others to make sure those who would wish to come back to his country continue to have an opportunity to do so.

'Sadly, we have just not been able to evacuate them under this framework.'

Speaking to the PA news agency, Vice-Admiral Key said pictures from the airlifts showed UK service personnel were 'deeply tired' having 'given their all over the last two weeks'.

He said: 'Some of the pictures that have come back in the last few days have painted a really good impression of just how desperate and difficult those conditions have been in the last few weeks.

'The pictures of them sitting in the aircraft coming back, these are deeply tired people who have given of their all over the last two weeks. They have travelled with very little equipment - we didn't allow them to carry much kit - and in many cases they have lived in the clothes they have been wearing for many days.

'They have been sleeping in rough conditions, eating off ration packs and their sole motivation has been to help as many of the Afghans and British entitled personnel as they possibly could.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul upon its arrival at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow with his dogs and cats on a private charter plane from Kabul before 'jetting to Oslo to reunite with his wife' - but the animals 'could be destroyed if they're riddled with disease' An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow with his cats and dogs on a private charter plane from Afghanistan early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it has been claimed. Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport. The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground. Nearly 200 cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'. Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane. But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. Advertisement

'It's been a combination of deep professionalism, considerable courage, really sophisticated judgment and, on occasion, huge compassion, and it's been difficult for those of us back here not to just have the most enormous admiration for what they've done and how they've gone about it.'

Vice-Admiral Key continued: 'Am I optimistic for the future? I think I watch with interest. I am hopeful the investment we have made will grow into greater things, but I don't think there's any of us would say the last 20 years have not been worth it.'

On the evacuation effort, he said: 'Of course we would have liked (more time) because then we could have brought more people out.

'It would have allowed us to pull in those people who we know were still trying to get across from the city to the airport.

'It would have given us a chance to really make sure we had reached out to those who had helped us so wonderfully and courageously over the last 20 years.

'But the truth is no more time was granted to us by the Taliban, who were very clear that by the end of August not only had the evacuation had to be completed but we, the western militaries, had all withdrawn as well.

'I don't think there is a single person deployed forward, whether the thousand or so in Kabul or the many hundreds of others drawn across from Her Majesty's Government in the Middle East or back here, who could have given more in the last two, two-and-a-half, weeks.

'The effort has been, frankly, truly humbling to see hours worked with exhaustion painted on people's faces, so we tried our best, we have absolutely tried our best.'

Sir Laurie said: 'It's time to close this phase of the operation now, but we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave.'

A former head of the British Army has said it was 'unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials.

Speaking on Times Radio, General Lord Richard Dannatt said: 'On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media.

'This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year.

'I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands. It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch.

'I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction.

'We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster.'

Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan. The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: 'Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

'We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.'

He warned that 'terrorism will raise its ugly face again' and 'until we defeat this ideology, we can have as many drone strikes as we like, we can invade as many countries as we like, we will never win'Mr Ellwood added: 'Unfortunately, we've made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where it's now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.'

Kabul animal rescuer Pen Farthing is accused of 'costing lives' as recording reveals his foul-mouthed rant threatening to 'f***ing destroy' an MoD official in the middle of Afghanistan airlift

By GLEN OWEN, POLITICAL EDITOR for the MAIL ON SUNDAY

A former Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Kabul 'cost lives' as a result of his mission to evacuate 173 cats and dogs from Afghanistan, senior defence sources said last night.

Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials.

A leaked voice message obtained by The Mail on Sunday has revealed the behind-the-scenes bitterness over the airlift, with Mr Farthing telling an Ministry of Defence official that he would 'spend the rest of my time f****** destroying' him if he did not secure clearance for a flight out of the country.

The official, Peter Quentin, an adviser to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, is understood to have also received death threats from supporters of Mr Farthing as a result of his involvement in the animal rescue.

On the recording, which was shared by officials as part of an investigation into the alleged threats, Mr Farthing can be heard demanding 'an ISAF number'  a military callsign which has not been in use since 2014  for a charter plane to take him, his animals and staff out of the Afghan capital.

Pen Farthing (pictured), who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials

Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals (pictured) meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery'

Mr Farthing, who served 22 years in the military, accuses Mr Quentin of 'blocking' his efforts to leave the country, saying: 'Here's the deal buddy. You either get me that f****** ISAF number and you get me permission to get on that f****** airfield or tomorrow morning I am going to turn on you. The whole f****** country is going to know that it is you.'

During the two-minute rant, Mr Farthing also says: 'I served for 22 years for the Royal Marine Commandos. I am not going to take this b******* from people like you.'

Friends of Mr Quentin, who denies trying to block a flight, say he was particularly incensed by the 'people like you' line as he has also operated in Afghanistan  learning Dari in the process  and returned several times to conduct research and write a book on the conflict.

They also maintain that Mr Quentin had been personally helping with the evacuation of Afghans and to ensure Nowzad staff were on the evacuation list.

Mr Farthing's publicity campaign has angered the MoD because of the distraction it has provided from the 'core mission' of airlifting refugees.

A defence source said: 'This selfish charade has cost lives.' Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery.'

Yesterday, senior Tory MP and former soldier Tom Tugendhat issued a withering condemnation of the way MoD resources had been used for the animal evacuation.

Mr Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan, revealed how his former interpreter, who is now stuck in Kabul, asked him: 'Why is my five-year-old worth less than your dog?

'I didn't have an answer,' he says.

The MP, who is chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told LBC: 'People have been focusing on the aeroplanes. It's not the aeroplanes that are the problem. There's quite a lot of space on the aeroplanes.

They are coming and going relatively easily. The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport.

'And we have just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile, my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. We run an NHS in the UK that taxes us all about one in seven pounds we spend. What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?'

Mr Farthing's flight left without charity staff who were prevented from entering the military-controlled area at Kabul airport, despite having been granted visas for the UK.

They had helped to bring the pets to the airport in two cattle trucks. Mr Farthing said armed Taliban militants stopped the Afghan staff from crossing into the British-controlled zone where they could board the privately chartered flight to the UK.

Speaking about his staff members, Mr Farthing, whose real name is Paul, said: 'It is just so depressing that I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they weren't allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.

'I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them, I'm relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals. There were lots of tears when we said goodbye.'

Carrie Johnson's close friend Nimco Ali made a thinly veiled attack on Mr Farthing on Friday.

In response to a story posted on Twitter by the BBC which told how he said he 'went through hell' to reach Kabul airport only to be turned away, the activist wrote: 'So have countless Afghans. But we don't know their names and they might never get out.'

Reports had suggested that animal-lover Mrs Johnson had used her influence to lobby for Mr Farthing's cause, but the Prime Minister firmly denied such claims.

Mr Quentin declined to comment last night and when the MoS contacted Mr Farthing's wife, Kaisa, about the outburst, she also declined to comment.
A mother has begged ministers for help saving her baby boy bound for Britain, who is now fighting for his life in Kabul after being injured in the ISIS suicide bombing.

Muhammad Raza was reportedly among those injured when a suicide bomber struck the Hamid Karzai International Airport, as people lined up attempting to flee Afghanistan.

The 23-month-old baby was reportedly hit by shrapnel in the blast, which saw his father and British grandfather among the 170 people killed in the attack.

His mother Basbibi, 19, had been waved through a gate en route to an RAF flight leaving Afghanistan when the explosion happened last Thursday, The Sun reported.

Baby Muhammad Raza was among those injured when a suicide bomber struck the Hamid Karzai International Airport, as people lined up to flee Afghanistan (aftermath pictured)

She was reportedly waiting with seven relatives who were being processed, and was not allowed to pass back through the checkpoint to check on their welfare after the blast.

She told the paper: 'I am just desperate to be reunited with my baby. I am praying the British government can do something to bring him here and save him.'

Muhammad was seriously injured in the blast and surgeons have removed shrapnel from his abdomen and repaired a rip in his intestines, according to the Sun.

Basbibi said she is desperate to be reunited with her family and claimed that her five-month-old daughter Kalsoom, who was not injured in the bombing, is also still in Kabul.

She added: 'I am thankful to be alive but there is so much emotional pain and hurt to deal with.'

Muhammad's grandfather Sultan, 48, died in the aftermath, having been granted British citizenship just ten days earlier, after working as a taxi driver in England since 2002.

The 23-month-old baby was reportedly hit by shrapnel in the blast, which saw his father and grandfather among the 170 people killed in the attack. Above: The aftermath of the blast

His family were reportedly given special permission to board the RAF Mercy flight to the UK, but Muhammad's father Miraj was also said to have died in the bombing.

Sultan's son Shakrullah, who lives in North London, said he had paid the 'ultimate price' and had sacrificed his life trying to bring the rest of his family to the UK.

Sultan had reportedly flew to Pakistan on August 23 before driving to Jalalabad in Afghanistan to help bring back his relatives, including his wife Mangala and Basbibi's family.

He drove them from Jalalabad to Kabul, where they reportedly spent three days outside the airport fence, where 21 people died in falls and crushes, before Sultan tragically died in the suicide bombing.

On Thursday, an ISIS suicide bomber killed at least 170 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, two Britons and the child of a UK national outside the airport walls.

The Ministry of Defence told The Sun that Muhammed was too unwell to fly and they could not risk airlifting him to the UK.

MailOnline has contacted the Ministry of Defence for further comment.

On Friday, The Ministry of Defence said only those UK nationals and Afghans who had already been processed would be airlifted from Kabul airport to free up space for the remaining UK diplomats and military personnel.

The operation at the Baron Hotel facility, which was being used to process those leaving the country by British officials, shut its doors and the final UK troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday night.

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights.

It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

His mother Basbibi, 19, had been waved through to an RAF flight leaving Afghanistan when the explosion happened last Thursday. Pictured: People gather at Kabul airport on August 25

Basbibi, who is now in the UK, said she is desperate to be reunited with her family. Pictured: Afghans hoping to leave Afghanistan wait at main gate of Kabul airport on Friday

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport, have also been whisked to safety.

Sir Laurie Bristow, the British ambassador to Kabul, who has relocated to Qatar to lead diplomatic work remotely, said: 'It's time to close this phase of the operation now, but we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave.'

The Pentagon announced overnight it carried out a retaliatory drone strike on the ISIS 'planner' behind the suicide attack. The ISIS chief's car was obliterated by a missile while driving through Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Taliban had sealed off Kabul's airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as most Nato nations flew out their troops after two decades in Afghanistan, winding down a frantic airlift that Western leaders acknowledged was still leaving many of their citizens and local allies behind.

Thousands of refugees have been unable to get to the Taliban-guarded airport or are too fearful to do so for the constant threat of terrorism.

General Sir Richard Barrons warned that ISIS now posed a threat which reached beyond Afghanistan to the UK.

'What [the suicide bombing] does do is illustrate that Isis-K is a risk to the United Kingdom, here at home, and to our interests abroad,' the general said.

'We're going to find common cause with the US, and indeed I think the Taliban, in bearing down on this terrible organisation for as long as it takes to neuter them.'
A giant red-bellied black snake discovered curled up into a rat trap came within inches of striking a reptile expert's face.

Stuart McKenzie from Sunny Coast Snake Catchers was called to safely capture the huge reptile last week, but was nearly bitten by the almost two-metre long snake.

In footage uploaded to TikTok on August 25, Mr McKenzie pops open the rat trap to release the giant reptile.

But it lashes out angrily, forcing him to leap back to avoid being bitten.

'Look at the size of him,' the snake expert said after freeing the snake at the business in Yandina, north-west of the Sunshine Coast.

As the snake tries to slither away, Mr McKenzie grabs his tail explaining 'he's nice and warm and ready to go'.

The huge venomous reptile swings his head around, trying to strike at Mr McKenzie.

Stuart McKenzie from Sunny Coast Snake Catchers was almost bitten on the face by a huge red-bellied black snake during an attempted capture

'I don't know how he fit in there, but he is hot and ready to rumble. It's lucky I was only a couple of minutes away,' the reptile catcher says as the snake thrashes around.

He slowly leans over to pick up his sack to finally secure the snake, but as he stands the serpent rockets up from the ground, coming within inches of his face.

The snake strikes out, but luckily only gets a bite of his shirt before falling back down and into the bag.

The snake had curled up into a rat trap on a property in Yandina, Queensland and was ready for a fight with the reptile expert

Mr McKenzie looks directly at the camera, clearly in shock.

'That was about four inches from my face,' the snake catcher says, clearly stunned.

Viewers were equally stunned, and one commenter wrote: 'My life flashed before my eyes and I was only watching the video'.

'I think I understand why the uniform has dark coloured trousers,' another user added.
Dan Andrews has accused the federal government of playing favourites by handing out extra doses of Covid vaccine from the national stockpile to New South Wales.

The fired up state leader took a swipe at his NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian, saying jabs have been taken out of the arms of Victorians so that Sydneysiders could 'go and have picnics'.

Out of the additional one million shots of the Pfizer vaccine which arrived in Australia from Poland earlier this month, 534,000 vials were set aside for 20 to 39-year-olds living in Sydney's Covid-ravaged hotspots.

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Dan Andrews slammed Gladys Berejiklian for allowing outdoor recreation in lockdown (pictured, lockdown Sydney residents are seen at Rushcutters Bay Park on Sunday)

'You can't ignore the fact NSW has received significant additional support  we don't begrudge them for that,' Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday.

'But we are now under a set of rules here in Victoria, with case numbers too high to be able to safely open up  that means we have a number of challenges as well.'

Victoria recorded their highest number of cases in a year overnight with 92 new locally-acquired infections.

Adding to the state's woes is that mystery cases not yet linked to the rest of the outbreak jumped by 31 and health authorities are not yet sure how many were infectious in the community.

Of the latest transmissions, 61 are linked to existing outbreaks with at least 19 of the cases in full isolation during their entire infectious period.

The Premier said it was too early to provide details on when the statewide lockdown will finally be lifted and what restrictions will remain in place.

Victorians are being duded when it comes to its coronavirus vaccine supply, according to Dan Andrews (pictured addressing the media on Sunday

The fired up state leader also took a swipe at his New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian (pictured), saying jabs have been taken out of the arms of Victorians so that Sydneysiders could 'go and have picnics'

Mr Andrews said now is not the time for NSW to be streaking ahead of the rest of the country on vaccination rates. Pictured: Locked down Sydneysiders are seen at Rushcutters Bay Park

'It is only fair that we distribute vaccines based on the population and need  but we can't continue to see hundreds of thousands of extra doses pouring into Sydney at the expense of every other part of our nation,' Mr Andrews said.

'There has to be a limit to that and I'm very pleased that the Prime Minister has confirmed that that won't be the case.'

He said now is not the time for NSW to be streaking ahead of the rest of the country on vaccination rates, outlining that the national plan set out by the Doherty Institute makes it clear all states must 'move together'.

The Labor Premier argued the point to Scott Morrison at Friday's heated National Cabinet meeting, urging the Liberal Party Prime Minister for a 'proper proportional distribution' of vaccine supplies.

People line up at a Vaccination Centre in Melbourne while Covid cases continue to grow during its sixth lockdown on Sunday

The Labor Premier argued the point to Scott Morrison at Friday's heated National Cabinet meeting (pictured), urging the Liberal Party Prime Minister for a 'proper proportional distribution' of vaccine supplies

'I'm pretty keen that we get our fair share (of vaccine doses) now and I'm sure other state premiers would have a similar view that they've (NSW) had extra support,' Mr Andrews said.

'Now it's time to not necessarily have them streaking ahead because the national plan is about all of us moving together.

'It's also not a national plan for picnics, just quietly, the notion of giving up vaccines so Victorians could go and have picnics  no that's not what we are doing.'

Mr Andrews comments come after Premier Berejiklian announced that vaccinated Sydneysiders will soon be able to enjoy picnics in the sun with four other people, as some of the state's harsh lockdown restrictions are set to be eased on September 13.

NSW recorded a record 1,218 infections on Sunday, the highest daily number ever seen in Australia, as well as six more deaths.

Victoria recorded their highest number of cases in a year overnight with 92 new locally-acquired infections. Pictured: A Melbourne couple queue for a Covid jab on Sunday

Pictured: People wearing face masks are seen walking their dogs in Melbourne on Sunday as the lockdown was extended

Mr Andrews also made it clear that Victoria will 'not necessarily' throw its borders open when the state hits 70 per cent to 80 per cent vaccination if Delta cases continue to surge.

At the Sunday Covid update, a reporter asked Mr Andrews if the border would reopen when Victoria reaches the vaccination targets.

'Not necessarily,' the Premier replied, adding that while the national plan could be backed up by modelling it would depend on 'what was happening at that time'.

Mr Andrews gave the example of coronavirus running rampant through an unvaccinated community and resulting in thousands of hospitalisations.

'Then we would have to look at that. You can't just pretend that isn't happening. That will be the really challenging part. How do you balance opening up, giving people freedom, that will promote infection,' he said.

'If you've got too few people vaccinated at that point, or too few vulnerable people then you will finish up with many, many people very ill and they will finish up in hospital.'
Top UK universities are chartering flights to bring Chinese students into the country next month.

The flights come amid warnings that UK institutions are at risk of overlooking the needs of British students while trying to cater to international students in a bid to avoid losing millions of pounds in overseas fees due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

More than 50 universities, including Imperial College London, Bristol and Exeter, have already chartered four flights, bringing in some 1,200 Chinese students, The Times reported.

Mainland China has scrapped all direct commercial flights to the UK but students can travel to London via Hong Kong, which is on the UK's green list for travel.

More flights are now being arranged in order to meet demand, the paper reported, citing Into HE, an international education organisation assisting in hiring the flights.

Preparations include airport transfers between Heathrow and the university campuses, along with accommodation and food for the students, who currently have to isolate for 10 days upon arrival in the UK.

Top UK universities are chartering flights to bring Chinese students into the country next month. Pictured: The University of Bristol, one of the universities to charter flights

The charter flights come amid fears that income from overseas students - worth more than 1billion to UK universities - could dip amid ongoing coronavirus travel restrictions.

There are some 220,000 Chinese students studying in the UK, The Times reported, with students from China providing nearly a fifth of all tuition fee income. Across the prestigious Russell Group, one in every 10 students is Chinese. After China, India is the country from which most overseas students at UK universities hail.

The availability of flights to the UK has been impacted by coronavirus, particularly over concerns about the Delta variant, prompting some universities to extend online learning and introduce multiple start dates in a bid to accommodate international students struggling to get to the UK in time for the beginning of term.

Experts have also warned that the focus on catering to international students risks overlooking the needs of British students, who pay nearly four times less in fees than international students.

The flights come amid warnings that UK institutions are at risk of overlooking the needs of British students while trying to cater to international students in a bid to avoid losing millions of pounds in overseas fees due to coronavirus travel restrictions. Pictured: Imperial College London, one of the universities to charter flights

'There are real questions to be asked about whether universities are now so focused on their income from overseas students that there is a risk that they are giving them priority over UK students. In particular, many [universities] are keeping online lectures this term and arranging multiple start dates for degrees, partly in case overseas students do not turn up and have to study from home again,' Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, told The Times.

Faced with potentially another year of remote learning, some British students are demanding fees be reduced or refunded.

The upcoming start of term is also raising concerns about a potential rise in coronavirus cases among students, some of whom are not yet fully vaccinated.

Campuses saw some 35,000 infections across more than 100 universities last year, the Times reported, including one of the country's first official cases.

In a bid to avoid this, UK universities have suggested that the government could provide more hotel accommodation at airports for students travelling from red-list countries to quarantine in, the Times reported, citing 'British university sources'.

Imperial College London, the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter did not immediately respond to a MailOnline request for comment.
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A furious blame game over the Afghanistan crisis has broken out in Whitehall, with Ministers claiming that Dominic Raab's decision to stay on holiday in the Mediterranean as Kabul fell to the Taliban meant that up to 1,000 people have not been evacuated who otherwise would have been.

Cabinet Ministers and Whitehall officials have accused the Foreign Office of negligence in preparing escape routes out of war-torn Afghanistan and claimed that up to 9,000 people who could have been eligible for evacuation would be left trapped there.

The Sunday Times reports that the Foreign Secretary did not make a single phone call to the Afghan or Pakistani Foreign Ministers in the six months before the Taliban coup because he 'thought Afghanistan was yesterday's war and the Government was totally focused on Brexit'.

Mr Raab has faced calls to resign after allegedly defying orders from Downing Street to cut his holiday short by two days before returning to London while Kabul fell to the jihadists. Instead, he was accused of topping up his tan at the Amirandes Hotel in Crete, a five-star resort which boasts its own private beach and 'one of the biggest pools you'll ever see,' according to its website.

Anyone who gets to a third country and qualifies for the resettlement scheme for Afghan former British staff will be offered a free flight to the UK. However, the neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are reluctant to provide free passage for refugees.

One Minister told the paper: 'The Foreign Office failed to roll the pitch with these countries for months. The PM wanted third countries involved and Raab did nothing. Boris is exasperated that the Foreign Office has not done what he told them. They also took their people out and that cost us several days.

'I suspect we could have taken out 800 to 1,000 more people if they had not done that.'

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, some 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

Labour has accused Government ministers of being 'missing in action' during the Afghanistan crisis, with leader Sir Keir Starmer raging: 'The complacency and incompetence of this Government has been exposed yet again and with tragic consequences.'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visit The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Crisis Centre at the Foreign Offices on August 27, 2021 in London

Mr Raab has faced calls to resign after allegedly defying orders from Downing Street to cut his holiday short by two days before returning to London while Kabul fell to the jihadists. Instead, he was accused of topping up his tan at the Amirandes Hotel in Crete

A US Marine with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit checks an Afghan woman as she goes through the Evacuation Control Center during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade depart a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

The luxury Crete hotel where Dominic Raab 'was staying as Taliban went on the rampage in Afghanistan' It styles itself as a 'sparkling boutique resort for the privileged and perceptive' 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 at the five-star Amirandes Hotel Mr Raab was spotted 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 Amirandes, which is situated on its own private beach, says it has 'a first-class dining scene and one of the biggest pools you'll ever see'  and is said to be 'inspired by the palaces of Minoan kings'. The Amirandes, which is situated on its own private beach, says it has 'a first-class dining scene' Advertisement

A senior Pakistani official told the Sunday Times that Mr Raab had shown no interest in talking to Islamabad in the months before the takeover because 'he just didn't care'. 'He thought Afghanistan was yesterday's war and the Government was totally focused on Brexit,' the official added.

It is understood that Mr Raab had spoken twice to the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on August 22 and again on Friday - but he apparently did not have earlier conversations.

Responsibility for speaking to the Afghan Foreign Minister was delegated to Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia. However, earlier reports alleged that Lord Ahmad was on leave when the Taliban marched into Kabul.

A Foreign Office spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have been working tirelessly to evacuate over 15,000 people from Afghanistan in the last two weeks. We deployed a 24/7 cross-Whitehall team based in our crisis hub to triage incoming emails and calls from British Nationals, ARAP applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans.

'We always cautioned that the nature of the security situation in Afghanistan and our responsibility to keep our people safe meant that we would not be able to evacuate everyone we wanted to. Our efforts have now turned to doing everything we can to help any remaining British nationals and the Afghans who supported us leave Afghanistan safely.'

Sir Keir slammed the Government's handling of the crisis, adding: 'We've known for 18 months that this moment was coming. It is unconscionable that there was no strategy in place to get all the British nationals and Afghans we owed a debt to out.

'I pay tribute to all the FCDO staff and military personnel who have, as ever, stepped up when their leaders have failed them.

'The fact that so many emails have simply gone unopened is not the fault of civil servants but of government ministers who have been missing in action during this whole crisis. MPs and their staff have been hearing harrowing stories from so many people we should have taken care of but who have been abandoned to the Taliban.'

Labour MPs tweeted about the efforts their staff had gone to collate the information to send to officials. Sir Keir added: 'Can the Government tell us how many of the people in those emails got out, or more importantly haven't who were eligible to?

'We need urgent answers from the Prime Minister on what will be done to ensure the safety of those left behind, on proper support for MPs to be able to do their job and on new leadership at the Foreign Office.

'Serious times call for serious leadership and this Government simply isn't up to the job.'

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last remaining British troops leave Kabul, bringing our two decades of military involvement in the country to an end.

In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.'

As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, Mr Johnson pledged to return to Afghanistan when it is safe to do so.

In a bid to put a positive gloss on Britain's departure, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who 'gave their all', Mr Johnson said: 'Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.' He added: 'It was no accident that there's been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

'It was thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces who fought to knock out (Osama) Bin Laden's networks. Thanks to the devotion of British troops and aid workers and diplomats and others, we've helped educate 3.6 million girls.

'Whatever the future may hold for Afghanistan, they will have that gift for the rest of their lives, a gift they will pass on to their daughters as well as their sons.'

US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw his forces by the end of the month left Mr Johnson with no alternative but to follow suit - putting the so-called 'special relationship' under strain and prompting angry Tory MPs to question Mr Biden's suitability for the White House.

Yesterday, Mr Biden said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last.'

'The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours,' the President said in a statement on Saturday.

A Taliban Badri fighter, a 'special forces' unit, stands guard as Afghans hoping to leave Afghanistan wait at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport in Kabul

Internally displaced Afghan families live in a temporary shelter at a park in Kabul, Afghanistan

US Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit process evacuees as they go through the Evacuation Control Center during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan

'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes': Boris Johnson praises UK troops as they land in UK on last flight out of Kabul - but PM says Britain 'will return' amid strain on Biden relationship after 150 Brits and 1,000 Afghans were left behind Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last British troops landed in RAF Brize Norton this morning, bringing out two decades of involvement in the country to an end. In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives. 'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.' The final British troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue trapped British nationals and Afghan allies who assisted us during our intervention. British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, was among those who landed at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire this morning. Advertisement

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Mr Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal, the President defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

'I said we would go after the group responsible for the attack on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, and we have. This strike was not the last. We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay,' Mr Biden said in the written statement.

The Taliban condemned the US drone strike, with a spokesman describing the operation as a 'clear attack on Afghan territory'.

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport last week, have also been whisked to safety.

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton, Vice-Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commands Operation Pitting, said: 'Although the United Kingdom's Operation Pitting finishes today, of course the United States are still engaged in their own withdrawal and I would be very nervous in saying we had completed a successful withdrawal from Afghanistan until all our allies and partners have returned.

'The United States has provided the framework for security in Kabul as part of a huge international effort and so operations continue even if the UK's particular contribution concludes today.'

On the fact that not everyone eligible for evacuation from Kabul could be rescued, he said: 'That is both true and a matter of great sadness for all of us that have been involved in this.

'Whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we have - no matter how hard our efforts - we have been unsuccessful in evacuating.'

Vice-Admiral Key added: 'There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short.

'So, this isn't a moment of celebration for us at all, this is a moment to mark a tremendous international effort to evacuate as many people as we could in the time available.

'That sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished and we will continue to work ... in the future with the next leadership of Afghanistan, with the Taliban, and others to make sure those who would wish to come back to his country continue to have an opportunity to do so.

'Sadly, we have just not been able to evacuate them under this framework.'

Speaking to the PA news agency, Vice-Admiral Key said pictures from the airlifts showed UK service personnel were 'deeply tired' having 'given their all over the last two weeks'.

He said: 'Some of the pictures that have come back in the last few days have painted a really good impression of just how desperate and difficult those conditions have been in the last few weeks.

'The pictures of them sitting in the aircraft coming back, these are deeply tired people who have given of their all over the last two weeks. They have travelled with very little equipment - we didn't allow them to carry much kit - and in many cases they have lived in the clothes they have been wearing for many days.

'They have been sleeping in rough conditions, eating off ration packs and their sole motivation has been to help as many of the Afghans and British entitled personnel as they possibly could.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul upon its arrival at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

Pen Farthing lands at Heathrow with his dogs and cats on a private charter plane from Kabul before 'jetting to Oslo to reunite with his wife' - but the animals 'could be destroyed if they're riddled with disease' An ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal rescue charity in Kabul landed at London Heathrow with his cats and dogs on a private charter plane from Afghanistan early this morning and immediately took a connecting flight to Norway to visit his wife, it has been claimed. Pen Farthing flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity. The 57-year-old's chartered jet from Pakistan landed in Kabul at around 6pm local time and stopped off in Muscat before making its journey to Heathrow Airport. The ex-Commando then took a connecting flight to Oslo to see his wife Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week in the chaos which gripped the Central Asian country following the Taliban seizure of power, according to airport security and officials on the ground. Nearly 200 cats and dogs airlifted from Kabul are now thought to be in quarantine as per UK law. However, they could be put down if they have disease, with Whitehall officials calling the situation like Geronimo the alpaca - who is destruction after testing positive for Bovine TB - 'on speed'. Mr Farthing's controversial publicity campaign to pressure the British Government to get his staff and animals out of the Afghan capital following the Taliban coup gained huge public support and helped the ex-Royal Marine to raise enough money to charter a private plane. But it has also led to accusations that the ex-Commando took up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul. Advertisement

'It's been a combination of deep professionalism, considerable courage, really sophisticated judgment and, on occasion, huge compassion, and it's been difficult for those of us back here not to just have the most enormous admiration for what they've done and how they've gone about it.'

Vice-Admiral Key continued: 'Am I optimistic for the future? I think I watch with interest. I am hopeful the investment we have made will grow into greater things, but I don't think there's any of us would say the last 20 years have not been worth it.'

On the evacuation effort, he said: 'Of course we would have liked (more time) because then we could have brought more people out.

'It would have allowed us to pull in those people who we know were still trying to get across from the city to the airport.

'It would have given us a chance to really make sure we had reached out to those who had helped us so wonderfully and courageously over the last 20 years.

'But the truth is no more time was granted to us by the Taliban, who were very clear that by the end of August not only had the evacuation had to be completed but we, the western militaries, had all withdrawn as well.

'I don't think there is a single person deployed forward, whether the thousand or so in Kabul or the many hundreds of others drawn across from Her Majesty's Government in the Middle East or back here, who could have given more in the last two, two-and-a-half, weeks.

'The effort has been, frankly, truly humbling to see hours worked with exhaustion painted on people's faces, so we tried our best, we have absolutely tried our best.'

Sir Laurie said: 'It's time to close this phase of the operation now, but we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave.'

A former head of the British Army has said it was 'unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials.

Speaking on Times Radio, General Lord Richard Dannatt said: 'On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media.

'This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year.

'I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands. It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch.

'I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction.

'We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster.'

Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan. The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: 'Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

'We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.'

He warned that 'terrorism will raise its ugly face again' and 'until we defeat this ideology, we can have as many drone strikes as we like, we can invade as many countries as we like, we will never win'.

Mr Ellwood added: 'Unfortunately, we've made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where it's now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.'

'A mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes': Boris Johnson praises UK troops as they land in UK on last flight out of Kabul - but PM says Britain 'will return' amid strain on Biden relationship after 150 Brits and 1,000 Afghans were left behind

By JACK WRIGHT, CHRIS JEWERS AND ROSS IBBETSON for MAILONLINE

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last British troops landed in RAF Brize Norton this morning, bringing our two decades of involvement in the country to an end.

In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.'

The final British troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue trapped British nationals and Afghan allies who assisted us during our intervention.

A Voyager aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton airfield in Oxfordshire this morning, with roughly 250 personnel on board including members of 16 Air Assault Brigade who were stationed at Kabul airport. The plane flew in from Al Minhad airfield in the United Arab Emirates near Dubai where the UK's evacuation flights from Afghanistan first landed.

British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, was among those who landed at RAF Brize Norton base. Further flights carrying personnel are expected later on Sunday.

As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, the Prime Minister pledged to return to war-torn Afghanistan when it is safe to do so.

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

In a bid to put a positive gloss on the withdrawal, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who 'gave their all', Mr Johnson said: 'Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.' He added: 'It was no accident that there's been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

'It was thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces who fought to knock out (Osama) Bin Laden's networks. Thanks to the devotion of British troops and aid workers and diplomats and others, we've helped educate 3.6 million girls. Whatever the future may hold for Afghanistan, they will have that gift for the rest of their lives, a gift they will pass on to their daughters as well as their sons.'

US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw his forces by the end of the month left Mr Johnson with no alternative but to follow suit - putting the so-called 'special relationship' under strain and prompting angry Tory MPs to question Mr Biden's suitability for the White House.

Yesterday, Mr Biden said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last'.

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Mr Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal, the President defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

The Taliban condemned the US drone strike, with a spokesman describing the operation as a 'clear attack on Afghan territory'.

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport last week, have also been whisked to safety.

In other developments:

The last British rescue mission landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning;

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow arrived on one of the last flights back from Kabul;

Dominic Raab was accused of abandoning 1,000 people eligible for evacuation by staying on holiday;

Labour has accused Government ministers of being 'missing in action' during the Afghanistan crisis;

Tory MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan;

Ex-head of British Army said it was 'unfathomable why Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials;

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing landed in Heathrow early today and flew out to Oslo, it has been claimed;

The ex-Commando is accused of 'costing lives' with campaign to evacuate 173 cats and dogs;

Banks across Afghanistan have remained shut two weeks after the Taliban seizure of power;

ISIS-K leaders suspected of masterminding airport attack 'riding a tuk-tuk' when they were killed in US strike;

Priti Patel hailed Operation Warm Welcome, the plan to help Afghan refugees to resettle in the UK;

Government has committed to take about 5,000 refugees in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years;

Sources claimed that Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was trying to 'muscle in' on Ms Patel's scheme.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

The last UK rescue plane from Kabul landed in RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning

Video and pictures from inside military aircraft shared online by The Parachute Regiment (pictured) showed British troops leaving the Afghan capital, and the Ministry of Defence told the MailOnline that soldiers were in the process of being withdrawn, although could not confirm the veracity of the footage

Pictured: A photograph shared by the official Twitter account of The Parachute Regiment shows soldiers on a military aircraft purportedly being withdrawn from Afghanistan on Saturday

Pictured: A handout picture provided by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) shows UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, 28 August 2021, as part of Operation Pitting

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes'

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade depart a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

In this handout photo provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, August 28, 2021

Kabul animal rescuer Pen Farthing is accused of 'costing lives' as recording reveals his foul-mouthed rant threatening to 'f***ing destroy' an MoD official in the middle of Afghanistan airlift A former Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Kabul 'cost lives' as a result of his mission to evacuate 173 cats and dogs from Afghanistan, senior defence sources said last night. Pen Farthing, who flew back to the UK last night with his menagerie of animals rescued by the Nowzad charity, has also been accused of 'bullying' British Government officials. A leaked voice message obtained by The Mail on Sunday has revealed the behind-the-scenes bitterness over the airlift, with Mr Farthing telling an Ministry of Defence official that he would 'spend the rest of my time f****** destroying' him if he did not secure clearance for a flight out of the country. The official, Peter Quentin, an adviser to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, is understood to have also received death threats from supporters of Mr Farthing as a result of his involvement in the animal rescue. On the recording, which was shared by officials as part of an investigation into the alleged threats, Mr Farthing can be heard demanding 'an ISAF number'  a military callsign which has not been in use since 2014  for a charter plane to take him, his animals and staff out of the Afghan capital. Mr Farthing's publicity campaign has angered the MoD because of the distraction it has provided from the 'core mission' of airlifting refugees. A defence source said: 'This selfish charade has cost lives.' Another source said the MoD's help to evacuate animals meant 'this is the first British Government explicitly committed to the idea of non-white people as equivalent to animals since the abolition of slavery.' Yesterday, senior Tory MP and former soldier Tom Tugendhat issued a withering condemnation of the way MoD resources had been used for the animal evacuation. Mr Tugendhat, who served in Afghanistan, revealed how his former interpreter, who is now stuck in Kabul, asked him: 'Why is my five-year-old worth less than your dog? 'I didn't have an answer,' he says. The MP, who is chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told LBC: 'People have been focusing on the aeroplanes. It's not the aeroplanes that are the problem. There's quite a lot of space on the aeroplanes. They are coming and going relatively easily. The difficulty is getting people into and out of the airport. 'And we have just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile, my interpreter's family are likely to be killed. We run an NHS in the UK that taxes us all about one in seven pounds we spend. What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?' Advertisement

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton, Vice-Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commands Operation Pitting, said: 'Although the United Kingdom's Operation Pitting finishes today, of course the United States are still engaged in their own withdrawal and I would be very nervous in saying we had completed a successful withdrawal from Afghanistan until all our allies and partners have returned.

'The United States has provided the framework for security in Kabul as part of a huge international effort and so operations continue even if the UK's particular contribution concludes today.'

On the fact that not everyone eligible for evacuation from Kabul could be rescued, he said: 'That is both true and a matter of great sadness for all of us that have been involved in this.

'Whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we have - no matter how hard our efforts - we have been unsuccessful in evacuating.'

Vice-Admiral Key added: 'There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short.

'So, this isn't a moment of celebration for us at all, this is a moment to mark a tremendous international effort to evacuate as many people as we could in the time available.

'That sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished and we will continue to work ... in the future with the next leadership of Afghanistan, with the Taliban, and others to make sure those who would wish to come back to his country continue to have an opportunity to do so.

'Sadly, we have just not been able to evacuate them under this framework.'

Speaking to the PA news agency, Vice-Admiral Key said pictures from the airlifts showed UK service personnel were 'deeply tired' having 'given their all over the last two weeks'.

He said: 'Some of the pictures that have come back in the last few days have painted a really good impression of just how desperate and difficult those conditions have been in the last few weeks.

'The pictures of them sitting in the aircraft coming back, these are deeply tired people who have given of their all over the last two weeks. They have travelled with very little equipment - we didn't allow them to carry much kit - and in many cases they have lived in the clothes they have been wearing for many days.

'They have been sleeping in rough conditions, eating off ration packs and their sole motivation has been to help as many of the Afghans and British entitled personnel as they possibly could.

'It's been a combination of deep professionalism, considerable courage, really sophisticated judgment and, on occasion, huge compassion, and it's been difficult for those of us back here not to just have the most enormous admiration for what they've done and how they've gone about it.'

Vice-Admiral Key continued: 'Am I optimistic for the future? I think I watch with interest. I am hopeful the investment we have made will grow into greater things, but I don't think there's any of us would say the last 20 years have not been worth it.'

On the evacuation effort, he said: 'Of course we would have liked (more time) because then we could have brought more people out.

'It would have allowed us to pull in those people who we know were still trying to get across from the city to the airport.

'It would have given us a chance to really make sure we had reached out to those who had helped us so wonderfully and courageously over the last 20 years.

'But the truth is no more time was granted to us by the Taliban, who were very clear that by the end of August not only had the evacuation had to be completed but we, the western militaries, had all withdrawn as well.

'I don't think there is a single person deployed forward, whether the thousand or so in Kabul or the many hundreds of others drawn across from Her Majesty's Government in the Middle East or back here, who could have given more in the last two, two-and-a-half, weeks.

'The effort has been, frankly, truly humbling to see hours worked with exhaustion painted on people's faces, so we tried our best, we have absolutely tried our best.'

Sir Laurie said: 'It's time to close this phase of the operation now, but we haven't forgotten the people who still need to leave.'

A former head of the British Army has said it was 'unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch' in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped soldiers and officials.

Speaking on Times Radio, General Lord Richard Dannatt said: 'On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media.

'This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year.

'I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands. It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch.

'I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction.

'We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster.'

Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had 'very little to show' for 20 years in Afghanistan. The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: 'Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

The last Afghan evacuee saved by British troops: Paras helped interpreter climb over fence in final mission launched by MoD officials angry that Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while people remained stranded British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today. The rescue of Sayed - along with his wife, their three-month-old baby and three-year-old son - came as officials complained Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while interpreters remained stranded. Sayed, a 32-year-old interpreter who was blown up while working for the UK in 2011, became the last person who served along-side British forces to be allowed inside Kabul airport and processed for a flight to the UK, The Sunday Times reported. The rescue of Sayed and his family was ordered by senior figures inside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the gates to the airport were closed to new arrivals. Before his escape, the Afghan father had spent more than four days trying to find a way to the airport's Abbey Gate where British troops were clearing those who were eligible for sanctuary in the UK. Despite being part of the crowd ordered to leave by the Taliban, who now control Kabul and most of Afghanistan following their take-over this month, Sayed told the newspaper that he stood his ground refusing to give up hope. The interpreter stood in the baking sun for hours wading through sewage, all while holding his young daughter, but after reaching the correct gate he was not called forward. MoD officials - frustrated that Mr Farthing's animals were being saved while Afghans loyal to Britain were set to be left behind - picked up Sayed's case. Despite the gates to the airport officially being closed to prepare for the final evacuation flights from Kabul, British troops were ordered to find him. On Friday night, Sayed received a call from a British interpreter to take a taxi to the airport and once again go to the gate. He said he had to walk 30 minutes after the taxi ride to reach the gate, where he found that there was another large crowd. Sayed was once again called by the interpreter, who told him to leave the crowd and signalled him with a light. 'When I reached the light the British forces took me and my family over the barbed wire. It was amazing, I am happy now,' he told The Sunday Times. 'I thank everyone who worked hard for my family.' Sayed worked with UK forces for three years. He was given permission to come to the UK months ago, but his baby was born before the flight meaning officials required more paperwork. Advertisement

'We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.'

He warned that 'terrorism will raise its ugly face again' and 'until we defeat this ideology, we can have as many drone strikes as we like, we can invade as many countries as we like, we will never win'.

Mr Ellwood added: 'Unfortunately, we've made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where it's now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.'

Mr Johnson said: 'Twenty years ago, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the first British soldier set foot on Afghan soil aiming to create a brighter future for the country and all its people. The departure of the last British soldiers from the country is a moment to reflect on everything we have sacrificed and everything we have achieved in the last two decades.

'The nature of our engagement in Afghanistan may have changed, but our goals for the country have not. We will now use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years and give the Afghan people the future they deserve.'

The final flight from Kabul marks the end of a fraught period for Mr Johnson's administration. Footage purporting to show British troops inside a military aircraft as it left Kabul was last night posted on social media.

Despite the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, a Government source insisted: 'We intend to re-establish our diplomatic presence in Kabul as soon as the security and political situation in the country allows and are co-ordinating this effort with allies.'

By yesterday afternoon, the number of Afghans brought to the UK had reached 10,000  double the number anticipated, with the UK evacuating more people than any country apart from the US.

Video and pictures from inside military aircraft shared online by The Parachute Regiment on Saturday showed British troops leaving the Afghan capital.

The Ministry of Defence, which also later released its own images, told the MailOnline that soldiers were in the process of being withdrawn.

The footage, along with pictures of British solders on military aircraft, was shared by the official Twitter account of The Parachute Regiment on Saturday at 12:25pm GMT (16:55pm in Afghanistan).

The video showed smiling soldiers sitting on the floor of the aircraft listening to 'Ride of the Valkyries', while the pictures - taken in the dark - showed troops sitting and facing the front of the aircraft.

Thousands of refugees have been unable to get to the Taliban-guarded airport or are too fearful to do so for the constant threat of terrorism. On Thursday, an ISIS suicide bomber killed at least 170 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, two Britons and the child of a UK national outside the airport walls.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Taliban had sealed off Kabul's airport to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as most Nato nations flew out their troops after two decades in Afghanistan, winding down a frantic airlift that Western leaders acknowledged was still leaving many of their citizens and local allies behind.

The Pentagon announced yesterday it carried out a retaliatory drone strike that killed two ISIS 'planners and facilitators' and wounded another militant in Nangahar province, eastern Afghanistan.

Washington described them as 'high profile ISIS targets' but would not specify their roles in the airport bombing.

Britain's last flight with military and official personnel is expected to land later today ahead of the Tuesday withdrawal deadline agreed by the U.S. and the Taliban.

Gen. Sir Nick Carter said: 'We should be holding our breath and thinking really hard of that last aeroplane.'

U.S. troops now face a 'very difficult' few days acting as the 'rear guard' to the withdrawal, he added. It has also emerged that British troops helped the last Afghan evacuee climb over a barbed wire fence into Kabul airport, it has been revealed today.

The rescue of Sayed - along with his wife, their three-month-old baby and three-year-old son - came as officials complained Pen Farthing's pets had been saved while interpreters remained stranded.

Sayed, a 32-year-old interpreter who was blown up while working for the UK in 2011, became the last person who served along-side British forces to be allowed inside Kabul airport and processed for a flight to the UK, The Sunday Times reported.

The rescue of Sayed and his family was ordered by senior figures inside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after the gates to the airport were closed to new arrivals.

Before his escape, the Afghan father had spent more than four days trying to find a way to the airport's Abbey Gate where British troops were clearing those who were eligible for sanctuary in the UK.

Despite being part of the crowd ordered to leave by the Taliban, who now control Kabul and most of Afghanistan following their take-over this month, Sayed told the newspaper that he stood his ground refusing to give up hope.

The interpreter stood in the baking sun for hours wading through sewage, all while holding his young daughter, but after reaching the correct gate he was not called forward.

After Thursday evening's suicide bombing that killed an estimated 170 people, he and his family were forced to give up hope and return to their home.

Speaking earlier this week, Sayed had said that it hurt that his name was not called at the gate after working for Britain as an interpreter.

Pictured: Taliban Badri fighters, a 'special forces' unit equipped with US gear, stand guard as Afghan wait at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport on Friday

Pictured: Two Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, August 28 as operations by foreign countries to get their citizens out of the country come to an end

Pictured: Five Taliban fighters carrying weapons ride in the back of a truck as they patrol Kabul on August 28, 2021

Taliban members stand guard at a checkpoint around Hamid Karzai International Airport, the centre of evacuation efforts from Afghanistan since the Taliban took over, after yesterday's explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 28, 2021. The picture shows a U.S. military Humvee that has been seized by the Taliban

Pictured: The aftermath of Thursday's suicide bombing, which killed 170 people including three Britons and 13 U.S. soldiers

Afghan woman gives birth on evacuation flight to UK Cradles in a red airline blanket, this little girl was born at 33,000ft while on an evacuation flight to the UK yesterday. Her Afghan mother, Soman Noori, was on the flight from Dubai to Birmingham  having previously left Kabul  when she went into labour. There was no doctor on board, forcing the Turkish Airlines cabin crew to deliver the baby girl in airspace over Kuwait. She has been named Havva, which translates to Eve in English. Havva is the third child of Ms Noori, 26, and her 30-year-old husband, Taj Moh Hammat. Turkish Airlines said mother and baby were healthy, and although the plane landed in Kuwait as a precaution, it continued on its route to Birmingham and landed at 11.45am. Video footage shows Havva sleeping in her mother's arms before being cooed over by cabin crew. Ms Noori is not the first woman to give birth while fleeing Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power. An unnamed woman gave birth last week on a US military plane that had just landed in Germany. She named her Reach, after the aircraft's call sign. Pictured: Air crew hold baby Havva who was born on an evacuation flight destined for Birmingham Advertisement

'I always put my life in danger to save British troops because we were living as brothers,' he said, according to The Sunday Times. 'But now that we need them the most, no one will hear us.'

During the time in which Sayed was trying to escape the capital via the airport, former British Marine Paul 'Pen' Farthing's campaign to put pressure on officials to allow him to fly to Britain with over 180 rescue animals succeeded.

While gaining huge support, the campaign led by the founder of the Nowzad animal shelter was also accused of taking up resources that could have been used to evacuate more people from Kabul.

MoD officials - frustrated that Mr Farthing's animals were being saved while Afghans loyal to Britain were set to be left behind - picked up Sayed's case.

Despite the gates to the airport officially being closed to prepare for the final evacuation flights from Kabul, British troops were ordered to find him.

On Friday night, Sayed received a call from a British interpreter to take a taxi to the airport and once again go to the gate. He said he had to walk 30 minutes after the taxi ride to reach the gate, where he found that there was another large crowd.

Sayed was once again called by the interpreter, who told him to leave the crowd and signalled him with a light.

'When I reached the light the British forces took me and my family over the barbed wire. It was amazing, I am happy now,' he told The Sunday Times. 'I thank everyone who worked hard for my family.'

Sayed worked with UK forces for three years. He was given permission to come to the UK months ago, but his baby was born before the flight meaning officials required more paperwork.

As the Taliban swept across the country and seized Kabul, the family's passports were with the British embassy, leading to further delays.

But after a 100-hour battle to get him out of the capital before it became impossible, Sayed and his family are on their way to start a new life in the UK.

'I think our American allies are going to be very challenged because the threat from ISIS-K has not gone away and of course there are still lots of desperate Afghans trying to get out,' Sir Nick said.

General Sir Richard Barrons warned that ISIS now posed a threat which reached beyond Afghanistan to the UK.

'What [the suicide bombing] does do is illustrate that Isis-K is a risk to the United Kingdom, here at home, and to our interests abroad,' the general said.

'We're going to find common cause with the US, and indeed I think the Taliban, in bearing down on this terrible organisation for as long as it takes to neuter them.'

The MoD said last night that 14,543 people had now been extracted from Kabul since August 13, a mix of Afghan and British nationals, and that now the focus would turn to getting diplomats and service personnel out.

Some 8,000 of those were Afghans and their families under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which applies to those who helped the UK and are at risk of persecution by the Taliban.

Tory MP and Afghan veteran Tom Tugenhadt said people should 'forget' about getting to Kabul and attempting to fly from the airport, due to the numerous dangerous checkpoints that have been installed along the motorways.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'Forget about getting to Kabul. You know there's 10 checkpoints between them on the motorway, let alone down the motorway, all the way to Kabul.

'You can absolutely forget about trying to get to the airport because every one of those checkpoints has a danger point where Taliban or indeed affiliated groups, drug dealers or just simply bandits could murder, and certainly have, been murdering various people.'

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee added: 'I'm extremely sad about this and I very much hope that it might go beyond the August deadline but we found out a few days ago that it wasn't, so I was expecting it.

'It still leaves me extremely sad that so many of my friends have been left behind.'

Questioned over whether the UK could have done better when withdrawing personnel from Afghanistan, Mr Tugendhat said: 'In the last week, probably not, but this has been a sprint finish after a not exactly sprint start.'

'There are going to be questions to be asked to the Foreign Secretary about the processing in the UK in recent weeks that we're going to have to see what the answers are.'

Afghans queue at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport hoping to leave Afghanistan in Kabul on Saturday. The last UK flight carrying civilians left last night. All further British planes will be carrying military and diplomatic personnel

Afghans boarding an Italian plane at 3pm on Friday, the C-130J jet took off from Kabul with the last 58 Afghan citizens on board who were due to arrive in Italy at the Fiumicino airport early Saturday

Afghan civilians in Italian military planes (left and right) on Saturday. They will be among the last to leave as the Tuesday deadline looms

Afghan evacuees queue before boarding one of the last Italy's military aircraft C130J during evacuation at Kabul airport on Friday

A Taliban fighter guards the airport as desperate Afghans try to escape their brutal reign

A Taliban Badri fighter, a 'special forces' unit, stands guard as Afghans walk to the main entrance gate of Kabul airport

Afghan evacuees queue before boarding one of the last Italy's military aircraft C130J during evacuation at Kabul's airport on Friday

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a RAF Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton on Saturday

British troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade walk off the runway after arriving back at RAF Brize Norton on Saturday

Taliban leaders hold a celebratory summit in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, on Saturday to mark their victory

Left: Afghan evacuee Soman Noori holds her newborn baby girl named Havva on board an evacuation flight operated by Turkish Airlines from Dubai to Britain's Birmingham, August 28, 2021. Right: Baby Havva who was born on an evacuation flight destined for Birmingham with the crew. Soman Noori, 26, an Afghan refugee fleeing to the UK was travelling on an evacuation flight from Dubai to Birmingham

Pictured: Afghan people wait to enter Pakistan through Chaman border crossing in Chaman, Pakistan on August 28, 2021

Pictured: Pakistani soldiers check documents of Afghan people before entering Pakistan through Chaman border crossing in Chaman, Pakistan on August 28, 2021

Pictured: Afghan people wait to enter Pakistan through Chaman border crossing in Chaman, Pakistan on August 28, 2021

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously admitted there were between 800 and 1,100 Afghans eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme who would be left behind, while around 100 and 150 UK nationals will remain in Afghanistan, although Mr Wallace said some of those were staying willingly.

But a number of MPs have said that based on the correspondence they had received asking for help, they thought this was an underestimation.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey said: 'This is the brutal truth, despite getting more than 14,000 people out, there are probably 1,000 Afghans who have worked with us over two decades in Afghanistan, helped our troops, our aid workers, our diplomats, that we promised to protect, but we're leaving behind.

'And I know those troops in particular will feel our failure on this as a country is a betrayal of many of those who risked their own lives to work alongside us.

'And I think what's important now is that we may be giving up the airport, but we cannot give up on the Afghan people or fighting to try and protect the gains that they and our troops and our diplomats and aid workers have worked so hard over two decades to gain in Afghanistan.'

Mr Johnson has admitted he felt a 'great sense of regret' about the many hundreds that UK forces had been unable to evacuate from Kabul.

Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the Foreign Affairs committee, said the fact people would be left behind filled him with 'anger and shame' and warned 'we may find ourselves with the biggest hostage crisis the UK has ever seen.'

'Quite rightly, British citizens and entitled persons are literally in fear of their lives right now.'

The former Army Lieutenant Colonel is one of a growing number of MPs from across the political spectrum to have accused the Government of 'failing' in its mission to keep Afghan staff safe by not completing the evacuations.

Mr Tugendhat added: 'Defeat means you don't get a say... we have just been defeated, we have no influence over Kabul anymore.'

Displaced families living in tents in Kabul. The advance of the Taliban across the country has forced thousands to flee their homes - many had headed for the relative safety of the capital only for it also to fall

Displaced women and children liiving in tents in Kabul after they were forced to flee their homes

Pictured: Afghan collaborators, their families, Spanish soldiers and members of the embassy board a Spanish military plane as part of their evacuation, at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 27, 2021

Pictured: An Afghan man hands his child to a British Paratrooper assigned to 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment while a member of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division conducts security at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug 26, 2021

British troops were seen securing the perimeter outside the Baron Hotel, near the Abbey Gate in Kabul on Thursday following the bombing

Pictured left: Muhammad Niazi, a British Afghan who travelled there from London to help his family. Pictured right: One of Mr Niazi's daughters. As of last night, his wife, youngest child and eldest daughter were still missing, according to the broadcaster, with his brother and survivor of the blast - Abdul Hamid - saying 'I saw some children in the river'

ISIS-K, short for ISIS Khorasan Province, are believed to be operating in the east of Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan

And security sources said they feared that elements of the Taliban or Isis-K could capture vulnerable Afghans or UK citizens and demand a ransom.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke of his 'great sense of regret' at those left behind. He said: 'Of course, as we come down to the final hours of the operation there will sadly be people who haven't got through, people who might qualify.

'What I would say to them is that we will shift heaven and earth to help them get out, we will do whatever we can in the second phase.'

One of the victims of Thursday's Kabul suicide bombing has been named as Muhammad Niazi, a British Afghan who travelled there from London to help his family at the airport, according to the BBC.

As of last night, his wife, youngest child and eldest daughter were still missing, with his brother and survivor of the blast, Abdul Hamid, telling the broadcaster: 'I saw some small children in the river, it was so bad. It was doomsday for us.'

According to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Niazi was a taxi driver from Aldershot who travelled to Afghanistan to rescue his family as the Taliban bore down on the city, and chaos led to scenes of mass panic at the airport.

It is feared that his wife and two of their daughters were also caught up in the bombing, and possibly killed, and the couple's other daughter and only son are understood to have been severely injured, the newspaper reported.

He is understood to have flown from Heathrow to Azerbaijan, before travelling to Afghanistan in an attempt to take his family to safety.

Imran Naizi, a friend and member of the same mosque as Muhammad Niazi (of no relation), told The Telegraph that the Afghan community and Aldershot are mourning the loss of a dedicated family man.
A tough-talking 'Tiger Headmistress' has reportedly been lined up to become the new head of the social mobility commission, an advisory Government body which helps disadvantaged children.

Katharine Birbalsingh, headteacher and founder of the notoriously uncompromising Michaela Community School in Wembley, north London, has reportedly been eyed up by ministers to help Boris Johnson with plans for 'levelling up' in disadvantaged communities.

She was selected by equalities minister Liz Truss after being one of six candidates interviewed for the position, according to The Times.

But Ms Birbalsingh, who has been dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher, has insisted that although she applied for the role, she is yet to hear back.

Ms Birbalsingh rose to prominence for previously speaking out against schools teaching 'white privilege' and hitting back at the attacks black Conservatives face.

Katharine Birbalsingh (pictured), headteacher of Michaela Community School in Wembley, has reportedly been lined up to become the new head of the social mobility commission

Responding to the reports on Twitter, she wrote: 'Applied. Have yet to hear back.'

An Equality Hub spokesperson told MailOnline that they are still in the process of recruiting for the role, and will announce the successful candidate shortly.

It is understood that Ms Birbalsingh would remain head of Michaela Community School, which only opened in 2014, while working with the commission several days a month.

Her job would be to refocus the commission to focus on 'equality of opportunity' rather than 'equality of outcome', sources reportedly said.

A Whitehall source said: 'This is important for levelling up.'

An Equality Hub spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are currently in the process of recruiting for the new Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. We will announce the successful candidate in due course.'

The headteacher (pictured) of the notoriously uncompromising Michaela School has reportedly been eyed to help Boris Johnson 'levelling up' disadvantaged communities

MailOnline has contacted Katharine Birbalsingh for comment.

Ms Birbalsingh was subject to ridicule from teacher unions after an appearance at the Tory party conference in 2010 where she promoted a strict, old-fashioned approach to learning.

She credits her father, who received an 'old-fashioned British education in British Guyana', with her success.

The headteacher has since spoken out against schools teaching about 'white privilege', saying it gives black British children the impression that the education system and society is pitted against them.

In June, she said teachers should avoid talking about race to students and stick to 'teaching them maths and English'.

Ms Birbalsingh said the secret to success for a child of 'any colour' is to have a family that supports their education, makes them do their homework and will force them 'off their phones'.

Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, she said: 'Talking about white privilege all the time actually undermines black children because it tells them that the establishment is against them.

Ms Birbalsingh was said to be selected by equalities minister Liz Truss (pictured) after being one of six candidates interviewed for the position

'We need to move away from these things because they're divisive and unhelpful and be talking about what matters: How do we make all our schools excellent so that all children, whatever colour they are, can succeed in the classroom'.

Describing today's current culture war, she said: 'On one side we've got people saying: 'Look at the white children, we're not paying attention to them' and we've got the other side saying: 'White children are more privileged than black children'. What we ought to be doing is teaching them maths and English. That's what is important here - and getting them off their phones.'

She added: 'There is first born privilege for instance, because if you are an only child you're more likely to do well overall in any country - than if you're a third born child. We don't go around teaching children that.'

She spoke out after furious row between Tory and Labour MPs over a landmark report exposing how 'divisive' and 'politically controversial' terms such as 'white privilege' have led to the 'systemic neglect' of white working-class children by England's education system for decades.

Earlier this year, Ms Birbalsingh also took a swipe at at 'woke culture' for 'mercilessly attacking' black conservatives who 'dare to think for themselves'.

Taking aim at those behind the abuse of race report chairman Tony Sewell, headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh accused 'leftists' of driving their own 'cultural racism' by attempting to shut down opposing views.

She said: 'It is always acceptable in our woke culture of 2021 to mercilessly attack black conservatives.

But Ms Birbalsingh, who has been dubbed Britain's strictest headteacher, has insisted that although she applied for the role, she is yet to hear back

Ms Birbalsingh (pictured) rose to prominence for previously speaking out against schools teaching 'white privilege' and hitting back at the attacks black Conservatives face

'They have 'betrayed' their leftist masters by daring to think for themselves, when they should be grateful.

'THAT is institutionalised/cultural racism. And it is everywhere.'

Her comments came in response to a Tweet by another educator who also hit out at the 'vile abuse' aimed at those behind the report.

The report, published in March, said factors such as geography, family influence, socio-economic background, culture and religion were found to have more impact on life chances than racism.

The findings drew criticism from the likes Baroness Lawrence, whose son Stephen was murdered by white thugs in 1993, said it had 'given racists the green light'.

Ms Birbalsingh runs the Michaela Community School, where pupils can get detention for slouching in their chairs, using a mobile phone or wearing makeup or jewellery.

The school made national headlines in 2016 when a pupil was told he would be given just a sandwich and piece of fruit to eat in 'lunch isolation' when his parents did not pay the termly dinner fee.

The school sits in a deprived area of London and the majority of pupils come from families so poor they qualify for the pupil premium grant.
A West Australian-made satellite has been launched into space for the first time.

Named after the Noongar word for fireball, Binar-1 was designed and built by 30 undergraduate students and engineers at Perth's Curtin University.

The tiny cube-shaped satellite weighs 1.5kg and is made of 10cm aluminium modules.

The device was meant to be launched on Saturday aboard a SpaceX rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida but bad weather delayed it until Sunday evening, Perth time.

SSTC director Phil Bland holding Binar-1 (pictured) during the building process

A small crowd gathered to cheer and countdown to a live broadcast of the launch at Yagan Square in Perth, where it will replay on a digital tower for the next week.

The rocket is carrying supplies to the International Space Station.

About six weeks after Binar-1 reaches the station, it will be deployed into low earth orbit where two cameras will be used to capture images of the WA coastline.

It will remain in orbit for 18 months.

Premier Michael McGowan said the satellite would 'transform WA's space sector'.

30 undergraduate students and engineers from Perth's Curtin University built Binar-1, named after the Noongar word for fireball

'The successful launch of Binar-1 demonstrates Western Australia is punching above its weight internationally yet again - this time in space,' WA Premier Mark McGowan said

'The successful launch of Binar-1 demonstrates Western Australia is punching above its weight internationally yet again - this time in space,' Mr McGowan said.

'It will help to diversify our economy with an exciting new industry and create jobs in a new, highly-skilled workforce with capabilities that are easily transferable between space and our other significant sectors, such as mining and resources.'

The researchers are working on two other bigger satellites which they hope will help NASA return to the moon.

The first launch is being used to test the technology, but by 2025 it's hoped Binar satellites will pass within 20km of the lunar surface to map the geology of the moon, including minerals and ice deposits, in greater detail.
A boy, who was paid 50 to wave a gun on BBC Panorama show, 'spiralled into a life of crime' after his father recognised him and reported him to police - as family claims he was 'set up'.

Stephen Hooton, now 29, was 16 when he obtained guns and ammunition as part of the BBC Panorama documentary Young Gunmen in Liverpool in 2008.

In the documentary, Hooton waved around a shotgun and a hand gun, and dismantled a pistol to show ammunition, according to The Sunday Times.

A boy, who was paid 50 to wave a gun on BBC Panorama show, 'spiralled into a life of crime' after his father recognised him and reported him to police - as family claims he was 'set up'

A friend of Hooton's said that the father-of-two was 'set up' because the guns weren't his, and added that 'everything changed' in his life after he went to prison.

Hooton's father recognised him on the programme, despite his identity being hidden by a balaclava, and reported him to the police.

He was jailed in 2009 for possession of firearms and the court heard evidence that the guns didn't belong to him, and he was asked to do it by a fixer for the show.

The fixer, a leading member of the Marsh gang, referred to as Male C during the court case, was paid to arrange interviews for the show, and allegedly gave him money to obtain weapons and show them off.

Jason Smith, defending, said during the trial in 2009: 'The defence contention is not that he was paid directly by the Panorama film producers but he was paid money by an intermediary who had been paid money to fix it on their behalf.

'He was provided the firearms to display on camera, although he was associated with the gang and they were firearms owned by the gangs, he was given them to flaunt on camera.'

Mr Smith added: 'After the filming, he took the guns back to where he had collected them and was told "nice one" by Male C and was given 50.'

There is no evidence the BBC knew of the payments, but Hooton's family say more could have been done by producers to prevent the exchange.

Stephen Hooton, now 29, was 16 when he obtained guns and ammunition as part of the BBC Panorama documentary Young Gunmen in Liverpool in 2008

Hooton's mother Linda said offering a child money to get guns was 'wrong' and 'disgusting', adding that taking part in the documentary and going to prison 'sent him off the rails'.

Bernard Hogan-Howe, the chief constable of Merseyside police, ordered an investigation into the 'cash for guns' scandal linked to the programme.

Last month, Hooton was jailed for five years and two months at Liverpool Crown Court for his role in a series of burglaries.

The gang committed 162 burglaries and thefts between January 2019 and February 2020 and stole luxury cars worth more than 2.6million.

The gang targeted properties in what was described as 'a sophisticated operation', according to the BBC.

Houses across the North-West were entered at night and cars and other luxury items were stolen.

A spokesperson for the BBC said: 'We have always said that the BBC did not make any payments to the gunman.

'The programme fully complied with the BBC's editorial guidelines. The BBC and its journalists co-operated fully with Merseyside Police in connection with this matter.'
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The 'butcher' Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has appointed two men to his cabinet wanted by Interpol for their alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires in which 87 innocent people were killed in the deadliest terror attack in Argentina's history.

Ahmad Vahidi, the Interior Minister who was the leader of the IRGC's Quds force at the time of the attack, and Mohsen Rezaee, Deputy for Economic Affairs, have both had active Interpol 'red notice' since 2007, alongside four other Iranian nationals alleged to be connected to the atrocity.

On July 18, 1994, a van packed with explosives detonated at the Buenos Aires Argentine Israelite Mutual Association building, in the biggest terror atrocity in Argentina.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed paramilitary group in Lebanon, is suspected of being behind the bombing. However, an Argentine inquiry committee previously ruled that the decision to launch the attack was made by Iran's leadership.

In a statement, the Argentine Foreign Ministry issued the 'strongest condemnation' of the approval of Mr Vahidi and called on the Iranian government to 'cooperate fully' with Argentina's justice system and to allow those accused to be 'tried by competent courts'.

Their appointments were 'an affront to the Argentine justice system and the victims of the brutal terrorist attack,' the statement added. Israel called on the international community to condemn the 'criminal' and 'shameful' choices.

Ahmad Vahidi (left), the new Interrior Minister, and Mohsen Rezaee (right), Deputy for Economic Affairs, have both had active Interpol 'red notice' since 2007, alongside four other Iranian nationals alleged to be connected to the atrocity

Two of the new ultraconservative Iranian President's cabinet choices are wanted by Interpol for their alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires in which 87 innocent people were killed and more than 100 others were injured

President Ebrahim Raisi is known as 'the butcher' for disappearing and executing thousands of opposition prisoners in 1988 while serving as Tehran's deputy prosecutor and allegedly ordering pregnant woman tortured. He has vowed to remove sanctions imposed by the US

Argentina's deadliest terror attack: 1994 bombing of Jewish centre in Buenos Aires Rescue workers sift through the rubble at the site of a car-bombing at the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 18, 1994 A suicide bomber drove a van packed with explosives into the Jewish Community Centre building in Buenos Aires on 18 July 1994. The bombing of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Aid organization killed 87 people, the deadliest attack of its kind on Argentine soil. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed paramilitary group in Lebanon, is suspected of being behind the bombing. However, an Argentine inquiry committee previously ruled that the decision to launch the attack was made by Iran's leadership. Advertisement

Several members of President Ebrahim Raisi's cabinet come from military backgrounds, with more than half of them coming from previous hardline administrations. Several of them were sanctioned by past US administrations. There are no women in the cabinet.

Raisi is known as 'the butcher' for disappearing and executing thousands of opposition prisoners in 1988 while serving as Tehran's deputy prosecutor and allegedly ordering pregnant woman tortured. He has vowed to remove sanctions imposed by the US.

It is thought that at least several thousand and possibly more than 30,000 activists were put to death - hanged by construction cranes in batches of 10 - during the purge.

Raisi won 62 per cent of the votes during the country's presidential elections this year, with 90 per cent counted so far. Turnout figures of just under 50 per cent were recorded after voting was extended by two hours amid fears that turnout would be lower than 50 per cent.

Exiled opposition groups said that the majority of voters shunned the presidential elections, hailing the boycott which they urged voters to take part in as a blow to the country's theocratic system.

Raisi will be Iran's eight president taking over from Rouhani, a moderate who has served the maximum of two consecutive four-year-terms, in August.

Ultimate political power in Iran, since its 1979 revolution toppled the US-backed monarchy, rests with the Supreme Leader. But the President, as the top official of the state bureaucracy, also wields significant influence in fields from industrial policy to foreign affairs.

Ex-president Hassan Rouhani's key achievement was the landmark 2015 deal with world powers under which Iran pledged to limit its nuclear programme and refrain from acquiring the atomic bomb in return for sanctions relief.

But high hopes for greater prosperity and a reopening to the world were crushed in 2018 when Donald Trump withdrew from the accord and launched an economic and diplomatic 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran.

While Tehran has insisted its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, Trump accused it of secretly seeking the bomb and of destabilising the wider Middle East through armed proxy groups, and hit the country with sanctions.

Raisi took over as the country looks to salvage its nuclear deal with major powers and free itself from the US sanctions which have contributed towards a economic downturn.

It comes as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused US President Joe Biden's administration of making the same demands as his predecessor in talks to revive a nuclear accord.

The multilateral deal that offers Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme was torpedoed by Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from it in 2018.

A last round of negotiations between Iran and the deal's remaining parties to revive the 2015 accord concluded in June with no resumption in sight.

Rescue teams search the site where a powerful explosion destroyed a seven storey building housing the Jewish Mutual Association of Argentina in Buenos Aires

Raisi is known as 'The Butcher' for his involvement in the 1988 Death Commissions which sent up to 30,000 Iranian political prisoners to the gallows (file image)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during his meeting with members of government formed by President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, Iran on August 28, 2021

'America's current administration is no different from the previous one because what it demands from Iran on the nuclear issue is the same thing that Trump demanded,' Khamenei said in televised remarks.

He said that Biden's administration wants 'the same thing today, it's no different. (Trump) said it in one way and these (say it) in different words.'

'The Americans truly have no shame on the nuclear issue, and even though they withdrew from the JCPOA... they now talk in a way and make demands as it was (Iran) that withdrew,' he said, quoted by his official website in reference to the deal by its official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with Raisi's newly formed cabinet, during which he acknowledged public trust in government had been 'damaged'.

A year after Trump's decision to withdraw from the deal and impose sanctions on Iran, the Islamic republic retaliated by gradually waiving most of the key nuclear commitments that it had accepted under the agreement.

Six rounds of nuclear talks between Iran and world powers - with the US indirectly taking part - were held in Vienna between April and June. The last round concluded on June 20, with no date set for another.

'Behind the scenes of America's foreign policy, there is a predator wolf that sometimes changes to a cunning fox,' Khamenei said.

Khamenei's remarks came after a senior security official in Tehran said Iran reserves the right to a 'reciprocal response' to Washington, after what it deemed as threats by Biden.

Biden received Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House on Friday and said the United States was committed to ensuring 'Iran never develops a nuclear weapon'.
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The British Ambassador to Afghanistan has vowed to help British nationals and Afghan translators who assisted our troops during the intervention now stuck in Kabul and 'do everything' to 'help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve'.

In a video message on Twitter, Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at Hamid Karzai International Airport until the last moment, said the British diplomatic mission to Afghanistan will operate from Qatar as the country fell to the Taliban.

Speaking on the runway at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning as the last British plane from Kabul landed, he said: 'This is Laurie Bristow. The team touched down at Brize Norton a few moments ago. It's been an extraordinary, intense effort by the Foreign Office, the military and Border Force together to bring over 15,000 people to safety in under two weeks.

'We've had to leave Afghanistan for now and the embassy will operate from Qatar for the time being. We will continue to stand by the people of Afghanistan, working on humanitarian, diplomatic and security work, and above all bringing to the UK Afghans and British nationals who still need our support, and we will be putting pressure on the Taliban to allow safe passage for those people.

'We will reopen the embassy as soon as we can. We will do everything we can to protect the gains of the last 20 years and above all to help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve.'

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, some 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

British Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow has vowed to help British nationals and Afghan translators left behind in the war-torn country and 'do everything' to 'help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve'. Right, Boris Johnson

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul upon its arrival at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade depart a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

In this handout image provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft depart from Kabul

In this handout image provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel board a A400M aircraft departing from Kabul

A Taliban Badri fighter, a 'special forces' unit, stands guard as Afghans hoping to leave Afghanistan wait at the main entrance gate of Kabul airport

Boris Johnson has described Britain's hasty scuttle from Afghanistan as 'the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes' as the last British troops landed in RAF Brize Norton this morning, bringing our two decades of involvement in the country to an end.

In a video clip uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: 'UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions. They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

'They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job. It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.'

The final British troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue trapped British nationals and Afghan allies who assisted us during our intervention.

A Voyager aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton airfield in Oxfordshire this morning, with roughly 250 personnel on board including members of 16 Air Assault Brigade who were stationed at Kabul airport. The plane flew in from Al Minhad airfield in the United Arab Emirates near Dubai where the UK's evacuation flights from Afghanistan first landed.

The last UK rescue plane from Kabul landed in RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire this morning

In this handout photo provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, August 28, 2021

Pictured: Five Taliban fighters carrying weapons ride in the back of a truck as they patrol Kabul on August 28, 2021

Internally displaced Afghan families live in a temporary shelter at a park in Kabul, Afghanistan

As images from inside military aircraft were shared online by The Parachute Regiment and the Ministry of Defence last night showing exhausted British troops leaving Kabul, the Prime Minister pledged to return to war-torn Afghanistan when it is safe to do so.

Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, airlifted more than 15,000 people in a fortnight on more than 100 RAF flights. It included 5,000 British nationals and their families and more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their relatives.

However, 150 British nationals and more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British forces during the intervention have been left behind. Government sources insisted Britain's absence from the war-ravaged country was only temporary.

In a bid to put a positive gloss on the withdrawal, the Prime Minister vowed to 'use all the diplomatic and humanitarian tools at our disposal to preserve the gains of the last 20 years'.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who 'gave their all', Mr Johnson said: 'Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.' He added: 'It was no accident that there's been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

'It was thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces who fought to knock out (Osama) Bin Laden's networks. Thanks to the devotion of British troops and aid workers and diplomats and others, we've helped educate 3.6 million girls. Whatever the future may hold for Afghanistan, they will have that gift for the rest of their lives, a gift they will pass on to their daughters as well as their sons.'

US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw his forces by the end of the month left Mr Johnson with no alternative but to follow suit - putting the so-called 'special relationship' under strain and prompting angry Tory MPs to question Mr Biden's suitability for the White House.

Yesterday, Mr Biden said that another attack on the Kabul airport could be imminent, while vowing that his revenge strike for an ISIS-K attack that killed 13 US troops is 'not the last'.

As the US military rushes into the final evacuation of Kabul airport ahead of Mr Biden's Tuesday deadline for withdrawal, the President defended his drone strike, which the Pentagon said killed two ISIS-K 'planners and facilitators' in response to the deadly suicide bomb attack.

The Taliban condemned the US drone strike, with a spokesman describing the operation as a 'clear attack on Afghan territory'.

Around 2,200 children were evacuated, the youngest just a day old. Afghan 'sleeper' agents who fed intelligence to MI6, including information about the suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport last week, have also been whisked to safety.
Kathleen Folbigg may not have spent the last 18 years behinds bars had the jury been told at least eight families around the world had suffered multiple sudden infant deaths, as world-leading scientists continue their quest to prove her innocence.

The woman considered to be Australia's worst female serial killer and 'most hated woman' was jailed in 2003 for the murders of her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura - aged from eight months to 19 months - between 1991 and 1999.

She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her first-born child, Caleb, who was just 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989.

Folbigg, 53, has always maintained her innocence and has the support of dozens of scientists and medical experts who have called for her to be pardoned from her 30-year jail term.

Following her most recent unsuccessful appeal for freedom, she has written a four page letter to NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman urging him to 'soften his heart' as she pleaded again to walk free.

At Folbigg's trial in 2003, expert witnesses for the prosecution told the court that they didn't know of a single family in the world where three or more babies died suddenly of natural causes.

What the jury didn't hear is the same tragedy had happened to at least eight other families overseas.

Kathleen Folbigg (pictured) has spent the last 18 years behind bars for the deaths of her four children - crimes she strenuously denies

Australian National University Professor of Immunology Carola Vinuesa was among the scientists tasked with analysing Folbigg's DNA and that of her four deceased children.

'At the time of Kathleen's trial, even though it has just been discredited, it still permeated the idea that four deaths in a family is just too rare,' she told 60 Minutes.

'Well, we know it isn't. These things happen.'

A genetic mutation called CALM2 G114R was found in Sarah and Laura's DNA, inherited from their mother, which can cause sudden cardiac arrest in infants.

Scientists in multiple countries ran biochemical and electrophysiological tests to prove the deadliness of the mutation.

The peer-reviewed findings were published in a world leading paper by Oxford University stating the mutation had 90 to 95 per cent chance of causing potentially fatal disease.

Professor Vinuesa believes 'it's very likely' that the Folbigg daughters died of a cardiac arrhythmia which led to sudden death.

'If that is not reasonable doubt, I don't know what is,' she said.

A genetic mutation called CALM2 G114R was found in Sarah (right) and Laura's (left) DNA. Laura died aged 19 months in 1999, and Sarah died at 10 months in 1993

Professor Carola Vinuesa (pictured) is among the scientists who have advocated for Katheen Folbigg's release from jail

'The paper itself was co-authored by 27 scientists from seven different countries with experiments performed in at least four countries'

'The science was very strong. To date, there hasn't been a single criticism of the science.'

She is backed by Professor Peter Schwartz who's regarded as a world leader in cardiovascular genetics.

'The third and fourth deaths in that family were caused by calmodulin mutation,' he said.

'To find that is a smoking gun. It's hard to imagine it would be something else.

Scientists said the boys also had mutated genes which caused fatal epilepsy.

Caleb (left) who was just 19-days-old when he died in in 1989. Brother Patrick (right) died a year later aged eight months

KATHLEEN FOLBIGG'S LETTER FROM PRISON Writing to NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman: 'To them [the scientists], this isn't only about helping Kathleen Folbigg, but rather about a need for scientific proof to be listened to, respected and heeded. 'I pay homage to all scientists involved. 'They have removed the stigma of being perceived as an evil monster, removed the anxiety and fear that I have suffered every day for over 30-odd years. 'Following the petition for a pardon, my day-to-day existence has changed. I now receive massive support from so many people. 'For over 30 (years) I have grieved the loss of my children. As it shall be for forever more. 'As you are aware, I have ALWAYS PROTESTED MY INNOCENCE. 'In 2003, I followed advice and decided to stay silent throughout my trial. 'I suffer every day over doubting that decision. I continue to pay a heavy price... '(My supporters) have known me my whole life, not just a decade of it, and have witnessed the love and care for my children. Also my devastating grief. 'Please soften your heart.' Advertisement

Former NSW District Court chief judge Reginald Blanch QC in 2019 found significant investigations had failed to find a reasonable natural explanation for any of the deaths of Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura.

He ruled that it was beyond reasonable doubt that Folbigg was guilty.

Folbigg's own explanations and behaviour in respect of her diaries, which weren't available in any of the mother's criminal appeals, made 'her guilt of these offences even more certain', Mr Blanch concluded.

Folbigg's legal team has since sent her diaries to US research psychologist Dr James Pennebaker, who believes they show no premeditation for murder.

'There was no evidence for some kind of somebody who is devious, who is certainly planning to kill anyone,' he said.

He was shocked to learn that a judge couldn't find any reasonable doubt regarding her guilt by taking her diaries into account.

'I find that remarkable and I would urge them to look at the diaries in a different light,' he added.

Professor Vinuesa was among 90 scientists who signed a petition lodged with NSW Governor Margaret Beazley AC QC earlier this year which called for Folbigg's pardon and immediate release.

'I think it's distressing, it's shocking really. I think it should bring an embarrassment to Australians like myself,' she said.

'But I still have the hope that, you know, like Australia of high integrity, this evidence, since the inquiry, and say that it's time to have the science prevail, and listen to the science.'

Following her latest unsuccessful bid for freedom, Folbigg has written to Mr Speakman about the overwhelming support she's had from the public and how her day-to-day existence has changed her following the petition for a pardon.

She paid tribute to the scientists in the four page handwritten letter obtained by The Australian.

'To them, this isn't only about helping Kathleen Folbigg but rather about a need for scientific proof to be listened to, respected and heeded,' she wrote.

'They have removed the stigma of being perceived as an evil monster, removed the anxiety and fear that I have suffered every day for over 30-odd years.'

Folbigg maintains her innocence and spent the last three decades mourning the loss of her four babies.

She also expresses her regret at not give evidence in person at her trial, a decision she continues to pay a heavy price for.

'(My supporters) have known me my whole life, not just a decade of it, and have witnessed the love and care for my children. Also my devastating grief,' Folbigg wrote.

'Please soften your heart.'

Kathleen Folbigg (pictured at a 2019 hearing) has written a four page letter to NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman pleading for help

Until now, US mum Meredith Schoenherr has never spoken publicly about the tragic death of two-and-a-half-year-old son Jack from a rare genetic mutation in 2013.

It was the same type of abnormality found in the Folbigg girls.

'I was so excited that he was sleeping late for once in his life, but I went into the bedroom and when I went to roll him over, it was very obvious that he was gone,' she told 60 Minutes.

She recalled how close the authorities were to taking Jack's baby sister away from her and her husband Todd, who were interviewed separately at the hospital shortly after their son's death.

'She separated us and had us each tell our story of what happened,' Ms Schoenherr recalled.

'I was so in shock, it didn't really occur to me at that point that they were investigating us.'

'In the early days, nobody had any answers, which was very frustrating.'

Kathleen Folbigg (pictured with baby daughter Laura) has always maintained her innocence

She felt sick to her stomach after hearing Folbigg's story and shudders to think she too could have been jailed over Jack's death.

To be jailed for so many years for it, on top of losing her children, it's really hard for me to even try to comprehend how much that must hurt,' Ms Schoenherr said.

Lifelong friend Tracy Chapman said being jailed for the deaths of her children have had a devastating impact on Folbigg.

'She's cried a river over it because, she didn't kill her children, even though she knows she didn't have a hand in killing her children, she carried a genetic mutation that has done just that, anyway, she said.

She remains hopeful her friend will see eventually see justice.

Otherwise everything I ever believed in the Australian legal system goes out the window,' Ms Chapman said.

Kathleen Folbigg (pictured) has paid tribute to the scientists advocating for her release from jail in a letter to the NSW Attorney-General
A man has been charged with murder after the body of a mother-of-four was found dumped in the undergrowth next to a busy road, police confirmed today.

The body of Helen Anderson, 41, of Finsbury Park, London, was found by a member of the public by the northbound A3 slip road, leading out of Guildford, Surrey, at around 3pm on Monday.

Dane Messam, 52, from Hackney, London, has been now charged with murder and has been remanded into custody, Surrey Police confirmed.

A 51-year-old man, also from Hackney, was also arrested in connection with the murder but has since been released on bail.

The body of Helen Anderson (pictured), 41, of Finsbury Park, London, was found by the northbound A3 slip road, leading out of Guildford, Surrey, at around 3pm on Monday

Dane Messam, 52, from Hackney, London, has been now charged with murder and has been remanded into custody, Surrey Police confirmed. Pictured: Scene near the A3 in Guildford

Detectives also released pictures of a decommissioned double-decker Brighton and Hove bus on Friday in their latest appeal for witnesses.

The force urged anyone who saw the bus in the North London area between 7.30pm on August 20 and 3pm on August 23 to get in touch with them.

They are also looking to speak with anyone who saw the double-decker bus in the Guildford area between 3am and 4am on August 23.

Surrey Police previously said it believes mother-of-four Ms Anderson was killed elsewhere and her body left in the place it was found in the early hours of Monday morning.

Ms Anderson's family, including her four children, have paid a glowing tribute to her and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Speaking after her death, her family said: 'Our dear sister and daughter has gone. We loved you. In this life you faced many challenges and still you had a big heart. Goodbye dear Helen.'

Detectives also released pictures of a decommissioned double-decker Brighton and Hove bus (pictured) on Friday in their latest appeal for witnesses

Surrey Police said it believes mother-of-four Ms Anderson was killed elsewhere and her body left in the place it was found in the early hours of Monday morning

The force urged anyone who saw the bus (pictured) in the North London area between 7.30pm on August 20 and 3pm on August 23 to get in touch with them

Detective Chief Inspector Emma Vickers, who is investigating the case, said: 'We are continuing to appeal for witnesses in relation to this investigation.

'In particular, we would like to speak to anyone who saw a decommissioned double decker Brighton and Hove bus in the North London area between 7.30pm on 20 August and 3pm on 23 August.

'We are also keen to speak to anyone who saw the same bus either driving or stationary in the Guildford area between the hours of 3am and 4am on 23 August.

'If you have any information which could help our investigation, please contact us straightaway. You can also upload information straight to our Major Incident Public Portal.'

Anyone with information, including dashcam, CCTV or smart doorbell footage, can contact Surrey Police quoting PR/45210089588 via their website, or by calling them on 101.

People can also submit information through the Major Incident Public Portal, or anonymously via independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Truck drivers across Australia are gearing up to block major highways and disrupt food supplies to protest against Covid-19 lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations.

The demonstration, to be held on Monday morning at a secret location south of Brisbane, has been organised by furious truckies promising to bring the roadways in the River City to a standstill.

Tony Fulton, a popular Australian truck driver who has legions of fans for his Tones Truckin Stories social media page, has become the latest in the industry to post a video vowing to take part in the protest.

The vaccine sceptic denied the event was a 'fruitcake rally' before telling his followers he's 'more scared' of the life-saving vaccine than the virus - which has so far claimed the lives of 4.5 million people across the globe.

'I'm someone that does a bit of research,' Mr Fulton claimed.

'From what I've seen from my research with credible scientists and doctors and stuff, I do not want to get this vaccine.

'I am more scared of the vaccine than the virus. Honestly it scares the living hell out of me.'

Fears about the vaccine have been noticeably absent among those who have issued heartfelt pleas from their hospital beds after being struck down by Covid while unvaccinated.

Of the 126 people with the virus in intensive care in hospitals across New South Wales, only one is fully vaccinated.

But tensions have flared within the industry over some jurisdictions ordering vaccination requirements for authorised workers who cross state borders.

The divisive issue has reached fever pitch in the transport sector with a growing number of drivers declaring they're in it for the long haul and will continue the fight even if Monday and Tuesday's demonstrations fail.

Anti-vax truck driver Tony Fulton (pictured) says he's 'more scared' of the life-saving vaccine than the virus - which has so far claimed the lives of 4.5 million people across the globe

WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases. Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years. Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people. High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism. People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK's General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty. Source: Australian Department of Health Advertisement

'I dont believe that businesses or states and governments should be allowed to force this on you,' Mr Fulton said of the vaccine.

'Customers contacted the transport company I work for to say if drivers are not vaccinated they will not be allowed on site.

'So it actually doesnt come down to whether you need to be vaccinated to get over the border, its actually to load.

'I will not be getting that vaccine and unfortunately the way that transport works I don't know what Im going to do.'

Organisers say controversial One Nation Senators Pauline Hanson's and Malcolm Roberts will also take part in the protest.

It comes as a separate day of action is also planned for Tuesday with a GoFundMe page set up to financially support truckies when they strike by 'blocking every highway entering into every state at the same time' on August 31.

Outraged Australians blasted the 'selfish' plot which could leave millions of families in Covid lockdowns across the country without vital goods.

'How long before the good people of Australia turn against truck drivers for starving their families? Stupid anarchy and terrorism - domestic terrorism,' one tweeted.

'How incredibly f**king selfish. Have the disadvantaged, elderly and our farmers not suffered enough over the past few years?' another wrote.

'Now a bunch of truck drivers want to strike and cause even more suffering to those who can't stock up on everything they need.'

Truck drivers across Australia have shared a series of videos (one pictured) warning they plan to 'shut down the country' in protest of Covid lockdowns

'Causing panic buying and food shortages because some bloke is upset by the government? How is that going to help?' a third added.

'So the truck driver protest supposedly happening this week is against lockdowns and vaccinations, by and industry that kept their jobs, grown in the last 18 months, and are essential workers who are exempt from lockdown?' a fourth wrote.

Meanwhile, other truck drivers from around the world praised the planned strike, with some sharing advice on how to carry out the protest smoothly.

In a video posted on Twitter, an America teamster suggested those participating in the rally remove tools from the vehicles to prevent them from being towed.

An American truck driver (pictured) has offered tips to Australian truck drivers on how to carry out the strike without their vehicles being towed

Furious Australians have slammed the plot to shut down logistics operations across the nation

One truck driver said he was happy to receive a Covid jab and would not be going on strike

One person described the plan as an act of 'terrorism' in a Twitter post

'Hey to all my Australian truck drivers, this is just a quick tip,' he said.

'If you do want to leave your truck somewhere and you don't want a wrecker driver to be able to remove it, make sure you go to your air chambers and take the caging bolts home with you.

'Because there is no way the wrecker drivers that the government calls are going to have thousands of these, and with no supply line on the air chamber - no one is moving that f**king truck.'

From August 30, authorised workers from Covid hotspots cannot leave their LGA for work unless they have received one dose of the vaccine or have a medical certificate.

Similar rules apply for freight workers entering Queensland, while other strict Covid restrictions, such as mandatory testing, govern entry requirements to other states.

Overseas drivers were not the only ones backing the protest, with dozens of anti-lockdown supporters championing truck driver's cause online.

Some wished them good luck, while others applauded their devotion to 'freedom' and rebellion against 'tyranny' and Covid vaccines.

An angry convoy of trucks and vans are seen moving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in a protest against lockdown in July 2021

But some Australian truck drivers who are against the coordinated demonstration pleaded with their colleagues to reconsider.

One man begged them to consider whether it was 'hypocritical or heroic' to protest against lockdowns by pushing their agenda to avoid vaccination.

'I believe everybody has a choice and I understand your argument but denying your fellow Australians of their right to choose and to work and to eat defeats your whole argumentare you heroes or hypocrites?' he said.

News of the rally broke on Monday after an Australian truck driver posted a video online warning truck drivers were 'planning to shut down the country' to 'remove the s**t government'.

He said supply chains would soon be interrupted and urged Australians to stock up on groceries to get them through the next couple of weeks.

'It's on. The truckies are doing it. The truckies are going to shut down the country,' the man said in the video.

'What that means is you need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers.

'The truckies are coming and they are going to pull this country down and we are all going to do it together and remove this s**t government.'

The man did not reveal how many truck drivers were involved in the demonstration and the Australian Trucking Association declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.

A GoFundMe campaign set up on Monday to raise money for striking truck drivers raised $10,000 of its $200,000 goal before it was deleted. Other similar fundraisers for the same cause have since emerged on the site.

NSW Police said the force was aware of the planned protest and 'will continue to ensure compliance with the public health orders'.

Victoria Police confirmed they are also aware of the demonstrations and 'will respond to ensure community safety and compliance of the CHO directions'.

Meanwhile, food and fuel supplies could be affected over the weekend as thousands of truck drivers pull the handbrake in a separate protest over pay conditions with a major employer.

The Transport Union said the dispute over a new enterprise agreement with logistics giant Toll Group will climax with a 24 hour strike on Friday involving as many as 7,000 truckies.

In a bid to compete with global giants like Amazon Flex, the Transport Workers' Union said Toll was aiming to drive down costs 'by scrapping overtime entitlements and engaging outside drivers'.

A GoFundMe page was launched to financially support truck drivers as they strike, but has since been deleted

Truck drivers are reportedly planning to 'block every highway entering into every state' from 9am on Tuesday

But Toll claimed it had the best EBA in the industry and would continue to do so once negotiations concluded

'One thing we and the union do agree on, our employees deserve a pay rise,' it said in a statement.

'We've put a generous offer on the table and are committed to further discussion.'

Much like Uber, Amazon Flex describes it's model as 'you use your own vehicle to deliver packages... as a way of earning extra money'.

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine had a much less rosy way of describing Amazon's model, and Toll's alleged moves to copy it.

'It is an abomination that billionaire retailers like Amazon are smashing profit records while ripping off transport supply chains and crushing the jobs of the truck drivers who've risked the health of their families to deliver parcels and keep shelves stocked,' he said.

'Toll workers have been forced to take the last resort option to go on strike this week because their jobs are being smashed.'

In response, Toll said it was 'disappointed the TWU is threatening industrial action in the middle of a global pandemic'.

'As one of the country's biggest transport companies, we are well used to managing disruptions to our operations, from bushfires to floods to a global pandemic,' Alan Beacham, Global Express division president said.

'We can assure customers their goods will be transported during any potential industrial action.'

The company said industrial activity risks disrupting medical supplies, but the union said it's strike action 'has never and will never disrupt medical supplies or vaccines'.
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President Joe Biden has warned that Ida is a 'devastating hurricane - a life threatening storm' as one of the most powerful weather systems to ever reach the mainland United States swept in to the Gulf Coast on Sunday.

Biden spoke hours after Ida made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it 150mph winds, storm surges of up to 16 feet, and flash floods across a widespread area. More than 500,000 residents were left without power as of Sunday evening.

The National Weather Service said that the storm weakened to a Category 3 hurricane at around 7pm EST on Sunday, with maximum sustained winds at 125mph.

The NWS office in New Orleans says that a levee was overrun by rainfall and storm surge on the east bank of Plaquemines Parish between the Parish line and White Ditch.

'If you are in the Braithwaite area...SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!'

In Lafourche Parish, officials said their 911 line and the phone lines that service the Parish Sheriff Office have been knocked down as a result of the storm. Local residents who are stranded in the Parish are advised to call 985-772-4810 or 985-772-4824.

A generator in the intensive care unit of Thibodaux Regional Health System in Lafourche Parish failed, forcing hospital staff to bag and transport patients on life support to another wing of the facility where there was still electricity, according to NOLA.com.

New Orleans and the parishes surrounding the city have been placed under a flash flood warning as of Sunday evening. The warnings will remain in effect until at least 11pm EST.

Even though the hurricane made landfall some 100 miles south of New Orleans, officials at the city's airport reported wind gusts of up to 81mph.

Ida hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land.

In a press conference Sunday, President Joe Biden commented on Hurricane Ida, saying he's 'ready to surge all the response capacity capability that we have to deal with whatever comes next.'

The images above of the inner wall of the hurricane were taken from cell phone footage filmed by someone who did not evacuate Golden Meadow, Louisiana on Sunday

Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, which took years to recover.

The governor of Louisiana says that the newly installed levees which were put in place at a cost of billions of dollars will hold in place.

'I have requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration from President Biden due to the severe impact of Hurricane Ida,' Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced on Sunday after the storm made landfall.

'This declaration will help us better respond to Ida so we can begin getting additional aid and assistance to our people.'

 Slide me  The images above show the extent of the flooding that engulfed Fire Station #12 in Delacroix within a one-hour time span

 Slide me  The heavy rains pounded the area just before 10:30am local time on Sunday

 Slide me  The street was inundated with flood waters as the hurricane made landfall along the Gulf Coast on Sunday

 Slide me  The images above were taken by surveillance cameras on Grand Isle Marina. The flood waters accumulated within a three-hour time span

 Slide me  Ida hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. The images above were taken by cameras attached to Fire Station #12 in Delacroix

 Slide me  An estimated 410,000 homes have so-far been left without power. There have not been any reports of injuries or deaths, although some of those ordered to evacuate have vowed to stay home and take their chances

 Slide me  Ida made landfall in Port Fouchon on the Louisiana coast at 11:55am EST on Sunday, as an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 hurricane

The governor said: 'Hurricane Ida is one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana.

'It is our goal to assist our local agencies and the citizens of the state as quickly as possible, and we have pre-positioned search and rescue teams, boats and other assets to begin helping people as soon as it is safe.'

'This major disaster declaration will help Louisiana better respond to this crisis and protect the health and safety of our people, and I hope the White House will act quickly so we can begin getting additional aid and assistance to our people,' the governor added.

Earlier on Sunday, Edwards told reporters at a news briefing: 'This is one of the strongest storms to make landfall here in modern times.'

The state 'has never been more prepared,' he said, predicting that no levees in the Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System protecting the greater New Orleans area would be overtopped.

Two boats appeared to collide on the waters off St. Rose, Louisiana, as Hurricane Ida whipped up fierce winds on Sunday

'Will it be tested? Yes. But it was built for this moment,' he said. Edwards said some levees in the state's southeast not built by the federal government were predicted to overtop.

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon.

Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano.

The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge up next.

The force of the storm made the Mississippi River flow backwards due to due sheer strength of the winds pushing against the water at the river's mouth.

Speaking hours after Ida hit Sunday, Biden said: 'I've been in touch with the governors of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana and my team at the White House has been in touch with other state and local federal officials in the region, and they know they'll be the full resources and support of the federal government.

'So I want to emphasize again, this is going to be a devastating hurricane - a life-threatening storm. So please all you folks in Louisiana and Mississippi and God knows, maybe even further East, take precautions. Listen, take it seriously, really very seriously.'

The president added that he's 'ready to surge all the response capacity capability that we have to deal with whatever comes next.'

Ida made landfall in Port Fouchon on the Louisiana coast at 11:55am EST on Sunday, as an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 hurricane.

LAFOURCE PARISH: Part of the roof of Lady of the Sea General Hospital, in Galliano, blew off. @BrennanMatherne told me @LafourcheSO is hearing reports of some broken power poles, roof damage, some structure damage. @wdsu #HurricaneIda pic.twitter.com/iXMmURLNH2  Christina Watkins (@CWatkinsWDSU) August 29, 2021

The image above shows Hurricane Ida striking the coast of lower Louisiana east of New Orleans on Sunday

A person crosses a street in New Orleans as the city felt some hurricane-force winds generated by Ida on Sunday

A group of people walk through the French District during Hurricane Ida on Sunday

Kandaysha Harris wipes her face before continuing traveling through inclement weather generated by Hurricane Ida on Sunday

New Orleans and the parishes surrounding the city have been placed under a flash flood warning as of Sunday evening

The image above shows rain battering downtown New Orleans after Hurricane Ida made landfall 100 miles away in Port Fourchon on Sunday

A section of a building's roof is seen after being blown off during rain and winds in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Sunday

The National Weather Service announced flash flood warnings for New Orleans and surrounding parishes on Sunday

As of Sunday evening, there were at least 530,000 Louisiana residents who were without power - the vast majority of them in the areas closest to the hurricane

Its windspeed sat just 7mph short of a category five hurricane, with the weather event predicted to be one of the most severe ever to hit the southern state.

The hurricane's eye is 17 miles in diameter, with the extreme weather event also set to bring flash floods, thunder, lightning, storm surges and tornados to areas in or close to its path.

Palm trees trembled as rain blasted in sideways through New Orleans on Sunday, where retired 68-year-old Robert Ruffin had evacuated with his family to a downtown hotel from their home in the city's east.

'I thought it was safer,' he said. 'It's double trouble this time because of COVID.'

Hours later, howling winds sucked out windows on the hotel's third floor, and blue curtains were seen fluttering outside.

Wind gusts of up to 180mph are expected close to shore, with the National Hurricane Service warning of 'catastrophic damage' to anything in their path.

The NHC also warned of potentially catastrophic wind damage and up to two feet of rainfall in some areas.

The roof was ripped off a building in New Orleans' famous French Quarter by Hurricane Ida on Sunday afternoon

Firefighters use a wet vaccum to soak up water leaking into a firestation as hurricane Ida passes in Bourg, Louisiana on August 29, 2021

A woman walks her dog in the French Quarter during Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana

A truck sits submerged in Bay St Louis, Mississippi, after being abandoned by its driver because of storm surges caused by Ida

A worker rides a bicycle to deliver food in the French Quarter during Hurricane Ida on August 29, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Utility workers play in the wind from Hurricane Ida as they wait for the storm to pass to begin repairs on August 29, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Residents who have no interior rooms in their home were told to move to a closet or bathroom for protection, with the governor warning it could take 72 hours for emergency responders to arrive.

Some parishes imposed curfews beginning Sunday evening, forbidding people from going outside.

'We're as prepared as we can be, but we're worried about those levees,' said Kirk Lepine, president of Plaquemines Parish on the state's Gulf Coast.

Plaquemines, one of the most vulnerable parishes, is home to 23,000 people along the Mississippi delta.

Lepine feared water topping levees along Highway 23.

'That's our one road in and out,' he said.

Ida is also forecast to bring 'extremely life-threatening' storm surges of up to 16 feet of water, with the region stretching from Burns Point in Louisiana to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, most at risk of inundation.

New Orleans is not forecast to see high surges, amid worries flood water could overcome the city's levees and other flood defenses, which were bolstered in the wake of Katrina.

'Everyone who cares about New Orleans is worried,' said Andy Horowitz, a history professor who wrote Katrina: A History, 1915-2015.

Horowitz fled to Alabama with his family from their home near New Orleans' French Quarter.

Some $14billion was spent strengthening levees after Katrina, but that may still be insufficient in the face of climate change, he said.

As a result of the storm, the Mississippi River is flowing in reverse in southeastern Louisiana as Ida pushes immense amounts of sea water ashore, according to flood-control authorities.

The Big Easy has been warned to expect between 15 and 20 inches of rainfall. Forecasters fear such a downpour could cause widespread flash floods, as the city's pumping system struggles to cope.

On Sunday, Edwards said he expects Ida to be 'a big challenge for us.'

While speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper on 'State of the Union,' Edwards said Louisiana 'is as ready as we can be,' but he expects Ida to be 'a very serious test of our levy systems, especially in our coastal Louisiana.'

A foolhardy utility worker braves a sea wall to take some snaps in Bay St Louis, Mississippi, despite warnings of storm surges of up to 16 feet

A man takes a selfie on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans on Sunday as Hurricane Ida hit the area

Waves crash against the New Canal Lighthouse on Lake Pontachartrain, amid warnings of storm surges of up to 16 feet

A truck makes its way through Bourg, Louisiana, on Sunday, with Ida's winds whipping the trees behind it

'This is not the kind of storm that we normally get,' Edwards told Associated Press.

'This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing.'

After the failure of Katrina in 2005, the state invested in shoring up the levy system. The governor said Ida 'will be the most severe test,' but he expects the levees to hold. '

The next 24, 36 hours are just going to be very, very critical for us here in,' Edwards said.

In addition, Edwards compared Ida to be similar in strength to 2020's Hurricane Laura at landfall.

Laura had been Louisiana's strongest-measured hurricane since 1856.

'Your window of time is closing. It is rapidly closing. By the time you go to bed tonight, you need to be where you intend to ride this storm out and you need to be as prepared as you can be,' said Edwards.

The number of Louisiana National Guardsmen in place was around 400, and will rise to around 5,000 in the coming days, Edwards said.

Edwards added that 10,000 electrical linemen were also stationed around Louisiana, with another 10,000 contracted on a needed basis.

Officials had ordered widespread evacuations of low-lying and coastal areas, jamming highways and leading some gasoline stations to run dry as residents and vacationers fled, although Edwards said it was impossible to evacuate patients from hospitals.

Louisiana hospitals were treating some 2,450 COVID-19 patients after a surge in infections, Edwards said, with many in some of the state's parishes already nearing capacity.

The sky is seen darkening over Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana, on Sunday morning as Ida approaches the coast of the state

A foolhardy walker checks out the rough waters caused by Ida in Gulfport, Mississippi, on Sunday

Two women walk past a boarded-up business in New Orleans on Sunday, with locals warned to stay inside until Ida passes

A man was seen checking his phone in Gulfport, Mississippi, on Sunday as Ida began to barrel in, with the storm set to be the worst on record to hit Louisiana

Route 90 in Gulfport, Mississippi, saw roads flooded by Ida, with the Category 4 hurricane set to bring flash floods and storm surges of up to 15 feet

When speaking to Wolf Blitzer, Dr. Katherine O'Neal, chief medical officer or Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, said her hospital is ready to sustain Ida, but will be stretched thin due to a spike in Covid-19 patients.

'This hospital is ready to sustain quite a bit of damage, ready to sustain quite a bit of power outages. We're talking about rationing supplies, getting ready for days of having our team here, but we have the ability to do that,' O'Neal said.

What the hospital is lacking is space, in addition to health care workers because of Covid.

'We have 619 people in-house today. We have 157 Covid patients, which is just unbelievable and still higher than we've ever seen in this pandemic before,' O'Neal said.

The storm will travel upwards through midweek, with a local flash flood threat penetrating inland into Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic.

A few rotating cells in Ida's rainbands may generate tornadoes from southeast Louisiana into southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle Sunday into Monday.

This threat might spread as far north and east as the Tennessee Valley and northern Georgia Monday into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Jefferson Parish, which sits close to New Orleans, is said to be particularly vulnerable to a breach.

The sky over New Orleans grew dark on Sunday morning, with the city's I-10 freeway largely deserted as locals prepared for Ida

A satellite photo taken from the International Space Station shows just how large Ida is as it sits off the coast of the US

An astonishing satellite image showed lighting bolts flashing amid Storm Ida as it moved towards the Louisiana coast

Leeville in Louisiana is pictured starting to flood as Ida rolled in on Sunday morning

Hurricane expert Eric Blake tweeted Sunday that the strength of Ida has made him 'sick to his stomach'

This would be the first time the newly-upgraded defenses have been breached since they were strengthened in the wake of Katrina.

On Sunday, longtime NBC weatherman Al Roker, headed straight into the storm, making certain viewers got a firsthand look at the category 4 hurricane and what it was doing along the banks of Louisiana.

Judging from Roker's report of the storm, things are escalating quickly.

During Sunday's report, the 67-year-old weatherman was plummeted by waves as the storm surged upwards of 15-16 feet in New Orleans.

On Sunday morning New Orleans - which is set to be hit by the full force of the storm - saw its 911 service go down, with locals urged to call a far longer number instead, although service has since been restored.

It is currently around 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, and is expected to make landfall later on Sunday.

In addition, a tornado warning is in effect for southeast Mobile county and Grand Bay in Pointe Coupee Parish, with twisters a common occurrence at the outer edges of hurricanes as the make landfall.

Evacuations have begun amid warnings of storm surges of up to 15 feet, with Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng saying of the predicted inundation: 'I want to reiterate, the storm surge that we are expecting is unsurvivable.'

Hurricane expert Eric Blake also tweeted his horror at the weather event, writing: 'I feel sick to my stomach watching this #hurricane. #Ida 's eye is clearing out, and the rapid intensification continues. At this point be ready for the one of the strongest to ever make landfall in #Louisiana. This is a very sobering morning godspeed.'

According to the National Hurricane Center, Ida sustained winds of 150 mph, just 60 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, continuing its way toward Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico.

It would take merely 7 mph for Ida to transition into Category 5 storm, the NHC said, the strongest category. If Ida does become a cat 5 hurricane, it will be the first on record to have made landfall in Louisiana.

With Hurricane Ida intensifying over the Gulf of Mexico Saturday and barreling towards the Gulf Coast, thousands of fleeing residents clogged highways as they raced inland, and the New Orleans airport cancelled all of Sunday's inbound and departing flights.

A car sits parked on a levee close to New Orleans, amid fears the flood defenses could be overcome by Hurricane Ida

How similar is Ida to Katrina? Hurricane Ida shares some similarities with Hurricane Katrina, but it's size and wind speed suggest it could be a more concentrated, destructive storm... Similarities: Wind speed: Katrina hit Louisiana as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds. Ida will hit the city as a Category 4 with slightly higher winds of 130 mph. Timing: Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005. Ida is making landfall on August 29, 2021, exactly 16 years later. Differences: Size: Katrina was a larger storm, which means it was weaker and its damage was more spread out. Ida is smaller, which makes for a stronger storm with more localized damage. Angle: Katrina hit New Orleans from the south, but Ida is entering from the southeast, which will put New Orleans under the storm's strongest part - the northeastern quadrant. Infrastructure: New Orleans' infrastructure has been updated since Katrina in 2005, when much of the damage was blamed on the levee failures that allowed for extreme flooding. It remains to be seen how they will hold during Ida. Advertisement

On Sunday morning, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for Alabama's coastal & western counties effective at 2:00 p.m.

As of early Sunday morning, Ida was a Category 3 storm with whipping winds of 115 mph. It was about 145 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the National Hurricane Center.

But it quickly strengthened to a category four, with forecaster Sam Lillo tweeting: 'Ida is the furthest north hurricane on record in the Atlantic to deepen 50mb (millibars) in 24 hours or less.' Millibars are units used to record pressure.

Edwards said that the storm will be 'one of the strongest hurricanes to hit anywhere in Louisiana since at least the 1850s.'

It's predicted to cause heavy downpours and a tidal surge that could plunge most of the Louisiana shoreline under several feet of water.

'We're going to catch it head-on,' Bebe McElroy told the Associated Press as she prepared to leave home in the coastal Louisiana village of Cocodrie. 'I'm just going around praying, saying, 'Dear Lord, just watch over us.''

'We're not the same state we were 16 years ago,' Edwards said on Saturday, pointing to a federal levee system that's seen major improvements since Katrina swamped New Orleans in 2005.

'This system is going to be tested. The people of Louisiana are going to be tested. But we are resilient and tough people. And we're going to get through this.'

Edwards said 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged in 14 parishes for search and rescue efforts with high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters.

And 10,000 linemen were on standby to respond to electrical outages.

Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told CNN during a TV interview at 11pm Saturday that he's most concerned about how city's infrastructure will hold up and said the city's hospitals are already filled because of the COVID-19 surge brought on by the 'Delta' variant.

For those who will be weathering the storm were reminded by President Joe Biden not to forego COVID precautions: 'If you have to move to shelter, make sure you wear a mask and try to keep some distance  we're still facing the highly contagious delta variant as well.'

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell urged residents reminded residents during mid-day Saturday press conference that he local COVID surge has city hospitals at full capacity.

She called on those planning to flee from the 'life-altering' hurricane to 'do so immediately' and for those planning to ride out the storm to finish their preparations and shelter in place as quickly as possible.

'This is our time, your time, to prepare yourselves now. This is it,' she said.

'Check on your neighbors, your friends, of course your family, assist them when needed... in Hurricane Katrina, we learned that we are all first responders.'

The city's French Quarter had also begun to disappear behind plywood boards

New Orleans normally bustling Canal Street lay empty Saturday - with a CVS already boarded up

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Edwards had a call with Biden on Friday afternoon to synchronize federal and local storm preparation and response plans.

Also on the call was FEMA Administrator Deanna Criswell, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Julie Rodriguez.

FEMA is pre-positioning food, water, generators and other resources in the at-risk region, the president's office said Saturday.

A local buys plywood at a Home Depot in New Orleans on Saturday in preparation for Hurricane Ida

Canal Street in New Orleans stood deserted on Saturday night as locals prepared for Hurricane Ida to hit the city on Sunday

The city's famed Bourbon Street looked far quieter than usual, as Ida was forecast to hit on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Levees strengthened in wake of Katrina could be overcome by Ida Since Hurricane Katrina, the federal government has spent $14.5 billion on levees, pumps, seawalls, floodgates and drainage that provide enhanced protection from storm surges and flooding in New Orleans and surrounding suburbs south of Lake Pontchartrain. The system is a 350-mile network of levees, floodwalls, canals, 24 pumping stations and 99 pumps within the city of New Orleans - suburbs have their own pump systems. Levees are made from compacted soil, whereas floodwalls are erected from man-made materials, usually metal and cement. The National Hurricane Center forecasts between 10 to 15 feet of floodwaters in the West Bank area, which lies east of the main part of the city (the area is named for its position on the Mississippi River) - the upper range of that estimate would 'overtop' most of the southwest-facing levee walls facing the Gulf of Mexico in that area. The average height of the levee walls facing southwest, according to NOLA.com, is 14 feet. If forecasted flood levels prove true, floodwaters will rise over levees for the first time since the system was upgraded post-Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, over 50 levees failed throughout New Orleans, leaving 80 percent of the city underwater. The surge is predicted to weaken as it flows over the marshes and land of southern Jefferson Parish, shrinking in height and intensity as it moved further inland and toward the levees surrounding the communities near the Mississippi River. Exactly how much of an effect that would have, however, is not clear. 'Armoring,' a new strategy applied to the levee system since Hurricane Katrina, involves strategically planting grass and laying mats along the inside of the levees - this prevents floodwaters that flow over the walls from eroding soil at the levee's base, which could cause the structure to collapse. However, because water has never made it over the retaining walls before, this erosion-prevention system has never been tested in practice. Southeast Flood Protection Authority  West Region Director Nicholas Calli, whose agency oversees the levees, said to NOLA.com that he was confident that the system would work as designed. Authorities predict that the rest of the system, lining the Mississippi River to the north of the city of New Orleans, is not expected to be overwhelmed by high water levels. A surge of storm water, in theory, would be slowed and lowered in height as it flowed over the marshes and land of southern Jefferson Parish, putting the walls protecting the communities near the Mississippi River - it is unclear how much, however. Water that overtakes the levees would be pumped out by the same water pumps used to divert rainwater that falls within the levee's walls outside of its perimeter. Parts of the $2billion of drainage equipment installed since 2005 can pump out as much as 4.7 inches of rainwater each three hours, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Combined, the Corps said, the pumps have a capacity of over 50,000 cubic feet per second (CFS), or 400,000 gallons of water. Authorities urged residents on Friday to clean leaves and detritus around storm drains to prevent the system from clogging and, therefore, slowing the removal of water. While some of the pumps were built more recently, according to New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Executive Director Ghassan Korban, some are antiques. Officials tried to bring an electrical turbine online on Friday in an attempt to provide a back-up power source for less reliable pumps. Three of the 99 pumps are not operation, an obstacle that Korban said will be solved by the 'redundancy' of the system and its back-ups. Just weeks ago, on August 6, the Army Corps of engineers recommended $1.7billion dollars in renovations to the system to ensure that it will work reliably until 2078. Among proposed changes were raising the height of 99 miles of the levees, replacing over a mile of floodwalls and building an additional 3.2 miles of additional flood walls. Advertisement

Meanwhile, the president implored local authorities to reach out for federal assistance, should they need it, before the projected hurricane makes landfall.

'I need to know everything you think we need to do,' he said at a press conference just before 2 pm. 'If you haven't gotten the authority for it, tell me now, we'll get it done.'

'Thank you, thank you thank you, everything that you're doing to prepare for this dangerous storm is going to mitigate the impact and potential. Disastrous results that will [effect] so many people in the region.'

Terrebonne, Lafourche, Plaquemines, Orleans, St. Charles, Port Fourchon and St. Mary Parish all mandated evacuations for some or all of their residents, and New Orleans employers let their employees go home by 6pm so they have adequate time to seek shelter.

Ida was a tropical depression just two days earlier but it strengthened so quickly that New Orleans officials said there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of the city's 390,000 residents.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city did not have sufficient time to mandate evacuations inside the levee system, or to open up additional lanes of traffic, known as contraflow, to allow more people to evacuate.

An evacuation of that magnitude requires coordination with the state and neighboring locales so that inbound lanes on are highways can be converted to shunt traffic away from the city.

Even without the mandatory evacuation, traffic on Interstate 10 out of New Orleans was heavy or at a standstill throughout the day Saturday. Roads were congested as early as 4 am.

Reports indicate many more heeded the officials' warnings and vacated the area, but those who chose to hunker down in New Orleans and the surrounding areas along the coast boarded up their homes and businesses and made preparations.

The city's emergency planners - simultaneously traumatized and prepared for the worst by Hurricane Katrina - have promised a 'very robust, very quick, post-storm evacuation.'

Inundated with surrendered pets, Louisiana's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is also at full capacity, and will similarly transition to 'post-storm operations.'

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, 70 percent of homes were damaged to some degree, and more than 1,800 people died.

Ten to 15 feet of water is expected to collect around the mouth of the Mississippi River, the National Hurricane Center said, and lower levels of flooding could extend as far east as the coastlines of adjacent Mississippi and Alabama.

In the capital of Baton Rouge, Marvin Broome said he had no choice but to stay home because his wife is the mayor, Sharon Weston Broome.

The 73-year-old English teacher said in a phone interview he was stashing family valuables and important papers in a safe part of their home while Mayor Broome dealt with the city of 224,000.

Predicted storm surges were already happening, exceeding 6 feet in some parts of the coast.

Parts of Highway 90 that runs along the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast had become a choppy river, according to videos posted on social media.

Mayor Broome signed an emergency disaster declaration, and said her city had preemptively stationed sand and sandbags at eight strategic locations as the storm approached.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that FEMA will send nearly 150 medical personnel and almost 50 ambulances to the Gulf Coast to assist strained hospitals.

Terrebonne Parish officials also told everyone to evacuate, WWL-TV reported.

'If you can leave on your own, please leave on your own,' Parish President Gordon Dove said. 'We are the bullseye by every indication, of everything we have found.'

Heavy rainfall and flooding have already began to affect Mississippi ahead of Ida's suspected landfall.

Hailey DeLaune of Gulf told Reuters today that she and her fiancee spent Friday evening amassing provisions and boarding up the windows of his house in Gulfport, Mississippi.

'Hurricanes have always been part of my life,' said Delaune, a high school theology teacher who was born during 1992's Category 5 Hurricane Andrew. 'You just run through your list and hope for the best.'

Shelves were seen low on stock at a Walmart on Tchoupitolas in New Orleans, Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Ida on Friday. Breads, meats, snacks, canned meats, cases of water, chips and fans are in short supply.

Shoppers at Costco in New Orleans stocked up on supplies like bottles of water and toilet paper ahead of Hurricane Ida. Lines at gas stations flowed into the streets and an Exxon in New Orleans has already closed its pumps because it is out of gas.

City officials said residents need to be prepared for prolonged power outages, and asked elderly residents to consider evacuating. Arnold said the city could be under high winds for about ten hours.

At Governor Edwards' request, Biden issued a pre-landfall federal emergency declaration on Friday, which authorized the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to begin coordinating disaster relief efforts.

'Nobody was out there shrimping today, opening day of shrimp season,' said George Barisich, a shrimper, to CBS News. 'So that ought to tell you. When I got in this morning, late last night... about 75, 80 percent of the boats already left.'

Meteorologist Steve Bowen, head of global catastrophe insight at the risk and consulting firm Aon, said the area that was about to get hit is especially vulnerable, with large swaths of industries that could cause environmental damages as well as homes that still have tarps instead of roofs from multiple storms in 2020.

'It's not just the coastal impact. It's not just New Orleans,' Bowen said.

'We're certainly looking at potential losses well into the billions.'

On Friday, Ida smashed into Cuba's small Isle of Youth, off the southwestern end of the Caribbean island nation, toppling trees and tearing roofs from dwellings.

Jamaica was flooded by heavy rains, and there were landslides after the passage of the storm. Many roads were impassable, forcing some residents to abandon their homes.

Ida, the ninth named storm and fourth hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to exceed the strength of Hurricane Laura, the last Category 4 storm to strike Louisiana, by the time it makes landfall, forecasters said.

A satellite photo shows Ida over the Caribbean sea, just off the coast of Florida

Locals have begun to evacuate areas of Louisiana in Ida's path

Shelves of a New Orleans Walmart were emptied ahead of the hurricane, set to be one of the worst to ever hit the area

As the storm plowed into Cuba on Friday night, the National Weather Service warned that it shows 'no signs of weakening.'

'If Ida maintains a good inner core it will intensify quickly as it enters the Gulf. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THIS! If you are asked to evacuate, LEAVE or you're putting your life in danger!' the NWS asserted.

In another tweet, the NWS wrote: 'The time to act is NOW. Hurricane Ida is now forecast to make landfall as a category 4 hurricane. This will bring SIGNIFICANT impacts to Southern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi. No major changes to the track at this time, moved just a touch to the east.'

'Along with the change to a Category 4 landfall we also now have upgraded to a Hurricane WARNING for parts of southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Damaging winds are expected with Ida and could reach the coast by Saturday night.'

The agency said that a storm surge warning is also now in effect for the likelihood of life-threatening storm surge in some areas of southeaster Louisiana and coastal Mississippi - while a storm surge watch is in effect for the potential of life-threatening storm surge for outer areas.

In its biggest weekly gain this year, oil prices shot up by two percent on Friday.

As the storm tore through the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday and Friday, energy companies halted the production of 1.6 million oil barrels and airlifted workers from 90 offshore facilities on Friday and the storm ground through the site of 17 percent of the nation's oil production.

Hurricane Ida could hit New Orleans harder than Katrina because it is approaching city from 'even worse' angle on 16th anniversary of storm that killed 1,800

Hurricane Ida may pummel New Orleans with more rain than Hurricane Katrina and target more of Louisiana's industrial corridor because of the new storm's smaller size and angle of impact.

Ida's high wind speed - currently expected to land at 155 mph, just two miles off a category 5 hurricane - and threatened storm surges of up to 16 feet are drawing comparisons to 2005's Katrina, which left damage of $176 billion in today's dollars when it hit exactly 16 years ago.

The two storms' wind speeds are similar, but Ida's smaller size means it's likely to be a stronger storm that will cause more localized damage, as opposed to the larger, more spread out Katrina.

Ida will hit New Orleans at an angle that will put the most dangerous part of any storm - the northeastern or top-right quadrant - right above the city.

Ida's 'angle is potentially even worse,' University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told CBS News. 'It's not going to as easily create a huge storm surge ... but the angle that this is coming in, I think is more conducive to pushing water into the lake (Pontchartrain).'

Ida will hit New Orleans at an angle that will put the city under the storm's most dangerous part

A man walks down a barren and boarded up Bourbon Street as the city braces for Hurricane Ida on Sunday

A news crew reports on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain, a huge estuary above New Orleans, on Sunday ahead of Hurricane Ida

Cars drive through flooded water on Route, 90 in Gulfport, Mississippi on Sunday just before Ida made landfall

Pontchartrain is the large 630 sq mi estuary directly above downtown New Orleans.

Current Ida projections put its storm surge at 12 to 16 feet, lower than the 20 feet in parts of the Mississippi coast during Katrina, but Ida may bring in more rain, with estimates ranging from eight to 16 inches compared to the five to 10 brought by Katrina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

That dramatically increases the risk of flash floods.

Ida has now been upgraded to a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds, according to the Associated Press. Katrina hit New Orleans as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds.

Thankfully, New Orleans' updated and reinforced levee system is expected to protect it from the same fate it suffered in 2005, when images of people waiting for rescue on their roofs as their houses sat flooded beneath them were seen around the world.

The storm is expected to land tonight. Above, two women walk in New Orleans Sunday

Ida's expected rainfall of eight to 16 inches may bring a storm surge of 12 to 16 feet. Above, a man photographs the flood waters at the Port Gulfport Marina in Mississippi

Ida's strength will also be turbocharged by the warm waters of the 'Loop Current' in the Gulf of Mexico, and the crosswinds that weakened Katrina are not being seen for Ida.

'This has the potential to be more of a natural disaster whereas the big issue in Katrina was more of a man-made one' because of levee failures,' University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told CBS News.

The angle at which Ida is hitting New Orleans also threatens to target Louisiana's capital Baton Rouge and the industrial corridor between that city and New Orleans, known for its French and Spanish Creole culture, nightlife and annual Mardi Gras celebrations.

'[Ida] is forecast to track over the industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which is one of the key infrastructure regions of the U.S., critical to the economy.

'There's hundreds of major industry sites there I mean petrochemical sites, three of the 15 largest ports in America, a nuclear power plant,' said meteorologist and Weather Underground founder Jeff Masters.

2005's Hurricane Katrina, which was weaker when it made landfall in New Orleans exactly 16 years ago, killed more than 1,800 people and caused $176 billion in damage

Much of Katrina's damage was blamed on New Orleans' levees, which have been upgraded

'You're probably going to shut down the Mississippi River for barge traffic for multiple weeks.'

The industrial corridor is sometimes called 'Cancer Alley' due to the numerous deaths allegedly caused by the more than 140 chemical factories and oil refineries in the area, according to NPR.

'It's not just the coastal impact. It's not just New Orleans,' said meteorologist Steve Bowen, head of global catastrophe insight at the risk and consulting firm Aon.

'We're certainly looking at potential losses well into the billions.'


Jacob Blake says he was able to take a few steps during his son's birthday last week, a year after a police officer shot him seven times and left him paralyzed from the waist down while his children watched from the backseat of a car.

Blake, 30, says he was 'geeked' when he was finally able to stand in October of last year, and he even took a few steps on August 23, exactly one year after Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer Rusten Sheskey shot him seven times in his side on August 23, 2020.

'I forgot how tall I was,' he said in an interview with CNN.

His healing process has been slow, Blake shared, as he detailed the physical and emotional pain he's felt in the past year as he underwent months of physical rehabilitation and succumbed to bouts of depression.

Jacob Blake, 30, took a few steps during his son's birthday party on August 23

Blake says he's suffered depression and anxiety after a police officer shot him on his side seven times and left him paralyzed from the waist down in August of last year

He was able to stand up last October, saying his pain felt like his legs were sliding 'through a woodchipper'

'At one point it felt like someone was sliding my legs through a woodchipper,' he said. 'It's been progress every two weeks ... it made it easier for me to be like I'm healing.'

'I'm still going through a lot of pain,' he added. 'Last week I was up for three days straight, slept for a whole day.

'When I fall into depression, which I have, it makes my body hurt. I don't have the physical strength to be upset.'

He also reportedly suffered an anxiety attack during the Fourth of July weekend, going so far as calling 911 as fireworks blasted outside while he was with family in the Chicago area, which was going through a particularly turbulent period of gun violence.

'Before we even got to the 4th of July, the weekend was bloody already. I was watching all of my people dying.

'I'm hearing these booms [fireworks] and it's not scaring me because I got shot, it's scaring me because all of those people have gotten shot so every time a boom went off, I'm kind of imagining people dying.'

His shooting touched off protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin in August, after a summer that saw nationwide protests over other officer-involved shootings of black people across the country

Some of the protests became violent. Above, police stand near a building on fire in Kenosha

Blake said of the unrest: 'I didn't agree with what they were doing, but I understood'

Blake also described feeling dissociative as he watched protesters chant his name on TV as he was still handcuffed to a bed.

He was shot after officers arrived at his address following reports of 'family trouble,' according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Blake had a warrant for his arrest at the time of his shooting, and was struck by seven bullets after turning towards a cop while holding a knife.

'I can't really explain the feeling ... it was out of body. I felt like I was floating for a while, watching everything happen.

'It blew my mind that they were that mad about it, that people care about it, that they care about me.'

In November 2020, Blake was sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct and domestic abuse from a previous incident.

As part of the plea deal, one count of criminal trespassing and one count of third-degree sexual assault and domestic abuse were dropped, according to NBC News.

According to a probably cause statement from May 3, 2020, a complainant had met with officers crying, visibly shaken and dressed only in a nightgown.

She told police Blake woke her up at about 6am after she had come back from a party.

Blake was standing over her saying, 'I want my sh*t.' As the victim laid on her back, Blake, 'suddenly and without warning, reached his hand between her legs' and sexually assaulted her, it is claimed.

She told the police she realized her car and debit card were missing after he left.

She also said that Blake was unemployed and that, over the past eight years, he had physically assaulted her twice a year 'when he drinks heavily.'

At the time of the shooting, Blake had a warrant for his arrest for charges including sexual assault and domestic violence

The officer who shot Blake, Rusten Sheskey, has returned to active duty and has not been charged at the state level, though a federal investigation by the FBI and DOJ is ongoing

Sheskey, the officer who shot Blake, was placed on administrative leave after the incident but returned to work on March 31 after the shooting was investigated 'by an outside agency,' according to the Kenosha Police Department.

He returned to active duty in April of this year, according to CNN.

The officer was not charged at the state level, but the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin is conducting a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting with help from the FBI and the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division.

Sheskey's attorney has said that Blake was holding a knife during the encounter and that the officer believed he was trying to kidnap the kids in the backseat of the SUV when he shot him.



Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, killed two people during the unrest in Kenosha after Blake's death

He also injured one other person. He faces two felony charges and is out on $2 million bail

The officer heard a woman say, 'He's got my kid. He's got my keys,' the attorney told CNN last year.

Blake has decried the violence that followed his shooting, which left vehicles charred and reduced the Kenosha Department of Corrections building to rubble.

The unrest came months after the police shootings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd had already led to massive protests, some of which turned violent and went on for months.

'I didn't agree with what they were doing, but I understood,' he said.

His town of Kenosha, a town of about 100,000 people between Chicago and Milwaukee, became the site of another newsworthy tragedy when 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people, killing two of them, amid the unrest.

Rittenhouse faces two felony murder charges and is out on $2 million bail.

Blake said Rittenhouse's race may have played a part in how differently he was treated by police.

'That was like a kick right in the you know what,' he said.

'I was angry, I was furious, and I felt like I had every right to be.'

'For the reasons they said they shot me, they had every reason to shoot him, but they didn't. Honestly if his skin color was different, and I'm not prejudiced or a racist, he probably would have been labeled a terrorist.'
Arkansas' official poisons hotline has received four times more calls about a deworming drug being used as an unauthorized COVID treatment this year than it has over the last four years combined.

The Arkansas Poison Center has received 24 calls from people who've ingested Ivermectin so far this year, having previously received just six such calls in total between 2016 and 2020.

While ivermectin can be used to treat other conditions in people, experts say the doses given to animals is far higher, and should never be ingested by people.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved it's use for humans, but for parasitical infections and skin diseases - and not as a COVID treatment.

Ivermectin has not been approved to treat COVID-19, yet gained attention on social media after Republican lawmakers in Arkansas urged it's use for that purpose.

Ivermectin can be used in humans, but in much smaller doses than what is used for animals. The drug is a popular horse dewormer, though some are buying veterinarian versions of the drug for use in COVID-19 treatment

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned Americans it is dangerous to take ivermectin as a COVID treatment, although it continues to fly off the shelves

Large doses of this drug, however, can cause serious harm to humans if ingested.

Those who ingested the drug were reported suffering from gastrointestinal issues as well as neurological in some.

'Ivermectin can be prescribed off label for other uses, and that is a decision between a physician and a patient,' Arkansas Secretary of Health Jose Romero told KATV.

The Arkansas Poison Center received 24 calls this year after Ivermectin was ingested which resulted in effects relating to gastrointestinal and neurological issues.

On August 24, a warning was issued by The State Health Department to avoid using the drug as a way of treating COVID-19.

Dr. Marti Sharkey, the public health officer for the city of Fayetteville, said that the belief Ivermectin could be used as a treatment method came from a study that showed high doses of the drug did prevent COVID-19 from reproducing.

'We have a vaccine that is FDA approved that prevents serious illness and death, and monoclonal antibodies have been approved by the FDA for emergency use, decreasing the need for hospitalization for those with a high risk of complications', Sharkey told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

'We have tools that we know work. I do not understand why you would turn to a therapy that is not approved by the FDA, is unproven against Covid-19 and potentially lethal.'

Dr Howell Foster, Director of the Arkansas Poison Center, was one of the main public health officials to promote preventing Ivermectin being used as a COVID-19 treatment method

'The biggest takeaway is that veterinary products are not formulated for humans', Dr. Howell Foster, Director of the Arkansas Poison Center said.

'They are at really high concentrations because we are giving them to really big animals, and you need to be really careful with that.'

The FDA website said that an overdose of the drug can cause more severe reactions ranging from stomach-related problems to seizures. Death has also been listed as a possibility.

'You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously y'all. Stop it,' FDA posted on Twitter.

Dr Jose Romero, the Arkansas Secretary of Health, also made a statement as COVID cases in the U.S. South have continued to increase

The drug has also been used to treat prisoners at the Washington County Jail in Fayetteville which was criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union, even though the procedure was reported to be voluntary.

Dr. Romero told KHBS: 'What we're seeing across the south and not just in our state is that veterinary-grade Ivermectin is being taken by humans.

'There is an increase in the numbers of cases both in adults and children.'

'It has gotten to the point where it is important to make that public announcement that you have to be careful and not take that which is designed for large animals.'
The Western Australian healthcare system is already 'on its knees' despite not having a single Covid case in hospital, with officials forced to postpone half of all elective surgeries, the country's peak medical body has warned.

The government extremely strict approach to Covid - imposing lockdowns for single cases and regularly closing state borders - was intended to prevent strain on a hospital system that the Australian Medical Association said was already struggling to function.

AMA state president Mark Duncan-Smith said the drastically underfunded public hospital network will not be able to cope with any surge in coronavirus infections.

In a shock move, Perth hospitals have been instructed to halve the number of elective surgeries for at least a month from Wednesday, despite the state having no locally-acquired Covid cases.

It comes as Premier Mark McGowan furiously accused federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg of being 'in a Canberra bubble' and that WA 'pours tax revenue' into Sydney.

The Treasurer had suggested the resources-rich state would hinder Australia's economic recovery from Covid if it keeps its borders closed even when vaccination targets of 70 to 80 per cent are reached.

The Western Australian healthcare system is already 'on its knees' despite having one of the lowest rates of Covid transmission in the world and over a year and a half to prepare for rising, one of the state's top doctors has warned (pictured, Mark McGowan)

Members of the public are seen without masks in Yagan Square, Perth, as Western Australia continues life without Covid, lockdowns or any interstate travel

'The public health system in WA is on its knees. It's basically been chronically starved of funds for the last four years, and its capacity to deal with current demand is inadequate,' Dr Duncan-Smith told The Australian.

'This is not all of a sudden a problem. This is something that's been brewing over the last four years due to chronic underfunding.'

The alarming comments appear to be backed up by ambulance ramping figures for the month of August.

The combined total time patients spent waiting in the back of ambulances before being admitted to hospital in the state climbed to 6,000 hours.

Opposition Health Minister Roger Cook claims 1,030 hours of ramping time was normally considered a 'crisis'.

'When you look at the pressure that our health workers are feeling right now, without any spread of Covid in the community... it certainly does raise the question of to what extent has the McGowan Labor government used the benefit of having very little Covid in the community to their advantage,' opposition health spokeswoman Libby Mettam said.

Australian Medical Association state president Mark Duncan-Smith said the drastically underfunded public hospital network will not be able to cope with a surge in coronavirus infections if borders reopen in late October as planned by the National Cabinet (pictured, Perth residents are pictured at Cottesloe Beach foreshore)

Perth public hospitals in a shock move have been instructed to half the number of elective surgeries for at least a month to shore-up staff and capacity starting from Wednesday, despite the state having no locally-acquired Covid cases (pictured, Elizabeth Quay in Perth)

Mr McGowan has been outspoken when it comes to reopening WA's borders to the rest of Australia, with his ultra-cautious stance at odds with the Doherty Institute roadmap for reopening.

He's come under fire from the federal government for not fully committing to the national reopening plan, but after securing one of Australia's most decisive state election victories in March with 53 out of 59 seats, the Premier has been both rewarded and emboldened in his WA-first approach.

And he did just that on Sunday after Treasurer Frydenberg said WA's refusal to reopen would hurt the Australian economy.

'What they don't get in the NSW-Canberra bubble is that the industries in WA actually provide the economic strength of the country and the tax revenues that they pour into Sydney,' he on Sunday.

'They need to open their eyes a bit and understand that there's an Australia outside of Sydney and Canberra.'

The state now has 50 per cent of its population vaccinated against the virus but the figure still lags behind the national average (pictured, a healthcare worker in Perth preparing a rapid Covid test)

Treasurer Frydenberg (pictured left) said WA's refusal to reopen would hurt the Australian economy but Premier Mark McGowan said the Treasurer lives in the 'NSW-Canberra bubble'

A healthcare worker takes a swab from a patient at a drive-through testing station in Perth in June during one of the state's snap four-day lockdowns

The state now has 50 per cent of its population partially vaccinated against the virus, but the figure still lags behind the national average, with little incentive to get the jab given zero transmission.

'If we bring down the border and allow anyone from NSW in, we will get infections and then we will have to put in place restrictions. We will have our hospitals fill up and if it runs wild, large numbers of people will die,' he said.

'So if anyone says the national plan is to allow hundreds of people to die and wreck your economy, I think they're wrong.'

While WA has no locally-acquired Covid case it did have a scare on Friday when two truck drivers have tested positive to the virus after arriving in Perth from New South Wales.

While WA has no locally-acquired Covid case it did have a scare on Friday when two truck drivers have tested positive to the virus after arriving in Perth from New South Wales. Pictured: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth

The men aged 23 and 29 travelled via Victoria and South Australia and visited several sites en-route and in Western Australia.

They have since been placed in quarantine and none of their WA contacts have so far returned a positive result.

The 28 other infections in the state were acquired overseas and remain in hotel quarantine or onboard cargo ships off Fremantle.

Earlier this month Mr McGowan announced $1.9billion in funding would go the state's healthcare system along with a further 332 beds.

But critics Dr Duncan-Smith the move is too little to late and still won't be enough to cope with an influx of potential coronavirus cases.
A heavily pregnant woman who was found floating in Lake Michigan after she was stabbed to death has been identified as a 19-year-old Chicago woman.

Officials with the Lake County Sheriff's Office have confirmed that the so-called Lake Michigan Jane Doe is Yarianna Wheeler, a missing Chicago woman who was between six to nine months pregnant.

Authorities said she had several 'sharp force' injuries on her body, and her death is being investigated as a homicide as a result.

A full autopsy to determine Wheeler's official cause of death is still pending.

Yarianna Wheeler, 19, was identified as the woman whose body was found floating in Lake Michigan on August 15. She was between six to nine months pregnant

Lake County Sheriff's Office officials said she had apparently been floating in the lake (pictured) for seven to 12 days before being found, and could have entered it anywhere from the northern Indiana shoreline to the northern Illinois shoreline

The announcement, though, came nearly one week after Wheeler was found floating in the water, where she had apparently been for seven to 12 days.

Officials said she may have entered the water 'anywhere from the northern Indiana shoreline to the northern Illinois shoreline of Lake Michigan,' according to the New York Post.

A fisherman on the lake found her at around 3 p.m. on August 15, according to the Lake McHenry Scanner, and immediately called authorities.

By August 20, the Sheriff's Office released a sketch of what they believed the victim may have looked like before floating in the water for seven to 12 days.

Authorities released this sketch of the victim, leading to dozens of tips, one of which led them to positively identify Wheeler as the victim

The department then received several dozen tips, one of which led them to Wheeler, who was caught on surveillance footage entering a store on the last known day she was seen alive.

'When they saw the image, they knew they were on the right track,' Lt. Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff's Office, told ABC 7. 'From there, they were able to obtain dental records, which led to her ultimately being identified.'

Even though authorities have now identified the Jane Doe, the Lake County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in providing any information about a potential suspect in her death.

Just hours after Wheeler's body was discovered, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter found the body of a man, identified as 49-year-old Martin Mendoza, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, also floating in the lake.

Officials say it appears he drowned, and the two incidents are not related.
Australia's Erik Horrie has made history as the first Paralympic rower to win three medals after adding a silver in Tokyo to silvers he claimed in London and Rio.

Proud of his achievement, the 41-year-old Sydney father of three could also see a silver lining to being beaten for gold for a third consecutive Games, joking that it would save any family squabbles.

'I guess my kids won't be arguing who gets what medal,' Horrie said.

Australia's Erik Horrie has won a silver medal in the PR1 men's single sculls, losing to the Ukraine's Roman Polianskyi

'I've got the three kids and now there's a silver each.

'This one means a little bit more to me because it's my son's (Luigi) ninth birthday today.

'He was born when I was in London at my first Paralympics so this one certainly means a lot.

'I hope this medal will show him what the sacrifice is all for, and hopefully shows the kids never to give up and to believe in yourself.'

Roman Polianskyi of the Ukraine successfully defended his PR1 men's single sculls title, again denying Horrie.

Polianskyi led from the start on the two kilometre Sea Forest Waterway course to cross 12.04 seconds clear of Horrie, with Brazilian Rene Campos Pereira taking bronze.

Horrie made history, becoming the first Australian Paralympic rower to win three medals after his silver in Tokyo

Horrie looked like he would finish in third before lifting his rating in the last quarter of the race to move into the silver medal position.

'I'm honoured to still be on the podium next to Roman,' Horrie told Channel Seven.

'It was an unbelievable race, he rowed so much better than me today and took the gold but I've just got to hold my head high and go home with silver.'

Horrie said he was likely to go for a fourth medal in Paris in 2023.

Australia's PR3 mixed coxed four finished fourth in their final.

The crew of Alex Viney, Nikki Ayers, Thomas Birthwhistle, James Talbot and cox Renae Domaschenz set a Paralympic best time in the repechage but were unable to match the pace of gold medallists Great Britain.

Australian duo Simon Albury and Kathryn Ross missed a spot in the PR2 mixed double scull medal race but were runaway winners in the B final on Sunday morning.
Since Hurricane Katrina, the federal government has spent $14.5 billion on levees, pumps, seawalls, floodgates and drainage that provide enhanced protection from storm surges and flooding in New Orleans and surrounding suburbs south of Lake Pontchartrain.

The system is a 350-mile network of levees, floodwalls, canals, 24 pumping stations and 99 pumps within the city of New Orleans - suburbs have their own pump systems.

Levees are made from compacted soil, whereas floodwalls are erected from man-made materials, usually metal and cement.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts between 10 to 15 feet of floodwaters in the West Bank area, which lies east of the main part of the city (the area is named for its position on the Mississippi River) - the upper range of that estimate would 'overtop' most of the southwest-facing levee walls facing the Gulf of Mexico in that area.

The average height of the levee walls facing southwest, according to NOLA.com, is 14 feet.

If forecasted flood levels prove true, floodwaters will rise over levees for the first time since the system was upgraded post-Hurricane Katrina. In 2005, over 50 levees failed throughout New Orleans, leaving 80 percent of the city underwater.

A car sits parked on a levee close to New Orleans, amid fears the flood defenses could be overcome by Hurricane Ida

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway West Closure Complex in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, is pictured on July 13 of 2019

The surge is predicted to weaken as it flows over the marshes and land of southern Jefferson Parish, shrinking in height and intensity as it moved further inland and toward the levees surrounding the communities near the Mississippi River. Exactly how much of an effect that would have, however, is not clear.

'Armoring,' a new strategy applied to the levee system since Hurricane Katrina, involves strategically planting grass and laying mats along the inside of the levees - this prevents floodwaters that flow over the walls from eroding soil at the levee's base, which could cause the structure to collapse.

However, because water has never made it over the retaining walls before, this erosion-prevention system has never been tested in practice.

Southeast Flood Protection Authority  West Region Director Nicholas Calli, whose agency oversees the levees, said to NOLA.com that he was confident that the system would work as designed.

This forecast from the National Hurricane Center shows just how high storm surges could rise - with up to 16 feet forecast for the mouth of the Mississippi River

Authorities predict that the rest of the system, lining the Mississippi River to the north of the city of New Orleans, is not expected to be overwhelmed by high water levels.

A surge of storm water, in theory, would be slowed and lowered in height as it flowed over the marshes and land of southern Jefferson Parish, putting the walls protecting the communities near the Mississippi River - it is unclear how much, however.

Water that overtakes the levees would be pumped out by the same water pumps used to divert rainwater that falls within the levee's walls outside of its perimeter.

Parts of the $2billion of drainage equipment installed since 2005 can pump out as much as 4.7 inches of rainwater each three hours, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Combined, the Corps said, the pumps have a capacity of over 50,000 cubic feet per second (CFS), or 400,000 gallons of water.

Authorities urged residents on Friday to clean leaves and detritus around storm drains to prevent the system from clogging and, therefore, slowing the removal of water.

While some of the pumps were built more recently, according to New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Executive Director Ghassan Korban, some are antiques. Officials tried to bring an electrical turbine online on Friday in an attempt to provide a back-up power source for less reliable pumps.

Three of the 99 pumps are not operation, an obstacle that Korban said will be solved by the 'redundancy' of the system and its back-ups.

Just weeks ago, on August 6, the Army Corps of engineers recommended $1.7billion dollars in renovations to the system to ensure that it will work reliably until 2078. Among proposed changes were raising the height of 99 miles of the levees, replacing over a mile of floodwalls and building an additional 3.2 miles of additional flood walls.
A series of videos from Rikers Island captured violent scenes of inmates attacking prison guards - including one incident where one officer could not stand up after being brutally kicked and stomped on.

Violence among the inmates has increased over the past year as 'broken bones, stitches, and stabbings' have been reported by the officers, according to Fox News.

'We're working 25-plus hours straight, no meal breaks, the conditions of having gang members in the same housing areas  gang affiliated housing  we're being assaulted with impunity,' Correction Officers' Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio told the network.

Boscio also added that there has been a 23% increase in inmates with violent felony charges.

The New York jail complex has seen a 23% increase in inmates with violent felony charges

Correction Officers' Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio reported the unbearable working conditions at Rikers Island relating to staff shortages and the rise in inmate crime

The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a factor in the rise of inmates and the decline of working officers.

Due to this, the working environment at Rikers Island has been considered 'unbearable' as several staff members have left because of the inmates' behavior.

A compilation of surveillance footage clips obtained by Fox News has captured some of the attacks inmates have imposed on the officers in the New York prison.

The first video showed an inmate walking on the opposite side of a prison guard.

When the prison guard stopped, the inmate then launched himself at the guard as he began to punch him.

The guard is then seen tackling him to the ground at the end of the hallway.

The second video shows a similar hallway with a guard standing outside a row of cells.

One inmate leaves his cell and then jumps the guard but this time with the guard running the other way.

Another guard is seen running from the opposite end of the hallway as the inmate and a gang of others slowly approach.

The third video depicts two officers holding down an inmate with his arms tied behind his back.

Another guard is seen in back as he keeps watch of the situation.

Then out of nowhere, an inmate comes running from the left side and pushes into one of the guards.

The guard from the back takes control of the situation as he begins spraying an unidentified liquid at the inmate as he runs away.

The guard is seen telling the others to keep watch as he continues to spray the area, possibly as a warning to the other inmates.

One of the videos revealed an officer being kicked and stomped on by a gang of inmates and was seen barely being able to walk after the attack

The fourth and final captures the attack of an officer by multiple inmates.

The officer is first seen standing behind a table and chair as the inmates then rush in to punch and push him to the ground.

Each of the inmates seem to take turns throwing punches at the guard, with one jumping on the table he was sitting at and violently kicking him back to the ground.

After they leave, the officer attempts to get up but falls over, clearly battered and traumatized by the incident. He then manages to pull himself up and leaves the room.

The last bit shows the officer talking to a female one as he seems to be describing what had happened.

The resources available to the staff at Rikers Island have been slim as it remains understaffed, leaving the same officers overworked and continuously left with picking up the inmate's mess.

Federal monitor Steve Martin filed a letter to court on August 24 about the violence at Rikers Island and how it has worsened over previous years, according to The New York Times.

Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi has said that he plans to improve the working conditions at Riker's Island by hiring more officers and maintaining the safety of current employees.

'We have been taking extensive measures to encourage staff to return to work, to relieve those who have been heroically working extra shifts to compensate, and to make this an environment where any parent would feel like their own son or daughter was safe working or living here,' Schiraldi said in a statement to Fox News.

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio has been criticized due to the significant rise in New York crime over the past year

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio has been criticized for his lack of support during these events as crime has risen in the state over the past year.

Rikers Island was agreed to be closed in 2019, as pushed by de Blasio, and is now set for a closure date in 2027.

Felony assault has risen by 5.2% in the past year as 13,891 cases were reported in 2021 as compared to 13,202 cases in 2020, according to NYPD.
A missing 17-year-old girl is being desperately searched for by police, with worried family saying her disappearance is 'very out of character'.

Police are searching for the missing teenager, who was last seen near Dryandra Drive in Eagleby, south of Brisbane, at about 7.30am on August 19.

Police are searching for a missing 17-year-old last seen in Eagleby, a suburb south of Brisbane, on the morning of August 19

The young girl is of Caucasian appearance with a slim build, standing at 150cm tall.

She has shoulder length brown hair and hazel eyes.

Authorities are urging the teenager to come forward, with anyone that has any information about her whereabouts asked to contact police.
Hurricane Ida may pummel New Orleans with more rain than Hurricane Katrina and target more of Louisiana's industrial corridor because of the new storm's smaller size and angle of impact.

Ida's high wind speed - currently expected to land at 155 mph, just two miles off a category 5 hurricane - and threatened storm surges of up to 16 feet are drawing comparisons to 2005's Katrina, which killed 1,833 people and left damage of $176 billion in today's dollars when it hit exactly 16 years ago.

The two storms' wind speeds are similar, but Ida's smaller size means it's likely to be a stronger storm that will cause more localized damage, as opposed to the larger, more spread out Katrina.

Ida will hit New Orleans at an angle that will put the most dangerous part of any storm - the northeastern or top-right quadrant - right above the city.

Ida's 'angle is potentially even worse,' University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told CBS News. 'It's not going to as easily create a huge storm surge ... but the angle that this is coming in, I think is more conducive to pushing water into the lake (Pontchartrain).'

Ida will hit New Orleans at an angle that will put the city under the storm's most dangerous part

A man walks down a barren and boarded up Bourbon Street as the city braces for Ida Sunday

A news crew reports on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain, a huge estuary above New Orleans, on Sunday ahead of Hurricane Ida. The lake is expected to take in a lot of water from the storm

Ida is expected to bring less storm surge but more rain. Above, cars drive through flooded water on Route, 90 in Gulfport, Mississippi on Sunday

Ida's picking up warm waters, which fuel a storm, from the 'Loop Current' in the Gulf of Mexico

Pontchartrain is the large 630 sq mi estuary directly above downtown New Orleans.

Current Ida projections put its storm surge at 12 to 16 feet, lower than the 20 feet in parts of the Mississippi coast during Katrina, but Ida may bring in more rain, with estimates ranging from eight to 16 inches compared to the five to 10 brought by Katrina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

That dramatically increases the risk of flash floods.

Ida has now been upgraded to a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds, according to the Associated Press. Katrina hit New Orleans as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds.

Thankfully, New Orleans' updated and reinforced levee system is expected to protect it from the same fate it suffered in 2005, when images of people waiting for rescue on their roofs as their houses sat flooded beneath them were seen around the world.

The storm is expected to land tonight. Above, two women walk in New Orleans Sunday

Ida's expected rainfall of eight to 16 inches may bring a storm surge of 12 to 16 feet. Above, a man photographs the flood waters at the Port Gulfport Marina in Mississippi

Ida's strength will also be turbocharged by the warm waters of the 'Loop Current' in the Gulf of Mexico, and the crosswinds that weakened Katrina are not being seen for Ida.

'This has the potential to be more of a natural disaster whereas the big issue in Katrina was more of a man-made one' because of levee failures,' University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy told CBS News.

The angle at which Ida is hitting New Orleans also threatens to target Louisiana's capital Baton Rouge and the industrial corridor between that city and New Orleans, known for its French and Spanish Creole culture, nightlife and annual Mardi Gras celebrations.

'[Ida] is forecast to track over the industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which is one of the key infrastructure regions of the U.S., critical to the economy.

'There's hundreds of major industry sites there I mean petrochemical sites, three of the 15 largest ports in America, a nuclear power plant,' said meteorologist and Weather Underground founder Jeff Masters.

2005's Hurricane Katrina, which was weaker when it made landfall in New Orleans exactly 16 years ago, killed more than 1,800 people and caused $176 billion in damage

Much of Katrina's damage was blamed on New Orleans' levees, which have been upgraded

'You're probably going to shut down the Mississippi River for barge traffic for multiple weeks.'

The industrial corridor is sometimes called 'Cancer Alley' due to the numerous deaths allegedly caused by the more than 140 chemical factories and oil refineries in the area, according to NPR.

'It's not just the coastal impact. It's not just New Orleans,' said meteorologist Steve Bowen, head of global catastrophe insight at the risk and consulting firm Aon. 'We're certainly looking at potential losses well into the billions.'
Hilarious footage captured the moment a calf was captured riding in the backseat of a car in a Wisconsin McDonald's drive-thru.

Jessica Nelson filmed the incident in the Marshfield drive-thru as she sat three cars behind the Buick Sedan with the cow's face staring out of the back window.

'A WHOLE FREAKING COW!!! Tell me you live in Wisconsin without telling me you live in Wisconsin', she posted with the video on Facebook, a nod to her home state's famous dairy industry.

The caption on the video read: 'There's a whole a** cow in the back of that car.'

Nelson, of Mosinee, Wisconsin, was originally convinced the cow was fake and did not realize that there were two other calves in the backseat as well, according to the owner.

The owner, named only as Bernie, also said that the cow in the video was a calf as well.

'I thought it was fake at first. Who puts a cow in a Buick?', Nelson told The Associated Press. 'Then its whole head moved.'

'I just took the video of it because I was blown away there was a cow in the back of a Buick.'

Wisconsin woman Jessica Nelson captured the moment she saw a calf sitting in the back seat of a Buick on August 26

The video, which Nelson shared to Facebook, was filmed at the McDonald's drive-thru in Marshfield, Wisconsin as she sat three cars behind the Buick

The video became an overnight success after Nelson posted the video on August 26.

Nelson wrote: 'Wake up to 52K views. Over 2K shares. And at least 6 news sources have reached out to use my video.

'All because an old man drove thru McDonalds with a cutie cow. I wish I was able to give him all the credit. I just shot the video.'

Since the video was posted, it has received 215,000 views along with 344 comments and 2,000 likes on Facebook.

'Taking a cow to get a burger? Something is wrong with that', one user commented.

'Only in Central Wi!!! Bet they are showing at the fair!', another said.

'I hope he/she's wearing a diaper!', another humorously added.
An Austin police officer who is already facing murder charges for the April 2020 death of a black and Hispanic man is now facing additional murder charges in the killing of an Asian man nine months earlier.

Christopher Taylor, 29, and Karl Krycia, 28, were both charged Friday with first-degree murder and a third-degree felony count of deadly conduct in the fatal shooting of Navy veteran Mauris DeSilva, 46, who was reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis when he was killed.

Bail was set at $100,000 each, and both officers are free on their own recognizance and are on leave, according to the Associated Press.

The charges come five months after Taylor had been charged with fatally shooting Michael Ramos, 42, outside an Austin apartment complex on April 24, 2020. The death sparked widespread protests against police brutality in the city, nearly one month before the death of George Floyd.

'The fact that Officer Taylor was involved in two shootings in less than a year killing two people, I just couldn't believe that he was back out on the street and doing that,' Brad Vinson, an attorney for DeSilva's family told FOX 7 after Ramos' death.

Austin Police Officers Christopher Taylor (left) and Karl Krycia (right) were charged Friday with first-degree murder and a third-degree felony count of deadly conduct in the fatal shooting of Navy vet Mauris DeSilva, 46. The indictment came five months after Taylor had been charged with fatally shooting Michael Ramos outside an Austin apartment complex

DeSilva was reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis when the two officers shot and killed him on July 31, 2019

DeSilva, who grew up in Sri Lanka, reportedly had severe mental illness, and had been holding a knife to his neck and banging loudly on emergency exit doors when people in his condominium complex called 911 on July 31, 2019.

A lawsuit filed by his father, Denzil DeSilva, claims Taylor and Krycia knew he was experiencing a mental health crisis, but still responded 'as if this were the scene of a violent crime,' according to the New York Times.

Taylor's lawyers, though, argue he was protecting himself after DeSilva refused to drop the knife and came within three to four feet of the officer.

'What happened was undoubtedly tragic, particularly if it is true the man was experiencing a psychiatric episode, but in no way was this murder,' his lawyers, Ken Ervin and Doug O'Connell, said in a statement.

They accused Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza of refusing to let a use-of-force expert testify before the grand jury, and claimed he is 'waging a war on police officers.'

'Until now we have refrained from accusing District Attorney Jose Garza of waging a war on police officers,' they wrote. 'After today's two new murder indictments, we do not know how else to characterize what he is doing.'

Garza's office responded by saying that since January, 12 officers whose potential criminal conduct had been reviewed by a grand jury did not end up facing charges.

Jason English, a lawyer for Krycia, said in a statement to the Times: 'While we are sorry any time that a life is lost, we do believe that the actions were reasonable under the facts and justified under the law.'

Krycia has been placed on paid administrative leave, while Taylor remains on leave without pay as the Ramos case goes to court.

'APD respects the role the grand jury holds in the criminal justice process, and we will continue to cooperate with the District Attorney's Office on this case,' Police Chief Joseph Chacon said in a statement.

'To protect the integrity of the criminal proceedings in this matter, APD has delayed reaching any conclusion in its administrative review of the officers' actions.'

The two officers were previously named employees of the week for their arrest of a stabbing suspect in March 2019 - just a few months before DeSilva's death.

Krycia and Taylor had previously been named Employees of the Week for bringing a stabbing suspect into custody in March 2019

In a statement, Police Chief Joseph Chacon said the Austin Police Department 'respects the role the grand jury holds in the criminal justice process,' and has 'delayed reaching any conclusion in its administrative review of the officers' actions'

Lawyers for Denzil said charges against the police would help him heal.

'Due to the excessive force by Austin Police Department officers, Denzil lost a beloved son, and the world lost a talented scientist and researcher,' they said.

DeSilva grew up in Sri Lanka and obtained his PhD in biomedical and chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota, according to his obituary.

He completed his post graduate at Bascom Palmer Eye Hospital in Florida, and later joined the Naval Base at Great Lakes, Chicago.

He was posted to the Navy medical research unit in San Antonio and worked as a scientist until the time of his death, forming his own company 3D Printing and Advanced Robotics Solutions to create new medical technology using nanotechnology.

Eventually, the business was expanded throughout the world.

Mauris DeSilva obtained his PhD in biomedical and chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota and started his own medical technology company

But over time, his father said, he started to suffer from 'increasingly severe mental illness,' which Denzil said, the police knew about.

'The city of Austin has a long history of underfunding mental health officers in the police department,' Denzil's lawyers told KUT 'The city's failure to establish an appropriate mental health crisis response directly contributed to Dr. DeSilva's death.'

According to his lawsuit, DeSilva previously grabbed a knife and threatened to hurt himself in February 2015, when police responded and brought him to a hospital.

By May 2019, the lawsuit states, he required 'an emotionally disturbed person' intervention by the Austin Police Department, and on July 7, 2019 - just a few weeks before his death - DeSilva was committed to emergency detention.

On the day he was killed, the lawsuit claims, a neighbor reported to the police he was 'having another mental episode.'

The police department had a mental health officer on duty at the time, according to the lawsuit, but Taylor and Krycia, along with two other officers, responded to the scene instead.

They spoke to building workers, reviewed security footage and reportedly knew DeSilva was experiencing a mental health crisis when they took the elevator to the fifth floor with a building worker and found him with his back to them, looking in a mirror with a knife to his neck.

Taylor and Krycia reportedly shouted at DeSilva to lower it, which he did, then shouted, 'Hey man' at DeSilva prompting him to take a step in their direction.

At that point another officer on the scene fired a Taser at DeSilva and Taylor and Krycia simultaneously fired their guns, striking DeSilva in the chest.

He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Racial justice group Austin Justice Coalition argued Taylor should have taken more time to de-escalate the situation.

'This case has waited far too long for justice,' said Sukyi McMahon, the group's senior policy director. 'Dr. DeSilva was killed more than two years ago and the case languished until Garza started to bring police cases to the grand jury.

Dashcam footage shows officers telling Michael Ramos, 42, to get out of his car, lift up his shirt and turn around, which he did

Ramos was shot and killed by Taylor as he drove away on April 24, 2020

The death sparked widespread protests against police brutality in the city

A few months later, on April 24, 2020, Taylor went to the parking lot of an apartment complex after a 911 call asserted Ramos was sitting in a car with drugs and holding a gun while a woman sat next to him.

Dashcam footage released by the Austin Police Department last year showed officers responding to the scene, repeatedly asking Ramos to get out of his car and put his arms up, which he did.

The officers then told him to lift up his shirt and turn around, and Ramos once again complied - asking at one point 'What's going on' and yelling 'I ain't got no gun, dog.'

One of the officers then fired a bean bag at Ramos, striking him in the thigh.

Ramos then returned to his car and drove away as the officers asked him not to leave.

Taylor then fired three rounds at Ramos' car, striking him.

Emergency medical services workers took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Shortly afterwards, the Austin Police Department confirmed he did not have a gun at the time he was shot and killed.

Vinson, the DeSilva family's lawyer, said Taylor should not have been on the force at the time, as two days before Ramos was killed, he had requested evidence from the day DeSilva was killed, but was denied because the Austin Police Department said they were still investigating the case.

'No one can just sit on that,' Vinson said. 'I mean, how can they say that the investigation is still pending when the main officer involved is back out on the street with a gun in his hand shooting and killing Mike Ramos.'

Taylor's lawyer, Ken Ervin, said Taylor plans to plead not guilty in Ramos' death.
Mitch McConnell wouldn't say on Sunday whether he thinks Republican Governors Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis should reverse their bans on schools and private entities implementing mask mandates.

'Do you think that Governor DeSantis and Governor Abbott are making a mistake banning individual institutions, school districts, from imposing mask mandates?' Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asked McConnell as Texas and Florida lead in COVID-19 case spikes.

'You know, I'm kind of reluctant to give governors advice about how they ought to carry out their responsibilities during the pandemic,' the minority leader dodged.

'But I do think it's important to remember that 90 per cent of the people in the hospitals are unvaccinated,' McConnell continued. 'So the answer to this is: Get vaccinated. If we could keep saying that over and over and over again, I think that's the key to this.'

'This is a crisis among unvaccinated Americans who seem to be reluctant to believe that vaccination works. It does,' the Republican Kentucky senator said.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell deflected on Sunday when asked if governors of red states made a mistake by implementing bans on mask mandates in schools

'You know, I'm kind of reluctant to give governors advice about how they ought to carry out their responsibilities during the pandemic,' McConnell said after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (right) issued order banning the mandates

McConnell, during the same interview, said that Americans need to get vaccinated. 'This is a crisis among unvaccinated Americans who seem to be reluctant to believe that vaccination works. It does,' he said

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance that vaccinated people in high case-rate areas should return to wearing masks in indoor public places.

This led to many private entities implementing mask mandates and some areas  like New York City  requiring proof of vaccinations in order to participate in indoor activities like dining at restaurants or going to see a movie in theaters.

This updated guidance included recommendations that students continue to wear face masks when returning to school in the fall.

Abbott, governor of Texas, and DeSantis, governor of Florida, have both signed executive orders banning school districts from implementing compulsory mask wearing on students.

The two Republican state leaders say the decision should be left up to parents on whether their children need to mask up.

DeSantis also instructed his states' agencies to allow school vouchers to be used to pay for parents to send students to private schools if they feel their children are being harassed or 'bullied' for not wearing face coverings.

Both Florida and Texas are in first and second place respectively when it comes to case rate counts as the Delta variant continues to surge and breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals spike.

Florida and Texas are in first and second place respectively for the most number of new COVID cases as the red state governors refused to allow schools and private entities from implementing mask or vaccine requirements

Even Donald Trump has encouraged people to get vaccinated, revealing that he is fully inoculated against coronavirus.

The former president was booed during a rally in Cullman, Alabama this month when he said he recommends getting the jab. He quickly went on to say that people have the right to choose if they want the vaccine because 'freedom' is important.
YouTube star Jan Zimmerman is 'linked to rise in Tourette symptoms' among fans as they have started mimicking his tics and outbursts according to a new study.

The German social media star, 22, who hosts a YouTube channel that translates as Thunderstorm in the Brain, posts funny videos about his condition to his 2.2million subscribers.

Doctors at Hanover Medical School were initially confused by the growing number of young people reporting physical tics associated with Tourette's.

YouTube star Jan Zimmerman, 22, is 'linked to rise in Tourette symptoms' among fans as they have started mimicking his tics and outbursts according to a new study

But they soon realised patients were watching Zimmermann's videos, and had begun copying his physical tics, according to The Times.

The star sells clothing with some of his Tourette-driven exclamations, and patients had started shouting these, including saying 'bomb', 'you are ugly' and 'flying sharks'.

'Over the past two years, a remarkably high number of young patients have been referred to our specialised Tourette outpatient clinic with symptoms closely resembling the ones Jan Zimmermann shows in his videos,' the Hanover doctors wrote in Brain, an Oxford University Press journal.

The Hanover team claimed that the spread of symptoms among the YouTuber's followers was the first identified case of a 'mass social media-induced illness', and warned of more to come.

The German social media star, 22, who hosts a YouTube channel that translates as Thunderstorm in the Brain, posts funny videos about his condition to his 2.2million subscribers

They said that Evie Meg, 20, a British TikTokker, could be linked to a growing number of young British women displaying symptoms, as identified in a study by researchers at the University of Canada.

This comes after teenage girls are experiencing an 'explosion of tics' and Tourette's Syndrome triggered by anxiety and stress during lockdown, experts have warned.

Specialist clinics at Great Ormond Street and Evelina children's hospitals in London report that prior to the pandemic no more than six teenage girls presented with tics in one year - but now there are three or four referrals a week, The Sunday Times reveals.

Some young women have been turning to social media platforms for reassurance, but some psychologists believe this may be prolonging rather than helping symptoms

This is in stark contrast to the usual 200 cases seen by the clinic in a year, 80 per cent of which were boys aged seven to 12.

Tics are fast, repetitive, muscle movements that result in sudden and difficult to control body jolts or sounds.

A more extreme form, Tourette's Syndrome, can include shoulder shrugging and blinking, as well as vocal tics, such as tongue clicking, animal sounds and more rarely, swearing.

An article published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal suggests the shift has come about as a result of the pandemic and the mental health impact on young girls and women.

Teenagers have also been posting footage of their symptoms onto sites such as TikTok as a way of reassuring each other, though psychologists warn this may actually be prolonging rather than helping their symptoms.

While this has been reassuring for many teenagers, creating a sense of identity and breaking down isolation, it has also helped to prolong symptoms.
Former New York Times journalist and writer Alex Berenson has been permanently banned from Twitter after posting an anti-vaccination COVID-19 related tweet.

'The account you referenced has been permanently suspended for repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation rules,' a Twitter spokesperson told Fox News.

Berenson, who has long been a skeptic over the exact risks of the coronavirus, has previously called the pandemic an excuse for the government to overstep its boundaries in terms of rules and authority.

The 48-year-old posted a screenshot of the tweet to his Substack, in a post he titled 'Goodbye Twitter' shortly after tweeting it on Saturday.

'This was the tweet that did it,' Berenson wrote alongside a the screenshot of the tweet that got him permanently banned from the social media platform.

'Entirely accurate. I cant wait to hear what a jury will make of this.'

The tweet itself appears to fall in line with Berenson's past remarks when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, and more specifically, government mask and vaccine mandates.

Pictured: a screenshot of Berenson's suspended Twitter account. The social media platform permanently banned the former New York Times journalist for anti-vax tweets

Journalist Alex Berenson has been permanently suspended from Twitter over this tweet about COVID vaccines

'It doesn't stop infection. Or transmission,' the tweet read, in reference to the coronavirus vaccine.

'Dont think of it as a vaccine.'

'Think of it  at best  as a therapeutic with a limited window of efficacy and terrible side effect profile that must be dosed IN ADVANCE OF ILLNESS.'

Meanwhile, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention report that said COVID-19 vaccines are 'safe and effective,' backed by results from thousands of clinical trials.

Berenson began his anti-mask and vaccine mandate crusade last year, when an Op-Ed he penned for the Wall Street Journal claimed the pandemic had caused 'a new age of censorship and suppression.'

'Information has never been more plentiful or easier to distribute. Yet we are sliding into a new age of censorship and suppression, encouraged by technology giants and traditional media companies,' Berenson told the outlet.

Berenson, pictured, referred to COVID vaccines as a 'therapeutic,' and says he stands by his words

'As someone whos been falsely characterized as a coronavirus denier,' he wrote at the time. 'I have seen this crisis firsthand.'

The controversial journalist and writer also revealed an ongoing dispute of his with Amazon, who Berenson alleges tried to suppress his self-published books on the subject of COVID-19 and the ensuing response.

'Since June, Amazon has twice tried to suppress self-published booklets I have written about Covid-19 and the response to it,' he continued.

'These booklets dont contain conspiracy theories. Like the scientists who wrote the Great Barrington Declaration, I simply believe many measures to control the coronavirus have been damaging, counterproductive and unsupported by science.'

Berenson began writing for the New York Times in 1999 before leaving the newspaper in 2010 to pursue a career as a full-time author and novelist.

The Yale-educated novelist was dubbed 'the pandemic's wrongest man' by The Atlantic over his predictions about the virus.

He had originally predicted that the US would not surpass 500,000 deaths due to COVID-19. The country was at 637,000 deaths as of today.

Berenson had previously enjoyed a large social media following, with over 340,000 followers prior to his permanent Twitter ban.
The daughter of a British shopkeeper who was killed in the attack on Kabul airport is begging the UK Government to help bring her mother home.

Zohra Popal, 23, said the family feel 'ignored' by the Foreign Office, which she said has not made contact since news of her father's death was confirmed.

Musa Popal, 60, was pushing through the crowd trying to attract the attention of soldiers by waving his British passport when he was killed by the suicide bomber, it was reported last night.

His wife Saleema managed to crawl away from the carnage.

Their 14-year-old grandson, Hameed, who lived in Afghanistan and acted as an interpreter for his grandparents, is missing and feared dead.

Ms Popal said she fears for the life of her mother, 60, who remains in Afghanistan, and members of her family who she believes could be targeted by the Taliban.

'My mum, she has no documents now because my dad was holding everything when he died.

'She and the rest of my family are still in danger, and we still might lose them. And yet we can't get through to the Foreign Office.

'Their number is constantly engaged. We feel completely ignored.

'But we must get them to safety. I can't live without them. We need the Government's help.'

Musa Popal (pictured) was pushing through the crowd trying to attract the attention of soldiers by waving his British passport when he was killed by the suicide bomber, it was reported last night

Mr Popals' 14-year-old grandson, Hameed (pictured), who lived in Afghanistan and acted as an interpreter for his grandparents, is missing and feared dead

Mr Popal was among three British citizens who were killed in the suicide attack in the Afghan capital on Thursday. More than 180 people were killed in the twin blasts.

'I've never experienced pain like this. I feel like I'm falling to a thousand pieces,' his daughter said.

'Most of us haven't slept or eaten in days. I just want to hug my dad once more, and I want to kiss my mother.

'My nephew, Hameed Popal, who is just 14 years old, is still missing after the bomb. And now I'm really worried about my mum and other siblings being targeted by the Taliban.

'I don't think any of us could take another loss.'

Mr Popal, a British-Afghan dual national from Hendon, had been running the Madeena Supermarket near Brent Cross for the past 20 years.

Mrs Popal, who was watching from a distance, was uninjured, but their grandson Hameed, who was standing with Mr Popal, remains missing.

'My mother, she had to crawl away, covered in blood and pieces of people. She saw everything,' Ms Popal said.

'There was blood everywhere, she told us, and they were slipping in it when they were trying to get up.

'It was so loud that some of them are still deaf and can't hear each other. It was a living nightmare for them.

'Had we known anything like this would happen, we wouldn't have let them go.'

Pictured: A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the August 26 twin suicide bombs, which killed scores of people, at Kabul airport on August 27, 2021

A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of the terrorist attack which killed over 100 people outside Kabul airport

Mr Popal's grief-stricken son Hidayat said he had travelled to Afghanistan in June to see his family and children.

'Three of my sisters and one of my brothers live there and some of them have got married recently so he went to celebrate.

'We didn't expect the situation to get that bad. It's always been bad but we didn't expect this.'

'Our country has been ruined and people's futures taken from them, and their lives.'

Mr Popal's remains were found in an emergency room of a hospital in Kabul. Because of his injuries, his family in the UK were only shown a video of his feet and shoes. He has since been buried in Afghanistan in a ceremony attended by hundreds who knew him.

Judith Hirson, 67, a neighbour of Mr Popal in London, said: 'He was a friendly man and just really lovely. Honest and hard-working too, the whole family are.

'It's such a sad situation for everyone, especially those who knew him.'

Ms Popal, who moved to the UK in 2014, attended the College of North West London and wants to become a computer scientist.

She said her father had 'given us everything', was 'loving' and 'supportive', and had always helped her with assignments.

'I think of my 21-year-old niece Harifa, who was excited to go to university and become a doctor, and I am so sad. She's really scared now and with the Taliban she won't be allowed to do anything,' she said.

Mohamed Niazi, 29, an Uber driver from Aldershot, Hampshire, was also among the British victims of Thursday's attack.

His cousin, Ghulam Husain Niazi, from the same town, said: 'I was told he was shot rather than killed in the explosion.'

Mr Niazi had flown to Afghanistan to rescue his wife and children after the country fell to Taliban control. His cousin said one of Mr Niazi's children was in hospital.
The UK Government today said it had received assurances from the Taliban that anybody wishing to leave Afghanistan after August 31 will be allowed to do so.

British troops have already left Kabul and US military personnel will be out of Afghanistan before the August 31 deadline set by US President Joe Biden.

But there have been fears over the potentially thousands of Afghans who may have been eligible for resettlement schemes, who could not make it to Kabul airport for evacuation or were not processed in time.

Taliban stand guard outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that if the Taliban regime wanted diplomatic recognition and aid funding, they would have to ensure "safe passage" for those who want to leave.

And in a joint statement with the US and more than 90 other countries, it was confirmed that the Taliban had said anyone who wished to leave the country could do so.

The joint statement said: "We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorisation from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country."

It comes after 15,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan by UK troops over the course of nearly two weeks in Operation Pitting, which is believed to be the largest evacuation mission since the Second World War.

British ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had remained in the country and relocated the embassy to Kabul airport to process as many evacuees as possible, arrived back in the UK on Sunday.

He vowed to continue to help British nationals and Afghans who remain in the country and still need help.

Crowds of people wait outside the airport in Kabul in a photo taken on August 25

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said yesterday that 1,000 eligible Afghans and 150 Britons had been left behind.

Speaking on the runway at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, he said: "We've had to leave Afghanistan for now and the embassy will operate from Qatar for the time being.

"We will continue to stand by the people of Afghanistan, working on humanitarian, diplomatic and security work, and above all bringing to the UK Afghans and British nationals who still need our support, and we will be putting pressure on the Taliban to allow safe passage for those people.

"We will reopen the embassy as soon as we can. We will do everything we can to protect the gains of the last 20 years and above all to help the Afghan people achieve the security and the peace that they deserve."

Vice Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commanded Operation Pitting, admitted there was a "sense of sadness" that not all could be saved.

He said: "Whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we have, no matter how hard our efforts, we have been unsuccessful in evacuating."

He added: "There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short."

After official advice earlier in the week changed to advise people to stay away from Kabul airport due to the threat of a terrorist attack, ministers said anyone who could reach a third country could be processed and flown to the UK from there.

But there were concerns the Taliban would not allow this, amid reports of roadblocks.

Among those stuck in Afghanistan was the wife of a British shopkeeper who was killed in the terror attack on Kabul airport on Thursday.

Zohra Popal, 23, broke down in tears as she described the pain of losing her father, Musa Popal, and begged the Government to help bring her mother home.

She said the family feel "ignored" by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, which has not made contact since news of his death was confirmed.

British military personnel boarding a Royal Air Force (RAF) A400M aircraft ahead of departing Kabul Airport yesterday

Mr Popal, 60, was among three British citizens, including a child, who were killed in the suicide attack.

Mohamed Niazi, 29, an Uber driver from Aldershot, Hampshire, was also among the victims.

Ms Popal said she fears for the life of her mother Saleema, 60, and members of her family who she believes could be targeted by the Taliban.

In a video uploaded to Twitter on Sunday, Mr Johnson praised the more than 1,000 military personnel, diplomats and officials who took part in the operation in Afghanistan.

He said: "UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions.

"They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

"They've seen at first hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends.

"They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job.

"It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks."

Meanwhile, officials said a US airstrike has targeted a vehicle carrying "multiple suicide bombers" from the affiliate of the so-called Islamic State, Isis-K, in Afghanistan before they could target the US military evacuation at Kabul airport, officials said.
New strain has a mutation rate of about 41.8 mutations per year, scientists say

detected in South Africa and also been found in England and China

A coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa 'could be more infectious' than other mutations and have the potential to 'evade vaccines', scientists have said.

The C.1.2 strain, which is linked to 'increased transmissibility', is more mutations away from the original virus seen in Wuhan, experts at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform said.

The virus was first identified by scientists in South Africa in May and has since been found in England, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.

In their study scientists found the strain, which descends from the C.1 strain that was first spotted amid the first wave of the pandemic, has a mutation rate of about 41.8 mutations per year.

The C.1.2 strain, which descends from the C.1 strain that was first spotted amid the first wave of the pandemic, has a mutation rate of about 41.8 mutations per year

This rate is nearly double the current global mutation rate seen in any other Variant of Concern (VOC) so far.

During their study, researchers found a monthly increase in the number of C.1.2 genomes in South Africa, rising from 0.2 per cent in May to 1.6 per cent in June and 2.0 per cent in July.

This short period of consistent increase has also been spotted in the Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants.

Scientists also found 14 mutations in nearly 50 per cent of the variants which had a C.1.2 sequence.

While more research is required 'to determine the functional impact of these mutations', scientists warned the latest variant, which has 'mutated substantially', could help the virus evade antibodies and immune responses.

In their report, which was published in the journal Nature, the scientists said: 'We describe and characterise a newly identified SARS-CoV-2 lineage with several spike mutations that is likely to have emerged in a major metropolitan area in South Africa after the first wave of the epidemic, and then to have spread to multiple locations within two neighbouring provinces.

'We show that this lineage has rapidly expanded and become dominant in three provinces, at the same time as there has been a rapid resurgence in infections.

'Although the full import of the mutations is not yet clear, the genomic and epidemiological data suggest that this variant has a selective advantagefrom increased transmissibility, immune escape or both.

'These data highlight the urgent need to refocus the public health response in South Africa on driving transmission down to low levels, not only to reduce hospitalisations and deaths but also to limit the spread of this lineage and the further evolution of the virus.'

Earlier this month, a report published by Public Health England said that the C.1.2 strain was among ten variants being monitored by scientists in the UK.

In April, scientists found another South African strain  called B.1.351  had the potential to 'break through' the Pfizer jab.

Scientists examined 400 people who had tested positive for coronavirus at least 14 days after receiving one or two doses of the jab - and 400 who tested positive with no vaccine.

The variant was eight times more prevalent in those who had two jabs than none. It was seen in 5.4 per cent of people with two doses - but 0.7 per cent of people without any.

Scientists working on the Tel Aviv University study said their results suggested the vaccine is less effective against the South African variant - compared with the original coronavirus and the Kent variant.

The B.1.351 has key mutations on its spike protein which scientists fear might make it difficult for the immune system to recognise.

These alterations open the door to it being resistant to vaccines, which train the body to spot the spike protein, or natural immunity from previous infection.

Last month health chiefs spotted another Covid variant spreading in Britain, with 31 mutant strains now on the UK's watchlist.

Sixteen cases of the B.1.621 version of the virus  which is thought to have originated in Colombia  were detected by experts.

Public Health England insisted there was no proof it is deadlier than Delta, which makes up 99 per cent of all cases in the UK.

And they also said there was no evidence that the strain renders any of the vaccines currently deployed any less effective.

The latest study comes as Britain recorded a further 61 Covid deaths and 33,196 more new cases on Sunday, official data showed.

The number of new cases represents a 3 per cent rise on the new daily cases from last Sunday which stood at 32,253 while only 49 daily deaths were recorded.

Infections in the last seven days rose by 5.8 per cent on the week before, and weekly deaths jumped by 16 per cent.

This means the new positive test rate over the last seven days is 240,528 while the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test has been recorded as 797 - an increase of 110.

The Sunday figure for fatalities tends to be lower than weekdays due to a delay by some hospitals in reporting deaths.

Britain is currently recording about 30,000 Covid cases a day, which SAGE scientists fear will surge when pupils go back to classrooms next week. This time last year there were nearly 2,000 cases a day.
Ben Sasse said President Joe Biden doesn't have any plan in place to get American citizens and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal deadline of August 31 passes.

'The American people have a right to be livid about it,' the Nebraska Republican senator told ABC News' Martha Raddatz.

'There is clearly no plan,' Sasse blasted the administration. 'There has been no plan. Their plan has basically been happy talk.'

'Their plan still seems to be let's rely on the Taliban because the Taliban cares a lot about what world opinion thinks of them at French restaurants,' he said. 'It was a disgusting revelation of yet again no plan.'

'What we need,' Sasse said, 'is a commander in chief that actually has a big plan and a big way to solve this problem. President Biden has been repeatedly disconnected from reality.'

Senator Ben Sasse said Sunday the Biden administration doesn't have a plan to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies after the troop withdrawal deadline from Afghanistan on August 31

President Joe Biden participated on Sunday in the dignified transfer of U.S. service members' remains after 13 were killed in a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on Thursday

Sasse was one of the several lawmakers, from both sides of the aisle, who urged the president to extend the August 31 deadline for total troop withdrawal, which will also end active evacuations from the Kabul airport by the U.S. Military.

Biden and his team, however, have repeatedly said they will not extend the withdrawal deadline  while simultaneously trying to promise they will get out all Americans who want to leave Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said there are around 300 Americans left to evacuate in the remaining three days as troops have already started the withdrawal process.

Sasse's comments come as Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan assured on Sunday that the Taliban has promised to continue to allow for the 'safe passage' of American citizens once September comes.

'August 31 is not a cliff,' Sullivan told CNN State of the Union host Jake Tapper.

'After August 31, we believe that we have substantial leverage to hold the Taliban to its commitments to allow safe passage for American citizens, legal permanent residents and...Afghan allies,' he added.

But Sasse isn't buying it  especially as White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said for the first time on Friday that the administration cannot 'guarantee' everyone will get out of Afghanistan.

'People have died and people are going to die because President Biden decided to rely on happy talk instead of reality,' he said on Sunday morning.

On Thursday, 13 U.S. service members were killed in a suicide bombing by an ISIS-K member outside the Kabul airport as they carried out evacuation efforts.

Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (right) assured 'August 31 is not a cliff' and said the Taliban has 'committed to allow safe passage for American citizens' and allies after the deadline

National security adviser Jake Sullivan: Aug. 31 is not a cliff. After Aug. 31, we believe that we have substantial leverage to hold the Taliban to its commitments to allow safe passage for American citizens, legal permanent residents and...Afghan allies #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/HtFX3wHIEk  State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 29, 2021

'They decided to outsource security around the perimeter of the airport to the Taliban,' he listed. 'They passed a list of American citizens and America's closest allies, people who fought alongside us, they passed those lists to the Taliban, relying on them, thinking they could trust on them.'

'It was stupid then. It's insane now,' he added.

Sasse is referencing reports that the administration gave Taliban officials a 'list' of Americans and allies' names of which to allow safe passage to the airport.

This was slammed as a 'kill list', giving the Islamic militant group targets of U.S. citizens and allies still stranded in Afghanistan.

The Biden administration denied it gave such a list to the Taliban.

A former adviser to Donald Trump when he was president said that Biden is 'clinically insane' for allowing Afghan refugees to resettle in the U.S. after evacuating them from the Kabul airport.

'This is a double Biden disaster,' Stephen Miller said in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo.

'He got rid of the Trump plan, the Trump conditions-based plan. And now Afghanistan is a terror wonderland once again, with terrorists just running around doing whatever they want to do,' he continued.

Miller then raised his voice, saying: 'Have we forgotten so quickly the 9/11 terrorists were granted visas by our State Department?'

'Have we forgotten so quickly that all that blood was shed because we weren't able to secure our own immigration system? Now we're going to repeat these mistakes again?'

He then suggested that the president is now allowing 'every person in the world who is living under Islamic theocracy' to move to the U.S. as Afghan refugees arrive by the plane-loads at Dulles International Airport  which is less than 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C.

Also on Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham reiterated his call for Biden to be impeached.

'Yeah, I think [Biden's] been derelict in his duties as commander-in-chief,' Graham told CBS' Face the Nation. 'I don't think he got bad advice and took it. I think he ignored sound advice.'

'And this is Joe Biden being Joe Biden,' the South Carolina senator continued.

'He's been this way for 40 years, but now he's the commander-in-chief. He's not a senator. He's not the vice-president. These are commander-in-chief decisions,' he said. 'I think the best you could describe is dereliction of duty at the highest level.'

Graham also said Biden's actions causes 'the chance of another 9/11 [to go] through the roof.'

Several Republican lawmakers are demanding that the president face impeachment  and potential removal from office  for his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. Some are also calling on him to resign or be removed through the 25th Amendment.

These lawmakers include Graham, Senators Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley, Rick Scott and Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Andy Biggs, among others.
Dr Anthony Fauci has said advice for Americans to receive a booster shot eight months after they complete their COVID vaccine is 'flexible,' and added that he thought school vaccine mandates which force children to have the shots are a 'good idea.'

'We're still planning on eight months. That was the calculation we made. This rollout will start on the week of September the 20th,' Fauci told NBCs Chuck Todd on Sunday.

'But as we've said all along, Chuck, in the original statement, that's the plan that we have, but we are open to data as they come in.

'We're not changing it, but we are very open to new data as it comes in. We're going to be very flexible about it.'

The news comes as COVID-19 cases, and deaths, continue to spike, with 38,341,339 total cases reported as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Center for Disease Control reports a 7-day average of 142,006 cases for this week - nearly a three percent increase since last week, where the average stood at 138,087 cases.

The current 7-day average is a whopping 107.2 percent higher compared to the peak of 68,522 cases observed on July 20, 2020.

Meanwhile, the current 7-day average of new deaths, 864, has increased 11 percent compared with the previous 7-day average of 779 last week. So far, there have been a total of 637,000 deaths nationwide that were caused by the virus since the onset of the pandemic back in March 2020, the CDC reports.

Fauci added that the coronavirus booster shot is still pending formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as an Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee.

While Fauci maintains that the 8-month timeline is still very much the goal, he left room open for possible delays as health officials monitor data day-to-day

Fauci said it was a 'good idea' for schools to force children to get their COVID-19 shots amidst discussions on the booster shot rollout, adding that doing so would hardly be the first time

Both have offered guidance that booster shots - a third for people who received Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine, and a second for patients who had the one-shot Johnson & Josnson vaccine - be administered eight months after completion.

Many Americans, including those vulnerable to COVID who were vaccinated at the start of this year, have already begun to receive their boosters.

Explaining his current flexibility on the date range, Fauci added: 'The data has been collected and we should have enough data by, I would say, the end of September, middle to end of September, early October, so that those data can then be presented to the FDA to examine for the risk benefit ratio of safety and effectiveness,' Fauci added.

If anything, the timeframe for receiving the third booster shot could come sooner than expected, as President Joe Biden says following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Friday.

The two discussed the possibility of decreasing the timeline between the second and third vaccine shots, according to The Hill.

'We're still sticking with 8-months. We're not changing it, but we are very open to new data as it comes in. We're going to be very flexible about it,' Fauci said on Sunday

A medical worker in a school hall administers a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to a student of the Leibniz-Montessori secondary school, amid the coronavirus disease pandemic

Fauci added that the booster shot is still pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as an Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee

'The question raised is: Should it be shorter than eight months? Should it be as little as five months? And thats being discussed,' Biden said.

Meanwhile, Fauci said it was a 'good idea' for schools to force children to get their COVID-19 vaccinations amidst discussions on the booster shot rollout, while adding that doing so would hardly be the first time.

The chief medical adviser for the White House cited the growing prevalence of the highly-contagious delta variant, as well as the fact that students already need a variety of booster shots for school, as reasons to further vaccinate children from the coronavirus.

'I believe that mandating vaccines for children to appear in school is a good idea,' Fauci said Sunday in an interview on CNNs State of the Union.

'Weve done this for decades and decades, requiring polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis. So this would not be something new requiring vaccinations for children to come to school.'

Fauci, who has become a target of criticism by members of the GOP over the last year, told CNN that said criticism is 'just a reflection of the politicization of what should be a purely public health issue and its really unfortunate.'

The COVID tsar spoke as new research published in The Lancet Infectious Disease journal showed that the Indian Delta strain of COVID could double the risk of hospitalization among those who have not been vaccinated.

Those findings came from a study of UK hospital patients admitted with the virus, whose genomes were sequenced to discover which variant of COVID they had.
Israeli authorities announced Sunday a third coronavirus jab will be offered to anyone aged 12 and up, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett declaring that all citizens must receive a third jab to be fully vaccinated.

'We have to complete third doses for all of our citizens. I call on those aged 12 and up to go out and immediately take the third shot,' he said in a statement.

The announcement came following the success of the country's booster jab campaign which launched one month ago among seniors.

Bennett said a third jab slowed a rise in severe illness caused by the Delta variant among the elderly, prompting the decision to make a third jab available for the wider population.

'The third dose of the vaccine works,' he said, declaring that 'the increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow' following the booster campaign.

But the decision has drawn criticism from the the World Health Organization (WHO), which insists poorer countries should gain wider access to vaccines before wealthy ones offer booster shots.

Israel's daily infection tallies have regularly exceeded 8,000 in recent weeks, in a country with just 9.3 million people. 7,000 new cases were registered on Sunday, as Israel passed the one million cases threshold since the pandemic began

'The third dose of the vaccine works,' said PM Bennett in a statement, announcing that it was now 'available from age 12 and up'

Bennett said that with two million Israelis having received a third shot, the results are clear as 'the increase in severe morbidity has begun to slow'

Bennett has pressed ahead with the booster scheme as Israel's daily infection tallies have regularly exceeded 8,000 in recent weeks, in a country with just 9.3 million people.

7,000 new cases were registered on Sunday, as Israel passed the one million cases threshold since the pandemic began.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said there was no doubt that a booster shot was 'effective in preventing infection, and it significantly reduces the risk of serious and fatal illnesses'.

So far 2 million people out of the population of 9.3 million have received three doses, with Israel's coronavirus death toll standing at 6,950.

'The third dose brings us to the level of protection achieved by the second dose, when it was fresh,' said Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health at Israel's Health Ministry.

'That means, people are 10 times more protected after the third vaccine dose,' she told a news conference, where the expanded booster drive was announced.

The WHO meanwhile have condemned the rollout of a third vaccination, and have called on countries offering third jabs to help ensure that poorer countries are able to receive at least their first dose of vaccinations first.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month: 'The WHO is calling for a moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September to enable at least 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated.'

This sentiment has been echoed by Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London.

'Are our precious vaccine doses better used for giving a third dose to people who've already had two, or getting a first and second dose to people in the world who've had none, who are in countries where the next variant is going to come from?'

Israel was one of the first countries to launch a vaccination drive in mid-December via an agreement with Pfizer to obtain millions of paid vaccine doses in exchange for sharing data on their effectiveness

The announcement of Israel's booster jab rollout comes just two days after the Israeli Prime Minister met with US President Joe Biden to discuss the effectiveness of the third jab.

Biden said Saturday that US health officials are considering following Israel's lead on booster shots and making third vaccines available to Americans as early as September 20.

In conversation with Bennett, the President said: 'We're considering the advice you've given that we should start earlier.'

An Israeli study, which analysed 2.5 million Israelis from June 1 to August 14 and was published on August 19, found that those who were vaccinated in January or February were six to 13 times more likely to get infected than unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 in June, July, and August.

Israel was one of the first countries to launch a vaccination drive in mid-December via an agreement with Pfizer to obtain millions of paid vaccine doses in exchange for sharing data on their effectiveness.

President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Friday to discuss the effectiveness of a third booster jab in reducing instances of severe illnesses from the Delta variant

In conversation with Bennett, the President said: 'We're considering the advice you've given that we should start earlier'

On Wednesday, Pfizer announced that in an unreleased study, its booster shot provides a threefold increase of neutralizing antibodies.

The side effects are the same as those experienced from the second dose, which includes headaches, tiredness, mild pain at the injection site, and a fever.

The company is racing to get FDA approval for its third shot to ensure it can begin distribution in the US as soon as possible, according to Reuters.
A whistleblower has claimed staff operating England's smart motorways are 'petrified' of road users being killed following a string of computer crashes.

Three system failures in April meant that across hundreds of miles of motorway, the digital signs which inform drivers of speed limits or lane closures were left 'unusable'.

The signs, also called gantries, could not be changed along parts of the M1, M4, M5 and M62, leading an insider at National Highways (formerly England Highways) to warn that 'someone is going to get killed.'

The succession of computer crashes came as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was announcing the continued roll-out of the smart motorways - which see the removal of the hard shoulder in favour of a fourth lane.

If a car breaks down, the gantries will show a red X, signalling that the lane is closed - however the computer system crashes in April left staff unable to do just that.

Now campaigners, including one who lost her husband after he broke down in his car on a smart motorway, are calling for hard shoulders to remain in place.

The signs, also called gantries, could not be changed along parts of the M1, M4, M5 and M62, leading an insider at National Highways to warn that 'someone is going to get killed' (Pictured: The scene of a crash in June 2019)

Claire Mercer, 44, whose husband Jason was killed on a stretch of the M1 with no hard shoulder in June 2019

The whistleblower told the Telegraph: 'We have had enough.

'The system keeps breaking down, meaning we can't control our signs and signals on motorways, including smart motorways, in the North East, South West and Yorkshire.

'One day, we could not access signs and signals for up to seven hours. So, there was information telling drivers lanes were closed when they were actually open, and speed limits were in place when they actually were not.

'Control room staff are petrified because it feels like the whole system is a ticking time bomb.

'Some will quit and others will go off sick because we feel we can't keep people on the network safe. The system is broken.'

Dynac, the computer system controlling the signs and gantries on the smart motorways, has been dubbed 'Die Now' by staff over fears that further system failures could cause fatal traffic accidents.

'We call it Die Now because we are worried someone is going to get killed,' the source said.

According to a Freedom of Information request, two control centres covering Yorkshire, the North East and South West of England were hit by a computer 'bug' and server problem disabling digital control of signs for a total of eight hours.

This rendered the Dynac software 'unusable.'

The Austrian-made programme, however, did not fail - only the high-tech systems running alongside it, the Government insisted.

Claire Mercer's husband Jason died in Yorkshire after he was ploughed into by a lorry when his car became stranded on the M1 (pictured together)

Smart motorways have claimed at least 38 lives over five years: Here's what you need to know What is a smart motorway? Smart motorways involve a range of methods to manage traffic flow, most controversially using the hard shoulder as a live running lane. Refuges where drivers can stop are placed every mile or so. Variable speed limits are also used. How many are there? Motorways with sections where the hard shoulder has been removed include the M1, M4, M5, M6, M25 and M62. The smart network stretches to around 500 miles in England, with an additional 300 miles planned by 2025. There are currently more than 20 sections of 'smart motorways' on seven different motorways What are the benefits? Smart motorways are designed to increase capacity without the more disruptive and costly process of widening carriageways. But are they safe? Concerns have been raised about incidents where stopped vehicles are hit from behind. Highways England has insisted smart motorways are 'at least as safe as, or safer than, the conventional motorways they replaced'. But a survey of drivers by the RAC found 70 per cent felt removing the hard shoulder on motorways compromised safety. How many have died? BBC Panorama in January last year found that at least 38 people had died on stretches of smart motorways over the previous five years. What do officials say? An 'evidence stocktake' published by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last March stated that the risk of a collision between moving vehicles is lower on smart motorways than conventional motorways. But the chance of a crash involving a moving vehicle and a stationary vehicle was found to be higher when the hard shoulder was removed. An 18-point action plan included more refuges for emergencies and faster rollout of a radar-based system to spot stranded vehicles. Are smart motorways used in other European countries? The vast majority of motorway-style roads in Europe have a permanent emergency lane. Advertisement

Claire Mercer, whose husband Jason died in Yorkshire after he was ploughed into by a lorry when his car became stranded on the M1, said: 'The "smart" bit of smart motorways is not working.

'Our motorways need a real world back up plan.

'Software, firewalls and internet connections are not infallible, nor are drivers. We need a hard shoulder.'

There were 13,000 live lane breakdowns in 2019, on just 200 miles of smart motorway, equating to 62 breakdowns per mile.

It comes after four coroners raised concerns that scrapping the hard shoulder to create a fourth lane risks more people dying - with at least 38 lives being lost on smart motorways between 2015 and 2020.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said drivers who break down in live lanes are '100 per cent reliant' upon National Highways staff quickly signalling a red X to close a lane.

'It's somewhat ironic that on the day it was announced "smart" motorways were here to stay, key safety features of the schemes failed across hundreds of miles of the network,' he told the Telegraph.

'While contingency plans were carried out, losing the ability to set signals and warn drivers of the dangers ahead through the gantries will have set pulses racing in the control centres.

'Clearly staff are worried that if it fails again, there is nothing they can do but watch and hope.

'This only goes to prove that more emergency laybys are needed on every motorway to offer drivers a chance of getting out of moving traffic.'

Mr Shapps was promising fellow MPs in the House of Commons that he would make smart motorways safer with additional technology - all the while the control rooms operating parts of the network were tackling system crashes.

Across hundreds of miles, staff were unable to control signs and signals which are designed to save lives.

Documents show that a 'bug' in a firewall and a communications system failure destroyed all control of the smart motorway network.

An alert was sent out at 12.04pm on April 19 by the North East operations manager, warning of a 'Dynac crash', meaning 'no users can get signs'.

Emergency services were roped in to patrol smart motorway sections on the M1 and M62 to look out for any incidents - while staff not working that day were offered overtime pay and asked to come in and monitor the hundreds of CCTV cameras in the hope of spotting incidents manually.

By 3.10pm the issue was resolved. The culprit was later found to be caused by a glitch in the National Roads Telecommunications Services - a system connecting 30,000 roadside technology units to National Highways' seven regional operation centres.

That crash happened the day before Mr Shapps endorsed the extension of smart motorways.

Hours after his announcement, at around 12.30am on April 21, traffic managers in Yorkshire and the North East were being 'automatically logged out of Dynac', making them incapable of controlling signals.

They were able to log back in within 20 minutes but the signs remained unchangeable from before the system failure - forcing the operation centres to use manual patrols and to monitor CCTVs.

The manager later wrote: 'There isn't full confidence that the system won't failover again.'

It happened once more across the North East and South West at 10.23am the next morning - and lasted for five hours.

The manager wrote: 'Dynac was running very slow and all operators suffered an uncommanded close of the application. We have no ability to set, clear or amend signals at this time.'

A 'sensitive' crisis management report from April 22 shows operators saying: 'Slowdowns were... rendering the system unusable... and the application crashed... [it] is not restarting correctly... there is currently no signalling capability.'

The manager added: 'The underlying fault has been traced to a bug in the primary firewall. This is currently replaced by a secondary firewall which seems to be working satisfactorily.'

One controller wrote how the crash had 'impacts on customer and traffic officer safety in not being able to set signs and signals to protect live lane incidents'.

He said the 'major incident' created 'increased pressure on the regional operations centre and on road resources to react effectively to incidents on the network'.

Another report warned that the inability to change the brightness of motorway signs could dazzle drivers at night or be to faint to see during the daytime.

National Highways - previously Highways England before a 7 million rebranding project - said the Dynac system was not at fault, but the systems and servers surrounding it.

A spokesman said 'well-rehearsed' contingency plans were successfully carried out 'to ensure the safety of all road users.'

She added: 'National Highways recognises the pressures our employees are under performing vital tasks, which is why support systems and a range of 24/7 employee assistance options are available to them'.

'England's motorways are among the safest roads in the world, designed to be so even without the use of technology, while our traffic management systems provide an extra layer of support for road users, using a range of measures including CCTV and variable speed limits to keep traffic flowing safely'.

Jim McMahon, shadow Secretary of State for transport, said: 'It is staggering that the Transport Secretary continued to insist smart motorways are safer than conventional ones while such dangerous incidents were apparently unfolding.

'The Government has completely failed to take action to avert further tragedy  despite pleas from those who have lost loved ones and despite the smart motorway death toll reaching a record high recently. Ministers must give assurances that this will not happen again.'
The teenager who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail has become pen pals with a sex offender in another prison.

Aaron Campbell, 19, took little Alesha from her bed and killed her just a few days after she arrived on the Isle of Bute in July 2018.

A post-mortem revealed she had died from compression and suffered 117 injuries during the horrific ordeal at the hands of Campbell, then aged 16.

Her killer was jailed for 27 years the following February but this was cut to 24 years on appeal.

While locked up at Polmont young offenders institute, near Falkirk, he has since struck up a letter-writing relationship with an unknown sex offender in an English prison, the Sun reports.

Sources told the newspaper that the pair write 'almost daily' and that they are like 'best pals'.

Aaron Campbell (left) - who murdered Alesha MacPhail (right) - has struck up a letter writing friendship with a sex offender in an English prison with sources claiming they're 'best pals'

An autopsy found Alesha, 6, (pictured) suffered 117 injuries and died from compression

The news has sickened Alesha's family with her great granddad George Lochrane, 78, saying the family would be disgusted.

He told the Sun: 'The whole family would be sickened  especially Alesha's mum Georgina, it would send her right back.

'But it doesn't surprise me in the slightest  he's a beast and a leopard doesn't change its spots, does it.

'I'm just glad to hear the prison knows about it.

'But they shouldn't be monitoring the letters, they should be ripping them up.

'That evil monster shouldn't be allowed any pen pals. He should be suffering in his own silence and rotting in his cell.'

Campbell is currently locked up at Polmont YOI in Scotland serving a 24 year prison sentence

It is understood concerns were raised by prison staff and that the Met police are now monitoring their communications.

Alesha, from Airdrie, Lanarkshire, was reported missing while visiting her grandparents on the island on July 2 2018.

She was taken from her bed to nearby woodland after falling asleep watching Peppa Pig and subjected to harrowing abuse.

Her naked remains were found two hours later in the grounds of the former Kyles Hydropathic Hotel.

An autopsy found that Alesha had suffered 117 injuries and died from compression.

Her killer was initially not named due to his age but his identity was later revealed after a landmark court ruling.

Alesha was staying with her family on Bute during the summer holidays when she was killed

Jailing Campbell in 2019, Judge Lord Williams told him: 'You committed some of the wickedest, most evil crimes this court has ever seen.'

Legal sources described him as a 'serial killer who was caught on his first killing'.

The teenager was a heavy drinker and cannabis user who was addicted to violent computer games and obsessed with the number of followers on his YouTube channel.

His sentence was cut on appeal to 24 years after high court judges ruled it would be more appropriate because of his age at the time of the murder.
A horrendous blaze has broken out at a 18-storey high rise apartment building in Milan, prompting fears that many people may be trapped inside.

15 fire engines and over 100 emergency service personnel were needed to extinguish the fire which broke out around 5:30pm local time at the Torre dei Moro building on via Giacomo Antonini in the southern outskirts of Milan, home to dozens of families.

Every tenant has reportedly been safely evacuated and accounted for, but firefighters are conducting a thorough search of the building to ensure no one has been trapped.

Twenty tenants were checked on the scene by emergency services for smoke inhalation, but no hospitalisations have been recorded thus far.

15 fire engines and over 100 emergency service personnel were needed to extinguish the fire which broke out around 5:30pm local time

The fire occurred at the Torre dei Moro building on via Giacomo Antonini in the southern outskirts of Milan - a residential building home to hundreds of families

The Torre dei Moro is a residential high rise measuring almost 200 feet high, which was built as part of a regeneration project in southern Milan.

Authorities reported the fire has destroyed many parts of the building almost entirely, and a perimeter has been set up by the Italian carabinieri and fire service to ensure a safe distance is kept from the building's wreckage.

Nearby buildings have not been damaged, but the proximity of the building to a fuel distribution system and neighbouring houses has prompted further precautionary evacuations while firefighters complete their checks.

Milan's mayor, Beppe Sala, arrived on the scene after the fire to inspect the damage and ensure the safety of the tenants and firefighters.

Sala said that there had been no reports of any victims in the fire so far, but added that some firefighters had sustained burns in their attempts to extinguish the flames.

'They are carrying out commendable work, as always,' he said.

#Milano: in #fiamme un palazzo di 18 piani in via Antonini alla periferia sud. Decine le persone messe in salvo. Si sta verificando se qualcuno e' rimasto intrappolato.

Aggiornamenti @TgrRai @RaiTre pic.twitter.com/eoRxqYmHNG  Tgr Rai Lombardia (@TgrRaiLombardia) August 29, 2021

One of the building's residents told Italian news website ANSA that residents were assured the panels covering the building were fire-resistant.

Meanwhile, one of the building's residents told Italian news website ANSA that residents were assured the panels covering the building were fire-resistant.

We were told that the panels that covered the building were fireproof, instead they burned quickly like butter,' he said.

'The technicians will do a check, but I remember perfectly well that they told us that the panels were fire resistant.'

Firefighters believe the fire started from the upper floors, collapsing the windows of the building's facade and generating a column of smoke visible from miles away, but this has not yet been verified.

'It is difficult to make assumptions about how the fire started - it probably originated on the upper floors and it is not yet clear whether it started from the inside or from the outside,' said Sala.

'What the firefighters are doing is breaking down one door after another starting from the lower floors, in very difficult working conditions and with oxygen cylinders, to see if anyone is left inside.'
A 17-year-old who was hospitalised with complications from Covid has urged young people to 'take this virus seriously' and get vaccinated.

Maisy Evans, from Newport, South Wales, was rushed to The Grange University Hospital earlier this month after testing positive for the virus.

The schoolgirl, who has received a single coronavirus jab, was soon diagnosed with a blood clot in her lung following numerous blood tests, X-rays and CT scans - which doctors said was Covid-related.

Ms Evans, who is a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, has now urged other teenagers to 'take this virus seriously'.

The 17-year-old said she received her first Covid vaccine on August 11 but soon began to feel unwell and initially believed the symptoms were a side-effect of the vaccine.

But when she developed a cough she decided to take a Covid test on August 14 which came back positive.

Maisy Evans (left and right in hospital), 17, from Newport, Wales, was rushed to The Grange University Hospital where she was diagnosed with a Covid-related blood clot in her lung

Ms Evans then went into ten days of isolation and said during this time she was 'constantly tired and in pain'.

On August 25, the schoolgirl's mother called NHS Direct as her symptoms worsened and first responders attending to the teenager found her temperature, heart rate high and blood pressure were high.

With fears that Ms Evans might have meningitis, medics rushed the schoolgirl to hospital where a chest X-ray revealed she had small blood clot on her lung - which doctors said was Covid-related.

Ms Evans told ITV News: 'I've probably had every possible symptom. I've had the cough, the high temperature, the shakes, the sickness, the dizziness, the shortness of breath, the excruciating headaches, the body aches.

'You name a symptom - it's hit me. I even lost my sense of smell and taste. The breathlessness was one of the last symptoms to develop.'

Ms Evans, who also spent several days on oxygen support, has now urged more people to get vaccinated.

She said: 'This virus is not a joke for young people and those eligible must get vaccinated. Rest assured, I'm on the long road to recovery!'

She added: 'I'm 17 years old and I'm currently taking antibiotics, steroids, morphine and blood thinners.

The schoolgirl, who is a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, has urged other teenagers to take the virus seriously

'Please continue to take this virus seriously, even if you consider yourself generally fit and well like myself.

'I'm expecting to stay a couple more nights because at the moment I'm unable to regulate my own oxygen levels.'

Ms Evans, who initially feared she had meningitis or sepsis, has also thanked the NHS staff on her ward for her care and for 'treating her so well'.

She added: 'I'd like to take a moment to thank the fantastic staff at The Grange University Hospital for treating me so well!

'It's a pill almost as hard to swallow as the enormous amoxicillin ones, but I don't think I'd be here without the staff on this ward.'

It comes as Britain recorded a further 61 Covid deaths and 33,196 more new cases on Sunday, according to official data.

The number of new cases represents a 3 per cent rise on the new daily cases from last Sunday which stood at 32,253 while only 49 daily deaths were recorded.

Infections in the last seven days rose by 5.8 per cent on the week before, and weekly deaths jumped by 16 per cent.

This means the new positive test rate over the last seven days is 240,528 while the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test has been recorded as 797 - an increase of 110.

The Sunday figure for fatalities tends to be lower than weekdays due to a delay by some hospitals in reporting deaths.

Meanwhile, Government data up to August 28 shows that of the 90,641,097 Covid jabs given in the UK, 48,001,316 were first doses, a rise of 42,388 on the previous day.

Some 42,639,781 were second doses, an increase of 132,180.

The number of patients admitted to hospitals today has been recorded as 969 while the figure has reached 6,294 over the last week - an increase of 6.7 per cent.

It comes as a statistical analysis of vaccination data suggests millions of people missed having their second coronavirus vaccines by the time they were due to have them.

Figures published by the Government show that by August 18, a total of 1.4 million people who were due to have their second Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had missed having it.

For the Oxford/AstraZeneca intake, between 400,000 and 600,000 people also eligible for their second dose by that date had not come forward.

The latest breakdown of figures were published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency but taken from Department of Health and Social Care statistics.
A Bronx man was arrested for allegedly shooting at officers with a gun he took from his son shortly after he was killed in a standoff with police Sunday morning.

Charges are still pending for the father, 45-year-old Raphael Rosado, who was arrested shortly after the incident.

He and his son Michael, 24, were arguing with a group of people at 4.15am in front of 2080 Valentine Avenue, a block from the New York Police Department's 46th precinct, police say.

Michael 'brandished a firearm and fired several times' at the other group, Chief of Patrol Junita Holmes said in a press conference Sunday morning.

'It was more than ten shots I heard,' an anonymous resident told the New York Daily News. 'When I came to the window they still was banging, "Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop," it stopped then, "Bop, bop, bop.'"

The incident happened in front of 2080 Valentine Avenue in the Bronx at 4.15am Sunday

Chief of Patrol Junita Holmes, center, said the 24-year-old son later died from his injuries

Two plainclothes officers who had finished their shift at the nearby precinct and were on their way home saw the commotion and rushed into action.

They identified themselves and told Michael to drop his weapon, according to the Daily News, but he fired at them too.

He was then shot in the torso and would later die from his injuries at St. Barnabas Hospital after officers administered aid on the scene, police say.

As his son lay dying on the street, Raphael picked up the gun and began firing at the officers, police say.

Neither the officers nor Raphael appear to have been hurt.

The party they were originally arguing with fled the scene.

Surveillance video shows Raphael walking around the block and gliding between cars before returning to the scene. He passed the gun to a nearby woman and tried to get away, but he was ultimately arrested.

Video from the scene shows a maroon Honda Odyssey that appeared to have been hit by gunfire, with three shell casings next to the vehicle, according to the New York Post.

Raphael has around 60 prior arrests on his record ranging on charges including drug possession, assault, and weapon possession, a source told the Daily News. The son, on the other hand, had only been arrested a handful of times for minor offenses like aggravated driving without a license.

'That makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm really surprised, it's like it's not safe,' 37-year-old Joe Dumessi, 37, who moved to the neighborhood about a week ago, told the newspaper.

'Maybe one day I get up and go buy something in the night and something can happen like that.'
Prosecutors said in a proffer, according to CBS Chicago , that Long and a yet-unidentified suspect parked in a 2009 Saturn Aura behind Yvonne Ruzich, 70, as she talked to her stepson whose vehicle was double-parked next to hers.

A 17-year-old Chicago boy is being tried as an adult for murder after he allegedly killed 70-year-old Yvonne Ruzich in the last of a string of attempted carjackings.

Malique Long was arrested outside his home on Friday, then held without bail after he appeared in court on Saturday. He is accused of shooting dead the grandmother outside the convenience store where she worked on August 16.

Police said Long approached Ruzich's vehicle and began shooting without hesitation outside the deadly Hegewisch incident on Baltimore Avenue.

According to CBS Chicago , prosecutors have alleged that Long and an as-yet unidentified suspect parked in a 2009 Saturn Aura behind Ruzich as she talked to her stepson, whose vehicle was double-parked next to hers.

Long and the other juvenile, wearing head-to-toe black and gray respectively, got out of their vehicle brandishing guns and approached the two cars.

The gray-clad youth stepped between Ruzich and her stepson's cars with Long close behind. The stepson saw the suspect in gray and tried to alert his mother, telling her to drive away.

The boy in gray fired one round into the woman's car before the drove away, police said.

A second unknown youth then got out of the backseat of the Saturn and behind the wheel, the youth in gray got into the backseat and Long rode shotgun. Ruzich's car crashed into a bike rack and the sidewalk after moving half a block .

The three young men fired at least seven shots from a second gun into her vehicle at this point, police said. The victim's body was laden with four gunshot wounds, one located in the center-right of her back. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Between the spot where the initial shot was fired and the subsequent shots further up the street, detectives found two different types of shell casings. Long fired at least seen shots into Ruzich's vehicle after she crashed her car, according to prosecutors.

People are still searching for the two youths that took park in the alleged carjackings and murder along with Malique Long (pictured left)

'We know who were looking for, and you know, the community that does know who did this  if they could help us out at all, they also know, said Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan to CBS Chicago regarding the apprehension of the two yet-unknown suspects

The gray-clad youth stepped between Ruzich and her stepson's cars with Long close behind. The stepson saw the suspect in gray and tried to alert his mother, telling her to drive away

The three young men fired at least seven shots from a second gun into her vehicle at this point, police said. The victim's body was laden with four gunshot wounds, one located in the center-right of her back. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Before the group approached Ruzich, they were involved in the theft of seven other cars within a span of eight hours, police said. Long has yet to be charged for any of these carjackings.

At 3am, prosecutors said, long and one of the two other juveniles blocked the driver of the Saturn Aura they would later use to approach Ruzich. They drove away while the victim's iPhone was still tracking GPS inside the vehicle, leading to Long's arrest.

Long and another person were seen at a Citgo gas station on Michigan Avenue, where the pair bought rolling papers.

Papers found in the stolen Saturn have Long's fingerprints on them, police said - Long was caught purchasing them on the store's CCTV footage. A Chevrolet Equinox that was also parked at the gas station had been reported stolen at 2 am.

At 2:25 am, the group tried unsuccessfully to steal a Nissan Altima - one suspect in all gray and the other in all black told the cars passengers to get out, but instead the driver peeled away and the group fired their guns at the car's tailgate.

At 3am, prosecutors said, long and one of the two other juveniles blocked the driver of the Saturn Aura they would later use to approach Ruzich. They drove away while the victim's iPhone was still tracking GPS inside the vehicle, leading to Long's arrest

Soon after at 2:37 am, two young men in black robbed a man of his 2009 Chevrolet Traverse at gunpoint. This vehicle had the owner's temporary ID inside.

The location records of the earlier victim's iPhone show that the group arrived at 1111 May Street in Hammond, which prosecutors said is Long's family home.

Long has one daughter and lives with his mother, police said. He attended Hammond High School and was raised as a foster child.

Ruzich's friends and family rejoiced when Long's capture was announced on Friday.

'Everybody just clapped and stood up. It as unbelievable,' said the late Ruzich's boyfriend Phillip Mcgivney.

Police are calling upon the public to help find the other two young men involved in the killing and earlier thefts.

'We know who were looking for, and you know, the community that does know who did this  if they could help us out at all, they also know, said Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan to CBS Chicago.

Long will appear for a preliminary hearing in court on Tuesday, August 31.

Theft, murders, shooting incidents and sexual assaults are all up in the city, according to police statistics

The killing comes as theft, murders, shooting incidents and sexual assaults are all up in the city, according to police statistics.

Thefts are up 10 percent over the same period last year, with 7,086 recorded in 2021 compared to 6,466 in 2020.

Murders meanwhile saw a 4 percent jump, with 499 recorded so far in 2021 compared to 480 in the same period last year.

Shootings also jumped with 2,198 recorded in 2021 compared to 1,968 last year, a 12 percent increase.

Rapes saw the most dramatic spike of 22 percent, with 1,281 recorded in 2021 compared to 1,052 last year.
A former rapper who was deported to Belize after opening fire at a New York club during a night out with P Diddy and Jennifer Lopez has returned to the United States as a politician 10 years on.

Once a rising hip hop star and prodigy of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Jamal 'Shyne' Barrow seemed to have faded into obscurity after he was arrested for a shooting in a midtown Manhattan night club and deported to his home country of Belize.

But now, more than 10 years later, Barrow is back in the United States - no longer as a convicted felon or a hip hop star, but instead as the leader of Belize's opposition party trying to improve relations between the two countries.

He met with United States representatives from New York as he walked the halls of Congress this month, a free man, and even reconciled with his former mentor, Combs.

Barrow is pictured after being arrested over a shooting incident which later saw him deported to Belize

Jamal 'Shyne' Barrow was on his way to stardom in 1999 when he was arrested in connection with a shooting at a New York City nightclub. He is seen here leaving Manhattan Supreme Court in March 2001

Born Jamal Michael Barrow in Belize City in 1978 - three years before the country gained independence - Barrow moved to the Big Apple in the mid-1980s while his father, Dean Barrow, served on the Belize City Council.

Both the Barrows had a big year in 1998, with Dean becoming the Belize House of Representatives' opposition leader.

He took control of the weak conservative coalition known as the United Democratic Party, according to Slate, while Shyne met Combs - then going by the moniker 'Puff Daddy' - and was offered a generous record label.

Combs was on his way to stardom in December 1999, having just released his self-titled debut album, which he decided to celebrate with Combs and Combs' then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez at Club New York.

But Puff accidentally bumped into Brooklynite Matthew 'Scar' Allen and spilled his drink, leading to a heated argument that ended with a wad of cash being thrown in Puff Daddy's face.

Eventually, shots rang out and three people were injured.

Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs was also arrested, but was acquitted. Barrow, seen second from right, was charged with 10 years in prison

JLo, Puff and his body guard quickly fled the scene, but were pulled over for running a red light and arrested for storing a gun in the getaway car.

Combs was then charged in the shooting, but was later acquitted, while Barrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison on assault and weapons charges. He has said he was defending himself, a stance he still maintains, according to the New York Daily News. Lopez did not face any charges over the scandal, but split up with Combs shortly afterwards.

By 2003, Barrow was dropped from Combs' Bad Boy Records, and one year later, Barrow publicly said Combs betrayed him.

Still, he continued producing music while in prison - collaborating with Lil Wayne and Orthodox Jewish rapper Matisyahu and dissing Puff Daddy in multiple lyrics - and even converted to Orthodox Judaism himself, taking the name Moses Michael Levi Barrow.

He was released in 2009, but was promptly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and sent back to Belize 'for an immigration law violation,' Slate reports.

By then, though, his father led the UDP to a victory in the 2008 elections and became the Caribbean country's first black prime minister.

In April 2010, Dean appointed his son as the country's 'musical goodwill ambassador,' causing some controversy, until Barrow started organizing events for the benefit of artists and established new music institutions stocked with instruments he donated himself.

He also continued to make music, participating in a Bad Boy Reunion Show in Brooklyn from his home in Belize in 2016 via a livestream broadcast. Local media in the area praised him at the time for 'bringing even more attention to Belize.'

In 2018, Barrow kicked off a House campaign, and earned the support of rapper Fat Joe and even his former enemy, Combs, now going by the name 'Diddy.'

He won the election in November 2020 with 53 percent of the vote, Slate reports, and ousted the UDP leader, Patrick Faber, who had gotten in trouble after a video surfaced of him raging against the mother of his 2-year-old daughter - and the rapper formerly known as Shyne became the party leader.

Shyne converted to Orthodox Judaism while he was in prison, and has since visited Israel

He is now back in the United States - but this time as an ambassador for Belize. He is pictured here at the 40/40 club in New York Cityon Saturday with Jay-Z and Rudy Gay

Diddy & Shyne link up pic.twitter.com/sTQM3RXc6P  Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) August 26, 2021

This month, he returned to the United States a seemingly new man than when he left.

He met up with Combs on August 25, and in a video posted to social media Combs said: 'I'm in my bag right now, crazy, I got my brother here, the leader of the opposition in Belize, my brother Shyne.'

Barrow said the two had an 'understanding after speaking over the phone' in 2012 and planned to meet in the future, according to Hot 97.

He also sought to improve relations between the United States and Belize while he was here, the Daily News reports, meeting with Congressman Gregory Meeks, of Queens, and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, of New York City.

'I'm on official duty,' he told the Daily News. 'I'm very focused on making connections that will benefit Belize in the immediate and long term.'

He said he is focused on boosting tourism to his home country and improving the lives of 'marginalized and disenfranchised youth who have been condemned.'

'I don't think any of us can be where we are without going through the process,' said Barrow, now 42. 'Some of our processes are different. Some of our pain is different.

'I thought I'd be a billionaire rap superstar entertainer and that was going to be the way I helped Belize,' he said. 'But the architect of the universe had a different design.'

Barrow added that he has 'always been a leader' and 'concerned about people,' even going back to that debut album in which he raps about building schools rather than prisons. The album went platinum despite his arrest.

'I was always very conscious of dilemmas facing inner-city youth and families,' he said. 'I was using my platform to call attention to that.

'People would focus on the obscene language and the violence, but I was always aware and conscious to use my platform to be a voice for the voiceless.

'I'm not going to be the 19-year-old child I was,' he concluded. 'I'm going to be a better version of myself. I've become who I always wanted to be.'
President Joe Biden snapped at a reporter who tried to ask him about security at Kabul airport on Sunday after spending much of the day paying tribute to 13 fallen service members killed in Afghanistan.

He is under intense pressure to defend his handling of the rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces after 20 years of conflict.

And it showed later in the day after returning to Washington, D.C., where he delivered a pep talk to staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency as Hurricane Ida battered Louisiana.

'I'm not supposed to take any questions, but go ahead,' he said as he turned to the travelling press pool.

'On Afghanistan...' said a reporter before he cut him off.

He snapped: 'I'm not going to answer Afghanistan now.'

The president turned away from the press pool to talk to FEMA staff as the reporter continued with a question about whether he still believed 'there was an extreme risk at the airport.'

After an emotional day meeting relatives of the 13 troops killed by an ISIS-K suicide bomber in Kabul, President Biden returned to Washington to visit the FEMA headquarters

It was a telling moment towards the end of a long day.

Earlier he had landed beneath a slate sky in Delaware at the air base that hosts what the military calls 'dignified transfers.'

It was the sort of grief-laden day he wanted to consign to history by ending the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

But instead he and the first lady spent the first part of the morning meeting privately with the families of the fallen.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31 and ran from east to west, Massachussets to California. Five were 20, babies when Al Qaeda launched their attacks.

Several of the families have been critical of Biden, questioning his decision to send them to Kabul while such a chaotic departure was under way.

Their grief was hidden at Dover air base - they were shielded from view - but audible. Keening wails of pain could be heard as the second body, in a 'transfer case' draped in a flag, were carried by a Marine guard from a C-17 plane to a transfer vehicle.

Biden stood solemnly, hand on heart, as body after body was carried past him.

President Joe Biden attended on Sunday the dignified transfer of the remains of service members killed in the Kabul airport attack

The remains were transported and unloaded from a C-17 Globemaster plane

Left to right: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo

Marines Corps Corporals left to right: Daegan W. Page, Hunter Lopez, Humberto A. Sanchez

Marine Corps Lance Corporals left to right: Kareem M. Nikoui, Dylan R. Merola, Rylee J. McCollum, Jared M. Schmitz

His eyes fixed on each transfer case as it move from plane to van, first lady Jill Biden beside him. From time to time he bowed his head as if in silent prayer.

The only other sounds were the quiet commands of honor guards in battle dress and white gloves who carried the cases, and the hum of the C-17 aircraft.

'The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others,' he said in a statement a day earlier.

'Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.'

Their deaths, killed by an ISIS-K suicide bomber on Thursday, as they protected an airlift of Americans and vulnerable Afghans, brought into stark focus the risks of ending the U.S. war in Afghanistan and the potential political cost to Biden.

The withdrawal of U.S. forces allowed the Taliban to regain power, after an almost 20-year war and the cost of 2,400 American military lives.

International allies have openly accused the president of blindsiding them with his rush to exit by August 31.

And his handling of the crisis - blaming Afghan troops for failing to fight the Taliban and his predecessor's peace deal with the enemy - triggered withering criticism from all sides at home.

Parts of a destroyed vehicle are seen inside a house after U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. A U.S. drone strike destroyed a vehicle carrying "multiple suicide bombers" from Afghanistan's Islamic State affiliate on Sunday before they could attack the ongoing military evacuation at Kabul's international airport, American officials said

But there was nothing worse than the verdict of a grieving mother.

'[He was] getting ready to come home from freaking Jordan to be with his wife to watch the birth of his son,' Kathy McCollum said in a radio interview on Friday of her 20-year-old late son Rylee. '

'And that feckless, dementia ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die.'

Risks remain. On Sunday, a U.S. drone strike blew up a vehicle carrying 'multiple suicide bombers' in Kabul, according to U.S. officials, before they could launch another attack on the airport.

It was the second strike carried out since the airport bombing, following an attack the Pentagon said killed an ISIS-K facilitator and a planner.

Biden flew back to Washington DC on Sunday afternoon for a FEMA briefing on Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana.

He began his remarks by saying that he had just come from Dover.

'We met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in their service of our country and while we're praying for the best in Louisiana, let's keep them in our prayers as well,' he said.

And he urged people in the path of the storm to seek safety.

'This is going to be a devastating devastating hurricane, a life threatening storm,' he said.

'So please, all you folks, and in Mississippi and Louisiana, Mississippi and God knows, maybe even further east, take precautions.'
Less than half of patients see their GP face-to-face in parts of the country, shocking figures reveal.

As the NHS struggles to cope with the backlog caused by the pandemic, in some areas one in ten people are having to wait three weeks for any GP appointment  face-to-face or virtual.

Before the Covid-19 crisis, 80 per cent of consultations with a family doctor in England took place in person.

But data from the House of Commons Library shows that no part of the country now reaches that level.

Shocking new figures have revealed in some parts of the country less than half of patients are seeing the GP face to face when they make appointments as the NHS deals with Covid backlog

'My husband died after being denied face to face GP appointment' By Alex Ward for the Daily Mail Taxi driver Peter King and his wife Lisa The wife of a retired taxi driver who died after he was denied a face-to-face GP appointment says he would still be alive if doctors had seen him. In July last year Peter King, 62, from Brentwood, Essex, complained of pain in his stomach. His wife Lisa, 55, emailed their GP asking for a face-to-face appointment because she was worried it was cancer. After a telephone appointment, Mr Kings GP said he had acid reflux and prescribed medication, telling him to call back in a week if it had not improved. Mr King was taken to hospital six days later and doctors found a gallstone in his bile duct. He was discharged after doctors removed the gallstone, but had developed a severe infection and required regular check-ups. The delay in treatment and going in to hospital saw Mr Kings iron levels rise and damage his heart. He had a heart attack four weeks after leaving hospital and died in October. Mrs King said: You cant diagnose something like that over the phone. When you cant show the doctor where the pain is, its not helpful. He passed away and it was all a result of not seeing his GP. He is collateral damage just like all the people waiting for treatment. Advertisement

In a quarter of districts, less than half of patients are being granted face-to-face appointments, with the rest forced to consult their GP via telephone or video calls.

Even in the best-performing areas, just 71 per cent of patients are being seen face-to-face.

The Commons library figures, which looked at the percentage of face-to-face appointments and waiting times from the start of January to the middle of last month, also show there is a huge postcode lottery in terms of waiting times.

Doctors covered by the Liverpool clinical commissioning group (CCG) see 70 per cent of their patients on the same or next day; in Dorset, the figure is just 48 per cent.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said hundreds of thousands of older people needed face-to-face appointments.

She said: GP practices are the bedrock of the NHS but at the moment they seem to be buckling at the knees, and this is very worrying for the public, older people especially.

If you arent online and are hard of hearing so struggle with the phone, you really do need a face-to-face appointment, and thats the position hundreds of thousands of older people are in.

But the enormous variation in their availability across the country is a real concern and it must mean some older people are inappropriately missing out.

The data, requested by the Liberal Democrats, shows that in 25 of the 106 local health trusts across the country, face-to-face appointments take place in less than 50 per cent of cases.

The worst area is South Sefton CCG in Merseyside, where the figure is just 44.8 per cent, with the rest being video or telephone calls, and some home visits.

The next worst is Cheshire (46.6 per cent), and then Liverpool and Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire, both on 46.8 per cent.

At the other end of the scale is Castle Point and Rochford in Essex, where 71.7 per cent of appointments were face-to-face.

The data also shows that in Sheffield, 9 per cent of people must wait three weeks or more to see their GP, compared to 52 per cent who see them the same or the next day.

Lib Dem health spokesman Baroness Brinton said: Surgeries and residents are being let down by a Government that is failing to grapple with rising waiting times and a backlog of people waiting for treatment.

Before the crisis, 80 per cent of patients in England were seeing their GP in person but now, even the best performing area in the country only sees the rate reach 71 per cent (stock photo)

The Department of Health and Social Care said that alongside remote consultations, tele-medicine and online access provided flexibility and convenience for patients.

A spokesman added: We have invested 270 million to expand GP capacity so they can cope with the increased demands and recovery pressures, on top of the 1.5 billion for extra staff committed for general practices until 2023/24.

Tackling the backlog is a key priority, and we would encourage anyone who needs care or has a health concern to come forward for help if they need it.

GPs can be paid up to 100 for virtual appointments

By Victoria Allen Science Correspondent for the Daily Mail

GPs can earn 100 an hour without leaving home by carrying out remote consultations with patients.

It is the same rate being offered for in-person consultations, with flexible shifts available for doctors during evenings and weekends.

The opportunity for GPs, advertised by Brighton-based out-of-hours care provider Improving Access Services, follows increasing concerns from some patients, particularly elderly ones, about the shift away from in-person appointments. It follows a rise in wages which saw the average GP in England earn 100,700 in 2019-20.

Dennis Reed, director of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, told the Daily Telegraph: The money involved is quite eye-watering.

GPs can earn 100 an hour without leaving home by carrying out remote consultations

Working from home might make for a less stressful lifestyle for the doctor, but this means fewer GPs in a surgery available for patients who need to see a doctor face-to-face.

A spokesman for the BMA doctors union said: To deal with the growing demand from a rising number of patients with increasingly complex conditions  which long pre-dates the pandemic  and to offer appointments outside of traditional working hours to people who find it difficult to attend during weekdays, all areas in England have provided extended-hours services since 2018.

An NHS spokesman said: Every GP practice must provide face-to-face as well as telephone and online appointments, and continuing to offer all of these methods of consultation is part of making primary care as accessible as possible.
Truck drivers blocked a major highway to protest against Covid-19 lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations.

The demonstration was held on the M1 in Reedy Creek, south of Brisbane, by furious truckies who promised to bring the major highway to a standstill.

Traffic was backed up for several kilometres after the protest began at 6am on Monday, having been announced just an hour earlier to thwart police.

The truckies broke the blockage at 7am after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson - who was supporting the rally - told them it was time to move on.

Traffic was backed up for several kilometres on the M1 south of Brisbane after Tony Fulton (left) led a protest blocking off the highway to rally against Covid-19 lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations

Tony Fulton, a popular Australian truck driver who has legions of fans on his Tones Truckin Stories social media page, said he was prepared to be arrested to stand up for 'Australian rights'.

'We want to end these lockdowns - we don't want forced vaccinations and we want to open up the country and learn to live with the virus,' he told 7News while standing in front of the blockade.

He earlier posted a video vowing to take part in the protest and telling his followers he's 'more scared' of the life-saving vaccine than the virus - which has so far claimed the lives of 4.5 million people across the globe.

'I'm someone that does a bit of research,' Mr Fulton claimed.

'From what I've seen from my research with credible scientists and doctors and stuff, I do not want to get this vaccine.

'I am more scared of the vaccine than the virus. Honestly it scares the living hell out of me.'

Fears about the vaccine have been noticeably absent among those who have issued heartfelt pleas from their hospital beds after being struck down by Covid while unvaccinated.

Of the 126 people with the virus in intensive care in hospitals across NSW, only one is fully vaccinated.

Pictured: Traffic backed up on the M1 at Reddy Creek, south of Brisbane. The protest was announced only an hour earlier to thwart police

A protester holding a sign at Monday's protest questioning the idea of vaccine passports. Traffic was flowing again on the highway by 7am after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson - who had been supporting the rally - told the truckies it was time to move on

Another truckie Brock stood defiantly in front of the roadblock despite police officers threatening to tow their trucks if they were not moved.

'If you do want to get the vax get it - if you don't want it, don't get it - but don't keep locking up people,' he said.

'End all lockdowns and let people go back to work and kids go back to school. That's what we want out of this.'

Mr Fulton said in a Facebook video moments after the rally ended that he and the other protesters tried to gather again in another location but their convoy was separated by police and told to return to NSW.

'We were going to chuck a U-turn to head back in police actually separated us and told us to leave the state - so we're going to respect those wishes,' he said.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson pictured left. She turned out on Monday in support of the rally but by 7am had called for the truckies to move on after they spent an hour blocking traffic

But he claimed even those drivers who had their daily commute delayed by the blockade were sounding their horns in support of the demonstration.

'Even the cars who got caught up in our efforts, once we moved on and they started overtaking us we had so many beeps and thumbs up of support,' he said.

'So even though it was a minor inconvenience for them [they knew] it was all for the greater good.'

Tensions flared within the trucking industry over some jurisdictions ordering vaccination requirements for authorised workers who cross state borders.

A growing number of drivers declared they're in it for the long haul and will continue the fight even if Monday and Tuesday's demonstrations fail.

Police officers pictured speaking to the protesters. Mr Fulton said in a Facebook video moments after the rally ended that police had asked them to leave the state

A protester with a megaphone on the M1 south of Brisbane on Monday morning as truckies blocked the highway to protest against lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations

A man holds a sign that reads 'The People's Revolution' beside the M1 on Monday. Tensions have flared within the trucking industry over some jurisdictions ordering vaccination requirements for authorised workers who cross state borders

'I dont believe that businesses or states and governments should be allowed to force this on you,' Mr Fulton said of the vaccine.

'Customers contacted the transport company I work for to say if drivers are not vaccinated they will not be allowed on site.

'So it actually doesnt come down to whether you need to be vaccinated to get over the border, its actually to load.

'I will not be getting that vaccine and unfortunately the way that transport works I don't know what Im going to do.'

Organisers said as well as Ms Hanson, her One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts would also take part in the protest. They did indeed show up.

Anti-vax truck driver Tony Fulton (pictured) says he's 'more scared' of the life-saving vaccine than the virus - which has so far claimed the lives of 4.5 million people across the globe

WHY VACCINES ARE IMPORTANT Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others in the community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases. Research and testing is an essential part of developing safe and effective vaccines. In Australia, vaccines must pass strict safety testing before the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will register them for use. Approval of vaccines can take up to 10 years. Before vaccines become available to the public, large clinical trials test them on thousands of people. High-quality studies over many years have compared the health of large numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Medical information from nearly 1.5 million children around the world have confirmed that vaccination does not cause autism. People first became concerned about autism and immunisation after the medical journal The Lancet published a paper in 1998. This paper claimed there was a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Since then, scientists have completely discredited this paper. The Lancet withdrew it in 2010 and printed an apology. The UK's General Medical Council struck the author off the medical register for misconduct and dishonesty. Source: Australian Department of Health Advertisement

A separate day of action is planned for Tuesday with a GoFundMe page set up to financially support truckies when they strike by 'blocking every highway entering into every state at the same time' on August 31.

Outraged Australians blasted the 'selfish' plot which could leave millions of families in Covid lockdowns across the country without vital goods.

'How long before the good people of Australia turn against truck drivers for starving their families? Stupid anarchy and terrorism - domestic terrorism,' one tweeted.

'How incredibly f**king selfish. Have the disadvantaged, elderly and our farmers not suffered enough over the past few years?' another wrote.

'Now a bunch of truck drivers want to strike and cause even more suffering to those who can't stock up on everything they need.'

Truck drivers across Australia have shared a series of videos (one pictured) warning they plan to 'shut down the country' in protest of Covid lockdowns

'Causing panic buying and food shortages because some bloke is upset by the government? How is that going to help?' a third added.

'So the truck driver protest supposedly happening this week is against lockdowns and vaccinations, by and industry that kept their jobs, grown in the last 18 months, and are essential workers who are exempt from lockdown?' a fourth wrote.

Meanwhile, other truck drivers from around the world praised the planned strike, with some sharing advice on how to carry out the protest smoothly.

In a video posted on Twitter, an America teamster suggested those participating in the rally remove tools from the vehicles to prevent them from being towed.

An American truck driver (pictured) has offered tips to Australian truck drivers on how to carry out the strike without their vehicles being towed

'Hey to all my Australian truck drivers, this is just a quick tip,' he said.

'If you do want to leave your truck somewhere and you don't want a wrecker driver to be able to remove it, make sure you go to your air chambers and take the caging bolts home with you.

'Because there is no way the wrecker drivers that the government calls are going to have thousands of these, and with no supply line on the air chamber - no one is moving that f**king truck.'

From August 30, authorised workers from NSW Covid hotspots cannot leave their LGA for work unless they have received one dose of the vaccine or have a medical certificate.

Similar rules apply for freight workers entering Queensland, while other strict Covid restrictions, such as mandatory testing, govern entry requirements to other states.

Overseas drivers were not the only ones backing the protest, with dozens of anti-lockdown supporters championing truck driver's cause online.

Some wished them good luck, while others applauded their devotion to 'freedom' and rebellion against 'tyranny' and Covid vaccines.

An angry convoy of trucks and vans are seen moving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in a protest against lockdown in July 2021

But some Australian truck drivers who are against the coordinated demonstration pleaded with their colleagues to reconsider.

One man begged them to consider whether it was 'hypocritical or heroic' to protest against lockdowns by pushing their agenda to avoid vaccination.

'I believe everybody has a choice and I understand your argument but denying your fellow Australians of their right to choose and to work and to eat defeats your whole argumentare you heroes or hypocrites?' he said.

News of the rally broke on Monday after an Australian truck driver posted a video online warning truck drivers were 'planning to shut down the country' to 'remove the s**t government'.

He said supply chains would soon be interrupted and urged Australians to stock up on groceries to get them through the next couple of weeks.

'It's on. The truckies are doing it. The truckies are going to shut down the country,' the man said in the video.

'What that means is you need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers.

'The truckies are coming and they are going to pull this country down and we are all going to do it together and remove this s**t government.'

The man did not reveal how many truck drivers were involved in the demonstration and the Australian Trucking Association declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.

A GoFundMe campaign set up on Monday to raise money for striking truck drivers raised $10,000 of its $200,000 goal before it was deleted. Other similar fundraisers for the same cause have since emerged on the site.

NSW Police said the force was aware of the planned protest and 'will continue to ensure compliance with the public health orders'.

Victoria Police confirmed they are also aware of the demonstrations and 'will respond to ensure community safety and compliance of the CHO directions'.

Meanwhile, food and fuel supplies could be affected over the weekend as thousands of truck drivers pull the handbrake in a separate protest over pay conditions with a major employer.

The Transport Union said the dispute over a new enterprise agreement with logistics giant Toll Group will climax with a 24 hour strike on Friday involving as many as 7,000 truckies.

In a bid to compete with global giants like Amazon Flex, the Transport Workers' Union said Toll was aiming to drive down costs 'by scrapping overtime entitlements and engaging outside drivers'.

A GoFundMe page was launched to financially support truck drivers as they strike, but has since been deleted

Truck drivers are reportedly planning to 'block every highway entering into every state' from 9am on Tuesday

But Toll claimed it had the best EBA in the industry and would continue to do so once negotiations concluded

'One thing we and the union do agree on, our employees deserve a pay rise,' it said in a statement.

'We've put a generous offer on the table and are committed to further discussion.'

Much like Uber, Amazon Flex describes it's model as 'you use your own vehicle to deliver packages... as a way of earning extra money'.

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine had a much less rosy way of describing Amazon's model, and Toll's alleged moves to copy it.

'It is an abomination that billionaire retailers like Amazon are smashing profit records while ripping off transport supply chains and crushing the jobs of the truck drivers who've risked the health of their families to deliver parcels and keep shelves stocked,' he said.

'Toll workers have been forced to take the last resort option to go on strike this week because their jobs are being smashed.'

In response, Toll said it was 'disappointed the TWU is threatening industrial action in the middle of a global pandemic'.

'As one of the country's biggest transport companies, we are well used to managing disruptions to our operations, from bushfires to floods to a global pandemic,' Alan Beacham, Global Express division president said.

'We can assure customers their goods will be transported during any potential industrial action.'

The company said industrial activity risks disrupting medical supplies, but the union said it's strike action 'has never and will never disrupt medical supplies or vaccines'.
When British soldiers deployed to Helmand 15 years ago their Taliban counterparts were shabbily dressed in tattered traditional outfits and armed with decades-old Russian rifles and grenade launchers.

While they possessed guile in spades, and knew every inch of the jungle-like 'Green Zone' where battles were fought, they were poorly equipped and poorly trained.

Now, following the ramshackle withdrawal of international forces, the Taliban has been bequeathed a 62billion bounty of military equipment, including hundreds of fixed-wing aircraft and tactical helicopters, tens of thousands of armoured vehicles and hundreds of thousands of weapons.

The transformation in the group's appearance and capability could scarcely be more vivid or disturbing.

Sandals and shalwar kameez have been replaced by combat boots and tailored camouflage uniforms.

Ancient AK47s are nowhere to be seen. Instead today's Taliban carry US Green Beret-issue M4 carbines with telescoping stocks.

The Taliban of 15 years ago were seldom if ever seen wearing helmets. But today their headwear is more expensive and more advanced than that worn by most British troops.

The hundreds of thousands of weapons, vehicles, aircraft and uniforms left behind for the Taliban

The group appears to have helped themselves to the state-of-the-art MBITR-2 (Multi-band Intrateam Radios) favoured by US Green Berets but denied to most conventional UK personnel. They were issued to Afghan government forces.

What's more, their weapons appear immaculately clean and well maintained, their uniforms looked washed and ironed and they carry their weapons as British soldiers are taught to carry theirs.

A UK Army officer said: 'I'm impressed, yes they have got all the gear but judging by appearances they may have some idea too.

'The Taliban have got a plan, high morale, proper equipment and they're winning.'

The militant group's metamorphosis from rag-tag guerrilla force to highly professional, impressively equipped army has been at the expense of Western taxpayers.

The UK and the US have picked up the tab not only for the eye-wateringly expensive hardware, but also the training budget  as the Taliban's ranks have been swollen by defectors from the Afghan National Security Forces.

The irony is that the Taliban's newfound arsenal was supposed to prevent Afghanistan falling into Taliban hands.

US Republican Congressman Jim Banks, who collated the information, revealed that the Taliban now has 'more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 per cent of the countries in the world'.

Taliban militants pose with weapons at a location south of Kabul

Alarmingly the group has also obtained biometric collection and identification devices which could help them identify Afghans who worked for coalition forces, many of whom remain trapped in the country and could be held hostage by the Taliban.

Mr Banks, who served in Afghanistan as an officer in charge of supplying weapons, said: 'Due to the negligence of this administration, the Taliban now has access to $85billion (62billion) worth of military equipment.

'Unbelievably, and unfathomable to me and so many others, the Taliban now has access to biometric devices. This administration still has no plan to get this military equipment or supplies back.'

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan admitted he did not have a 'complete picture' of how much of the missing military inventory could now be in the hands of the enemy.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has conceded that some British military equipment may be left behind after troops fly home. But he insisted none of it would be 'lethal' or 'sensitive'.

This equipment, such as a small number of vehicles, would have been flown back to Britain were it not for the need to prioritise the evacuation of thousands of vulnerable Afghans and UK citizens.
Victoria could ease several lockdown restrictions this week amid the realisation that some measures are useless in stopping the spread of Covid.

The state recorded another 73 local Covid cases on Monday, dealing a further blow to the Andrews government's stated goal of driving case numbers back to zero.

Senior government ministers reportedly were considering rolling back a number of measures after being briefed by the public health team on Sunday.

Reopening playgrounds, sending Year 12 students back to the classroom, lifting the 9pm to 5am curfew and scrapping the five-kilometre travel rule are among the possible changes.

A final decision is expected to be made on Tuesday as the state government considers what lockdown will look like beyond Thursday.

Victoria could have several restrictions eased this week amid warnings some are useless in stopping the spread of Covid

Reopening playgrounds, sending Year 12 students back to the classroom, lifting the 9pm to 5am curfew and scrapping the five kilometre travel rule are among the possible changes

Victoria's 73 new cases included 21 mystery infections not yet linked to the rest of the outbreak. How many were infectious in the community was not specified.

They were diagnosed from 41,395 tests and 26,702 vaccine doses were administered on Sunday.

Victorian epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said the virus had now spread too far for health officials to contain the outbreak and achieve zero cases, and measures intended to achieve that fading hope should be scrapped.

'If parents understand how to have their kids in play in playgrounds safely ... where you don't have a whole lot of kids climbing on the same piece of equipment  you can find some kind of safe compromise,' Dr Bennett told The Age.

'This isn't relying on kids to do the right thing, but means parents know how to use those playgrounds by being really mindful of cross-household transmission.'

Year 12 students could be allowed to return to the classroom as senior government officials consider what restrictions can be eased

Grattan Institute health program director Stephen Duckett has suggested reopening cafes and lifting the five kilometre travel limit for fully-vaccinated residents in a bid to ease the mental load on the state's residents who have been dealing with rolling lockdowns for over a year.

He argued strict measures could be eased for regions that had recorded zero Covid cases, while remaining in force in hotspots such as Shepparton, which had 94 active cases.

'This would not mean abandoning a COVID-control goal; it would simply mean recognising the reality that the principal aim is to protect the public and the hospital system, and that we could still achieve that with a lighter touch,' he said.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said he expected the curfew and five-kilometre travel limit to be lifted. He has also called for businesses to be allowed to reopen in regional Victoria.

'Businesses across Victoria are in crisis,' he said.

'They are incredibly frustrated that, despite doing everything that has been asked of them  COVID-safe plans, QR code check-ins, observing density limits and, for many, closing their doors and standing down staff  there is still no clear path to how or when they can open.'

However computational epidemiologist Mikhail Prokopenko insisted restrictions remain in place until the state reached the ambitious target of having 80 per cent of the population fully-jabbed, which was unlikely to be reached this year.

On Sunday, premier Daniel Andrews announced the sixth lockdown in the state would be extended beyond September 2

On Sunday, premier Daniel Andrews announced the sixth lockdown in the state would be extended beyond September 2.

'We see far too many cases today for us to seriously consider opening up later on this week,' Mr Andrews said.

Despite the figures, he promised there was 'still a chance' of the state's case numbers returning to zero.

Two-thirds of the state's active cases are in Melbourne's north and west.

'That's not to single out the north or the west, but ... that is where the cases are and that's where the extra effort has to be,' Mr Andrews said.

Western suburbs doctor Amrooha Hussain told reporters at Sunday's news conference that she continued to see people waiting as long as two weeks after the onset of symptoms before taking a Covid test.

Sunday's tally is a jump from the previous day's local case figure of 64, and the highest number of new cases recorded since early September 2020, when the state battled the second wave of the virus

Computational epidemiologist Mikhail Prokopenko insisted restrictions remain in place until 80 per cent of the state was fully-jabbed

She said entire families with young children had been infected.

'It's hard enough to look after one sick child, but when there's multiple sick children, and then the carers are unwell themselves, it's a really challenging time for those families,' she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Andrews said the prime minister had promised him in a conversation on Saturday that NSW would no longer get 'preferential treatment' over Victoria in vaccine distribution.

'We didn't begrudge them getting additional doses, but we're locked down, they're locked down, and the need is just as great here,' Mr Andrews said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was reportedly vacationing in the Hamptons just hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban, despite warnings that the city was at risk.

Blinken was one of several top-level Biden administration officials to have gone on vacation the Friday before the Afghan capitol was taken by the group on August 15.

President Joe Biden himself was also on a trip away, and had arrived at the presidential retreat at Camp David that day.

Blinken was already on vacation, according to a timeline of the events leading up to Kabul's capture compiled by the Washington Post.

The officials appeared to not be overly concerned with the situation on the ground, the outlet reported.

Intelligence reports had estimated that Kabul was not likely to be at risk from the Taliban for several months - probably until at least late fall.

But the Afghanistan military collapsed and the warlords swept through the country in a little over a week.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) was vacationing in the Hamptons hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban

The administration's response to Afghanistan's swift collapse was widely criticized, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy blasting the president last week for hiding.

'Other countries are questioning whether we have the resolve to honor our word because of the bungled withdrawal. President Biden magnified this damage over the past week by hiding at Camp David. Delivering incoherent speeches,' McCarthy said.

The Blinkens have longtime had a presence in East Hampton, where Blinken's father Donald Blinken, a former US ambassador to Hungary under President Bill Clinton, has lived seasonally for more than 50 years, the East Hampton Star reported.

The elder Blinken had designed the stucco home on Lily Pond Lane himself, and it sits beside that of his younger brother, Robert's, the New York Times reported in 1972.

It is not clear if the Secretary of State was staying with family or holidaying separately as the situation in Afghanistan collapsed.

The secretary of state's father, Donald Blinken (pictured) built the family's East Hampton home alongside his brother, Robert's. He had served as ambassador to Hungary under President Bill Clinton. He is seen speaking at the 2017 American Foreign Policy Gala Awards Dinner

The Blinken family has lived seasonally in East Hampton for more than 50 years. It is not clear if Blinken was staying with family when Kabul collapsed

The Biden Administration's slow response to Kabul's sudden collapse was widely criticized. Biden is seen on August 16, 2021 at Camp David in a video conference with top officials. The president hesitated to return to the White House even as chaos unfolded

While the Secretary of State was vacationing, administration officials didn't begin to scramble for a response until Saturday, the day before Kabul fell.

By the evening, Blinken was on the phone with President Ashraf Ghani, looking to negotiate a deal with the Taliban to stay outside the city in exchange for their place at the table in a future Afghan government, the Post reported.

It is not clear when he returned to Washington.

Blinken and other Biden administration official's seemingly flat-footed response to the Taliban takeover came despite multiple warnings.

A dozen diplomats sent a confidential memo in a dissent channel to Blinken on July 13 that the Taliban was rapidly gaining ground and the city was vulnerable to collapse, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The State Department memo, according to the report, also called for the government to use tougher language on the violence in the past from the Taliban and urged them to start collecting information for Afghan allies who qualified for Special Immigrant Visas after working with US forces.

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 on August 19. The capital city's swift collapse appeared to catch Biden administration officials by surprise

The Journal reported that 23 Embassy staffers signed the cable and rushed to deliver it considering the deteriorating situation in Kabul.

Blinken reviewed the cable, a personal familiar with it told the paper.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told the Journal: 'Hes made clear that he welcomes and encourages use of the dissent channel, and is committed to its revitalization. We value constructive internal dissent.'

The memo urged the administration to start flights evacuating people out of the country no later than August 1.

A former CIA counter-terrorism chief also advised the president's campaign Kabul would crumble within days with a depleted American presence.

A US Air Force aircraft takes off from the military airport in Kabul on Friday, as the Pentagon said the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan still faces more possible attacks

In this satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies people are loading on an aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday

Afghan refugees arriving at the Rota Air Base in Spain on Friday. The airbase is shared by American and Spanish military forces

But in an interview released on August 19, 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 so quickly.

'There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days,' Milley said.

With the ignored warnings, the US and its allies only began evacuating their people along with vulnerable Afghans after Kabul had already fallen to the militants.

Blinken revealed Sunday that there are still 300 American citizens waiting for evacuation out of Afghanistan as the August 31 deadline for a full troop withdrawal nears.

'We have about 300 American citizens left who have indicated to us that they want to leave,' the Secretary of State told ABC's This Week host Martha Raddatz.

'We are very actively working to help them get to the airport, get on a plane, and get out of Afghanistan.'

With the rushed evacuation came bloodshed. This is the aftermath of Thursday's suicide bomb attack outside Kabul airport. 170 people were killed in the bomb attack and more are imminent, American generals warned

The Pentagon announced that it already started withdrawing troops from Afghanistan after 13 U.S. service members and 150 Afghan civilians were killed in a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on Thursday.

Nearly 115,000 people have already been evacuated from Afghanistan, including Americans and Afghan allies. And since the end of July, 120,000 people have been relocated, the White House announced on Sunday.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday the administration cannot 'guarantee' everyone will get out.

On Sunday, the White House revealed that from 3:00 a.m. on Saturday to the same time Sunday, 2,900 people were evacuated from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

Blinken also told ABC that another attack on the Kabul airport is 'highly likely'.

'This is very high risk,' he said. 'There is a high likelihood of additional attacks.'

'This is the most dangerous time in an already extraordinarily dangerous mission,' Blinken added.
Sydney's Covid outbreak has spread into a nursing home in the city's west as a cleaner and four elderly residents test positive.

A cleaner is understood to have caught the virus and brought it into Uniting Edinglassie Lodge, in Penrith.

Four residents then contracted the virus and have all been taken to hospital for treatment.

The aged care facility has enacted it's outbreak management plan and families have been briefed about the situation.

Uniting said 90 per cent of residents and employees at the home have received Covid-19 vaccinations.

'At this stage, no other residents or employees have tested positive. All are being tested daily and we are awaiting results,' Uniting said in a statement.

Sydney's Covid outbreak has spread into Uniting Edinglassie Lodge (pictured), in Penrith

A cleaner wheels a trolley past the main entrance to The United Edinglassie Lodge Residential Aged Care Home on Monday after five people linked to the facility tested positive

The organisation said it had advised employees, residents and families and would continue to work closely with them and the NSW Health.

The contract cleaner tested positive on Wednesday during routine 72 hour testing, despite being asymptomatic.

Under the outbreak management plan, all employees must wear full PPE and staff and residents will undergo daily testing.

NSW recorded 1,218 locally acquired Covid cases and six deaths on Sunday, the highest daily tally throughout the pandemic.

The NSW Government is committed to restoring personal freedoms to fully vaccinated residents once the state hits 70 per cent double-dose coverage - regardless of case numbers.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the state could reach 70 per cent single-dose vaccination coverage within days and at double-dose coverage - expected around mid-October - a number of freedoms will be restored to the fully vaccinated.

'We will stick to our word,' Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday.

'No matter what the case numbers are doing - of course we want to see them come down - double-dose 70 per cent in NSW means freedom for those who are (fully) vaccinated.'

NSW also on Sunday reported six deaths in three people in their 80s and three in their 70s, none of whom were fully vaccinated, taking the death toll for the current outbreak to 89.

The facility has closed to family and visitors as it enacts its outbreak management plan

Staff must wear PPE and employees and residents are being tested for Covid daily

As of Saturday, 66 per cent of eligible NSW residents had got at least one vaccine dose and 35.9 per cent were fully vaccinated.

The government, having reached a six million jab target, last week announced a 'treat' for fully vaccinated NSW residents allowing them to have small picnics outdoors.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell is confident that with rising vaccinations rates students can start a staggered return to school from October 25, building up to having all students back from November.8.

'If we have any hot spot areas that still have high case loads, then obviously we would need to look at what we do in those communities,' she told the Nine Network on Monday.

'But it's just too early to say.'

However, there's hope of an earlier return to school in the regions if a lockdown was lifted earlier, she said.

A survey of 50,000 public school teachers found about 70 per cent had one vaccination and 40 per cent were double vaccinated.

'So that is really encouraging,' Ms Mitchell said.

Meanwhile, there's a COVID-19 alert for Quality Medical Centre at Merrylands in western Sydney, covering last Monday to Saturday at various times.

NSW recorded 1218 new locally acquired Covid cases on Sunday and a further six deaths. Pictured: A health worker at the Hardi Aged Care Nursing Home in Summer Hill on August 2

The NSW government is committed to restoring personal freedoms to fully vaccinated residents once the state hits 70 per cent double-dose coverage - regardless of case numbers

NSW Health says anyone who attended at the times listed on the department's website is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

Fragments of the virus have been detected in sewage treatment plants servicing Trangie, Byron Bay, Temora, Cooma and Tamworth, which is concerning authorities as there are no known cases in these areas.

There were 25 new cases in the Western NSW health district reported on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases in the region in the current outbreak to 510.

There were also two more cases recorded in the Far West health district in Wilcannia, a small town where more than 10 per cent of the predominantly Indigenous population has now tested positive.

Elsewhere, authorities confirmed that a COVID-19 outbreak at Parklea prison in Sydney's northwest has reached 31 cases. This includes at least 12 new COVID-19 infections.

Cases have also been uncovered at Silverwater prison.
The 13-year-old boy is now in intensive care 'fighting for his life'

Ambulance was called to Adrian's Cambridgeshire mansion after daughter said to have 'hit' her brother with the car

Believed he used winnings to buy quad bike for son and a car for their daughter

The son of a Euromillions jackpot-winning couple is fighting for his life after being involved in a collision on his quad bike.

Adrian and ex-wife Gillian Bayford's 13-year-old son is believed to have been hit by a car driven by his sister, 15.

Bayford and his wife became Britains biggest ever lottery winners when they scooped the 148m Euro millions jackpot nine years ago.

Within a year their marriage ended and Gilliam moved back to Scotland with her half share of the winnings where she launched a property company.

The incident happened in the grounds of Adrian's 12million mansion in Cambridgeshire.

The teenager's sister raised the alarm after the collision knocked him off the quad and through a fence.

Euromillions winners Adrian and ex-wife Gillian Bayford's 13-year-old son is believed to have been hit by a car driven by his sister, 15

Emergency crews and an air ambulance were called to the 148-acre estate.

He is now in intensive care in hospital, 'fighting for his life'.

A source said: 'Its touch and go. This is devastating for Adrian and the whole family.

'Adrian is a lovely bloke who cares dearly about his kids. They were having fun at home and a tragic accident happened.'

It is believed that both the quad bike and the car were bought for the children by Adrian with his share of the 148million jackpot he won with Gillian in 2012.

Emergency crews and an air ambulance were called to the 148-acre Cambridgeshire estate (pictured) after the teenager's sister raised the alarm

It is believed that both the quad bike (pictured) and the car were bought for the children by Adrian with his share of the 148million jackpot he won with Gillian in 2012.

The former postie divorced wife Gillian in 2013, just months after their big win as their marriage broke down 'irretrievably'.

Gillian moved to Scotland with their children, with Adrian expected to sell his Cambridgeshire pile after buying another property to be near his children.

But it is believed he has now scrapped plans to sell the mansion and has moved back there.

Sources say Gillian has made the trip down from Scotland to be at her son's bedside.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said: 'We were called with reports that a car and a quad bike had collided on private land.

'The rider of the quad, a teenage boy, was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries.'

Bayford and his wife became Britains biggest ever lottery winners when they scooped the 148m Euro millions jackpot nine years ago.

Within a year their marriage ended and Gilliam moved back to Scotland with her half share of the winnings where she launched a property company.

She has since remarried and at the age of 48 had her third child with her second husband.

Bayford remained in the Grade 2 listed property but after a series of relationships failed he put it up for sale and moved north to be closer to his children.

The lottery winner was forced to step up security at the empty property last year after squatters used his swimming pool.

A sign at the main entrance warns visitors that guard dogs are roaming the ground and CCTV cameras monitor the property.
The Marine battalion commander who was relieved of his duties for blasting his superiors over the Afghanistan exit strategy says he has resigned from the military.

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller published a new video online on Sunday addressing his resignation just days after he went viral for calling out his superiors for not 'raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, 'We messed this up.''

Scheller's original video criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley for leaving the Bagram Air Base before all Americans and their allies had the chance to be evacuated.

It came after 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines, were killed along with more than 90 Afghans after at least one suicide bomber attacked the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

The new 10-minute video, titled 'Your Move,' acknowledges Scheller has sacrificed a cushy pension by leaving the Marines after making his comments. It's unheard of for an active duty Marine commander to publicly rip ranking military leaders.

'I just want to clarify my legal status. I have been relieved of my command but I am still a United States Marine. Currently I am not pending legal action,' Scheller said in the new video which ended his 17-year military career.

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller published a new video online on Sunday addressing his resignation just days after he went viral for calling out his superiors

The new 10-minute video, titled 'Your Move,' acknowledges Scheller has sacrificed a cushy pension by leaving the Marines after making his comments

Scheller said the Marines want 'to hide me away' for three years until his service ended and not send him to a board of inquiry, which could have separated him on 'other than honorable' conditions.

The Marine revealed that he was resigning after he felt challenged to after a comment to his post on LinkedIn from retired Marine Col. Thomas K. Hobbs.

'If Scheller was truly honorable, he would have resigned his commission in protest after stating what he did,' wrote Hobbs, who Scheller said he loved 'like a father.'

Scheller said: 'You didn't say 'is' as in challenging me, you said 'was' as if you assumed I wouldn't do it.'

'I want to make the announcement today, after 17 years, I'm currently not pending legal action and I could stay in the Marine Corps for another three years but I don't think that's the path I'm on.'

Scheller said in the video that his resignation would be effective 'now' though acknowledged that there's administrative paperwork that needs to be filed for him to properly resign.

'But I am forfeiting my retirement, all entitlements. I don't want a single dollar. I don't want any money from the VA, I don't want any VA benefits,' Scheller said, claiming that he was forgoing more than $2 million in pension benefits by leaving the service.

In the video, Scheller also appeared to direct a vague threat toward senior military leaders - who he said should be given the money from his pension.

'I think that money should go back to all the senior general officers because I think they need it more than I do - because when I am done with what I'm about to do, you all are going to need the jobs and the security,' he said.

The Marine said that he 'would have gone back into the rank-and-file' if his superiors had just said 'Yes, mistakes were made.'

He said that he was trying to get senior leaders to 'accept accountability.'

'I think them accepting accountability would do more for service members and PTSD and struggling with purpose than any other transparent piece of paper or message,' Scheller said in the video.

He added: 'If Stuart Scheller was honorable, he would resign. You have no idea what I'm capable of doing.'

'To all the congressmen, senators, every media station across the globe, yo all the rich philanthropists, I appreciate the support and I'm going to need your support.'

In comments to the New York Post on Saturday, Scheller had evoked former President Thomas Jefferson's saying: 'Every generation needs a revolution.'

Marine Corp Lt. Col. Stuart Steller said in a widely shared video that military leaders need to take accountability for botched, fatal evacuation out of Afghanistan

Follow up post to the video where Scheller said he was relived of his duty

He claimed in another Facebook post that some of his fellow officers have urged him to take down the video despite agreeing with him.

The New York Post also spoke with Scheller's family and Marines he has served with, who praised his 'courage' for speaking out.

Juan Chavez, 33, served under Scheller from 2011 to 2014 and called him a 'magnificent leader' and 'a breath of fresh air' in comments to the New York Post.

'It takes real courage to do what he did and that was Stu all the way,' Chavez said.

Stuart Scheller Sr., his father, called him 'the real deal' and 'a Marine's Marine' who idolized his grandfather, a World War II vet who landed on the beach at Normandy.

'He has put his life on the line for fellow Marines so putting his career on the line like this does not surprise us,' the proud father said.

He added: 'He's still on the battlefield protecting his men and women. It's interesting that no one (in the military) has answered his call for accountability. Their answer was to fire him I guess. It's a sad day for America.'

Scheller was relieved of his duties as a battalion commander after a stellar 17-year career. 'I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, 'I demand accountability,'' he said

Scheller claimed in another Facebook post on Saturday that some of his fellow officers have urged him to take down the video despite agreeing with him.

'Obviously I didn't take it down,' Scheller wrote.

'I'll offer this: we can't ALL be wrong. If you all agree  then step up. They only have the power because we allow it. What if we all demanded accountability?'

Scheller, whose career included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, had posted the controversial five-minute video on Facebook and LinkedIn. In a follow up post later in the day Friday, he said was relieved of his duties.

'The reason people are so upset on social media right now is not because the Marine on the battlefield let someone down,' Scheller said in the original video.

'I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, 'I demand accountability.''

Lt. Col. Scheller said he had a personal relationship with one of the Marines who died in Thursday's ISIS-K bombing and 'potentially, all those people did die in vain' if the leaders don't take ownership of the debacle.

He said a major strategic error was not securing Bagram air base before evacuating people. Instead, the US relied on the Kabul airport as the only way to fly out of the country.

Maj. Jim Stenger, a Marine Corps spokesperson, told DailyMail.com in a statement that Scheller was relieved of command by Col. David Emmel 'due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command.'

'This is obviously an emotional time for a lot of Marines, and we encourage anyone struggling right now to seek counseling or talk to a fellow Marine. There is a forum in which Marine leaders can address their disagreements with the chain of command, but it's not social media,' Maj. Stenger said.

In a Facebook post, Steller said: 'My chain of command is doing exactly what I would do if I were in their shoes.'

Pentagon officials said on Friday that there was only one suicide bomber at Kabul airport on Thursday and not two, as was previously claimed, adding to confusion over the attack and fears for the ongoing operation on the ground.

Speaking at a briefing on Friday, Army General Hank Taylor said: 'I can confirm that we do not believe there was a second explosion at or near the Baron hotel.'

'It was one suicide bomber. In the confusion of very dynamic events can cause information to get confused.'
Nicola Sturgeon is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

The First Minister last night revealed she had been pinged by contact tracers and warned that she would have to quarantine.

As she has been fully-vaccinated, Miss Sturgeon will now take a PCR test - and if negative she will not have to continue self-isolating.

Writing on Twitter, Miss Sturgeon said: Ive had notification tonight that Ive been identified as a close contact of someone who is positive for Covid.

'Accordingly, and in line with the rules, Ill be self-isolating pending a PCR test result. My thanks to all the contact tracers working so hard in NHS Test & Protect.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, she has revealed on social media

It is not clear where Miss Sturgeon came into contact with a positive coronavirus case.

On Thursday she attended Edinburgh Universitys graduation celebration and on Wednesday she was at the Golden Jubilee Hospital with health secretary Humza Yousaf.

Today (Monday) she is due to interview Shuggie Bain author Douglas Stuart at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

According to the event both author and interviewer are on stage in the venue.

It is unclear if the event will go-ahead as a hybrid event if Miss Sturgeon is still self-isolating.

Just hours before Miss Sturgeons revelation, Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said contact tracing teams had carried out exceptional work under difficult circumstances this weekend.

On Twitter, he said: Some exceptional work by contact tracing teams under very difficult circumstances today.

'Thank you to everyone involved. But its frustrating & really disappointing to hear of increased aggressive behaviour & abuse to staff.

'Please be civil and patient with those trying to help..
The US has put pressure on Britain in a bid to force Prince Andrew to co-operate with investigators over sex abuse claims, it has been reported.

Investigators probing the case of Ghislaine Maxwell and other associates of dead billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein are said to want to speak to the Duke of York about his friendship with the paedophile financier.

Officials from President Biden's government reaffirmed the US and UK's 'close relationship' when it comes to offering 'legal assistance' in criminal matters amid growing frustration over Prince Andrew's refusal to engage with investigators

A US government official told the Sun: 'The US and the UK have a close, productive and resilient law enforcement and mutual legal assistance relationship.

The US has put pressure on Britain in a bid to force Prince Andrew (pictured with Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell) to co-operate with investigators over sex abuse claims

'We remain in close contact on many active cases on a daily basis and will continue to seek assistance in criminal matters as we provide similar assistance in return.'

Prosecutors last year sent the British government a formal request, known as a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) submission, asking for access to the prince so they could talk to him.

Pictured: Jeffrey Epstein

The MLAT is a procedure used in criminal investigations to gather material from foreign countries which cannot readily be obtained on a cooperative basis but it is understood the Duke of York has yet to co-operate.

Andrew remains a person of interest to prosecutors in the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York - but they do not expect to be able to interview him in the foreseeable future, if ever, it has been reported.

As a person of interest, the Queen's son is viewed at least as a potential witness - and questioning him would form part of the investigation into possible co-conspirators.

Prosecutors earlier this month said Andrew, 61, had 'sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate' but had given no interview to federal authorities and had repeatedly declined requests to talk with investigators.

It comes as Virginia Giuffre, who has said she was abused by Epstein, filed a civil complaint against Andrew in Manhattan federal court.

Ms Giuffre, who used to be known as Virginia Roberts, alleges Epstein forced her to have unwanted sexual intercourse with Andrew at the London home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell - Epstein's alleged Madame.

Ms Giuffre is now suing Andrew in a New York court for alleged 'rape in the first degree', sexual battery and sexual abuse, claiming she thought she'd be murdered by Epstein if she didn't sleep with Andrew.

The Duke of York has strongly denied the allegations.

Earlier this month, the UK's most senior police officer Dame Cressida Dick revealed she had told Met detectives to review the claims against the prince, warning: 'No one is above the law.'

Ghislaine Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to charges that she procured teenage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004. She is expected to go on trial in November.

Epstein died in his jail cell in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking.

Representatives of the Prince declined to comment, but have previously denied any wrongdoing of failure to assist.
You never forget your first M&S suit. I bought mine when I was 22, fresh out of university and making a disastrous attempt at being a banker in the City of London.

It was grey, pin-striped, too flared in the trousers and too narrow in the lapels. But it did the job it was intended to: unshowy, dependable, affordable. And by making those mistakes, I gradually worked out what looked good and what to avoid.

Ten years later, when I won the world's most unglamorous bet  collecting 2,000 on Michael Howard becoming Tory leader in 2003  I spent the proceeds on two suits from Huntsman, one of the finest tailors in Savile Row, the home of the British suit in Mayfair, London. I wore the trousers until they fell apart, but I still have the miraculous jackets.

They continue to flatter me and make me look half a stone lighter. The late Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones wore Huntsman suits.

The suit wasn't just our national costume, it became the world's costume for formal wear. Pictured: Paul Whitehouse and Mark Williams in The Fast Show

Just like Prince Charles, who favours tailor-made suits, he never went out of style. While his bandmates wore outlandish, fashionable outfits that now look outdated, Watts's suits remained timelessly cool.

The suit wasn't just our national costume, it became the world's costume for formal wear. In Japan, they call the formal business suit 'Saburo'  their pronunciation of Savile Row.

British suits are literally synonymous with formal wear across the globe. How sad, then, that we are now waving goodbye to one of our greatest inventions.

One hundred years since we introduced the suit to the world (we'll come to its origins in a moment), fashion and the Covid pandemic are killing it off. And, what's worse, suits are being replaced by the most terrifying expression in the English language: 'smart-casual'.

Marks & Spencer has been one of Britain's biggest sellers of men's suits ever since 1939, when it sold its first flannel ones. But it emerged this weekend only 110 of its 254 clothing stores still stock suits  that's well under half of them.

Formal clothing for work and leisure was already on the way out  but then the pandemic struck in 2020. Sales went into freefall as people worked from home and, in Zoom calls, wore anything they wanted  or nothing at all  below the waist.

In the year to April, sales of formal wear at M&S collapsed by 15 per cent online and an extraordinary 72 per cent in shops, compared with a year earlier.

It emerged this weekend only 110 of the 254 Marks and Spencer clothing stores still stock suits

The upmarket suit chain TM Lewin shut all 66 of its UK shops last year and Moss Bros reported pre-tax losses of 7.4 million for the year to January 2020

Over the same period, sales of casual wear were up 61 per cent online. The same slump applies across the board in other shops.

The analyst Kantar says British shoppers bought two million men's suits in the year up to this July, compared with 4.3 million five years ago and 5 million a decade ago. The upmarket suit chain TM Lewin shut all 66 of its UK shops last year.

And Moss Bros, the world-famous formal-wear shop, celebrating its 170th anniversary this year, reported pre-tax losses of 7.4 million for the year to January 2020.

It was delisted from the London Stock Exchange last year. And 100 million was wiped off annual suit sales from 2015 to 2019.

It gets worse. Workers returning to the office are opting for what the fashion world has recently termed the 'broken suit'  in old parlance a jacket and trousers.

GQ magazine recently ran an article about the 'broken suit' talking about combinations which suggest effort and care, as well as a touch of 'studied carelessness'.

Sounds very like smart-casual to me. And just as confusing. Care and carelessness at the same time? Smart and casual?

In 2019, Goldman Sachs, the huge American bank, announced a move to a 'flexible dress code'; JP Morgan, another American bank, now asks its workers to wear 'business-casual'  another indefinable mystery for the petrified man dressing in the morning.

These banks, I suppose, are emulating the scruffy dress code of the big tech companies, exemplified by Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook chief who's almost permanently in a T-shirt or hoodie and jeans, and the late Steve Jobs, the Apple supremo, clad in black turtleneck and jeans.

Zuckerberg says he wears his grey T-shirt every day because he believes that thinking about clothes is 'silly' and 'frivolous'.

But, surely, he's the silly one. The great joy about the suit is that men don't have to think.

It removes the question of what you should wear each day  apart from your choice of shirt  and equips you with the most stylish outfit known to man.

Mark Zuckerberg says he wears his grey T-shirt every day because he believes that thinking about clothes is 'silly' and 'frivolous'

Women, by contrast, face a daily dilemma: skirt or trousers; floaty dress or power suit; plain or patterned; evening wear or morning comfort  each day a maelstrom of decisions about hemlines, colour matches, warmth vs style . . . and that's before you even start on the shoes to go with it.

Small wonder, perhaps, British women, who by-and-large, dress so much better than men, haven't given up formal wear so easily. Sales of women's suits have fallen less dramatically.

But, in any case, women know what to do when the rules of dress change. Even when those rules aren't so strict, they (mostly) look presentable compared with their men by dint of the fact that they take so much more time and trouble over their outfits.

When men drop out of the safety zone of formal wear, they look disastrous. But if the whole market has been shifting away from suits, the decline of the M&S versions in particular is a tragic moment in the history of British male clothing.

One's first M&S suit was a rite of passage for so many young men in their first job  or job interview.

Yes, it was often ill-fitting: sometimes tight, sometimes baggy, in all the wrong places.

That wasn't the fault of M&S  more that of the nervous youngster, who didn't know that suit cuffs shouldn't run halfway down your thumb.

Here was not just affordable tailoring for the masses, but history made cloth.

The M&S suit is a descendant of the 18th-century British riding coat, which mutated into the morning coat (similar to what you might wear at a wedding) in the 19th century.

In around 1900, that long coat morphed into the Deeside coat, which was still pretty long  it had four buttons down the front.

The British dropped the fourth button just before World War I, and the modern suit was born. The Americans copied us after World War I, going for three buttons. Then, after World War II, the Americans introduced the two-button suit.

For a century, then, from World War I until now, the British suit has ruled the world.

True, there have been changes over the years. Suit trousers and lapels became very thin during the Mod years in the 1960s.

They became regrettably flared and wide in the 1970s. Suits turned boxy and shaped in the 1980s before reverting to their classic form in the 1990s, where they have hovered ever since.

Materials changed, too. M&S branched out of that original 1939 flannel suit into tweed, wool, linen and  God forbid  polyester.

But, still, at heart, the suit's DNA stayed essentially the same: matching trousers and jacket with lapel, cuffs, a breast pocket and two side pockets.

Until now, that is. And as we mourn the suit's terminal decline, what will replace it on the shop rails of Middle England's High Streets?

God help us, M&S has reported growing sales of those crimes against fashion: tracksuit bottoms and elasticated cotton trousers. Does that suit you, sir? It certainly doesn't suit me!

Harry Mount is author of How England Made The English (Penguin).
A freight handler who threw a package addressed to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian across the floor has been sacked after footage of the incident went viral.

The CouriersPlease worker filmed himself in a sorting facility as he came across a black-wrapped package with the premier's address details on the label.

He then shouted out to a fellow worker: 'I got a shipment to Gladys... you know what you do with this?'

He then threw the package about four metres onto a concrete floor before turning the camera around and pretending to spit into his mask in an act of disrespect.

'I got a shipment to Gladys... you know what you do with this?' the handler said, before throwing the package across the floor

'CouriersPlease has been alerted to a video circulating on the internet in relation to a parcel addressed to the NSW Premiers office.' the company said in a statement.

'The content of the video in no way reflects the values or code of conduct, at CouriersPlease.

'The freight handler in the video was dismissed immediately as part of our investigation and we are also speaking with our franchisees and employees to ensure everyone adheres to our code of conduct.'

The incident reflected growing frustration with Greater Sydney's extended lockdown, now in its tenth week and which has failed to slow the continual increase in case numbers.

Despite the government effectively ditching its initial target of driving down case numbers and instead focusing on increasing vaccinations, the lockdown will continue for at least another month.

NSW recorded 1218 locally acquired Covid cases and six deaths on Sunday, the highest daily tally throughout the pandemic.

Ms Berejiklian has said her government will restore a limited amount of personal freedoms - and only to fully vaccinated residents - once the state hits 70 per cent double-dose coverage.

Double-dose coverage would reach 70 per cent around mid-October if the current rates of vaccination continued, although international experience indicated rates tend to slow past the 60 per cent mark.

'We will stick to our word,' Ms Berejiklian said on Sunday.

'No matter what the case numbers are doing - of course we want to see them come down - double-dose 70 per cent in NSW means freedom for those who are (fully) vaccinated.'
Gladys Berejiklian recently received a digital makeover thanks to the Hot Australian Politicians Instagram account.

But Kyle Sandilands, 50, has revealed he's offered the NSW Premier some real world fashion advice - in his typically blunt style.

'Ive told her she needs to get those outfits changed,' the KIIS FM shock jock told the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.

Oh make me over: KIIS FM shock jock Kyle Sandilands, 50, (left) has revealed he offered NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (centre), 50, some fashion advice. Pictured with co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson

However, the 50-year-old politician turned down Kyle's kind offer.

'She just says each to their own,' said the KIIS FM radio star, who then expressed his admiration for Gladys.

'Shes a good sport when she comes on the show and a good decent person, far better than Ill ever be.'

Blunt: 'Ive told her she needs to get those outfits changed,' the shock jock told the Sydney Morning Herald

Glow up: The NSW Premier recently received a digital makeover thanks to the Hot Australian Politicians Instagram account

Kyle's reveal comes after Gladys got another touch-up by the Hot Australian Politicians Instagram account.

The satirical social media group apply dramatic filters to politicians to make them appear younger and more glamorous.

The glow-up included a heavy application of digital makeup, as well as giving Berejiklian purple hair and a fringe.

Dr Kerry Chant like you've never seen her before! New South Wales' chief health officer was also given the ultimate Instagram makeover by the satirical Instagram account

New South Wales' chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant also got a makeover by the satirical account.

The account's caption dubbed the physician, who grew up in Punchbowl in Sydney's west, 'Our Punchbowl queen'.

The Danebank and UNSW educated doctor has been the chief health officer of NSW since 2008.

But perhaps the most bizarre makeover was that performed on the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, Mick Fuller.

Top cop: But perhaps the most bizarre makeover was that performed on the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, Mick Fuller (pictured)

The top cop was not only aged down radically and given a goatee, but also had a whole new hairstyle.

Fuller's short-cropped hair was replaced by long, beachy tresses.

Many followers were fans of the look, with one commenting, 'this one turns me on,' while another wrote, 'Lol he looks good'.
Motsi Mabuse was left 'full of tears' after Germany's leading tabloid newspaper ran a photo of her alongside the headline, 'The chocolate didn't help either,' on Friday.

Bild, the publication in question, published the perceived racial slur following the South African ballroom dancer's guest appearance on a franchise of Simon Cowell's Got Talent in her country of residence.

It was reported the judge, 40, didn't settle into her temporary role well, having supposedly clashed with her fellow panel members along with the show's audience.

Heartbreaking: Motsi Mabuse was left 'full of tears' after a German tabloid published a perceived racial slur where she was compared with 'chocolate' on Friday

It continued to claim the brunette beauty was heckled by the crowd after refusing to send home an unpopular contestant, which caused her to declare, 'You are evil. I will remember your faces.'

She had signed up at the eleventh hour to replace a judge who had tested positive for COVID-19 on Das Supertalent, however Bild reported the panel 'sniped' and spoke over each other in what proved to be a chaotic shoot.

The dancing professional said she was left 'shocked, sad and disappointed' following the insulting headline, which has since been replaced with 'Audience left the 'super talent' studio annoyed!'

Deep in thought: Motsi took to Instagram on Saturday to address the ordeal head-on in a heartfelt post, which she penned to accompany a solemn snap of herself

Good sport: She had signed up at the eleventh hour to replace a judge who had tested positive for COVID-19 on Das Supertalent, a production of Simon Cowell's Got Talent franchise in Germany

She blasted the wording as 'plain and simple racism', however Timo Lokoschat, Bild's deputy editor in chief claimed it merely related to the chocolate bars which were handed out to 'appease the audience' during the seven hour recording.

He said: 'We changed it anyway. It was by no means intended to offend anyone.'

Motsi took to Instagram on Saturday to address the ordeal head-on in a heartfelt post, which she penned to accompany a solemn snap of herself.

'After having a wonderful photoshoot last night I switched on my phone and was shocked really truly shocked, after the shock I was extremely disappointed and sad ! I had an evening full of tears,' she began.

'This morning I am still sad but I just want to take time to thank those of you who supported me yesterday. Thank you so much that I don't have to go through this all by myself anymore!

'Thank you that you immediately stood up for me! I am not going to explain myself trying to make other people understand what was going on and why I felt a certain way or even justify the emotions.

Upsetting: It was reported that the judge didn't settle into her temporary role on Got Talent well, having supposedly clashed with her fellow panel members along with the show's audience

'I am not going to have people tell me how I was supposed to react or brush it off!

'Words matter & just know for some people you will never ever be good enough not because of your qualities or anything in that direction but because it's plain simple or subtile racism.'

'Thank you to you Ladies from Black woman matter community. Thank you to my friends Alice, Mel, Irina, David and Steffi! I am ok guys I will continue doing my best to represent.

Tearful: The dancing pro said she was 'extremely disappointed and sad' in the post

'No matter how small they try to make you feel. The little eyes watching me every morning, those little eyes full of love and joy are all that matter.

'Love Motsi ..ps that is life people ask you to come and help out , you do and at the end of the day , you are the [peach emoji, uneasy emoji]!' she concluded.

As well as sitting on the panel for Strictly Come Dancing in the UK, Motsi - who lives in Frankfurt - is also a permanent judge on the German version of the popular show which is called Let's Dance.

She served as a judge on Das Supertalent back in 2011, where she appeared to have had a considerably more positive experience.

MailOnline has contacted Bild, Fremantle and RTL for comment.
Chloe Lewis looked sensational as she donned a zebra print bikini in her latest Instagram post on Saturday, while holiday in Ibiza.

The former TOWIE star, 30, who gave birth to her son Beau in October 2019, showed off her slender physique in the two-piece as she posed with her arms on the walls.

Her caramel tresses were swept back into an effortless ponytail as she framed her face by donning sunglasses.

Wow: Chloe Lewis looked sensational as she donned a zebra print bikini in her latest Instagram post on Saturday

Stunning: The former TOWIE star captioned the summery image 'Be as wild as your bikini' while her washboard abs were on display

She captioned the summery image: 'Be as wild as your bikini' with a peace emoji.

Her washboard abs were on full display as she sported a fresh tan in the social media post.

The mother-of-one relocated to Dubai with her boyfriend Danny Flasher and Beau last year but it appears she has since returned to live in the UK.

Soaking up the sun: The former TOWIE star took to her Instagram stories to document her day in the zebra print bikini

Last month, Chloe launched her new summer collection with Style Cheat.

The mother-of-one voiced how excited she is to be launching her own collection and took to Instagram to announce that it had gone live.

Chloe rose to fame when she joined the 2015 series on TOWIE.

Living it up in Ibiza: Chloe giggled as she partied with pals

During her time, her on-off relationship with Jake Hall was well documented, before she eventually left the show after finding love with Danny.

It was recently revealed the ITVBe show - which launched in October 2010 - was facing a major shake-up and moving on 'with a smaller group of cast members' after sacking up to 10 people.

Some of the cast who got the chop included Courtney Green, Chloe Meadows and Clelia Theodorou.
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Kourtney Kardashian left little to the imagination as she went went for a dip with her boyfriend Travis Barker in the ocean rocking a black Gucci thong.

The couple looked blissful as they packed on the PDA and went swimming in Fruttuoso, Italy, on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino.

After arriving to the remote town in Genoa on a small boat, the 42-year-old reality star and Barker, 45, were seen cuddling on a lounge chair.

Making a splash: Kourtney Kardashian left little to the imagination as she went went for a dip with her boyfriend Travis Barker in the ocean rocking a black Gucci thong

While they have previously traveled with their respective children or family, none of their children appeared to be present on their romantic trip.

For their outing, the shirtless rockstar, 45, showcased his heavily tattooed torso as he sported black boardshorts and a pair of matching $378 Prada sunglasses.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is reportedly smitten with the Blink-182 drummer and things are getting so serious, that the couple are considering living together.

Going for a swim: The couple looked blissful as they packed on the PDA and went swimming in Fruttuo, Italy, on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino

Blissful: After arriving to the remote town in Genoa on a small boat, the reality star, 42, and Barker, 45, were seen cuddling on a lounge chair

Cuddling: While they have previously traveled with their respective children or family, none of their children appeared to be present on their romantic trip

'Kourtney and Travis are loved up but what's causing a headache is the plans to combine the two families,' a source recently told The Sun.

'Right now Kourtney and Travis live minutes away from each other, but they want to move in together to start a new chapter, and that means all their kids need to be involved in the plan too.'

However, Travis' former wife Shanna Moakler reportedly doesn't want their children, 17-year-old son Landon and 15-year-old daughter Alabama, to move in.

Looking good: For their outing, the shirtless rockstar, 45, showcased his heavily tattooed torso as he sported black boardshorts and a pair of matching sunglasses

Getting serious: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is reportedly smitten with the Blink-182 drummer and things are getting so serious, that the couple are considering living together

The insider added: 'His ex-wife is really stirring things up and making it difficult. When he's not with his kids, Travis spends all his time at Kourt's - and he more or less lives there.

'Kourt wants Travis to be step-dad to her kids, and her to his - their kids are all building relationships - but his ex is being difficult over plans to combine to form a household.

'Apparently, Shanna doesn't think it's good for her kids to have to be uprooted and move into Kourtney's.'

'Kourtney and Travis are loved up but what's causing a headache is the plans to combine the two families,' a source recently told The Sun

However, Shanna told The Sun: 'My children can live wherever they are happiest. I have no opinion on this whatsoever.'

Travis and Kourtney - who has children Mason, Penelope and Reign with her former partner Scott Disick -have shared plenty of photos from their current getaway on their Instagram accounts.

While Travis opted to post a selfie on a boat and some gelato, his other half shared a snap of her morning coffee and some pasta.

Yum! Barker shared photos of him and Kardashian enjoying some gelato

'Good morning from me and my Italian coffee,' Kourtney captioned a photo of her coffee on her Instagram Story
Some people call it fate, while others will make the case that it's purely a coincidence.

Either way, actor Sean Astin has a knack for photobombing when it comes to one particular woman.

Just days ago, a Reddit user shared two photos, revealing the Lord Of The Rings star photobombed her twice, over a span of 26 years.

Photobomber: Lord of The Rings Actor Sean Astin, now 50, photobombed a woman at Disneyland in 2019, which came 26 years after he pulled the prank on the same woman in 1993

The first prank happened in Washington, D.C. back in 1993.

The unsuspecting woman shared that her father had gotten her a hook up to one of President Clinton's inaugural balls, but it fell through.

As consolation, she wound up crashing another ball, believed to be connected to MTV, that was attended by lots of young people and celebrities.

One of those young celebrities in attendance happened to be Astin, who was recognizable from his earlier roles in The Goonies (1985) and Encino Man (1992).

'While we waited for Clinton to make his appearance my dad took a picture of us,' she explained, adding, 'We had no idea Sean was standing there let alone he photobombed us until we developed the film.'

How it all began: The prank began when Astin, then 22, photobombed the same unsuspecting woman at an inaugural ball in Washington, D.C. for President Bill Clinton in 1993

The photo shows the woman in the front, second from the right, with a number of enthusiastic people around her. Astin can be seen flashing a smile, just a few feet behind her to her right, just as the woman's father snapped the photo.

Fast forward 26 years, to 2019, and the very same unsuspecting woman is enjoying a day at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, when she notices Astin walk by.

She took a moment to ponder whether to introduce herself to the actor.

'I ask my hubby if I should try and show Sean the photo (which I had in my phone) and he said, "go for it." So I run after Sean and yell "excuse me Sean, you photobombed me, do you want to see the picture?!"'

Astin did, in fact, want to check out the image, and enjoyed the backstory so much that he suggested they recreate it.

Good idea: The actor actually suggested to the woman that they recreate the first photobomb

Making his mark: Astin would score the role of Samwise Gamgee in the Lord Of The Rings films beginning with the original, which filmed in 2000, some seven years after the initial photobomb; he is pictured in a scene with star Elijah Wood

In the more recent picture, Astin is peeking over the woman's shoulder with a sly grin on his face as she flashes a big beaming smile.

'Actor Sean Astin photo bombing me in '93 at D.C. inaugural ball and again 26 yrs later at Disneyland,' she captioned the Reddit posts this past Wednesday.

Meanwhile, some people who saw the post were struck by how the woman in the photos appears to have not aged much over the course of 26 years.

One comment accused her of being either a vampire of a Highlander while another asked if she had a rule against aging.

'Yes, yes I do,' she responded, and then proceeded to share her skin care secret, via a link to her facial routine.
Thomas Markle Jr.'s time in Australia has come to an end after he was granted special permission to visit to appear on Big Brother VIP.

Sharing a photo to his Instagram account on Sunday, the 55-year-old half-brother of Meghan Markle was spotted boarding his flight back to United States.

Posing alongside several Delta airline workers, Tom wrote: 'My awesome airline girls. I'm trying to get them to come to Los Angeles and babysit me'.

Homebound: Thomas Markle Jr, 55, (pictured centre) has boarded a flight back to the United States, days after saying he was planning to 'hide from immigration' to stay in Australia

Thomas is understood to have flown back on his own accord, despite his visa lasting for several more months because of the restrictions currently in place in NSW.

It comes just days after the controversial personality joked that he was loving Australia so much that he was 'planning to hide from immigration'.

'Tom Markle here coming to you live from the Big Brother VIP hotel backyard, you know, where rations get a little low, so he makes us run outside here in the ocean and get her own food,' he said in the beachside clip.

See ya! Thomas is understood to have flown back on his own accord, despite his visa lasting for several more months because of the restrictions currently in place in NSW

'It's going to be an amazing, amazing show. I'm looking forward to making it all the way to the end,' he teased, before he saying how much he loved being in Australia.

'As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to hide from immigration and I'm not going to go home,' he said with a laugh before the clip ended.

Thomas was added to the Big Brother VIP line-up to replace far-right British columnist Katie Hopkins.

Just joking! It comes just days after the controversial personality joked that he was loving Australia so much that he was 'planning to hide from immigration'

Katie, 46, was deported from Australia last month while completing her mandatory hotel quarantine ahead of her scheduled appearance on the show.

After complaining about the strict quarantine system and boasting about flouting the rules, Katie was hauled back to the airport and put on a flight back to England.

Australia has enforced strict border closures since the start of the pandemic, with tickets into the country rationed and all arrivals forced to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in their city of arrival along with repeat testing before being allowed in.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Thomas had officially signed with Australia's premiere talent agent, Max Markson.

Markson, who is described as a 'black-belt master of the art of spin' announced the news via Instagram, uploading a promo shot for Big Brother VIP alongside a caption that confirmed Thomas was officially on his books.

In a promo for Big Brother VIP, Thomas claimed he'd 'warned' Prince Harry, 36, about his sister before their marriage.

No relationship: Markle Jr. does not have a relationship with his famous younger sister, who is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

I'm Meghan Markle's brother, I'm the biggest brother of them all,' Thomas said while introducing himself in the video.

He then added: 'I told Prince Harry, I think she's going to ruin your life. She's very shallow'.

Thomas does not have a relationship with his famous younger sister, who is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Sarah Paulson is responding to the criticism surrounding her decision to play the role of Linda Tripp in the upcoming series Impeachment: American Crime Story, which revolves around the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.

In order to transform into Tripp, the acclaimed actress gained 30lbs, wore a nearly five pound 'fat suit', prosthetic teeth, prosthetic nose, and a wig to emulate Tripp's signature '90s-style helmet of blond hair.'

Critics believe by taking the role, Paulson prevented a worthy actor, with Tripp's larger body shape, from getting the role in what will be the third season of the FX true crime anthology American Crime Story.

Backlash: Sarah Paulson (left) says she regrets wearing a fat suit to play Linda Tripp (right) in Impeachment: American Crime Story, which revolves around the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal that broke in 1998

Transformation: The acclaimed actress gained 30lbs, wore a nearly five pound 'fat suit', prosthetic teeth, prosthetic nose, and a wig to emulate Tripp's signature '90s-style helmet of blond hair'

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Paulson didn't shy away from the controversy, admitting that she understands the criticism about the padded suit.

'It's very hard for me to talk about this without feeling like I'm making excuses. There's a lot of controversy around actors and fat suits, and I think that controversy is a legitimate one,' she explained

'I think fat phobia is real. I think to pretend otherwise causes further harm. And it is a very important conversation to be had. But that entire responsibility I don't think falls on the actor for choosing to do something that is arguably  and I'm talking about from the inside out  the challenge of a lifetime.'

She continued, 'I do think to imagine that the only thing any actor called upon to play this part would have to offer is their physical self is a real reduction of the offering the actor has to make.'

Criticism: In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Paulson admitted that she understands the criticism about the padded suit: she is pictured with Beanie Feldstein, who plays Lewinsky

In agreement: 'There's a lot of controversy around actors and fat suits, and I think that controversy is a legitimate one,' Paulson explained; Clive Owen is seen as President Bill Clinton

Shared responsibility: 'But that entire responsibility I don't think falls on the actor for choosing to do something that is arguably  and I'm talking about from the inside out  the challenge of a lifetime, Paulson added; actress Edie Falco plays Hillary Clinton in the new season of American Crime Story

'I would like to believe that there is something in my being that makes me right to play this part. And that the magic of hair and makeup departments and costumers and cinematographers that has been part of moviemaking, and suspension of belief, since the invention of cinema,' she surmised.

'Was I supposed to say no [to the part]? This is the question.'

Being more informed on the issues, Paulson went on to admit that she would have, in fact, responded differently to being offered the role of Linda Tripp.

'I think the thing I think about the most is that I regret not thinking about it more fully. And that is an important thing for me to think about and reflect on. I also know it's a privileged place to be sitting and thinking about it and reflecting on it, having already gotten to do it, and having had an opportunity that someone else didn't have,' the 46-year-old Golden Globe winner shared.

'You can only learn what you learn when you learn it. Should I have known? Abso-f***ing-lutely. But I do now. And I wouldn't make the same choice going forward.'

Tripp was a White House employee in the George H. W. Bush administration, and kept her job when Bill Clinton became president in 1993. During the summer of 1994, senior White House aides wanted Tripp removed, so they arranged a job for her in the public affairs office in the Pentagon.

At the center of the storm: In January 1998, Tripp gave the recorded tapes to independent counsel Kenneth Starr in exchange for immunity from prosecution (pictured 2001)

Scandalous: The scandal that proceeded resulted in President Clinton being impeached

Controversy: Impeachment: American Crime Story is based on Jeffrey Toobin's book - A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story Of The Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down A President (1999)

Tripp secretly recorded Monica Lewinsky's confidential phone calls about her relationship with President Clinton. In January 1998, she gave the tapes to independent counsel Kenneth Starr in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

The scandal that proceeded resulted in President Clinton being impeached, but not removed from office.

Impeachment: American Crime Story is based on Jeffrey Toobin's book - A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story Of The Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down A President (1999).

Along with returning cast members Paulson (Linda Tripp), Annaleigh Ashford (Paula Jones), and Judith Light (Susan Carpenter-McMillan), the upcoming season includes new cast members Beanie Feldstein (Monica Lewinsky), Clive Owen (President Bill Clinton), Edie Falco (Hillary Clinton), Margo Martindale (Lucianne Goldberg).

The cast also has Billy Eichner (Matt Drudge), Cobie Smulders (Ann Coulter), Taran Killam (Steve Jones), Mira Sorvino (Marcia Lewis), Colin Hanks (Mike Emmick), Elizabeth Reaser (Kathleen Willey), Dan Bakkedahl (Kenneth Starr), Kathleen Turner (Susan Webber Wright), and Anthony Green (Al Gore).

Impeachment: American Crime Story will premiere on FX on September 7th.
Sienna Miller once again showcased her flair for fashion as she enjoyed a summer's day in the Big Apple on Saturday.

The actress, 39, was spotted wearing a classic white T-shirt, baggy jeans, and a luxurious Gucci purse on her arm.

Providing a pop of color to the otherwise laid-back look was a bright red bow in her hair.

City girl! Sienna Miller once again showcased her flair for fashion as she enjoyed a summer's day in the Big Apple on Saturday

The actress looked lovely enjoying some down time in the city that never sleeps.

She wore a stylish pair of black shades over her stunning complexion while further accessorizing the look with a dangling gold necklace.

She cinched her jeans in with a stripped belt and made her way through the Big Apple in a comfortable pair of gold sandals.

Sienna has been busy lately filming a mystery TV series in New York.

New York stylin': The actress looked lovely enjoying some down time in the city that never sleeps

The actress was spotted wearing a relaxed fit khaki jumpsuit and monochrome sliders as she made her way across the set to shoot scenes for the untitled project earlier this week.

The Alfie star appeared laidback as she strolled along with her hands in her pockets while wearing a protective face mask.

Sienna wore her shoulder length blonde tresses in their signature tousled styled with short choppy layers that framed her face.

Laidback: Miller looked effortlessly chic in a khaki jumpsuit as she stepped out to film a mystery TV series in New York on Monday

Showcasing her natural beauty, she wore minimal makeup for the filming and flaunted an enviable golden tan on her face, arms and ankles.

The actress cut a stylish figure in the button front jumpsuit, which featured an elegant belt detail that emphasised her waist.

Sienna accessorised with a dainty gold bracelet and a matching ring but otherwise let the autumnal outfit speak for itself.

Chilled: The Alfie star appeared laidback as she strolled along with her hands in her pockets while wearing a protective face mask

Hard at work: The actress sported a relaxed fit khaki jumpsuit and monochrome sliders as she made her way across the set to shoot scenes for the untitled project

While Sienna's latest project is currently under wraps, she was last known to be filming for Netflix's new political drama Anatomy Of A Scandal.

The show is based on the acclaimed 2018 bestseller by former political journalist Sarah Vaughan.

Sienna is set to star in the film as the wife of a shamed minister played by Rupert Friend.

The plot of the movie follows the trial of the Eton-educated politician after he's accused of sexually assaulting a young political aide.

Gorgeous: Sienna wore her shoulder length blonde tresses in their signature tousled styled with short choppy layers that framed her face

The serious plot revolves around James Whitehouse's rape accusation filed by an aide with whom he'd been having an affair.

The role of the aide, called Olivia, will be played by the Charlie Angels actress Naomi Scott, it was confirmed in December.

The cast of the six-part series, which Netflix describes as 'an insightful and suspenseful series about sexual consent and privilege', also includes Downton Abbey actress Michelle Dockery as the high-flying prosecutor.

Sophie (Sienna) is convinced that he is innocent and will do whatever it takes to protect her family in the wake of the scandal.

Meanwhile, criminal barrister Kate (Michelle) is equally convinced that James is guilty and is determined to see he pays for his crimes.
Joe Exotic's old zoo won't be housing any exotic animals for the the foreseeable decades.

Carole Baskin, Exotic's longtime enemy, sold the Oklahoma property  formerly known as The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park  for $140,000 in June.

The sale also came with one huge stipulation: the new owners are prohibited from using the property 'to house exotic animals of any kind  or as a zoo, wildlife park or menagerie' for the next 100 years, according to TMZ.

Done deal: Carole Baskin, 60, has sold Joe Exotic's former Oklahoma zoo for $140,000, with the stipulation that the property can't be used as a zoo for 100 years

Baskin's husband, Howard Baskin, also told TMZ that the new owners are barred from 'ever being associated with he who shall not be named' aka Joe.

Carole Baskin went on to suggest that the land could be used as an RV park, due to its 'close location to the interstate.'

A judge awarded Baskin's Big Cat Rescue control over the animal park in Wynnewood last year as part of the $1 million settlement in her long-standing trademark lawsuit against Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage.

The lawsuit was filed in 2011, which came nine years before Tiger King became the No. 1 show on Netflix, and shot Exotic and Baskin to a unique kind of stardom.

Their feud over exotic animals at private zoos was a big part of the storyline in Tiger King.

Last year, Maldonado-Passage was sentenced 22 years in a federal prison following his conviction on charges he hatched a murder-for-hire plot to kill Baskin.

Her take: Carole Baskin suggested that the old zoo land could be used as an RV park, due to its 'close location to the interstate'; The Big Cat Rescue CEO is seen at premiere of The Conservation Game in Los Angeles on Saturday

Shining a light on the big cat trade Carole and Howard Baskin both lent their support The Conservation Game, which dives deep into the perils of the endangered ambassador animals and exotic animal trade; they are pictured at the LA premiere

Baskin, an American big cat rights activist, has been serving as CEO of Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit animal sanctuary based near Tampa, Florida.

The crisis with big cat, and other exotic animals, is now being chronicled in the new documentary, The Conservation Game, which dives deep into the perils of the endangered ambassador animals and exotic animal trade.

The film, directed by Michael Webber, made its Los Angeles theatrical premiere over the weekend.

Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate on captive big cats in America, The Conservation Game follows the story of Tim Harrison, a retired cop who makes a bombshell discovery while undercover at an exotic animal auction. He starts to suspect that America's top television celebrity conservationists may be secretly connected to the exotic pet trade. What follows is a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, filled with lies, deception, and coverups, according to the docs website.

As his investigation leads deeper into the secret world of the big cat trade, Tim and his team take their fight to the halls of Congress.

Difference maker: 'It is the film that is going to wake people up and actually end the abuse,' Carol Baskin said of The Conservation Game; the couple are pictured on the red carpet

New doc: The Baskins are featured in the new documentary, The Conservation Game

'It is the film that is going to wake people up and actually end the abuse,' Carol Baskin told Hollywood On The Potomac during an interview in Washington, D.C. in June.

'Everybody is going to see how the big cat crisis started and what we can do to end it.'

Standing alongside Baskin, Webber revealed, 'The inspiration really started with my undercover work that I was doing at the exotic animal auctions, and what I saw there and what I experienced.'

He added, 'And it was so unusual and different that it really warranted a proper investigation and proper film. I had no idea this would be a four year odyssey deep into the heart of the big cat trade.'

Webber is hopeful the documentary will shine a light on the problems and make a real difference: 'I look forward to seeing what happens after the film comes out.'

The premise: Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate on captive big cats in America, The Conservation Game follows the story of Tim Harrison (pictured), a retired cop who makes a bombshell discovery while undercover at an exotic animal auction

The rallying call: 'The inspiration really started with my undercover work that I was doing at the exotic animal auctions, and what I saw there and what I experienced,' The Conservation Game director, Michael Webber, said in an interview in June

Legislation: Carol Baskin believes the only way to fix the big cat crisis, and save tigers in the wild, is by congress accepting and passing the Big Cat Public Safety Act

Carol Baskin believes the only way to fix the big cat crisis, and save tigers in the wild, is by congress accepting and passing the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

Webber revealed that most of the filming for the documentary was shot by the time Tiger King came out in March 2020, so he's eager to show what he calls 'the true side of big cat advocacy and what's really going on behind the scenes with these big cats in the United States.'

He added, 'I think it will be really good for the public to kind of see that different, and I think more reality perspective, of what's really going behind the scenes with these big cats.'

Along with Harrison, the documentary also features Carney Anne Nasser, and Carole and Howard Baskin.

The real look of the big cat trade: Webber revealed that most of the filming for The Conservation Game documentary was shot by the time Tiger King came out in March 2020; Harrison is pictured in a scene from the documentary
They are currently enjoying a sun-soaked jaunt to Ibiza.

And Gabby Allen and her boyfriend Brandon Myers appeared the picture of relaxation as they strolled along the beach on Saturday afternoon.

The Love Island star, 29, showcased her toned physique in a lemon yellow bikini, which consisted of a triangle-style top and matching bottoms.

Lovely lemon: Gabby Allen and her boyfriend Brandon Myers appeared the picture of relaxation as they strolled along the beach on Saturday afternoon

The skimpy two-piece showcased Gabby's ample cleavage and perky posterior as she strolled along the sand with her model boyfriend.

The reality personality wore her cropped blonde locks swept back into a neat bun, and appeared to go make-up free as she showed off her naturally pretty visage.

Gabby added simple accessories to her beach ensemble in the form of gold hoop earrings, pink shades and a beaded bracelet.

Sizzling: The Love Island star, 29, showcased her toned physique in a lemon yellow bikini, which consisted of a triangle-style top and matching bottoms

She carried a printed beach cover-up in her hand while walking along.

Meanwhile, shirtless Brandon showed off his muscular physique - which is covered in an array of intricate tattoos - during their outing on the White Isle.

He sported a just pair of grey swim shorts and wore a chain necklace.

Peachy: The skimpy two-piece showcased Gabby's ample cleavage and perky posterior as she strolled along the sand with her model boyfriend

The couple have been making the most of eased restrictions of late, as last month they returned to London from a trip to Greece in July.

The loved-up couple have been dating since June last year and went public with their romance two months later.

The television personality initially denied speculation they were in a relationship, stating at the time they were 'just friends'.

Gabby previously dated Rak-Su star Myles Stephenson until August 2019, when she accused him of cheating on her.

The reality star is thought to be worth an estimated 1.3million since finding fame on the 2017 series of Love Island
Former Married At First Sight star Natasha Spencer has issued a very dire warning for future contestants of the show, as she reveals she still battles anxiety.

The 28-year-old, who was taken to hospital last year amid concerns she would self-harm, told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday that Channel Nine needs to take complaints 'seriously' and make mental health a bigger priority.

Married At First Sight is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after receiving a high volume of viewer complaints amid claims of mental abuse, gaslighting and domestic conflict during this year's season.

The reality of reality TV: Former Married At First Sight bride Natasha Spencer (pictured) has issued a VERY dire warning for future stars of the show - as she reveals she's still battling anxiety and is undergoing therapy for 'probably the rest' of her life

'MAFS showed me everything that I didn't want in life,' Natasha told the paper.

The influencer has been on the receiving end of vile trolling from social media users since debuting on last year's season, resulting in an ongoing battle with anxiety.

After being rushed to hospital last year amid self-harm concerns, Natasha cut out alcohol and sees a psychologist for her anxiety.

'I still have episodes of anxiety but I'm doing pretty damn good. I'm working with a psychologist and I probably will for the rest of my life,' the star, who is now three months sober, told Confidential.

Ongoing battle: The influencer (pictured on last year's season) has been on the receiving end of vile trolling, resulting in an ongoing battle with anxiety. After being rushed to hospital last year amid self-harm concerns, Natasha cut out alcohol and sees a psychologist for her anxiety

Making herself a priority: 'I still have episodes of anxiety but I'm doing pretty damn good. I'm working with a psychologist and I probably will for the rest of my life,' the star, who is now three months sober, told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday

Natasha is not the only former MAFS star to reveal the potentially negative side that comes from appearing on a primetime dating show.

Bryce Ruthven, who starred on this year's season, has claimed that his portrayal on the reality show has destroyed his career as a radio personality.

Speaking to the Herald Sun this month, Bryce said that he's glad MAFS is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and that he's even considering exploring legal options against Endemol Shine.

'For me it has basically ruined my career in radio,' the 32-year-old said.

Damage: Natasha is not the only one to reveal the potentially negative side that comes from appearing on the show. Bryce Ruthven (pictured), who starred on this year's season, has claimed that his portrayal on the reality show has destroyed his career as a radio personality

'It basically damaged my potential earnings. If it takes much longer to find a job it (exploring his legal options) would be something you have to seriously consider especially with twins on the way.'

He also said that legal firms have reached out to him and partner Melissa Rawson with the interest of representing them.

Bryce exited his gig as an announcer on Hit 104.7 afternoon show in Canberra back in February once Married At First Sight started airing.

Southern Cross Austereo - who own Hit 104.7 - confirmed to Radio Today that he'd resigned from the show, but no reason was given for his departure.

'For me it has basically ruined my career in radio': Bryce also said that legal firms have reached out to him and partner Melissa Rawson with the interest of representing them

Bryce recently slammed producers of the show for their 'manipulated' portrayal of him on the series.

He also gloated about his happy ending with fiancee Melissa, who is currently pregnant with twins.

'Reality TV: Manipulated storyline,' he wrote, then added: 'Reality: Engaged + pregnant.'

He then tagged the show's producers, including executive producer Tara McWilliams, and wrote: 'Apologies the narrative didn't work out the way you wanted.'

Hitting back: Bryce, 32, recently slammed producers of the show for their 'manipulated' portrayal of him on the series

According to a previous report by The Daily Telegraph, ACMA received 67 complaints from viewers amid claims of mental abuse, gaslighting and domestic conflict during this year's season.

'The ACMA has commenced an investigation into episodes of the 2021 season of Married At First Sight,' an ACMA spokesperson told the publication.

'A significant proportion of the complaints alleged the program included personally abusive interchanges between participants through gaslighting, social, verbal and mental abuse, and that the program perpetuated and promoted the theme of domestic and emotional conflict.'

Under investigation: Married At First Sight is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) after receiving a high volume of complaints. Pictured with Melissa Rawson

Channel Nine - the network behind MAFS - sent out an apology letter back in April after a Change.org petition garnered over 15,000 signatures.

The petition claimed that Endemol Shine, the production company behind MAFS had failed in their duty of care to the show's participants, with viewers describing some scenes as 'distressing'.

'Nine takes seriously the concerns raised by its viewers and makes every effort to ensure that the material it presents is consistent with community standards and complies with Nine's regulatory obligations,' the network said in a letter.

For confidential mental health support in Australia, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

In the UK, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Isla Fisher made a show-stopping appearance at a CinefestOZ luncheon on Saturday.

The Australian actress, 45, turned heads in a flirty floral dress as she arrived to the Aravina Estate in Yallingup, Western Australia.

The Wedding Crashers star stunned in the frock, which featured sleeves, a layered bottom and a belt.

Dressed to impress: Isla Fisher (pictured) cut a stylish figure in a flirty floral dress as she attended the CinefestOZ luncheon in Western Australia

Isla teamed the stylish ensemble with a pair of nude heels, Fendi earrings and wore sunglasses as she arrived to the event.

For makeup, the actress opted for a soft, natural palette with a rosy blush and pink lipstick in a satin finish.

She also tied her signature long red locks in a low bun.

Looking good! The Wedding Crashers star stunned in the frock, which featured sleeves, a layered bottom and a belt

Natural beauty: For makeup, the actress opted for a soft, natural palette with a rosy blush and pink lipstick in a satin finish

Former talk show host Rove McManus and his wife actress Tasma Walton were also at the event.

Isla lived in U.S. for years but relocated to Sydney with her husband, Sacha Baron Cohen, and their children several months ago.

The notoriously private actress spoke to Marie Claire Australia in May about their decision to relocate Down Under.

Accessories: Isla teamed the stylish ensemble with a pair of nude heels, Fendi earrings and wore sunglasses as she arrived to the event

Complete look: She also tied her signature long red locks in a low bun

Isla, who grew up in Perth, rubbished reports she and Sacha had wanted to escape 'Trump's America', saying their relocation from LA to Sydney was a personal rather than a political decision.

She added that it 'feels very magical' to be back home after spending so long in the U.S. and that she can 'be herself' in Australia.

Isla was born in Oman but grew up in Perth, before moving back to Australia with her family.

Making an appearance: Former talk show host Rove McManus and his wife actress Tasma Walton were also at the event
Kerry Katona has admitted she felt 'embarassed' while trying on wedding gowns as she approaches her fourth marriage - to fiance Ryan Ryan Mahoney, 32.

The TV star, 40, who announced her engagement last year after the pair met on a dating app - touched upon her emotional appearance on Gok Wan's Say Yes To The Dress last month, admitting she felt she 'didn't deserve to be happy'.

Kerry, who was married to Brian McFadden from 2002 to 2006, Mark Croft from 2007 to 2011 and the late George Kay from 2014 to 2017, explained that she had found the experience 'uncomfortable' as she's 'been through this before'.

Plans: Kerry Katona has admitted she felt 'embarassed' while trying on wedding gowns as she approaches her fourth marriage - to fiance Ryan Ryan Mahoney, 32 (pictured)

Kerry told MailOnline: 'I just felt really embarrassed about being in a wedding shop, I felt very uncomfortable, like I didn't deserve to be happy, like I've been through this before, like I wasn't entitled to get excited about it.'

She added: 'But the journey on the show really helped me. Having my daughter and best friend there, that really really helped me. I actually ended up buying the wedding dress that I picked.'

During the chat, Kerry also revealed there has been 'no planning' for her upcoming wedding to fiance Ryan, and detailed plans to 'hop on a plane to Vegas'.

She said: 'When this lockdown is over, we'll just hop on a plane and go to Vegas. But there's nothing planned, no dates, no nothing. I've been married that many times and you're just paying for dinner for everybody else!'

The star explained: The TV star, 40, who announced her engagement last year after the pair met on a dating app - touched upon her emotional appearance on Gok Wan's Say Yes To The Dress last month, admitting she felt she 'didn't deserve to be happy' (pictured filming Gok Wan's Say Yes To The Dress last month)

She concluded: 'I've been married that many times and it's just you're paying for dinner for everybody else! For me, I don't want the wedding now, I just want the marriage.'

When asked what her hopes are for her marriage to Ryan, the former Atomic Kitten star quipped: 'For it to not end in divorce!'

She went on: 'For the future I want to see us be together forever, to grow old together, for us to continue building this empire we've created.'

Emotional: Kerry, who was married to Brian McFadden from 2002 to 2006, Mark Croft from 2007 to 2011 and the late George Kay from 2014 to 2017, explained that she had found the experience 'uncomfortable' as she's 'been through this before'

Delving into her working relationship with her fiance, Kerry added: 'Ryan's also my business partner. I wouldn't be where I am today without Ryan. It's almost like the stars aligned and brought him into my life, it's almost like we manifested each other to come into each other's lives and it's worked!'

She continued: 'Ryan and I are quite opposite, we're like Yin and Yang. But it works. So he's so very good at contracts, working behind-the-scenes, we have a dating app together. He's not in the showbiz side of things, that's me, and I love it like that.'

'It's not like Ryan's hidden away,' she insisted, adding: 'It's just that Ryan does his work and I do mine, and I like that. Both the work that we're doing is all of our work.

New role: Elsewhere, Kerry was quick to gush about her new role of creative director for Thrillz, a platform that allows users to purchase personalised celebrity videos

'So I'm the one who goes out and puts on the jazz hands. Ryan's the one who does the type-writing behind-the-scenes. But he's more than happy to come to an event with me, but he just works like this.'

Elsewhere, Kerry was quick to gush about her new role of creative director for Thrillz, a platform that allows users to purchase personalised celebrity videos.

Of her exciting new venture, Kerry said: 'We're giving people something that you can't forget, a memory.'

She added: 'The difference with Thrillz is how personal they are with you, that personal effect. I feel like when I go into work I'm working with family, we are a family team and we're always thinking of new and better ideas.'

Kerry also noted that the platform has the ability to hope 'those with mental health issues'.

Funny: When asked what her hopes are for her marriage to Ryan, the former Atomic Kitten star quipped: 'For it to not end in divorce!'

She explained: 'I'll get videos to send to someone to cheer them up. Or somebody who has mental health issues, or somebody who is struggling. I'll get so candid with them.

'And this person's living all by themselves in lockdown. Can you imagine the joy that will bring them?

'You're in lockdown, you can see anybody and you get a pick-me-up from Kerry Katona or Tara Reid  I think that's amazing!'

Looking to the future, Kerry noted her 41st birthday is coming up and that she's feeling 'unbelievably grateful' for her life.

'I've been in the industry since I was 17, I am so unbelievably grateful,' she gushed.

'My gratitude to the universe is above and beyond, I feel so blessed, I feel so lucky and in a way, I deserve it as well. I'm not even ashamed in saying that, I do deserve it and have done really well to turn my life around.'

For personalised videos, Kerry Katona is exclusively available on Thrillz.co.uk.

Past relationships: Kerry was married to Brian McFadden (pictured) from 2002 to 2006

That was then: Kerry was married to Mark Croft from 2007 to 2011 (pictured in 2008)
The Block's Suzi Taylor returned to Instagram on Sunday after being released from a 202-day stint behind bars, including a month in solitary confinement, in May.

The Penthouse cover girl shared a sultry close-up selfie with her 3,972 followers at her Brisbane home and declared she was finally 'free' and 'alive' with the 'living'.

Taylor, 50, walked free from the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre a month early after being acquitted of extorting a man on an escort date gone wrong in 2019. Taylor was overjoyed after more than 70 charges against her were dropped.

'Back to the land of the living': The Block's Suzi Taylor returned to social media on Sunday with this sultry selfie and declared she's finally 'free and alive' - following 202 days in jail including a month in solitary confinement

In Taylor's sultry selfie, she posed in a grey ensemble, aviator sunglasses and a black and white cap.

Her brunette locks fell in waves around her shoulders, and she opted for a more natural makeup look.

'I made it back to the land of the living finally,' Taylor captioned the post, alongside the hashtags 'alive', 'free' and 'me'.

As she walked free from the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre in May, she told reporters: 'Eighteen months ago I was charged and arrested for a crime I did not commit.

Free: 'I made it back to the land of the living finally,' Taylor captioned the post, alongside the hashtags 'alive', 'free' and 'me'

Overjoyed: The Penthouse cover girl posed for the cameras after being released from prison in May (pictured)

'I feel I was unjustly attacked and made to look guilty just by being my silly self and being made to look guilty with false accusations, lies and untruths and innuendo.

'But I am not guilty and finally I can say that and get on with life and start afresh.'

As Taylor walked down the street, dressed in black and wearing high heels, she was seen clutching a brown paper bag with her name on it - inside were her personal items initially seized when she got locked up.

Taylor was cleared on charges of extortion, deprivation of liberty, fraud and assault after being accused of attacking a man at her apartment in October 2019.

Queensland Police filed over 100 charges against her - including 94 counts of breaching bail conditions as well as drug and driving crimes.

But more than 70 of the charges were dropped at Brisbane Magistrates Court in May, with the prosecutor offering no evidence on dozens of counts.

Glamorous persona: The 50-year-old looked different from her usually glamorous self (pictured) as she left Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre in May

During her time behind bars, the reality TV star was kept in solitary confinement for over a month, the court was told.

Taylor, whose real name is Suellen Jan Taylor, eventually pleaded guilty to almost 30 charges, including possessing small amounts of cocaine and marijuana.

The court took almost half an hour to determine how many of the hundred-plus charges the reality star was still facing before legal proceedings could get underway.

Taylor broke down as her court matters were finalised, having dressed all in back during the proceedings, NCA NewsWire reported.

Cleared: In April, Taylor was cleared on charges of extortion, deprivation of liberty, fraud and assault after being accused of attacking a man at her apartment in October 2019 (pictured before her prison stint)

The court heard her first offence was in October 2019 after she drove a car that was taken from its owner, then left the scene after having an accident.

The prosecution asked for Taylor to be given probation and a suspended sentence, insisting she showed a 'blatant and persistent' disregard for the court.

Her lawyer Michael Gatenby described the remaining charges as 'low level'.

Taylor was convicted but not further punished on all charges as magistrate Stephen Courtney ordered her immediate release.

Emotional: Taylor cried in court as she was released from jail after dozens of charges against her were dropped (pictured, before her prison stint)

'Not meaning this in an insulting way, but your story is a sad one. There has been a real deterioration of your position and mental health,' he said.

'When one really drills down to it, while there are a lot of charges the charges each and of themselves do not reach a high level of seriousness.'

Outside court, Mr Gatenby said it was a horrendous experience for a woman who did nothing wrong and called for an inquiry.

'I think there should be an inquiry into the way the state treats people with mental illness,' he said.

'I don't know how you would cope, sitting in a jail cell knowing you had done nothing wrong.

'A lot of people have a lot to answer for - I don't know how her mental health has withstood this behaviour.'
Love Island bosses are considering replacing host Laura Whitmore in the wake of her 'lukewarm' reception, according to reports.

Both Maya Jama and Maura Higgins are tipped to be possible replacements for Laura, 36.

TV chiefs are said to want to 'revamp' the 2022 series, meaning Laura's role is 'hanging in the balance'.

Reports: Love Island bosses are considering replacing host Laura Whitmore, 36, in the wake of her 'lukewarm' reception, according to reports

A source told The Sun: 'Producers are keen to keep the show fresh and are keeping their options open, they have been impressed with both Maya and Maura, and think either could bring the necessary pizzazz and sexiness to the role.

'They want some-one who is fun and can connect with people. Maura has obviously taken part in the show herself and knows it inside out so could easily relate to contestants and what they are going through.'

They added: 'It's one of the best gigs in showbiz, with a plum six-figure salary and frequent trips to sunny Majorca, so there are plenty of people hungry for the role.'

A spokesperson for ITV told MailOnline: 'This is untrue. Laura has done a fantastic job at the helm of the show this year and no discussions have yet taken place with regards to the next series.'

New gig: Crouchy's Year-Late Euros presenter Maya Jama, 27, is tipped to be being considered for the role

Former Love Islander: Maura Higgins, 30, was once a Love Islander herself and is now being considered for hosting duties

MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Laura, Maya and Maura for comment.

The paper further reports that Crouchy's Year-Late Euros presenter Maya, 27, and former Love Islander Maura, 30, aren't the only two stars being considered for the role.

Radio 1 host Arielle Free is also said to be in the mix, with the 33-year-old delighting Love Island fans when she helped out with this year's Aftersun.

It comes a day after former host Caroline Flack's mother has revealed she can no longer bear to watch Love Island anymore, admitting it's 'horrible' to see her daughter's replacement Laura in adverts in 'almost the same dress, in almost the same pose'.

So sad: Caroline Flack's mother has revealed she can no longer bear to watch Love Island and see her daughter's replacement Laura on the show following the star's death

Tough to see: Christine admitted it's 'horrible' to see her daughter's replacement Laura in adverts in 'almost the same dress, in almost the same pose'

The former host of the dating show was found dead aged 40 in her London flat on February 15 last year - a day after she heard the CPS would pursue a trial following a drunken row with then-boyfriend Lewis Burton.

And in a new interview, Christine hit out at Love Island's treatment of her daughter amid her assault charge, accusing them of being 'hypocritical' for sacking her when they themselves encourage arguments among contestants.

The late TV presenter was facing trial accused of assaulting her former partner Lewis, 28, in December 2019.

However, Caroline strongly denied the charge and had pleaded not guilty to assault by beating at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on December 23.

And speaking to The Sun, Christine said of her daughter valued 'loyalty and friendship' above all else, and told that the show she hosted for four years failed to show the same to her when she was axed and replaced by Laura.

While she used to avidly watch the ITV2 programme when her daughter was at the helm, Christine admitted that she 'hasn't watched' it since Caroline died, suggesting it was too painful to see someone else host the show that her girl 'loved' so much.

She said: 'I watched Love Island because Carrie was in it. Now, it's horrible when the advert comes up and the girl that's taken her place is all in almost the same dress, in almost the same pose.'

Laura took over hosting duties shortly before Caroline was due to fly out to South Africa for Love Island's very first winter edition in January 2020.

She continued: 'I think ITV2 could have done it a little differently. They could have done it out of respect. It's all very well putting these films on saying, 'Oh, we love Carrie blah blah blah. But you know, just have a little bit of respect.'
Drama will reach an all-time high on The Block, with Josh and Luke accused of giving themselves an unfair advantage in the 'biggest cheating scandal in TV history'.

On Sunday's episode, a fuming Ronnie hurled out insults at the Packham twins in a piece to camera, alleging they knew the 'full schedule' of rooms in advance.

Chaos ensued in an explosive trailer for Monday's show, with Mitch, 58, describing Josh, 27, as a 'disgusting ignorant young piece of filth,' before storming off.

Drama: A fuming Ronnie accused Josh and Luke of CHEATING in the 'biggest scandal in TV history' on Sunday's episode of The Block - before Mitch labelled Josh a 'disgusting young piece of filth' in a dramatic trailer for Monday's show. Pictured: Josh and Luke

Josh and Luke won the room reveal on Sunday's episode, impressing the judges with their master bedroom and wardrobe, which Luke's fiancee helped in styling.

Luke enlisting extra help did not sit well with Ronnie and Georgia, who placed fourth on the episode.

In a piece to camera, Ronnie hurled insults, accusing them of cheating by having access to the production schedule.

'I guess it helps to cheat,' Ronnie said, before referencing the production schedule: 'It's amazing that you know exactly the full schedule of what rooms are coming up.

Accusations: In a piece to camera, Ronnie (pictured with Georgia) accused the boys of cheating by having access to the production schedule. 'They know when the challenge days are coming up... so I guess it helps to cheat,' he said

In agreement: That's great, beautiful,' he continued in a sarcastic tone, as Georgia urged him to not 'go there'

'They know when the challenge days are coming up... so I guess it helps to cheat. That's great, beautiful,' he continued in a sarcastic tone, as Georgia urged him to not 'go there'.

When a producer asked Ronnie whether Josh and Luke somehow discovered how to obtain the production schedule, Ronnie quipped: 'They've known from day one.'

'Mate, I don't f***ing really think, I know for a fact,' he continued, before describing it as the 'biggest cheating scandal in TV history' in a trailer for Monday's episode.

Fuming: When a producer asked Ronnie whether Josh and Luke somehow discovered how to obtain the production schedule, Ronnie quipped: 'They've known from day one. Mate, I don't f***ing really think, I know for a fact'

Scandal: Ronnie later described it as the 'biggest cheating scandal in TV history' in a trailer for Monday's episode

The explosive promo also sees the twins going head to head with Mitch and Mark, with Mitch describing Josh as a 'disgusting ignorant young piece of filth'.

'Rude, rich, snob,' a furious Josh responds, before they all storm off set.

Josh and Luke are pushing the boundaries, just three weeks into the competition.

Insults: The explosive promo also sees the twins going head to head with Mitch and Mark, with Mitch (pictured), 58, describing Josh, 27, as a 'disgusting ignorant young piece of filth'

They were previously scolded by foreman Keith after they went missing following a night of partying and turned up to work 'drunk'.

Josh and Luke, who starred on Love Island Australia in 2019, later hit out at Nine for their 'totally inaccurate' drunk edit, accusing them of fabricating the storyline.

The drama continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine.
Tim Robards is a doting dad to his nine-month-old daughter Elle who he shares with wife Anna Heinrich.

And on Sunday, the former Bachelor star joked that his little girl will be an old lady before she gets out of lockdown.

The personal trainer, 38, shared a video to Instagram showing the tot pushing along a trolley while dressed up.

Family: Tim Robards is a doting dad to his nine-month-old daughter Elle who he shares with wife Anna Heinrich. All pictured

Elle donned a grandma outfit complete with a grey wig and an old maid cap and glasses.

Tim wrote in his caption: 'My daughter finally getting out of lockdown. Somewhere in the distant future. #GrandmaElle #Lockdownfever #Mygirlsarelosingit'.

In July, the former reality star revealed Elle reached a new milestone.

Sweet: On Sunday, the former Bachelor star joked that his little girl will be an old lady before she gets out of lockdown. The personal trainer, 38, shared a video to Instagram showing the tot pushing along a trolley while dressed up

Tim wrote in his caption: 'My daughter finally getting out of lockdown. Somewhere in the distant future. #GrandmaElle #Lockdownfever #Mygirlsarelosingit'

'My little murgatroyd is getting closer to being able to walk all over Daddy!' he captioned footage of his daughter standing independently for the first time.

In the video, the little one is seen being held by her 34-year-old mum, before she lets go and is able to balance on her two feet alone.

While she was yet to take her first step, Tim was every bit the excited dad as he proudly said: ' Oh you're standing, look at that... no hands!'

First steps: In July, the former reality star revealed Elle reached a new milestone

While she was yet to take her first step, Tim was every bit the excited dad as he proudly said: 'Oh you're standing, look at that... no hands!'

It appears it's been a time for many celebrations for the family, as just weeks ago the former reality TV stars celebrated three years of marriage.

Anna acknowledged their wedding anniversary in an Instagram post, writing in a caption: 'Cheers to three years of wedded bliss (most of the time).'

Tim and Anna fell in love on The Bachelor Australia in 2013 and married in a stunning ceremony in Italy in 2018.
Farmer Wants a Wife star Hayley Love silenced talk surrounding the paternity of her unborn child in an Instagram Q&A session on Sunday.

The 25-year-old said she 'won't be discussing it again' after previously revealing former co-star Will Dwyer to be the father in a statement made to a news outlet.

Hayley, who was originally matched with farmer Matt Trewin on the Channel Seven show, also revealed whether she's back together with Matt after he broke up with her shortly before the finale.

'I won't be discussing it again': Farmer Wants a Wife's Hayley Love (pictured) silenced talk surrounding the paternity of her unborn child during an Instagram Q&A session on Sunday, and revealed whether she's back together with farmer Matt Trewin

Hayley made her thoughts clear when a follower asked, 'Who's the dad? Please clear rumours!!'

'This has come up a lot in the questions. I made a statement on @newscomauhq when this all came out. I wouldn't say someone was the father if I wasn't certain. I won't be discussing it again,' she stated online.

Hayley was also asked whether she has reunited with Matt, and said that while they are not together she hopes he finds the 'right gal'.

Setting the record straight: Hayley made her thoughts clear when a follower asked, 'Who's the dad? Please clear rumours!!' The 25-year-old, who previously revealed her former co-star Will Dwyer to be the father, said she 'wouldn't say someone was the father' if she wasn't certain

On good terms: Hayley was also asked whether she has reunited with Matt (pictured), and said that while they are not together she hopes he finds the 'right gal'

Alongside a photo of the former lovers beaming in a car, she wrote: 'No I'm not. We speak everyday on the phone but I've got a little bubba on the way and all my focus is on being the best mother I can be.'

Hayley continued: '@farmermattau has known since I was 12 weeks pregnant and has been super supportive. I do hope Matt finds the right gal though.'

Last week, Hayley celebrated reaching 26 weeks of pregnancy by sharing photos of her bump to Instagram.

'26 weeks of growing you,' she captioned the sweet images, in which she cradled her belly and smiled.

Not back together: Alongside a photo of the former lovers beaming in a car, she wrote: 'No I'm not. We speak everyday on the phone but I've got a little bubba on the way and all my focus is on being the best mother I can be'

Mother-to-be: Last week, Hayley celebrated reaching 26 weeks of pregnancy by sharing photos of her bump to Instagram

'Starting life with you has been a difficult one but I do not regret it one bit at all. I will love you unconditionally and I know you will love me too.

'Thank you for choosing me little bean. 27/11,' she added, seemingly referring to her due date.

Hayley revealed she was 22 weeks along in her pregnancy in a statement last month, but confirmed she and Will were no longer together.

She was originally matched with farmer Matt Trewin on the Channel Seven show, but he broke up with her shortly before the finale.

Exes: Hayley and Will (left) had a short-lived romance after the FWAW finale was filmed in December - and after he'd split from his winner, Jaimee (right)

She went on to briefly date Will and became pregnant with his child, but they broke up after she told him she was expecting.

Hayley and Will had a short-lived romance after the FWAW finale was filmed in December - and after he'd split from his winner, Jaimee.

Will recently released a statement finally addressing Hayley's pregnancy news.

In it, he vowed to be 'the best dad I can be... when the time comes'.
Kanye West finally released his new album Donda on streaming services on Sunday, more than one year after it was first announced.

The 44-year-old rapper's manager Bu Thiam confirmed that the record had dropped on social media, posting a screengrab of one of the album's 26 tracks alongside the caption: 'Listening now Donda.'

Fans rushed to Twitter in the wake of its release to declare it 'one of the greatest pieces of art of all time'.

Finally: Kanye West, 44, finally released his new album Donda on streaming services on Sunday, more than a month late

High praise: Fans rushed to Twitter in the wake of its release to declare it 'one of the greatest pieces of art of all time'

Taking to social media, one person gushed: 'Just finished listening to DONDA. That was quite possibly the most beautiful, breath-taking and angelic album I have ever experienced.

'Thank You Kanye. Life will be great. My ears have been blessed. This is one of the greatest pieces of art of all time.'

Another added: 'DONDA dropped I have officially left my body,' while a third penned: 'DONDA is album of the decade so far.'

A fourth person tweeted: 'You heard it hear first folks, donda is fine!' [sic] as a fifth noted: 'Okay Donda is actually pretty fire.'

Listening now: Kanye's manager Bu Thiam confirmed the record had dropped on social media, posting a screen grab of one of the album's 26 tracks

Donda's album artwork is a simple black square and the record racks up an impressive 108 minutes.

Artists including The Weeknd, Jay-Z, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and Kid Cudi feature on the album.

The record - named after Kanye's late mother Donda West, who died in 2007 at the age of 58 - follows three high-profile listening parties held through July in both Chicago and Atlanta.

Ye's tenth studio album was first rumored to be released in July 2020 and named Donda: With Child, but he continually pushed the work back, and at one point tweeted he wasn't releasing any new music 'till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal.'

One fan tweeted: 'DONDA dropped I have officially left my body,' while a third penned: 'DONDA is album of the decade so far'

At one point, Kanye sparked another feud with Drake and released his address to Instagram followers, seemingly in a bid to draw fans away from Aubrey's upcoming work, Certified Lover Boy.

Fans noticed Ariana Grande's powerful vocals on the title track, which also features Pusha T and Tony Williams, and credits producers BoogzDaBeast, FNZ and Ojivolta.

Donda's release comes hours after Kanye shared a cryptic screengrab of an iMessage conversation he had about controversial artist DaBaby, which appeared to confirm the artist's manager was holding up the album's release.

The exchange sees Bu tell Kanye that DaBaby's team is not giving track Jail - which features DaBaby - clearance for release.

Bu explained that the album will not be released until DaBaby is removed from the track.

On Thursday, Kanye brought the disgraced artist DaBaby out onto stage at his most recent listening party.

Cryptic: Donda's release comes hours after Kanye shared a cryptic screengrab of an iMessage conversation he had about controversial artist DaBaby

DaBaby - real name Jonathan Kirk - recently came under fire for making homophobic statements in relation to HIV/AIDs on stage at Rolling Loud in July.

Marilyn Manson also joined Kanye on stage, making it the first time that the controversial artist - real name Brian Warner - had been pictured since his sexual assault lawsuit.

Last month, Manson, 52, turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest over an incident in 2019 where he allegedly spat at a female videographer.

During the listening party, Kanye was also set ablaze for several excruciating seconds.

Inferno: Kanye dropped jaws during his Donda listening party as he set himself completely on fire

The inferno began inside a replica of Kanye's childhood home, where the Stronger rapper sat still as he was consumed by the flames.

Despite being completely ablaze, Kanye calmly walked outside of the house, clad in protective gear.

Kanye also reunited with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian on stage as she wore a wedding dress and veil.

Epic event: The dramatic evening saw Kanye reunite with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian on stage as she wore a wedding dress and veil

Despite the appearance, insiders say Kim and Kanye are not back together, however are forever family, according to TMZ.

'Kim and Kanye have always supported the other's endeavors and will continue to do that in the future, whether it be a collaborative effort or not,' an insider told TMZ.

It was added: 'Kim was happy to do it for Kanye and the event, which was so important to him.'

Thursday's epic listening party took place at the Soldier Field in Chicago.
She has jetted off to Mykonos for a luxe hen party with her sister Tiffany and friends.

And bride-to-be Lucy Watson, 30, continued to party it up on Saturday, soaking up the Greek scenery aboard a catamaran.

The former Made In Chelsea star looked radiant in a white bikini, that she layered with a cover-up.

Bride-to-be: Lucy Watson partied it up on a catamaran during her sun-kissed Mykonos hen party with sister Tiffany and friends on Saturday

Lucy looked every inch the delighted hen as she was spotted drinking and dancing with her gal pals during the boat trip.

The group put on a lively display as they sailed the Aegean Sea, making the most of their idyllic surroundings.

Not missing out on a photo opportunity, the girls also stopped to take selfies to remember the weekend.

Greek getaway: Lucy, 30, looked radiant in a white bikini, that she layered with a cover-up

Party: Lucy looked every inch the delighted hen as she was spotted drinking and dancing with her gal pals during the boat trip

Dancing: Lucy's sister and Maid of Honour Tiffany - 'Tiff' - 27 (centre) has been enjoying the hen weekend

Bikini clads: Lucy's little sister looked chic in a stripy bandeau bikini

In good company: The bride-to-be let out a giggle as she continued to make the most of her celebratory weekend

Lucy's sister and Maid of Honour Tiffany - 'Tiff' - 27, looked chic in a stripy bandeau bikini.

The siblings opted to wear the same summery cover-up and looked as though they were embracing every minute of the picturesque setting.

Later on, once the girls had enjoyed a Greek sunset, they stepped off the opulent catamaran into a smaller boat.

Celebrating: The group put on a lively display as they sailed the Aegean Sea, making the most of their idyllic surroundings

And pose! Not missing out on a photo opportunity, the girls also stopped to take selfies to remember the weekend

Matching: Lucy and Tiff opted to wear the same summery cover-up and looked as though they were embracing every minute of the picturesque setting

Memory making: The hen party ensured they captured the highlights from the trip

Idyllic: The boat trip continued into the evening as the sun was setting

The reality star-come-author announced her engagement to her partner James Dunmore, 32, in September 2020.

They met on the E4 set of Made In Chelsea in 2015.

She spent four years alongside her fellow Sloane Rangers on the hit show before deciding to start her own vegan restaurant, Tell Your Friends, the jewellery line Creature and a series of cookbooks.

Loved-up: The reality star-come-author announced her engagement to her partner James Dunmore, 32, in September 2020

Endeavours: Lucy spent four years alongside her fellow Sloane Rangers on the hit show before deciding to start her own vegan restaurant, Tell Your Friends

Success: The star also owns the jewellery line Creature

Luxe: Lucy became engaged to James in September last year after he popped the question during a romantic getaway in Greece

Revealing all: Divulging the details of how her beau proposed, the influencer told her Instagram followers last December that a lot of planning had gone into the gesture

The star became engaged to James in September last year after he popped the question during a romantic getaway in Greece.

Divulging the details of how her beau proposed, the influencer told her Instagram followers last December that a lot of planning had gone into the gesture.

Lucy explained: 'He got the hotel we were staying in to send me a letter saying we were going on a free yacht trip (awkwardly I wasn't that surprised). He had booked the boat and planned everything.

Having a ball: The hen party enjoyed some girly time together

Scenic: The beautiful Greek coastline was on fully display

Success: Lucy also keeps busy as an ambassador for Alpro

Memorable weekend: The catamaran was host to a fun party

End of the night: Later on, they stepped off the opulent catamaran into a smaller boat

Clapping: The party looked one to remember

'The boat was stunning and I was trying to get content for the hotel. There was a full vegan meal and champagne and we went on a crazy beautiful tour of some private islands. Some of the prettiest scenes I've ever witnessed.

'We went to take a photo together and there he was on one knee. I was literally in shock, my heart didn't beat for like 3 seconds.

'We then spent the day on the boat and had the best time with another couple we're friends with, watched the sun go down. It was perfect.'
Georgia Fowler has shared a heartwarming tribute to her boyfriend Nathan Dalah as he celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday.

The 29-year-old model shared a gallery of never-before-seen images of the couple to Instagram.

'There's nothing better than life's adventures with you. Another lap around the sun. And the best is yet to come. Happy birthday baby,' she wrote.

Tribute: Pregnant model Georgia Fowler shared a gallery of never-before-seen images with her boyfriend Nathan Dalah to mark his 27th birthday on Sunday

In one image, the loved-up couple smiled and posed during a romantic trip to Paris.

In another photo, Georgia and Nathan showed off their incredible beach bodies as they relaxed on the sand.

The couple smiled for the camera as Georgia held the couple's pet dog Chilli in a third picture.

Looking good! In one photo, Georgia and Nathan showed off their incredible beach bodies as they relaxed on the sand

Georgia announced she's expecting her first child with her Fishbowl co-founder boyfriend Nathan 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,' she continued.

Family: The couple smiled for the camera as Georgia held the couple's pet dog Chilli in another image

'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 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.
Bec Judd has spoken out against Melbourne's lockdowns.

On Friday, she shared a post to her Instagram Stories in reply to Ninja Warior host Rebecca Maddern's Tweet.

That Tweet read: 'Okay it's time to find some balance. Victorians can't be locked down longer or harder.

Open: Bec Judd (pictured) has spoken out against Melbourne's lockdowns. On Friday, she shared a post to her Instagram Stories in reply to Ninja Warior host Rebecca Maddern's Tweet

'Cases are going up, Delta is different. We need to look after our kids. The amount of suicides and self harm is rising - THIS is unacceptable. Get [vaccinated] ASAP but also find balance'.

Maddern also tagged Victorian premier Dan Andrews in the Tweet.

Bec reposted it on Sunday, and added her own comment, which read: '342 Victorian children are presenting to hospital EACH WEEK with mental health emergencies.'

The Tweet read: 'Okay it's time to find some balance. Victorians can't be locked down longer or harder. Cases are going up, Delta is different. We need to look after our kids. The amount of suicides and self harm is rising - THIS is unacceptable. Get [vaccinated] ASAP but also find balance'. Rebecca also tagged Victorian premier Dan Andrews in the Tweet

Bec reposted it on Sunday, and added her own comment, which read: '342 Victorian children are presenting to hospital EACH WEEK with mental health emergencies. Kids need to be back in the classroom (I'm not saying a blanket return. I'm saying let's come up with a safe plan ASAP)'

Bec appears to be referring to The Victorian Agency for Health Information report, which revealed this week that 342 children, aged up to 17, have been presented to emergency departments each week suffering mental health emergencies.

The data was recorded in the six week period leading up to May 30 and represented a shocking 57 per cent increase over the same timeframe last year.

Bec added: 'Kids need to be back in the classroom (I'm not saying a blanket return. I'm saying let's come up with a safe plan ASAP).'

Family: The WAG and her husband Chris Judd share son Oscar, 10, daughter Billie, seven, and twin boys Darcy and Tom, four. All pictured

The WAG and her husband Chris Judd share son Oscar, 10, daughter Billie, seven, and twin boys Darcy and Tom, four.

Students in Melbourne have spent 150 days learning from home since March 2020 - while those in wider Victoria have been banned from the classroom for four months.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has yet to announce when children can return to school in his state.
Bear Grylls is reportedly planning on knocking three flats together to make lavish 20m mega-home in London.

The TV adventurer, 47, is said to be creating a huge luxury London bolthole for his family in the Battersea Power Station in Battersea.

Bear bought his first flat in the decommissioned coal-fired power station back in 2015 and has bought two more in the development since then.

Bear Grylls (pictured) is planning on 'knocking three flats together' to make lavish 20million mega-home in Battersea Power Station in London

The star, his wife Shara and their three sons currently split their time between a houseboat on the Thames in London and a private island off the Welsh coast.

Speaking to The Sun, a source said: 'This will be one of the most impressive apartments in London. It will certainly be a world away from what he does on TV.

'Bear already has his Be Military Fit gym here that is up and running and he does pop in from time to time.

They added: 'There are going to be some incredibly wealthy people at the development, with a lot of buyers from China, Russia and the Middle East. The most expensive apartment costs 40million.'

MailOnline have contacted Bear's reps for further comment.

The former power station station is one of the world's largest brick buildings and is home to many luxury flats

The former power station station is one of the world's largest brick buildings and is home to many luxury flats, being notable for its original Art Deco interiors and decor.

Since its decommission in 1975, the 42-acre site is now owned by Malaysian investors.

In 2015, Bear said: 'As a family we didn't just want a run-of-the-mill townhouse or riverside development.

'We were attracted to Battersea Power Station because it was a chance to own a bit of history that we could pass on down through the family.

A festival organised by Grylls, which started yesterday and continues over the Bank Holiday, is being held at Powderham Castle in Devon and has been branded an 'absolute shambles'

'We have moored our houseboat barge in Battersea for many years - and are proud to keep that still - but to be able to buy within this landmark building and own that small slice of London history felt like a very special opportunity. It will make a very unique home.'

This comes after a festival organised by Grylls has been branded an 'absolute shambles' after all the activities were booked up on the opening day.

Furious families who paid up to 1,000 for Gone Wild ripped into it online following huge queues while quad biking, climbing and paddle boarding were axed.

The event, which started yesterday and continues over the Bank Holiday, is being run by the former SAS soldier and held at Powderham Castle in Devon.

Furious families who paid up to 1,000 for the festival ripped into it online following huge queues while quad biking, climbing and paddle boarding were axed

But those who went slammed the extortionate prices for food and drink and claimed some of the camping sites do not have any showers.

Gone Wild was billed as the 'ultimate family adventure' with activities for adults and children over nine separate areas.

These included tree climbing, axe and spear throwing, BMX biking and raft building.

There was also a music stage where artists such as Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Melanie C, Scouting for Girls and Morcheeba will play.
Comedy stars Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill are set to team up for the first time.

The veteran actors will appear opposite one another in a currently untitled Netflix film directed by black-ish creator Kenya Barris.

Barris and Murphy, 60, worked together in 2019 to make Coming 2 America which was released earlier this year

Joining forces: Comedy stars Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill are set to team up for the first time

Barris and Hill, 37, co-wrote the script. The movie is being produced by the former's production company, Khalabo Ink Society. Kevin Misher of Misher Films is also set to produce.

While most plot details are still under wraps, the film will supposedly focus on family dynamics, modern love and the ways differences between people affect relationships.

This is the first feature film Barris has directed. He's worked mostly as a writer since hopping into the film industry in 2016. Before that, the writer worked almost exclusively in television.

A Netflix regular: The Trading Places star, pictured here in 2020, appeared as the titular character in the 2019 film Dolemite Is My Name, a Netflix Original

This won't be Murphy's first Netflix film. The Trading Places star appeared as the titular character in the 2019 film Dolemite Is My Name. The biopic told the story Rudy Ray Moore, an actor who created the character Dolemite for blaxploitation films during the 1970s.

The movie, including the comedy legend's performance, was critically acclaimed and received a number of award nominations after its release.

In addition to his work on Dolemite Is My Name and this upcoming film, Murphy also appeared in Coming 2 America, the sequel to his classic 1988 film Coming to America, and he is also working on a sequel for the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.

Bringing back the classics: Murphy, seen here in 2020, a;ready made a sequel to one of his 80s films, Coming to America, and is working on another Beverly Hills Cop movie

His co-star, the 21 Jump Street actor, is also no stranger to Netflix productions. He starred in the 2018 series Maniac alongside Emma Stone for the platform, and he will also appear in Don't Look Up, and upcoming Adam McKay movie set to be released on Netflix this fall.

Don't Look Up will follow two low-level astronomers as they try to tell the world that go on a tour around the world to tell people about an asteroid headed to destroy earth.

The Superbad actor will play the president's son and Chief of Staff in the film. Oscar-winner Meryl Streep will play the President of the United States.
Amber Heard headed wine shopping in London on Sunday as her ex-husband Johnny Depp continues with a $50million libel lawsuit against her.

A Virginia judge on Tuesday ruled the actor, 58, can proceed with the litigation, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she penned saying she was a domestic violence survivor.

But the actress, 35, brushed off her legal woes as she left the store carrying a box of wine with her friend.

Heading out: Amber Heard headed wine shopping in London on Sunday as her ex-husband Johnny Depp continues with a $50million libel lawsuit against her

Amber opted for a casual look in a pair of black jogging bottoms and a parka jacket as she stepped out for boozy shopping trip.

She swept her blonde locks back into a ponytail, and looked fresh faced as she went make-up free for the outing.

Amber strolled along the street in white converse while chatting with the journalist Eve Barlow, who wore a black biker jacket and checkered trousers.

Relaxed: The actress opted for a casual look of black jogging bottoms and a parka jacket as she stepped out for the boozing shopping trip

Low-key: She swept her blonde locks back into a ponytail, and looked fresh faced as she went make-up free for the outing

They headed to the wine shop and left with two boxes full of booze before they shopped for groceries at an organic food shop, where Eve carried two bags of provisions out of.

Amber and Eve then sipped on booze in a fishmonger's before looking giddy while heading to the car.

Earlier this week, it was ruled Johnny could continue with his lawsuit against Amber, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed Amber penned saying she was a domestic violence survivor.

While Amber did not mention Johnny in the story, she publicly accused him of abusing her in their 2016 split.

The actor is trying to clear his name after losing a defamation suit against The Sun after the paper branded him a 'wife-beater' amid allegations of domestic abuse.

Friends: Amber strolled along the street in white converse while chatting with the journalist Eve Barlow, who wore a black biker jacket and checkered trousers

Essentials: They headed to the wine shop and left with two boxes full of booze before they shopped for groceries at an organic food shop, where Eve carried two bags of provisions out of

Johnny's suit, filed in Fairfax County, Virginia, accuses Amber of creating a 'hoax' account.

Amber had requested the libel suit against her, filed in March 2019, be thrown out, claiming the ruling in the UK case should swing any new cases in her favour because they both relate to domestic abuse allegations against Johnny.

But Judge Penny Azcarate ruled the statements made by The Sun and Amber were 'inherently different.'

Good times: Amber and Eve then sipped on booze in a fishmonger's before looking giddy while heading to the car

Stepping out: The actress, 35, brushed off her legal woes as she left the store carrying a box of wine with her friend

The ruling stated: '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.'

The ruling also noted that Johnny filed the defamation suit against The Sun before Amber's op-Ed was published - and that she was not named in the case against the British paper.

Complicated: She did not mention Johnny in the story, though she publicly accused him of abusing her in their 2016 split

Lost: Johnny is trying to clear his name after losing a defamation suit against The Sun after the paper branded him a 'wife-beater' amid allegations of domestic abuse

In the December 2018 op-Ed, the actress wrote: 'I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out.'

The UK's High Court ruled against Johnny following an explosive three-week trial last July, finding allegations the actor was a 'wife beater' were 'substantially true.'

The judge ruled that Johnny assaulted Amber on a dozen occasions and put her in 'fear of her life' three times often while on drink and drugs binges, which he said turned the actor into a 'monster' in one of the most high-profile libel clashes in recent years.

Decisions: Amber looked at the different wines in the store before deciding

Bank holiday fun: The actress appeared in high spirits during the low-key outing in Notting Hill

Whittling away the afternoon: Amber chatted away as they inspected the wines on sale

Lawyers for The Pirates of the Caribbean star had asked two Court of Appeal judges to grant permission for him to challenge the ruling, with the aim of having its findings overturned and a second trial ordered.

They claimed the judge in Johnny's initial libel trial had not 'factually' considered all the allegations of violence against him and that they had 'fresh evidence' Amber had 'lied' about giving her entire $7 million divorce settlement to charity.

They said that the charity claim influenced how her testimony was viewed, but the Court of Appeal ruled that it did not have an impact on the judge and that he would have reached the same conclusion on Heard being the victim of domestic violence.

Johnny lost his role in Warner Bros Fantastic Beasts following the High Court judgment, and the damage to his reputation risks him losing out on more roles in the future.

Cheers! It looked like it had been a successful shopping trip as Amber and her friend carried the boxes of wine to their car

Afternoon outing: Amber smiled as she headed home after the trip

Legal worries: Earlier this week, it was ruled Johnny could continue with his lawsuit against Amber, based on a 2018 Washington Post op-ed Amber penned saying she was a domestic violence survivor
Emma Weymouth looked sensational in a feathered pink ball gown for the star-studded Dolce and Gabbana fashion show at St Mark's Square in Venice on Sunday.

The Marchioness of Bath, 35, who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath, looked amazing in the eye-catching feathered ensemble as she stepped into the event.

Cinching in her waist, the dress boasted a glittering belt which accentuated her statuesque figure.

Wow: Emma Weymouth, 35, looked sensational in a feathered pink ruffled pink ball gown for the Dolce and Gabbana fashion show at St Mark's Square in Venice on Sunday

The Strictly star clutched a patterned box bag in her hand, which had monogrammed letters D and G on the front, to represent the Italian fashion house.

Her make up was flawless, complete with an ultra glamorous glittery smokey eye and layers of gleaming lip gloss.

She opted for diamond kitten heels, which elevated her height as she strode along the jetty into St Mark's Square, where the event is being held.

Ruffling feathers: The Marchioness of Bath, 35, who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath, looked amazing in the eye catching feathered ensemble as she stepped into the event

Dolce & Gabbana have attracted a slew of stars including Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum and Kourtney Kardashian as they unveil their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Orologeria collections.

Emma has been living it up in Saint Tropez this year, only leaving the Riviera to attend equally glamorous destinations such as the Venice event.

In July, the Strictly Come Dancing star returned to France after attending the nuptials of her friend Lady Kitty Spencer in Italy.

Looking good: Cinching in her waist the dress boasted a glittering belt which accentuated her statuesque figure

Pals: Kitty and Emma posed for a snap together in front of the canal

By royal appointment: The ladies strolled excitedly over to their boat along the jetty

Princess Diana's niece, 30, wedded her long-term boyfriend Michael Lewis at a 17th century Italian castle last Saturday.

Lady Kitty's father Earl Spencer, 57, did not attend and she was walked down the aisle by her brother Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, 27, and half brother Samuel Aitken, whose father is businessman Jonathan Aitken.

Princess Diana's niece said 'I do' in front of a hushed congregation in the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati, a stunning country mansion with views towards Rome.

Stunning: Lady Kitty Spencer, 30, looked radiant in a gorgeous cream knee length dress which boasted sequin florals and dripped in beading

Photographs of the bride showed her wearing a high-necked Victorian-inspired lace gown by favourite designer Dolce and Gabbana for the occasion, which featured puff sleeves and a cinched waist.

Emma and her husband were among a host of glamorous guests at Kitty's nuptials including the bride's sisters; twins Eliza and Amelia, pop star Pixie Lott and her model boyfriend Oliver Cheshire.

Idris Elba's wife Sabrina and Made In Chelsea star Mark-Francis Vandelli were also in attendance.
Vigil (BBC 1)

Rating:

Where do you keep a dead body on a nuclear submarine? It's a dilemma, and one that has never occurred before to the flustered Captain Newsome on Vigil (BBC1).

HMS Vigil is the ultimate weapon of war, designed to stay at sea for years on end, even in the event of a world-ending holocaust.

You'd think the naval boffins would remember to include cold storage.

But when stroppy sailor Craig Burke (Martin Compston) is found dead from an apparent heroin overdose in his bunk, the skipper (Paterson Joseph) isn't sure where to put him.

There's a freezer in the galley, but it's full of food. Anyway, the sub's head chef is in tears over Burke's demise. Perhaps she's worried her cooking is to blame.

In the end, Newsome opts to park his crewman in an empty torpedo tube. It's cold, it's sealed, it's ideal. The only puzzle is why, when the captain is later trying to cover up the death, he doesn't just press the 'fire' button and jettison the body. Torpedoes away!

Suranne Jones as DCI Amy Silva being dropped to the nuclear submarine from a helicopter in episode one of BBC's Vigil

It's all completely crackers, and that's before Glasgow detective DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) is winched down from a helicopter to board the sub at sea.

Silva is an intriguing and complex character  claustrophobic, terrified of water, a depressive who usually copes by going for long runs, she is a terrible candidate for an investigation in a tin can half a mile below the waves.

She has been despatched because apparently this is standard Royal Navy procedure when someone expires on a patrolling nuclear sub  you stick the corpse in a missile launcher and summon a copper from dry land. From the start, Vigil expected us to suspend our disbelief from about the height of a Sea King rescue copter.

The six-part serial, which continues tonight, opened aboard a trawler in the Irish Sea, where the crew were casting their net after spotting a couple of encouraging blips on the underwater radar.

'Nice little shoal under us,' chuckled the chief trawlerman. His monitor must have been playing up, because those shadows on the screen were submarines  Vigil and the enemy boat stalking it.

Martin Compston as stroppy sailor Craig Burke, who is found dead in the first episode

Christopher Stevens: Silva (played by Suranne Jones, pictured) is an intriguing and complex character  claustrophobic, terrified of water, a depressive who usually copes by going for long runs, she is a terrible candidate for an investigation in a tin can half a mile below the waves

One snagged the nets and dragged the trawler down. Everyone involved with the scene did their best  the actors leaned sideways and yelled, while stage hands sloshed buckets of water at them. It still looked like an am-dram production of Moby-Dick.

On board Vigil, radar operator Burke was the only sailor to spot the sinking trawler. He sounded the alarm, and the captain dismissed it, telling him to ignore what he'd seen.

Instead of obeying orders, Burke staged a one-man mutiny. A senior officer put an arm round his shoulders and led him away for a lie-down.

There's no brig or cat-o'-nine-tails in the modern British Navy for crew who yell at their commanding officer... just a friendly admonition and a chance to put your feet up.

My grandfather's sea duty Martin Compston and (right) his late grandfather who served at sea in World War Two Vigil star Martin Compston has told how his late grandfather served at sea in real life  in the Second World War. The Scottish actor, 37, who gained fame in BBC hit Line Of Duty, posted a photo online as his Vigil character chief petty officer Craig Burke alongside a snap of his grandfather, who was in the merchant navy. Compston said he had 'immense pride' thinking of his grandfather who 'doesn't look bothered at all he's in the midst of a world war'. Advertisement

At this point, only five minutes into the drama, viewers were faced with their own dilemma: switch over and watch Brenda Blethyn in Vera, or suspend their dwindling disbelief from an ever greater altitude.

This wasn't a question of minor details being wrong. Absolutely everything about Vigil rings false.

The whole crew is an argumentative bunch, ill-disciplined and arrogant. Newsome's second-in-command (Adam James) can't open his mouth without sneering.

The bridge below deck is more like the Starship Enterprise than the command room of a submarine. The corridors are wide enough to walk three abreast and, instead of sharing bunks by rota, every crewman has a personal berth with family photos on the wall.

The Coxswain, Elliot Glover (played by Endeavour's Shaun Evans), takes DCI Silva to Missile Deck Three  where, he explains, off-duty personnel like to 'hang around'.

Well, there's no recreation room aboard this boat, so where else are they going to mooch and gossip, except in the atomic arsenal?

Meanwhile, back on land, Silva's sidekick, Kirsten Longacre (who is also her ex-lover, played by Rose Leslie), discovers that Burke was having an affair with a CND activist, Jade (Lauren Lyle).

Jade's hobby is lying down on roads outside nuclear bases and pretending to be dead. She also has access to all the Navy's secrets.

She's found out that Burke is dead, and that a sub sank the trawler. 'Everyone knows it's a cover-up. This is the Navy, this is what they do,' she declares.

For all this, Vigil is not unwatchable. Ignore the fact that it's written with no accurate knowledge whatever of life on a nuclear sub, and that the anti-military bias is blatant. Despite that, there's a lively murder mystery here.

Above all, there is a first-rate cast. With these actors, headed by Jones as a sleuth who is one panic attack away from crash-diving, any drama is well worth watching... even one as far adrift from reality as this.
Kanye West claimed his record label released his 10th studio album without his approval in a shocking post shared to Instagram on Sunday.

The 44-year-old rapper took to social media hours after the midnight release of Donda, which had already been delayed by more than one year.

'Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album,' he shared in grey block lettering.

Trouble in paradise: Kanye West claimed his record label released his 10th studio album without his approval in a shocking post shared to Instagram on Sunday

And while Kanye didn't appear to be too fond of the work being available, Kim Kardashian shared a few of her favorite songs.

The 40-year-old reality star showed her support for her estranged husband with clips of a few songs she was listening to, albeit on very low volumes.

Donda was released on multiple streaming services Sunday morning, more than one year after it was first announced.

His manager, Bu Thiam, confirmed that the record had dropped on social media, posting a screengrab of one of the album's 26 tracks alongside the caption: 'Listening now Donda.'

Fans rushed to Twitter in the wake of its release to declare it 'one of the greatest pieces of art of all time'.

Bound 2: while Kanye didn't appear to be too fond of the work being available, Kim Kardashian shared a few of her favorite songs

Quiet please: The 40-year-old reality star showed her support for her estranged husband with clips of a few songs she was listening to, albeit on very low volumes

Finally: Kanye West, 44, finally released his new album Donda on streaming services on Sunday, more than a year late

High praise: Fans rushed to Twitter in the wake of its release to declare it 'one of the greatest pieces of art of all time'

Taking to social media, one person gushed: 'Just finished listening to DONDA. That was quite possibly the most beautiful, breath-taking and angelic album I have ever experienced.

'Thank You Kanye. Life will be great. My ears have been blessed. This is one of the greatest pieces of art of all time.'

Another added: 'DONDA dropped I have officially left my body,' while a third penned: 'DONDA is album of the decade so far.'

A fourth person tweeted: 'You heard it hear first folks, donda is fine!' [sic] as a fifth noted: 'Okay Donda is actually pretty fire.'

Listening now: Kanye's manager Bu Thiam confirmed the record had dropped on social media, posting a screen grab of one of the album's 26 tracks

Donda's album artwork is a simple black square and the record racks up an impressive 108 minutes.

Artists including The Weeknd, Jay-Z, Young Thug, Travis Scott, and Kid Cudi feature on the album.

The record - named after Kanye's late mother Donda West, who died in 2007 at the age of 58 - follows three high-profile listening parties held through July in both Chicago and Atlanta.

Ye's tenth studio album was first rumored to be released in July 2020 and named Donda: With Child, but he continually pushed the work back, and at one point tweeted he wasn't releasing any new music 'till I'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal.'

One fan tweeted: 'DONDA dropped I have officially left my body,' while a third penned: 'DONDA is album of the decade so far'

At one point, Kanye sparked another feud with Drake and released his address to Instagram followers, seemingly in a bid to draw fans away from Aubrey's upcoming work, Certified Lover Boy.

Fans noticed Ariana Grande's powerful vocals on the title track, which also features Pusha T and Tony Williams, and credits producers BoogzDaBeast, FNZ and Ojivolta.

Donda's release comes hours after Kanye shared a cryptic screengrab of an iMessage conversation he had about controversial artist DaBaby, which appeared to confirm the artist's manager was holding up the album's release.

The exchange sees Bu tell Kanye that DaBaby's team is not giving track Jail - which features DaBaby - clearance for release.

Bu explained that the album will not be released until DaBaby is removed from the track.

On Thursday, Kanye brought the disgraced artist DaBaby out onto stage at his most recent listening party.

Cryptic: Donda's release comes hours after Kanye shared a cryptic screengrab of an iMessage conversation he had about controversial artist DaBaby

DaBaby - real name Jonathan Kirk - recently came under fire for making homophobic statements in relation to HIV/AIDs on stage at Rolling Loud in July.

Marilyn Manson also joined Kanye on stage, making it the first time that the controversial artist - real name Brian Warner - had been pictured since his sexual assault lawsuit.

Last month, Manson, 52, turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest over an incident in 2019 where he allegedly spat at a female videographer.

During the listening party, Kanye was also set ablaze for several excruciating seconds.

Inferno: Kanye dropped jaws during his Donda listening party as he set himself completely on fire

The inferno began inside a replica of Kanye's childhood home, where the Stronger rapper sat still as he was consumed by the flames.

Despite being completely ablaze, Kanye calmly walked outside of the house, clad in protective gear.

Kanye also reunited with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian on stage as she wore a wedding dress and veil.

Epic event: The dramatic evening saw Kanye reunite with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian on stage as she wore a wedding dress and veil

Despite the appearance, insiders say Kim and Kanye are not back together, however are forever family, according to TMZ.

'Kim and Kanye have always supported the other's endeavors and will continue to do that in the future, whether it be a collaborative effort or not,' an insider told TMZ.

It was added: 'Kim was happy to do it for Kanye and the event, which was so important to him.'

Thursday's epic listening party took place at the Soldier Field in Chicago.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Six months after Congress approved spending tens of billions of dollars to bail out renters facing eviction, South Carolina was just reaching its first tenants. All nine of them.

Like most states, it had plenty of money to distribute  $272 million. But it had handed out just over $36,000 by June. The pace has since intensified, but South Carolina still has only distributed $15.5 million in rent and utility payments as of Aug. 20, or about 6% of its funds.

People are strangling on the red tape, said Sandy Gillis, executive director of the Hilton Head Deep Well Project, which stopped referring tenants to the program and started paying overdue rent through its own private funds instead.

The struggles in South Carolina are emblematic of a program launched at the beginning of the year with the promise of solving the pandemic eviction crisis, only to fall victim in many states to bureaucratic hurdles, political inertia and unclear guidance at the federal level.

The concerns about the slow pace intensified Thursday, after the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some 3.5 million people in the U.S. as of Aug. 16 said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

The Supreme Court decision undermines historic efforts by Congress and the White House to ensure housing stability during the pandemic, Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement.

State and local governments are working to improve programs to distribute emergency rental assistance to those in need, but they need more time; the Supreme Courts decision will lead to many renters, predominantly people of color, losing their homes before the assistance can reach them.

The Treasury Department said this week that just over $5.1 billion of the estimated $46.5 billion in federal rental assistance  only 11%  has been distributed by states and localities through July. This includes some $3 billion handed out by the end of June and another $1.5 billion by May 31.

Nearly a million households have been served and 70 places have gotten at least half their money out, including several states, among them Virginia and Texas, according to Treasury. New York, which hadn't distributed anything through May, has now distributed more than $156 million.

But there are 16 states, according to the latest data, that had distributed less than 5% and nine that spent less than 3%. Most, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, are red states, often with tough-to-reach rural populations. Besides South Carolina, they include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Florida, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Mississippi and New Mexico.

There are myriad reasons for the slow distribution, according to the group. Among them is the historic amount of money  more than the Department of Housing and Urban Developments annual budget  which required some 450 localities to create programs from scratch. Getting the money out is also complicated by the fact that checks aren't sent directly to beneficiaries like, for example, the child tax credit.

States and localities have also struggled with technology and staffing, as well as reaching tenants without access to the internet, or small landlords unaware of the help. Some have applications so complicated they scare off prospective applicants or have income documentation and pandemic impact requirements that can be time-consuming.

Efforts to use coronavirus relief money for rental assistance last year faced similar challenges.

A lot of states are lagging behind," said Emma Foley, a research analyst with the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The fact that this many states still have distributed so little is worrisome.

In South Carolina, lawmakers were slow to roll out the state's program, waiting until April to charge the state housing authority with distributing the money. It took weeks to set up its program, with the first help not going out until June.

Housing advocates have also criticized the reams of documentation required and the months of waiting for tenants to find out whether they qualify.

Shaquarryah Fraiser applied in May and is still waiting to hear whether she will get help paying months of back rent for the mobile home she rented with her mother for $550 a month in Sumter, South Carolina. Fraiser's mother died of COVID-19 last year, and the 29-year-old fell behind after getting sick herself with pneumonia and losing her phone survey job.

Itll take a lot of stress off of me. I wont be so anxious about this situation," said Fraiser of the prospect of getting the help.

In Arizona, delays have led to plenty of finger-pointing.

Arizonas House Democrats this month blamed the state for the delays in getting the money out  less than $7 million of its $900 million through July.

Arizonas Department of Economic Security points out the federal money has been allocated to 13 different jurisdictions, not just the state, and blames cities and counties for the slow rollout.

We have offered to assist overwhelmed jurisdictions with their workloads, the departments director Michael Wisehart wrote in a response to lawmakers. Regrettably, no jurisdiction has chosen to partner in this way.

Meanwhile, Arizona landlords and housing nonprofits blamed much of the problem on regulatory requirements tied to the money.

Mississippi, which has given out $18.6 million of its $200 million through Aug. 23, has struggled to reach smaller landlords and renters, many of whom live in rural areas without internet access. In addition, the state has no data base of renters  prompting it to hold events statewide to connect with potential applicants.

The Mississippi Home Corporation, which runs the program, also sent a letter to judges asking them not to allow an eviction if someone has applied for help and to inform landlords they won't get help if they evict after the moratorium ends. The agency also relaxed documentation requirements in 50 of its counties. But the program will still require proof of income and other documents in 32 other counties.

You're trying to walk this line of speed and diligence, said Scott Spivey, executive director of the Mississippi Home Corporation. We are trying to make sure there is no fraud, waste and abuse and that we're only giving assistance to the people who are entitled to it.

The Treasury Department has repeatedly tweaked its guidance to encourage states and local governments to streamline the distribution of funds. The Biden administration has also asked states to create eviction diversion program s that aim to resolve disputes before they reach the courts.

On Wednesday, Treasury released additional guidance to try to speed up the process. This includes allowing tenants to self-assess their income and risk of becoming homeless among other criteria. Many states and localities, fearing fraud, have measures in place that can take weeks to verify an applicant qualifies for help.

Treasury also said money can be distributed in advance of funds being approved as well as to tenants who have outstanding rental debt in collection, making it easier for them to find new housing.

There is no question we are seeing a level of excessive caution in getting the money out that does not seem to reflect either the flexibilities Treasury has provided or the fact we are facing a true public health and eviction emergency," said Gene Sperling, who is charged with overseeing implementation of President Joe Bidens $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package.

He said the new guidance is "going the extra mile to provide even more clarity and strong encouragement to put getting immediate relief out ahead of unnecessary and time-consuming paperwork.

___

Casey reported from Boston. Associated Press writers Anita Snow in Phoenix and Leah Willingham in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.
Just over a week after Tropical Storm Henri brought rains, winds and flooding to Connecticut, Hurricane Ida could bring more adverse weather to the state beginning Wednesday.

Hurricane Ida made a second landfall in Louisiana on Sunday afternoon as a Category 4 storm and is labeled as extremely life-threatening, according to the National Weather Services National Hurricane Center. As of 3 p.m. Sunday, Ida had maximum sustained winds of approximately 145 miles per hour.

Connecticut will not see Idas impact until sometime on Wednesday, Gary Lessor, the chief meteorologist for the Connecticut Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University.

We are looking at probably sustained winds here that are not going to be much of a concern, he said. As the storm comes in Wednesday night, we will see wind gusts sustained probably 15 mph to 20 mph around the shore. Northern Fairfield, New Haven and Groton will probably see 10 to 15 mph sustained.

Lessor added that the storm could bring peak wind gusts up to 35 to 40 mph along the shore and from 30 to 35 mph inland.

Rain is going to make a big impact as Ida rolls through the state.

Rainfall could be more significant, said Lessor. We are looking at a general two to four-inch rainfall along the current forecast now, and that would have the rain starting here probably during Wednesday midday or early afternoon. Its probably not going to end until Thursday night.

The weather service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Connecticut for Monday through Saturday.

A period of moderate to heavy rainfall is becoming more likely for portions of the region Wednesday into Thursday morning, according to the NWS. Flooding is also a possibility, especially in urban areas and areas with poor drainage.

This storm comes after Henri led to shoreline evacuations, limited travel on I-95, flooding and downed trees. Henri, which was expected to hit Connecticut as a hurricane, lost power while at sea and was a tropical storm when it passed through the state.

Henri brought over four inches of rain to parts of Connecticut, such as Colchester and Groton.

During and after the storm, Eversource restored over 60,000 customers who lost power. The utility company also handled 44 broken poles, 913 downed spans of wire, 88 blocked roads, 21 damaged transformers and 246 trees to be removed.

Eversource will be sending crews on Monday to provide help and resources in Louisiana as millions of power outages are expected in the area.

Staff writer Saul Flores contributed reporting to this article.

christine.derosa@hearstmediact.com
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The Ganesh festivities will begin on September 10 and conclude on September 19. The minister instructed police officials not to trouble or cause any inconvenience to pandal owners on height restrictions and asked them to brief junior officials accordingly.  Representational image/DC

Hyderabad: The state government decided to not impose any height restrictions on Ganesha idols in the city this year for the festival next month. The government has assured that Ganesha festivities would be conducted on par with Bonalu on a grand scale while following Covid-19 protocols.

This was stated by minister Talasani Srinivaas Yadav after holding a review meeting with chief secretary Somesh Kumar of the Bhagyanagar Utsav committees and other officials.

The Ganesh festivities will begin on September 10 and conclude on September 19.

The minister instructed police officials not to trouble or cause any inconvenience to pandal owners on height restrictions and asked them to brief junior officials accordingly.

Director-General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy who was present at the meeting informed the minister that in 2019 about 33,000 Ganesh idols were immersed in the GHMC limits using 300 cranes. He said 30,000 police personnel had been deployed for the festivities. He said based on the installation of idols, security arrangements and cranes will be deployed accordingly.

Srinivas Yadav instructed GHMC commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar to take up road repairs on the Ganesh procession routes which were damaged by the recent rainfall. He asked the civic body to clean the baby ponds and other water bodies immediately.

The minister asked HMWS&SB managing director M. Dana Kishore to resolve sewerage-related issues near pandals and arrange drinking water. The minister informed the health department to set up health camps and deploy ambulances apart from spraying sodium hypochlorite at the pandals.

He instructed the electricity department officials to set up mobile transformers for interrupted power supply and asked the police to coordinate with the roads and buildings department to provide a sufficient number of barricades.

To curb water pollution, Srinivas Yadav requested citizens to prefer clay idols and said that the HMDA would distribute 70,000 idols, the GHMC 30,000 and the endowments department would distribute 40,000 clay Ganesh idols.
Police on Saturday announced the arrest of five people from neighboring Tamil Nadu, including a juvenile, while they are on the lookout for a sixth suspect. (Representational Image: PTI)

Mysuru: Bus tickets and liquor bottles near the crime scene and call detail record from mobile towers are said to have led the police to the gang that was allegedly involved in the rape of a college student near here on August 24, official sources said on Sunday.

Police on Saturday announced the arrest of five people from neighboring Tamil Nadu, including a juvenile, while they are on the lookout for a sixth suspect.

According to sources, police had begun the investigation based on the information provided by the victim's male friend, who was assaulted during the crime, that the culprits were speaking in Tamil.

During a search of the crime scene, police stumbled upon bus tickets from Talwadi in Tamil Nadu to Chamarajanagar in Karnataka, and also some liquor bottles found at the scene bore the seal of Tamil Nadu excise department.

Besides, analysis of the call detail record from mobile towers close to the scene of the crime, Chamarajanagar and Tamil Nadu, led them to finally zero in on the suspects, they added.

With all these leads, police left for Tamil Nadu on Friday and upon reaching there in the mid-night, they swung into action which resulted in the arrest of the five suspects early on Saturday, sources said.

The five, who frequented Mysuru often for labour jobs, even did loading and unloading at the APMC yard, and were reportedly involved in robbing lone travellers, young couples and women, before returning to their native place.

They accosted the college student and her male friend near the Chamundi foothills on the outskirts of Mysuru on August 24 and tried to rob them. When they did not succeed, they allegedly assaulted him and raped her, police sources said.

Meanwhile, the court has remanded the accused to 10 days police custody.
Hyderabad: The ongoing investigation into the Karvy fraud took an interesting turn on Saturday with the police calling senior company official M. Yugandhar Rao for questioning in a fresh case filed by ICICI Bank against the group.

The police has already arrested C. Parthasarathy, Karvy chairman and managing director, in another case. Sources said that ICICI Bank had furnished credible information with regard to the involvement of both the accused, Parthasarathy and Yugandhar Rao

Rao, one of the co-founders of Karvy, played a crucial role in the financial administration of the group and police were of the view that he had knowledge of the alleged fraud. In many cases filed against the company including the one by the Bengaluru police last year, Yugandhar Rao figured as one of accused along with Parthasarathy. He was once very powerful thanks to his proximity with a former chief minister.

Parthasarathy is under the custody of the Central Crime Station (CCS) police of Hyderabad, who are investigating another alleged Rs 137 crore loan fraud related to IndusInd Bank.
Banerjee has been asked to appear at the ED headquarters in New Delhi on September 6. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata: For the first time, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's MP nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over the coal smuggling scam.

The Diamond Harbour Trinamul Congress MP, accused by the BJP of benefiting from the scam through his cohorts in state police, has been asked to appear at the ED headquarters in New Delhi on September 6.

Significantly, the Central agency's notice to the new TMC national general secretary comes at a time when he is determined to establish his party in the BJP-ruled Tripura. His wife, Rujira Banerjee Narula, has also been summoned by the ED. She has, however, been asked to appear on September 1.

In February, Ms Narula and her sister, Menoka Gambhir, were grilled by the anti-corruption branch of the CBI in the case after BJP leader Shubhendu Adhikari claimed that Anup Majhi, the kingpin of the coal smuggling case, used to deposit around Rs 36 lakh daily in the Kasikorn Bank account of "Madam Narula" at Bangkok in Thailand.

According to the ED, the PMLA case was registered on the basis of an FIR filed by the CBI in November last year over allegations of coal pilferage running into crores at the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in Kunustoria and Kajora areas of Asansol in Burdwan West.

Exploding in fury over the ED summons, the TMC supremo and her nephew attacked Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday.

In her virtual address at the foundation day celebration of TMC students' wing, Ms Banerjee wondered aloud, "Why would TMC only be caught in the coal theft? Coal is not under TMC. It is the responsibility of the CISF which is under the Central ministry and not the state ministry. What was your ministry doing then?"

She claimed, "I can name a dozen ministers who looted Asansol. If anyone is forced to take someone's name, it is not a reply, Amit Shah. During the election, all of your ministers who came here stayed at the hotels of coal mafias. I have the evidence. Who all were lodged at the East West Hotel which was fully booked? Should I flash the list?"

"You abused and insulted women. Don't forget Bengal is a different state. There will be a tit for tat. If you show one finger, 10 more are ready to be pointed at you. Till date I have not been vindictive... Many of your leaders are involved in cases related to women. But I have not ordered their arrests till date. Fight Abhishek and others politically. If you show ED, I can also send a bagful of documents to the same agency for a probe. If a probe does not follow, we will move to court then," she said.

"The TMC will fight till its last drop of blood for the people in Tripura. The day Ms Banerjee will set her feet there, tremors will be felt. Let BJP do whatever it can. Let it try to stop us if it has guts. The more the intimidation by the ED and CBI will be there, the more our resolve will grow. I challenge Union home minister Amit Shah: if you try to stop us in any state, we will snatch it away," she added.

Abhishek Banerjee said, Ones who think we can be threatened by ED and CBI, our fight will only grow.

In between the dates of appearance of him and his wife, the young TMC MP's lawyer, Sanjay Basu, has been called by the ED for questioning on September 3. Besides, two senior IPS officers of the state police have also got summons from the ED.

While deputy inspector general (Midnapore Range) Shyam Singh has been asked to appear on September 8, Gyanwant Singh, the state CID chief with additional role as additional director at the directorate of security in charge of the CM's protection, has been directed to appear next day. Gyanwant was earlier questioned by the CBI in the case.
Private schools will be checking student and staff temperatures every day and protocols have been chalked out to inform the government if anyone is infected or is suffering from fever, cough or cold. Representational Image (PTI)

Hyderabad: One student on one bench and 20 children in the classroom with no common recess is the manner in which schools and colleges are to operate from September 1.

These instructions have been given orally but no written communication has been sent out by the government to schools for handling of children, maintaining cleanliness and bathroom etiquette.

The state has 60,000 educational institutions  about 35,000 government schools, 12,000 private schools, 712 residential schools, 400 government junior colleges and 1,500 private junior colleges  employing some 4.5 lakh employees of whom 88 per cent are said to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The number of school bus, van and autorickshaw drivers and support staff like ayahs and their vaccination status is not known

A senior government education officer on condition of anonymity said, "We have been instructed to ask the government school/college employees to clean the classrooms, premises and buildings and keep them ready for students. We are only following those right now."

Reports from the districts say that teachers, lecturers and principals are cleaning the classrooms and premises as the government has not allotted them extra budget for the purpose.

Government schools do not have thermometers and oximeters to find out if staff or children are having symptoms, and facilities for them till they are shifted home or to the hospital.

Private schools will be checking student and staff temperatures every day and protocols have been chalked out to inform the government if anyone is infected or is suffering from fever, cough or cold.

Many private schools and colleges said they would call students from Classes 8 to 12 to school from September 1. Students in junior colleges will be called from September 10.

The principal of a private group of schools in the city said, "In our internal survey 90 per cent of the parents said they do not want to send children to school. They want to continue with online classes. But, due to pressure from the government, we cannot continue online classes from September 1 for senior students. They have been asked to come to school."

Dr Syed Shafiuddin Aijaz of a budget school said, "The parents mindset is to not send children to school. They feel that the managements are opening schools so that they can collect fees. This is false, most budget schools will see a higher attrition rate due to this move."

Many budget and private schools expect to see children dropping out as their parents are unable to pay the fee.
The National Highways sanctioned Rs 310 crore to have connectivity between NH 44 Road at Bellary Bypass and Chennai Highway Road at Pangal Road on the outskirts of Anantapur.  Representational image/DC

ANANTAPUR: Anantapur district headquarters will soon have a four-lane road including a road over-bridge at the clock tower junction. The widening process for connecting two national highways, by linking the main roads, will begin in a couple of months, urban MLA Ananta Venkatrami Reddy said.

The Union Government has sanctioned funds for connecting the two highways of Chennai and Hyderabad and tenders have been finalised. The work would start soon, the MLA said.

However, several multi-storied buildings with shopping complexes on the main road and circles of Anantapur will be affected due to the widening works for the formation of the NH four-lane road formation to connect the two major highway roads.

The heart of the town  along the Clock Tower Road, Subhash Road and Suryanagar Road  will have four-lane roads.

The National Highways Authority has sanctioned Rs 310 crore for work on connectivity between NH44 Road at Bellary Bypass and Chennai Highway Road at Pangal Road on the outskirts of Anantapur. The expansion would be of 9.2km in length and pass through the Collectorate Road, Suryanagar Road, Subhash Road and Clock Tower junction towards the Bellary Bypass Road. For the civil works, a sum of Rs 272 crore was allotted.

The tenders were finalised a week ago for the works which will be done by an Anantpur-based construction company that quoted 27 per cent less that what were quoted by eight other companies, informed sources said.

The existing road overbridge near the Clock Tower, which is presently of two lanes, would be demolished and a four- Lane road overbridge reconstructed following the heavy traffic. In addition, two bridges will be constructed across Pandameru and there will also be the widening of the bridge in the same route near Samatagram.

The National Highway authorities told DC that the process for agreements with the construction company would take at least two months. However, there will be no land acquisition along the main road. There may be acquisitions at main circles.

Already, the road between Clock Tower and Suryanagar was of four lanes but encroachments had resulted in it becoming a road of two lanes with a few yards of footpath, the sources said.

An official from the NH wing assessed that at least five metres of road widening is needed at a few locations where encroachments were more. Sources said the AMC mayor-owned shop at Sapthagiri circle is among several shops that will have to be cut in the road widening.
Mohammed Leton Ali (35), a Bangladesh National has been repatriated to his country after seven years, with the initiative of the East Godavari Superintendent of Police M.Ravindranath. A special police team, consisting of Ravulapalem Sub-Inspector P.Bujji Babu, Head Constable K.Venkata Ramana and Constable V.Chiranjeevi have handed over Ali to Bangladesh officials at Petrapole-Benapole-Border at Indian Check Post on Sunday. (By arrangement)

KAKINADA: Bangladeshi national Mohammed Leton Ali (35) has been repatriated to his country after seven years, thanks to the initiative of East Godavari superintendent of police M. Ravindranath.

A special police team, comprising Ravulapalem SI P. Bujji Babu, head constable K. Venkata Ramana and constable V. Chiranjeevi handed over Ali to Bangladesh officials at the Petrapole-Benapole-border on Sunday.

According to sources, when beat constables were keeping vigil in 2014, Ali was found moving around suspiciously near Ravulapalem bus stand. On interrogation it was found that he was a Bangladeshi living without any passport and visa.

Ravulapalem police registered a case under Foreigners Amendment Act 2004 and he was sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was released on June 8, 2016 and from then onwards he has been in Ravulapalem police station, where he earned a livelihood as a carpenter. Several representations by district officials to the Bangladesh Embassy to hand him over went in vain.

In the meanwhile, in 2018, Ali destroyed a road safety vehicle with an iron road and the police registered a case against him under Section 14 (A) (b) and Foreigners Amendment Act 2004, 427 CPC and 3 of PDPP Act. He was jailed for one year and released on June 14, 2019.

SPs have been writing to the Bangladesh Embassy and the ministry of external affairs about him since 2016. In 2019, the then SP formed a team and Ali was produced before the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, seeking deportation orders and travel permit. The Bangladesh Embassy did not oblige.

Later, a special team was formed and Amalapuram DSP Y. Madhava Reddy spearheaded it. They were instructed to take steps for handing over Ali at Petrapole-Benapole border check-post before August 31.

Ravindranath Babu expressed his satisfaction at the development and appreciated the role of Madhava Reddy, Special Branch DSP Ambika Prasad, Krishna and Bujjibabu. Ali thanked the East Godavari police team for ensuring his return home.
Hyderabad: The medical community is divided over the wisdom of holding pysical classes when the Covid-19 vaccination is not accessible to children.

While some doctors said that holding physical classes without vaccination is not advisable, others said that staying at home had made children addicted to gadgets, which was a major cause for concern. This is leading to cognitive behavioural issues with such children displaying irritation, anger and feelings of being useless with no-let up in the continued threat of Covid-19.

With many students getting fed up with online classes and losing interest in studies, some doctors suggest that a phased reopening of schools would help get a clearer understanding of the situation and help in dealing with the challenges associated with students staying at home for a year and a half.

Doctors say that a committee of school management, teachers, parents and non-government health organisations must be constituted to monitor safety protocols and carry out surveillance from time to time in each school.

They said that schools must be flexible and a sick child, teacher or staff member must be strictly told to not report to work as they could be a risk to others.

What the doctor ordered

Senior doctors provide several ideas to handle the restarting of physical classes

Dr T.P. Karthik, senior pediatrician:

Every parent is very worried as they do not know whether to send children to school or not. Pediatricians are being consulted every day. What assurance can we give parents, knowing that there are chances of the children getting infected? It is important to wait till the vaccine for children becomes available. It will be three months more. The focus of the government must be to get the children vaccinated. We have waited for 18 months. Can't we wait for three more months?

Dr C. Vijay Kumar, senior pulmnologist, Apollo Hospitals:

It is not wise to start offline classes. The suggestions from policy-makers do not take into account that there is zero vaccination in children below 18 years of age. Yes, mortality in children due to Covid-19 is less than 0.5 per cent but data of infected children in Brazil speaks otherwise. Assuming 10 per cent of children get affected, there will be 2.5 lakh cases. That is an overwhelming number. Until children are vaccinated it is not advisable to start physical classes.

Dr Madap Karuna, consultant pediatrician, CCMB dengue researcher:

We need to first reopen classes for senior students and evaluate the situation. Vaccinated people are also transmitting Covid-19 if the safety protocols are compromised or they have less antibodies. School time must not be for more than four hours. There must be no common recess, and no crowding near bathrooms. Staff must be trained in Covid appropriate behaviour and random tests must be performed. Till these are in place, younger kids must not be asked to come to school.

Dr Sanjiv Singh Yadav, national secretary IMA Academy of Medical Specialists:

Vaccination must be the priority for children. After that, distancing and Covid protocols must be strictly followed. TS is reporting few daily Covid-19 cases but if there is an increase the government must be quick in taking the decision to close schools. Psychological behaviour issues have been noted in children and that is the prime reason for opening schools but the Covid-19 risk cannot be undermined. Covid protection measures have to be put in place in schools.

Dr Pragya Rashmi, consultant psychologist

Children have been in a protected zone for 15 months and they have less than five days to go back to school. There are many schools which have scheduled exams in the next fortnight. On the one side confidence-building measures are being spoken about and on the other side exam-based assessment is thrust on them. It is important to think of the children. Many children are anxious and not able to give their best academically due to the pandemic.

Dr Lav Kumar Reddy, president Indian Medical Association Telangana Branch:

The resumption of physical classes has been recommended due to behavioural problems that were seen in children due to the continuous closure of schools. Addiction to gadgets is growing, and that is causing a lot of psychiatric problems. There are guidelines for safe functioning of educational institutions which insist on the schools and colleges following safety and sanitisation methods. Kids and adolescents are asymptomatic carriers and it is important that they be assessed from time to time.

Dr Daljeet Kaur, consultant psychiatrist:

This is not the right time to restart offline classes in colleges and schools. Government schools and even private institutions are struggling to understand how can they create pathways for following Covid-19 safety norms. Reopening schools for physical classes will compromise their safety. However, the challenges in online education are coming to the fore now, and that is a major cause for concern. But, until vaccination of children is carried out against Covid-19, reopening schools is not advisable just yet.

Dr Vijay Anand, senior pediatrician at Rainbow Children's Hospital:

Research shows that transmissibility of Covid-19 in children is less when compared to adults. Schools are functioning in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina from where some lessons can be learnt. It is important that a pattern be set in schools and colleges: Different timings for classes; Schools to run for four hours; Transport must be provided, with teachers in buses; Symptom- and thermal screening mandatory; No crowding in corridors, and when reaching school and going back home.

Dr Naresh Vadlamani, senior consultant psychiatrist at Columbus Hospital: Children have been negatively affected because of the lack of social interaction that is a result of online classes. Many are losing concentration, interest and feeling emotionally deprived. This is affecting their overall personality development. Certain measures can be taken: For day schools.

Alternate classes with half strength for September; Option of online or offline classes. For residential schools: Children must report to hostels and there must be alternate day classes; Online classes option must be given.
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has prepared an Action Plan to reduce air pollution within 13 municipal towns of the state. Under it, average annual level of PM10 will be brought down from 7080 microgram per cubic metre to less than 60 microgram per cubic metre in next five years concluding 202526. These towns are district headquarters and part of 132 non-attainment cities in the country.

APPCB chairman Aswini Kumar Parida said Andhra University will assist towns of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada and Eluru in this regard, while IIT-Tirupati will help out Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati. National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Tirupati, will deal with municipal towns of Chittoor, Anantapura, Kadapa and Kurnool. The three organisations will undertake studies to identify hotspots and carrying capacity of towns concerned.

The board has prepared city-level action plans involving municipalities / municipal corporations and transport, industry and agriculture departments for implementing all micro-level interventions. There will be close monitoring by implementation committees headed by respective district collectors. Funds available under different government schemes in urban sectors will be dovetailed with resources of municipalities and corporations to execute pollution-control plans.

Parida said CSR funds available with local industries will also be utilised, while the state government will provide Rs. 639 crore as gap funding during the next five years till 202526. Rs 274 crore is being earmarked for Visakhapatnam and Rs232 crore for Vijayawada. Of Rs 639 crore, Rs 506 crore are XVth Finance Commission grants for Vizag and Vijayawada. Rs133 crore will be provided out of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for the remaining 11 municipal towns. Massive environment awareness campaigns will be undertaken involving youth, communities and civil society organisations.

APPCB has appealed to all industries within the state to make available their CSR funds for the Clean Air Andhra Pradesh (CAAP) programme. This way they can become part of Ecosystem Restoration process for providing clean air to people in municipal towns close to their industries.
HYDERABAD: BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Sunday that the BJP will wrest power from the TRS in 2023 and its chief minister will hoist the saffron flag at Golconda fort.

Pseudo secularists are blaming the BJP as a religious party. The BJP will not go against Muslims; at the same time, it protects the interests of the Hindus, he said, adding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to bring cheer among the Muslims.

He said the triple talaq bill helped Muslim women to live with dignity and self-respect. Muslims are facing severe poverty and they need support from governments. The BJP-led NDA government introduced the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme to provide housing to all including Muslims, he said.

The Praja Sangrama Yatra entered its second day on Sunday. Sanjay along with MLA T. Raja Singh, party leaders and activists continued the padayatra from Mehadipatnam to Golconda. BJP activists welcomed him en route.

At a public meeting, Sanjay alleged that the MIM is responsible for not extending the Metro Rail to the Old City. If Metro Rail came to Old City, Muslim youth would have had a lot of employment opportunities, he said.

Sanjay assured the people that once the BJP comes to power, it would extend the Metro Rail to Old City. The BJP will win the Huzurabad byelection, he said.

During his speeches, the BJP chief remembered party veterans Baddam Balreddy and Ale Narendra. BJP, BJYM, Mahila Morcha and other activists took part in the padayatra.
Justice Lakshman Reddy called for a report from the special CS of the commercial taxes department. After pursuing his report, he said that it can be logically concluded that the wrong entry relates to Ashok Babus BCom qualification and it was struck down later as this was fraught with serious consequences.  DC file photo

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta Justice P. Lakshman Reddy has directed the AP government to order a CB-CID probe into the service record of P. Ashok Babu, former leader of APNGOs, who is now a Telugu Desam Legislative Council member, on charges of tampering records.

The Lokayukta issued the interim order after hearing a complaint from B. Mehar Kumar, president of AP Commercial Taxes Employees Association, who charged that the MLCs service record shows him as a commerce graduate despite him not being one. He said that some staff members and officials, who were maintaining service records, were manipulated into entering wrong information about Ashok Babus academic qualifications.

Justice Lakshman Reddy called for a report from the special CS of the commercial taxes department. After pursuing his report, he said that it can be logically concluded that the wrong entry relates to Ashok Babus BCom qualification and it was struck down later as this was fraught with serious consequences.

Though the action of striking down entries cannot be attributed to any particular person at this stage, it was obviously done at the behest of Ashok Babu as that wrong entry could emerge as incriminating evidence against him in the future, Justice Lakshman Reddy said.
The 'XR' activists were joined by 'Animal Rebellion' activists who went on to pour red colour in the iconic fountain outside the Buckingham Palace gates. (Twitter)

Everyday we face news about Afghanistan: about people being attacked, threatened, being forced to leave the country they belong to, and love. About divided families. About traumatised children. About women and the atrocities inflicted on them.

Those of us familiar with the fallout of the Partition of India (and our team which has set up the Partition Museum in Amritsar, Kolkata and now in Delhi, certainly is)  know this is what happens when people are divided, by force. The largest migration in the world, which took place in 1947, was suddenly announced and led to immense tragedy and killings.

This is reflected in Afghanistan today.

Unless plans were in place  and people were evacuated over a period of months and not days  this was bound to happen. And as we can see  it is the thugs of yesterday and the terrorists of today who take advantage of the innocent. Those who still dont understand the bloodshed of 1947  can find in Afghanistan a reflection of what happened in India 75 years ago.

But at least many among the Afghans who want to migrate are being helped by the airlifts of the superpowers. In India at the time of Partition  unless there were some proactive local officer, or well connected benefactors  people were left mostly on their own.

As chaos prevails and the region gets further destabilised, undoubtedly borders will get erased. One border that looks increasingly fragile is between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as refugees flee across, around 20,000 daily.

On the other hand, of course more than 14,000 refugees have entered the UK, legally and are being given protection. The process continues  and already over 500,000 Afghans have left their country, trying to find safe refuge, in different parts of the world.

But to reiterate the incredible generosity of the British: at least 10,000 hosts have registered with a charity to open up their spare rooms for refugees. This will be only a temporary stay of course, but it will help immensely help those who have lost everything.

London rocks with rebellions! And Extinction Rebellion, in which people occupy public spaces, just shows the extent to which people take climate change seriously! This time they occupied Trafalgar Square, blocked traffic and definitely got noticed. It is more or less the strategy followed by the farmers in India  except here they are allowed straight into the city centre. They were protesting against the use of fossil fuels and managed to sit right outside the department for business, energy and industrial strategy.

The XR activists were joined by Animal Rebellion activists who went on to pour red colour in the iconic fountain outside the Buckingham Palace gates. This, according to them, symbolised blood on the Queens hands, as she had allowed her the Crown lands to be used for hunting as well as animal farming.

These protest programmes certainly cause immense disruption  but then that is the whole idea of civil disobedience. Interestingly, the XR group does feel that their message of saving the planet is getting across more widely. But whether they will be able to stop policies of road building or encourage the Queen to grow healthy food on crown lands for the country is doubtful. In the meanwhile, we have been subject to dramatic red colour floating in the fountains at the foot of the palace, as though a murder had just taken place. Disturbing! Just as the activists wanted!

Jabbing children between the ages of 12 and 15 years might be next on the agenda as a means of controlling Covid in schools. Not all parents are enthusiastic, though, as results from other countries that have vaccinated young children are still awaited. However, the government might allow children who want Covid jabs to get them without parental consent. This, of course, could lead to unforeseen consequences but right now no one is thinking of that. Another key change could be that children would be vaccinated at the schools, rather than in GP clinics. Surveys have also shown that most 10- to 17-year-olds are really keen to get vaccinated.

But more information and transparency is often required before one feels completely safe with any vaccine. For instance, there is still not much knowledge about the India-made Covaxin here nor is it recognised. The long-delayed clearance from WHO has created an impediment for students and business travellers from India who had taken the vaccine on the assurance that it was only a matter of time before it was put on par with the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. One hopes that the approval from WHO will be fast tracked. It will not only provide relief in an already challenging environment for education and jobs abroad, it will also be a step in the right direction in boosting the Made-in-India campaign.
With the launch of the new Amaze, Honda Cars India is trying to ramp up its numbers as the model has been a trump card of sorts for the Japanese carmaker. Already, the Amaze has been a success for Honda and they hope to take it several steps ahead with the facelifted version that was launched recently.

This is the only car that is designed ground up as a sedan. We have been able to design and develop a fully proportioned sedan which is one size higher in an under-four metre proportion. That is probably one of the reasons for the success of the Amaze second generation, said Rajesh Goel, Senior VP and Director, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India.

68% of Amaze sales come from Tier II and Tier III cities in India, Goel said. Around 40% of sales come from first time young buyers. Around 20% sales come from those who buy the CVT version. That gives us confidence that people find value in the way that Amaze has been made. We are number one in Kerala and Gujarat and with this offering, I hope we will be able to strengthen this position further. We hope Amaze will help us achieve our business plan where we intend to grow by double digits compared to the previous year, he added.

Goel said more products were in the offing from the Honda stables. I will confirm that Honda is developing an India-focussed brand new SUV. That is another segment that we will look at. We will not be able to offer you any further details on this at the moment. There will also be a mass market hybrid next fiscal, he revealed.

SUV growth has contributed 30% to 32% of the overall car market in India, he said, adding that it could be because of product intervention.

There are some 14 products competing in the sub-four and above four-metre SUV segment. But with sedans, as a percentage, the segment may not grow. If you look at a five, seven or 10-year perspective, because of the growth of the Indian market the absolute numbers may not really come down although they did witness a comedown in the year 2021. But in the longer term, they will remain stagnant or grow slightly, he added.
As Biocon Biologics works with its partner to come out with a Covid jab, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited, Indias largest biopharmaceutical company, tells Veena Mani and Mahesh Kulkarni that Covid-19 has become an endemic from a pandemic. Excerpts:

How has Covid-19 impacted your business? Some of that is reflected in your quarterly numbers. But what about product approvals during the pandemic?

Travel restrictions made it difficult for us to get approvals. For example, the USFDA could not travel to our India site for a pre-approval inspection due to the pandemic. Hence, the agencys approval of biosimilar Bevacizumab is delayed. These delays in approvals have impacted our new product launches. Largely, Covid has hurt our growth trajectory. We are back to 80% of our operations.

We need to get back to 100% operations, which will happen only when the pending regulatory approvals come through. These pending regulatory approvals have taken us back by two years. We were supposed to get a biosimilar approval in December 2019, but that got delayed due to Covid-related travel restrictions. We are yet to have the necessary pre-approval inspection needed to move forward. Since we cannot predict how the Covid-19 situation will pan out, it is difficult to say anything on 100% operations.

You mentioned that Covid impacted the company. Given this, has the role of your medical representatives changed? Is their role limited now? Are you laying them off?

Our India formulations business is not as big as Cipla, Sun Pharma or any other Indian pharma player. We are a speciality company with a much smaller sales force. Doctors still want to have information about companies and their products. Digital tools eliminate the need for our sales representatives to be physically present. We hold webinars to engage with doctors and attend to their requests and queries through various digital, video, mobile, platforms including zoom calls.

We cannot put a number on what revenue we get from each salesforce using digital. Our focus is to address doctors and patients needs. We are trying to refresh our marketing strategy with extensive use of digital tools and will like to go back to a hybrid model of digital and physical once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

How is the recent USFDA approval for the interchangeable insulin going to help the company?

It is the first interchangeable biosimilar in the world. This approval has a lot of potential for our product. But for the potential to be realised, the Covid situation has to get better first. We have made investments in building a global scale for manufacturing insulins in India and Malaysia. We can produce both recombinant insulin and insulin analogues.

With this interchangeable label, we can compete with the big insulin companies. We can even expand the capacity further in India and Malaysia. We are undoubtedly the most affordable insulin maker globally.

How long would the Bicara losses show up in the P&L?

Bicara is an exciting start-up we have created in Boston. It is working in the area of bispecific antibodies. T-cell engaging antibodies are extremely exciting. It has teams in Boston and Bangaluru. Bicara started operating as a standalone company under an independent management team in FY21 and since then has been reclassified from subsidiary to associate. Biocon has supported Bicara with funds so that they can advance their exciting programmes until they raise external finance. Bicara is in the process of raising capital. The share of losses due to Bicara will continue on Biocons P&L till the end of this fiscal.

Biocon Biologics has set a target of achieving $1 billion in revenue. By when do we expect that to happen?

At a consolidated level, Biocons annual revenues have crossed a billion dollars. We had set an aspirational target of achieving $1 billion in revenues by FY22 in our biologics business. But a challenging business environment aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic has led us to recalibrate our outlook. We continue to aspire for the $1 billion revenue target, but it would be difficult to provide specific guidance around the timeline to hit the mark.

When are you planning to list Biocon Biologics?

Biocon Biologics IPO will happen. We are building a robust business on the back of our strong business fundamentals, scientific know-how, efficient operations, early-mover learnings, and a broad product portfolio. However, a lot of this depends on how the Covid-19 pandemic plays out. We would like to raise capital for advancing Biocon Biologics R&D pipeline and expanding manufacturing infrastructure and commercialisation footprint. We would like to front-end our commercialisation in the US ourselves, at some time. Right now, our partner Viatris is doing this. Biocon Biologics is working on developing recombinant human insulin for the benefit of diabetes patients in the US.

The $330 million raised from marquee funds such as True North, Tata Capital Growth, Goldman Sachs, and the Abu Dhabi-based ADQ so far will take care of our near-term capital needs, allowing us to be flexible with our IPO timelines.
By Julia Fioretti and Ishika Mookerjee,

Chinas crackdown on technology companies is prompting global investors to look for new opportunities across Asia, contributing to a record jump in initial public offerings from India to South Korea that shows few signs of slowing.

Tech companies from those two countries and Southeast Asia have raised $8 billion from first-time share sales this year, already blowing past the previous annual peak. The tally is poised to get bigger with planned listings by companies including Indian fintech giant Paytm and Indonesian internet conglomerate GoTo, both of which may break local fundraising records.

Long overshadowed by their Chinese peers, this new crop of startups is coming of age just as Beijings clampdown puts a damper on listing and growth prospects in what had long been the regions hottest IPO market.

The result, some bankers say, may be the start of a new era for tech listings in Asia. Investors are already boosting exposure to markets outside China, with some buying into IPOs from countries like India and Indonesia for the first time. Prospective issuers that historically benchmarked themselves against Chinese companies are now highlighting similarities to other global peers in hopes of attaining higher valuations.

Read | 'China to ban US IPOs for firms with data breach risks'

These are strong companies and stories in their own right, but the overwhelming demand has been enhanced by rotation away from China tech, said Udhay Furtado, co-head of Asia equity capital markets at Citigroup Inc. Chinas regulatory onslaught, now in its 10th month since the shock implosion of Ant Group Co.s IPO, has slashed valuations for the nations listed tech companies by nearly 40%. It has also forced many startups to pause their IPO plans after regulators announced a stricter vetting process for overseas offerings.

China and Hong Kong accounted for about 60% of Asian tech IPOs since the end of June, down from 83% in the second quarter, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. About three quarters of Chinese companies that listed overseas this year are now trading below their IPO prices.

Meanwhile, deals in smaller markets are attracting outsized demand as investors bet on increasingly internet-savvy populations, growing consumer spending and a new class of tech entrepreneurs.

Read | IPO bandwagon gets bigger; Aug sees 23 filings so far

PT Bukalapak.com, an Indonesian e-commerce firm, raised $1.5 billion around the end of July in the countrys largest ever IPO, far outstripping an early goal of between $300 million and $500 million.

Zomato Ltd., an Indian online food-delivery and restaurant platform, received bids worth 1.5 trillion rupees ($20.2 billion) from large funds for its anchor tranche, making it one of the most popular Indian offerings among institutional investors. The company raised $1.3 billion in July.

KakaoBank Corp., South Koreas first internet-only lender to go public, sold $2.2 billion of new shares last month and soared more than 70% in its trading debut.

The hurdle for allocating capital to tech companies in China is now much higher than it was even a month ago, said Vikas Pershad, a portfolio manager at M&G Investments (Singapore) Pte. The net exposure to China tech is lower and the net exposure to technology-driven business models outside of China is higher.

One banker who asked not to be named discussing client information said some Hong Kong-based investors who previously focused on Chinese deals are now participating in tech IPOs elsewhere in the region. US hedge funds are also looking at India more closely, another banker said. Morgan Stanley research analysts recently advised clients to re-balance their internet holdings away from China and into India and Southeast Asia.

Are investors more interested? Definitely, said William Smiley, co-head of Asia ex-Japan equity capital markets at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Global capital competes among itself and investment opportunities are judged on both an absolute and relative basis.

Whether the enthusiasm will last is an open question. Bukalapak.com briefly dipped below its offering price this month, though the stock has since rebounded. Zomato and KakaoBank are trading 64% and 115% above their IPO prices, respectively.

A growing pipeline of deals will put investor demand to the test. Paytm -- formally called One97 Communications Ltd. -- has filed for a 166 billion-rupee IPO that is set to be Indias largest ever. Policybazaar, an online insurance marketplace, is looking to raise as much as 60.18 billion rupees.

GoTo, formed by the merger of Indonesian ride-hailing giant Gojek and e-commerce provider PT Tokopedia, is planning a domestic IPO this year before seeking a US listing. Its currently raising funds at a valuation of between $25 billion and $30 billion, meaning it could become Indonesias biggest-ever debut.

There are increasingly diverse sources of capital investing in leading Asia-based growth businesses, said Gregor Feige, co-head of ECM Asia ex-Japan at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Sovereign wealth funds are more active across the board. Theyre leaning in and the global long-only community is also increasingly comfortable with local listings across Asia.

The flood of tech IPOs in Southeast Asia and India is poised to reshape markets where benchmark indexes have historically focused on old-economy sectors like energy and finance.

Favorable demographics and domestic consumption growth in Southeast Asia have not translated fully into stock market performance of late, as some of the fastest growing businesses were not listed, said Pauline Ng, a portfolio manager at JPMorgan Asset Management. The growing representation of new-economy companies means these markets can no longer be ignored, she said.

--With assistance from Irene Huang.
Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk has signaled competition concerns over Nvidia Corp's planned purchase of British chip designer Arm, the Telegraph reported on Saturday, citing multiple sources.

E-commerce giant Amazon Inc and smartphone maker Samsung Electronics Co Ltd have also lodged opposition to the deal with US authorities, the newspaper reported.

Read | EU set to launch formal probe into Nvidia's takeover of Arm

Earlier this year, the US Federal Trade Commission opened an in-depth probe into the takeover. The probe findings are expected in the coming weeks, according to the newspaper.

Tesla, Amazon, Samsung and Nvidia did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Nvidia is likely to seek European Union antitrust approval for the $54 billion purchase of Arm early next month, with regulators expected to launch a full-scale investigation after a preliminary review, people familiar with the matter have said.
The US has evacuated approximately 2,000 people from the Kabul airport in the last 24 hours, the White House has said, as the countdown for the end of America's longest military mission begins in Afghanistan.

Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 113,500 people. Since the end of July, it has re-located approximately 119,000 people, it said.

From August 28 at 3:00 AM EDT to August 28 at 3:00 PM EDT, a total of approximately 2,000 people were evacuated from Kabul. This is the result of 11 U.S. military flights (11 C-17s), which carried approximately 1,400 evacuees, and 7 coalition flights, which carried 600 people, the White House said on Saturday.

This is an incredible number of people who are now safer thanks to the heroism of the young men and women who are putting their lives on the line each day to evacuate American and vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul," Major General Hank Taylor Commander, Army Operational Test Command told reporters at the Pentagon.

We continue to evacuate American citizens and vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul. In fact, there are approximately 1,400 individuals at the Kabul airport who have been screened and manifested for flights today, he said.

On Friday, 32 U.S. military aircraft, 27 C-17s and five C-130s departed with approximately 4,000 personnel. Combined with 34 coalition aircraft and departures, an additional 2,800 personnel left Kabul for various intermediate staging bases. Sixty-six flights left out of Kabul on Friday in that 24-hour period with 6,800 evacuees.

Today, I can report an updated total evacuation that is more than 117,000. The vast majority of which are Afghans. Of this total number, approximately 5,400 are American citizens, he said.

Also read: Veteran Afghan strongmen to form new front for negotiating with Taliban

As the military mission begins to end in Kabul, thousands of service members are working across the globe and within the United States to complete this incredibly important mission, Taylor said.

Out of the EUCOM AOR, six flights will transport about 2,000 Afghans to the United States. Since August 20 the EUCOM AOR has received nearly 30,000 vulnerable Afghans and evacuees, he said.

The US, according to a State Department spokesperson, have continued to provide assistance to any American in Afghanistan who would like to leave the country. That effort has included around-the-clock outreach consisting of tens of thousands of calls, emails, texts, and WhatsApp messages conducted multiple times a day to contact individuals who gave them their information.

We have received confirmation that at least 5,400 Americans and likely more have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan since August 14. This includes nearly 300 Americans in the last day, the spokesperson said.

At present, approximately 350 Americans have told the US that they are still seeking to leave the country.

These roughly 350 individuals are currently the only Americans we can confirm are in Afghanistan and seeking to leave. Our team on the ground has this information and continues to provide assistance around the clock. We believe that some of these people are nearly or already out of the country, the spokesperson said.

Additionally, the officials have actively communicated with roughly 280 additional individuals who self-identified as Americans in Afghanistan but who have not informed them of their plans to leave the country, or who have told that they do not intend to leave at all.
As kids around the US head back to school, there has been disappointing news for parents of children younger than 12. While many health experts had hoped for an early fall approval of a vaccine for young children, two of the nations top public health officials said its not going to happen.

Ive got to be honest, I dont see the approval for kids 5 to 11 coming much before the end of 2021, said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, on the NPR program Morning Edition.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, offered a slightly more hopeful timeline. He told the Today Show on NBC that there was a reasonable chance that Covid-19 shots would be available to children younger than 12 by mid- to late fall or early winter. Both Pfizer and Moderna are gathering data on the safety, correct dose and effectiveness of the vaccines in children, he said.

Read more: Covid vascular disease, not respiratory: Study

The data ultimately will be presented to the FDA to look at for the balance between safety and risk-benefit ratio for the children, Fauci said. I hope that process will take place expeditiously.

Its not clear if the initial predictions for an early fall vaccine were just overly optimistic, or if officials now think the review process will take longer than expected. The revised timeline comes after the Food and Drug Administration in July asked Pfizer and Moderna to expand the size of their clinical trials for younger children to make sure they could detect potentially rare side effects.

But Pfizer said the number of children it planned to enroll was already large enough to meet the FDA recommendations, and it had always planned to submit its data in September. A company spokesperson said that it takes time to recruit and enroll children in a clinical trial. Pfizer is enrolling up to 4,500 children, including 3,000 in the 5 to 11 age group, and another 1,500 children younger than 5.

The news that a kids vaccine wont be approved quickly is no doubt upsetting to many parents, who were counting on an early fall vaccine to keep their children safer in classrooms. Given the urgency of getting kids vaccinated, I asked vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit why its taking so long. Not only is Offit on the FDAs vaccine advisory committee, he has also gone through the agencys authorization process, as the co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine for infants, which was approved in 2006.

Read more: Singapore fully vaccinates 80% of population against Covid-19

Offit recalls that the trial data for the rotavirus vaccine was delivered in a truck. If you took (the reports) and stacked one on top of the other, it exceeded the height of the Sears Tower, Offit said. Its a lot of information.

While Offit understands that parents are frustrated with the delay in approving a Covid vaccine for young children, it also should be reassuring that the FDA is taking the time necessary to review the vaccine data, he said. The agency doesnt just rely on the companys summary of the data. Agency officials look at individual reports from every single child, reviewing the most mundane details of any side effects, blood tests and other data collected during the trial. The data on children are complicated by the fact that different doses are being studied.

They dont want to miss anything, because the No. 1 thing is safety, Offit said. Youre giving a vaccine or placebo to thousands of children as a predictor of whats about to be given to millions of children. I know it seems like it should be faster, but its a long process.

While parents will have to wait a little longer before young children can be vaccinated, studies show that schools have not been a major cause of Covid spreading events, particularly when a number of prevention measures are in place. A combination of precautions  masking indoors, keeping students at least 3 feet apart in classrooms, keeping students in separate cohorts or pods, encouraging hand washing and regular testing, and quarantining  have been effective. While many of those studies occurred before the delta variant became dominant, they also happened when most teachers, staff and parents were unvaccinated, so public health experts are hopeful that the same precautions will work well this fall.

The overall news is reassuring when it comes to children and the risks of serious complications from Covid-19. Compared to adults, children diagnosed with Covid-19 are more likely to have mild symptoms or none at all. Children are also far less likely to develop severe illness, be hospitalized or die from the disease. In rare cases, some children infected with Covid may develop a serious inflammatory syndrome, but that has been documented in only about 0.1% of pediatric cases. While the loss of even one child is devastating, deaths among children from Covid-19 are rare. Since the start of the pandemic, the CDC has documented 454 deaths in the 18 or younger age group, accounting for 0.07% of the total 623,984 deaths in all age groups.

Parents can minimize a childs risk by getting all eligible family members vaccinated. Take precautions daily to avoid crowds, wear a mask and encourage your child to wear a mask at school.
The United States issued a warning for the Kabul area, saying there is a 'specific, credible threat' near the airport. Earlier, President Joe Biden had said that an attack is "highly likely" in the region, and that the IS extremists who were responsible for the earlier blasts that killed scores of people, including 13 US service members, can expect more strikes in the coming days. An explosion was heard in the vicinity of Kabul airport, which Afghan police confirmed was a rocket attack that killed a child. Later, US officials told Reuters that a drone strike hit IS-K targets. Stay tuned for live updates.
As the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan capping an ill-fated 20-year war has turned uglier and deadlier in recent days, President Joe Biden has stood by his decision but at the same time repeatedly singled out one person in particular to blame: his predecessor.

Because former President Donald Trump struck an agreement with the Taliban last year to pull out, Biden has insisted that he had no choice but to abide by the deal he inherited or send tens of thousands of US troops back to Afghanistan to risk their lives in a forever war. It was, in other words, all in or all out.

But that reductionist formula has prompted a profound debate over whether the mayhem in Kabul, the capital, was in fact inevitable or the result of a failure to consider other options that might have ended in a different outcome. The unusual confluence of two presidents of rival parties sharing the same goal and same approach has led to second-guessing and finger-pointing that may play out for years in history books yet unwritten.

In framing the decision before him as either complete withdrawal or endless escalation, Biden has been telling the public that there was no choice at all, because he knew that Americans had long since grown disenchanted with the Afghanistan war and favored getting out. The fact that Trump was the one to leave behind a withdrawal agreement has enabled Biden to try to share responsibility.

Read | Taliban prepare to set up new Afghan government as US evacuation nears end

There was only the cold reality of either following through on the agreement to withdraw our forces or escalating the conflict and sending thousands more US troops back into combat in Afghanistan, lurching into the third decade of conflict, Biden said as the Taliban seized Kabul this month.

Critics consider that either disingenuous or at the very least unimaginative, arguing that there were viable alternatives, even if not especially satisfying ones, that might not have ever led to outright victory but could have avoided the disaster unfolding in Kabul and the provinces.

The administration is presenting the choices in a way that is, at best, incomplete, said Meghan OSullivan, a deputy national security adviser under President George W. Bush who oversaw earlier stages of the Afghan war. No one I knew was advocating the return of tens of thousands of Americans into open combat with the Taliban.

Instead, some, including the current military leadership of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asserted that keeping a relatively modest force of 3,000 to 4,500 troops along with the extensive use of drones and close air support could have enabled Afghan security forces to continue holding off the Taliban without putting Americans at much risk.

There was an alternative that could have prevented further erosion and likely enabled us to roll back some of the Taliban gains in recent years, said Gen. David Petraeus, the retired commander of US forces in Afghanistan and former CIA director who argued while serving alongside Biden under President Barack Obama that the mission was making progress.

With the Afghans doing the fighting on the front lines and the US providing assistance from the air, he added, such a force posture would have been quite sustainable in terms of the expenditure of blood and treasure.

Read | Kabul attacks embarrassment for Taliban

But the White House rejected such a middle ground, contending that it amounted to more war. At her briefing Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the only real choice was sending tens of thousands more Americans to potentially lose their lives or getting out.

There are, of course, other options, but there are consequences to every option, she said. That is my point. As for the critics, she said, I think its easy to play back seat driver.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., supports Bidens withdrawal. Murphy said those arguing to keep troops in Afghanistan were the ones who failed to win the war for two decades and perpetually pushed to stay even though we have been losing for six to eight years.

To me, its the same game, he said in an interview. Everybodys got a plan. But Ive been working on this long enough to know everybodys plans are awful, he added, using an expletive. The reality is inescapable.

Biden was the third president in a row determined to finally end the war in Afghanistan, which has cost the lives of more than 2,400 US troops and as much as $2 trillion. In recent years, though, the conflict had evolved into an uneasy status quo with a far smaller US footprint. After drawdowns beginning under Obama, a fraction of the troops there at the peak were left, yet military strategists said they had an outsize impact in keeping Afghan security forces in the fight without engaging in as much combat themselves.

Fewer than 100 US troops died in combat in Afghanistan over the past five years, roughly the equivalent of the number of Americans dying from Covid-19 every two hours. Until the devastating attack this week by ISIS-K at the Kabul airport killed 13 US service members, the military had suffered no combat deaths since the Trump agreement was signed.

Under the four-page deal signed in February 2020, Trump agreed to withdraw all US troops by May 1, 2021, lift sanctions and compel the release of 5,000 prisoners held by the Afghan government, which was cut out of the negotiations. The Taliban committed to not attacking US troops on the way out or letting terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a base to attack the United States.

Read | Timeline of Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan

While the Taliban agreed to talk with the Afghan government, nothing in the publicly released part of the deal prevented them from taking over the country by force, as they ultimately did, and reimposing their repressive regime of torture, murder and subjugation of women. It was such a one-sided bargain that even Trumps former national security adviser H.R. McMaster called it a surrender agreement.

Following the deal, Trump reduced US forces in Afghanistan to 4,500 from 13,000. Eager to be the president to end the war, he signed a memo to the Pentagon instructing it to pull out all remaining forces by Jan. 15, before he was to leave office, but advisers talked him out of that plan. Instead, he ordered the force drawn down to 2,500 troops in his final days, although about 3,500 actually remained.

For Biden, inheriting such a small force in Afghanistan meant that commanders were already left with too few troops to respond to a renewed Taliban offensive against US forces, which he deemed certain to come if he jettisoned Trumps agreement, requiring him to send thousands more troops back in, officials said.

While he has suggested he had little choice because of the Trump agreement, Biden, in fact, was already determined to pull out of Afghanistan and acknowledged in a recent interview with ABC News that I would have tried to figure out how to withdraw those troops even if his predecessor had not negotiated a deal with the Taliban.

His views were shaped by his experience as vice president in 2009 arguing against the temporary troop surge that Obama ordered to Afghanistan. Biden emerged from that episode soured on the military and the war, convinced that the generals had rolled Obama by making it politically impossible not to go along with more troops.

Democrats who previously worked with Biden said they assumed that his mind was already made up on Afghanistan when he took office in January and that his current advisers, knowing that, did not push back hard. But aides to the president insisted that while he had strong views, he engaged in a methodical policy process to test his own assumptions and explore alternatives, repeatedly insisting there be no stone left unturned.

Biden assigned Jake Sullivan, his national security adviser, to run an inter-agency examination of Afghanistan policy that resulted in 10 meetings of department deputies, three cabinet-level meetings and four meetings in the Situation Room that included the president.

The Biden team considered other options, including keeping a small presence of troops for counter-terrorism operations or to support Afghan security forces but reasoned that was just magical thinking and would take more troops than was sustainable. They discussed whether to renegotiate the Trump agreement to extract more concessions but the Taliban made clear it would not return to the bargaining table and considered the Trump deal binding.

Bidens advisers also considered extending the withdrawal deadline until the winter, after the traditional fighting season was over, to make the transition less dangerous for the Afghan government. The Afghanistan Study Group, a bipartisan congressionally chartered panel that was led by Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., a retired Joint Chiefs chair and that included OSullivan, in February recommended extending the May 1 deadline and seeking better conditions before pulling out.

But Biden was warned by security specialists that the longer it took to withdraw after a decision was announced, the more dangerous it would become, aides said, so he extended it only until Aug. 31.

Particularly influential on Biden, aides said, were a series of intelligence assessments he requested about Afghanistans neighbors and near neighbors, which found that Russia and China wanted the United States to remain bogged down in Afghanistan.

At the end of the day, the officials said, every option eventually led to one of two ultimate alternatives  get out altogether, as Trump had agreed to do, or prepare for a prolonged and more dangerous shooting war with many more troops. While not everyone in the room preferred Bidens path, officials maintained that everyone was heard.

Biden basically faced the same issue that Trump faced, said Vali Nasr, who was a senior adviser to Richard Holbrooke, Obamas special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and his answer was the same  were not going to go back in, we have to get out.

Nasr added that Republican criticism now is brazenly hypocritical. Theyre the ones who released all these Taliban commanders; theyre the ones who signed this deal, he said.

A defence secretary under Trump, Mark Esper agreed that the deal was flawed and in fact argued against drawing down further in the final months of the Trump administration. Esper, who was fired in November, said in recent days that there were more options available to President Biden than simply continuing Trumps withdrawal.

He could have tried to go back to the table with the Taliban and renegotiate, Esper said on CNN. He could have demanded, as I argued, that they agree to the conditions they established or they agreed to in the agreement and that we use military power to compel them to do that.

At this point, the die is cast. Biden made his choice. He wanted to be the president to end Americas longest war. Right or wrong, he has done so and on that, there is no middle ground.
Dozens of desperate Afghans who had been trying to flee the Taliban before Tuesday's deadline for the US withdrawal from Kabul made it to safety with help from an unexpected place: Instagram influencer Quentin Quarantino.

Quarantino is the alter ego of 25-year-old Tommy Marcus of New York City, previously best-known for his liberal memes and his jokes about opponents of Covid-19 vaccinations.

Along with his followers, Quarantino raised $7 million within days on GoFundMe to launch rescue missions into Afghanistan to evacuate as many people as possible, many of whom said they had been threatened by the Taliban.

Also Read | US evacuates about 2,000 people from Kabul in the last 24 hours

On Wednesday, their mission Operation Flyaway helped ferry 51 people from Afghanistan to Uganda on a privately chartered plane financed by the GoFundMe campaign.

More than 121,000 people had donated to the campaign after Marcus made an appeal to his 832,000 followers, making it one of the largest humanitarian fundraisers in GoFundMe's history.

It's beyond humbling that they have that faith in me, that they're willing to put significant amounts of money into hands that I trust, Marcus told The Associated Press.

Saraya International, a global development firm, and the Rockefeller Foundation, which both provided organizational support for the flight to Uganda, as well as another company involved with the evacuation, confirmed to the AP that the flight was chartered by the emergency collaboration financed through Marcus' Go FundMe campaign.

I don't know what word to use besides miraculous, because it's restored a faith in humanity, Marcus said.

We've shed the political divisions in this situation and really come together from all walks of life to rally together and save these people because .. they don't deserve what their future holds if they stay in Afghanistan right now.

Also Read | Veteran Afghan strongmen to form new front for negotiating with Taliban

Those who were evacuated, Marcus said, were women, children, humanitarians and others who've been fighting for the greater good in Afghanistan for a long time, as well as their families. The organizers had said they were seeking to rescue 300 people who, along with their families, were at imminent risk of being executed by the Taliban."

The team had been met with skepticism from experts who questioned whether they had the capability to pull of such a mission at a time when governments, corporations and charity groups were rushing to get their citizens and employees out of Afghanistan on whatever aircraft they could.

Marcus' group said more than 350 people have been rescued, with nearly 300 leaving Kabul on other chartered flights that Operation Flyaway reimbursed for providing safe passage from the country.

A spokesperson for the State Department wrote in an emailed statement that the department appreciates 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, the statement said.

Officials from several nonprofit groups describe a chaotic and perilous scene at the Kabul airport as they rushed to fill private chartered flights with people who have the necessary paperwork in the limited time that they can keep their planes on the tarmac.

"I'm so proud of our extraordinary team and what we were able to accomplish in such a short time, said Sayara CEO Scott Shadian.

I just wish we could've done more. Simply put, the institutions failed, and it breaks my heart how much more we could have accomplished. We are grateful we got out as many people as we did against the greatest odds we've ever faced.
The Taliban in a shockingly rapid move took over Afghanistan after capturing Kabul on August 15. The world's best intelligence and security establishments were in awe with the quick takeover by the banned Islamist terror group, which was ousted in 2001 following the US invasion.

The US invasion came in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed. Al Qaeda and its leader Osama Bin Laden, were responsible for the massacre and they were under the protection of the Taliban, who had been in power since 1996.

Also Read | A digital Dunkirk: Veterans online scramble to get people out of Afghanistan

The world has not yet recognised the Taliban with many announcing no diplomatic ties, some running away in haste shutting down their missions in Afghan and others vowing to support the anti-Taliban resistance launched by former Vice President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, the son of legendary Afghan rebel commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, in Panjshir Valley.

Prominent Taliban members, who are against women rights and are extremists, were hunted down for 20 years by world best intelligence agencies but they still managed to regroup and forced the US to engage with them leading to the complete takeover of Afghanistan.

But who are these prominent Taliban members of 2021? IANS profiles some top Taliban members.

Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada

The Supreme Commander of Taliban is Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, who is also known as "Emir" of the organisation. He became Supreme Commander of the Islamist group in May 2016 when his predecessor Akhtar Mansour was killed in a drone strike. The drone targeted Mansour's vehicle in a remote area of south-west Pakistan near the Afghan border. Mansour assumed the leadership in July 2015, replacing Taliban founder and spiritual head Mullah Mohammad Omar.

Also Read | US forces in final phase of evacuation from Kabul: Security official

When Akhundzada was appointed as Supreme Commander, Al Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced his support and hailed him as "emir of the believers".

Akhundzada was born in 1961 in Kandahar province and is as a religious leader. He hails from the powerful Nurzai clan of the ethnic Pashtuns. He had overseen legal and Islamic law and jurisprudence (Sharia) related matters as head of the judiciary during the Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

The founding member of the Taliban movement in 1990s, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Baradar is deputy commander of the Taliban and also heads the group's political office in Doha. He was born into the Pashtun tribe in southern Afghanistan in 1968 and when he was young he fought with mujahideen guerrillas against Soviet troops. After the war, he helped Mullah Muhammad Omar, his former commander (and, some say, brother-in-law) and formed the Taliban. He had served as the provincial governor and deputy defence minister during the Taliban's rule. After the US invasion in 2001, Mullah Baradar drove his commander on the back of a motorcycle to hide in the hills.

He was arrested in Karachi in 2010 and released in October 2018 at the request of the US.

He was in charge of the Doha Peace Office. At the helm of the group's political office in Doha, its de facto embassy, Mullah Baradar led talks with the US that culminated in a deal to end Washington's engagement in the 20-year war.

Sirajuddin Haqqani

Sirajuddin is the Taliban's deputy leader and head of the semi-independent Haqqani Network, a designated terror group in Afghanistan. He was on the US' Most Wanted list and and had a $5 million reward. He is a Pashtun from Paktia and a member of the Zadran clan.

Also Read | Taliban prepare to set up new Afghan government as US evacuation nears end

Sirajuddin is the head of the Taliban's military strategy and was placed in charge of Kabul's security after the August 15 takeover. He is is believed to have been born in either Afghanistan or Pakistan between 1973 and 1980. He oversees the Taliban's operations in the eastern regions, including Paktia, Paktika, Khost, and Ningarhar provinces, as well as in and around Kabul.

He has close ties to the Al Qaeda.

His father, Jalaluddin Haqqani, founded their namesake jihadi group and handed over leadership before his death in 2018. In the 1980s, Jalaluddin Haqqani was among the US-backed mujahideen warlords battling a Soviet Union invasion and was a close friend and mentor of bin Laden.

Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob

Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob is the son of the Taliban's founding leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. The 31-year-old Yaqoob is a Pashtun from the Hotak clan and has been the group's military chief since 2020, overseeing all ground engagements in Afghanistan. He is a deputy commander of the group.

Yaqoob was trained in guerrilla warfare by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e Mohammad.

It is believed that being Mullah Omar's eldest son got Yaqoob elevated among the Taliban's field commanders and its rank and file. Before 2015, he did not even have an official position in the Taliban. Under Yaqoob's leadership, the Taliban appears to have been upholding its commitment not to attack departing US forces. He is part of a moderate camp that favoured negotiations to end the war.

Yaqoob's predecessor, Ibrahim Sadr, a powerful field commander, opposed peace efforts.

Yaqoob is a graduate of several hard-line Islamic seminaries in Karachi, where his family had resided since the US invasion of Afghanistan.

Qari Din Mohammad Hanif

Qari Din Mohammad Hanif is a senior Taliban leader based in Qatar who had served as the group's former Minister of Higher Education and the Master of Planning. Hanif was also a member of the Taliban Supreme Council responsible for Takhar province and his home province of Badakhshan. He is an ethnic Tajik.

The 66-year-old was also a key member of the Taliban peace negotiation team in Doha. When in early 2015 the Taliban announced that it was willing to enter into peace talks geared toward ending the conflict in Afghanistan, Hanif had led a delegation of the Taliban's political office in Qatar.

Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi

Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi is an ethnic Uzbek from the northern Faryab province and has long been affiliated with the Taliban. The 54-year-old had served as governor as well as deputy minister of education during the Taliban rule. He is currently serving as a deputy head of the political office in Doha. Hanafi has also studied at various religious seminaries including in Karachi and has taught at the Kabul University.

Mullah Abdul Hakeem

Mullah Abdul Hakeem is a close aide to Taliban chief Hibatullah, and is the shadow chief justice in the country. He comes from the Ishaqzai clan of the Pashtuns. The 54-year-old Hakeem is considered as a hardline cleric.

He spent years lying low in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta, where the Afghan Taliban leadership has been based since the US invasion in 2001. Until recently, he ran an Islamic madrassa in the Ishaqabad area of Quetta, from where he led the Taliban's judiciary and headed a powerful council of Taliban clerics that issued religious edicts to justify the group's brutal insurgency in Afghanistan.

The ultra-conservative Hakeem replaces Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, who along with Baradar spearheaded negotiations with the US over the landmark agreement signed last year .

He graduated from and taught at the Darul Uloom Haqqania Islamic seminary in northwest Pakistan, which is known for preaching a fundamentalist brand of Islam and schooling a generation of fighters for the Afghan Taliban.

The so-called 'university of jihad' counts some of the world's most notorious terrorists among its alumni, including Mullah Mohammad Omar and Jalaluddin Haqqani.

Hakeem has earned a reputation as a hard-liner and has been dedicated to restoring the group's Islamic emirate, the official name of the erstwhile Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai

Born in 1963 in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai is ethnically a Pashtun. He received military training in the Indian Military Academy in 1982, rose to the ranks of deputy health minister during the Taliban regime and later served as a chief peace negotiator in Doha before Mullah Hakeem.

He was also a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban regime. The 58-year-old Pashtun comes from the Stanekzai clan. He can speak five languages and had served as the Taliban's political office chief between 2015-2019. He is also known as 'Sheru'.

Qari Fasihuddin

As a young ethnic Tajik from the northern Badakhshan province, Qari Fasihuddin serves as the military chief for the group in the north of the country. In September 2019, the then Afghan government claimed that he was killed in a military operation in Jurm district in Badakhshan province. Back then, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the government claim, saying that fighting was still raging in the district and rejected the allegation as "enemy propaganda". His whereabouts are still unknown.

Muhammad Fazal Akhund

Muhammad Fazal Akhund is regarded as one of the Taliban's most ferocious frontline commanders. He was released from Guantanamo Bay after 12 years of detention in exchange for a captured US soldier Bowe Bergdahl. Fazel is a Pashtun from the Durrani tribe and a native of Uruzgan province.

After joining the Soviet-Afghan war, he served as defence minister and chief of staff during the former Taliban regime. It is claimed that he is an active person in Taliban-Al Qaeda relation. He was appointed a member of the Taliban's political team.

Mali Khan

Mali Khan is a relative of Sirajuddin Haqqani and is believed to be the main leader in organising funds and operations in Afghanistan. He is a Pashtun from the Zadran tribe.

Khan is a senior commander of the Haqqani Network of militants that operates from North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan. The Haqqani Network has been at the forefront of insurgent activity in Afghanistan, responsible for many high-profile attacks.

In June 2011, Khan's deputy provided support to the suicide bombers responsible for the attacks on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan.

He was was captured in September 2011 during a joint NATO-Afghan forces operation in Afghanistan's Paktia Province.

He was released in 2019 along with two others to free three captured Australian and American professors.

Ibrahim Sadr

Ibrahim Sadr earned a reputation as a long-serving Taliban military commander before handing over the reins to Omar's son. Sadr is a battle-hardened Pashtun commander from the Alakozai tribe. He had effectively built his own forces ('mahaz'), that traditionally operate across several provinces. While these forces have, in some cases, served to bolster larger Taliban operations, they have also on occasion failed to send forces in operations deemed likely to incur high casualties.

Sadar's rise to the top of the insurgency has been decades in the making. He was born in the village of Jogharan, in the southern province of Helmand, some time around the late 1960s. His home district, Sangin, is a verdant area of pomegranate trees and poppy fields that has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the US-led occupation.

The middle son of a well-respected Pashtun from the Alakozai tribe, Sadar spent his youth known by his birth name, Khodaidad, rather than the nom du guerre with which he would make history.

After Afghan communists seized power in a coup in Kabul in 1978 and Soviet forces invaded the country a year later, he and his family were drawn into the Islamist resistance.

Together with his father, Sadar joined Jamiat-e-Islami, one of the largest Afghan mujahideen parties and when the Afghan communist regime was toppled in 1992, he refused to get involved in the civil war that erupted between the victorious mujahideen factions. Instead, he went to Peshawar in Pakistan to study in a madrasa. There he changed his first name to Ibrahim, after one of Islam's prophets.

His whereabouts were unknown till the time negotiation was not completed.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan poured cold water Sunday over a plan in which Turkey operates Kabul airport and the Taliban provides security, adding Ankara would be in a tough position if another attack occurs.

Turkey had long planned to help secure and run the Afghan capital's airport, but appeared to drop the idea when it started Wednesday to withdraw its approximately 500 non-combat troops from Afghanistan.

Erdogan on Friday said Turkey had held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara was still assessing the Islamist group's offer for Turkey to run the airport's logistics.

"What does the Taliban say with regard to the airport issue? They say 'give us the security but you operate it'," Erdogan said in comments published by the official Anadolu news agency and other media outlets.

"How come we hand you over the security?" Erdogan added.

Also read: Turkey says Taliban wants it to run Kabul airport

"Let's say you took over the security but how would we explain to the world if another bloodbath takes place there? It's not an easy job."

More than 100 people died in the suicide attack on Thursday outside Kabul airport, including 13 US service personnel, slowing down the airlift ahead of US President Joe Biden's deadline for evacuations to end by Tuesday.

Fresh terror attack warnings have rattled evacuation efforts overseen by US forces and Biden has warned another attack on the frantic airlift was "highly likely."

Turkey has completed its evacuation operation while moving its embassy from the airport back to its original compound, Erdogan said.

"We are planning right now to maintain our diplomatic presence," he said but added plans were constantly being updated depending on the security situation.

"We keep ready all our necessary alternative plans. Our priority is the safety of our personnel."
The United States warned Saturday of a "specific, credible threat" near Kabul airport and urged its citizens to leave the area, days after a deadly attack on crowds fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

A series of urgent terror warnings have rattled evacuation efforts overseen by US forces, who have been forced into closer security cooperation with the Taliban to prevent a repeat of Thursday's carnage at one of the facility's main access gates.

Read | Joe Biden saw no 'middle ground' in Afghanistan

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport... should leave the airport area immediately," the US Embassy in Kabul said in a security alert.

In its alert, the embassy noted the threat to "the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport."

Earlier Saturday US President Joe Biden warned that his military commanders believed a fresh attack could come "in the next 24-36 hours", calling the situation "extremely dangerous".

Scores of Afghan civilians and 13 American troops were killed Thursday in the bombing claimed by the regional Islamic State-Khorasan group.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday accused the Centre of issuing directives detailing restrictions on upcoming festivals like Dahi Handi and Ganpati Utsav to states amid the Covid-19 pandemic while allowing the BJP's 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra' to take place.

He also said that Kerala, which recently celebrated a festival in a grand way, was now the top state in the country in terms of daily coronavirus detection. "Since festivals like Dahi Handi, Ganpati Utsav, Navratri and Diwali are coming up, the Centre has advised states that there should be no crowding. The Centre has done its part, and now the state will do its part," he said. However, Pawar said, the Union government, on the other hand, had allowed four Union ministers to hold Jan Ashirvad Yatras in Maharashtra.

"We will see the effect (in terms of Covid-19 cases) in the places where these yatras were held. In case the tally goes up, the Centre should ponder on who is responsible for it," the NCP leader said. Earlier, in a letter to the Maharashtra chief secretary, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said the trajectory of daily new cases had shown a decline over the last month but some districts in the state were showing early signs of an upsurge in infection count and positivity. In his letter, Bhushan said the Union Home ministry had issued directions under the Disaster Management Act on focused containment measures.

"In light of this order, and in view of mass events and public gatherings expected during the celebration of upcoming festivals (including Dahi Handi and Ganpati Utsav) in Maharashtra, it is advised that the state may consider imposing and enforcing local restrictions in public observation of these festivals and mass gatherings," Bhushan had said in the letter.

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Opposition AIUDF MLA Phanidhar Talukdar on Sunday said he will resign from the party and the assembly to join the ruling BJP next week.

Talukdar is set to become the third legislator after Congress' Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain to put in his papers and be a part of the saffron brigade.

"I have decided to resign from my party. I will join the BJP on September 1," he told reporters without elaborating.

Talukdar is a first-time MLA from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). He represents the Bhabanipur constituency, and has unsuccessfully contested from the seat several times in earlier assembly polls.

As an AIUDF candidate, he got 55,975 votes against ruling ally Asom Gana Parishad nominee Ranjit Deka's tally of 52,748 votes, becoming the only Hindu MLA from the party that predominantly has a Muslim base.

After Talukdars resignation, the AIUDF's strength in the 126-member House will come down to 15.

At present, the BJP has 60 MLAs, but effectively the number is 59, as Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is yet to resign from the assembly.

The ruling alliance partners, the AGP has nine and UPPL five MLAs, while the Congress' strength is 27.

Byelections will now take place in six seats - one MLA each of the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) have died, while two Congress legislators have resigned to join the BJP.

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Sikha Mitra, the widow of former West Bengal Congress chief Somen Mitra, returned to the ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday.

Mitra claimed that though she had resigned as a Trinamool Congress MLA in 2014, she had never officially quit the party.

"My husband was made the state Congress chief but I had taken a break from active politics. I was touched by the warmth and simplicity of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who called me up and requested me to be an active TMC worker. I decided that if I join active politics again, it has to be under her," she told reporters.

Read more:Unable to defeat politically, BJP using agencies against TMC: Mamata Banerjee

Responding to a query why she had resigned as a TMC MLA seven years ago, Mitra said, "Differences crop up at times but those have been resolved. Mamata Banerjee had called me up after my husband's death and I have always been on cordial terms with her."

The BJP had nominated Mitra as a party candidate for the Chowringhee assembly seat in Kolkata in this year's assembly elections but she had declined to contest it.

Speaking on the incident, she said, "I have always believed that the BJP is a communal party."

TMC MP Mala Roy and Chowringhee's party MLA Nayna Bandyopadhyay welcomed Mitra and two local Congress leaders into the party at its headquarters Trinamool Bhavan.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader in Lok Sabha and the party's state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "I don't know why Sikha Mitra left the Congress to join the TMC. She was with the TMC earlier and had joined the Congress but now returned to the ruling party. It is her personal decision. We have always treated her with respect."

Differences had surfaced between the state Congress leadership helmed by Chowdhury, and Mitra and her son Rohan after the death of Somen Mitra last year. They were also approached by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

Rohan Mitra, who had resigned as the state Congress general secretary in July, continues to remain in the party.
A group of Visva-Bharati university students continued their sit-in outside the official residence of Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty for the third day on Sunday in protest against the expulsion of three students around a week ago.

The three, expelled by the central university for alleged disorderly conduct during a protest against the VC on the campus on January 9 this year, issued an open letter to the public seeking their support on the issue.

"We have been subjected to revengeful and vindictive behaviour by the VC who expelled us for three years and brought doom to our career. We are like your sons and daughters. Please be on our side till the last moment of the fight," read the letter addressed to "every right-thinking person".

Other protestors who were in the demonstration that started on late Friday evening claimed they had been agitating in the interest of students and to protect Rabindranath Tagore's Visva-Bharti from "ruin".

At least 40 people are sitting in groups near Chakraborty's residence, holding posters that read "We want the withdrawal of three-year expulsion order against our friends" and "Fascist VC, please leave Visva Bharati".

The VC could not be contacted.

Some of the ashramites and members of a local traders' body, which had protested against the university's decision to erect fencing around the famous Poush Mela ground last year, visited the demonstration site in the past two days to pledge solidarity, spokesperson of the SFI unit in Visva-Bharati, Somnath Sow said.

Sow, one of the expelled students, said, "We earned the wrath of the university when we spoke against the suspension of over 10 professors on the charge of airing individual opinions over the state-of-affairs at the university under the incumbent VC. We are facing the heat for holding protests against CAA-NRC and entry of right wingers from outside."

The three, two of whom are students of the economics department and one of the music department, were put under suspension in January. They were rusticated for three years on August 23.

A Visva Bharati official said the students were given chance to defend their case before the enquiry commissioner appointed by the university, but they were "adamant and unapologetic".

Meanwhile, the university authorities in a fresh communique to Rupa Chakraborty, the music department student, said the Executive Council got her letter regarding the expulsion but stuck to "the earlier decision, communicated to you on August 23.

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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hopped from 10 Janpath, residence of party president Sonia Gandhi to 12 Tughlak Road, to residence of Rahul Gandhi on Friday during the meeting with Bhupesh Baghel. At the end of the three-hour meet, it's status quo in Chhattisgarh and there is no word on leadership change in the state.

Priyanka was seen exiting from 10 Janpath and entering and exiting from Rahul Gandhi's residence to formalize a middle path in the state but there is no official announcement of any formula, and the Chhattisgarh CM did not answer on the rotational chief ministership.

It's being said in political circles that Priyanka Gandhi's intervention and Bhupesh Baghel's involvement in Uttar Pradesh saved the day. Baghel maintains good relations with the Congress General Secretary in-charge of UP as about 50 people from the state are being put in UP to train the cadre by Bhupesh Baghel's team and recently about 100 workers from UP were trained in Raipur.

The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has put in all the resources in UP, before that he was campaign in charge of Assam.

It is not the first time Priyanka Gandhi has intervened in a crucial decision-making process, she was instrumental in the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Congress President when he was sulking and was about to jump the ship. Before that when Sachin Pilot led a revolt in July 2020 it was Priyanka Gandhi who pacified Pilot and saved the government last year in Rajasthan, however, she was unable to stop the revolt of Jyotiraditya Scindia which led to the collapse of the government in Madhya Pradesh while Jitin Prasada who worked closely with her also left and joined the BJP.

While Scindia is a Union Minister, Jitin Prasada is expected to get a reward soon.

Also read: Bhupesh Baghel, the man who wrested Chhattisgarh from BJP for Congress after being rocked by Naxal attack

Last year when G-23 leaders wrote a letter, after passing away of Ahmed Patel, she defused the tension by arranging a meeting between the group and Sonia Gandhi. Since then, there have been individual statements, like one from Kapil Sibal and others but no collective movement has started.

For the party, it was AP, as Ahmed Patel was popularly called, the chief troubleshooter, but after his untimely demise due to Covid, the party was feeling the gap but PG (Priyanka Gandhi) has stepped in his shoes, and along with Kamal Nath she has been talking to leaders and working to solve problems, a close aide points out.

Coming back to Chhattisgarh, she, in her intervention, has asked the Chief Minister to placate sulking T S Singhdeo and it's expected that final decision may be taken after Rahul Gandhi visits the state next month while the Chief Minister has shown his strength by rallying support of more than 50 MLAs, which has not gone down well in the party.

On Friday, Bhupesh Baghel had a three-hour meeting with Rahul Gandhi, after which, Baghel said that he has invited Gandhi to visit the state.

"I have apprised him of everything and discussed political as well as administrative issues... have requested Rahul Gandhi to visit Chhattisgarh," he said. After the meeting Baghel went to Akbar Road, the party headquarters, to meet the MLAs camping in support of him.

The Congress high command had summoned Baghel to Delhi on Friday to take a final call whether the powerful OBC leader should be allowed to continue as the Chief Minister or be replaced by T S Singh Deo, scion of the Surguja royal family.

Political temperature within the Congress in Chhattisgarh has all of a sudden soared as 56 party MLAs are openly backing Baghel and paraded before the party high command in New Delhi.

The issue in the state boiled after the two leaders were called to Delhi on Tuesday and both Singhdeo and Baghel met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and were summoned again on Friday.
Sidelined and cornered several times in his long political career, Narayan Rane knows the art of making space for himself. He is a master of comebacks.

The 69-year-old Rane has seen successes and defeats and has occupied most of the top political posts in Maharashtra.

A perfectionist to the core, Rane has a huge collection of watches. He is known to maintain timingsliterally and politically.

Rane, the minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Narendra Modi government, is the bete noire of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Rane's "tight-slap slur" against Thackeray catapulted him to the front pages when he became the first sitting union minister from Maharashtra, and the first from India in two decades, to be arrested.

Read | Narayan Ranes arrest was uncalled for

Rane, the Konkan strongman, who dons a waistcoat over a white half-shirt and black trousers as his trademark attire, has a penchant for good clothes, suits and jackets, usually tailored as per his design.

Though blessed with elephantine memory, the six-time legislator always keeps a small notebook in his pocket to write important things for his own reference.

Besides being a hardcore politician, Rane is an agriculturist, businessman, educationist, hotelier, and newspaper owner. Born on April 10, 1952, in a humble family, Rane is a matriculate who owned a chicken shop in Chembur before entering politics.

During the recent controversy, when Shiv Sainiks put up a poster saying komdi-chor (chicken thief), he chose not to respond to it.

In his younger days, Rane was alleged to be a part of the Harya-Narya gang operating in the Chembur area. He refutes the claim saying if he was a gangster why did the Shiv Sena make him the chief minister.

He entered politics through Shiv Sena. He was a corporator of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from 1985-90 and subsequently the chairman of the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST).

Explained | The rivalry between Rane and Thackeray

When the erstwhile Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government came to power under Dr Manohar Joshi, Rane became the Dairy Development, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Khar Lands minister, and later got the crucial Revenue and Rehabilitation portfolio.

When Dr Joshi was removed as chief minister, Rane got the chance and assumed the position between February 1, 1999, and October 17, 1999.

Incidentally, in 1999, the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha plus were held together and the saffron alliance lost and the Congress-NCP Democratic Front government came to power for 15 years, till 2014which saw four chief ministersVilasrao Deshmukh, Sushilkumar Shinde, Ashok Chavan, and Prithviraj Chavan.

Rane became the Leader of Opposition and tried to topple the Congress-NCP government but miserably failed. However, he became a thorn in the path of Uddhav's political ambitions. In 2005, Balasaheb threw him out of Shiv Sena for raising revolt.

Rane then had two optionsSharad Pawar-led NCP which had several second-rung leaders, and Congress, which he chose ultimately. There he became the Revenue minister of Maharashtra under Deshmukh. Later, he was allotted the Industries department.

In Congress, Ranes grudge was that he was never made the chief minister or Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President as promised.

In 2018, he finally resigned from Congress majorly owing to differences with Ashok Chavan and floated Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha (MSP) to join the NDA. Subsequently, he was given the Rajya Sabha berth by the BJP.

Ranes older son Dr Nilesh Rane is a former MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and his younger son is BJP MLA from Kankavli. A family man, Ranes hotel is named after his wife Neelam.

There are several qualities that earned him respectbut this "short temper" often leads to problems. His confidantes say that Rane does not waste a single minute. He sometimes loses his temper but cools down immediately, but in the process, he has lost many close aides.

Rane believes in having experts to work with him, including chartered accountants, lawyers, retired IAS officers and subject-matter experts.

"When he became the Revenue minister in 1996, he felt the need to keep up with the latest in the subject and took experts on the roll," said a confidante.

The family insider added that Rane has a great "intelligence network" and gets to know many things beforehand.

In fielding Rane for Jan Ashirvad Yatra, BJP's intentions have been quite clearunsettle the Shiv Sena and hit them politically where it hits most.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien on Sunday slammed the Centre for harassing the opposition, alleging that the Union home minister has drawn up a plan for remitting all cases through the Enforcement Directorate.

O'Briens comments came a day after the ED summoned TMC's Diamond Harbour MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and his wife for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam.

"A sparrow in Delhi tells me that new CBI chief may have directed a few top officials not to act too brazenly. Harassing the opposition only benefits one party. So HeMan (HM) has a new plan.

He is now remitting all cases through the Extremely Dedicated (ED) director who obeys HM, the TMC national spokesman said on Twitter.

Reacting to his remarks, BJP West Bengal spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said O'Brien was casting aspersions on the CBI in an unfair manner.

He also said the ED is a highly credible independent organisation.

"The TMC sees the invisible hand of the BJP in everything," Bhattacharya said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday also accused the Centre of letting loose its agencies on her nephew Abhishek in the coal scam case.
Priyanka Pawar of Maharashtra's Kharghar had to discontinue her studies owing to her family's financial constraints and found it difficult to land up a job due to the Covid-19 pandemic due to her lack of skill sets required.

Nitin Baliyan in Delhi too had to discontinue his studies as his father and two brothers who supported him financially lost jobs during the pandemic.

With Covid-19 playing havoc with the lives of millions and impacting the job market, it was difficult for them to find jobs but a change by the non-profit sector in their skilling programmes helped youth, including Pawar and Baliyan, find jobs.

Pawar now works as an accountant after gaining knowledge in mutual funds, shares and insurance while Baliyan has landed up as a General Duty Assistant who deals with patient skincare, bed sores management, patient safety and handling biomedical waste.

Those involved in the NGO sector say that several of their skilling programmes, which had to do more with physical contact like beautician courses, had to be shelved as Covid-19 rampaged, since people preferred not to engage with such professionals fearing contracting the virus through physical contact.

"The pandemic has changed the job landscape and the non-profit sector also has to look at helping its beneficiaries. We had to tweak our skilling programmes to incorporate jobs that have less to do with physical contact like digital marketing, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) etc. That was a challenge before us," Santanu Mishra, co-founder and Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation, said.

With changing times, Mishra's NGO introduced business process outsourcing course, e-logistic course in management of flow of goods and digital marketing course among others. He said Smile Foundation has trained over 47,000 youth through its e-learning programmes and more than 28,000 of them have been placed in over 200 brands through 95 operational projects across India.

Those involved with the non-profit sector said that there is an upsurge in demand for workers in health sector, a point emphasised by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, which has launched the 'Customized Crash Course Programme for Covid-19 Frontline Workers'.

The Ministry plans to train about one lakh Covid-19 warriors in six healthcare-related job roles as well as about 2,800 drivers for handling and transportation of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) across the country.
The Delhi High Court has asked the prison authorities to file an affidavit stating why the correct facts relating to a man's conviction being modified from gang rape to the offence of rape were not placed before the Sentence Review Board (SRB).

The court directed the Delhi Prisons director-general to file the affidavit also indicating the reasons why the SRB was informed that the case was for the offences of gang rape and robbery.

"In view of the fact that complete and correct facts were not brought to the notice of the SRB, Director General (Prisons) is directed to ensure that while putting up the case of the petitioner before the SRB in its next meeting, the judgment of conviction passed by the trial court as also the judgment of this court in appeal, whereby, the petitioner has been convicted only for the offence punishable under section 376 IPC and the gist thereof will be placed before the committee," Justice Mukta Gupta said.

The man's counsel told the court that though he was convicted for the offence of gang rape, the high court later modified the charge to rape based on an appeal but maintained the life imprisonment.

The counsel said the man's case was repeatedly being rejected by the SRB as correct facts were not placed before it by the authorities.

He further said the man's conduct in prison was exemplary, and he has not misused the concession granted to him in the form of parole and furlough.

The court asked the authorities to file a status report with the outcome of the next SRB meeting before the next hearing in the case on October 22.
The family members of a 24-year-old woman who had alleged rape by BSP MP Atul Rai have been provided security after they expressed threat to their lives, a police officer said on Sunday.

The woman died on August 24 after she and her friend Satyam Rai set themselves afire outside the Supreme Court complex on August 16. Rai died on August 21.

Read more: Woman who had set herself ablaze outside Supreme Court dies

Yogendra Bahadur Singh, the SHO of Narhi police station in Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh, said one gunner and four policemen have been deployed for security of the woman's family.

The grandfather of the woman has expressed threat to the lives of family members from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP and his aides.

The victim, a resident of Ballia district, was a college student in Varanasi. A case of rape was lodged against the MP at the Lanka police station there in May 2019 on her complaint.

In connection with self-immolation by the victim and her associate before the Supreme Court on August 16, the government had set up an inquiry committee, Director General of Police (DGP) Mukul Goel said in a statement Friday.
Farmer leaders on Sunday slammed the Haryana bureaucrat ordering police to crack the heads of protestors as Sarkari Talibani even as Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala promised action against the officer.

Chautalas remarks were contrary to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who defended the police action contending that the law enforcers responded only after the farmers started throwing stones at them.

They (farmers) had earlier assured us that they will hold peaceful protests. But if they hurl stones at police, block highways, then the police will take steps to maintain law and order, said Khattar.

Farmers groups blocked roads and highways in Punjab to protest against the police action on ryots in Haryana.

At a farmers meeting in Nuh in Haryana, Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait demanded action against the IAS officer who had asked policemen to crack the heads of farmers protesting near a meeting venue of Haryana chief minister and BJP leaders at Karnal.

Also read: Farmers assured peaceful protest, but stones hurled at cops: Khattar on police action in Karnal

On Saturday, an officer ordered policemen to hit farmers on their heads. They call us Khalistani. If you would call us Khalistani and Pakistani, we would say Sarkari Talibani has occupied the country. They are Sarkari Talibanis, Tikait said.

Chautala promised action against the IAS officer but also condemned the stone pelting at the police by farmers at Karnal.

The 2018-batch IAS officers video has gone viral. Using such a language by an IAS officer is condemnable, said Chautala, who leads the JJP, which is a coalition partner in the state government.

He said the officer's remarks clearly do not meet the ethical standards which are expected from such officers.

Definitely, whatever action is deemed fit, the government will take it, he said.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the organisation spearheading the farmers agitation against the three farm laws, has called for a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on September 5 to further sharpen the nine-month agitation against the three farm laws.

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Unlike the known public health crisis due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics, the misuse of steroids is lesser known even though the consequences are debilitating and can even be fatal. One of the magic drugs of modern medicine, steroids have been around for more than 60 years, but scientific evidence on the extent of their inappropriate use in India is sparse.

The ballooning of mucormycosis, or black fungus, infections during the second surge of the Covid-19 epidemic has turned the spotlight on unsupervised use of glucocorticoids  steroids in scientific parlance  leading to serious health consequences.

According to the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, there were nearly 41,000 cases of mucormycosis and 3,100 plus deaths till June end. More than 50% of these patients had a history of steroid misuse and diabetes  the commonest side effect of being on high-dose steroids for an extended period.

"Steroids are life-saving drugs, but given in wrong environment and wrong doses, there could be dangerous side effects ranging from crippling osteoporosis, multiple fungal infections, thinning of skin, elevation of blood pressure and sugar, unwanted fat deposition and insulin resistance, said Krishna Sheshadri, a senior endocrinologist at Apollo Hospital, Chennai.

Read | Avascular necrosis in Covid-19 patients due to steroids

Experts said before prescribing steroids, a doctor should find out whether steroids are indicative of the problem for which it is being prescribed, the shortest period of time to give the drug safely and what precaution should be taken. The Indian realities, unfortunately, are different.

Self-medication

In 1987, a review of drug prescriptions in numerous locations around India showed that glucocorticoids are inappropriately prescribed for presentations such as fever and infections with great frequency. Nearly 10% of private prescriptions and 5% of self-medicated drugs may include a steroid. Close to 40% of the self-medicated oral steroids were hidden in fixed-dose oral preparations with an antihistamine or bronchodilator as a combination.

"Overuse of steroids is a problem in India as many general practitioners give them because of the medicines ability to make symptoms disappear and give pain relief. Also, given in small doses, it imparts a sense of well-being because of which patients want to continue, and the doctors comply. And then suddenly the patient collapses, said Nihal Thomas, a professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore, and co-author of one of the few Indian studies on steroid misuse.

Thomas and his colleagues Philip Finny, Lois Armstrong and Chandan Nalli from Duncan Hospital at Raxaul conducted a study in north Bihar a decade ago to understand the extent of such unsupervised use of steroids in the hinterlands. Since seeking medical help for chronic health problems like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, joint pains and skin diseases was not an option for the poor, they either self-medicated or were given steroids by local practitioners (quacks). In a few cases, private doctors also prescribed steroids, but many such doctors were unaware of the long-term consequences of steroid use.

Also Read | Prolonged use of steroids causes bone tissue death in post-Covid patients

They found that glucocorticoids are easily available over the counter. Prednisolone and dexamethasone were most commonly misused. While the regularity and duration of drug use are of concern, what matters to the poor is that these drugs are cheap and available over the counter.

Prolonged use of steroids, Thomas says, can also make one dependent on the drug. It then becomes even more difficult for a doctor to take the person off steroids, which cant be done all of a sudden. The tapering-off has to be a gradual process as sudden halt can be fatal. In many cases, doctors have to settle for a low-dose steroid for life in the bargain.

Judicious use

"Steroids must be used judiciously. Even in the ICU, its use should be stopped after three-four days once the inflammation is under control. But we do see cases where a doctor asks a patient to use it for 10 days and come back. The patient doesnt return but continues to use the steroids for six months, triggering adverse effects, observed V Mohan, chairman at Dr Mohans Diabetes Specialities Centre.

Skin diseases are another area where inappropriate use of steroids is widespread. They are considered a panacea by lay persons for anything on the skin. Topical corticosteroids are the most widely sold topical drugs and an overwhelmingly large population buys them without any prescription, said S B Verma, a veteran dermatologist based in Vadodara.

Topical corticosteroids used in combination with antifungal agents are very often potent molecules. They are available over the counter and are grossly abused, which includes buying over the counter and applying at will for weeks, months and sometimes years. This is thought to contribute significantly to the development of chronic, difficult to treat dermatophytosis (ringworm infection) which has been causing havoc in India for the past 8-9 years.

To prevent over-the-counter (OTC) sale of such skin ointments  there were 1,066 brands in 2014 and the numbers must have grown significantly in the last seven years  the Centre changed the rules to ensure that such drugs are sold only on prescriptions from November 1, 2018.

"But barely anybody follows the rules. Such medicines are still sold OTC. There is a virtual epidemic of fungal infections fuelled by such cocktail creams, Verma said. The side effects of unsupervised use of topical corticosteroids include discolouration and thinning of the skin and local growth of hair.

Life-saving drug

Notwithstanding its inappropriate use, doctors are unanimous on the benefits of steroids as a valuable medicine when used cautiously. There are diseases wherein deficiency of glucocorticoids happen as a result of pituitary or adrenal disease and in such cases life-long glucocorticoids are required in small doses to save their lives. In fact, the spurt in mucormycosis happened when doctors realised steroids can improve the condition of Covid-19 patients low on oxygen saturation. As oxygen became scarce, many doctors resorted to using moderate to high doses of steroids, hoping it would help.

"The misuse happened when doctors prescribed high doses of steroids even when oxygen saturation level did not fall below 93-94. But they were also under tremendous pressure during the second wave, said Arunaloke Chakrabarti, a professor at the Post Graduate Institute for Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and one of Indias foremost experts on fungal diseases.

Even before Covid, mucormycosis were present due to Indias love for sweets and apathy for blood sugar control. Major hospitals used to report nearly 50 cases a year. But the huge spike seen during the second wave, affecting the face and nose in many cases, was scary. Chakrabarti said there had been an increase in Aspergillus and Candida infections too due to steroid misuse, but there was no comprehensive data.

Its time the government started collecting such data and bring in policies to control the use of steroids to save the country from such dreaded infections in future.
Focus on the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the postponement of several types of surgeries, and shortage of staff at hospitals were among the factors that affected patients in Maharashtra, as per a survey conducted recently. In a release issued on Saturday, the Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a non-profit public health campaign involving activists, experts and NGOs, which carried out the survey, said cesarean section procedures, trauma care etc took a hit, especially in rural parts of the state.

The survey was carried out in July this year and covered 122 primary health centres (PHCs), 24 rural hospitals and 14 sub-district hospitals in 17 Maharashtra districts, namely Akola, Amravati, Ahmednagar, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Thane, Nandurbar, Parbhani, Palghar, Pune, Beed, Yavatmal, Solapur and Hingoli, the JAA release informed.

At least 11 hospitals that were surveyed did not treat accident cases due to the pandemic, 22 rural and sub-district hospitals stopped performing C-section procedures and and 12 did not perform a wide range of surgeries, forcing many to rush to private hospitals and bear the resultant high costs, it said, adding that cataract operations, minor surgeries and sterilisation procedures were also postponed.

Highlighting the shortage of staff at health facilities, the survey report informed that only 51 per cent of the surveyed PHCs had one permanent medical officer, which meant only one doctor for around 30,000 people, and only 53 per cent had permanent nurses. "Around 46 per cent rural hospitals and 30 per cent sub-districts hospitals do not have specialist doctors. As many as 81 per cent posts for psychiatrists, 63 per cent posts for surgeons, 47 per cent posts for anesthetists, 26 per cent posts for gynecologists, 23 per cent posts for pediatricians and 47 per cent posts for dentists are lying vacant in rural hospitals, the report said.

JAA activist Girish Bhave said poor rural health infrastructure was a matter of concern as people there are excessively depended on government facilities, while activist Shailaja Aralkar said the pandemic showed public sector health facilities are the mainstay of people, especially in rural and tribal areas, and these must be strengthened.

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BJP's Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan on Sunday asked why India's "so-called liberal society" has been silent over the issue of mistreatment of Afghanistan's women and children by the Taliban in the name of religion.

She was talking to reporters in Indore.

"By watching the videos coming out these days, we can find out how the Taliban is treating the women and children of Afghanistan in the name of religion. Why is the so-called liberal society (in India), which talks loudly about women's freedom and their rights, not raising its voice?" she said.

Srinivasan said that although law and order is a state subject, such people criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi when there is any incident against women in any part of the country.

"But as far as Taliban's mistreatment of Afghan women and children is concerned, every person in the so-called liberal society has kept their mouth shut," she said.

Also read: US airstrike hits suicide bomber targeting airport: Taliban

She blamed international factors and the policies of the previous Congress government in the country for the rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG.

The crisis arising out of the Covid-19 outbreak has also left a bad impact on the exchequer, but the government has continuously been providing ration and other help to the poor in this period of crisis, she said.

Srinivasan, who is from Tamil Nadu, said that she was trying to learn Bhojpuri language along with Hindi with the help of party leaders.

The ruling party's women's wing chief was in Indore in connection with a meeting of the party organisation.
The Afghanistan conundrum has caught the world in a bind. The uncertainty over the fate of those living in that country and the challenge of ferrying thousands of foreigners stuck there after the Taliban took control engages everyone's attention.

Amid an ever-changing ground situation in the war-torn country, at an all-party meeting on August 26, the Narendra Modi Government articulated its approach to this new challenge in India's extended neighbourhood. In keeping with India's tradition of evolving consensus on international issues, the External Affairs Minister characterised the meeting as everyone approaching the issue "with the spirit of national unity".

Over the years, bi-partisanship remains a hallmark of India's foreign policy, with successive governments taking leaders of political parties into confidence on issues the country faces. During the early years when the country became free, leaders questioned the government's moves. These ranged from allowing veto powers to the permanent five on the United Nations Security Council to routine executive action of posting envoys and the thought process behind selecting delegations for overseas engagements.

Also read: A digital Dunkirk: Veterans online scramble to get people out of Afghanistan

Those were early days, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid the foundation of the country's foreign policy, patiently responded to issues raised by members during debates and Question Hour and set a template. Interactions during debates and informal meetings such as the one held on Thursday allow governments to bring parties up to date with the latest information on international developments, share an assessment of the situation, the trajectory it could take and the way forward. These meetings also allow the government to acquire a sense of what different allies and opposition have to offer and respond to concerns.

Opposition and criticism

Over these years, the policy framework of the governments came in for a critical evaluation, with members in Parliament and political parties taking positions that were at variance with what the government of the day did. These primarily arose due to different perceptions. Yet, in the end, the effort was to evolve a broad consensus.

Expectedly, at the meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, leaders of various parties flagged issues of concern. From the pace of evacuation of Indians from the country, future of the operations post-August 31 deadline of withdrawal of American troops, possible rise of terror in the region or India's attitude towards a new regime in Kabul.

The sudden development in Afghanistan erupted days after the Monsoon session of Parliament ended. Had the Houses been in session, a significant development such as the change in Kabul would have taken precedence in the form of a discussion and debate. Different viewpoints would convey the concern and afford an opportunity for the government to clarify its position and justify its action.

Iraq war and Indian position

The last time a major interaction took place on developments in the region was in early 2003 when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the prime minister. President George W Bush of the United States had launched a military offensive on Iraq against the regime of Saddam Hussein ostensibly to prevent the country under the military dictator from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

War in the neighbourhood in a country in West Asia with which it maintained political, economic and cultural links put India in a dilemma. Around this time, the United States sought Indian troops for deployment in Iraq. Opinion on the issue in India stood divided both in the highest echelons of the government, with the majority of political parties opposed to committing boots on the ground.

Also read: Veteran Afghan strongmen to form new front for negotiating with Taliban

On the other hand, the relations with the United States entered a fresh new friendly phase and some strategic analysts favouring India take a favourable view of the American suggestion.

In his quest to explore a common meeting ground, PM Vajpayee called all-party meetings in March 2003. In his opening remarks, PM Vajpayee noted he always tried to maintain the tradition of consultations with major political parties on critical international issues. "This has helped strengthen the national consensus on our foreign policy." Later, a resolution deploring the US action was adopted.

On the crucial question of sending Indian military detachment, Vajpayee used domestic opposition. India preferred to explain its decision in a manner that raised counter issues while not rejecting the American proposition.

Also read: US warns of more terror attacks at Kabul airport

There is an interesting tale in the development often narrated by the late CPI general secretary AB Bardhan. He and CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet were invited by PM Vajpayee to take their view on the deployment of troops in Iraq. The Communist leaders were vehement in their opposition, and after hearing them, Vajpayee told them: "Comrades, speak louder (on the issue)." Having got the cue, the Left parties raised the pitch. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

(The writer is a journalist)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the authors own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
This August, India got the chance to preside over the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the eleventh time. The Modi government was clear that it wanted to use this as an opportunity to establish its right to a permanent seat at the high table.

The moment itself was mundane: Every member of the UNSC gets to be president  in alphabetical order. But unfortunately, India spent more time on celebrating this mundane moment than it did on enhancing its credentials. Thousands of miles from New York, the Taliban were rampaging, the Kabul airport was in chaos, and thousands of Afghans were going to great lengths in an effort to flee (some even clung onto the wheels of departing aircraft and fell to their deaths).

Yet, as Afghanistan was in the grip of this humanitarian nightmare, New Delhi unleashed a series of unforced errors.

First, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said that Indias focus is on helping Hindus and Sikhs. When outraged commentators pointed out that there are less than 1,400 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan, and far more people than that number were at risk, New Delhi rolled out an emergency visa and invited all Afghans to apply. But for strange reasons, that visa scheme was later scrapped, approved visas were invalidated, and a new e-visa scheme was launched, ostensibly for the same purpose.

Not surprisingly, the chaos caused untold misery, especially for those who had already got the original visa. A friend who had been working in Kabul said, It doesnt seem like India wants to help.

Meanwhile, India deported an Afghan MP who had been in New Delhi for medical treatment, and reports said that very few e-visa applications were being approved. A former diplomat-turned-minister used the crisis to say that this is precisely why it was necessary to enact the Citizenship Amendment Act, even though that law, as it stands, will not help anybody who comes to India after 2014.

Indias disreputable approach has already ruined its hard-earned goodwill among the Afghan people. But the bigger problem is that India has no refugee law. The government of the day is able to take irrational and ad hoc decisions because there is no law laying out who is a refugee and what rights they will enjoy in India once they are conferred that status  including the right to work and right against repatriation.

This is not a Hindu-Muslim issue. India has hosted Tibetan refugees for over 60 years. Yet, due to the ambiguity of their status, Tibetans struggle to find employment, cannot own land, and are unable to travel.

A refugee law is also an economic development plan. As countless studies have proved, many refugees fleeing warzones are capable of contributing to the host economy  including as skilled professionals. This is especially true for Afghanistan, where countless well-educated women are currently burning their degrees because the Taliban are hunting them down.

But for days, Hindu nationalist trolls have been demonising refugees on social media, based on vicious misinformation. One of their key refrains is that we already have too many people  as if the Indian population is a huge burden on an otherwise efficient State apparatus, and the addition of a negligible percentage would somehow spark off Armageddon.

If India wants to be a Vishwaguru, it will have to start behaving like one. Selling yoga to the world is not sufficient; India must also stand up for people in distress around the world. The case for a refugee law is not just moral, it is also economic and strategic. As Afghanistan burns, India has no excuse to not enact one.
Covid-19 is not a respiratory illness, as widely accepted, but a vascular one, claims a study.

The study, led by the University of California-San Diego, could explain blood clots in some Covid patients and other issues like "Covid feet", which are not typical symptoms of a respiratory illness, Euronews reported.

The findings, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed how the virus attacks the vascular or circulatory system.

Read more: Vaccines could affect how the coronavirus evolves - but thats no reason to skip your shot

The S protein of the virus, the spike that forms the crown, attacks the receptor ACE2, damaging the mitocondrias that generate the energy of the cells, thus damaging the endothelium, which lines the blood vessel.

This is something that has already been observed, but what wasn't previously known is the exact mechanism and role of the S protein.

This protein is replicated by all of the currently available vaccines, the team said.

For the study, the team created a pseudovirus, which only had the S protein but not the rest of the virus, to show in the lab that this protein is enough by itself to cause disease.

The effects on the respiratory system are a consequence of the inflammation of the vascular tissue in the lungs."A lot of people think of it as a respiratory disease, but it's really a vascular disease," Uri Manor, assistant research professor at the varsity was quoted as saying.

"That could explain why some people have strokes, and why some people have issues in other parts of the body. The commonality between them is that they all have vascular underpinnings," Manor added.

According to Professor Rafael Manez Mendiluce, head of intensive care at Bellvitge University Hospital in Spain, the vascular problem could be related to the inflammatory response of the patient's immune system.
Arshad* worked as an Ola cab driver for nearly three years, before the pandemic left him in dire straits. Before the lockdown, he used to earn a net income of nearly Rs 20,000 every month, after paying down the equated monthly installment on his car.

But with no work over the past two years, the bank foreclosed the auto loan and took away his vehicle.

Desperate for an income, Arshad has been working as a Swiggy "delivery partner" for the past month.

When he joined, Arshad says he had to shell out nearly Rs 1,800 for the food delivery bag and two t-shirts, and an extra Rs 350 for a raincoat (which leaks, Arshad says)  all prominently carrying Swiggy's logo.

Arshad works with a "temp ID", is forced to stay logged in for 10 - 12 hours each day, so that he qualifies for the incentives and makes a decent wage  Rs 6,110 per week, including the expenditure on petrol.

This 30-year-old family man, with a one-year-old daughter at home, is grateful for any income. But there are downsides: "Once, I was made to wait for an hour by a customer. When I raised a ticket, I was told I would be paid for that delivery. I told them 'At this rate, I won't be able to reach my weekly targets.'"

In recent months, several posts on social media have brought the problems faced by these gig and platform workers into sharper focus  reduced pay, precarious working conditions, and the absence of job security.

And things might not change in the near future.







In its IPO prospectus, Zomato says, "Our cost-effectiveness depends on the ability to continue reducing delivery costs on a per order basis" indicating their profitability hinges on further reducing the money they pay delivery workers.

But what is gig work? Broadly speaking, it represents short-term work outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship and includes platform workers (those using an online platform to provide services). But its meaning changes depending on who you ask.

Conversations with those on the management side tend to throw up words like flexibility, choice and empowerment but others highlight issues such as wages, job security and dignity.

Platform workers are perhaps the most visible part of our gig economy. Their jobs, especially as delivery workers or cab drivers, provide an "easy entry" for most semi-skilled youth, requiring just an Aadhaar card and a drivers license. But it also comes with its own drawbacks.

Their corny messaging of Hunger Saviours and Ride with Pride notwithstanding, these companies define their workers as "independent contractors", which means they are exempt from all current labour legislation.

Some estimates suggest there are close to 15 million gig workers working across sectors.

A report by the Boston Consulting Group suggested that low-skill gig workers formed close to 30% of the country's gig workforce, which is currently dominated by the technology sector. But an industry report indicates that by 2024, more than 75% of the services industry will be staffed by gig workers.

Unlike e-commerce giants, whose delivery business is staffed by full-time workers, along with temp staff and independent contractors, the 'big four' platform companies like Swiggy, Zomato, Uber and Ola solely employ independent contractors.

Between them, Swiggy & Zomato  the two biggest food delivery companies in India  employ close to three lakh people.

But given that most of these companies keep the number of platform workers confidential, it is hard to estimate, for instance, just how many cab drivers have lost their livelihoods.

Labour laws

The real crux of the issue is that of labour laws. Some countries in the West have taken steps to reclassify and ensure gig workers are afforded protection under labour laws.







Ideally, these workers should have received PF and ESI benefits for their work but there is nothing we can do, says a senior official with Karnatakas Labour Department, on the condition of anonymity.

Most platform workers work on a day-to-day basis, and can be terminated from their jobs without any notice.

Srinivas G first entered the gig economy in 2013, as a delivery partner for Bengaluru-based online food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy.

An SSLC graduate, Srinivas discontinued his studies after his father passed away and took up a series of odd jobs  before working full-time for e-commerce giant Flipkart.

As a full-time worker, Srinivas says he was on track to become a team leader at the Flipkart when he was laid off.

He then joined Swiggy and eventually switched to Zomato.

Srinivas has worked at Zomato for nearly two years until February this year, when his access to the app was disabled for irregular logins''.

Srinivas claims he was removed because of his association with the United Food Delivery Partners Union (UFDPU), where he is currently the Vice-President.

From Rs 50 per order seven years ago, now we get Rs 15 - 20 on an average. They have given us work, but there is a lot of injustice taking place. That's why I joined the union, he says.

Srinivas and the UFDPU approached the Labour Department for a resolution, and the matter is now under litigation.

Exempt from laws

In Srinivas case, a complaint was registered under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

Zomato sought to dismiss the complaint by saying he is not a workman within the meaning of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 or any other labour statute currently in force in India.

It also cites Clause 17 of the employment agreement, which says, The courts of New Delhi shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all disputes arising from these Delivery Partner T&C and the agreement.

Most platform workers are exempt from the new labour codes, specifically the Code on Wages, 2019 which prescribes minimum wages for various jobs.

The new Code on Social Security, 2020 goes ahead and fixes their status as non-employees by calling gig and platform workers persons in a work arrangement outside of traditional employer-employee relationship.

Social Security legislation is a clever ploy and I would presume strongly that whatever is provided there is at the instance of aggregators, says Professor Babu Mathew, who has closely tracked the labour law legislation in India.

The main purpose of that ploy is to introduce new definition clauses for gig workers and platform workers, which are designed in order to deny them the status of workers, he says.

The Code on Social Security, for instance, has provisions for social security funds for the welfare of the workers, but no clarity on who will foot the bill. The law lists various possibilities  government contribution, a mix of government and private sector money, Corporate Social Responsibility funds or even a 1 - 2% cess on revenues of these companies.

Professor Arup Mitra of the Institute of Economic Growth says there is no clarity on how or when the government will implement the provisions of the new laws.

The National Social Security Board is supposed to recommend to the Central government for formulating schemes for different sections of the unorganised sector workers but the new board is yet to be formed.

There are several loopholes as far as the system is concerned, Professor Mitra says.

'Asset-light companies'

The precariousness of platform workers stems from these 'asset-light' companies, which have more operating assets than capital assets.

"Otherwise, the risk of business cycles are borne by companies. Here, all the risk is pushed down the line," says Professor Mani. "This is true of all forms of supply chains, that the liability is being pushed down to the lowest denominator," he says.

And for business aggregators, the lowest denominator are the platform workers.

Like others, 25-year-old Suresh* too lost his livelihood in the aftermath of Covid-19. I used to run a tender coconut cart by the road and earned about Rs 500-600 every month. But we closed the shop, he says.

With no job at hand, Suresh was happy to land the gig job. He claims he makes more than Rs 10,000 each week (before fuel expenses, which come upto 3K), for which he works for at least 12 hours, from eight in the morning to late at night, averaging 20-25 deliveries each day.

Does Suresh want to switch jobs in the future? I couldnt complete my Class 10 exams. I see educated people without jobs working alongside me. We have no land in the village. Im not sure what other job I will be able to find.

Is there an alternative?

"If there was no platform, what would these people have typically done?" asks Lohith Bhatia, President of the Indian Staffing Federation.

"They would have been part of the informal economy. We must understand, these people are not stepping out of staffing companies or permanent jobs. They are coming out of the shackles of informal employment, where there is no guarantee of getting employment every day."

Bhatia sees the conversion of the informal sector into the gig economy as a good thing, adding "Nothing is stopping this person from walking into a staffing company or any other job."







Others are less optimistic.

"The delivery business peaked during the pandemic. And many of these youngsters enter sectors where the entry and exit is easy. You have a driving license, you can become a driver. With a vehicle, you can become a delivery person. All you need is an Aadhaar card," says Professor Mohan Mani, a visiting faculty at the National Law School of India University.

But the absence of quality jobs, such as those offered by the manufacturing sector, Professor Mani says, means there is increased competition and a pressure to reduce wages. "It is a race to the bottom," he adds.

Image management

So how can things change?

To begin with, the government could implement the existing labour laws.

On August 24, the Central government launched the e-Shram portal, which allows 142 categories of unorganised workers (those without PF coverage and not paying income tax) to register themselves. All they would need is an Aadhaar card.

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Yojana, the accidental benefit scheme, will also apply to those registering here.

Bhatia says the recognition of gig workers under Code of Social Security means business aggregators will have to disclose how many workers they use.

On their part, these business aggregators have treated this entire issue as an image-management exercise.

Just in the past two weeks, Zomato released a series of ads that were chewed out on social media.

One of these ads featured Bengaluru-based comedian Danish Sait role-playing as a delivery worker. Sait deleted the video and shared a public apology after a severe backlash on Twitter.

Another advertisement, where Hritik Roshan refers to a delivery worker as Jadoo was also criticised for being tone-deaf.

On Twitter, @DeliveryBhoy, the anonymous handle who has been bringing attention to gig workers issues said, All of their Bollywood ads are an extension of the same strategy.... Imagine the amount theyve spent so far on everything but the right thing.

*Some names have been changed to protect their identity

(DH reached out to the companies named but there was no reply at the time of going to press. This article will be updated to reflect their responses)
After more than three decades of the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations granting 27% quotas in government service and public sector jobs, the issue of caste-based reservations has stirred up the political discourse yet again.

On August 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a 11-member all party delegation led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to put forth the demand to conduct a caste-based census to understand the actual number of castes and their actual population. Naysayers claim that the demand, if acceded to, could open up a Pandoras Box as the government of the day will have to do a tough job of matching the aspiration for adequate representation of various caste groups. Those in favour of the caste-based census claim that it would help gather robust data on which communities have benefited from the reservation policies so far and also present evidence on those who have been left out.

Additionally, the census could also throw some light on educational and economic profile of various caste groups and help the government plan its affirmative action initiatives in a better way. The demand for a caste-based census has also cropped up at a time when the BJP appears to have made inroads amongst the voters belonging to the other backward classes (OBC), mostly those groups that had not tasted the fruits of the Mandal Commission recommendations.

Read | 'Census will bring out evidence on caste inequalities'

With its thrust on greater representation to the OBCs in ministerial and party positions, the BJP was moving towards consolidating its hold among the lesser OBCs  which form a sizeable chunk  against the dominant groups such as Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and Marathas in Maharashtra. The demand for a caste-based census also comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, which are seen as a semi-final to the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. The regional parties, under fresh leadership, appear keen to counter the BJPs attempts at consolidation among the lower OBCs.







Every census conducted in India after Independence has enumerated the population of the SCs and STs besides publishing details about religions, languages and socio-economic status of citizens. However, the government has not gathered details about the OBCs, who continue to be clubbed with the general category in the census. While OBCs have not been classified as such in the census exercise, the groups have been receiving benefits under several welfare initiatives and reservation in government jobs and education.

The last OBC census was conducted in British India, way back in 1931, when their share of population was found to be 52%. Bowing to pressure, the Congress-led UPA-II conducted a separate socio-economic and caste census (SECC) in 2011, but refrained from publishing the details amid claim of data being riddled with inaccuracies.

Senior BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the government could not accept the findings of the SECC 2011 as reliable because of the infirmities in the data collected. At that time, on the instructions of the Central government, when the socio-economic and caste survey was conducted by the ministries of rural development and urban development, crores of errors were found in it. The number of castes ran into lakhs. The report was not made public due to inaccuracies in it, Modi said. He said there are several practical and technical difficulties in conducting a caste census, but still BJP supported it as a matter of principle.

The implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations had put brakes on the BJPs attempts at consolidating supporters on religious lines as OBC voters gravitated towards regional parties that had emerged on caste lines. Though BJP formed the government under A B Vajpayee in 1996, 1998 and 1999, it had to rely heavily on support of regional parties for survival. It was only in 2019 that the BJP could make significant inroads amongst OBC voters and reduce the influence of the regional parties of the Hindi heartland in national politics. While the Samajwadi Party and the RJD enjoyed the support of the dominant caste among the OBCs  Yadavs  the BJP had managed to woo the lower and marginal castes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to emerge victorious in 2019.

Read | Caste census: 'BJP must resolve inner conflict'

BJP continues to gain support of the OBCs by deftly weaving caste appeal within the Hindutva framework, a strategy that has begun to reap rich dividends recently. However, in state elections, the OBC voters still preferred regional outfits over BJP, prompting it to make efforts to consolidate its hold through greater representation in the government and the party organisation.

A caste-based census could upset this apple-cart, a fact known to both the BJP and its opponents. If the caste-census shows higher number of different castes, the regional parties can step up campaigns for greater representation as part of the affirmative action, triggering a fresh round of mobilisation on caste lines. A demand for removing the 50% cap on reservation too has been gathering momentum alongside the caste census. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has strongly advocated the removal of the 50% cap amid demands by the Maratha community for reservations in jobs.

Political parties believe that the fresh caste-based census would alter the proportion of population in different caste groups. It would also require a new formula for every state to ensure proportionate representation as per the numbers in education and employment. Another bugbear could be evidence from the caste census of the dominant castes among the OBCs crossing over to the creamy layer as identified by the Supreme Court verdict in the Indra Sawhney case. Successive Supreme Court judgements have upheld the principle of creamy layer. The judges argued that if the principle was not applied, those genuinely deserving reservation would remain deprived from it.

Benefits, by and large, are snatched away by the top creamy layer of the backward caste or class, thus keeping the weakest among the weak always weak and leaving the fortunate layers to consume the whole cake, Justice Rohington Nariman wrote in a 2018 Constitution bench judgement on the necessity to apply the creamy layer principle. The caste census is an atom bomb. The regional parties are using it as a diversionary tactic to take the focus off the post-Covid challenges faced by the state governments, a senior BJP leader said. He added that the states have the freedom to conduct caste census and wondered why SP or RJD were putting the ball in the Centres court for carrying out the exercise.

The Congress too has not issued any categorical statement supporting a caste-based census. While national parties have been wary about the caste census, regional outfits such as JD(U), SP, BSP, DMK and NCP have demanded that it be conducted as part of the delayed Census 2021. BJPs ideological fountainhead, the RSS, too is opposed to the idea of a caste-census. It argues that enumeration of castes goes against the vision of Babasaheb Ambedkar of a casteless society and would weaken efforts to achieve social harmony.

In 2018, then Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the next census would collect population data of the OBCs. However, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told Parliament earlier this month that the government would not be conducting caste-wise enumeration as part of the census. Amid the fresh clamour for caste-based census, political parties are keen to be seen on the right side of the OBCs, whose sheer numbers make them a formidable group electorally. It was visible in Parliament, when the weeks-long protests suddenly fell silent for a day to ensure the passage of the Constitution (127th) Amendment Bill that restored the powers of the state governments to draw up OBC lists. While Congress dithered over the sensitive issue for years, whether BJP will bite the bullet over caste-based census only time will tell.
These are certainly testing times, the pandemic wreaking havoc across age groups, across even health parameters, where even those considered healthy have been gravely afflicted. The cures sought have been multi-fold, going beyond the recognised allopathic treatments to encompass alternative medicines as well as the regular practice of yoga, meditation and breathing techniques.

Music has always played a role in soothing the mind, reducing stress, elevating the mood and spirit. In many ways, music has been therapeutic in healing the mind and emotions. While this surface role of music has been oft recognised and recommended, Dr Tara Rajendran goes one step further to cite research studies where particular strains of music have served to assist in a range of medical specialties, from cardiology, neurology to psychiatry and palliative oncology.

Having graduated from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Dr Tara is currently pursuing her doctorate in Indian classical music after successfully completing her Masters in Saraswati Veena. Starting her music education at the tender age of five, on vocal Carnatic and later the Veena, Dr Tara has performed at multiple National Music Festivals over the years.

Relieving pain and stress

I noted the therapeutic role of music at a very early age when I witnessed my grandmother responding positively to music while ailing with acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. This experience was further validated when music aided in relieving my exhaustion while in the final year of medical school, states Dr Tara. I would play the Veena and literally feel the stress melting away. Pursuing her Masters in music while still in medical school further strengthened this experience, she adds.

However, it was the book she came across, Emperor of all Maladies that proved to be the turning point. It is the biography of cancer and this opened many vistas for me, prompting me to take a keen interest in Oncology. This encouraged her to begin clinical research on this topic; she pursued it further while doing a clinical elective program in Oncology in the Universities of Cornell, Harvard and Stanford. The objective was to interweave music with Oncology and I received guidance from music therapist Dr Joke Bradt to take this further.

During this program at these universities, Dr Tara noticed the fine integration of music into healthcare infrastructure. Instrumental music can be seen playing in patient waiting rooms, chemotherapy rooms and operation theatres. The US recently completed 60 years of introducing music therapy into the academic curriculum. Yet in India, in spite of having such a rich collection of indigenous music, there are no National Medical Commission (NMC) accredited music therapy training programs and this potential therapy has been totally underused, she laments.

Studies in music therapy

Detailed studies overseas have pointed to significant relief through music therapy. Playing Mozart Sonata K.448 was found to reduce the frequency of paediatric epileptic seizures. Likewise, the anxiety quotient of premature babies kept away from the mother, were found to reduce with musical interventions such as the ocean disc and Gato Box, which emulate the sound of amniotic fluid and heartbeat.

Dr Tara however cautions that the efficacy of a strain of music as a therapy needs to be gauged based on its capacity to work across the population without bias. Randomised controlled trials will need to be used to test the efficacy of music intervention as a therapy, by observing before and after, through standardised tools of assessment.

Addressing three realms

Essentially, the therapeutic potential of music has been explored in three realms, neurology, endocrinology and psychology, according to Dr Tara.

There is a connection between music and the human brain. Certain strains of music reduce the pulse rate and blood pressure through the impact on the autonomic nervous responses. This positively impacts anxiety, stress and depression by modulating the activities of the Amygdala in the brain. Studies have also shown some of the music interventions to decrease stress hormone levels in the blood, in turn calming the patient.

Similar results are witnessed in psychiatry, Dr Tara points, where it can leave an impact. When a particular strain of music is recalled from the past, it evokes the same emotions that were experienced earlier. This element serves as a therapy in conditions such as Alzheimers disease where vocal music training in an Alzheimers patient has shown improvement in psychomotor speed, she adds.

Likewise, autistic children facing difficulty in communication have been found to show improved levels of communication with music therapy. Music has also been found to aid in rehabilitation of heart attack and stroke victims. Cancer patients have been found to experience lower levels of pre-operative anxiety and better pain management as music also aids in improving sleep.

Individual preferences

Dr Tara is quick to point that individual preference for music plays an important role as music connects with the memory. But there are certain strains of music such as the Raga Kalyani in Carnatic music, which is known to evoke joyful emotions in the listener. Yet, what is effective for specific individuals is still dependent on a multitude of subjective elements.

With the pandemic still lingering, Dr Tara recommends music, especially for the exhausted medical fraternity, to aid in de-stressing and reducing anxiety levels. She however laments that the country currently lacks a licensed practitioner as well as adequate qualified research on this to take it ahead on a larger scale.
Bollywood actor Armaan Kohli arrested after NCB raids his residence, banned drugs recovered from home

Armaan Kohli has been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau officials who raided his Mumbai residence on Saturday evening. The actors residence was searched and illicit drugs recovered.

Bollywood actor Armaan Kohli was being questioned by the NCB after banned drugs were allegedly recovered from his house here, sources in the central agency said.

An NCB team raided Kohli's house in the evening and later took him to the agency's office in south Mumbai as some narcotics were found at his house, said an official.

NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede and others were quizzing him, he added.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bollywood Pap (@bollywoodpap)

Kohli had featured in the Salman Khan-starter Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Jaani Dushman among other films and was also one of the contestants of the TV reality show Bigg Boss.

The action against Kohli followed the arrest of TV actor Gaurav Dixit by the central anti-drugs agency here the day before.

Armaan Kohli has previously faced trouble with the law in 2018 for being found in possession of 41 bottles of scotch at home which is illegal.
Jackie Shroff on shooting intimate scenes: "So many people watching you on the camera with an unblinking eye, it is very embarrassing"

Jackie Shroff has been in Bollywood for years now. The actor, who was last seen in Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, is all set to be back with a new film, The Interview: Night of 26/11 where he will play a journalist. Now, Jackie Shroff has opened up about shooting intimate scenes for the film.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jackie Shroff (@apnabhidu)

Talking to Bollywood Hungama, Jackie Shroff said, I was embarrassed, I was really embarrassed. I get flattered when I do these things. I've been doing them that's why I'm an actor. So many people watching you on the camera with an unblinking eye, the director watching you, the assistant watching you, people from crew and the entire world watch you and it is very embarrassing. But you have to do it as it's a job. If the role requires that, you must do it and I have to look convincing.

The Interview: Night of 26/11 is the Hindi remake of the superhit Dutch film, The Interview. The actor will also be seen in Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi. He recently made news after he moved into Tiger Shroff's lush 8BHK with the family.
Maanvi Gagroo: "With big films a lot more people see your work, but you are much more liable to get stereotyped"

Actor Maanvi Gagroo says getting typecast as the best friend of the lead star or "bubbly Punjabi girl" in big-budget films led her to move towards the digital medium, which is a more character-driven space. While working in a prominent movie helps the artiste showcase their work, it may also lead to more offers to play similar characters, she said.

Best known for her work on the web in series like "TVF Pitchers'', "TVF Tripling" and Amazon's "Four More Shots Please!", Gagroo's film credits include "No One Killed Jessica", "PK", and "Tu Hai Mera Sunday", among others.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maanvi Gagroo (@maanvigagroo)

"On the big screen, the kind of roles that I was getting were the heroine's best friend or the hero's sister or a bubbly Punjabi girl. So, there would be all these trappings and that I was not really enjoying. With big films there is a lot of footfall, a lot more people see your work. But the problem is you are much more liable to get stereotyped," the 35-year-old actor told PTI in an interview.

Citing the example of "No One Killed Jessica", in which she essayed a journalist, Gagroo said she was flooded with many offers to play related roles thereafter. Starring Vidya Balan and Rani Mukerji, the 2011 true crime drama was based on the Jessica Lal murder and was directed by Rajkumar Gupta.

"Like after 'No One Killed Jessica', I got so many offers to play a journalist. Though I picked something in that zone in 'PK' but I did so because I was getting the opportunity to be directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Post that 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' and 'Ujda Chaman' happened. And by then, I knew what I wanted to do," she added.

Today, the Delhi-born actor said she is happy to be part of the OTT (over-the-top) platform as she is getting the opportunity to play wholesome characters here.

"I don't know what it would have been like, had OTT not come in. Like in 'Pitchers' I have less screen time, but it was a fleshed-out character, it was a significant part and hence it became popular. I started getting more work after that.

"OTT is a character-driven (medium). It's not just about the lead, every character is well fleshed out. The roles that I'm getting now are far meatier than I got in films back in the day."

OTT has opened a lot of doors not only for her, but also for a lot of creative people including talented writers, directors, and technicians who weren't getting work, she said. "The sheer volume of work is so high, everybody is working now."

The actor's latest digital release is Amazon miniTV's "Kaali Peeli Tales", a collection of six stories by Adeeb Rais that examines modern day relationships with Mumbai as the backdrop. She features in the "Marriage 2.0" segment with Hussain Dalal.

"I really liked the story and my character. The character that I play is Malini. She is far more mature, wiser and confident of herself, her opinions," Gagroo said.

Also starring Vinay Pathak, Gauahar Khan, Sayani Gupta, Soni Razdan, Sharib Hashmi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Sadia Siddiqui, and Tanmay Dhananya, "Kaali Peeli Tales" premiered on August 20.
Mira Rajput reveals Shahid Kapoor owns more bags than she does, compliments his refined fashion sensibility

Mira Rajput Kapoor has often been complimented for her fashion choices ever since she joined husband Shahid Kapoor in the spotlight after their wedding. A bonafied star on Instagram and a mother of two, Mira got talking about her handbag collection in an recent interview with a leading magazine and revealed how she favours sustainable fashion.

Talking about her collection of handbags, Mira however revealed hers isnt the biggest in the family. She tells Vogue India, Shahid has more bags than I do! complimenting her husbands choices she added, He has a refined fashion sensibility and a keen eye, so hes always buying these really interesting pieces. The social media star further added that the Bollywood actor encouraged her to shop smart and prefer quality over quantity.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor)

Mira also spoke about her conscious choices in buying bags that are sustainable and will last decades. She also spoke about passing on her collection to Misha and said, I'm a nostalgic person with an affinity for vintage fashion, so it will be special to pass this bag to my daughter who can make her own memories with it too. Shes already been waddling around with my bags since before she could walk!

While Bollywood may be bustling with high fashion Mira is of the opinion that clothes and fashion are only part of her life, not the end-all of it.
Shakti Kapoor reveals Roshan Shrestha hasn't asked for Shraddha Kapoor's hand in marriage, adds "I will readily agree"

Actress Sharddha Kapoor and photographer Rohan Shrestha might never have given wind to rumours about them dating talks about their alleged relationship doesnt seem to die down. While the rumours have been around for some time now, recently news of their impending wedding took social media by storm and now Shraddhas father and actor Shakti Kapoor has finally addressed the matter.

Shakti while talking to Times of India about Rohan Shrestha and Shraddhas relationship has said, I have known his father for many, many years. Rohan visits us often, but he has not asked for Shraddhas hand in marriage. And besides, today children decide these things on their own. If Shraddha tells me that she has chosen a life partner for herself or even if Siddhant does, I will readily agree. Why will I refuse?

This is not the first time rumours of their wedding have floated but according to Shakti Kapoor, both Roshan and Shraddha are currently focused on their careers. But at this point, they are focused on their careers. Marriage is an important decision and the way people are breaking up, it bothers me sometimes. One has to be sure before making a decision like that, Shakti added.

On the work front, Shraddha Kapoor is currently busy it an extensive lineup of films which include Luv Ranjans next starring Ranbir Kapoor, Chaalbaaz in London as well as Nagin.
Vicky Kaushal's Immortal Ashwatthama and other big Bollywood films that have been shelved or are facing uncertainty

The pandemic has been a testing time for Bollywood. Apart from producers holding onto their big-budget films which are ready for release for more than a year, there have also been several exciting projects which were announced before Covid-19 entered our lives and have not been able to take off since. While the news of Vicky Kaushals Immortal Ashwatthama getting shelved after two years of its announcement is doing the rounds, heres looking at Bollywood films that were shelved or delayed indefinitely no thanks to the Covid-19 situation.

Shelved

The Immortal Ashwatthama  Announced two years ago, The Immortal Ashwatthama starring Vicky Kaushal was to be a superhero action drama trilogy mounted on a huge scale helmed by Aditya Dhar who directed him in Uri: The Surgical Strike. While until recently all was well and the project was on cards, things changed suddenly for the project which is now touted to be shelved due to budget issues after already facing a delay due to the pandemic situation. Apart from Vicky, Sara Ali Khan was also a part of the film.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09)

Mahabharat  For along a film based on the epic Mahabharat starring Aamir Khan was being called his dream project. While it was a movie when it was first envisioned, reports later came in that the project might be released as a web series. Earlier in March, news arrived that the project has been shelved as Aamir didnt wish to devote two years to the making of a web series. Besides, the actor is yet to finish his film Laal Singh Chaddha which itself has been long delayed due to the pandemic.

Aankhen 2  Admittedly, the pandemic is only partly at fault for this project getting shelved it was in the pipeline much longer than that. It was all set to happen with Amitabh Bachchan, Sidharth Malhotra, Akshaye Khanna, and Sunil Grover in the cast but was shelved after the Covid-19 situation made international shoots a nonpossibility. Filmmaker Abhinay Deo confirmed the same in an interview revealing Amitabh Bachchan had pulled out from the sequel of the 2002 film.

Her Pheri 3  Again the pandemic, might have been the last push needed in shelving this project which had a lot of fans rooting for it. With two blockbuster films delivered more than a decade ago, this film starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suneil Shetty is definitely not happening now. According to reports Akshay wanted Dream Girl filmmaker Raaj Shandilya to direct it while he also allegedly asked for a 70% stake in the film's profits which the producers denied. The project has been doomed from the start and this is the third time it has been shelved after being revived.

Fate Uncertain

Ekkees - Sumit Raghavan helmed Ekkees starring Varun Dhawan was announced in 2019. The film was based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest ever Param Vir Chakra awardee who was posthumously honoured for sacrificing his life during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. There has been no news about the film after the pandemic hit the nation and Varun has already shot for a few projects like Bhediya and Jug Jugg Jeeyo since.

Takht - Karan Johars ambitious Takht was delayed indefinitely after the pandemic made it difficult for this magnum opus to take off. The film was announced on be mounted on a grand scale and set in the Mughal era as the story of two princes at war Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh. The project also had an enviable cast including names like Bhumi Pednekar, Kareena Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and Janhvi Kapoor. Karan instead decided to direct Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh in a romantic comedy, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.

Dostana 2  The film starring Janhvi Kapoor, Kartik Aaryan, Lakshya Lalwani was facing delays after the pandemic struck but hit a roadblock when Kartik and Dharma chief Karan Johar allegedly had a fallout. While Kartik had apparently shot for nearly 20 days for the film, after his departure Karan had announced that the film will be announced with a fresh cast but there have been no further updates on the project.

Farah Khan and Rohit Shettys untitled collaboration  What was for a long time speculated to be a remake of Amitabh Bachchan starrer Satte Pe Satta, this project which had piqued a lot of curiosity ultimately never went on floors. While Farah said she wanted to wait out the Covid-19 situation, Rohit Shetty got busy with making Ckirus. This mysterious exciting collaboration remained just an announcement that sent social media in a tizzy back in 2019.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder)

Chanakya  Ajay Devgn was announced to play Chanakya, one of the greatest thinkers in Indian history in a big-budget film in 2018. While the film certainly didnt take off in 2019 due to Ajays packed schedule it has now been indefinitely delayed due to the pandemic. Manoj Muntashir, the writer of the film earlier in the year revealed that this Neeraj Pandey project is still very much happening while Ajay Devgn is busy taking on new projects and still has Thank God and his web series Rudra to get through apart from other sequels like Golmaal 5, Raid 2, Drishyam 2, Kaithi remake, the fates of which are also in the doldrums.
Samsung has officially revealed that it plans to launch the Galaxy A52s 5G on September 1 in India. The Galaxy A52s 5G was launched globally earlier this month and now the company is bringing its Snapdragon 778G powered phone to India next week. Samsung has tweeted out revealing that the A52s 5G launches at 12 PM on September 1. Moreover, it has also revealed that it will be available in Awesome black, white and violet colours at launch.

Awesome is just around the corner. Get ready as we unveil the all new #GalaxyA52s5G in its Awesome glory on 1st September, 12PM. Catch the super-fast, super smooth smartphone in 3 stunning shades, ready to win you over: Awesome black, Awesome white and Awesome violet. pic.twitter.com/DLrlC7T4IQ  Samsung India (@SamsungIndia) August 28, 2021

Since the phone has already been launched in some countries, we already know about its specifications and some features. Heres everything you need to know about the Galaxy A52s 5G.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G specifications

The Galaxy A52s 5G features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display that offers upto 120Hz refresh rate and a Full HD+ resolution. It has a punch-hole notch cutout in the top centre for the selfie camera. The screen is topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 and the phone is also IP67 certified making it dust and water-resistant. It measures 8.4 mm in thickness and weighs 189 grams.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chip which recently debuted on the Realme GT Master Edition. It has an octa-core CPU and Adreno 642L GPU which is paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage options to choose from. It runs on Android 11 based OneUI 3.1.

There is a 64MP primary camera on the back with OIS followed by a 12MP ultra-wide camera, 2MP macro camera and 5MP depth sensor. There is a 32MP selfie camera as well. The rear cameras can record in 4K at 30FPS and 1080p at upto 60FPS.

The Galaxy A52s 5G also has stereo speakers and an in-display fingerprint reader. It comes equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging out-of-the-box.

Samsung Galaxy A52s leaked pricing

The Galaxy A52s India pricing has also leaked and it could be priced starting at Rs 35,999 for the base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is another variant on offer with 8GB RAM+128GB storage which is priced at Rs 37,499 in India.
While talking about companies that have completely revolutionized the tech and computing industry, the name Microsoft would stand at the very top. The company has gotten most of its success from its renowned operating system Windows, Microsoft since its formation has brought about a list of different versions of its operating system (OS), all of which have been liked by users all over the world.Microsoft came up with the first version of its OS named Windows 1.01 in the year 1985, the company since then has never looked back and has released around 12 major windows each of which has a list of versions. Now to add to the list of its operating systems, Microsoft has come up with the ever awaited Windows 11, both the previous Windows by the company have been a tremendous success and have been praised by users, thus users have huge expectations from Windows 11.With the announcement of Windows 11, Microsoft said that it will stop the support for Windows 10 in a few years. The release date for Windows 11, has not been decided but the company says that it probably be released in the latter half of 2021.Users following the announcement have been really excited for Windows 11, however some users that have a PC containing older processors are concerned that their PC might not be able to run the Windows 11. This concern started when Microsoft released the minimum requirements for Windows 11, the requirements surely were quite high since the windows in case of AMD processors it requires a Zen 2 or higher whereas in case of Intel processors it requires an eight generation or higher processor. Both the requirements for AMD and Intel users were pretty high leaving a lot of them dishearten. A lot of users since then has called out Microsoft for keeping such high minimum requirements.Following the outburst on high minimum requirements for Windows 11, the company refused to reduce the minimum requirements for the Windows however, they gave out a statement saying that users with an older processor will be able to run the Windows if their PC runs it, however the Windows on their PC will not receive Microsoft support.Users with an old PC will not be able to click and update to the Windows 11, however if they want to use it, they can do so by installing it manually through the boot file.This method will likely run the Windows 11 on low end PCs, however its not suggested since it would cause the system to be unstable.Read next: Best antivirus tools for Windows home and business users
An initiative to increase biodiversity in a small river near Knockbridge has been launched, with a local organisation working with landowners to improve water quality and farming biodiversity.

The Oriel River Catchments and Coastal Association (ORCCA) are working together with the Department of Agriculture on a European Innovation Project (EIP) to increase biodiversity in a feeder river of the River Fane, near Carrickrobin.

The project, which received 67,766 in funding from the Department of Agriculture in June, aims to improve the water quality of the river and to examine the wildlife that exist within it.

Liam Woods, Secretary of ORCCA, told the Democrat that they are currently working with local landowners to carry out the project, and potentially solve any ecological problems alongside them.

Were getting some ecologists out to walk the stream, to have a look at it and see where the pressures are on it, be it pollution or maybe its just animal access, barriers to fish migration, said Mr Woods.

Any things that are going to affect the biodiversity of the stream, theyll highlight it, come up with an action plan and well roll it out then.

ORCCA, which have been established for less than a year, will also have volunteers at the stream, examining the insects which live on the stream as this allows them to figure out the water quality.

Other organisations, like Inland Fisheries Ireland, will be examining what fish are currently in the Carrickrobin stream, which will all form part of the action plan on tackling any issues within the stream.

According to Mr Woods, the main issue will likely be the removal of a 50-metre long culvert pipe in the river, which acts as a barrier to migrating fish.

Its [culvert] in one section of the stream so thats a massive barrier to migratory fish, so thats the main focus of the project to get rid of that barrier, open up the stream again and bring it to the surface, said Mr Woods.

Rather than removing the culvert directly, Mr Woods says that they will likely redirect the river and reintroduce bends and meanders into the stream.

A lot of these streams are kind of straightened and they go along field boundaries. Theyre probably not in their natural form per se, so trying to bring back a bit of natural form to it.

Mr Woods says that this is some of the first EIP funding to arrive in North Louth, and that the group is looking forward to working on the project.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High 71F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low near 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
LAWRENCE - Sgt. Johanny Rosario died as she lived: helping others.

She was just the best person. She was my hero, the hero of Lawrence, a hero who died helping people, said Rosalinda Rosario, 21, Johannys younger sister.

A U.S. Marine originally from Lawrence, Rosario, 25, died Thursday during the terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.

On Thursday, in the wake of the attacks, three Marine staff sergeants came to the familys home to inform them Johanny was killed, Rosalinda said.

+2 Local residents, officials mourn loss of Johanny Rosario LAWRENCE  Those who knew Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario, a Lawrence native killed Thursday by 

On Saturday, Rosalinda and her mother, Colassa Rosario, were flown to Delaware, en route to an air force base where they would meet Johannys body when it was returned to U.S. soil.

We are all in denial. We just cant grasp this. I cant grasp this ... to have to receive our hero, our beautiful brave sister, said Rosalinda, breaking into tears.

She said her sister was a person who was always nice to everybody and willing to lend emotional support, advice or a hand when necessary. She described Johanny as beautiful, driven, focused and always striving to do better and accomplish more.

She was very smart. The smartest person in our family ... I am really, really proud of my sister, she said. She had a really bright future ahead of her.

A Marine for the past eight years, Johanny was also working to earn her bachelors degree. Her career goal was to become a social worker and protect children from abuse. She said Johanny was moved by the Netflix docuseries on Gabriel Fernandez, who was murdered in 2013 after being tortured by his mother and her boyfriend.

She said, I never want to see a kid go through that again, Rosalinda said.

Johanny had adopted a rescue dog named Lena. She had a boyfriend she cared for deeply but the two were separated by distance, Rosalinda said.

The love was still there. It was just the distance, Rosalinda explained.

Johannys death comes at a difficult time for the Rosario family, who are facing eviction from their North Lawrence apartment. Rosalinda said they have been trying to find a three-bedroom apartment in Lawrence that takes Section 8 payments.

Rosalinda said she hopes to bring her sisters dog, Lena, back to Lawrence, tearfully noting all she has left of Johanny is her dog and some messages.

I wish I could talk to her one last time, she said.

Slain Marine who cradled baby at Kabul airport loved her job A woman who cradled a baby in her arms at the airport and posted on social media that she lo

Johanny was among 13 U.S. service members including 11 Marines, a Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army soldier killed. A suicide bomber entered an already chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghans brought on by the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the county after a 20-year occupation.

The explosion detonated through a crowd outside the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport, where would-be refugees were seeking passage out of the country and being screened by the military.

UPDATE: Marine from Lawrence killed in Kabul bombing LAWRENCE  A Marine from Lawrence was among 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bomb

Rosalinda spoke of the others Killed In Action, saying our hearts go out to all the families. Its just so much ... My condolences to all of them.

She hopes her sister will forever be remembered as a hero.

We know she died helping others, clothing them and feeding them. There is nothing else we can say, Rosalinda said.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
By the Staff of The News

Curry and Roosevelt counties continue to see an increase in COVID-19 cases and Friday marked the most new cases in a day since Jan. 1 in Curry County.

The states Department of Health reported Curry County had 55 new virus cases on Friday, bumping the number of new cases in August to 695. The county saw only 549 new cases from March through July, records show.

Roosevelt County also is seeing significant increases in the virus. It has reported 272 new cases this month, compared to just 244 from March through July.

We are seeing over 100 patients at our COVID clinic daily, Jeanette Orrantia, a spokeswoman for Roosevelt General Hospital, wrote in an email Friday.

We get so full, she said, we have to schedule an appointment for some of them.

It wasnt immediately clear if she was referring to RGHs clinic in Portales, Clovis or a combination of the two.

Orrantia said in the email it was her opinion that recent county fairs in Clovis and Portales helped spread the virus, but she also noted schools are back in session and younger children do not qualify for the COVID vaccine.

Vaccinations can help prevent the spread and significantly reduce the level of severity, she said.

Four people with COVID-19 were hospitalized Friday at RGH in Portales, she said.

Plains Regional Medical Center reported an average of 26 COVID-19 patients hospitalized each day last week. The Clovis hospital reported an average of six COVID patients per day were in intensive care.

In other COVID-related news:

 New Mexico Department of Health has reported six Curry-Roosevelt County residents have died from complications related to COVID this month. The counties combined had no COVID-related deaths in July.

 Curry County reported 55 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Thats the most in a single day this year since 56 new cases were reported on Jan. 1.

Through Friday, Curry County had reported 695 new cases in August  it recorded just 549 new cases from March through July.

 Presbyterian Healthcare spokeswoman Amanda Schoenberg provided the following information when asked why PRMC does not provide daily records on how many COVID patients are vaccinated:

(New Mexico Department of Health) holds sole access to vaccine records. (PRMC Administrator Jorge Cruz) confirmed that his team would need to manually abstract vaccination information, if available, from each patients chart, which would be labor intensive to provide on a daily basis.

State officials continue to report that vaccinated individuals make up about 13 percent of those hospitalized with COVID.

NMDOH is reporting 43 percent of eligible Curry County residents are fully vaccinated, while 34 percent of eligible Roosevelt County residents are fully vaccinated.

 New Mexico offers COVID-19 saliva testing at no cost through Vault Medical Services. For information: learn.vaulthealth.com/nm/

Testing is also provided at La Casa Family Health Centers in Clovis and Portales.

Anyone needing a COVID-19 vaccine can register online at vaccinenm.org to schedule an appointment.

 Leal's announced the temporary closure of its Prince Street location, effective Thursday, with under-staffing due to COVID-19 concerns.

"We have staff that have been out sick, others that have been exposed and we just cant continue to serve our customers under these conditions," owner Laura Leal said in a press release. "Not only can we not provide adequate service, but we also need to ensure Leals has done everything in our power to keep the community safe.

A reopening date is still undetermined.
New Mexico Department of Health Secretary David Scrase said Wednesday during a COVID-19 update that New Mexico hospitals could reach a crisis in standards of care this week.

According to the states Crisis Standards of Care Plan posted at the DOHs website, A pandemic or catastrophic emergency may strain medical and aligned resources and thereby require a shift in care from that which was previously focused on the individual patient to that which is focused on doing the most good for the greatest number.

The goal would be to minimize death and serious illness by distributing finite resources to those who have the greatest opportunity to benefit, as stated in the plan.

(We) are on track to reach this crisis in the next week, Scrase said.

He said COVID-19 cases are going up about 20% per day on average, and the state had 50 people on an Intensive Care Unit waiting list. People on the list, Scrase said, are very sick and in emergency room or hospital beds instead of ICU beds.

It is a serious situation right now, Scrase said. They would be in an ICU bed but they dont have it.

When asked how things could be turned around given vaccine hesitancy, Scrase responded, We may be in this for the long haul. The state is currently at 66.9% of adults fully vaccinated.

Scrase said the state is also facing a shortage in nurses, and efforts to get traveling nurses are proving difficult.

State Epidemiologist Christine Ross said the Delta variant is highly contagious, and noted strategies employed in schools like physical distancing, face masking, ventilated classrooms and hand washing have shown effectiveness.

Scrase said everyone should get a booster shot as soon as you are eligible and not wait for an incentive payment. Currently there is no talk of an incentive payment for taking a booster shot.

DOH statistics show the states Southeast health region, which includes Curry and Roosevelt counties, has five times as many cases as the Northeastern health regent.
Those who know me well will tell you that I have defended to a fault, the leadership of the United States military. I have always maintained that, You cant be really stupid, and become a general or an admiral.

Further, I always believed that senior military leadership was smarter than me, better educated than me and had access to better information than me. After Aug. 15, I find myself doubting all these assumptions.

Forty odd years ago on Dec. 24, 1979, the Soviet Army crossed the border into Afghanistan, marched on Kabul and staged a coup detat that installed a Soviet loyalist as the head of state.

Whoever would invade Afghanistan should take a moment to recall Rudyard Kiplings lines:

When youre wounded and left on Afghanistans plains,

And the women come out to cut up what remains,

Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains

An go to your Gawd like a soldier.

Fast forward about nine years, when the Soviets decided they had enough. The Soviets negotiated extraction began in May of 1988 and ended in February of 1989. The extraction was under the command of Colonel-General Boris Gromov. On Feb. 15, 1989, walking alone, behind their last armored column, Gen. Gromov wrote finis to the Soviet campaign.

Thats it, the general reportedly told a television crew. Not one Soviet soldier is behind my back.

Contrast this nine-month negotiated, planned withdrawal, under the command of a senior general, who ensured that all his people got out prior to his departure, with the absolute catastrophe that is being presented in worldwide media today.

Whose plan is it? Joe Biden, as vice president and Lloyd Austin as commanding general, US Forces-Iraq, were the point men for the Obama administration in 2011 that failed to get a Status of Forces Agreement with Iraqi government, resulting in the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and the ensuing growth of ISIS.

Whos in charge? According to spokes-persons for the Defense Department and the State Department, they dont know how many Americans are in Afghanistan, where they currently are or how they plan to get them out. The much-vaunted National Security Agency, with its ability to monitor every cell phone conversation on the planet in real time, doesnt seem to be able to help.

Finally, we were lectured on the sanctity of the Leave no man behind code when five Taliban prisoners were traded for Bowe Bergdahl. If Leave no man behind can be applied to an army deserter, the question, Can you guarantee we will not leave until all Americans are out? can only be answered with a resounding, Yes.

Rube Render is a former Clovis city commissioner and former chair of the Curry County Republican Party. Contact him:

[email protected]
Thirty people waited for more than two hours to share their thoughts on masks with the MPS school board. A little more than half were staunchly against a mask requirement, with others begging the board to start making all students and staff wear masks.
By James Ward, PA

A number of emergency departments in Northern Ireland are under extreme pressure, it has been warned.

The public have been urged to consider alternatives, such as contacting GPs or pharmacies, if their condition is not urgent.

The Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, Co Down and Craigavon Hospital in Co Armagh are both struggling to meet demand.

We need your help.



The Ulster Hospital Emergency Department is under EXTREME pressure.



If your condition isn't urgent, PLEASE consider other options https://t.co/XIY7fR3Xx8#HelpUsHelpYou pic.twitter.com/7mW7CithwL  South Eastern Trust (@setrust) August 29, 2021

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust issued an appeal on Twitter on Sunday.

We need your help. The Ulster Hospital Emergency Department is under extreme pressure.

If your condition isnt urgent, please consider other options, it said in a post.

It urged people to contact their GPs or pharmacies, attend minor injuries units or to use an out of hours service, if possible.

Covid a significant factor

The Southern Trust has also issued a similar appeal as it said Craigavon Hospital was experiencing extremely long waiting times, with the situation unlikely to improve soon.

It said Covid-19 was a significant factor in the issues facing the hospital.

It wrote on Twitter: Craigavon ED is really busy100 people in ED +45 waiting to be admitted.

Expect extremely long waiting times.

Craigavon ED is really busy100 people in ED +45 waiting to be admitted. Expect EXTREMELY long waiting times. Covid-19 adding significantly to bed pressures & unlikely to improve soon. Staff working v. hard to see everyone. U can call (GP) Out of Hours for serious urgent problems pic.twitter.com/kd0e5Z8QDh  Southern Trust (@SouthernHSCT) August 29, 2021

Covid-19 adding significantly to bed pressures & unlikely to improve soon.

Staff working v. hard to see everyone. U can call (GP) Out of Hours for serious urgent problems.

A further 1,225 positive cases of Covid-19 were reported in Northern Ireland on Sunday, as well as nine deaths in the previous 24 hours, the Department of Health said.

To date, 2,440,759 vaccines have been administered in total in the region.
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Jared Schmitz was among a group of Marines sent back to Afghanistan to assist with evacuation efforts, his father said. Schmitz was a native of Wentzville.
The Services celebrating Lucky Andrike, 71, of Enid, will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, September 9, 2021, in the Marshallese First Assembly of God under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home. Condolences may be shared online at www.Brown-Cummings.com.
Nearly 136,000 people in Bexar County are overdue for second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, and doctors say its critically important that they be fully vaccinated against the delta variant of the coronavirus.

Just one dose of the vaccine  even if you had prior infection  is not sufficient protection to keep you from getting sick, said Dr. Jason Bowling, University Healths director of hospital epidemiology.

Fully vaccinated people are much less likely to end up in the hospital. The ones Ive seen in the hospital  theres only been a few  do a lot better, even (those) with more medical problems. ... They still look better than unvaccinated people in general. They require less oxygen; they have shorter hospital stays.

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District released new data Friday showing that 135,673 people are late for their second doses. About 1.4 million Bexar County residents have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, according to Metro Health.

Statewide, more than 1.7 million Texans are due for second doses. Almost 1.4 million of them are overdue by a month to more than three months, state health department numbers show.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio children facing triple threat of viruses

Some people reported that they didnt go back for their second shots because of side effects they experienced after the first doses or because they had heard that side effects from the second dose are worse, doctors said.

Others didnt follow through because they were busy with work or other obligations. Some wrongly thought one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine was enough if they had already been sick with COVID-19  but physicians said that assumption is incorrect.

Natural immunity  just having an infection, unfortunately  clearly does not provide protection, as were seeing with this delta variant, Bowling said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people receive the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine three weeks after the first and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine four weeks after the initial shot.

Johnson & Johnsons vaccine is given in a single dose.

A study published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine found that one dose of the Pfizer vaccine was only 31 percent effective at preventing symptomatic cases of COVID-19 caused by the delta variant and only 49 percent effective at preventing cases brought on by the less infectious alpha variant.

Protection improved greatly in people who received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the study found. Two doses were 88 percent effective at preventing symptomatic cases of the delta variant and 94 percent effective at preventing cases of the alpha variant.

Overall, we found high levels of vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease with the delta variant after the receipt of two doses, the studys authors wrote.

The Moderna vaccine wasnt included in the study, but Dr. Junda Woo, Metro Healths medical director, said Modernas efficacy is comparable.

If youve been following the literature, their numbers are almost the same in study after study, Woo said.

On ExpressNews.com: Texans are using cow dewormer to treat COVID  poison calls have skyrocketed

University Health, Bexar Countys public hospital system, has provided first doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to 251,982 people. The vast majority  238,119 individuals, or 94.5 percent  returned for second doses, UH spokeswoman Elizabeth Allen said.

Only 13,863 people, or 5.5 percent, did not receive their second doses at University Health, but they could have gotten them elsewhere, Allen said.

Metro Health operates a drive-thru vaccination hub at the Alamodome and stages pop-up clinics across the city.

The agency said it has been sending text messages and letters to people who are overdue for their second doses of vaccine, but it isnt going door to door to remind them.

Physicians said its not too late for people to get their second dose, even if they got their first shot months ago. There is no need to start over.

Just get another dose, Woo said. There seem to be a number of people who think that if you didnt go back by the allotted time, you either have to start over or you just cant. And thats not true. You come whenever you can and get it.

Many vaccines require two doses, Woo said. Infants receiving a flu inoculation for the first time, for instance, get two doses.

Theres a process through which your immune system gets trained to recognize an intruder, Woo said. The first dose is an introduction. And then the second dose strengthens your bodys response.

Its unknown how many partially vaccinated people, if any, account for inpatient COVID-19 admissions at San Antonio hospitals, which have more than doubled over the last month.

The Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, which oversees the health care system in 22 Texas counties, including Bexar County, said hospitals record-keeping doesnt distinguish between patients who are fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated. Hospitals simply report whether a patient is fully vaccinated or unvaccinated, said Eric Epley, STRACs executive director and CEO.

University Health, Methodist Healthcare and Baptist Health System confirmed that they record only whether a patient is fully vaccinated or not.

Methodist Healthcare officials estimated that 90 percent of patients admitted to the systems hospitals with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. For the regions hospitals overall, 85 percent of the patients being treated for COVID-19 are unvaccinated, according to Metro Health.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said none of the 45 people whose COVID-19 deaths were reported by Metro Health in a two-day period last week had been vaccinated.

Bowling said hed seen some patients who recovered from mild cases of COVID-19 and didnt get vaccinated afterward  and who then became infected again, developed severe symptoms and had to be hospitalized. Some of those patients died, he said.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocks Bexar Countys mask mandate

They didnt think they really needed the vaccine because they werent that sick the first time, Bowling said. But the second time, unfortunately, they were extremely ill.

Physicians prefer that patients get their second dose of vaccine within six weeks of the first dose, said Dr. Mysti Schott, a general internal medicine physician at Christus Family Medicine Medical Center in San Antonio.

Our concern, of course, is that anybody who only gets one shot does not have the same immunity and therefore is at higher risk of contracting COVID, hospitalization, etc., said Schott, who is also Christus Healths regional medical director of clinical informatics for South Texas. So clearly, we think if you started the vaccine series, its best to follow through and finish the vaccine series to maximize your immunity to COVID.

Dr. Jeffrey Jones, an infectious disease specialist who primarily sees patients at San Antonios Methodist Hospital, offered a similar assessment.

We know that two doses of the vaccine is very effective at preventing people from getting severe disease and ending up in the hospital or ending up on a ventilator, said Jones, who is part of the private practice group San Antonio Infectious Diseases Consultants. I think you would have a lot more peace of mind if you got two doses  that youre very well protected against the severe effects that the infection can have.

Texans who are unable to leave their homes can call 844-90-TEXAS (844-908-3927) and select Option 1 to ask a state mobile vaccination team to stop by their homes.

The partially vaccinated would certainly benefit from getting a second shot, even if its eight months late, said Dr. Duane Hospenthal, an infectious disease physician and the infection control medical director at Baptist Health System in San Antonio and Resolute Health in New Braunfels.

If youre in the middle of an outbreak, this is a good time to have that extra boost of protection, he said.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare
In 2011, the Texas Legislature led the country and overwhelmingly passed the first law requiring meningitis vaccines for students under 22 enrolling in college.

Ten years later, lawmakers have been asked to again consider a vaccination mandate. This time, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea is facing a much more skeptical reception.

Whether to issue protective measures against COVID-19 and who can decide such requirements have been debated throughout the summer as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread across the state and country with local jurisdictions and the state battling mask mandates in courts across Texas.

The decision to mandate a COVID-19 vaccine, a version of which received full approval from the federal U.S. Food and Drug administration three days ago, has been off the table for local governments since Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning mandates for vaccines that were under emergency use authorization.

Two days after the FDA fully approved the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, Abbott issued a new executive order Wednesday banning all vaccine mandates by local governments, regardless of emergency status. But he also asked the Legislature to consider whether a statewide mandate was appropriate, along with potential exemptions.

Vaccine requirements and exemptions have historically been determined by the Legislature, and their involvement is particularly important to avoid a patchwork of vaccine mandates across Texas, Abbott said in a statement.

He added the topic to the list of items lawmakers could consider during the current special session of the Legislature.

So far, Texas lawmakers appear to be sticking along party lines as they approach Abbotts request, mirroring a nation deeply divided over the vaccine based on political party. Abbott himself has faced backlash from the right wing of his party for other emergency actions to address the pandemic, like the shuttering of businesses last year.

Democratic lawmakers have filed legislation to add COVID-19 vaccines to the list of the vaccines required of Texas schoolchildren, allow school districts to follow the pandemic rules implemented by their local health authorities and to let schools decide their own mask policies.

Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, recently filed a bill that would add COVID-19 vaccines to the list of required vaccines for students in K-12 schools.

Theres every reason for adding COVID-19 vaccination in with those other vaccine requirements, she said. Id think that would be a no-brainer given what were facing.

Meanwhile, Texas Republicans have filed bills to prohibit the mandatory vaccination of students in Texas schools.

Historically, public K-12 schools, community colleges and universities have required a variety of vaccines for students, who routinely come in contact with each other in the classroom or residence halls, where viruses are more likely to spread. That has drawn questions about why a mandate for COVID-19 shouldnt be imposed now that the vaccine is FDA approved.

Texas public schools currently require K-12 students to get vaccinated for tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella, hepatitis B, chickenpox, meningitis and hepatitis A. College students are required to receive a meningitis vaccination, too. Health care and veterinary students are required to get additional vaccines for rabies, tetanus-diphtheria and hepatitis B.

But those requirements have become accompanied by various exemptions as state lawmakers have relaxed requirements, which have increasingly allowed parents and students to opt out of vaccinations.

Texas lawmakers loosened exemption restrictions for vaccines in public schools in 2003 as an amendment in a larger bill, expanding acceptable nonmedical exemptions by adding reasons of conscience. It also allowed for doctors to approve a medical exemption if they believe a vaccine would pose a serious risk, rather than the previous requirement that it would be injurious to a child. Lawmakers approved the amendment with five minutes of discussion.

Since that time, the number of people requesting vaccine exemptions has skyrocketed. The number of kindergartners who have enrolled in Texas public schools with one or more vaccine exemptions increased from 0.3 percent in the 2005-06 school year to 2.46 percent in the 2020-21 school year, according to state health department data.

When the Legislature approved the meningitis vaccine requirement for colleges and universities, it included a provision that would allow students to opt out for medical or religious reasons. Conscientious objectors have to request an affidavit from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services and submit it to their local institution. At the time, some state lawmakers and advocates opposed the meningitis mandate, including former Rep. David Simpson, a Longview Republican.

Im for freedom, he told the Tribune in 2011. Im not for the government dictating to us what we must do with our bodies.

Ultimately, Texas lawmakers overwhelmingly supported expanding the meningitis requirement to include all college students, with 29 out of 31 Texas senators voting for the bill and 122 representatives casting a vote in favor, with 14 nays.

But the sentiment against vaccine requirements has grown stronger as the states political center has shifted further right.

Dan Patrick, a staunch social conservative who was one of only two senators to vote against the meningitis requirement, now leads the chamber as the states lieutenant governor.

Patrick did not respond to requests for comment about his position on current vaccine mandates. Neither did House Speaker Dade Phelan, also a Republican.

The continued polarization of state politics means Republican lawmakers are more likely to support measures that encourage vaccines and allow people to opt in, rather than mandating such measures and forcing people to opt out, which requires a student to get a doctors signature or a request an affidavit from the state health department to submit as a conscientious objector.

Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, said he currently prefers the encouragement route and would not support a statewide vaccine mandate because of the unknown long-term effects of the COVID-19 vaccine due to its recent development.

Ultimately, if it becomes mandatory, I think thats a good idea, he said. But at this point, Im comfortable with opt in.

Seliger said he felt comfortable voting to require a meningitis mandate in 2011 because the meningitis vaccine had been around longer.

Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, did not respond to an interview request. She voted for the meningitis vaccine requirement when she led the public health committee in the Texas House in 2011.

For the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA said it followed more than half of the 40,000 vaccine trial participants for four months after receiving the shot and 12,000 participants for six months. Major side effects were found to be extremely rare, and the risk of contracting them was determined to be far less than the risk of getting COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some people who have contracted COVID-19 have experienced long-term conditions for four or more weeks, though most people recover in a few weeks. More than 54,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Texas and nearly 14,000 are currently hospitalized with the virus.

Seliger said he did not approve of Abbotts authoritarian stance when it came to executive orders preventing local leaders from issuing those measures, but he stopped short of saying he would support legislation that would allow local jurisdictions to mandate vaccines locally without an ability to opt out for matters of conscience.

A few local leaders have opted to defy Abbotts limits on their pandemic mandates.

The San Antonio Independent School District called for mandatory employee vaccinations last week, drawing a lawsuit from Attorney General Ken Paxton. The FDAs full approval of the Pfizer vaccine spurred the districts officials to move forward with their plan to vaccinate all employees.

Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, said he supported local governments being allowed to set their rules on COVID-19 vaccinations.

At a minimum, thats what we should be doing, said Menendez, who had a breakthrough case of COVID-19 earlier this month despite being vaccinated. I personally think that for the best interest of the 30 million Texans and especially the 6 million kids in the state that cant be vaccinated, we owe it to them so they dont have to go through this.

The Texas Legislature has considered other various vaccine requirements over the years, and in 2007 it reversed an executive order by then-Gov. Rick Perry that mandated the vaccination of Texas schoolgirls entering the sixth grade for the human papillomavirus, a common sexual infection that can lead to cervical cancer.

Menendez, who has served in state politics for more than two decades, said a COVID-19 vaccine requirement would be different from Perrys attempt to mandate HPV vaccines.

As a state representative, he voted with a veto-proof majority of both chambers in favor of a law to reverse Perrys decision. Many lawmakers were suspicious of Perrys ties to the Merck pharmaceutical company, which had manufactured the vaccine and was the only one offering it. The company had contributed money to his political campaigns and Perrys former chief of staff was hired as a Merck lobbyist.

The vaccines also were not free and the state would have had to pay for parents who couldnt vaccinate their children, Menendez said.

The coronavirus vaccines are being offered free of cost.

There are also three different companies offering COVID-19 vaccines, he said, compared with the one under the 2007 mandate.

Its completely different, he said. There was no HPV pandemic. 600,000 Americans had not died of HPV, referencing the number of people who have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Perry walked back his decision to mandate the virus a few years later in 2011 when he campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination, calling it a mistake.

Eckhardt, the former top elected official of Travis County, said regardless of what the lawmakers ultimately approve, shes concerned the Legislature works too slowly to effectively address issues like pandemic response and local leaders are best positioned to know how to help their constituents. She criticized Abbott for shifting the responsibility onto the legislative branch.

Placing it on the call for the state Legislature would telegraph at least to me that the executive office was uninterested in leading on this, she said.

Disclosure: Texas Department of Health and Human Services has been a financial supporter of the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

The hurricane was blamed for at least one death: a person found dead following a report of a fallen tree on a home in Prairieville, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. The person, who was not identified, was pronounced dead. Prairieville is a suburb of Baton Rouge, Louisianas capital city.

The power outage in New Orleans heightened the city's vulnerability to flooding and left hundreds of thousands of people without air conditioning and refrigeration in sweltering summer heat.

Ida  a Category 4 storm  hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. Idas 150-mph (230 kph) winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. It dropped hours later to a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 95 mph (155 kph) as it crawled inland, its eye about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans.

Significant flooding was reported late Sunday night in LaPlace, a community adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain, meteorologists in New Orleans said. Many people took to social media, pleading for boat rescues as the water rose.

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge under threat.

This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

People in Louisiana woke up to a monster storm after Idas top winds grew by 45 mph (72 kph) in five hours as the hurricane moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The entire city of New Orleans late Sunday was without power, according to city officials. The city's power supplier  Entergy  confirmed that the only power in the city was coming from generators, the citys Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness said on Twitter. The message included a screen shot that cited catastrophic transmission damage for the power failure.

The city relies on Entergy for backup power for the pumps that remove storm water from city streets. Rain from Ida is expected to test that pump system.

More than 1 million customers were without power in Louisiana, and over 40,000 were in the dark in Mississippi, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide.

In New Orleans, wind tore at awnings and caused buildings to sway and water to spill out of Lake Ponchartrain. The Coast Guard office in New Orleans received more than a dozen reports of breakaway barges, said Petty Officer Gabriel Wisdom. In Lafitte about 35 miles (55 km) south of New Orleans, a loose barge struck a bridge, according to Jefferson Parish officials.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Ricky Boyette said engineers detected a negative flow on the Mississippi River as a result of storm surge. And Edwards said he watched a live video feed from around Port Fourchon as Ida came ashore that showed that roofs had been blown off buildings in many places.

The storm surge is just tremendous, Edwards told the AP.

Officials said Ida's swift intensification from a few thunderstorms to a massive hurricane in just three days left no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans' 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents remaining in the city on Sunday to hunker down."

Marco Apostolico said he felt confident riding out the storm at his home in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, one of the citys hardest-hit neighborhoods when levees failed and released a torrent of floodwater during Katrina.

His home was among those rebuilt with the help of actor Brad Pitt to withstand hurricane-force winds. But the memory of Katrina still hung over the latest storm.

Its obviously a lot of heavy feelings, he said. And yeah, potentially scary and dangerous.

The region getting Idas worst includes petrochemical sites and major ports, which could sustain significant damage. It is also an area that is already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Forecasters warned winds stronger than 115 mph (185 kph) threatened Houma, a city of 33,000 that supports oil platforms in the Gulf.

The hurricane was also threatening neighboring Mississippi, where Katrina demolished oceanfront homes. With Ida approaching, Claudette Jones evacuated her home east of Gulfport, Mississippi, as waves started pounding the shore.

Im praying I can go back to a normal home like I left, she said. Thats what Im praying for. But Im not sure at this point.

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Idas hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the storms eye, or about half the size of Katrina, and a New Orleans' infrastructure official emphasized that the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago."

The levee system has been massively overhauled since Katrina, Ramsey Green, deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, said before the worst of the storm hit. While water may not penetrate levees, Green said if forecasts of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain prove true, the city's underfunded and neglected network of pumps, underground pipes and surface canals likely won't be able to keep up.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was in contact with more than 1,500 oil refineries, chemical plants and other sensitive facilities and will respond to any reported pollution leaks or petroleum spills, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. He said the agency would deploy three mobile air-monitoring laboratories after the storm passes to sample, analyze and report any threats to public health.

Louisianas 17 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. refining capacity and its two liquefied natural gas export terminals ship about 55% of the nations total exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Government statistics show that 95% of oil and gas production in the Gulf Coast region was shut down as Ida made landfall on Sunday, according to energy company S&P Global Platts.

Louisiana is also home to two nuclear power plants, one near New Orleans and another about 27 miles (about 43 kilometers) northwest of Baton Rouge.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas arrival. He said Sunday the country was praying for the best for Louisiana and would put its full might behind the rescue and recovery effort once the storm passes.

Edwards warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.

Many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today, the governor told a news conference.

___

Associated Press writers Stacey Plaisance in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jay Reeves in Gulfport, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston; Michael Biesecker and Martin Crutsinger in Washington; Pamela Sampson and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Medina ISD, a small school district located in Bandera County, has temporarily closed its sole campus after losing key personnel to COVID-19 quarantines.

Medina ISD Superintendent Kevin Newsom announced the closure, expected to last through Sept. 6, in a couple of letters sent to families and posted on social media.

Medina ISD worked extremely hard to work out of this Covid - Delta variant to no avail, reads the first letter. We feel like we can no longer operate in a capacity during the school instruction day in a safe and beneficial manner.

In the second letter, the superintended clarified that the district does not have a large outbreak among our student population or in students who participate in extracurricular activities.

On ExpressNews.com: Number of reported COVID cases among Texas students nearly triples in a week

The closure was necessary because campus administrators, health workers, teachers and other staff members are in quarantine, the superintendent said.

The closure came as school districts across the state reported having more than 9,000 new COVID-19 cases in schools, according to data released by Texas Health and Human Services on Friday.

Medina ISD, however, was among the districts showing zero cases among students and staff in the latest state report. The district started the school year on Aug. 18.

The campus, which has about 260 students enrolled in pre-K through 12th grade, will not offer remote learning through the closure. In-person extracurricular activities and dual courses were expected to continue pending safety assessments, the superintendent said.

All extracurricular participants will be urged to wear masks so that Covid spread is low risk among team members and contact with opposing schools, Newsom wrote. If we do not get that participation we will revisit the safety in these activities.

We also want to assure everyone that our staff members and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 are all doing well and quarantining in accordance with our COVID-19 plan, Medina ISD said.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Statewide, the number of reported student cases reached 14,033 as of Aug. 22, according to the latest state report, up from 4,976 as of Aug. 15. The number of positive cases among staff was reported at 3,425, an increase of 712 from the previous week.

School district officials across the region have voiced concern about having to quarantine large numbers of staff who either tested positive or were exposed to infected individuals.

Now that all children are being asked to return to classrooms, most districts either require or strongly recommend wearing masks and other safety measures, such as testing, in an effort to avoid closures.

danya.perez@express-news.net | @DanyaPH
Like the proud father of a boundless extended family, state District Judge Peter Sakai looked out over the 22nd graduating class of the Bexar County Family Drug Court on Friday and felt humbled at how the days message of hope and redemption never gets old.

Nine women and three men  sober former drug addicts, former spouse abusers, child victims themselves of sexual assault  told their stories in an ornate courtroom to an often-weeping, sometimes-laughing audience of caseworkers, drug counselors and grateful family members.

Remember, Nancy, when I had to say you werent being honest with me? Sakai told a mother of four who nodded and beamed.

A young mom, Danielle Ramirez, stood with her husband, Ethan Ybarra, and their daughter dressed in pink to recall shed had so many different counselors during the yearlong diversion program that Im pretty sure I had a counselor for all the counseling.

When Danielles child, Jewel Ybarra, grabbed the microphone, gave a thumbs up to the applauding crowd and announced, Im just proud of everybody who helped my mommy and daddy, Sakai said of the pint-sized scene-stealer: Im just glad Ill be retired before she runs for office.

Every story was different. There were common themes. Alcohol and drugs so ravaged their lives at some point that their children became victims  sometimes of verbal abuse, often beatings  and Child Protective Services had to intervene and remove the kids.

Risking permanent separation from their children, the parents were offered a chance to enter the family drug court program  largely state grant funded and now 13 years old  and submit to drug testing three times a week, Friday afternoon truth telling sessions with Sakai and a yearlong gantlet of counseling.

Its not for everyone, said Sakai, a Rio Grande Valley native who was elected to the 225th district court bench in 2006. Some people cant make it through. But if you can, this is the way you get your kids back quicker and get the CPS case dismissed.

The judge said parents must sign a 20-page document outlining their responsibilities and the consequences of failure.

The secret to getting through is willpower and commitment, Sakai said. The secret is to go through the program like Brianna Smith.

From Smiths strong and confident voice Friday afternoon, it was hard to tell that a year ago, as she tells it, she was a meth addict in a violent relationship with her boyfriend, the father of her toddler Zane, who clung to her hip.

When things began to unravel, CPS got called and I was gonna lose my son, said Smith, 21, originally from Florida. It was like getting fired from the greatest job you could ever have. I was allowed to see Zane once a week for about an hour. It was so tough.

The parents of her former boyfriend, Dwayne and Caroline Urban, were in the courtroom to give Smith support and watch Zane.

This day is everything to me, said Dwayne Urban, a bearded, gray-haired grandfather who had taken weeks off his job to care for Zane and now was fighting back tears. Zane was never in danger, but there were times the couple got violent with each other and we werent sure he would ever have stable parents, a stable life.

Weve been with Brianna from the very beginning (of the program, in January) and there were times I never thought wed get to today, Urban said. But she listened and did what the counselors said and just volunteered for more and more (counseling). Meth had sucked everything out of her life. She was a worn-out human being and became that girl you saw today.

Smith held herself as though she might be one of the counselors in the audience. She kept her speech short.

Its been a crazy ride, Smith said. I put drugs above everything else. But I learned to trust some people here, to tell the real friends from the fakes.

That is Brianna, said Sakai, over loud applause. She just took off and never looked back.

bselcraig@express-news.net
San Antonio police said a wrong-way driver was killed early Sunday in a head-on collision on Loop 410 that left another motorist seriously injured.

Authorities shut down part of the freeway for several hours.

The fatal accident was one of four major incidents reported overnight by police, two of them involving gunplay  one a road rage encounter.

No identities were released and other details were sketchy in the wrong-way accident, but police said a driver was headed eastbound on the westbound side of the Loop 410 and Jackson Keller when the collision occurred around 2:20 a.m.

The wrong-way motorist hit a pickup head on. The impact caused another vehicle to sideswipe the pickup.

The driver of the pickup was reported in serious condition at University Hospital.

The wrong-way driver was dead on the scene.

In another accident, police said a motorist was seriously injured early Sunday when a SUV struck him while stopped on the side of a freeway.

The motorist, who was not identified, had pulled his Chevrolet Equinox over to the right shoulder of Interstate 10 east near Southeast Loop 410 after seeing a low-pressure light on his dashboard. A 2004 Ford Explorer heading eastbound on I-10 then struck the Chevrolet, ripping open the drivers-side door and badly injuring the motorists arm.

The accident occurred just after midnight in the 4900 block of Interstate 10 east.

The driver of the Ford stopped his vehicle at the Ackerman Road overpass and fled, along with a passenger. Police later arrested both and charged the driver with intoxication assault and the passenger with public intoxication.

Police said they encountered a 26-year-old man who had been shot twice at Culebra Road and Loop 410 west late Saturday after an apparent road rage incident.

Dispatched to the scene after a report of a shooting in progress just before 10:30 p.m., they found the driver of the car. He suffered wounds that were not life-threatening and was taken to University Hospital.

A passenger who was not hurt said someone in another vehicle cut them off while both cars were entering Southwest Loop 410 from Ray Ellison Drive. The suspect fled north on the loop in what may have been a newer model Chevrolet Impala. Police did not find the assailant.

In yet another shooting, police reported that a 25-year-old man was hit in the left leg Sunday after leaving a bar.

Authorities, who responded around 5:20 a.m., said the man wasnt cooperative but determined he had been shot by a small-caliber weapon while leaving the Jungle Hookah Lounge, 8047 Culebra Road.

The wound was not life-threatening.

The victim tried to drive himself to a hospital, but only made it to a parking lot in the 1700 block of Southwest Loop 410. Officers searching the Hookahs parking lot found a shell casing but havent made an arrest.

sigc@express-news.net
Meals on Wheels San Antonio now has a faster way to get food delivered to clients in need.

The nonprofit is among nearly 50 organizations  including YMCA, Goodwill Industries of San Antonio and Catholic Charities  that have begun using an online system, called Signify Health, that quickly shares client records and referrals with other local charities and organizations.

Signify Health is a HIPAA-compliant platform used by health plans and health care organizations, and it includes a component geared toward fostering collaboration among health care and social services providers. It is available for free to nonprofits that join the Alamo Area Community Network, a system of organizations that provide social services involving food, transportation, housing and other needs.

Signify Health replaces what had been a clunky process, said Forrest Myane, chief development officer at Meals on Wheels San Antonio.

We put the client's information in the database on our side. We send the referral to who it needs to go to, and then they can keep us updated in real time about the status of that client and vice versa, she said.

She said the case management system enables her organization to focus more on its mission: providing meals for thousands of older adults and disabled residents every weekday.

On ExpressNews.com: Meals on Wheels San Antonio breaks ground on new facility to help more residents

The health care technology platform is underwritten by the San Antonio-based Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, which co-founded the Alamo Area Community Network with Autism Lifeline Links, The United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, and the Warm Springs Foundation.

United Way will soon require the agencies it funds to join the AACN and use Signify Health.

Plugging cracks

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

As more organizations use the service, the AACN will be able to collect data to identify trends and gaps in services, said Cara Magrane, director of initiatives and partnerships at the Kronkosky foundation.

Too often, she said, a person who goes to a nonprofit for help with one issue needs additional assistance that the organization doesnt provide. People who seek such programs usually have low income despite working multiple jobs, lack reliable transportation and dont have a cellphone or internet service, she said. And they often rely on case managers or volunteers who scramble to learn what other agencies offer.

This can be a daunting task in San Antonio, where there are more than 1,700 charitable organizations registered with the state  many of which must meet certain criteria for their grant funding.

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh said fumbles happen during the handoff between organizations.

At a June City Council meeting, he recommended the city use Signify Health because it enables the city to review and track requests for assistance  some city departments were still sending referrals on paper.

Walsh said the platform can help prevent residents from falling through the cracks. And starting this fall, it will be used as the case management program for SA: Ready to Work, an economic recovery initiative created with COVID-19 funding.

Eventually, the cloud-based platform will be used by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the Neighborhood Housing Services Department. The council approved $665,925 over the next five years to fund its implementation.

Telling their story

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Myane with Meals on Wheels said the best part of Signify Health for the nonprofits clients is that they wont have to repeat their information multiple times for new services.

That may seem like a small thing, but for families who have children with disabilities, making one more call or telling their story one more time just adds to everything they are already dealing with, said Kim Jefferies, CEO of Brighton Center, which provides therapy, preschool and special education support services.

Brighton was among the first nonprofits to use Signify Health almost five years ago when it was created under the name Autism Lifeline Links to directly connect families with resources at other organizations.

Once we have the familys consent, we get to handle the referrals for them, she said. We can take that stress off of them and get them the help and support they need in a more timely manner.

On ExpressNews.com: Early childhood intervention experts worry the pandemic has hurt special needs kids

Magrane said the organizations in the network have three days to respond to requests from partner agencies.

The AACN generates a list of local organizations that can meet specific needs for families, she said, showing which ones are closest.

Magrane said the data collected through the network could be used to help nonprofits make their cases for being reimbursed by health insurance providers, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, based on work theyve been doing for years.

This would be a huge economic win for our community because then nonprofits would become less dependent on city funding or from donors like Kronkosky or Valero, she said.

Cracking the new codes

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Community organizations often provide services to address economic and social factors that influence a persons health outcomes  referred to as social determinants of health. They do this by helping families access things such as reliable transportation, preventive medical care, healthy food options and safe drinking water.

CMS recently created new ICD-10 billing codes for this purpose, but modifying health care billing will take time and serious buy-in from a medical community reluctant to share profits.

Amanda Merck, a research area specialist with Salud America at UT Health San Antonio, said a lot of training is involved with assigning these codes. The new codes are for low levels of education; food insecurity, which includes inadequate drinking water; and housing instability.

Questions for screening patients have not been decided yet, which will delay their use by medical providers.

Its slow moving. Its going to take years for the adoption of these codes, but this opens up the door for additional funding for research on these concepts, said Merck, who hasnt used the Signify Health platform but supports programs that can track client referrals and identify trends regarding needs.

This real-time data could inform city leaders how to better address social determinants of health through the policies they propose, she said.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

Magrane is hopeful. One of the AACNs biggest supporters is Humana, which uses the platform to connect its Medicare Advantage customers with other community organizations for services.

Signify Healths social care coordinators will reach out to Humanas members directly to resolve their unmet health needs.

In order to create real change, we, as a community, are rethinking the way we approach social health and clinical health, said Bill White, president of Humana Texas Medicare, in a statement.

By joining the Alamo Area Community Network, we are able to integrate the way we address health-related social needs into the same system as our San Antonio community partners, he said.

laura.garcia@

express-news.net
San Antonio police on Sunday said a woman and her boyfriend they were seeking in the death of a 5-year-old boy were jailed over the weekend in Florida.

A judge had issued a warrant for the arrest of of Daniel Garcia, 26, and Nickolle Cristina Aguilar, 25 on charges of injury to a child. The warrant stated that police began investigating the death of Domenic Patrick Aguilar after Aguilars grandmother, Sirle Maria Acevedo Cevallos, called the FBI and San Antonio police to report he was missing and believed dead.

Garcia and Aguilar were arrested Saturday in Florida without incident.

San Antonio police officer Timm C. Angell, who assisted a detective in the case, stated in the warrant that Cevallos said she learned of the death after meeting Aguilar in Costa Rica and wondering why the boy wasnt there. The warrant said Cevallos was told the child died shortly after getting sick and vomiting at a San Antonio hotel.

Aguilar did not report the death to police. Instead, the warrant said that she and Garcia, who is described in the warrant as the boys stepfather, took the childs body to Colorado and left him in a deep ravine near their camp site at Rocky Mountain National Park. They then drove south, crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and continued to Costa Rica.

The warrant stated that Aguilar, in an interview with an FBI agent, later confirmed the story her grandmother had recounted and also said they had not sought medical treatment after the boy had become ill at Woodspring Suites, an extended-stay budget hotel near Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

Surveillance video at the hotel showed the couple walking down a stairwell carrying what appeared to be the dead child during the early morning hours of July 25.

They had paid through July 29, but did not check out of the hotel.

The warrant, signed Friday by Magistrate Judge Marilisa Janssen, stated that Aguilar and Cevallos traveled to Colorado to find the body, which had been exposed to the elements for a month, and give a proper burial. A police detective who traveled there recovered the child in the ravine wearing the same clothes that were observed in the surveillance video.

While autopsy results are pending, authorities said the Larimer County, Colo., medical examiner in Fort Collin, found evidence of trauma. The warrant said Aguilar accused Garcia of extensive physical abuse that ran three weeks, culminating in an incident on the night of July 24 when he struck the child so hard he bounced off the wall before hitting the floor.

When Nickolle was asked why she did not intervene or leave Daniel, (she) said she was too eager to be in a relationship with a man, Angell, the San Antonio police officer, stated in the warrant. Nickolle said that she and Daniel discussed the possibilities about them losing custody of their other children and they both decided not to report the death of her child, Domenic.

sigc@express-news.net
POLSON  Gregor Tavenner held up a leaf of a grape plant in his vineyard this past week, fresh with bright green, sprouting clusters of new grapes.

Just two weeks ago, the plant was charred and covered in embers.

Tavenner lost a two-story house, two-car garage and greenhouse on his property at Flathead Lake as a result of the Boulder 2700 fire. His land has proved itself resilient as it starts to recuperate.

The Boulder 2700 fire, about 60% contained as of Aug. 24, started 9 miles east of Polson on July 31. Its ripped through roughly 2,230 acres in the last month.

Recent rain and cooler temperatures have helped to squelch the blaze, but the impacts are still reverberating across the Polson community.

You have to take a more metaphysical approach. Im not the first one whos had their house burned down, Tavenner said while gazing out across Flathead Lake. At least were all safe.

Grapes are one fruit in a handful of treasures Tavenner grows on his property, which has also served as an orchard since the 1960s. Hes lived there just shy of 25 years.

Susan Carstensen lives down the road from Tavenner, closer to the south end of the lake but still near where Boulder 2700 was active. Her home was spared, but her nerves about going up the highway still linger.

She and her family left the night the fire started.

When we were being evacuated, we couldnt even think straight, she said.

After being evacuated for several days, Carstensen remembers returning home and finding ash and embers littered on the inside.

She is extremely grateful for the work of the firefighters and for her home being saved, but says her heart is broken for those who lost property.

The cooperation and sense of community was palpable, she said.

Now, she wants to make sure the community prioritizes giving back to the responders who risked their lives.

John McCullough, chief of the Finley Point Yellow Bay Fire Department, says his volunteer firefighters have experienced overwhelming gratitude from the community.

That's kept their spark alive while doing such difficult work, he added.

The community support has been wonderful," he said, sitting in front of a thank-you note from a young Flathead Lake resident named Lucy.

"When a homeowner or resident pulls in and just says, hey, thanks  thats moving. That goes so far at a volunteer agency like this. (Community support) is the backbone of Montana, that attitude to be bigger for your neighbor and to help when you can.

McCullough also stressed his appreciation for the support Finley Point received from other agencies in the area, including several mutual aid agencies, federal and local support.

Responding agencies saved thousands of buildings, but there were 14 primary and 17 secondary structures lost.

The takeaway from this is we must maintain the relationships we built through this incident, McCullough said. Our fellow firefighters who brought their A game and responded are what support our community and what will continue to do so in the future. That holds greater value to me than any monetary donation and Ill do my best to maintain those relationships.

When McCullough found himself having to tell someone their home wasnt saved, he said he has felt gratitude and understanding from homeowners.

Its been healing on both sides, McCullough explained, saying talking through events helps people to understand what happened to their property.

When asked what it was like to be on the frontlines of fighting Boulder 2700, he said "belittling.

The power and energy and force that came down that mountain was apocalyptic. The fire behavior was absolutely out of this world, McCullough said.

The defining trait of this fires timeline was its wind shift, he added, saying the wind-driven inferno swallowed them and sent embers all the way over Flathead Lake.

Tavenner says the brilliance of the Finley firefighters and other agencies is what prevented more property from being lost.

Now, a fundraiser is underway to gather donations to get equipment and support to local firefighters at the Finley Point Yellow Bay Fire Department, an agency that is volunteer-driven.

Having funding to buy comfortable equipment that keeps firefighters safe helps responders better serve communities when fires are threatening their safety and homes, McCullough said.

Its important to have quality equipment because of safety. Were not going to do anything unless we can do it safely, McCullough said.

Three weeks later, Tavenner isnt sure about rebuilding or what the future holds. Hes been living in a small cabin on his land that was saved.

He scatters sprinklers throughout the property to help with regrowth and to give some moisture to the hillsides.

You grow back stronger, Tavenner said. Awareness breeds prevention, breeds education, breeds survival.

Donations can be made via Venmo on the Finley Point Yellow Bay Fire Department website or on Facebook. Contributions can also be mailed to 35408 Montana Highway 35, Polson, MT, 59860, with checks payable to "Finley Point Yellow Bay Fire Department."


In a shocking turn of events yesterday, Armaan Kohlis house was raided by the NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau). The NCB recovered cocaine from his residence and he was later questioned by them. When he was unable to give satisfactory answers, he was taken into custody.

A statement posted by ANI read, "Armaan Kohli and drug peddler Ajay Raju Singh have been arrested under sections 21(a), 27(a), 28, 29, 30, and 35 of the NDPS Act. NCB Mumbai raided Kohli's house in suburban Andheri and recovered a small quantity of Cocaine drug from him."



NCB's Zonal Director (Mumbai), Sameer Wankhede said in a statement to the news agency, "After the raid, actor Armaan Kohli gave ambiguous answers to questions put up by NCB. He was then taken to custody for questioning at the NCB office."

Today Armaan will be presented before court. Confirming the same, ANI tweeted saying, NCB arrests actor Armaan Kohli in a drugs case, he will be presented before a city court today.
SHANGHAI, China, Aug. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA"), alongside the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, has resumed the shipment and distribution of etesevimab and bamlanivimab administered together (the "Therapy"), according to the company's global partner Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY). Direct ordering will be available to authorized states in the U.S. effective immediately.

The decision to resume distribution aligns with the FDA's issuance of an updated fact sheet (the "Fact Sheet") and a revised letter of authorization for etesevimab and bamlanivimab together. These include a revised limitation of authorized use, only allowing use in the states, territories, and U.S. jurisdictions with a low prevalence of variants that are resistant to treatment with the antibodies.

The Delta variant (the "Delta") currently accounts for nearly 96 percent of all identified COVID-19 cases in the U.S. As shown in revisions to the Fact Sheet, pseudovirus and authentic virus studies demonstrate that etesevimab and bamlanivimab together retained neutralization activity against the Alpha variant and the Delta.

Over the last several months, prevalence of variants varies by state, region and even country and can change rapidly. As variants continue to evolve and their patterns of transmission and prevalence shift, Eli Lilly and Company ("Lilly"), a partner of the Company, will continue to work with governments and regulators worldwide to ensure the Therapy is available to appropriate patients.

About Etesevimab (JS016/LY-CoV016)

Etesevimab is a recombinant fully human monoclonal neutralizing antibody, which specifically binds to the SARS-CoV-2 surface spike protein receptor binding domain with high affinity and can block the binding of the virus to the ACE2 host cell surface receptor. Point mutations were introduced into the native human IgG1 antibody to mitigate effector function. Lilly licensed etesevimab from the Company after it was jointly developed by the Company and the Institute of Microbiology of Chinese Academy of Science. The Company leads development in Greater China (including mainland China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan region), while Lilly leads development in the rest of the world.

About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R & D pipeline comprising 28 innovative drug candidates and 2 biosimilars, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA antibody for solid tumors was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA. In early 2020, Junshi Biosciences joined forces with the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Eli Lilly to co-develop JS016.

Contact Information

IR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

info@junshipharma.com

+86 021-2250 0300

Solebury Trout

Bob Ai

bai@soleburytrout.com

+1 646-389-6658


London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - August 29, 2021) - On the 29th of August at the time of writing, Polytools has announced its ground-breaking rebrand to Acura Network. Acura Network's is a revolutionary multi-chain decentralized exchange and the first DeFi 2.0 to add its own auto generated liquidity protocol with introduced and first of its kind transaction limit orders, stop loss orders, an order book, charts and tools all on the one platform. Unlike the previous version, DeFi 1.0, Acura's model drastically improves the efficiency of trading by enhancing the user experience with a redesigned facelifted user interface dissimilar to the previous versions. Acura's Network on polygon will include yield aggregated farms, a DEXplorer (pair, pool, APR explorer) for its DEX as well as servicing for other DEX's.

Formerly, Polytools had the vision of bringing social tools and charts to polygon however realized that although they are servicing Decentralized exchanges to help traders and investors, it did not solve an interoperable problem. Acura Network is defined as the first DeFi 2.0 modernizing, improving and scaling the decentralized finance system with revolutionary functions.

Acura's DeFi 2.0

Acura prides itself to bringing a ground-breaking and revolutionizing Decentralized exchange with a twist. The DeFi 2.0 model drastically improves the efficiency of trading by enhancing the user experience with a redesigned facelifted user interface dissimilar to the previous versions. The platform includes yield aggregated farms, staking pools, a DEXplorer (pair, pool, APR explorer) for its DEX as well as servicing for other DEX's, Acura bot - a telegram Pricebot for projects and and Project index list - projEX.

To learn more:

Web: http://acuranetwork.io/

Twitter: Https://twitter.com/AcuraNetwork

Telegram: https://t.me/acuranetwork

Telegram Announcement: https://t.me/AcuranetworkAnn

Media Contact:

Website: http://acuranetwork.io/

Email: info@acuranetwork.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/94822
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(CNN) -- When Medgar Evers and Jimmie Lee Jackson were killed amid a yearslong battle for voting rights, it brought a sense of doom and darkness over the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Evers, a NAACP field secretary and civil rights leader who organized voter registration drives, boycotts and protests against school segregation, was shot in the back by a White supremacist in his driveway in June 1963.

Jackson, a church deacon, was shot in the stomach by an Alabama State Trooper while trying to protect his mother during a march for voting rights in Marion, Alabama, in February 1965.

Despite the anger and grief in the wake of their deaths, the civil rights movement pressed forward, activists and protesters kept marching and in August 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

The leaders of today's movement say they are carrying that same spirit of resilience as they lobby for Congress to pass federal voting legislation that would counter state-level laws they say are suppressing Black and brown voters.

On Saturday, the March on for Voting Rights will take place in Washington DC, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix and Miami to put pressure on the Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which increases the power of the federal government to block discriminatory election rules. The bill was passed in the House earlier this week but faces an uphill battle with the Senate given most Republicans oppose it.

But in a loss for Democrats on Friday, the Texas House approved a Republican voting restrictions bill after months of delays. Opponents warned that the bill would make voting harder for people of color, who often back Democrats, as well as disabled people -- in part by outlawing the all-night and drive-through voting that Houston conducted during the 2020 election.

Saturday's mass mobilization will mark the 58th anniversary of the historic March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. That march came just two months after Evers' death. An anniversary march was also held last year in Washington on the heels of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd.

The March On for Voting Rights comes after the arrests this summer of several civil rights leaders and lawmakers protesting voter suppression. Among them were Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. William J. Barber II, Cliff Albright, Rep. Hank Johnson and Rep. Joyce Beatty.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who is helping lead Saturday's march, said the deaths of Jimmie Lee Jackson and Evers taught many that the road to equality is never easy. A few weeks after Jackson was killed in 1965, John Lewis was beaten by White police officers so badly that he suffered a broken skull during "Bloody Sunday." Lewis and others marched for voting rights across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

"It's always been darkness before light broke through," Sharpton said. "We come out of that tradition."

A persistent fight

Civil rights icon Andrew Young said Jimmie Lee Jackson's death was actually the breaking point that led to the Selma march. Jackson, who had just returned from Vietnam, was attending his first march in Marion, Alabama with his mother and grandfather when he was shot trying to shield his mother from being beaten.

Young recalled marching six miles in the freezing rain with other leaders from Jackson's funeral at a local church to the cemetery. Frustrated with Jackson's death, they began planning their next move: they were going to march from Selma to Montgomery to demand voting rights.

Violence from police and White supremacists would never stop their fight, Young said.

"If somebody gets killed doing something right you have to send people there to take their place," Young said. "Because if you don't, you send the message that all you have to do to stop us is to kill someone."

Mary Marcus, a friend of Jimmie Lee Jackson's family, said Jackson wasn't a vocal civil rights leader. He was a quiet man who mostly supported the movement behind the scenes, including taking his mother and grandfather to the march the day he was shot. Young said Jackson occasionally volunteered with voter registration efforts.

Marcus said she hopes today's activists understand the battle for equality often requires sacrifice from more than just civil rights leaders, but also the foot soldiers in the background.

"His (Jackson's) role was supporting those who supported the movement," said Marcus, 62 of Marion. "As a result of that when it was his turn to go to the rescue of someone else, he did. As a result of that he lost his life."

A historic victory

Months after Jimmie Lee Jackson was slain and the Selma march happened, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Johnson signed it.

Young recalled going to the White House with Martin Luther King Jr. to meet with Johnson who insisted he did not have enough votes from Congress to get the bill passed.

But Selma, Young said, influenced public opinion of voting rights and prompted lawmakers to support the bill. He believes today's activist's can learn from the power of their organizing.

"We riled up the nation," Young said. "That persuaded the citizens that voting rights needed to be protected and that gave the president the power."

Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was hospitalized last week for Covid-19, said in a statement that he will not be attending the march Saturday and is still receiving medical care.

Jackson urged the nation to march whether in DC or at a local demonstration and pressure Congress to pass federal voting bills. He said the right to vote is key to jobs, raising minimum wage, criminal justice reform, expanded health care and improving public education.

"So we want everybody to put on your marching shoes, and keep them on until everyone's right to vote is protected," Jackson said. "Keep marching and keep hope alive."

Martin Luther King III, King Jr.'s eldest son who is also leading Saturday's march, said he has seen fervor in the demonstrators who rallied across the country after Floyd's death and showed up at last year's anniversary march.

And while the 1963 March on Washington ultimately led to key voting rights legislation -- one of its top demands in addition to jobs and civil rights -- voter suppression efforts in recent years have been a setback, King said.

Many of the tactics being used to disenfranchise Black and brown voters are "a more sophisticated form of Jim Crow," King said.

King said he hopes the Saturday march sends the message that there is an urgency to rally around voting rights. He called it "frightening" that state legislatures are enacting laws that give them control over election outcomes.

"We are not going to just sit by idle and allow our rights to be eroded," King said. "My hope is that the community understands this is enough. We're not going to give up. "

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Demonstrators at the Federal Courthouse downtown called for more help for Afghan evacuees. They say many US allies and their families are still stuck in the country, and that the Aug. 31 deadline for the military's withdrawal is too soon.
RE: This is real history in making, Stan Hall, Aug. 24, Democrat-Herald 

Mr. Hall accuses me of not backing up statements on the Second Amendment, and he has cited a law professor, Adam Winkler of the University of California.

Prof. Winkler claims gun control has always been a part of the Second Amendment 

So what does that have to do with my previous letter Mr. Hall appears to rebut, wherein I argued against Robert B. Harris claiming the main reason the Second Amendment was enacted was to ensure suppressing Black people?

These are two totally different subjects, Mr. Hall.

And accusing me of not citing sources? Just put Second Amendment into the search; you will see plenty.

You would do better by researching the thoughts of our forefathers on the right to bear arms. That would clearly show the mindset of those patriots who had just finished fighting for independence from a tyrannical government. A tyrannical government like you see now forming in Afghanistan to rule the Afghan people.

As for endless gun laws: Present gun laws do nothing to suppress criminals. They suppress lawful gun owners.
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.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
English French

WINDSOR, Ontario, Aug. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Labour Congress cross-Canada tour was in Windsor today, with Larry Rousseau canvassing for New Democrat candidate Cheryl Hardcastle.



Windsors economy relies heavily on manufacturing and the auto sector, two areas that were hit hard by the pandemic. Meanwhile, living costs here have continued to skyrocket, said Rousseau, the CLCs Executive Vice-President. Cheryl Hardcastle has long worked to improve the lives of workers and their families and knows that making life more affordable means investing in pharmacare, universal childcare and affordable housing. Cheryl Hardcastle would be a strong representative for Windsor-Tecumseh.

Canadian Labour Congress representatives are travelling the country in support of candidates who are putting workers at the centre of their recovery plan.

In Windsor, workers are worried about being left behind in the pandemic recovery, added Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske. Canadas unions are supporting candidates committed to a pandemic recovery that puts workers at the centre, strengthens public health care, and invests in disaster-proofing our social safety net.

Over the next four weeks, Bruske and the CLC will be criss-crossing the country to engage voters and campaign for candidates with a recovery plan that replaces lost jobs with better ones; strengthens public health care  including through implementing universal pharmacare; bolsters Canadas social safety net with investments in affordable housing and childcare; and tackles climate change in a way that leaves no workers behind.

Learn more about how Canadas union are helping to shape the recovery at canadianplan.ca.

To arrange an interview, please contact:

CLC Media Relations

media@clcctc.ca

613-355-1962




English Korean

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syntiant Corp ., a turnkey deep learning technology company advancing AI processing at the edge, today announced that Seoul-based Tekro Inc. will serve as its sales agent in South Korea. The company also announced that it will be demonstrating its low-power Syntiant Core 1 and Syntiant Core 2 neural network inference engines at AI World Congress 2021 (Exhibition Center 2, Hall 4, D12), being held at the BEXCO Exhibition Center in Busan Metropolitan City, September 1-2.



Tekros deep experience in semiconductors, along with its unparalleled engineering, marketing and logistics support, will help us further expand our presence in South Korea, said Kurt Busch, CEO of Syntiant. Our Core technology enables developers to easily design and deploy any type of low-power AI application at the edge, whether it is customized wake words for earbuds and mobile phones, or audio event classification such as glass-breaking models for the home, or condition-based sensor monitoring for smart manufacturing. Syntiant is highly focused on making edge AI a reality, bringing new capabilities to even the smallest products while increasing privacy, reliability and responsiveness.

Syntiant has shipped more than 15 million of its Neural Decision Processors (NDPs) to customers across the globe. The NDPs have been designed into a wide range of consumer and industrial use cases, from earbuds to automobiles. Purpose-built by applying a clean sheet, hardware/software co-design methodology, Syntiants devices typically offer more than 100x performance improvement over current low-power MCU solutions to enable larger, more functional networks at significantly lower power.

To arrange a product demo, contact Leo Chung () at leo.chung@tekro.co.kr or +82-10-9021-8370.

About Syntiant

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Syntiant Corp. is a leader in moving artificial intelligence and machine learning from the cloud to edge devices. Syntiants advanced chip solutions merge deep learning with semiconductor design to produce ultra-low-power, high performance, deep neural network processors for always-on applications across a wide range of consumer and industrial use cases, from earbuds to automobiles. The company is backed by several of the worlds leading strategic and financial investors including Intel Capital, Microsofts M12, Applied Ventures, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, the Amazon Alexa Fund and Atlantic Bridge Capital. Syntiant continues to be recognized as an industry leader, being named to Gartner's April 2020 Cool Vendors in AI Semiconductors; Fast Companys prestigious list of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies for 2020; as well as a CES 2021 Innovation Awards Honoree and CES 2020 Best of Innovation Awards Honoree. More information on the company can be found by visiting www.syntiant.com or by following Syntiant on Twitter @Syntiantcorp.

About Tekro

Founded in 1998, Tekro Inc. is a semiconductor distributor that works with major manufacturers in the Republic of Korea. Located in Seoul, Tekro specializes in new market promotion, technical engineering support and nationwide distribution. The company focuses on the industrial equipment markets in the telecommunications, medical and semiconductor sectors, as well as consumer IoT.

Media Contact:

George Medici

PondelWilkinson Inc.

310.279.5968

gmedici@pondel.com
JOHN LOCHER/AP file photo/Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., said the United States has no choice but to continue with the evacuations despite the terrorist attacks at Kabul's airport on Thursday that killed more than 170 people, including 13 U.S. service members  one a Marine from Lawrence.
Lets consider the big picture.

Comparing Stamfords downtown three decades apart is like doing the same with a person: Theres a little less in some places, a lot more in others, but the bones remain essentially the same. Ferguson Library, the Palace Theatre, St. Johns Basilica, Mill River Park, (and, apparently, Curleys Diner) etc., are still part of the foundation.

The citys soul is more elusive.

Even as Connecticuts most vibrant downtown is heralded as a template for its less successful siblings to emulate, its identity  its soul  is being debated by four mayoral candidates vying to write its next chapter.

Lets hop in the Wayback Machine and take a flight over 1991 Stamford (Hey, is that my old Dodge Shadow on Bedford Street?).

Then, as now, the Landmark skyscraper is a pin in the middle of the map. Santa was a year from starting the surreal tradition of rappelling down the 22 stories each holiday season, while the Landmark Club on the top floor (billed as an illusionary oasis in the sky) lured guests with enviable views of the citys renaissance as it unfolded in real time. Stamford also offered diners a panoramic vista from a restaurant with a revolving floor at the Marriott (it turned into office space a decade ago. The grisly murder of its former operator in 2004 was bad for business).

Back then, the Landmark had just lost bragging rights as the tallest building along the coast between NYC and Boston. Landmark isnt even the citys tallest since it fell behind The Building Formerly Known as Trump (sorry, Parc Stamford isnt sticking just yet. Updating its web address might help).

In 1991, UConn-Stamford was planning a relocation from Scofieldtown Road. It didnt move downtown until 1998, taking the spot of the doomed Bloomingdales after a notorious killing in the department stores parking lot on Washington Boulevard. The June 1988 murder was Stamfords third in five days. Bloomingdales would close in fall of 1990 after 36 years, citing declining sales. The drop in violent crime in Stamford since then saved its soul more than any steel and glass could.

Consider how UConns neighbors have shifted in three decades. Caldor, a discount department store with roots in Greenwich, eventually became Burlington Coat Factory (with roots in ... Burlington, N.J. What would Caldors fate have been if it used the name Greenwich?). Target rose in 2004, catty-cornered to the Majestic movie theater that claimed an urban renewal lot in the late 90s.

For me, nothing sums up transformation in downtown Stamford more than lower Summer Street. Back in 1991, I would surrender a couple bucks to park in a small surface lot to have dinner across the street at Hacienda Don Emilios. The 1990 New York Times review of the restaurant led with Hacienda Don Emilio in downtown Stamford has so much space ... Indeed, note the lack of neighbors in 1991. A decade later, owners would lament how the city squeezed them out.

Stamfords downtown theater life has failed to keep pace. The Rich Forum opened in September 1992 with a gala featuring Tony Randall, Ellen Burstyn, and Frank and Kathy Lee Gifford. Among the stars I saw there were Al Pacino in 1993 (OK, it was a hammy performance I still mock). In 2009, the theater was handed over to NBC to host Jerry Springer and Maury Povich. The citys headline theater, the Palace, has struggled as well over these 30 years, warding off bankruptcy in the face of the Big Apples imposing competition.

Over those decades, the Avon cinema on Bedford was transformed into a jewel. While traveling in Virginia recently, I struck up a conversation with a stranger from Arizona. He turned out to be a former downtown Stamford resident who grilled me about the city. He accurately characterized the Avon of the 90s as noirish. I suggested he return to see the only film noir with a happy ending.

Stamford had a starring role in a film in 1991, as the Town Center was featured along with Woody Allen (in a ponytail not appropriate for any era) and Bette Midler in Scenes from a Mall. Our pigeons view of Stamford spotlights one of the malls darkest legacies: Interrupting Route Ones 2,370 mile journey from Key West, Fla., to Maine when it premiered in 1982 (footage of old Main Street that was decimated to build the mall is visible in the 1947 film Boomerang, inspired by a murder in Bridgeport).

Looking closely at this Stamford version of Wheres Waldo also reveals how the mall eventually addressed its reputation as a fortress. Its a testament to the shady image of 1970s downtown Stamford that it seemed designed to keep out pedestrians. In 2007, it was cracked open to create a plaza that included several restaurants and Barnes & Noble.

It wasnt the only citadel in town. For decades, the fenced-in 32 acre Clairol property near Exit 9 of Interstate-95 was forbidden territory for most residents. Today, weekend warriors swarm the site, which hosts Chelsea Piers. UBS built the worlds largest trading floor near the Stamford train station on the downtowns edge in 1994. Thirteen years later it became the worlds largest monument to debt during the financial crisis.

I get vertigo looking at the aerial images for too long (I dont know how Superman finds anything from up here. He must borrow a GPS from Batman). But it spotlights some dramatic changes.

Its hard to overlook that Stamford finally filled the infamous Hole in the Ground on Greyrock Place next to the mall with luxury apartments in 2019 after four decades. And the demolition of the cylindrical St. Johns towers removed instantly identifiable characteristics of the skyline.

Volunteers fueled two of Stamfords greatest achievements in the last 30 years, restoring dignity to the decaying Veterans Park outside the mall and reviving life (plant, animal and human) in Mill River Park by realizing a vision laid out in the citys first master plan in 1928 (note the carousel and fountain/skating rink). It will (pandemic willing) host the citys signature concert series next month for the first time. The growth of the tree in Columbus Park over 30 years suggests a lot more views were blocked in the years after Alive@Five launched there in 1997 with the Next Door Cafe Jam Band covering James Brown.

A sky view of the downtown even seems to reveal a signature, the initials C.O. at the 5-acre Parc Grove apartments on Grove Street and Broad (it took me a bit to recognize the building, and I lived in it for a spell). The property sold last month for $154 million.

What these images dont divulge is the future. The new Census records a 10 percent population spike to 135,470, making it the states second largest city. Becoming No. 1 should not be a goal, and Stamford needs to face the reckoning that more is not necessarily better.

Our mayoral candidates (hopefully) will share visions of what they want Stamford to look like in another 30 years. My fantasies include making underused Old Town Hall a downtown hub and transforming the Columbus Park area into a full-time pedestrian mall. I was visiting one recently in Charlottesville, Va., and noted retail that celebrated the arts (I counted four book stores). I remember an editorial board meeting with then-Mayor Dannel Malloy about 15 years ago when he chastened a staffer that the hat shop is never returning to Bedford Street.

Stamford still doesnt need hat stores, but the influx of young and more diverse downtown residents should spur the next chapter of this renaissance. My wife recalls moving to Stamford in 1991 and declaring it, A social desert for young people.

Thankfully, that is no longer true, as the city has shifted from a bedroom community to a destination. Stamford now needs to figure out how to nourish those 135,470-plus souls, while defining its own.

The city can enhance the big picture by transforming it into a mosaic of inventive and tantalizing small ones.

In other words, no more fortresses.

John Breunig is editorial page editor of the Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time. jbreunig@scni.com; twitter.com/johnbreunig.
GREENWICH  It may have felt like the height of summer with a high temperature in the 90s, but it was back-to-school time in the Greenwich Public Schools as teachers returned to their classrooms last week.

On the first day back for most teachers in the school district, many were working last Thursday to prepare their classrooms to welcome back students on Wednesday. For sixth- and ninth-graders in Greenwich, summer break ends one day earlier: They are scheduled for an orientation day on Tuesday.

And for students and staff, it will be the second school year with protocols in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Masks will be required inside schools, at least until Sept. 30, per an executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, at Glenville School, kindergarten teacher Samantha Barbagallo said she was super excited to be back at school ... to see the kids and get back into a new year.

I think that were ready for this year, seeing that we were here every single day last year, which was amazing, especially in kindergarten, Barbagallo said of dealing with COVID-19 protocols. We didnt miss a day, so I feel ready. ... Weve got it down with distancing and hand washing and routines.

Keeping the kindergartners in line with the COVID-19 rules is not difficult, she said.

They are actually probably the better ones in the school, just because its the norm for them, Barbagallo said. They think this is just what they have to do when they come to school.

She said she sometimes reminds the youngsters to keep the masks over their noses.

But other than that, they will keep their masks on until you tell them to take them off, Barbagallo said.

Klara Monaco, who has been principal at Glenville School since August 2020, also emphasized the staffs readiness for dealing with masks, distancing and other realities of COVID-19 for the second school year.

We are very ready, we have all our safety protocols in place, Monaco said. And quite frankly, we were in school safely all year last year so were very used to running school this way, and so we know how to do it.

For the principal, its time for students to hit the books.

Now were just ready and excited to get started for the year, and focus on our curriculum and get our students back here and in a schedule and just really get working the best we can, Monaco said.

The school district also announced that it has hired 79 new teachers for the 2021-22 school year. The total size of the student population will not be officially tabulated until October, but last school year there were nearly 8,800 students enrolled in the Greenwich Public Schools.

We are so appreciative of the commitment and dedication the staff has shown. While our students continue to enjoy what remains of their summer vacation, teachers are now hard at work preparing for what we expect to be a great school year for everyone, Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones, said in a statement.

The Board of Education last week approved the districts COVID-19 policy, which includes wearing masks and practicing social distancing. But the school district cut down the number of quarantine days from 14 to seven after a possible exposure to the virus. And unlike last school year, there will be no remote option for distance learning.

The Greenwich Public Schools will reinstate its twice-a-week COVID-19 tracker, which tracks the number of current and resolved cases at each school for teachers, students and staff. It also lists the origin of each confirmed case, whether it was in-school, out-of-school or undetermined transmission. In total, the district reported 697 cases of COVID-19 for the 2020-21 before it paused the tracker in late June.

First Selectman Fred Camillo issued a mandate requiring masks inside all buildings in Greenwich when social distancing is not possible as part of an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and its highly contagious delta variant.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday she was in talks to call a special session of the state legislature after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration's temporary federal ban on evictions, just days ahead of the expiration of the state's own ban Aug. 31.

I am in talks with the Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker to call a special session to address the impending eviction crisis, given the Supreme Courts decision, Hochul said in statement Friday afternoon. Our teams will be working through the weekend to address how best to deliver relief to renters and homeowners in need as quickly as possible.

The court's ruling Thursday gave new urgency to Hochul's efforts to aid tenants behind on their rent because of pandemic financial hardship.

The state since the spring has been working to dole out more than $2.4 billion to provide up to 12 months of past-due rent directly to landlords on behalf of eligible low- and moderate-income renters, but the program got off to a slow start.

As of Monday, it had distributed $200 million for 15,500 households. Another $600 million worth of aid has been approved based on applications from tenants, but has not been distributed yet because of trouble identifying and contacting landlords.

On her first day in office Tuesday, following the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Hochul said she wanted the cash to go out faster, with no more excuses and delays." She said she would hire more staff and assemble a team to identify and remove barriers that have stalled the release of funds.

People who apply for aid through the program can still be protected from eviction for up to a year, even after the state's moratorium expires Tuesday. Hochul encouraged people to get their applications in immediately. The state has received about 170,000 applications so far.

In the meantime, tenant advocacy groups are pushing lawmakers to extend the moratorium. One bill would extend the moratorium through October. Some advocates say it should last until June.

If we allow thousands of households to be evicted while the State works on improving the roll-out of its program, this additional investment will amount to far too little, and come much too late, to prevent a massive increase in poverty and hardship in New York, said Jason Cone, chief policy officer for the anti-poverty Robin Hood Foundation.

If it is extended, the moratorium may also have to be reworked after another recent Supreme Court decision struck down a state policy allowing tenants to pause eviction proceedings simply by signing a form declaring they had a financial or health hardship due to COVID-19. The court said landlords are entitled to a court hearing where they can challenge the veracity of the tenants claim.

Senate Housing Committee Chair Brian Kavanagh, a New York City Democrat, said hes optimistic the legislature will pass an extension and rework the moratorium to comply with the decision. Hochul said Friday she's exploring all options."

Landlords opposed to an extension say fears of a flood of evictions are overstated because of likely bottlenecks in housing courts.

In May, the Cuomo administration awarded a $115 million contract to the Virginia-based consulting firm Guidehouse to roll out the rent relief program.

The contract outlines performance standards the company must meet or face penalty: its application portal, website software and servers must be functional over 99% of the time each month, for example.

But in the weeks after the state started taking aid applications June 1, dozens of tenants and their advocates told The Associated Press in interviews that the state's online-only application process was plagued with glitches that erased applications in progress and prevented tenants from uploading documents.

New York City resident Helen Morley is among those still waiting for an answer to an application she submitted in mid June seeking $9,100 to cover five months of rent.

She called the application portal horrific and horrible, saying she could not check her application status for two months because she was assigned the wrong application number, and hotline workers were unhelpful for weeks. Her landlord has been been understanding so far, but shes scared.

The incompetence, I just dont understand it, she said.

Guidehouse referred a request for comment to the state.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which oversees the rental assistance program, has not penalized the company. OTDA spokesperson Justin Mason said the office is continually evaluating Guidehouses performance.

State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat on the Assemblys housing committee, said she believed the company had failed to meet performance metrics. She also faulted the Cuomo administration, saying it waited too late to hire extra workers to help with the deluge of applications.

At least 1.1 million New York households that rent have at least one family member who was economically affected by the pandemic, according to state estimates.
The Motorola Edge 20 series arrived a month ago, and we finally got our hands on a member of the family. The vanilla Edge 20 is now with us and well go over its highlights before handing it over to the review team.

Pulling out the phone from the box, we can feel how unusually thin it is. Other manufacturers have ditched the idea of having uber light devices lately, but the Edge 20 measures just 7mm for the most part, making it super easy to handle. The camera setup adds 3mm more, meaning the phone is very wobbly when laid on a flat surface, though.

The camera setup on the back comes with a 108MP main shooter, 8MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom and a 16MP ultrawide snapper - a pretty promising setup overall.

The renders suggested a classic traffic light design with three vertical shooters. However, there are three different heights to it, which doesn't add much to the looks. Luckily if you plan on using the protective case in the box (or a different case for that matter) it's far less of an issue.

The front is equally intriguing - it has a 6.7 OLED with a 144Hz refresh rate and a small punch hole for the 32MP selfie camera. It looks bright and promising, too. Despite having a big non-LCD panel, Motorola decided to send the fingerprint scanner to the side, doubling as a power key. It is rather high, compared with other smartphones, but pretty standard for a Moto.

The Motorola Edge 20 supports the Ready For platform which allows easy wireless connectivity to other devices at home. It also has a close-to-stock Android 11 (and Moto promised updates all the way to Android 13) with some added features Peek Display - a long hold of a notification icon in the Always-On Display brings up the whole notification to be previewed.

The phone should start from 500 in Europe, once Motorola actually launches it. Is the price worth it? Stay around and find out once we finish our review in the coming days.
Another week is in the books, so let's recap. Huawei could be prepping a special edition Mate 50 smartphone with a dual ultra-curved display with touch-sensitive sides. Huawei's Mate Pro line has waterfall screen sides and the Mate 30 Pro didn't even have a volume rocker back in 2019, so this Arc design is not entirely new for the maker. We'll see what comes of it.

Xiaomi stopped Redmi Note 10 production, citing issues related to chip shortages. The company suggested customers purchase other devices from the same lineup, like the Redmi Note 10 Pro (convenient), Redmi Note 10S and Redmi Note 10 5G.

Xiaomi also confirmed that it will stop using the Mi banding for its premium phones and instead just use Xiaomi - stay tuned for the Xiaomi 12 Ultra.

The Xiaomi 11T series' pricing may have been revealed. The 11T comes in 8/128 GB and 8/256 GB configurations, which are priced 746/634 and 778/661, respectively. While the 11T Pro is also available in 8/128 GB and 8/256 GB versions with price tags of 896/759 and 929/785.

A leak also claimed to reveal Apple iPhone 13 lineup's debut date - September 17. If we're to make an educated guess that China will be in the first wave of availability, then the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, and the 13 and 13 mini could be made official on September 10.

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy M32 5G was announced with a Dimensity 720 5G-capable chipset, a 48MP quad camera system and a 5,000mAh battery. It's really only a rebranded Galaxy A32 5G, which we saw in January.

That'll do it for this week. See you next one at the same time!



Huawei patents ultra-curved screen with side-touch features The panel stretches over the whole side, the camera is now under the display.





Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro appear on European retailers with price tags attached The T-series will cost roughly the same as the original Mi 11 models, but will feature some hardware changes.





Leak suggests all four iPhone 13 models will go on sale on September 17 Last year Apple had to split the launch in two parts and it only happened in October/November. This year there should be no such delays.





vivo X70 Pro+ renders show a redesigned quad camera, hint at a rear display The Google Play Console also revealed that the Pro+ will be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset (unlike the other two, which will use Dimensity).





Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G listed on the Google Play Console with 6GB of RAM The Galaxy S20 FE also had 6GB as base, but the S20 and S21 both start at 8GB.





Message reactions are coming to WhatsApp The service is currently testing the feature in a very small circle.





Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G posters spotted in India, is coming soon The company has not yet confirmed this officially, but plans have been underway for a while now.





Apple has tested and rejected an in-display fingerprint reader for iPhones, says Mark Gurman Face ID is here to stay, though it might move behind the display on future high-end iPhones, according to the Bloomberg journalist.





vivo X70 Pro found in Google Play Console listing renders appear as well It will be powered by the Dimensity 1200 chipset and will have Zeiss branded cameras.


Following the governments abrupt decision on Aug. 27 to cancel in-person classes to curb an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases, teens on Guam shared their perspectives.

I feel as though these changes were so sudden, Eugene Anthony Blas Guerrero Jr. said. But it is understandable during this time, that way us students are safe as well as providing time for COVID cases to decrease, the 17-year-old Simon Sanchez High School student from Yigo said.

I think this decision is really necessary, because right now the cases on Guam are increasing and we dont want it to get worse, said Bella Wu, a 17-year-old Yigo resident who attends St. Johns School.

I will be staying at home (of course), and I cant do as much at home as I can at school. Like for my art class, I wont be able to paint at home because I dont have the materials.

Distance learning presents other hurdles, she said.

I think a challenge is to reject temptation at home, because sometimes I just want to lay in bed and not do anything. Or the noise, when its online school, I have to move away from my family members so that I can hear my teachers.

Other teens focused on the benefits of physically being in a classroom.

I learn more if its face to face because its easier to understand the material and you can ask questions on the spot. With face to face there is more interaction between the students and the teachers, said Franchesca Villagomez, another St. Johns student.

Also as a student, I am more focused if I am face to face because I know that the teacher is watching me. If tests are given online there is a higher chance that students will have open notes or cheat, the 15-year-old Tamuning resident said.

Alternative choices

She added that families should have been given a choice on the matter. I think the government should make it optional for parents to choose whether their kids should go online or face to face.

Some offered alternative solutions to sending all students home.

Instead of wanting the online mode of education to be enforced, Id rather we have cohorts for the upperclassmen students  because its our most difficult year, said Chloe Call, a 16-year-old Tiyan student from Barrigada. ... We use this year to meet with our counselors for preparation of college applications, ASVAB testings, and other career decisions. And those life choices should be made in person with one another.

Pre-closure concerns

While many students said they preferred being back on campus, some expressed apprehension in interviews before the shutdown.

It feels overwhelming and scary, both because I havent seen this much people my age in so long and of course because its school time again, Simon Sanchez senior Carlin Geronimo said earlier this month.

I have concerns about the amount of students that dont properly wear their masks and social distance when needed, Geronimo added.

Another student at Simon Sanchez echoed Geronimos observation.

... When I go to class, Im not able to do so without having someone bumping shoulders with me. So I cross my arms hence I can walk comfortably, said Reneeann Lazarus, a 16-year-old Yigo student.

Students at other schools observed similar situations on their campuses.

They would tell us every once in a while three feet from each other, but I dont think some of the students care to keep their distance, said Eriele Salas, who attends Tiyan High School of Guam.

The hallways are always crowded, the 16-year-old Maina resident said, adding theres barely any room to breathe.

Kyan Toh, a 14-year-old freshman at Father Duenas Memorial School, expressed concerns about the possibility of having a COVID-19 outbreak on campus.

(COVID-19) makes people and families very vulnerable, Toh said. I wouldnt want to come home and risk giving it to my family.

Father Duenas currently is providing COVID-19 testing to the affected students and their families using the Abbott BinaxNOW rapid test at their site in Mangilao, according to a press release from the Archdiocese of Agana.

Parents affected

Villagomez of St. Johns said the decision affects not only students, but parents as well.

With our family, my dad is off island and I only have my mom to help my younger sibling. Younger kids need more attention and guidance that the teacher cannot give if they are not physically there with them. So this affects my moms work schedule.

Tom Lees family also is affected because the government might add some restrictions that would prevent my dad from working.

While he indicated that he understands the decision, the 16-year-old from Dededo also would prefer to be in school. I lost the chance to go through the full experience that St. Johns offers such as club activities and face-to-face classes. For me, learning online is harder than face to face because peer pressure is motivation for me.

Mel Delgado, a 17-year-old Simon Sanchez student, said he is concerned not just for himself but for other students who dislike remote learning.

... To hear we have to revert back to online is a little worrying. Though I understand that it was for the safety of our students, I just (have) a feeling that this school year will yet be another hectic year for students, school faculty, etc.
In the latest "My So-Called Plant Life," PDN Features Editor Therese Padua Howe shows off her miniature succulents, and a STEM experiment with seeds planted in different potting media.
A bill to limit the governors power to mandate vaccines for government or private sector employees will be heard at 4 p.m. Friday at the Guam Congress Building.

Bill 180 would require the Legislature to vote on any order from the governor which mandates vaccines for government of Guam workers, or the patrons or employees of private businesses. Any order from the governor which establishes citations or fines for those who violate an executive order would also require a vote from senators to be approved. It was introduced by Sen. James Moylan and co-sponsored by Sens. Chris Duenas and Frank Blas Jr.

On Saturday, Aug. 28, Moylan attempted to pass an amendment to the budget bill which would have the same effect as the proposed bill. It was in response to Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros recent executive order requiring vaccinations for certain businesses and their patrons, he said.

Sen. Mary Camacho Torres objected to the amendment, stating that it would be better served by holding the upcoming public hearing on the matter.

The amendment failed, receiving no affirmative vote from Democrat senators, or Camacho Torres.

The Pacific Daily News reached out to all senators on their position on the recent vaccination mandates. The newspaper also asked if they would support requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly tests for the Legislature, like policies in place for the Judiciary of Guam and the executive branch and if they had been vaccinated themselves.

Four of the 15 senators replied. They were all in favor of vaccination but came down on different sides of the mandates.

Sen. Amanda Shelton, a Democrat, was in favor of the recent executive order, especially with the adjustments made at the advice of Public Health and health care experts, she said.

Shelton stated that she had implemented a vaccination policy within her own office and encouraged one for the entire legislative branch. Last year, she had introduced a bill to expand the executive branch authority during the public health emergency, which failed.

As I believed then and as I believe now, we must do everything we can to protect our people, she said.

Sen. Tony Ada, a Republican, shared similar ideas with Shelton but isnt for the mandate. I encourage everyone who has not been vaccinated to do so if they can. But I oppose, however, requiring anyone to get vaccinated. The mandatory vaccination policy must be rescinded, Ada said.

Ada stated that he had gotten vaccinated as soon as it was available, but didnt support imposing it on the public, as it was a personal decision.

Sen. Telena Nelson, a Democrat, was opposed to requiring vaccines, stating that it would make it more difficult for those who couldnt get the vaccine to support local businesses, delay workers from doing their jobs, and continue to make it difficult for business owners. She said that she believed the vaccine was necessary to protect the community and would support what was needed without compromising peoples rights.

A vaccine policy for the Legislature was off the table for Nelson. It was her personal choice to get the COVID-19 vaccine, she said.

Our role as a community is to protect and care for one another. We will lose our empathy and compassion when these strict requirements are enforced on our people, Nelson said.

Returning to previous restrictions, such as reducing the number of people allowed in an establishment, would have been more agreeable, Sen. Joanne Brown, a Republican, said. A similar process could be implemented in the Legislature, without making people get the shot, she stated.

Brown said it would segregate people at a time when they need to come together.

I just think we need to do more and more work to educate and inform, you know, the people in our community, but I also think its important that we preserve our liberties, Brown said, adding that there needed to be more engagement from the public on how things proceeded.
A Marine was charged with burglary and theft of property for allegedly taking the car of a man known to her without his consent.

On Aug. 23, Liliana Bibian, 22, was at the Westin Resort Guam pool bar with a man known to her, and other people, when Bibian allegedly took the mans hotel room key card without his consent, according to a magistrates complaint filed by the Office of the Attorney General.

Bibian and a friend then went to the mans hotel room and took the keys to his rental car, the complaint said.

After, Bibian and her friend took the mans rental car, backed into a parked car and scraped a wall as she tried leaving the parking garage. They later received a text from the man saying he would call Bibians command, the complaint said.

Bibian is an active duty member of the Marine Corps, according to the complaint.

Bibian left the car in the parking lot of The Venue, the complaint stated. The next day, the man called police.

Bibian told police she took the room key, car key and the car without the mans consent, the complaint said.

Bibian was charged with:
As of Aug. 25, nearly one in four residents who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Guam have not gotten vaccinated, according to Public Health data.

On July 31, Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio announced that Guam had reached its goal of fully vaccinating 80% of adults on the island. According to Department of Public Health and Social Services public information officer Janela Carrera, that number is inclusive of the military population on island.

According to the data, as of Aug. 25, only 93,892, or about 78% of adults not affiliated with the military had been vaccinated with at least the first dose of a two-dose vaccine or a single-dose vaccine.

A total of 64,326 out of Guams estimated population of 168,322 have not gotten the shot. This is due to about half of those being under the age of 12 and not eligible to receive it.

The remaining 32,297 who are unvaccinated are 23.7% of the islands eligible population. The numbers do not include data from military vaccinations, or a single vaccination clinic hosted by the Guam National Guard for Guardsmen, according to Carrera.

The military population; however, was still an integral part of Guams vaccination status, Carrera said.

They live here, they eat at restaurants, you know, they are part of our community ... Its not just active military. Its their families, their spouses or children, many of their family members go to our schools, she said.

EthnicityThe vaccination rate for people in Guams four largest ethnic groups, which make up the majority of the population at an estimated 144,501 individuals, was below 80%. Filipinos had the highest rate of vaccination of the four groups, with about 79% of people receiving at least their first dose of a vaccine. Just over 52% of CHamorus, Guams largest ethnic group, were vaccinated. About 44% of Chuukese people and 35% of Caucasians, the third and fourth largest groups, were vaccinated.

Vaccination rates for those who were Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Yapese were the highest with more than 80% of each group receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.

Record keeping

A total of 103,996 people have received at least their first dose of the vaccine so far, according to the data. 8,720 people in all age groups were pending their second dose of the vaccine, but Carrera said the number was skewed due to people receiving only their first or second dose on the island.

Reliable vaccination rates by village were also hard to determine, due to a data entry issue caused by mailing addresses. In Hagatna, 4,053 people were recorded as having received their first dose of a vaccine, despite only 1,110 people actually living in the village.

Unvaccinated, but eligible

As for the unvaccinated but eligible, 6,210 of them are minors between the ages of 12 and 17. Thats about 38% of eligible minors still without their first shot. Those between 12 and 17 were the last age group to become eligible but have been able to get vaccinated since May of this year.

About 26,000 eligible adults, meanwhile, were still unvaccinated. Close to half of that population were in the youngest group of adults, those between the ages of 18 to 29, 11,735 of whom were unvaccinated. People between the ages of 30 and 39 were the second largest group, with 6,695 of them unvaccinated.

The data also shows that people between the ages of 20 and 29 have the highest number of COVID-19 cases on island, followed by those between 30 and 39.

Out of the 6,480 residents over the age of 75, 1,664 of themor 25.68%were not vaccinated, either.

The number of unvaccinated people in other eligible age groups is:

3,206 people from the age of 40 to 49.

937 people from the age of 50 to 54.

781 from the age of 55 to 59.

1,069 people from the age of 60 to 74.

As of Sunday, the number of adult local residents who were fully vaccinated continues to be below 80%.
A student at Santa Barbara Catholic School tested positive for COVID-19 late Saturday night, according to the Archdiocese of Agana, bringing the total number of Catholic school students who have tested positive up to 30.

Santa Barbara is working diligently with the Department of Public Health and Social Services and the Archdiocese of Aganas COVID-19 Liaison on contact tracing and testing for those with possible exposure, according to a release from the Archdiocese.

The schools principal, Sister Maria Rosario Gaite, has communicated with parents and guardians of the affected students and is keeping the entire school community updated on the matter. This is Santa Barbaras only positive case.

Archbishop Michael Byrnes and all the school administrators asked for prayers for the students and all who have contracted COVID-19 here and worldwide.

In the past five days, 23 Catholic school students and one parishioner at Santa Barbara Catholic Church have tested positive for COVID-19, the archdiocese reported.

Eight cases were reported on Aug. 24, bringing the total number of students who tested positive up to 15. There were five students at Bishop Baumgartner Memorial School that tested positive, two from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam, and one from San Vicente Middle School.

Another four were reported on Aug. 25, two Notre Dame High School, one from Bishop Baumgartner and the first case reported at Saint Anthony Catholic School.

On Aug. 26, Bishop Baumgartner had two additional cases, while Academy and Dominican Child Development Center both reported one case. A parishioner at Santa Barbara Catholic Church also tested positive that day.

On Aug. 28, San Vicente had another two students test positive. Bishop Baumgartner, Dominican Catholic School, Dominican Child Development Center, and Saint Anthony all reported one additional case that day.
Spc. Michael Quenga places syringes, preloaded with measured doses of COVID-19 vaccine into a refrigeration unit, as he, other Guam National Guard members and University of Guam AmeriCorps volunteers, conduct a drive-through vaccination outreach in a parking lot at the Mangilao campus on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021.




Haiti - FLASH : The PNH at the the offensive, hecatomb among bandits, 40 arrests





Informed that dangerous criminals and gang leaders participated on the night of Friday 27 to Saturday 28 August in a "Black party" in a house in street Albert Jode located between Caradeux and Puits-Blain (Delmas 75), the National Police of Haiti (PNH) carried out a successful punching operation.



The intervention of the Police provoked exchanges of fire during which the number 2 of the Gang "Krache dif" known under the name of "Manino" aka "Gros Roche", author of several acts of banditry, including assassinations, rapes, thefts, armed robbery and fires fell under the bullets of the police as well as 8 other individuals including a policeman who was in the company of "Manino".



Note that the "Krache dif" gang which terrorizes the population of Bel-Air is part of the "G9 fanmi and allied" gang coalition led by the former police officer Jymmy Cherisier aka "Barbecue".



This net from the PNH is part of the intensification of operations set up by the Commander-in-Chief of the PNH, Leon Charles, consisting in tracking down members of armed gangs wherever they are entrenched.



Let's recall that "Manino" was actively sought by the police in particular for his alleged implication in acts of assassination against several police officers of which the armed attack on June 6, 2021 against the sub-station of Portail Saint-Joseph where 3 police officers had been cowardly murdered.



There are at least 6 injured according to our sources.



About 40 people were arrested for the purposes of the investigation, several gang leaders managed to escape.







Several dangerous criminals including gang leaders present at this party managed to escape and are actively sought by the (PNH)



Police seized 5 firearms (4 pistols and 1 revolver) and 5 vehicles.



TB/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/08/28

Despite being set in 2014, "D.P" has impressive prescience. Joon-ho (played by Jung Hae-in) is exhausted by the petty indignities of the service economy. He asserts himself to a disgruntled customer, knowing full well such actions will cost him a job he hates anyway. Then Joon-ho enlists for his mandatory military service. Without explicitly saying so, the impression is clearly that if Joon-ho's life is already at a dead end, any detour, however miserable, would still be an improvement.

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And miserable it is. Joon-ho as well as his fellow soldiers are viciously abused. For Joon-ho, the adjustment isn't a major one. But we see through his eyes how other recruits with higher self-esteem have their spirit quickly broken by sadistic drill seargents motivated primarily by whatever sadism they can get away with. It's a huge adjustment for Joon-ho to be assigned to the military police. In a dark irony, while Joon-ho himself enjoys a better working environment, he now hunts down deserters- young men who can no longer take the abuse, despite knowing the horrific consequences for disobedience.

Jung Hae-in is sublime here, in a brooding cinematic role radically different from the romances he's better known for. Joon-ho is a pained young man who's increasingly seeing any sense of empathy as being a liability in the modern world. Despite the genuinely horrific ending of the first episode, "D.P" actually makes the moment feel almost uplifting because we finally see that despite his best efforts, Joon-ho still has a soul.

So much of "D.P" is just a twisted in-joke for South Korean men, a recognition of their shared trauma. The webtoon it's based off of has the same basic tone, and is popular domestically in part because it's just free-form venting. Joon-ho, and so many young men like him, are given no outlet to discuss the abuse they received as soldiers. Dissent is unpatriotic. It's unmanly. And the reminder of similar bleakness in the civilian lives to which they will inevitably return foments anguished despair.

"D.P" is worth watching, not just by people curious what South Korean mandatory military service is really like, but anyone from any country who's seriously thinking about joining up. Any former soldier will tell you just how terrifying and soul-crushing the experience is, and how the propaganda feels like such a transparently laughable lie in retrospect. But that's just the backdrop. As of yet, there's no real story. Presumably the second episode will get into that.

Review by William Schwartz

___________

"D.P" is directed by Han Jun-hee, written by Han Jun-hee, Kim Bo-tong, and features Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, Son Sukku, Lee Jun-young, Hong Kyung. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2021/08/27, Fri on Netflix.
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After midnight on Saturday / Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored a large-scale attack by ISIS mercenaries on sites and points where the Damascus government forces are stationed in the Al-Masrib desert in the western countryside of Deir-ez-Zor, they took turns targeting mercenary sites in the area, amid confirmed information about deaths.

Russian warplanes continue to bombard the Syrian Desert and the sites where ISIS exist, but so far they have not been able to eliminate it, and from time to time they launch attacks on the positions of the Damascus government forces.

T/S

ANHA
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) has appointed top-performing security specialist Paul A. Buta to the position of executive director of security operations for the multi-hospital healthcare system.

Buta, who served 20 years with the United States Secret Service protecting and serving elected officials, will oversee all safety and security functions for ARH and will ensure protection of staff through various methods such as protective surveillance, emergency management, transportation logistics and investigations.

Patient and staff safety and security is a top priority for ARH, said ARH President and CEO Hollie Harris Phillips. We are thankful to have Pauls leadership and expertise to advance comprehensive security operations across the system.

Buta has been a leader and coordinator of security teams and implementing security protocols. Prior to joining ARH, Buta worked at the Lexington Resident Office for three years on current cyber threats and trends to critical infrastructure, networks and systems. He assisted potential victims as a Network Intrusion Response Agent (NITRO) by performing a forensic analysis to determine if their networks or systems had unauthorized intrusions or breaches.

Buta is also a retired United States Marine Corps officer. He is a combat wounded veteran, and is a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, which he earned during his deployment to Afghanistan.

Throughout his career, Buta received many awards. To name a few, Butas honors include: the

Department of Homeland Security Secretarys Award for Valor; the United States Secret Service Directors Award for Valor; the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Police Department Silver Star Award and Purple Heart Award; the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF): September Officer of the Month (2007); Association of Former Agents of the U.S. Secret Service (first ever) Distinguished Service Award; and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) 2007 Award for Bravery.

Buta received his Juris Doctorate from Saint Thomas University School of Law in Miami and completed his Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Florida International University, also in Miami.

I am grateful to be welcomed into the ARH family, stated Buta. As the executive director of security operations, I am dedicated to improving the safety and security of all ARH patients and staff. I am looking forward to contributing to the ARH mission and advancing the goal of improving the quality of healthcare in Central Appalachia.
Senate passes bill barring public schools from teaching Critical Race Theory

Senate leader Phil Berger

A bill that would prohibit public schools from promoting controversial viewpoints related to Critical Race Theory cleared the N.C. Senate on Thursday. Debate about the bill featured rare personal attacks among senators.

The vote split along party lines, with 25 Republicans voting in favor and 17 Democrats against.

House Bill 324, Ensuring Dignity and Nondiscrimination in Schools, would ban the teaching of 13 discriminatory concepts in the classroom, including:

That one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex.

An individual, solely by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive.

An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex.

A meritocracy is inherently racist or sexist.

Particular character traits, values, moral or ethical codes, privileges, or beliefs should be ascribed to a race or sex, or to an individual because of the individuals race or sex.



Each of these ideas has been linked to Critical Race Theory.

Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, spearheaded the bill. Berger has vowed to fight the teaching of CRT in public schools with everything that I have.

Students must not be forced to adopt an ideology that is separate and distinct from history; an ideology that promotes present discrimination  so long as its against the right again  as antiracist, said Berger in a statement.

At one point, Berger asked his Democrat colleagues to name one item on the list of 13 discriminatory concepts that they would favor changing. No Senate Democrats responded.

Instead, Democrats claimed the bill would muzzle teachers ability to instruct students in the full scope of American history.

We can understand that the United States is a great and unique country whose values are worth defending and teaching, while we realize simultaneously that the same country has made horrible mistakes," said Sen. Mark Woodard, D-Durham. "This bill will limit our ability to hold and to teach these disparate values at the same time.

The debate became personal at one point when Sen. Gladys Robinson, D-Guilford, accused fellow Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, of not being an educator. Newton responded on Twitter that he and his wife successfully homeschooled our children. Is it the [N.C. Senate Democrats] position that homeschooling parents are not educators?

The N.C. Senate Democrats Twitter account later responded, Surely you cooked your family dinner over the years. We still wouldnt call you a chef.

What an absolute insult, not only to my family, but to the large (and growing) home education community in North Carolina, Newton responded. Democrats want to control every single aspect of your life, and here is more evidence of that truth.

North Carolina has one of the largest homeschooling communities of any state in the nation with parents of more than 179,000 N.C. children choosing to educate them at home. That number jumped nearly 20% during the 2020 COVID-19 school shutdowns.

H.B. 324 made its way through the Senate Education and Rules committees earlier this week. In committee debate, Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, clashed with Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Chaudhuri claimed that H.B. 324 would authorize a witch hunt of public school teachers and accused Robinson of promoting "Fox News," "fear-mongering."

Robinson labeled Chaudhuri's characterization an insult, pointing out that the legislative action stemmed from hundreds of complaints from parents and teachers. In the same committee meeting, Chaudhuri was not heard offering a "no" vote during the bill's voice vote. Nor was he present for the Senate floor debate and vote, despite having been in a legislative meeting Thursday morning. Chaudhuri was one of eight senators with excused absences from the floor vote.

The measure now returns to the House for a concurrence vote. If the House rejects the Senate's version of the bill, the two chambers would set up a conference committee. That group could iron out a final version of the bill.
Candidates weigh in on growth, housing, city-county cooperation

In one form or another, candidates for the Hendersonville City Council and mayor emphasize that they want to preserve the citys small-town feel while managing inevitable growth.

My wife and I moved here 20 years ago, said Mike Baer, a business consultant and innkeeper of the Elizabeth Leigh Inn on Fifth Avenue West. We came from Atlanta, and if there ever was a city that outgrew its everything, its Atlanta. It outgrew its roads, its education system, police force, every category you can think of. So Ive lived that. I dont want to see it happen here.

A native of Wilson, three-term incumbent Jerry Smith said he and his wife, Dr. Anne Smith, chose Hendersonville when she was starting her medical practice and he was making a career switch from the law to the high school classroom.

We wanted to raise our kids here, he said. We wanted to live in the mountains.

A native of Hendersonville and graduate of Appalachian State University, Chelsea Walsh moved to Charleston, South Carolina, after she got laid off from her first job.

I slept in my car the first night I was there, she said. I had $35 in my bank account and I made it work. I ran an insurance agency in Charleston for about seven years and realized that my family is here and I want to be here and settle down.

D.J. Harrington and his wife got married in Lake Lure and moved to Hendersonville, where theyre raising four children.

Im not from North Carolina but I knew as a kid I wanted to move out and move and I want my kids to stay here, said Harrington, who is running for mayor.

Barbara Volk and her late husband, Dr. Jim Volk, chose Hendersonville when they were a young couple.

When Jim and I moved to Hendersonville in 1975 I never considered that some day I might be mayor of this town, because we wanted to raise a family here in a small town with warm friendly people, good schools, high quality of life, and we found that, said Volk, who is seeking a fourth term as mayor.

The candidates made the comments in a virtual forum last week sponsored by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce. (Council candidate Debbie Roundtree did not attend the forum.) They tackled questions on cooperation between the city and county, communication with residents and business owners, affordable housing and downtown and Seventh Avenue.

The six City Council candidates meet in a primary on Oct. 5 to narrow the field to four for the two open seats. Harrington and Volk face off in the general election on Nov. 2. Here are the candidates answers during the campaign event.



Opening statements

Mike Baer: I believe business, if its well led, can bring tremendous blessing and tremendous benefit to the community. It brings jobs, it brings income, it brings all manner of other ancillary that come from that  better housing, better tax base. If its done right, it really does make a difference for everybody.

Raphael Morales: Im running for City Council, not as a business person, as a working class citizen and a resident of the city of Hendersonville. There are a lot of things we dont have that includes economic stability, housing affordability and when it comes to the job market, especially right now, were seeing a lot of volatility here in Hendersonville thats affecting a lot of people very differently. My campaign and ultimately my tenure when elected to City Council is going to be equitably focused on folks most impacted by our local economy, which we know is a microcosm of a much larger picture, the United States economy as a whole.

Jerry Smith: His wife, Anne, did her residency at Georgetown so I went to Washington, D.C. When we went to Washington, D.C., I decided to take a break from practicing law and look into becoming a teacher and I went to graduate school at George Mason and got my degree in secondary education. I really enjoyed it. They moved to Hendersonville in 2003. They have three children, two daughters in college and a son in high school.

Mike Vesely: Retired from city police department after 26 years, Vesely is married with two children. Im approaching the campaign as a middle-class working guy. I have seen failures in our city government, failures in our economy and where money could be spent a little bit better. We need adequate work force. What is adequate workforce? Not our retirees but people that are actually workforce people and how do they survive in our economy (and obtain) workforce housing? Its so hard for these kids to have a house or come up with five or six thousand dollars for first-last (rent). We need to utilize our funding better to have this workforce housing. How do we keep business here with our infrastructure? We live in downtown Hendersonville and our internet is terrible. If we have a good line of infrastructure people want to come here, people want to grow here, people want to keep their business here.

Chelsea Walsh: In her free time, usually you can find me singing karaoke or outside running, hiking, hanging out with my dog. Im running my platform without a victim mentality. I believe that as things change and as things evolve you have to be on the forefront and you have to be willing to change and make adjustments going forward.  Im running my campaign on preservation, security and advancement, safety, infrastructure and sustainability. We have to have council members who are involved and can be a voice for many different demographics. We need more advocacy instead of activism.

D.J. Harrington: Walking on Main Street, Ive been talking to a lot of business owners. I think theres a disconnect sometimes and I want to make sure that were representing our city to the business owners. Im for growth, Im in construction but Im also in for small-town feel. I want my kids to feel safe. I want to feel safe walking the streets of Hendersonville and enjoying what we have, keeping it friendly, keeping it vibrant.

Barbara Volk: Through my experience on the city council I realize theres a lot of effort that goes into this. It doesnt just happen. Members of the council have to be very knowledgeable about whats going on in the area, whats happening in a variety of issues, have to look at the concerns of the citizens, have to look at the big picture of the decisions that are made, cant look at just one issue in isolation. Once the decision is made, the staff then implements it and we are very fortunate to have outstanding staff, from the top on down, to carry out these decisions of the council. Ive tried to spend a lot of my time talking to people, letting them know whats going on, answering questions, their concerns. Its very important for mayor and council to know what (constituents) would like the city to do.



City-county cooperation

Our community has seen examples of how city and county can work together to benefit the entire community and weve seen examples where cooperation was lacking. Where do you see opportunities for better cooperation that will benefit the entire community?

Morales: Hopefully were speaking to the need to accurately represent the area that they are vying to represent. I tell people that I favor equity above all things and I dont believe you can create a lens of equity without lived experience. Not necessarily a victim mentality but perseverance mentality.  We need to focus on those voices and those communities and uplift and give them the representation.

Smith: Two examples of how weve worked together most recently, one was just this past week (Aug. 16) with the ribbon cutting for the soon to be Ecusta greenway. Weve worked diligently with the county to get that project started. Also in the past year weve worked with the county to get Jabil (manufacturing plant) to come to the county and in particular the city of Hendersonville. One opportunity that I think we will definitely have to work on in the next couple of years is going to be workforce housing. I think the city will need to work with the county to identify places where we would like to have this level of housing so that our workforce has a place to live and can afford to live there. Another opportunity is the development of downtown Hendersonville and all of the city, sort of like the science center across from the YMCA. We worked with the county in developing that site.  Weve shown we know how to work with them, the city is ready to work with them and there certainly are some shining examples of what we can continue to do.

Vesely: Like Jerry said, the Ecusta Trail, working with the county with the Wingate development (to create the Health Sciences building). We work pretty well I think with the county at the level of employees. I think where it has failed is the water and sewer conflicts with the county. That needs to get resolved. How are we going to bring commerce to Hendersonville if they dont have proper water and sewer? I feel if these companies want to be part of the city then I believe they need to be annexed into the city.

Walsh: For cooperation at a local level, we have to be able to communicate with the local city boards and with the commissioners. Youve got boards and advisory committees at the city level and the county level and youve got to make sure people are on the same page. In different meetings youll have people talking about the same things and going in different directions and that doesnt help us advance at all. It ends up causing conflict. Weve got to be able to cooperate in the Seventh Avenue revitalization project and with whats happening in the downtown area also. We have to realize that we are going to expand. The other thing is, we have to work on governmental cooperation as well, whether its us being accountable to business owners and our residents. We have to work with other local officials, whether it is the police chief, the fire chief, the city manager. And on top of that, from a macro level, youve got to be able to work with your state legislators because they are the ones that are giving us this bubble were able to operate in.

Baer: The Ecusta Trail is one of the great examples of what can happen when not just county and city but other entities including private organizations, Conserving Carolina, the Friends of Ecusta Trail cooperate. It does work and I think thats the starting point. Lets not focus on whats broken, lets focus on what does work and make more of that.  To me (the unity) was one of the most encouraging things Ive seen in over 20 years of living in Hendersonville. So I think thats the pattern. Lets find those projects, find those challenges. This might sound a little bumper stickery but weve got to do this together. Look at water and sewer, look at education, look at what I call all-level housing. Theres so many opportunities and challenges. We can pull together around those and have more successes like Ecusta Trail.

Volk: Yes to all the things that have been mentioned and things that have happened. A couple of things that are occurring right now. Theres a committee not just the city and county but other cities as well discussing what were doing with our ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds, millions of dollars coming into our community. So were looking at how we can coordinate our efforts on that. Another thing coming up that I feel we should be working on. County has started working on its comprehensive plan. City is going to be updating our comprehensive plan as well and its a good time we can work together and coordinate, make sure that these two long-range plans mesh.

Harrington: Its been said a lot but I think communication is key. Communicating even with the residents of the city and county and the business owners. I love the Ecusta Trail, I think its awesome. I want to go to the people and get them involved, if its Seventh Avenue, the business owners on Main Street, and even the business owners off of Main Street. Getting everybody involved is key.



Managing growth

The Census showed that Hendersonville and all of Henderson County continues to experience strong population growth. What would you do to manage growth and ensure a strong quality of life in Hendersonville?

Smith: When a developer proposed a large housing complex on Haywood Road, more than 100 residents turned out at a public meeting to oppose it. I think it was a very strong no as far as the size and complexity of the project. This is an example of what we have to do to manage growth. People are going to move to Henderson County, people are going to move to Hendersonville. What I will continue to do and what Ive done in my 12 years on council is to balance the needs to protect the way of life people have now with the reality that people are going to move here. We have to make clear to our residents and our businesses where we want to have neighborhoods and where we want to have commercial uses.

Vesely: So how do we get businesses here? I dont think we can keep growing up like our neighbors to our north  apartment complexes everywhere. We need to provide the houses to get our workforce people here. How do we get them here? Good training, good benefits, good housing, water, sewer, highway infrastructure. All workforce people want their own homestead. They want to live and have their own piece of property instead of an apartment.  Mostly out in the county on our outskirts we have septic systems that are failing, so we need to provide that infrastructure to build our commerce.

Walsh: One of the things Im running on is safety, structure and sustainability, and all too often when you hear the word sustainability they think wind turbines and solar panels. Sustainability actually encompasses economic sustainability as well and I think we know, based on the census information and whats going on in our backyard, that people are coming here whether were ready or not. I think (working with the county) we can control how fast we grow. With that being said, we have to take into consideration whats going to raise our standard of living in the community  the type of businesses, the type of people who were attracting.  If we have more people in this community and we cant service them the way they deserve, it will decrease our quality of life.  We need growth, we cannot go backwards.

Baer: Growth is going to happen, this is not an option for us, and as in most cases in life we have to make sure that we are both embracing it and guiding it and not just letting it happen to us. At the least, we need be looking at balance. Im a huge supporter of comprehensive planning, so that we have a roadmap and an agreed set of priorities and principles that we use  so were not living in a knee-jerk reaction. To me it comes back to, how are we going to keep Hendersonville the city that everyone loves. This is coming. It can be great or it can be devastating.

Morales: I think its interesting Mike Vesely brought up our neighbor to the north. I think theyre a tremendous example of what failure looks like in my eyes whenever you talk about growth and planning and the people that are most impacted. Its critical to look at how many voices are in the room where decisions are made. Those interests are not being met, those conversations are not being had, those people are not represented. We can say that we will listen to them but at the end of the day its just a gesture unless theyre actually in the room. We have lot of conversation about Seventh Avenue but Id ask anyone if they would be able to define revitalization and understand the implications of gentrifying an area and displacing communities that are there.

Harrington: As stated by everyone, growth is happening. Im in the construction business and I see it personally. Business-wise, I want growth but as a family, as a future, we do need to be careful. We see a lot of (applications) trying to rezone property, trying to use the maximum amount of the footprint. I would really be cautious of that. If we took a real snap picture of  are we set for it, is our foundation able to handle the growth that is coming, some of the decisions are going to be tough decisions. Look at our infrastructure, our roads, our internet. We have great health care, we have great businesses. We need to keep that and sometimes we need to look inward so we can look outward.

Volk: We live in a desirable area and growth is going to come. If we tried to stop it, all wed do is raise the prices of houses that are already here. We need to try to accommodate this growth and if we can keep it as close into the city as possible it will help with providing those services, primarily water and sewer, that are needed. we can also provide things like greenways and the Ecusta Trail and sidewalks so people can walk places instead of having to get into their car. Keeping downtown the way it is and expanding over into Seventh Avenue  giving people that hometown feel. Thats what people like about Hendersonville so a lot of the focus for the city has been to keep this the center of all of our concerns. And being able to provide excellent services, pay our employees well so we retain the best of those employees.



Affordable housing

Many candidates talk about the importance of attracting businesses that will pay well. That makes sense but how do you solve the problem of housing for low-income people. There will always be jobs like police, teachers and service industry that do not pay enough to buy a home in Hendersonville. What solutions do you have for the city to provide housing?

Baer: The cost of housing in Hendersonville is really a function of supply and demand. We need more housing and the more housing we have at all levels, the more well be able to find affordable levels for various folks. We have city employees who cant live in the city so I think, No. 1, weve got to do everything in our power to increase the supply of nice housing. I dont think the answer is for the city to build housing. Thats been tried for decades and its failed miserably in virtually every place its been tried. But I like the partnership with Habitat for Humanity, for example. There are other agencies like that will help us expand our supply of housing. We ought to be partnering with every agency that wants to build housing and help make it happen.

Morales: The question goes to the heart of the issue and its honestly a pretty scary one for a lot of people whose livelihood depends on the businesses and on the stability of our economy. When something like Covid happens, or whenever we have a less than robust tourism season, these peoples hours are cut. With increasing rent, displacement is inevitable. The question specifically, how will we fix the lack of housing for those people  Im running for a City Council seat so that requires cooperation with a lot of different entities and it requires a pretty robust investigation into zoning as well, how outdated our zoning is and how we can evolve it.

Smith: First, as a member of City Council for the next four years, I will actively work to acquire land that we will then try to attract a developer in, specifically with the idea of developing either affordable housing or workforce housing and preferably both. Second, I think we have to form a task force between the municipalities and the county, sort of like the Partnership for Economic Development. We work with that group to identify parts of the county but not necessarily land in the city where we would like to develop workforce and affordable housing for people that want to live and work in Hendersonville  and acquire that land as a group and attract developers who will come in and build that housing that we need.

Vesely: We need to continue with the Housing Assistance Corp., not owning these properties. We need to partner with Habitat or another contractor to build 1,300, 1,500-square-foot homes for people on the workforce housing. We have to work to find issues with the homeless to get them in homes. We have to do better acquiring land for housing.

Walsh: When we hear affordable housing, some of us think Section 8, some of us think low-income. Some people dont want to own their home, some people dont the yardwork, some people dont want the maintenance, some people want valet trash, and so I challenge you guys to consider what it is most people want. But at the same time we have to decide, are we going to make things more affordable and go towards the lower income demographic or how do we challenge to make it more affordable for the majority because what is affordable to me might not be as affordable for some of the other people on this call. So when you use that word youre walking a very tight line. Youre assuming everybody is at a certain level and theyre not. She would encourage people to level up, find a way to make more money, find a way to get a better job, find a way to advance in the community, own your own business, be a top sales manager.

Volk: She said she recently ran across remarks former Mayor Fred Niehoff made in 1997 about challenges in the city. What was the No. 1 challenge? Affordable housing. Twenty-five years ago. This is a not a situation that we are going to solve. All we can do is help. Working with developers, giving our approval to tax credit projects, having to balance that with the neighborhoods that dont want lots and lots of housing on that empty lot on N.C. 191. Its a major effort that the city cannot solve, trying to work with partners. We can do what were doing, trying to bring our employees salaries up so that they can afford a decent house in or close to the city.

Harrington: Being in the construction industry I know the cost of housing keeps on going up. Thats a big challenge. He has talked to a mentor about a nonprofit to help people build a home. Theres grants out there to help people. Communication is key in making programs known to others to help them. If they dont want ownership maybe the condo is better for them.  Putting money into your own box or someone elses box is the key. A vibrant city we talked about  having good jobs here, making people want to be here and raising those wages up.
A DEAF and blind man completed a wing walk at 6,000ft for charity.

Tony Lawton, 74, from Caversham, has been taking on crazy challenges over the past nine years since his wife Chrissie passed away.

He said he wanted to push himself to the limit and raise money for the Reading Association for the Blind.

He completed the 130mph wing walk on a Forties Boeing Stearman biplane at RFC Rendcomb Airfield, near Cirencester.

It went really well, said Mr Lawton. It was scary and wild at times but amazing.

The plane obviously jerks and shakes and I almost thought it would fall apart. After a couple of minutes I realised that was normal as it was very windy up there. It was also noisy, especially with my hearing aid.

I started to relax and tried to put one of my arms out and it was fantastic. The whole experience lasted 10 minutes and was amazing. He completed the challenge with his friend Bob Bristow, who is chairman of trustees for the charity.

Mr Lawton, who used to work for the Environment Agency collecting data, raised more than 2,015. He said: Im really pleased.

Over the years, he has sailed across the Southern Indian Ocean with the Jubilee Sailing Trust, cycled across the UK from coast to coast on a tandem bike, experienced driving up to 100mph, completed a 13,000ft skydive, abseiled down a bridge and had an exhilarating zip wire experience.

He said: I have no fear at all. All my life Ive been taking risks and its something I do all the time.

When Chrissie died I decided to do something crazy the year after and then thought I would carry on. The skydive was amazing. I wasnt happy about being pushed off the plane and free falling for five minutes but it was a magical moment when the parachute opened and we were gliding around like a bird.

Mr Lawton, who suffers from usher syndrome, is now planning his next challenge which he thinks will be something to do with water.

He said: My condition does not stop me and I refuse to be different. Some days I struggle but Im only human.

Meanwhile, a book about Mr Lawsons life is being written by John Moore, who is a friend.

The book is called Silent Pigeons Coo and subtitled One mans story of overcoming progressive sensory loss.

Mr Moore, a former advertising copywriter, interviewed Mr Lawson over four years to gather all the material.

He said: I knew his family wanted his story written up and as I heard more and more about his life, I thought it was a story worth telling  he really is remarkable and this is a memoir telling exactly how he is.

For example, in the Fifties it was mandatory for blind children to go to special schools but Tony insisted on going to a regular school in Caversham.

He went on to earn a degree in engineering and built a career for himself. He is so adventurous and has done so many things.

Writing the book was a challenge as Tony could not make any notes and I had to read most of it back to him  sometimes he was in tears as some of it is very emotional.

Mr Moore is planning to launch the book during the Henley Literary Festival in October.

Mr Lawson, who has two daughters and three grandchildren, said: It has taken John a couple of years to get a sense of it, so I said, Ill believe it when I see it.

To donate to the Reading Association for the Blind, visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/

TonyLawton1/1
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The scale model Hanson Express train engine, created and used by the House of David at its amusement park in Benton Harbor during the mid-1900s, along with the rest of its train cars, will soon by on display at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum in Geneva Township. The train was donated by Merlin Hanson of St. Joseph, a Southwest Michigan entrepreneur and community leader.
Multimedia Video Journalist

Buffalo native trying to get her news on! Im a Multimedia Journalist here at Your Hometown Stations and I love what I do. Have a cool story idea? Im in! Just email me at ashelton@wlio.com or message my Facebook page.
Colonial Pipeline, the major fuel line connecting Houstons refineries to the East Coast, temporarily shut down some of its network on Sunday as Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana.

The pipeline, which carries nearly 3 million barrels of fuel a day between Texas and New York, said it temporarily shut down two lines from Houston to Greensboro, North Carolina, as a precaution ahead of Ida. The Georgia-based company said the rest of its pipeline network from North Carolina to New Jersey is operating normally. The pipeline was the target of a cyber-attack in May, which caused major fuel disruptions and gasoline shortages in the southeast U.S.

As part of our weather preparedness and response plans, we have procedures in place to ensure the safety, protection and integrity of our pipeline and our assets  including proactively shutting down our lines when necessary, said Wes Dunbar, Colonial Pipeline's vice president of operations.

Ida blasted ashore near Port Fourchon, La., around noon Sunday as an "extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Weather Service. The hurricane, one of the most powerful to ever hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, threatens the nations largest concentration of refineries, petrochemical plants and offshore platforms.

The hurricane temporarily halted pipelines, offshore oil and gas production, refining and petrochemical manufacturing as companies shut down facilities and evacuated employees out of harms way. The shutdowns are not expected to cause any immediate supply issues, because crude and gasoline supplies are 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively, above the five-year seasonal average, according to the Energy Department.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, a fuel-tracking website, said it is too early to predict Idas impact on gasoline supplies and prices. De Haan on Monday said he expects there will be no gasoline shortages because of the Colonial Pipeline's temporary shutdown -- only if people panic and there's a run on fuel stations.

For now, this is still not likely to be a major event for gas prices, De Haan said. If anything, Houston could see prices falling slightly as refiners in the area could get backed up with gasoline since power may be an issue for the Colonial Pipeline.

UPDATE: Oil companies evacuate Gulf, curtail production ahead of Ida

Ida has forced oil companies to temporarily shut down nearly 96 percent of crude production and nearly 94 percent of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. More than 1.7 million barrels per day of oil production and nearly 2.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas production has been halted in the Gulf, surpassing cuts seen during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to the Interior Department. The U.S. Gulf of Mexico produces 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, about 17 percent of the nations oil production and is second only to shale production in Texas.

Companies have evacuated offshore workers from 288 production platforms, more than half of the 560 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Interior Department. Workers have been evacuated from all 11 stationary drilling rigs operating in the Gulf, and companies moved 10 of the 15 mobile drilling rigs away from Idas track, the department said Sunday.

BHP, BP, Chevron, Equinor, Exxon Mobil and Murphy Oil said they shut-in production and evacuated their Gulf platforms. Royal Dutch Shell said it shut in production, halted its Auger and Enchilada/Salsa platforms and evacuated crews from its Ursa, Mars, Olympus and Appomattox platforms.

At least nine refineries in Louisiana have reduced production or shut down operations ahead of Ida's arrival, curtailing about 2.3 million barrels per day or 13 percent of U.S. refinery capacity, according to the Energy Department.

Valero on Sunday said its St. Charles and Meraux refineries were shut down in advance of Hurricane Idas landfall. Phillips 66 shut down its Alliance refinery in Belle Chasse, La., and evacuated all employees. The plant has a refining capacity of 255,600 barrels per day.

GULF COAST: Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana; New Orleans hunkers down

Shell shut down its Norco refinery in Louisiana, which has a refining capacity of 230,600 barrels per day, as well as its Geismar petrochemical plant. Westlake Chemical also shut down its its Geismar and Plaquemine plants ahead of Idas arrival.



Chevron closed its Fourchon and Empire terminals and pipelines in Louisiana.

The Port of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Gramercy and Morgan City in Louisiana and the Port of Pascagoula in Mississippi are closed to inbound traffic Saturday, according to the Energy Department.

The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the largest privately-owned crude terminal in the United States, said Saturday it has temporarily paused deliveries until storm impacts subside. The LOOP handles 10 to 15 percent of the nation's domestic oil, 10 to 15 percent of the nation's imports of foreign oil, and is connected to about half of the U.S. refining capacity, according to the Ports website.

Kinder Morgan shut down its International Marine Terminals facility Friday evening due to a mandatory evacuation order for the area. The Houston pipeline operators Harvey and Seven Oaks Terminals were shut down Saturday night in advance of the storm.

Several facilities will likely be spared from Idas wrath. Citgo and LyondellBasell said they do not expect their respective facilities in Lake Charles, La., to be impacted given the storms trajectory. Liquefied Natural Gas facilities operated by Cheniere Energy, Cameron LNG, and Freeport LNG said they remain confident they will remain open since they are located west of Idas path.

Ida's wind speed will play a major role in how much damage Gulf oil and gas facilities will incur, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics. If the hurricane comes in with 120 mph winds, it could disrupt refining and petrochemical operations, Platts Analytics said. Category 4 hurricanes have winds of at least 130 mph.

CenterPoint Energy on Sunday said it is sending more than 200 employees and contractors to Louisiana on Monday, joining crews from at least 22 states, to help local utilities restore power to customers following Hurricane Ida. Around a million people in Louisiana were without power on Monday morning.

NOAAs Climate Prediction Center is forecasting another busier-than-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year, with 13 to 20 named storms. The Atlantic hurricane season ends in November.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the second most active on record, forced offshore oil producers to curtail about 110,000 barrels per day. Thats the most since the 2008 hurricane season, which saw curtailments of nearly 140,000 barrels of oil a day, according to S&P Global Platts.
Oil companies have temporarily shut down nearly 91 percent of crude production in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Ida barrels toward the Louisiana coast, threatening the nations largest concentration of oil and gas facilities.

More than 1.6 million barrels per day of oil production has been halted in the Gulf, surpassing cuts seen during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to the Interior Department. The U.S. Gulf of Mexico produces 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, about 17 percent of the nations oil production and is second only to shale production in Texas.

Ida is expected to make landfall in Louisiana Sunday as the first major hurricane of the year to significantly impact the nations largest concentration of refineries, petrochemical plants and offshore platforms. The storm is expected to land as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of at least 130 miles per hour, causing storm surges, torrential downpours and widespread wind damage and power outages. Sunday is the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

"Hurricane Ida is expected to come ashore along the same path as other storms, which did extensive damage to U.S. Gulf Coast refining and petrochemical facilities, S&P Global Platts Analytics said Saturday. Many plants have been hardened against hurricanes, but disruptions in operations are still very likely due to flooding, power outages and personnel dislocations."

Oil companies have evacuated offshore workers from 279 production platforms, nearly half of the 560 platforms operating in the Gulf, according to the Interior Department. Workers have been evacuated from all 11 stationary drilling rigs operating in the Gulf, and 11 of the 15 mobile drilling rigs in the Gulf have been moved from the storms track, the department said Saturday.

BHP, BP, Chevron, Equinor, Exxon Mobil, Murphy Oil said they shut in production and evacuated their Gulf platforms. Royal Dutch Shell said it shut in production, halted its Auger and Enchilada/Salsa platforms and evacuated crews from its Ursa, Mars, Olympus and Appomattox platforms.

OFFSHORE: Historic 2020 hurricane season wreaked havoc on offshore drillers

Refiners and petrochemical operators in Louisiana also began closing plants ahead of the Ida. Phillips 66 said it closed its Alliance refinery in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, which has a refining capacity of 255,600 barrels per day. Shell said it shut down its Norco refinery in Louisiana, which has a refining capacity of 230,600 barrels per day, as well as its Geismar petrochemical plant. Chevron said it closed its Fourchon and Empire terminals and pipelines in Louisiana.

Nearly 4.4 million barrels per day of refining capacity is in the path of Ida, according to Platts Analytics. This includes Louisianas 17 refineries, which have a total refining capacity of 3.4 million barrels per day, representing about a fifth of the nations total capacity, according to the Energy Department.

The Louisiana and Mississippi refineries in Idas path account for 1.5 million barrels per day of gasoline output, 1.2 million barrels per day of distillate fuel oil production and 350,000 barrels per day of aviation fuel supply, according to Platts Analytics.

A number of gasoline stations in Louisiana ran out of fuel as millions of residents in Idas path evacuated the region. On Saturday afternoon, 7.5 percent of gasoline stations in New Orleans and 8.4 percent of stations in Baton Rouge were out of gasoline, according to Gas Buddy, a website that tracks fuel prices and demand.

Gasoline shortages in Louisiana are expected to rise as Ida knocks out power and damages fuel facilities. In Houston however, gasoline supplies should not see much of an impact and prices should not rise more than a few cents, according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

Liquefied Natural Gas facilities operated by Cheniere Energy, Cameron LNG, and Freeport LNG said they remain confident they will remain open since they are located west of Idas path.

NOAAs Climate Prediction Center is forecasting another busier-than-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year, with 13 to 20 named storms.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the second most-active on record, forced offshore oil producers to curtail about 110,000 barrels per day. Thats the most since the 2008 hurricane season, which saw curtailments of nearly 140,000 barrels of oil a day, according to S&P Global Platts.




SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP)  A man who led efforts in his Central Texas community against mask wearing and other preventative measures during the coronavirus pandemic has died from COVID-19, one month after being admitted to the emergency room.

Caleb Wallace died on Saturday, his wife Jessica Wallace said on a GoFundMe page where she had been posting updates on his condition, the San Angelo Standard-Times reported Saturday. He was 30 years old and a father of three children. His wife is pregnant with their fourth child.

Caleb has peacefully passed on. He will forever live in our hearts and minds, Jessica Wallace wrote.

On July 4, 2020, Caleb Wallace helped organize The Freedom Rally in San Angelo. People at the event carried signs that criticized the wearing of masks, business closures, the science behind COVID-19, and liberal media. He also organized the group The San Angelo Freedom Defenders."

We are not real happy with the current state of America at the moment, Wallace said in July 2020.

In April, he wrote a letter to the San Angelo school district, demanding it rescind all its COVID-19 protocols.

'I WILL DIE BEFORE I GET VACCINATED': FDA approval only strengthens skepticism for some Houstonians

Jessica Wallace told the newspaper her husband began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms on July 26 but refused to get tested or go to the hospital. He instead took high doses of Vitamin C, zinc aspirin and ivermectin, an anti-parasitic medicine that officials have urged people not to take for COVID-19.

Caleb Wallace was taken to an emergency room on July 30 and since Aug. 8, he had been unconscious and on a ventilator.

A day before his death, Jessica Wallace has posted on the familys GoFundMe page that her husband was an imperfect man but he loved his family and his little girls more than anything.

To those who wished him death, Im sorry his views and opinions hurt you. I prayed hed come out of this with a new perspective and more appreciation for life. I cant say much more than that because I cant speak for him, she said.
Two people were shot by police over the weekend in separate incidents in the Independence Heights and Meyerland areas.

In the first incident, on Saturday night, a police officer shot a person in the leg after they tried to drive away during a traffic stop in Independence Heights, dragging the officer with them, according to police.

Houston police officers conducted a traffic stop just after 7 p.m. after they saw a vehicle driving with illegally tinted windows and other "equipment violations" in the 7400 block of North Main Street, Assistant Police Chief Chandra Hatcher of the Houston Police Department said.

The driver quickly got out of the vehicle but then climbed back in and closed the door, Hatcher said. When an officer approached the vehicle and tried to open the door, the driver tried to force it back shut, and a struggle ensued.

The driver tried to speed off while the officer was holding on, and both tumbled out of the moving vehicle, Hatcher said. The officer fired his gun multiple times as he wrestled with the driver, and shooting them at least once in the leg.

The officer was hit in the head during the struggle, Hatcher said. Both he and the driver were taken to the hospital, where their conditions were stabilized.

On Sunday morning, a Precinct 5 deputy shot a man who allegedly stabbed two people and charged officers with a knife in the Meyerland area, according to police.

Officers responding to an assault found two people bleeding from stab wounds about 10 a.m. inside a house in the 5400 block of Wigton Drive, Assistant Chief Eric Garcia of the Houston Police Department said.

Shortly after putting a call out to dispatch, officers with HPD and the Precinct 5 constable's office found a man with a knife in the 10300 block of Mullins Drive, Garcia said. The man allegedly charged at a deputy with a knife and after shouting at him to drop it, the officer opened fire, striking him multiple times.

The man was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, Garcia said. The stabbing victims, who are believed to be his family members, were also stabilized at the same hospital.

Both incidents remain under investigation.
The imminent arrival of Hurricane Ida sent Louisiana residents scrambling for shelter in Texas ahead of life-threatening storm surge.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation reported heavy congestion clogging Interstate 10 Saturday as motorists fled evacuation zones along the Gulf Coast. Countless residents took refuge in Houston as they waitied to hear on how their homes weathered the storm.

Louisiana resident Dugue Daigle and his family began driving at 4 a.m. Saturday to beat traffic after evacuating their home in Covington, north of Lake Pontchartrain. The 45-year old business owner planned to ride out the hurricane at a Residence Inn in Pasadena with his wife and 10-year old son.

Sixteen years ago, Daigles home was damaged by a falling pine tree and was without power for weeks following Hurricane Katrine. His wifes family lost everything. This time, they decided they didnt want to worry about the stresses of staying behind.

While their home was not in a mandatory evacuation zone, the Daigles gathered up their photo albums, a few days worth of clothing, and drove west. They planned to stay in their Houston hotel for at least two nights.

Everybody has their own threshold of what they are willing to deal with, he said. Different danger levels.

Others who waited until Saturday afternoon to evacuate had a different experience on the ride out. Rebecca Barbier, of Spring Branch, was visiting New Orleans and had to cut the trip short when they heard the Hurricane became a category four. For most of the drive, Barbier and her husband were stuck in standstill traffic and when there was movement, it wasnt any faster than 19 mile per hour.

She began to get nervous when she saw they only had three gallons of gas left and fueling station after fueling station was out of gas. They had to take a slight detour to Lake Charles to fill up.

She couldnt help, but think about how a similar situation played out in 2005 when Houstoians evacuated for Hurricane Rita.

You would think the state governments, and federal emergency management systems would have some sort of evacuation plan, Barbier said. People shouldn't be in fear, stranded on the roads.

Northeast of Houston, on a 21-acre farm on the Texas-Louisiana border, Kristin and Roy Zirpoli were preparing Saturday night for the arrival of several Louisiana evacuees. The couple opened their Kirbyville farm to anyone seeking shelter, provided, as Roy said, they dont mind boondocking for a bit.

Word of their willingness to host quickly spread on Facebook through the New Orleans-based nonprofit Cajun Navy Relief, and within hours they had their first takers. Two evacuated families  one from Baton Rouge, the other from Alexandria  had arrived to the wooded property in their RVs. The Zirpolis set up tents for a third family coming from New Orleans.

It is only the neighborly and human thing to do, Roy said.

Besides offering up their homes, some Houstonians are also collecting supplies for evacuees who hastily had to get to the Bayou City. Shelley Kutsch, who owns her own gym in the Rice Military Area, Shredded by Shelley, is asking her clients and friends to help her gather air matresses, sleeping bags sheets and other items for evacuees from Louisiana.

She pulled together similar efforts during Harvey and Katrina. She also remembers when her friends in New Orleans offered her a place to stay during the winter freeze.

That's what we do in Houston. When there is a disaster we help people, Kutsch said. Everyone in here kind of just knows someone from Louisiana ... theyre our neighbors.

Both Mattress Mack and Lakewood Church opened their doors to evacuees in need.

Umme Salma, 38, left New Orleans with her husband and three children about 2:30 p.m. Saturday and didn't make it to her brother-in-law's house in Katy until 6 a.m. Sunday.

Despite her exhaustion, the trip was worth it for Salma, who remembers having to shelter at the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. She considered hunkering down for Ida at home, but decided she wasn't keen on reliving that experience.

I'm tired and stressed out, but I'm just happy that we got out. We're OK, and that's what matters, Salma said.

Salma and her family are staying with Md Monirul Islam, a mechanical engineer who invited relatives in New Orleans to ride out the storm with him before extending that invitation to their friends and family as well.

Islam, 35, said he has about 30 people staying at his home in Katy now. The women and children sleep in the houses four bedrooms, while the men are sleeping on the floor in the game room.

I heard the news and told them it seemed risky to stay there and they were welcome at my house, Islam said. Im really proud to help and support them, me and my wife.

The guests have been a joy to have around, Islam said.

The kids are playing upstairs and downstairs, the children are making it a lively house, said Islam, who has a 3-year-old daughter and also serves as president of the nonprofit, Projects For Humanity.
Houston volunteers and donors responded to not one, but two, humanitarian crises Saturday: the magnitude 7.2 earthquake earlier this month in Haiti; and the still-unfolding U.S. airlift of refugees fleeing Afghanistan.

Cars lined up in the parking lot of the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Sugar Land. From their trunks, volunteers in green Ismaili Civic T-shirts left donations of household items, toiletries, linens, non-perishable food, cleaning supplies and clothing. Some of those things were bound for Haiti; some would go to Afghan refugees newly arrived in the Houston area.

Its a lot of stuff, marveled Aresha Davwa, who oversees the youth volunteers.

In northwest Houston, at National Association of Christian Churches Disaster Services, volunteers loaded donations onto 18-wheelers. It was the end of a week-long drive for aid bound to Haiti, a drive promoted by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Oh, my goodness! said Shirley Laneaut, president of Houston Haitians United, as she surveyed the scene. Right behind me is a huge box of toiletries, toothpaste and hand sanitizers. Weve got cases and cases of water. Vans are rolling in packed over capacity with donations! Its beautiful.

Laneaut wasnt yet sure where in Haiti those donations would go. The need, she noted, is great in many parts in the island nation. In the wake of the shocking assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moise, and in the teeth of the global COVID pandemic, the powerful earthquake destroyed 50,000 homes and significantly damaged many more. Roads have been destroyed, and health care facilities disrupted.

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Its been traumatic for the people of Haiti, Laneaut noted. But were overwhelmed by this response.

Household goods from the Ismaili drive would go to a family of six Afghan refugees who arrived in the Houston area earlier this week, said Betsy Ballard, director of communications for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

So far this month, Catholic Charities  just one of the nonprofits that resettles refugees in the Houston area  has resettled eight Afghan families. Some fled Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover, said Ballard. Others came after.

They were all escaping some kind of situation, she said.

And that, Ballard said, is likely to be just the beginning. The U.S. State Department traditionally allots a large number of refugees to Houston, which is known for its diversity, welcoming attitude, and job-creating economy.

Roughly 50,000 Afghan refugees who worked for U.S. military have applied for Special Immigrant Visas for themselves and their families to resettle in the U.S. But given the shocking speed with which Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, theres been no time for the usual approval process, which is notorious for years-long delays.

Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston recently estimated that 1,500 to 2,500 of those betwixt-and-between refugees will come to Houston over the next six to nine months.

Resettling refugees isnt easy in the best of times: Federal support runs out in a matter of weeks  which doesnt give refugees much time to find a job, learn a new culture and new language, and deal with whatever trauma forced them to flee their homeland.

But for the refugees rushed to the U.S. without full visa approval, even that federal aid isnt yet available. Nor will they be eligible for government aid for food or medical care. So their resettlement will depend on private donations.

And its not just stuff, Ballard said. Cash is really important. Its almost always the best thing. In the past week, to help Afghan refugees, Houston-area donors gave Catholic Charities $35,000 via its website, catholiccharities.org/afghanistan/.

Whats going on in Afghanistan now, said Ballard, is heartbreaking.

lisa.gray@chron.com, twitter.com/LisaGray_HouTX
Jay Jordan

A man was fatally shot in his southwest Houston home early Sunday.

About four to six shots were fired, and at least one struck the male in his early 30s. He was found dead in his garage at Densmore and Hillcroft around 2:45 a.m., according to the Houston Police Department.
Jay Jordan

A woman died in a three-vehicle crash in Cypress early Sunday, according to Harris County Constable Office Precinct 4.

The crash occurred after one of the vehicles ran a red light and hit two other vehicles at the intersection of the U.S. 290 feeder and Fry Road, according to a witness. Two people were pinned inside one of the cars, and deputies and Cy-Fair Fire Department were able to free them.
Hurricane Ida is looking eerily like a dangerous and perhaps scarier sequel to 2005s Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm in American history. But there's a few still-to-come twists that could make Ida nastier in some ways, but not quite as horrific in others.

Ida is forecast to make landfall on the same calendar date, Aug. 29, as Katrina did 16 years ago, striking the same general part of Louisiana with about the same wind speed, after rapidly strengthening by going over a similar patch of deep warm water that supercharges hurricanes.

What could be different is crucial though: direction, size and strength.

Ida will most definitely be stronger than Katrina, and by a pretty big margin, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. And, the worst of the storm will pass over New Orleans and Baton Rouge, which got the weaker side of Katrina.

Ida is already a strong Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds and forecast to hit 155 mph before landfall, a sneeze away from becoming the fifth Category 5 landfall on the continental U.S., McNoldy said. It could be the first Category 5 storm to hit Louisiana or the strongest storm to hit the state.

Katrina weakened quite a bit before landfall, striking Louisiana as a Category 3 storm with 127 mph winds.

Katrina hit Louisiana from due south, while Ida is coming to the same part of the state from southeast. On Sunday, Idas hurricane-force winds extended 37 miles from the center, compared to Katrinas hurricane-force winds that spread 98 miles from the center when it made landfall, McNoldy said.

This has the potential to be more of a natural disaster whereas the big issue in Katrina was more of a man-made one because of levee failures, said McNoldy. Levee failures pushed Katrinas death toll to 1,833 and its overall damage to about $176 billion in current dollars, and experts dont expect Ida to come near those totals.

Different direction

Ida is coming to the same general place from a slightly different direction. Several hurricane experts fear that difference in angle may put New Orleans more in the dangerous storm quadrant  the right front part of a hurricane  than it was in Katrina, when the city was more devastated by levee failure than storm surge. Katrinas northeast quadrant pushed 28-foot (8.5-meter) storm surges in Mississippi not New Orleans.

Idas angle is potentially even worse, McNoldy said. Because it is smaller "it's not going to as easily create a huge storm surge ... but the angle that this is coming in, I think is more conducive to pushing water into the lake (Pontchartrain).

That northwestern path of Ida not only puts New Orleans more in the bullseye than it did in Katrina, but it also more targets Baton Rouge and crucial industrial areas, said meteorologist Jeff Masters, who flew hurricane missions for the government and founded Weather Underground. He said Ida is forecast to move through the just absolute worst place for a hurricane.

It is forecast to track over the industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which is one of the key infrastructure regions of the U.S., critical to the economy, theres hundreds of major industry sites there I mean petrochemical sites, three of the 15 largest ports in America, a nuclear power plant, Masters said. Youre probably going to shut down the Mississippi River for barge traffic for multiple weeks."

Its not just the coastal impact. Its not just New Orleans, said meteorologist Steve Bowen, head of global catastrophe insight at the risk and consulting firm Aon. Were certainly looking at potential losses well into the billions.

Size matters

The difference is size is not just physically huge, but it matters for damages. Storms that are bigger in width have larger storm surge because of the broader push of the water.

Ida is not going to generate the huge storm surge like Katrina did, itll have more focused storm surge like (1969s) Camille, Masters said.

But larger in size storms are often weaker, Bowen said. Theres a trade off of intense damage in a smaller area versus less damage, but still bad, in a wider area. Bowen and Princeton Universitys Gabriel Vecchi said they don't know which scenario would be worse in this case.

Rapid intensification

Ida late Saturday and early Sunday feasted on an eddy of whats called the Loop Current, going from 105 mph winds to 150 mph winds in just eight hours. The Loop Current is this deep patch of incredibly warm water. It takes warm water off the Yucatan Peninsula does a loop in the Gulf of Mexico and spins up the eastern edge of Florida into the Gulf Stream. Water above 79 degrees is hurricane fuel.

Normally when a storm intensifies or stalls it takes up all of the regions warm water and then hits colder water that starts to weaken the storm or at least keeps it from further strengthening. But these warm water spots keep fueling a storm. Katrina powered up this way and so did Ida, gaining power over an area with hurricane fuel more than 500 feet (150 meters) deep, just a hot tub, McNoldy said.

Running over these Loop Current (eddys) is a very big deal. Its really dangerous, said climate and hurricane scientist Kossin of The Climate Service.

In the past 40 years more hurricanes are rapidly intensifying more often and climate change seems to be at least partly to be blame, Kossin and Vecchi said. Hurricane Grace already rapidly intensified this year and last year Hanna, Laura, Sally, Teddy, Gamma and Delta all rapidly intensified.

It has a human fingerprint on it, said Kossin, who with Vecchi was part of a 2019 study on recent rapid intensifications.

New eyewall

After a hurricane rapidly intensifies it becomes so strong and its eye so small that it often can't quite keep going that way, so it forms an outer eyewall and the inside eyewall collapses, Kossin said. That's called eyewall replacement.

When a new eyewall forms, often a storm becomes larger in size but a bit weaker, Kossin said. So key for Ida is when and if that happens. It happened for Katrina, which steadily weakened in the 12 hours before it made landfall.

Ida could start an eyewall replacement but at this point I don't it would matter, McNoldy said. It has run out of time to do anything that would make a difference.

History

Meteorologists have improved forecasts and they hope that Louisiana is better prepared than in 2005 with a stronger levee system. However, Bowen said Ida is coming a year after Hurricane Laura smacked Louisiana in 2020 with 150 mph winds.

"No U.S. state since 1851 has ever recorded back-to-back years of 150+ mph hurricanes making landfall," Bowen said. Following Lauras landfall in 2020, Louisiana is about to make unfortunate history.

Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears.

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.
Bach Truong rarely left her office to have lunch at home but by good fortune she was there on April 30, 1975, when her husband, Thanh Van, rushed in the door. Thanh, a communications officer in the South Vietnamese Army, could barely get out the words to her. The president of South Vietnam had surrendered at noon in Saigon and the Americans were gone; the communists were coming and it was time to run. They packed quickly, knowing there was no time to say goodbye to family or friends. The freshly painted pink walls Thanh had labored over in celebration of their newest baby blurred in the background as Bach hastily grabbed her three children, stuffed several small bags with food and warm clothes and rushed out onto the streets of Can Tho.

The news had spread quickly. Crowds were pushing and shoving  a state of chaos never seen before in her quiet and unassuming neighborhood. People were calling out names, their loved ones lost in a sea of manic turmoil. Soldiers were disrobing right there in the middle of the road, tossing their uniforms as far away as possible in order to seamlessly blend back in with the locals. There had been no warning. U.S. President Richard Nixon, on the brink of impeachment, had continued to promise that the few American troops left in South Vietnam would protect them until a true peace settlement was established. But the communist Northern Vietnamese captured city after city, making their way down the country toward the capital. After providing more than 15 years of support in the war against communism, many South Vietnamese trusted that their American allies would not abandon them should Saigon be invaded. They werent prepared for evacuation. Everyone was running for the airport.

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On Aug. 15, 2021, I sat with Bach,, my mother-in-law, and watched in disbelief as videos showed a large crowd of people running alongside an American Air Force cargo plane, some desperately clinging to it, as it lifted off from the Kabul airport. A few days later, another photo of hundreds of Afghans and foreigners stuffed into the belly of a large cargo plane appeared, sparking outrage. The Southeast Asian community demanded to know why the U.S. keeps finding itself in this situation  airlifting out of countries with chaotic and broken exit strategies for the people it promised to protect in exchange for their allegiance. Explosions at the gate to the airport on Thursday injured and killed so many. Is there any integrity left in Americas word?

These powerful images, showing the current devasting plight of the Afghan people, have brought about familiar, terrible memories to many Southeast Asian refugees. We are glued to the local news channel with our grandparents, chattering about it in coffeehouses with friends, whispering to one another as we lay sleepless in bed, writing late into the night to get a voice out on behalf of Afghans.

I asked a Laotian girlfriend, a first-generation child of refugees like me, what her parents had said to her about it. My dad got pretty emotional, Donna Phonevilay said softly over the phone. Im not sure how much theyve been able to process  their life, survival, since they arrived here. They have suppressed so much out of necessity and then this just brought it all back. Her parents arrived in Houston in 1980 and stayed here as the Laotian community continued to grow. As with most refugee communities in the U.S., it was easier to find solace in one another after so much loss. They are so grateful they are not still living in Laos, dealing with the communists and all the money-under-the-table business; yet, at the same time, they feel they were robbed of a life lived how they wanted, Donna said.

The Afghanistan war has buzzed in the background of CNN breaking news and social media my whole adult life, filling my head with hurtful memes, negative stereotypes and unfair judgments of everything happening there. As an American-born Hmong woman, I shamefully admit to have found myself worried of what will happen if the wrong refugees make their way into the U.S., the same way many Americans felt as the first wave of Vietnamese refugees entered in 1975.

I heard the disappointment in my fathers voice when I asked if he had any fears about them. You dont know because it didnt happen to you, but I still remember how scared and worried we all were. We knew Americans were afraid of us. They didnt know we were their No. 1 ally! he said.

We must welcome all the Afghan refugees, as many as the U.S. can bring over. You think they want to come and live here in America, but I tell you the truth  they dont. The culture, language, finding food and jobs  no one wants that hardship. Americans may be afraid but Afghans have lost their country, been separated from their families, maybe forever. Their tears have fallen until there is no more. There is no choice. They have lost  everything.

Donna attests to this exact feeling about her parents. Ive gone back to Laos with my parents and they are completely different people in their homeland. Here in the U.S., sure you can earn what you are worth but back there, our culture is hospitable and amiable. My parents, they glow; my dad is confident, my mom is a lady about town and I can see it in their eyes. They are home, they are alive.

Many times over many years, I have dried the tears of my grandmother, Chee Lo, who recounts of how she lost all of her seven brothers and sisters after they ran into the jungle at Long Cheng. Her husband and twin brother died agonizing deaths after being infected with Agent Orange on the journey to the refugee camps in Thailand; she watched five of her seven small children be slaughtered in a surprise ambush before they reached the Mekong River. No, the Afghan refugees coming here now are not seeing this as an exciting opportunity to live in the United States. They have been broken and they need our help.

Despite the struggle to survive and integrate into a new country, many refugees in the U.S. prosper and take advantage of the opportunities here. My own parents, within five years of landing in Memphis had saved enough money to open their own Chinese restaurant that would eventually grow into a chain with more than 100 locations throughout the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

My mother-in-law tells me, When we first arrived here to America, our sponsor didnt know what to do with us so they had me washing dishes day and night and my husband had to cut the grass for a whole month. They didnt know I could do so much more. And more they did. While working for 30 years at Honeywell, they raised two sons who graduated at the top of their class and earned degrees from Georgia Tech, Duke, Stanford and Vanderbilt; one a chemical engineer and the other, a cardiologist. Within one generation, her family has been lifted out of despair because of the opportunities here  and that makes the past a little more bearable. I asked her what we all can do for those who are now arriving every day in the U.S. She smiled and said, Donate money. Donate time. Find a church who is sponsoring a family and help. Remember that they are people with dreams, too, and they are worth saving, just like me.

Kue Van is a writer who lives in Houston.
Workers swarmed around and under the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. They uncoiled cables, pounded thick wooden beams into place, wielded shovels, stretched out tape measures. In the previous few weeks, this team had lifted the house in Nassau Bay four feet above its original elevation; the goal was 10 feet. Its a big, intricate job combining sophisticated engineering, high-tech equipment and many hours of hard, dirty labor under a merciless August sun.

The contractor, Arkitektura Development Inc., specializes in elevating houses built on slab foundations. Its president, Phillip Contreras, told me the firm has raised more than 500 houses in the greater Houston area since Hurricane Harvey dumped record-breaking rainfall on the region four years ago. Much of the financing has come through a federal program intended to reduce the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings covered by the National Flood Insurance Program, which subsidizes coverage of structures in flood-prone areas. The program paid $1.2 billion in claims in 2020. Federal officials have proposed making its premium system fairer and more rational with reforms that would shift the cost burden toward owners of more valuable properties. But these efforts are facing pushback from, as the Wall Street Journal put it, the caucus that wants taxpayers in Kansas to subsidize owners who keep rebuilding homes on the shore.

Its safe to assume that this policy debate was not on the minds of the crews toiling last week at the site of a home overlooking Clear Creek, where I talked to Contreras. The family who occupied it during Harvey gutted the house after it flooded but chose to sell rather than repair it, he said. The new owners opted to elevate the structure. Many clients, Contreras said, come to him after learning it would cost them more to tear down and rebuild. And they dont want to move: They get less house and theres no yard and no water view, he said.

Watching his crew at work, I reflected on the powerful lure of the water view. My late mother-in-law, Kathleen Farrar, lived for many years on Cape Cod, but the family property was some five miles from the sea  about as landlocked as it gets on that spit of New England sand. When she took her kids to the beach and they gawked at the big houses facing the waves, Kathleen often remarked that people who owned waterfront property had to be very rich or very foolish.

Harveys floods, the worst in a series of water calamities to strike Houston in the past two decades, led to a lot of soul-searching and some significant policy changes. Learned people undertook deep studies to identify strategies to limit flood damage. There was much talk of the need for a paradigm shift.

As these discussions played out, one obvious question was how to reduce development in flood-prone areas through tactics such as buyouts and tougher building regulations. Christof Spieler, an engineer and former Metro board member who served as project manager for the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Task Force, said raising homes to prevent future flooding might make more sense if the home is in a floodplain rather than a floodway  the actual water channel during a flood. If you build something in the floodway, you are constricting the ability of the water [to move downstream], he said. We shouldnt be putting new obstructions in the floodways.

A year after Harvey, one expert called for a massive, $20 billion initiative to remove homes from floodplains, a step that would eliminate entire neighborhoods and communities. But wouldnt that approach be a bit  defensive? Houston prefers a more muscular posture; it likes to engineer and build its way out of problems. More than a century ago, when its leaders coveted the economic power of a major port, the citys 50-mile distance from the Gulf of Mexico didnt deter them. They just dug a big ditch. Perhaps the same mindset informs the notion of stretching houses skyward as if they were made of Silly Putty. Contreras said he believes the home-elevation strategy has been used more often in Houston than in other flood-prone communities. His company, based in Webster, is one of a handful of contractors with the expertise to do the highly specialized work, he said.

Four years before Harvey struck, the leaders of Nassau Bay, a city of about 4,000 people on the edge of Clear Lake, launched an effort to elevate every home in the city on the Federal Emergency Management Agencys severe repetitive loss list. About 60 Nassau Bay houses have been raised so far, City Manager Jason Reynolds said. One of them, perched on the edge of a canal that leads to Clear Lake, belongs to Tim Gaffigan, who told me that Arkitekturas workers are about 85 percent finished with the job of elevating his house by 10 feet.

The house had flooded four times when Gaffigan and his wife bought it in 2014. On an August day three years later, the couple awoke at 4:30 a.m. and saw a sea of water all across the neighborhood as Harveys rains descended. They stuffed two weeks worth of clothes into bags and waded through chest-deep water to a hotel. After returning and finding three inches of water in the house, they opted to repair and raise their home. The homes history  all that water, over and over  helped them qualify for a grant thats paying most of the cost of elevating the structure.

The main driving factor for me was financial, Gaffigan said, noting that his annual flood insurance premium increased from about $1,500 before Harvey to more than $7,600 this year. The elevation will bring the premium back down, he said.

I asked Gaffigan why he chose to buy a house that he knew had flooded four times. Ive lived in this area since I was 5 years old, and flooding becomes kind of a norm, if you will, he said.

And what would he say to a taxpayer in, say, Iowa, with a view of a cornfield, who might resent paying taxes to help him preserve his waterfront vista?

I would say life is full of choices. You make yours and I make mine, Gaffigan said. He noted that taxpayers would ultimately benefit from the FEMA program because flood risks in affected properties will diminish, reducing the agencys payouts for repair grants. Of course, the payouts would also be less if people hadnt built in flood-prone areas to begin with. But they did, and not just in Houston. And even after the floods, they remain.

Its the community that keeps them here, said Reynolds, the Nassau Bay city manager. They enjoy where they live and the community theyre surrounded by. If theres an opportunity to take their home out of harms way, they want to do it.

The trauma of wading through a waist-deep deluge in the middle of the night wasnt enough to drive Gaffigan and his wife away from their watery abode. Money and technology offered them a way to stay put with an added measure of safety. People love to live near the water. Not all of them are rich, and who am I to say that theyre all foolish?

Snyder is a Houston writer who retired from the Chronicle in 2019 after 40 years as a reporter, editor and columnist.
Mail carrier Leah Rowland gives testimony Wednesday to the Animal Control Commission. She was attacked by two dogs while delivering mail on Ridgeway Avenue on July 31.

Animal Control Commission Votes Euthanization for Pittsfield Dog After July Attack

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The Animal Control Commission on Wednesday voted to euthanize one dog and place various restrictions on another in response to a recent attack on a pregnant postal worker.

On July 31 around 3:45, mail carrier Leah Rowland was bitten multiple times by Fudge and Maggie during her route after they nudged open the screen door of their home on Ridgeway Avenue.



"I've been a postal carrier for almost seven years, I've worked in three different stations, I've transferred twice, I know the risks of the job, we have preventative measures to help with instances like this," Rowland said.



"You hear about it, you know it can happen, you just hope it never happens to you, and typically when you hear about a dog incident it's one dog one bite, one time, and I really wish something along those lines was the case, but it wasn't."



Rowland was knocked to the ground and bitten multiple times on her arms, legs, hips, torso, and back until Police Lt. Thomas Dawley, who lives down the street, heard the commotion and came to the scene.



Dawley reportedly tried to get Rowland away from the dogs with a bear hug and was also bitten during the process. Rowland reported that she was on Ridgeway Avenue about to deliver mail to the house at 3:45 p.m. and was in an ambulance by 4.



Maggie, an 8-year-old female, and Fudge, a 2-year-old male, are both pit bull mixes.



They live at 180 Ridgeway Ave.with owner Dai Ingalls, who adopted Maggie from the Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter seven years ago and was left with Fudge when she broke up with a previous partner.



After more than an hour of emotional testimonies, the commission voted to impose restrictions on Maggie including being registered as a dangerous dog, being restrained, confined to the premises, having a fenced-in area in Ingalls' back yard, and being muzzled if off the property.



They voted to euthanize Fudge.



There was a motion on the table to euthanize both of the dogs made by Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi but it was decided that though Maggie was involved in the attack, she had less responsibility than Fudge.



Fudge is an intact male and was seen as being the instigator of the incident out of the need to protect his home.



Even as a postal worker who is trained for confrontations with animals, Rowland said the incident was brutal.



"When I reached for the dog spray, one of the dogs, I'm not sure which one, grabbed my right arm and yanks my left arm to the left, I tried to get it off with my satchel since my arm was already in the satchel, but that opened up my hip for the other dog to bite. And at some point the dog, released and got my left leg and that's what brought me to the ground," she said.



"At that point, I started screaming for help, because I was on the ground with two big dogs, I'm 120 pounds and we had just found out we were having a baby on Tuesday so I'm at this point, about seven weeks pregnant so my initial instinct was to protect my torso, and my neck, so I'm on the ground, my arm up covering my face but trying to yell for help."



Rowland said she has suffered both physical and mental injuries from the incident and has been out of work since. She reported mental disturbances such as having trouble sleeping and having to receive medical care from the attack.



"I love my job, I love my route, I love dogs, it's just hard, I wish I could say what I think should happen because dogs become part of your family, they do, I put my dogs and my Christmas cards every year," she added.



"But this can't happen to anyone else. There are so many kids in that neighborhood, older folks that just walk around."



Because the dogs did not have documentation for vaccinations, she had to receive a rabies shot and was put on antibiotics. At the meeting, her arm was bandaged up because of bite marks and she is reportedly going to physical therapy for arm and leg issues.
Patrick Kavey is one of the two incumbents who are not being challenged and he believes this shows how hard he has worked over the last two years.

Kavey Wants Pittsfield to Be a Desirable Place for Living and Working

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Patrick Kavey is running for re-election in Ward 5 with a focus on making the city a place that is desirable to live and work in.

Kavey is one of the two incumbents who are not being challenged and he believes this shows how hard he has worked over the last two years. With more than a year of experience on the City Council in helping the city navigate a global pandemic, he feels that he can tackle almost anything that comes his way.

"I hadn't envisioned doing a lot of the work that we've done in the past year, but I think it's made me the councilor I am and it's given me a leg up to a lot of my colleagues and it's made it so there's really not much that I can't do in the future," Kavey said.

"There's no project, there's no obstacle that we cannot overcome."

This will be the councilor's second term, as he entered the political scene as a newcomer in 2019 at the age of 26. He graduated from Taconic High School and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business management from Westfield State University.

He has worked in hospitality, communications, and is currently employed in real estate with Berkshire Hathaway.

Even before the pandemic, Kavey identified issues within Pittsfield's job market that may deter people looking to return to their hometown or make a new home in the city.

"In 2019, I had moved back here a couple of years before that, from Colorado, and I was looking for work with my bachelor's degree I was applying to some of the largest employers in the area, and the cost of living here is not much less than it is in Denver, and in Denver, I was making almost double doing the same job," he said.

"I immediately had kind of some internal turmoil, a little bit of dialogue in my head and I started looking for jobs elsewhere, but I thought to myself, 'If I don't stop and try and change the situation then I'm going to continue to see my friends leave the area,' my brothers don't live here anymore, it's definitely not ideal with an area that I think has so much potential."

He originally ran on the idea of creating a bridge between the city's vocational high school  Taconic High School  and local advanced manufacturers and still wants to see that happen.

Kavey is college-educated but believes that path doesn't work for everyone, meaning there should be an abundance of jobs for those in the trade industry.

He also believes in preserving the integrity of residential neighborhoods in Pittsfield rather than building new ones on recreational green space. Ward 5 includes many historic homes that showcase the beauty of the city over a century ago, he said.

"As much as some people might like new construction, I'd rather keep those beautiful houses backed up on green space," he added.

Last year, Kavey voted in support of Mayor Linda Tyer's At Home in Pittsfield program that appropriated $500,000 from the Pittsfield Economic Development Fund to provide zero-interest loans to residents for undertaking certain home improvement projects in an effort to improve the housing stock in the city.

Another aspect of Kavey's campaign is lifting Pittsfield's most vulnerable populations by giving them the tools they need to integrate into the community. The biggest tool that Pittsfield has is education and workforce development, he said, because there are jobs but there isn't a consistent stream of individuals to fill specific jobs.

"We have companies that are interested in moving in, but they need a skilled workforce," he added. "And I think it's our job as a city government to make sure that we give our citizens the tools they need to be successful."

From door-to-door communications with constituents, he has learned of both the demographic variations in Ward 5 and has gotten to know the "strong, incredible, and successful" people who live there. Through the pandemic, he said he has become close to his constituents and heard their struggles while navigating the "new normal" with them.

"You learn so much from speaking to someone at the front door, but then you learn even more guiding people through a historic event, there were people who I had met during my campaign who would show so much strength, that were just these incredibly successful people, and those people still needed someone during the pandemic to speak to about working from home or losing their job or the crazy housing market and their taxes going up significantly," Kavey said.

"This past year affected everyone and affected everyone differently but there were a lot of people who use me as a resource and we got through it together, and I learned a lot about their coping, I learned a lot about my coping, we became kind of more of a family and I couldn't be more grateful for everyone in my ward."

Kavey said he is excited to welcome a number of new colleagues to the City Council, as four members have announced that they won't be seeking re-election. He said if any residents are looking for information on how to run, he would gladly be a resource.

"I think it's exciting, it's democracy at work," he explained. "I'm making decisions in a way that benefits everyone in the ward even though some neighborhoods are so culturally different, I think it's important to do what's right by them and do what's right for the city, I respect people like that, I like people."
Ethan Hawke was convinced that Robin Williams hated him on the set of Dead Poets Society, the actor has revealed.

Hawke had one of his earliest roles in 1989s Dead Poets Society, in which Williams played an inspirational teacher at an all-boys school. But the pair were somewhat at odds off-camera, with Hawke confessing that he only realised later in life that he was the problem all along.

I thought Robin hated me, Hawke said during a Q&A at Karlovy Vary Film Festival (via Variety). He had a habit of making a ton of jokes on set. At 18, I found that incredibly irritating. He wouldnt stop and I wouldnt laugh at anything he did.

Hawke continued: There was this scene in the film when he makes me spontaneously make up a poem in front of the class. He made this joke at the end of it, saying that he found me intimidating. I thought it was a joke.

As I get older, I realise there is something intimidating about young peoples earnestness, their intensity.

Despite their slight tension, Williams later recommended Hawke to an agent friend of his, who went on to be Hawkes first major representative in the industry.

Robin Williams and Ethan Hawke in Dead Poets Society' (Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock)

Hawke, who was collecting the Presidents Award at the Czech film festival, will next be seen in the Marvel television series Moon Knight alongside Oscar Isaac.

Earlier this month, he revealed his unusual muse for his character in the show was none other than real-life cult leader David Koresh.
Matthew Mindler, a former child actor who portrayed Steve Coogans son in the comedy film Our Idiot Brother, has died at the age of 19.

Mindler was reported missing earlier this week, having disappeared from Pennsylvanias Millersville University, where he was a first-year student.

In a statement published to social media on Saturday (28 August), Millersville University president Daniel A Wubah announced that Mindler had died.

It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University, Wubah wrote. Our thoughts of comfort and peace are with his friends and family during this difficult time.

This is a time of grief for the family, our campus and the community, he added. I ask that the campus community come together to support each other, and our students, during this difficult time.

Mindlers body was found in Manor Township near the Millersville campus. A cause of death has yet to be announced.

The former actor Matthew Mindler, and alongside Paul Rudd at the 2011 premiere of Our Idiot Brother' (Handout/Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

The former actor portrayed the young son of Coogan and Emily Mortimer in Our Idiot Brother, which starred Paul Rudd as a bohemian layabout who regularly clashes with his family.

While Mindlers mother confirmed to local press that her son had not acted in some time, his credits also included the soap opera As the World Turns and a number of short films.
Hundreds of people in Afghanistan have protested outside a bank over their inability to withdraw money.

It comes as the countrys ailing economy is getting worse since the Talibans takeover earlier this month.

Many people in Kabul have been unable to take money out of cash machines despite the Taliban declaring earlier this week that financial institutions would re-open.

Banks had shut on 15 August, just before former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the Taliban arrived in the capital to occupy the presidential palace.

Long lines of people desperate to withdraw cash have formed at New Kabul Bank.

People queuing and protesting included civil servants who have demanded their wages that they say have been unpaid for the last three to six months.

The protesters said that no one has been able to withdraw cash and, although cash machines are in operation, withdrawals are limited to around 145 ($200) every 24 hours  which has resulted in long queues of people.

Najibullah Amiri, head of Afghanistan Banks Association, told Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency that banks have not resumed operations due to technical problems.

He denied rumours that banks are out of cash, adding that the banks are expected to resume normal services in the next few days.

The Taliban cannot access any of the central banks 6.5 billion ($9bn) in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve.

The International Monetary Fund has also suspended the transfer of about 327 million ($450m). Without a regular supply of US dollars, the local currency is at risk of collapse and this could see the price of basic goods spike.

The situation comes as a United Nations World Food Programme has warned that some 14 million people, about a third of Afghanistans population, urgently need food assistance.

Afghanistan has already been heavily dependent on aid, which covered around 75 per cent of the budget of the Western-backed Afghan government before it crumbled earlier this month.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation said Afghans are also suffering from the coronavirus pandemic and displacement from the recent fighting.

The economic crisis, which predates the Talibans rise to power, could give Western nations leverage as they urge Afghanistans new rulers to form a moderate, inclusive government.

The West has also urged the Taliban to allow people to leave the country after the planned withdrawal of US forces on 31 August. The Taliban has rejected any extension to the deadline.

The Taliban has said it wants good relations with the international community and has pledged a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last governed the country, but many Afghans are deeply sceptical of their promises.

The Taliban has also said that Afghans will be allowed to leave on commercial flights that will resume after the withdrawal of foreign troops, but it is unclear if airlines will be willing to offer the services.

More than 100,000 people have been safely evacuated through the Kabul airport, according to the US, but thousands more are struggling to leave and may not make it out by Tuesdays deadline.

At Kabul airport, thousands of people are still gathering in the hope of fleeing the country, even after a suicide attack and gunfire on Thursday killed about 169 Afghans and 13 US service members. There are fears there could be more attacks.

Many countries, including the UK, have carried out their last evacuation flights today of civilians in Kabul.

Additional reporting by AP
Boris Johnson has told troops and veterans that Britain will be forever grateful and that it was not down to chance or good fortune that the UK had been safe from attacks launched from Afghanistan for 20 years.

In an open letter, the Prime Minister said he had been lost in admiration for the heroic efforts of everyone involved in Operation Pitting, the evacuation efforts to remove UK nationals and Afghan allies from Kabul airport.

Writing as the operation came to an end, with the last military and diplomatic personnel leaving Kabul on Saturday, Mr Johnson said: There has been nothing like it in speed and scale, certainly in my lifetime.

And he recognised the downfall of Afghanistan to the Taliban after 20 years would have been difficult to comprehend.

Over the last two decades, many thousands of you dedicated years of your lives to service in Afghanistan, often in the most arduous conditions. In particular, I realise that this will be an especially difficult time for the friends and loved ones of the 457 service personnel who laid down their lives, Mr Johnson said.

But he repeated his message that their sacrifice was not in vain, and said: Our purpose in Afghanistan was simple - to protect the United Kingdom from harm - and you succeeded in that central mission.

In the last 20 years, not a single terrorist attack has been launched from Afghan soil against the UK or any other Western country. I know this was not down to chance or good fortune.

Our country was protected because you joined with our allies to fight al Qaida, destroy its training camps, disperse or eliminate its leaders, and weaken its very core. I would not wish to contemplate what might have happened if you had not carried out this vital task.

You kept al Qaida from our door for two decades and we are all safer as a result.

And he highlighted the impact on the Afghan people too, whether through girls education, the clearing of landmines, or many homes having electricity for the first time.

I do not believe that any of these gains could swiftly be undone, the PM said.

Education, once imparted, can never be taken away, and this progress would never have happened at all without your effort and sacrifice.

Whether you are still serving or a veteran, a loved-one, a relation or a friend, you all played your part and you should feel immense pride.

He added: Do not lose sight of the essential fact that you fulfilled the first duty of the British Armed Forces  to protect our country  and we will be forever grateful that you did.
The last civilian UK rescue flight left Kabul airport on Saturday at the end of an operation that saw 14,000 people evacuated from the Taliban-controlled country.

But the operation isnt over.

There will be more flights out of the city which will have diplomatic and military personnel onboard.
An army major from Surrey has pledged to walk 1,200 miles barefoot across the US to raise money for a clinical trial that could potentially find a treatment for the developmental disorder his daughter, Hasti, has been diagnosed with.

Hasti has Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), which is a genetic disorder that is present at birth and is due to a gene mutation.

It can cause a wide range of physical, cognitive and medical challenges, the CdLS Foundation states, that it is now known as the CdLS spectrum disorder.

These may include growth challenges, delayed development, intellectual disability or learning disabilities.

Now, Chris Brannigan, 41, from West Byfleet, has challenged himself to completing a physical challenge so as to support research into finding a treatment for CdLS.

He has already walked 700 miles around the UK and raised 500,000, but is now taking his challenge to the US to raise further money. He will depart from Maine on Tuesday and head to North Carolina.

In total, Brannigan believes the journey will take 53 days and will see him carry a 25kg bag that contains a one-man tent.

[The treatment] exists, it is on a shelf in a laboratory in Maine and we are currently about to start on efficacy trials, and all the staff are really optimistic about the kind of effect it will have, he told PA.

We are hoping we will be able to move straight into clinical trials early next year but that is dependant on us having the funds necessary, and hence I am undertaking this fundraising challenge.

Speaking about how CdLS impacts Hasti, he explained: It is multi-systemic so it affects Hasti in many different ways, it causes seizures, cognitive disability, learning disability, it has reduced Hastis growth velocity which means she is required to take daily growth hormone supplements.

It affects her speech and language, she didnt begin speaking until she was five so her ability to communicate is down. It means lots of things that other children find easy are quite difficult for Hasti, its quite isolating.

You can support Brannigans fundraising efforts here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hopeforhasti
One patient was transferred by air from Oklahoma to Connecticut  a full time zone, eight states and a 23-hour drive away, even by the shortest estimates. Another went from Washington to Idaho. Still another was critically ill in Texas with gallstone pancreatitis, a condition usually fixable in a matter of hours, as his doctor desperately tried to find an ICU bed to take him.

That patient, a 46-year-old veteran, wasnt as lucky as the others transferred out of state. Despite his doctors best efforts, his transfer came too late  and he died.

An ICU bed shortage is further plaguing patients and medical staff across the country as the Covid pandemic continues to ravage America  literally from coast to coast. According to the latest statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services, more than 77 per cent of staffed ICU beds across the United States are currently occupied.

Covid patients are taking up more than 50 per cent of ICU beds in at least four states - Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi, according to data.

During the peak at the beginning of the pandemic in New York, nurses and doctors were flying in from around the country to help. Now, however, the rest of the nation is facing shortages  not just in ICU beds but in staff trained to care for the most serious cases.

Hospitals shut down operating rooms and other departments at the beginning of Covid to make room for patients infected with the virus - but that has changed and the situation has consequently become more dire, said Dr Greg Martin, professor of pulmonary critical care at Emory University and president of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

It is worse than when Covid first hit, Dr Martin told The Independent.

Were trying to - without expanding or without shutting down other areas ... were trying to continue providing more balanced care to make sure were caring for everything, he said.

Lets say, for instance, half of the ICU beds are dedicated to Covid. That creates a real problem, because theres - particularly for critical care - theres often very little additional capacity in the systems. For instance, most hospitals dont have a huge excess of ICU beds because ICU beds are expensive and they require staffing to go with them.

Most hospitals have their ICUs running at somewhere between 80 and 90 per cent capacity - and particularly in urban areas, higher than that, he told The Independent. That means if you add an additional group of patients, like Covid patients, you have to figure out how to balance that and how to take care of the other patients - because they dont just go away ... It becomes a bit of a game of dominoes, or a game where you have to move one piece - when you have to move the next piece, it becomes almost gridlock.

In Connecticut, a spokeswoman told The Independent that Hartford Hospital on Saturday accepted a patient transferred from Oklahoma.

Hospitals across the country are reaching out to Hartford HealthCare and we are helping out whenever possible, she said.

On the other side of the country, Washington health authorities were expressing their desperation this week.

Dr Steve Mitchell, medical director of the emergency department at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, said at a press conference with state health officials that a patient who was severely ill ... did pass away in this small hospital when, after eight hours of trying, we were unable to find an ICU bed that could help sustain her life at that point.

He said that another patient had to wait six hours for lifesaving surgery, and one patient had to be transferred to a hospital in Idaho that had a bed available, CNBC reported.

Sadly for large periods of time now, we have reached a point where there are actually no critical care beds that are able to accept those patients throughout our entire state, he said this week.

That dire situation is being mirrored in states all over the country. In Colorado, health officials said that ICU bed availability and contingency plans were beginning to falter as the Delta variant sweeps the population, particularly among the unvaccinated.

Larimer County Health Director Tom Gonzales on Thursday told The Coloradoan that the county hospitals have progressive care unit beds theyre able to use when ICUs reach maximum capacity. But all 24 of those beds are already filled, the newspaper reported.

The problem is we dont really have the capacity to go to (medical) surge, Mr Gonzales told the paper. Were going to have to exceed the ICU, exceed the (progressive care unit), find nooks and crannies, put beds wherever we can. They can. Theyve done that before.

Sara Quale, a spokeswoman for Banner Healths Northern Colorado hospitals, added: "We are working hard to hire contract labor and deploy extra resources where they are needed. The current surge is impacting hospitals across the nation, so we are all trying to hire from the same pool."

The failure to provide staff and beds lead to disaster, even for those who are vaccinated and/or present with other emergency conditions  such as Texas veteran Daniel Wilkinson.

Ive never lost a patient from this diagnosis, ever," Dr Hasan Kakli, the emergency room physician at Bellville Medical Center who treated him, told CBS This Morning.

"We know what needs to be done and we know how to treat it, and we get them to where they need to go. Im scared that the next patient that I see is someone that I cant get to where they need to get to go.

"We are playing musical chairs, with 100 people and 10 chairs," he said. "When the music stops, what happens? People from all over the world come to Houston to get medical care and, right now, Houston cant take care of patients from the next town over. Thats the reality."

Dr Kakli told CBS This Morning that hed called multiple facilities about their ability to take his patient - only to be told sorry.

"Then Im at my computer and, Im just like, scratching my head, and I get this thought in my head: Im like, What if I put this on Facebook or something, maybe somebody can help out? One doctor messaged me: Hey, Im in Missouri. Last time I checked, we have ICU beds. We can do this, call this number. The next guy messages me, hes a GI specialist, he goes, Im in Austin. I can do his procedure, get him over. I said, Okay great, lets go. He texts me back five minutes later: Im sorry. I cant get administrative approval to accept him, were full."

Its a tragic reality being repeated across the US; one Kansas family, for example, says that 44-year-old Kansas man, Robert Van Pelt, went in for a routine procedure under light sedation  only to flatline and ultimately die because nowhere had the facilities to adequately treat his emergency situation.

There are a lot of people who dont believe the hospitals are full, family spokeswoman Liz Hamer told local station KWCH. Thats really hard to listen to when one of my friends husband was lying in a hospital dying because he couldnt get the treatment he needed because the beds were full.

Like Houstons Dr. Kakli, doctors in Kansas desperately tried to find any equipped facility to care for Mr Van Pelt, the family said.

The family will never know if having an open hospital bed or open neuro ICU beds, specifically in any of the 20 states, could have found urgent care, Ms Hamer told the station. Theyll never know if that could have kept him ere. And thats something thats extra hard for them to carry right now.

She added: People need to understand this is a real present danger for families. Car accidents happen, heart attacks happen, trauma happens, and there may not be care for you in the hospital if we cant get this under control.

Dr Martin, who hears from doctors all over the country through his SCCM job, said the attitudes of providers have changed along with the availability of beds since the beginning of the pandemic - as doctors scramble to find ICU places across the country for patients with unaffiliated and serious problems.

This is really remarkably different, he told The Independent. And its not something that I think anyone would have anticipated years ago - and our health systems arent really built for this.

Finding the next available bed can be a real challenge, and thats one thing that I know a lot of providers are struggling with, if theyre ... beyond their ability to provide care [and] their capacity is way down ... then spending time trying to find that next available bed is really difficult.

That search not only takes time away from treating other patients but also eats into the morale of doctors and nurses, he told The Independent.

The provider knows that what theyre dealing with is almost wholly preventable, he said, adding: We recognise that these people that are otherwise young and healthy are coming in with this preventable disease - and its really more of an acute choice, because they could have gotten the vaccine.
Residents across Louisiana s coast Saturday were taking one last day to prepare for what is being described as a life-altering Hurricane Ida which is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph (225 kph) when it slams ashore.

A combination of voluntary and mandatory evacuations have been called for cities and communities across the region including New Orleans where the mayor ordered a mandatory evacuation for areas outside the city's levee system and a voluntary evacuation for residents inside the levee system. But since the storm quickly escalated in intensity, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said it wasn't possible to order a mandatory evacuation for the entire city, which would require using all lanes of some highways to leave the city.

The storm is expected to make landfall on the exact date Hurricane Katrina devastated a large swath of the Gulf Coast 16 years earlier. But whereas Katrina was a Category 3 when it made landfall southwest of New Orleans, Ida is expected to reach an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane, with top winds of 140 mph (225 kph) before making landfall likely west of New Orleans late Sunday.

This will be a life-altering storm for those who arent prepared, National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott said during a Friday news conference with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Ida intensified rapidly Friday from a tropical storm to a hurricane with top winds of 80 mph (128 kph) as it crossed western Cuba. It's expected to pick up steam when it goes over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

In New Orleans, city officials said residents need to be prepared for prolonged power outages, and asked elderly residents to consider evacuating. Collin Arnold, the citys emergency management director, said the city could be under high winds for about ten hours. Earlier Friday, Cantrell called for a mandatory evacuation for residents outside the citys levee protections  a relatively small sliver of the citys population.

With the storm's forward speed slowing down and the intensity picking up, the storm surge may overtop some levees that protect parts of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River said Heath Jones, emergency manager, of the Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. However he said they're designed to be overtopped and have protections in place to prevent more damage. There does not appear to be any danger of storm surge coming over the levees that protect the city's east bank, which makes up most of the city, he said.

Across the region, residents were filling sandbags, getting gas for cars and generators and stocking up on food. Capt. Ross Eichorn, a fishing guide on the coast about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southwest of New Orleans, said he fears warm Gulf waters will make a monster out of Ida.

With a direct hit, aint no telling whats going to be left  if anything, Eichorn said. He added: Anybody that isnt concerned has got something wrong with them.

A hurricane warning was issued for most of the Louisiana coast from Intracoastal City to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm warning was extended to the Mississippi-Alabama line.

At the same time hospitals are preparing for the storm, they are still dealing with a fourth surge of the coronavirus. Officials decided against evacuating New Orleans hospitals. There's little room for their patients elsewhere, with hospitals from Texas to Florida already packed with patients, said Dr. Jennifer Avengo, the citys health director.

At the states largest hospital system, Ochsner Health System, officials ordered 10 days worth of fuel, food, drugs and other supplies and have backup fuel contracts for its generators. One positive was that the number of COVID-19 patients had dropped from 988 to 836 over the past week  a 15% decline.

President Joe Biden approved a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana ahead of the storm. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said FEMA plans to send nearly 150 medical personnel and almost 50 ambulances to the Gulf Coast to assist strained hospitals.

Ida made its first landfall Friday afternoon on Cubas southern Isle of Youth. The Cuban government issued a hurricane warning for its westernmost provinces, where forecasters said as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain could fall in places, possibly unleashing deadly flash floods and mudslides. Landfall in the U.S. is expected late Sunday in the Mississippi River delta region.

If that forecast holds true, Ida would hit 16 years to the day that Hurricane Katrina made landfall with 125 mph (201 kph) winds near the riverside community of Buras.

Katrina is blamed for an estimated 1,800 deaths from the central Louisiana coast to around the Mississippi-Alabama state line. A massive storm surge scoured the shores and wiped houses off the map. In New Orleans, failures of federal levees led to catastrophic flooding. Water covered 80% of the city and many homes were swamped to the rooftops. Some victims drowned in their attics. The Superdome and New Orleans Convention Center became scenes of sweltering misery as tens of thousands were stranded without power or running water.
Few Palestinians in the occupied West Bank get to board an airplane these days. The territory has no civilian airport and those who can afford a plane ticket must catch their flights in neighboring Jordan But just outside the northern city of Nablus a pair of twins is offering people the next best thing.

Khamis al-Sairafi and brother Ata have converted an old Boeing 707 into a cafe and restaurant for customers to board.

Ninety-nine percent of Palestinians have never used an airplane. Only our ambassadors, diplomats, ministers and mayors use them. Now they see an airplane and it is something for them,' said Khamis al-Sairafi.

After a quarter century of effort, the brothers opened The Palestinian-Jordanian Airline Restaurant and Coffee Shop al-Sairafi on July 21.

Families, friends and couples turned up for drinks in the cafe situated below the body of the plane. Many others came to take photos inside at a price of five shekels (about $1.50) per person.

Recommended Final UK troops pulled out of Kabul

Customers said they were motivated to visit after seeing pictures of the renovated plane circulating online. For a long time, I have wanted to see this place. I wish I had seen this place before it was turned into a cafe, said customer Majdi Khalid.

For years, the jetliner sat along the side of a major highway in the northern West Bank, providing endless fodder for conversation for passersby baffled by its hulking presence.

The 60-year-old identically dressed twins' dream of transforming the airplane into a cafe and restaurant was born in the late 1990s when Khamis saw the derelict Boeing aircraft near the northern Israeli city of Safed.

At the time, the plane already had an illustrious history. The aircraft was used by the Israeli government from 1961 to 1993 and flew then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the United States in 1978 to sign Israel's historic peace agreement with Egypt, according to Channel 12 TV.

It was later bought by three Israeli business partners who dreamed of turning it into a restaurant, but the project was abandoned following disagreements with local authorities, the station said.

After tracking down one of the owners, the brothers agreed to buy it for $100,000 in 1999. They spent an additional $50,000 for licenses, permits and to transport it to the West Bank.

Khamis said the then-mayor of Nablus, Ghassan Shakaa, quickly approved the transportation and renovation of the airplane.

Moving the plane to Nablus was a 13-hour operation, requiring the wings to be dismantled and the temporary closure of roads in Israel and the West Bank. At the time, Israel and the Palestinians were engaged in peace talks and movement back and forth was relatively easy.

The al-Sairafi brothers were successful traders and scrap metal merchants. They regularly traveled to and from Israel buying pieces of metal that they then sold and smelted in the West Bank. They also owned a successful waste disposal business and used their earnings to build an amusement park  including a swimming pool and concert venue  on the same patch of land where the plane was placed.

But they said their project was put on hold after the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising in late 2000.

An Israeli military checkpoint was built nearby, they said, preventing customers from the nearby city of Nablus from reaching the site. The checkpoint remained for three years and the Israeli military took over the site. The project collapsed.

They even built tents under the wings of the plane, Ata al-Sairafi said.

The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment.

For nearly 20 years, the airplane and the site were abandoned. After the uprising faded out in the mid-2000s, the brothers scraped by with their waste disposal business and the small amusement park in Nablus they opened in 2007.

After more than a decade of saving, they decided in 2020 to begin rebuilding what they lost, this time starting with the renovation of the airplane. The coronavirus crisis, which included multiple lockdowns, hit the Palestinian economy hard and caused further delays.

Following months of work, the aircraft is almost ready for full service. The interior is freshly painted, fitted with electricity and nine tables and the doors are connected to two old jetways allowing customers to board safely. The nose of the plane has been painted with colors of the Palestinian flag and the tail with Jordanian colors.

The cafe is already open and the brothers hope to open the restaurant next month. They plan to install a kitchen below the body of the plane to serve food to customers on board.

However, their long-term goal of re-building the amusement park and swimming pool remains a long way off. The pair said they were disappointed they had not received financial support from the municipality and are looking for investors.

God willing, I hope the project works and that it becomes the best it can be, said Ata al-Sairafi.
Thousands of emails sent by MPs and charities highlighting Afghans and others who may have been eligible for rescue from the Taliban went unread by the Foreign Office, according to a report.

Over the course of the last week, an email address where politicians and the public were encouraged to send cases regularly had 5,000 unread messages, a whistleblower at the department told The Observer.

The account was being overseen by the team coordinating the withdrawal from Kabul airport, and claims of unopened emails raises the prospect that the true figure for those who should have been granted sanctuary in the UK but were left behind to face the Taliban is much higher than the official estimate of just over 1,000.

One report suggested as many as 9,000 people who may have been eligible to escape  such as women, journalists, and aid workers  did not make it onto a rescue flight.

The inbox was described by officials as having experienced surges in demand at various points throughout the airlift.

Its not just that MPs werent getting replies  their emails werent being read. The inbox currently has a 5,000-email backlog, the whistleblower told the paper.

Its not that they are the emails which havent been actioned. Its not even that they are emails which havent been processed and put into a spreadsheet. Its that no one has actually opened the email.

Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab visiting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Crisis Centre in Whitehall, London, to see how they are supporting and monitoring the ongoing evacuations in Afghanistan (PA)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: We have been working tirelessly to evacuate over 15,000 people from Afghanistan in the last two weeks.

We deployed a 24/7 cross-Whitehall team based in our crisis hub to triage incoming emails and calls from British Nationals, ARAP applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans.

We always cautioned that the nature of the security situation in Afghanistan and our responsibility to keep our people safe meant that we would not be able to evacuate everyone we wanted to.

Our efforts have now turned to doing everything we can to help any remaining British nationals and the Afghans who supported us leave Afghanistan safely.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: The fact that so many emails have simply gone unopened is not the fault of civil servants but of government ministers who have been missing in action during this whole crisis. MPs and their staff have been hearing harrowing stories from so many people we should have taken care of but who have been abandoned to the Taliban.

And many other MPs expressed their upset and anger over the apparent mismanagement of the rapid withdrawal.

Labours Apsana Begum said: Our team and I have been raising the cases of absolutely desperate people whose lives are at risk in Afghanistan and seek help from the government but Boris Johnson and Doiminic Raab didn't put the resources into ensure the emails [were] even read. Disgraceful.

Abena Oppong-Asare wrote: I have tears of rage in my eyes  They all deserve so much better than this.

Tulip Siddiq responded to the story: Very rarely am I completely lost for words.

And Andrew Gwynne tweeted: Id say there are no words, but actually there are quite a few I dare not tweet. Im so upset and angry.

UK military personnel onboard a A400M aircraft departing from Kabul on Saturday (PA)

The government said of the 15,000 people evacuated since the Taliban seized Kabul, 5,000 of those were British nationals and their families, while more than 8,000 Afghans who helped the British effort or who were vulnerable to persecution were also able to flee. The last flight and UK military personnel departed on Saturday.

Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, previously said he believed there were between 800 and 1,100 Afghans eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme who would be left behind, while around 100 and 150 UK nationals will remain in Afghanistan, although Mr Wallace said some of those were staying willingly.

The FCDO said it had handled more than 29,000 calls about Afghanistan on its consular lines since 11 August, with 92 per cent of the total number of calls received over the last 10 days having been answered.
Diners were forced to flee a terrible fire at a restaurant owned by celebrity chef Nick Nairn.

Fire crews were called to the scene at Nicks on Henderson Street in Bridge of Allan, Scotland, at 8.17pm on Saturday, and found a well-developed fire in the kitchen.

More than 30 firefighters worked to tackle the blaze.

Pictures and video footage shared on social media showed smoke and flames pouring out of the building in the town near Stirling.

However, no major injuries have been reported from the incident, which led to six fire engines and a command support unit being sent to the scene.

Just to let you know, terrible fire at Nicks BofA tonight, but thankfully all staff and customers unhurt, Mr Nairn wrote on Twitter.

Huge respect and thanks to the emergency services who were incredible.

In a later post, the chef added that he was overwhelmed by the support he had received following the blaze.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: We got a call at 8.17pm to a building alight. We sent two crews from Dunblane and Tillicoultry.

On arrival crews confirmed this was a well developed fire within the kitchen and requested further attendance.

Further appliances and a command support unit were then sent to the scene, with two people treated for smoke inhalation.

Mr Nairn rose to fame in the 1990s when he won a Michelin star for his first restaurant Braeval and became a regular chef on the BBCs Ready Steady Cook programme.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Nicks on Henderson Street said that it was thankful for the extraordinary amount of support it had received over the fire.

After an eventful evening, we want to let you all know every staff member and customer are safe and well and we want to thank the extraordinary amount of support and love weve felt from so many people - its so appreciated, the restaurant said.

Additional reporting by PA
Paul Pen Farthing  the ex-Royal Marine who founded an animal shelter in Afghanistan  has landed in Heathrow with more than 150 cats and dogs, following a fraught and controversial evacuation from Kabul.

Some 24 Afghan staff members and other dependents at his Nowzad sanctuary remain stuck in Taliban-controlled Kabul, which the charity described as a terrible blow.

Mr Farthing described having mixed emotions and a true deep feeling of sadness for Afghanistan as he arrived back in the UK. He praised those at Heathrow Airport who are helping evacuees and suggested his own evacuation effort, dubbed Operation Ark, had been a partial success.

The Essex-born veteran arrives home to a similarly mixed reaction to his evacuation mission, which has amassed celebrity backing and vast public support  but was labelled a distraction by the defence secretary Ben Wallace and prompted questions from an influential Tory MP over why Mr Farthings dogs lives were seemingly prioritised over those of Afghan people in the race to rescue thousands from the Taliban.

Although visas had been granted for his staff and their dependents, who were eligible for evacuation in Britains military airlift, Mr Farthing had refused to leave Afghanistan without his pets, aiming to get some 200 dogs and cats out of the country.

His campaign to evacuate his staff and animals soon gained attention in the UK and garnered support from swathes of the public and celebrities including Ricky Gervais and Judi Dench.

However in the tense days that followed, Mr Wallace accused the charity founders supporters of sending abuse to Ministry of Defence officials, while The Sunday Times published audio of an expletive-laden voicemail allegedly sent by Mr Farthing to Mr Wallaces special adviser Peter Quentin, in which he threatened to f****** destroy the aide on social media unless he expedited the evacuation.

He, his animals and his staff were then turned away at Kabul airport on Thursday over a change in paperwork rules after going through hell to get there, said Mr Farthing, who served as a marine for 22 years.

As a result, they found themselves caught up in the chaos caused by the Isis-affiliated terror attack that killed 13 US troops and at least 179 Afghan civilians queuing up to flee the Taliban.

On Friday, Mr Farthing and his animals were assisted through Kabul airport by the armed forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

He and his animals escaped Kabul the following day, departing on a privately chartered flight filled with empty seats, according to Dominic Dyer, an animal welfare campaigner and supporter of Mr Farthing.

Mr Dyer claimed an appeal had been put in to the British government to see if we could fill seats with refugees within the airport, but they told us there was no one they could find that could actually fill that aircraft.

In fact, they had more air capacity than they had people, which probably tells you an awful lot about the final days of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Mr Dyer said.

The British evacuation effort at Kabul airport  the largest since the Second World War  ended on Saturday night, after rescuing 15,000 people in under a fortnight. At least a thousand eligible Afghans have been left behind, however Labour believes the true figure to be closer to 5,000.

Mr Farthings staff are still in their homes and the charity is in contact with them, Mr Dyer said, adding: They are one of thousands of Afghans ... that have a right to leave the country but actually have no safe passage out at the moment.

In a statement on Saturday, in which the charity confirmed Mr Farthing was now safe after leaving Kabul, Nowzad said: We are now working extremely hard to get them evacuated and will not rest until they too are safe ... We will do our utmost to help them.

Meanwhile, Dr Iain McGill, a vet aboard the plane back with Mr Farthing, told the BBC that the rescued animals  comprising between 90 to 100 dogs and 60 to 70 cats  are, considering what theyve been through ... in very good shape on the whole.

He said the animals had been checked and had gone to quarantine kennels, adding: As you can imagine they're not short of homes for these animals.

However, perhaps in more of an indication of the reportedly soured mood in Whitehall towards Mr Farthing than a true threat to the animals future wellbeing, The Sunday Times quoted a senior official as saying: If they turn out to be riddled with disease [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] will have to put them down.

Referencing a recent high-profile plea for clemency on behalf of an animal condemned to death after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis, they added: It will be Geronimo the alpaca on speed.

With the outlook remaining dire for thousands of Afghans ahead of the US-imposed withdrawal deadline on Tuesday, the rescue of the animals has become a source of frustration for some MPs.

What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother? Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, who served with the British Army in Afghanistan, told LBC on Saturday. We've just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile my interpreter's family is likely to be killed.

As one interpreter asked me a few days ago: Why is my five-year-old worth less than your dog? said Mr Tugendhat, who chairs the foreign affairs committee.

But Mr Farthings supporters argue that Operation Ark did not take up seats on British evacuation flights or drain resources from the official operation.

Mr Dyer, who has acted as a UK-based spokesperson for Mr Farthing, said the charity founder was a national hero who was risking his life in Kabul to get his people and animals to Britain and facing a smear campaign by government officials.

Speaking about his staff members, Mr Farthing told The Sun on Saturday: It is just so depressing I had to leave them behind. Some of them came with me to the airport but they werent allowed to cross the line from Taliban to British control.

I feel so many things. I feel very sad for them, Im relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals. There were lots of tears when we said goodbye.
A former head of the British Army has accused the government of being "asleep on watch" in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped UK soldiers and officials.

General Lord Richard Dannatt said the government's approach was "unfathomable", after Boris Johnson expressed regret that some people eligible to be evacuated could be left behind in the hurried evacuation.

British forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan this weekend, with the last civilian flight leaving on Saturday and the remaining diplomats and military personnel departing by Sunday.

The UK evacuated approximated 15,000 people from Afghanistan from Kabul airport starting on Friday 13 August  including those eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy programme.

But at least 1,000 Afghans eligible for the scheme are thought to have bene left behind as the Taliban consolidated control over the capital and the 31 August deadline for all foreign forces to leave neared.

There has been criticism over the rushed nature of the evacuation, prompted by the Taliban's rapid and unexpected advance across the country as the US-backed government melted away.

"On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media," Lord Dannatt told Times Radio.

"This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year."

He added: "I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands.

"It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch.

"I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction.

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She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. 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The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

"We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the Government didn't spark up faster."

Lord Dannatt was Chief of the General Staff, the head of the army, from 2006 to 2009.

His comment came after the Observer newspaper reported that thousands of emails to the Foreign Office from MPs and charities raising urgent cases of Afghans trying to escape the country have not been read.

And The Independent has revealed that dozens of Afghan interpreters who worked for the British Army have been told they will not be allowed into the UK because they are a danger to [national] security.
Bestselling writers including Hilary Mantel and William Boyd have issued a stark warning that the UK book industry faces collapse if disgraceful post-Brexit changes to copyright rules, being considered by the government, go ahead.

The double Booker-winning Wolf Hall author said proposals to tear up the Europe-wide regime were deeply concerning and would risk a flood of cheap imports, damage the livelihoods of up-and-coming talent, and cramp the innovation that drives the 3.4bn UK publishing industry and provides stories and ideas for film and TV.

New figures from the Publishers Association, seen by The Independent, suggest that as much as 64 per cent of revenue from books  some 2.2bn each year  is at risk if a system of so-called international exhaustion is adopted, with authors and illustrators potentially losing income totalling 506m annually and job losses running into the tens of thousands.

Any Human Heart author Boyd said that Boris Johnson of all people  as a published author  should understand the danger.

The fact that the government of Great Britain  a nation whose artistic glory is its literature  may seek to undermine the conventions that guard copyright is both utterly disgraceful and almost beyond credence, he said.

This attempt to deny, or subvert, or water down these hard-fought-for rights of intellectual property must be adamantly opposed. It will be a covert licence for piracy and theft. Shame on any politician who advocates the opposite.

Launching a consultation  due to conclude on Tuesday  into the replacement of the copyright system used by the UK under the EU, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Brexit allowed the UK to devise a new regime as a stand-alone sovereign nation.

An international exhaustion scheme  similar to that operated by countries such as New Zealand  would allow the sale in British shops of identical books imported from overseas, potentially cutting prices for consumers, said Mr Kwartengs Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in a paper setting out the four options on the table.

At present, authors are able to sell territorial rights for their works, allowing different publishers to make them available in different parts of the world at prices tailored to local markets.

Ditching the copyright protection that allows publishers to sell books exclusively in the UK would allow internet-based retailers to flood the market with stock bought in bulk from countries such as India, where a large English-language readership buys books at a third of the price paid in Britain, explained the chief executive of the Publishers Association, Stephen Lotinga.

Branding the proposals deeply alarming, he told The Independent that they would force many UK publishers out of business and threaten the emergence of future Hilary Mantels and JK Rowlings as cash-strapped companies lose the ability to take a risk on developing new talent.

This country is fortunate to have many of the worlds greatest literary talents producing books that entertain and inform readers across the globe, said Mr Lotinga. These measures would inevitably mean fewer books, produced by fewer authors, for fewer readers.

The entire model rests on being able to invest in new voices. In the English-speaking market globally, we are largely competing with books from the US, and the British industry punches well above our weight. We are very concerned that this proposal would see the English-language business gravitate more towards the States, making it more difficult for writers from the UK to reach audiences.

And he said there would be knock-on damage far beyond the book market: Film, theatre and TV are very reliant on the publishing industry for investment in original creativity and storytelling. A huge number of bestselling films come from books.

Ms Mantel said she was deeply concerned by the threat to the current copyright and intellectual property regime.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters 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. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

Most writers live and earn precariously, even with the protections now in place, she said. Their original creative work, however humbly rewarded, underlies a major industry and feeds our cultural life as a nation. This is not the time to strip away protection to their livelihood.

The proposed new system would make publishers risk-averse and close down access for new work, hurting high-street bookshops and further concentrating profits in a few online players, she said.

The selling and making of books and the protection of the rights that underlie the trade is a delicate and complex business, but it is a very precious one, important for our standing as a nation, said Ms Mantel.

I would urge those involved in the consultation to move with great caution and listen to the advice of those who care not just about their own future, but about the future of all our writers and readers.

Former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy said the prospect of international exhaustion made her blood run cold, warning that it would result in a huge silencing of new work at a time when we need it most.

The Publishers Association believes that small and medium-sized imprints are most at risk from changes to the copyright system, but said damage would be inflicted across the industry, which employs 29,000 directly and 70,000 indirectly.

And big players joined the chorus of opposition, with Penguin Random House CEO Tom Weldon warning that the entire literary ecosystem would suffer from the proposed change.

Authors will find their ability to make fair royalties from their work severely undercut. Highstreet bookshops  in particular, independents  will struggle to compete with global pricing. And all publishers, including Penguin, will be forced to become more risk-averse businesses, said Mr Weldon.

This means being less wide-ranging and ambitious with the writers we take chances on. And ultimately, it means readers having fewer books to discover, discuss and enjoy.

Perminder Mann, the CEO of Bonnier Books UK  home to 12 adults and childrens imprints and publishers of authors from Lynda La Plante to Wilbur Smith  described the proposed change as the biggest threat the publishing industry has faced in decades.

As an industry we cannot afford to take this giant step backwards, she warned. To stay relevant, we must continue to publish books and stories by authors and illustrators from all backgrounds, and strive always to offer readers and listeners more quality and choice.

Great books and stories are for everyone  not for the privileged few. We cannot stand by and let the government make the wrong decision on this.

A government spokesperson said: The UK now has the regulatory freedom to choose our own exhaustion of IP rights regime, which is why we are conducting a consultation to consider and assess which option best serves UK interests.

Any decision to change the current system would be based on the evidence arising from the consultation, and we welcome views from all businesses, including publishers, as well as civil society groups and consumers.
Boris Johnson has spoken of his regret at the manner of withdrawal from Afghanistan, telling the public: "We would not have wished to leave in this way".

In a statement released after the evacuation of the last UK personnel, the prime minister suggested his hand had been forced by the US  as he promised to "engage with the Taliban" on the basis of their actions.

Mr Johnson dangled the possibility of diplomatic recognition and unfrozen bank accounts for Afghanistan's new de facto rulers  if they respected the rights of women and girls, swore off harbouring international terror groups, and gave safe passage to refugees fleeing the country.

And the prime minister spoke of his respect for those who had carried out the operation and said the airlift had been "the culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes".

Explaining who had been evacuated, Mr Johnson said the thousands of Afghans who had been given safe passage had "proved their loyalty to this country beyond doubt".

"UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions," he said.

"They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

"They've seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends.

"They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job.

"It's thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks."

The prime ministers statement came after the Observer newspaper reported that thousands of emails to the Foreign Office from MPs and charities raising urgent cases of Afghans trying to escape the country have not been read.

And The Independent has revealed that dozens of Afghan interpreters who worked for the British Army have been told they will not be allowed into the UK because they are a danger to [national] security.

On Sunday following the PMs statement, the former head of the British Army accused the government of being "asleep on watch" in relation to the protection of Afghans.

General Lord Richard Dannatt said the government's approach was "unfathomable" and that the issue of Afghanistan had been put "on the back burner".

"On the particular issue of those who we knew were in danger, people who had worked for us, interpreters, former locally-engaged civilians, this issue has been in the media," Lord Dannatt told Times Radio.

"This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year."

He added: "I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the Government, an open letter to the Government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don't do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands.

"It is unfathomable why it would appear that the Government was asleep on watch. "I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight onto the kitchen floor and we've ... had this chaotic extraction."

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters 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. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the government must not abandon those who had been left behind.

I pay tribute to the brave men and women of our armed forces who have done so much to provide the opportunity of a new life to so many as part of Operation Pitting," he said.

We have seen the best of British from those on the ground in Afghanistan. Our diplomatic staff and military personnel should be proud of the heroic work they have done and we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

It is now for the government to urgently set out a plan for those tragically left behind who face a fearful future. MPs of all parties are dealing with hundreds of cases of those we have a duty to help. The end of military operations does not end our responsibilities to those in Afghanistan.
The children of Robert F. Kennedy have been divided over their reaction to their fathers killer being granted parole in California.

Sirhan Bushara Sirhan, 77, was convicted in 1969 of murdering the former US Attorney General in Los Angeles. Kennedys death in 1968 left behind his wife Ethel Kennedy, now 93, and his ten children.

Six of his children have condemned the decision to grant parole to Sirhan; Kerry Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy II, Courtney Kennedy, Christopher G. Kennedy, Maxwell T. Kennedy and Rory Kennedy. In response to the decision in Los Angeles County, they issued a statement expressing their fury at the decision.

The decision to grant Sirhan parole is largely based on laws passed in 2018, which enable the board to take into account that he suffered childhood trauma growing up as a Palestinian in Jerusalem, as well as his age.

The statement read, As children of Robert F. Kennedy, we are devastated that the man who murdered our father has been recommended for parole."

"Our fathers death is a very difficult matter for us to discuss publicly and for the past many decades we have declined to engage directly in the parole process," it continued.

"We adamantly oppose the parole and release of Sirhan Sirhan and are shocked by a ruling that we believe ignores the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California."

The statement appealed to Californias governor Gavin Newsom to reverse the initial recommendation.

The ruling faces a review over 120 days, and is then submitted to Mr Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide to either grant, reserve or amend the ruling. If Sirhan is let out of prison, he will be required to reside in a transitional home for half a year and engage in self-improvement programmes, such as therapy.

In the parole hearing, Sirhan, via video link from prison in San Diego, praised Robert F. Kennedy for his contribution to the world, saying, I harmed all of them and it pains me to experience that, the knowledge for such a horrible deed, if I did in fact do that.

The California Parole Board said that Sirhan no longer posed a danger, citing his personal development through anger management courses and consistent participation in Alcoholics Anonymous. Sirhan had tried 15 times previously to be granted parole.

We think you have grown, commissioner Robert Barton said on 27 August.

Two of his children, Douglas and Robert Jr, have expressed their support for the decision to give Sirhan parole.

I think Ive lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love, Douglas Kennedy said.

While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr Sirhan because of Sirhans impressive record of rehabilitation, Robert F. Kennedy Jr said.

Five years prior in 1963, Robert F. Kennedys brother President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Covid-19 could contribute to nearly 100,000 deaths in the US by December, experts have warned.

This prediction is based on work carried out by the University of Washington, which predicts that an additional 98,000 people will die due to Covid complications if the US stays on its current trajectory. This will bring the total number of deaths to 730,000 by the end of the year. However, health experts say that this expected total could be halved by wearing a mask.

At the moment, an average of 1,100 people are dying every day in the US. If no action is taken, it could rise to 1,400 deaths a day by the beginning of September.

Ali Mokdad, a health metrics professor at the University of Washington told the Associated Press, We can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks. Thats how important behaviours are.

Other scientists have echoed the calls for the importance of adapting human behavior to combat the rising deaths.

Behaviour is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides. We cannot stop Delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight, Lauren Ancel Meyers, the director of the University of Texas Modelling Consortium told the AP.

To prevent deaths, people are being urged to increase the use of face masks, practise social distancing, limit mass gatherings and get vaccinated.

Those things are within our control, Ancel Meyers added.

Currently, the US is in its fourth coronavirus wave, which is believed to be propelled by the more contagious Delta variant. Those unvaccinated are thought to be the most vulnerable to it. However, data is showing that people might be beginning to take the threat of the Delta variant seriously. Daily rates of vaccination have increased by 80 per cent to roughly 900,000 doses a day last month.

Earlier this week, Jeff Zients, the White House Covid-19 coordinator, said that in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama, more people got their first shots in the past month than in the prior two months combined.

Mask and vaccine mandates are rising in schools, workplaces and businesses across the country. More of them are expected to follow after the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech covid vaccine.

According to a poll by the AP, more than half of American workers are in favour of vaccine mandates at their jobs.
Iraq hosts a regional conference Saturday aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East and emphasizing the Arab country's new role as mediator.

Among the invitees are archenemies Iran and Saudi Arabia whose rivalry has often played out in Iraq and other countries, including Yemen and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia has said it would be represented by its foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. It was not clear what kind of representation Iran would have at the conference.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Jordans King Abdullah were expected to participate, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron who arrived in Baghdad early Sunday. France is co-organizing the meeting, which is expected to discuss a regional water crisis, the war in Yemen and a severe economic and political crisis in Lebanon that has brought the country to the point of collapse.

Sundays meeting is a chance for Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to showcase his recent efforts to portray Iraq as a neutral mediator in the regions crises and re-engage with the world after decades of conflict.

Earlier this year, the country hosted several rounds of direct talks between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, with mid-level officials discussing issues related to Yemen and Lebanon, according to Iraqi officials. The talks signaled a possible de-escalation following years of animosity that often spilled into neighboring countries and at least one still-raging war.

The talks, while significant, fell short of a breakthrough in relations given the deep strains, historic rivalry and continued sporadic attacks on Saudi oil targets by Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen. There has been talk, however, of the potential for Saudi Arabia to reopen its embassy in Tehran, which was ransacked and shuttered following outrage over the execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric in early 2016.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states like the United Arab Emirates have called for any nuclear agreement between world powers and Iran to also address its ballistic missile program and support for militias.

Saudi Arabia has sought talks with Iran as the kingdom tries to end its years-long war in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Tehran, meanwhile, appears to have calculated that a gradual detente with Riyadh, a longtime U.S. ally, will work in its favor during renewed nuclear talks with Washington and world powers.

For Iraq, hosting the talks is seen as a significant step. After decades of conflict, the country is seeking to reclaim a leadership role and status in the Arab world with a centrist policy and a determination among the countrys top leaders to maintain good relations with both Iran and the United States and its regional allies.

The Shiite-majority country lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been a theater in which Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden received the remains of 13 US service members killed by an Isis-k terrorist attack in Kabul last week.

Mr Biden left the White House Sunday morning and arrived in Dover, in Deleware, shortly before 9:00 a.m. local time. The dignified transfer, in which the flag-draped transfer cases are removed from the plane and transferred to an awaiting vehicle, took place around noon.

A photo released by The New York Times showed the pair watching the event alongside Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, as well as other members of the military and top brass.

The White House has avoided referring to the event as a ceremony, a White House official told pool reporters, to avoid putting pressure on family members to attend the gathering, which is instead reportedly being referred to as a solemn movement.

The event on Sunday took place as reports of a second US retaliatory strike against Isis-k militants in Afghanistan broke across social media, with US officials telling Reuters that individuals aligned with the terrorist group were targeted in Kabul, resulting in an explosion heard around the city.

The US previously targeted an ISIS-k planner and one other individual with the group in an attack on Friday that the Pentagon said resulted in no civilian casualties to the USs immediate knowledge. The Biden administration vowed swift justice for the killed US service members, 12 Marines and one Navy medic, after they were killed in an apparent suicide bombing outside of Hamid Karzai International Airports Abbey Gate.

Evacuations at the airport are continuing ahead of the 31 August deadline, which is just 48 hours away. The Biden administration has resisted calls thus far to extend the deadline past that date.

US commanders warned Mr Biden that an attack on the airport is likely as the last US evacuations continue, according to news reports over the weekend.

The next few days of this mission will be the most dangerous period to date, the White House said on Saturday in a statement.
Opponents of the Belarus government say they have pulled off an audacious hack that has compromised dozens of police and interior ministry databases as part of a broad effort to overthrow President Alexander Lukashenkos regime.

The Belarusian Cyber Partisans, as the hackers call themselves, have released portions of the huge trove they say includes some of the countrys most secret information. It contains lists of alleged police informants, personal information about top government officials and spies, video footage from police drones and detention centres and secret recordings of phone calls from a government wire-tapping system, according to interviews with the hackers and documents reviewed by Bloomberg News.

Among the pilfered documents are personal details about Lukashenkos inner circle and intelligence officers. In addition, there are mortality statistics indicating that thousands more people in Belarus died from Covid-19 than the government has publicly acknowledged, the documents suggest.

In an interview and on social media, the hackers say they also sabotaged more than 240 surveillance cameras in Belarus and are preparing to shut down government computers with malicious software named X-App.

Belaruss interior ministry didnt respond to requests for comment. On 30 July, the head of the countrys KGB security agency, Ivan Tertel, said in a speech aired on state television that there had been hacker attacks on personal data and a systematic collection of information which he blamed on the work of foreign special services, according to local news website Zerkalo.io.

While the immediate impact of the hack isnt entirely clear, experts say the long-term consequences could be significant, from undermining government proclamations to bolstering international efforts to sanction or prosecute Lukashenko and his subordinates.

If ever Lukashenko ends up facing prosecution in the International Criminal Court, for example, these records are going to be incredibly important, says Tanya Lokot, an associate professor at Dublin City University who specialises in protest and digital rights issues in eastern Europe.

The wire-tapped phone recordings obtained by the hackers revealed that Belaruss interior ministry was spying on a wide range of people, including police officers

Nikolai Kvantaliani, a Belarusian digital security expert, says the data exposed by the Cyber Partisans showed, that officials knew they were targeting innocent people and used extra force with no reason. As a result, he says, more people are starting to not believe in propaganda from state media outlets, which suppressed images of police violence during anti-government demonstrations last year.

The hackers have teamed up with a group named Bypol, created by former Belarusian police officers, who defected following the disputed election of Lukashenko last year. Mass demonstrations followed the election and some, police officers were accused of torturing and beating hundreds of citizens in a brutal crackdown.

Aliaksandr Azarau, a former police lieutenant colonel who headed an organised crime and corruption unit, says he quit his job last year after witnessing election fraud and police violence. He moved to Poland and joined Bypol, which he says had been working with the Cyber Partisans since late last year. Azarau says the information the hackers released is authentic and that Bypol plans to use it to hold corrupt police and government officials accountable.

The wire-tapped phone recordings obtained by the hackers revealed that the interior ministry was spying on a wide range of people, including police as well as officials working with the prosecutor general, according to Azarau. The recordings also offer audio evidence of police commanders ordering violence against protesters, he says.

We are cooperating closely with the Cyber Partisans. The information from them is very important for us, Azarau says. They hacked most of the main police database and they downloaded all information, including information from the security service wire-tapping department, the most secret department of our police.

Supporters of exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya demonstrate in Czech Republic (Getty)

We found that they were wire-tapping the most famous law enforcement agents and now we can listen to them and understand their orders to commit crimes against people.

Azarau says the group hopes to use the information to pursue sanctions against Belarusian officials in the EU and the US. Both the US and the UK have announced sanctions against individuals and entities tied to Lukashenkos regime.

During other periods of unrest in recent years, activist hackers, known as hacktivists, have breached government computers. During the Arab Spring in 2011, hackers affiliated with the Anonymous collective carried out distributed denial of service attacks to bring down government websites in Tunisia and Egypt. Meanwhile, in Turkey, a Marxist hacker group named RedHack breached police, corporate and government databases in a series of attacks staged between 2012 and 2014. In 2016, a group of hackers calling themselves the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance formed to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine. They compromised Russian Ministry of Defence servers and breached emails of alleged Russian militants and propagandists.

Gabriella Coleman, a professor at McGill University and an expert on hacktivism, says that the Cyber Partisans highly organised and persistent hacks, paired with its collaboration with former police officers, set it apart from other groups, whose operations have often been chaotic and experimental. I dont think there are a lot of parallels to this, says Coleman. That they are so sophisticated and are attacking on multiple levels, its not something Ive seen before except in the movies.

The data hacked will be incredibly important, say activists, if Lukashenko comes to be prosecuted (AFP via Getty)

A spokesman for the Cyber Partisans, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, says that the group includes about 15 people, three or four of whom focus their efforts on what he described as ethical hacking of Belarusian government computers. The rest work on data analysis and other tasks, he says. Most of those involved with the group are Belarusian citizens who work in the information technology business, the spokesman says, and some had worked on so-called penetration testing, a method of evaluating the security of computers and networks by simulating an attack on them.

Earlier this year, an affiliate of the group obtained physical access to a Belarus government facility and broke into the computer network while inside, the spokesman says. That laid the groundwork for the group to later gain further access, compromising some of the ministrys most sensitive databases, he says. The stolen material includes the archive of secretly recorded phone conversations, which amounts to between a million and two million minutes of audio, according to the spokesman.

The hackers joined together in September 2020, after the disputed election. Their initial actions were small and symbolic, according to screenshots. They hacked state news websites and inserted videos showing scenes of police brutality. They compromised a police most wanted list, adding the names of Lukashenko and his former interior minister, Yury Karayeu, to the list.

And they defaced government websites with the red and white national flags favoured by protesters over the official Belarusian red and green flag.

Those initial breaches attracted other hackers to the Cyber Partisans cause and as it has grown the group has become bolder with the scope of its intrusions. The spokesman says its aims are to protect the sovereignty and independence of Belarus and ultimately to remove Lukashenko from power.

A wanted poster with an image of Lukashenko posted after the disputed presidential election last year (Getty)

Franak Viacorka, a senior adviser to exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, says the hackers were engaged in non-violent resistance.

When people face terror and repression, they cant defend themselves with arms. They can defend themselves with creativity, Viacorka says.

Names and addresses of government officials and alleged informants obtained by the hackers have been shared with Belarusian websites, including Blackmap.org, that seek to name and shame people cooperating with the regime and its efforts to suppress peaceful protests, according to Viacorka and the websites themselves. That has created difficulties for officials working for the Lukashenko regime, Viacorka says.

It creates pressure on them. It creates fractures within the government and a feeling that you cant trust anyone when you are in the system.

The Cyber Partisans say they are working with other groups to continue to hack government infrastructure. They are progressing toward what they call Moment X, a period that will combine computer sabotage with physical uprising on the streets, resulting in what the group hopes will be the overthrow of the Lukashenko government.

Azarau, the former police lieutenant colonel, is pursing the same goal, working with Bypol to create an undercover Belarusian army, he says. We are building structures inside, and one day we will be ready to change the power, the regime.

 The Washington Post
More than 500 migrants were rescued from one severely overcrowded fishing boat off the coast of Italy this weekend.

Italian coastguard vessels rescued 539 people, including three women and some children, from the boat off the island of Lampedusa.

Lampedusa Mayor Toto Martello described the rescue on Saturday as one of the biggest landings in a single day to the small Mediterranean island, that is closer to Tunisia than it is to Italy.

Italian prosecutors have opened an inquiry into what may have happened to some of the migrants that had travelled from Libya and who reportedly displayed signs of having been tortured.

Alida Serrachieri, a doctor from the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, said a number of the migrants appeared to have been physically tortured in Libya while waiting for a boat to take them to Europe.

Dr Serrachieri said she didnt know how long the boat had been at sea, but she said the migrants had spent weeks or even months in Libya awaiting passage in traffickers boats in hopes of reaching Italian soil.

At least 20 of the migrants who were examined by medical personnel had scars from torture, she said.

They had burn wounds, firearms wounds, Dr Serrachieri told the Associated Press. [They] were very worn down, some were dehydrated.

Many of the migrants were from countries in North Africa, and West Africa, and some were from Bangladesh, she said.

Investigators are looking at the possibility that the migrants may have been falsely imprisoned in Libya, local media outlets report.

In addition to the 539 people, two small boats with about 15 migrants each reached Lampedusas waters unaided from Tunisia earlier that day, Dr Serrachieri said, and a third boat with about 20 aboard was spotted approaching the island in the afternoon.

According to Italian media, the third boat had 27 people including five women and five children, including a baby.

Earlier in the week, more than 500 migrants landed in Lampedusa within the space of 24 hours, according to local media.

Lampedusas housing complex, where migrants stay while the initial paperwork is done for asylum applications, can hold about 300 people but the new arrivals have increased the number of occupants to about 1,200.

Many more people are held outside the housing complex on the dusty road, the BBC reports.

Lampedusa, Italys southernmost point, is one of the main arrival ports for people wanting to reach Europe.

In May, more than 1,000 migrants landed on the Italian island in the space of a few hours.
The scenes around Kabul airport have been a terrible and tragic reminder of the dangerous reality which Afghans who remain in Afghanistan face. Thursdays horrific attacks on people at the airport, which claimed three British lives, have made the situation even clearer.

As the final planes of evacuees take off, with UK forces having departed, it is critical that a humanitarian and diplomatic withdrawal does not follow.

Afghanistan represents the modern face of humanitarian crisis. The country has suffered from enduring conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic and an extreme drought currently affecting more than 80 per cent of the country. Nearly half of the countrys population, 18.4 million including 10 million children, have been left reliant on humanitarian aid to survive. We know from our team in Afghanistan  the International Rescue Committee (IRC) that has been working in the country for more than 30 years  that conditions are growing increasingly dire.

The situation will only deteriorate further. This year alone more than 550,000 people have been made homeless, half of whom have fled in just the past two months and who will now join three million people already displaced inside the country. The safety of women and girls is of particular concern. The UN has warned that core food supplies could run out by October due to continuing access issues. More than a million children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year.

How the UK government responds in Afghanistan will be a defining moment for its global Britain aspirations. There is a clear moral and strategic imperative to stand by Afghans to whom we made a commitment to support.

The complex challenge which the crisis in Afghanistan presents calls for the combined force of British diplomacy and humanitarian support. Last week, the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, announced that the UK would double foreign aid to Afghanistan, a welcome partial retreat from the devastating cuts in UK aid to the country of a few months ago. These funds must now be made available urgently. The crisis also powerfully demonstrates why the UK must restore the aid budget back to 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income.

Humanitarian aid must be matched with urgent diplomacy to protect at-risk people on the ground and ensure aid workers have unfettered access to the communities who remain. Women play a central role in the humanitarian response; it is essential that their safety is guaranteed. The UK should lead efforts to ensure the commitments made this week at the G7 are now turned into action.

Closer to home, the UK must also take decisive action to protect and welcome Afghan refugees. The governments recent commitment to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees is a promising first step but they must go further as The Independent has pointed out. The UK should increase its pledge from 20,000 over five years to 20,000 within 12 months and 60,000 over five years. That is well within our countrys capacity at just 18 people per constituency each year. The IRC and others stand ready to help make this happen.

And what of the Afghans who have already found their way here in search of safety? The governments resettlement pledge is not an excuse for the UK to tear up its asylum obligations. According to the governments own figures, 3,000 Afghans are still waiting for their initial asylum decision. Many continue to languish in detention centres; some have even been returned to Afghanistan. This is wholly unacceptable.

The clear and present dangers in Afghanistan should prompt the government to urgently review decision-making on asylum applications. Lets be clear. People who are seeking safety in this country should never be returned to a situation where their lives are at risk.

The IRC has operated in Afghanistan for over three decades throughout waves of conflict, including during Taliban rule in the 1990s. We will stay alongside the Afghan people as long as we are needed. To succeed, we need the UK government to stand with us.

Melanie Ward is executive director at the International Rescue Committee UK.
Its over. The great betrayal is complete. Great betrayals, in fact. The most painful to watch  and it has barely begun  is the betrayal of the Afghan people and the torture and persecution about to be visited upon them from their own government. The subjugation of women and girls is already a fact and only the start of the horrors.

Not only that, but the complex rivalries of tribes and near states (Pakistan, Russia and Iran), Islamic State, al-Qaeda and the rest will mean unfathomable civil unrest between shifting alliances for years to come. The Talibans main source of revenues will be extortion, narcotics and, very possibly, extraction of funds from those desperate to flee abroad. Afghanistan is a failed state, possibly soon the most failed state in the world.

We know well who is to blame  America. For years successive administrations, even including that of George W Bush, signalled that they had little interest in nation-building, and they couldnt wait to get the hell out. The resolve of the American people weakened with every day that passed from the atrocities of 9/11. Memories of why they were in Afghanistan faded; the UN-backed conflict in Afghanistan was mixed up (or deliberately conflated) with the illegal war in Iraq; the Obama and Trump administrations commitment to the country grew progressively weaker, until Joe Bidens blunder completed the betrayal of Afghanistan.

But it is not Afghans alone who should fear Americas weakness. All of Americas allies should feel betrayed  because, whatever has been said, Afghanistan was an ally of America, and defended and trusted the superpower to honour its commitments. Instead, America ran away.

As with Vietnam and Cambodia half a century or so ago, the unwinnable wars in Afghanistan and Iraq sapped American morale. Maybe defeats in all these scenarios were inevitable. What matters now is the signal that America hasnt the stomach for a fight. See what president Biden said just the other day: The idea of us being able to use our armed forces to solve every single internal problem that exists in the world is just not within our capacity [...] The question is, is Americas vital self-interest at stake or the self-interest of one of our allies at stake?

What he did was to cleverly de-legitimise Afghanistan as an ally when America was the most vital ally of all for the Afghans. They were both in a common struggle against the Taliban and state terror, until America just had enough.

The war on the Taliban is lost. The war on terror is lost. Americas allies have also lost. In Nato they endured years of Donald Trump telling them he wasnt much interested in defending them against the Russians. We, in Europe, also had the humiliation of the Obama administration declaring red lines and then doing nothing about Russian sponsored chemical warfare in Syria, and the Russian annexation of Crimea. Biden not long ago went sliding around declaring, America is back. Is it? We are entitled to wonder how reliable our American friends are.

After the loss of Vietnam in 1975, the Soviets were emboldened. Cambodia slipped back into the Stone Age and the Viet Cong seized south Vietnam. The Soviets and their Cuban allies started to cause trouble and hijack liberation movements in Africa, and, ironically enough, decided to expand their empire into Afghanistan at Christmas in 1979. America did nothing except protest and slap on ineffective sanctions.

Today the consequences of Americas betrayal and weakness, its retreat from globalism, will be no less grievous, and these days the list of enemies of America and the west is even longer than in the 1970s. The Russians, of course, but also Chinese expansionism, new more vicious and ambitious terror groups including resurgent Isis and al-Qaeda, the prime members of the axis of evil, North Korea and Iran, the drug traffickers, people traffickers all will now be emboldened by the American retreat.

Perhaps America suffered over-reach, as in Vietnam, and fought the right war in the wrong way, or simply suffered from battle fatigue from a more nimble and better organised enemy. Either way, the world is a more dangerous place, post-Afghanistan.
A new book has revealed how a Pakistani conman Arif Naqvi ripped off Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world.

Arif Naqvi of the private equity firm The Abraaj Group emerged as a leader in impact investing, positioning himself as the bringer of relief for the poor.

While Naqvi was getting comfortable at the billion dollar seat during 2017, one of his employees was about to drop the ball on his scams.

Uncredited

How Naqvi scammed Bill Gates

In "The Key Man: The True Story of How The Global Elite was Duped by a Capitalist Fairy Tale", authors Simon Clark and Will Louch explain how the man successfully scammed multiple wealthy figures.

The book explains how Naqvi successfully drained $780 million from his funds, $385 million of which still remain unaccounted, as assessed by The New York Post.

Hoping to make a name for himself in the world of philanthropy, Naqvi cozied up to billionaires like Bill Gates at key events like Davos.

Also read: Bill Gates-Funded Firm Released 150,000 Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In The Wild

According to the authors, both Gates and Naqvi had a lot to discuss at Davos, and later decided to collaborate on a family planning programme in Pakistan. For this purpose, the Gates Foundation granted $100 million to Naqvi in hopes of setting up hospitals and clinics in the developing world.

Reuters

In fact, this particular endorsement from Gates helped Naqvi secure $900 million more for Abraaj Growth Markets Health Fund.

Gates, who was invited as a guest of honour at one of Naqvi's dinners at home, called the deal a "significant co-investment partnership".

Now, Naqvi is facing 291 years in jail after an employee sent an anonymous email to investors which essentially triggered the "largest collapse of a private equity firm in history".

Naqvi's secret department

The truth was that Naqvi was misusing Gates' money with a "secretive treasury department" - something not even most of his employees knew about.

Regulators required Naqvi to keep millions of dollars in a bank account in case emergencies were to happen. Turns out, the account was always close to empty and was filled with money just before regulators would assess it.

Reuters

Not much later, it was drained. Naqvi was then warned of a $100 million deficit by one of his employees.

Also read: Bill Gates Says No To Sharing Covid Vaccine Formulas With India, Developing Nations



Even after this, Naqvi continued to pay himself hefty amounts along the lines of $53.75 million. The book alleges that he also kept $154 million of the proceeds to himself, depriving investors of making gains.

Naturally, a fund manager at the Gates Foundation named Andrew Farnum grew suspicious. No movement was recorded on previous funds, but more requests kept coming in for the Gates Foundation.

AFP

While Farnum was pursuing Naqvi, an employee from Abraaj revealed the organisation's shady dealings.

Also read: Bill Gates To Fly Less, Eat Synthetic Meat To Reduce His Carbon Footprint



The email urged all stakeholders to ask the right questions, while claiming that they would be amazed to find what they do.

Even as Gates Foundation investigated him, Naqvi appeared on a debate with Gates, where he reportedly received only tough love from the Microsoft co-founder.

A 2018 report by The Wall Street Journal exposed how Naqvi had moved $660 million worth of investors money without their knowledge. The man was arrested on April 10, 2019 in London.

An extradition has been ordered for him to stand trial in New York. But even when everything went south, Naqvi maintains his "innocence".


There are a lot of times when you confirm that you'll be attending a wedding but when the big day arrives, you change your mind. But as a guest, have you been charged for not attending the wedding?

Well, a couple from Chicago sent invoices to the guests who decided to not attend the wedding reception without informing the couple. Calling them the No Call, No Show guests, Doug Simmons and Dedra McGee said they would charge these guests $240 (Rs 17,639) for the reception dinner for them and their plus-ones.

Doug posted the picture of the invoice on Facebook and wrote, Dont be offended when I send this #invoice to you. Its gonna look something like this. Ill be sending it via email and certified mail just in case you say you aint get the email  #PETTYPOST

A note on the invoice reads, This invoice is being sent to you because you confirmed seat(s) at the wedding reception during the Final Headcount. The amount above is the cost of your individual seats. Because you didnt call or give us proper notice that you wouldnt be in attendance, this amount is what you owe us for paying for your seat(s) in advance. You can pay via Zelle or PayPal. Please reach out to us and let us know which method of payment works for you. Thank you!

The guests were given one month to pay the amount by the couple whose wedding took place at Royalton Negril Resort & Spa in Jamaica.

However, someone shared this invoice on Twitter and people on the internet found had some mixed reactions. While some like this idea, others found it tacky.

Nah, this is petty. You create a budget for any event in advance. Either you can afford it if everyone shows up or not. No shows at a wedding might be personally hurtful but guests don't owe you shit.  Leona's Love Quest  (@LeonasLoveQuest) August 24, 2021

Stop spending so much on weddings. This is so stupid. Shit happens. Sending an invoice is incredibly tacky. If you can't afford your wedding, make it cheaper. So dumb  Nicmarie (@nikkinbonnie) August 25, 2021

I wish I'd thought of this. A third of the people who RSVP'd for our wedding didn't show up. We paid for a LOT of food that went to waste (though it was a LOT LESS than than $120 a plate).  Jackie Barbosa (A BIT OF ROUGH is out now!) (@jackiebarbosa) August 24, 2021

You RSVPed and didnt show? If so, that is some lame-ass shit.  The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) August 24, 2021

Id send it back right away pic.twitter.com/LHa7EAC1ng  Hedgehog no. 1 (@hedgehogkibble) August 24, 2021

$240 is a lot to waste. if theres not proper excuse for not showing, they owe them people lol.  Magnegra (@Daniellesssssss) August 24, 2021





Simmons told NY Post, No one told me or texted me, Hey, we cant make it,  Simmons said. Thats all I was asking. If you tell me you cant make it, I would be understanding  but to tell me nothing, but then let me pay for you and your plus ones? Four people became eight people. I took that personally.

What do you think about this?
A couple from western Michigan in the US has been ordered by a judge to pay damages worth $30,441 (Rs 22 lakh) to their son for throwing out his pornography collection.

U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney's decision this week came eight months after David Werking, who is 43-year-old won a lawsuit against his parents.

Unsplash

Maloney ruled in December that Werking's parents had no right to throw out their son's collection of films, magazines and other items. Werking had lived at their home in Grand Haven, Michigan for 10 months after a divorce before moving to Muncie, Indiana.

Werking previously estimated that his collection was worth $25,000. According to emails between Werking and his father, the collection included 1,605 individuals titles of DVDs and VHS tapes.



During the court ruling, the judge followed a value set by an expert. He then ordered the parents to pay $14,500 to David's attorney, in addition to the damages.

Frankly, David, I did you a big favour getting rid of all this stuff," his dad had said in an email.



Unsplash

Judge Maloney, however, said it was a clear case of destruction of property. There is no question that the destroyed property was Davids property. Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property, said judge Maloney in December 2020.

David's parents had defended their actions by saying they had a right to act as their son's landlords.

Unsplash

The Ottowa County Sheriff's Office in Michigan reviewed the material and determined that the collection does not include any child pornography.



Do you think this was the right decision?
Serene Singh with her book, The Queen Machine. The Indian American student studying at Oxford says the book provides tools and resources for families and educators to help children cultivate lasting self-esteem. (photo provided)
Following the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, there can be no doubt about the size of the challenge ahead. This report, the sixth of its kind, clearly showed there is a limited window to prevent the worst outcomes.

The recent increase in coverage of climate issues has also been reflected in the growth of job opportunities: Job titles such as head of sustainability, environmental, social and corporate governance manager, and corporate sustainability responsibility manager, are appearing across the job boards. There is also a marked increase in the number of academic courses.

It would be easy to assume that this shows that awareness of the climate challenge is growing, and that business is responding. But this may not be the case.

Sustainability slid down the agenda

Over a decade ago, corporate sustainability had begun to move beyond its roots in energy and water saving, and began to take a much wider approach, known as corporate social responsibility, or CSR.

CSR introduced the social side of sustainability. It brought issues such as workers rights, human rights, supply chain conditions, and charity partnerships into sustainability strategies. But as the recession took hold, corporate sustainability slid down the agenda.

Pressure is now being put on big industries to set more ambitious strategies. Investors are beginning to leverage their influence; employees are demanding change; regulation and policy is starting to catch up; mandatory reporting regimes are being introduced; and the risk of corporate climate litigation continues to grow.

Net-zero strategies

There has been a flurry of net zero strategies from companies. But a look under the surface reveals the same weaknesses as in the past. There is little detail about the strategies; there is an over-reliance on carbon offsetting and trusting too much in unproven carbon capture technology; as well as a lack of investment.

Corporate sustainability can no longer be about tinkering around the edges. For almost every industry will have to go beyond renewable energy and recyclable packaging, and to embrace complete transformation.

In the coming months, we will be bombarded with new corporate climate announcements and strategies. Terminology such as decarbonisation, net-zero, climate neutral, climate positive, carbon budgets, ESG, and circular economy will be prominent in commentaries from industry.

Initiatives must deliver change

But we must ask if the initiatives are delivering change, or are in fact distracting from the bigger transformation that needs to happen.

The challenge facing industry is a big one. It means figuring out how to reduce all emissions, including indirect emissions from suppliers, distribution, and even consumer behaviours. And the emission reduction targets have to be based on the science.

It means not relying on offsets to balance emissions, but to focus on reducing emissions. It means frontloading efforts between now and 2030 and supporting and not standing in the way of national climate action efforts.

Companies will also have to address biodiversity and social sustainability issues. And for industries that are not large emitters, it will mean assessing the services they provide and the clients they work with. They will also have to question whether their work and influence is helping or hindering the climate transition.

Complexity is no excuse for inaction

The complex challenges facing industry can no longer be used as an excuse for inaction. The upcoming Climate Action Plan in Ireland is a unique opportunity for industry to engage and support more ambitious climate action.

The coming months will likely see more focus on how our economic models can address the climate crisis. But for now the focus must be on immediate and ambitious action.

The business community has a choice  accept the science and engage constructively in designing and supporting an ambitious and fair transition, or delay and be complicit in locking us into an unsafe future.

 Ali Sheridan is a sustainability and climate adviser and lecturer
The pandemic has put enormous strain on children with asthma and the Asthma Society of Ireland has urged parents to prepare now for the new school term.

Chief executive of the society, Sarah OConnor, said many children could be unprepared for life back in the classroom.

After a year of homeschooling and social distancing, childrens confidence in themselves may not be where it used to be, especially if they are also living with a health condition such as asthma," said Ms OConnor.

The pandemic has put enormous strain on parents and their children, trying to manage asthma and hay fever, and many parents have struggled with educating their children about the heightened risks of Covid-19 on their health.

Ruth Morrow, a specialist asthma nurse with the society, said parents need to show the child and their teacher how to safely manage asthma.

Through the societys helpline and WhatsApp service, she has heard concerns that acute asthma attacks will be triggered by a range of issues at school, including strong-smelling whiteboard markers, dust in newly reopened rooms, and running around.

September and March are the worst times of the year for asthma, said Ms Morrow. Primarily September because of the weather and being back in a classroom situation where there are lots of viruses floating around.

Ingrid McLoughlin, aged 10, from Howth, pictured launching the Asthma Society of Ireland's Back to School campaign. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

She advised parents to buy a second inhaler, place it in an empty lunchbox, and have the child leave this in school.

Teachers have asked her if this is safe as they were worried a not-asthmatic child might take a puff and become ill.

However, she said: "It is important the child has access to the inhaler in school. If another child hasnt used an inhaler before, the chance of that medication getting into their lungs is quite insignificant."

Five-step plan

A five-step plan, which teachers or teaching assistants should follow if a child has an acute asthma attack, is available on the societys website in various languages.

The steps include staying calm, administering the Ventolin inhaler with the number of puffs depending on the child's age, calling the parents or an ambulance if the attack is acute.

In rural areas, you might be waiting on an ambulance for a long time; very often, the parents would get to the school quicker than the ambulance will, she said, based on feedback to the society's helpline.

The Asthma Society of Ireland is running a free back-to-school webinar on Tuesday: see asthma.ie.
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?

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Ithaca author Celia Clements book is a firsthand account of her familys survival of the Holocaust, told through the eyes of her mother and two aunts.
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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
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Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of assassinating Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, was recommended for parole on Friday. After 53 years in prison, the 77-year-old inmate's fate is now in the hands of California's governor.

Two of Kennedy's surviving sons, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Douglas Kennedy, supported the release during Sirhan's 16th appearance before the parole board, yet several of Kennedy's other children have strongly opposed the move.

Sirhan arrived at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in May 1969 after being convicted of first-degree murder and assault with intent to murder.

"I'm overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face," Douglas Kennedy, who was a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968, said during the virtual hearing. "I think I've lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love."

Sirhan, wearing a blue uniform with a paper towel folded like a handkerchief into his pocket, smiled.

"I do have some love for you," Douglas Kennedy told the inmate, who nodded and lowered his head.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has favored Sirhan's release in the past, wrote in support of parole. He said he was moved when he first met Sirhan -- "who wept, clinching my hands and asked for forgiveness" -- and offered to be "a guiding friend for him."

The two-person panel recommended parole, but said the decision is not yet final. Despite the recommendation for release, the board's decision could be reversed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will determine if the grant is consistent with public safety, a process that could take a few months.

Newsom is in the midst of a campaign battle, facing a recall election on September 14.

Sirhan has 'no intention whatsoever' of being a repeat offender

Though it was Sirhan's 16th parole hearing, it was the first time state prosecutors did not oppose his release.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon did not make his prosecutors available to speak during Sirhan's parole hearing, affirming his stance that the role of a prosecutor ends at sentencing.

Los Angeles law enforcement submitted a letter in opposition to Sirhan's release, according to Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton, who said there were also letters from the public and members of the Kennedy family.

Barton said the panel considers all submissions but also attempts to determine whether Sirhan poses a danger to society.

"I have no such intention whatsoever," Sirhan said at one point about being a repeat offender.

Barton said Sirhan qualified as a youth offender and was youth parole-eligible, and the board is required to give that "great weight" under law. He also qualified for elderly parole at age 77 after serving more than 20 years.

Gascon adviser Alex Bastian, in a statement this week, noted that the parole board has all the pertinent facts and evaluations, along with behavior during incarceration.

"If someone is the same person that committed an atrocious crime, that person will correctly not be found suitable for release. However, if someone is no longer a threat to public safety after having served more than 50 years in prison, then the parole board may recommend release based on an objective determination," Bastian said.

"Our office policies take these principles into account and as such, our prosecutors stay out of the parole board hearing process," Bastian added.

Gascon's office said the previous practice, typical of many district attorneys across the country, involved almost always objecting to inmate releases, based solely on the circumstances of the crime and not on the actions of the inmate in the years following. The new directive aims to leave the decision up to the parole board.

Barton said the DA's absence made no difference in the decision because prosecutors had opposed parole in the past.

Gascon was elected DA late last year on a promise of sweeping criminal justice reforms, including ending cash bail for certain minor offenses, the death penalty and the practice of charging juveniles as adults.

In response to Sirhan's parole recommendation, six of Kennedy's children issued a statement excoriating the decision.

"As children of Robert F. Kennedy, we are devastated that the man who murdered our father has been recommended for parole. Our father's death is a very difficult matter for us to discuss publicly and for the past many decades we have declined to engage directly in the parole process," said the statement from Kennedy's children Joseph P., Courtney, Kerry, Christopher, Maxwell and Rory.

"Given today's unexpected recommendation by the California parole board after 15 previous decisions to deny release, we feel compelled to make our position clear. We adamantly oppose the parole and release of Sirhan Sirhan and are shocked by a ruling that we believe ignores the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California," the statement said.

"We are in disbelief that this man would be recommended for release. We urge the Parole Board staff, the full Board, and ultimately, Governor Newsom, to reverse this initial recommendation. It is a recommendation we intend to challenge every step of the way, and we hope that those who also hold the memory of our father in their hearts will stand with us."

Sirhan shot Kennedy in kitchen of Los Angeles hotel

Sirhan shot Kennedy to death in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles following a campaign event in which Kennedy celebrated primary victories in his run for the Democratic nomination for president in 1968.

Initially sentenced to death for the murder, Sirhan's punishment was commuted to life in prison in 1972 after the California State Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional.

Angela Berry, Sirhan's attorney, provided sentencing memorandums focusing on her client's youth at the time of the murder -- he was 24 -- and his childhood. Describing Sirhan as a Palestinian who became a refugee at age four, he "witnessed atrocities most of us only see in movies or in our worst nightmares" before emigrating to the US as a teenager.

Berry praised the panel for "keeping the politics out and following the law." She said she and Sirhan congratulated one another and that she was concerned about other inmates trying to "jeopardize" his eventual release date.

Barton asked Sirhan what his life intention was at 24.

The inmate said he wanted a career, to marry and settle down as a "good solid member of the community" and that's what he hoped to do now if released.

Barton asked Sirhan if he follows the Middle East conflict and his feelings about it.

Sirhan said he did not follow the situation but thinks about refugees and their suffering. He broke down.

"Take a few deep breaths," Barton said.

Barton reminded him the conflict has not gone away.

Sirhan said he felt "the misery that those people are experiencing. It's painful." He called them "kindred," and said he wouldn't be human if their plight didn't move him.

"Although whatever I would want to do in the future, it would be towards resolving that peacefully," Sirhan added.

"I think peaceful means are the best way to resolve that conflict in the Middle East."

Barton said the panel had no control over whether Sirhan is deported to Jordan.

"To me, the concern would be that you would become some type of, you know, symbol or lightning rod to foment more violence," Barton said.

If released on parole, Sirhan plans to live with his only surviving brother in Los Angeles, according to the filing.

Barton said, if released, Sirhan would likely be placed in a transitional home at first and transferred to his brother's home six months later.

"I want to be there for him," Sirhan said of his brother during the hearing.

Sirhan said he was not a heavy drinker and that he had hard liquor the night of the shooting. He vowed to remain "alcohol-free" and said he was learning to manage his anger. "It's a process," Sirhan said.

He said he is Christian and meditates regularly. Sirhan said he took responsibility for taking the gun into the hotel and firing the shots.

Barton pressed Sirhan about the Middle East conflict, and his bouts of impulsivity and poor judgment clouded by alcohol at the time.

"I've been trying to establish by asking you questions if you're still that person," Barton said.

"No I'm not." Sirhan said.

An attorney for the Kennedy family did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

Sirhan was convicted of killing Kennedy and wounding five other people during the June 5, 1968, shooting inside the kitchen service pantry of the former Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

Three bullets struck Kennedy's body while a fourth bullet passed harmlessly through the shoulder of his suit coat. Kennedy, the most seriously wounded of the six victims, died the next day. The other five people survived their wounds.

In 1968, the 42-year-old Kennedy, younger brother of the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, was a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination against Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Sen. Eugene McCarthy.

On the night of his assassination, Kennedy had just appeared on live television in an Ambassador Hotel ballroom, where he had claimed victory over McCarthy in the California primary election. Moments later, he was fatally wounded in the hotel service pantry while on his way to a news conference set for a small banquet room just beyond the pantry. The shooting in the pantry was not captured by any cameras.

At Friday's hearing, Sirhan was asked what he would say about people who believe he's angry after decades behind bars.

"I disagree with them outright," he said. "I'm grateful for having my life spared from the gas chamber. I value my life so much ... I would never put myself in jeopardy again."

He added, "You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and nonviolence."

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"We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay." That was President Biden's message last night for those responsible for yesterday's deadly attack in Kabul.

Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

(You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)

1. Afghanistan

Thirteen US service members and at least 90 Afghans were killed in a pair of bombing attacks outside the airport in Kabul where thousands of people had gathered in recent days to escape Taliban rule. Right after the explosions, gunmen opened fire on service members and civilians. At least 140 people were injured in the attack, including 18 US service members. US officials had warned that the chaotic and violent exit from Afghanistan could make the area vulnerable to renewed terrorist activity, and Biden said the risk of an attack was one of the reasons he was adhering to the August 31 withdrawal deadline, despite the deteriorating situation on the ground.

Who is behind it: ISIS in Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, claimed that an ISIS militant carried out the suicide attack but has not provided evidence to support the claim. This branch of the ISIS terror group first emerged in Syria and Iraq, and Afghanistan-based cells have been carrying out devastating suicide attacks in the country since 2016. The group is a sworn enemy of the Taliban. In the hours and days before the attack, US officials said they were aware of a "very specific threat stream" from the group. At the time, US diplomats ordered all Americans away from some airport gates.

What the situation on the ground is like now: The US is pressing forward with evacuations, including the roughly 1,000 Americans still in Afghanistan. Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, head of US Central Command, says there are still "extremely active threat streams against the airfield." He also says the US military is using attack helicopters and other aircraft to defend the airport. Biden said he would authorize whatever military leaders need, including more troops, to complete the mission. Meanwhile, scenes of carnage, rescue and grief continue to unfold in the attacks' aftermath.

What comes next: The attack has focused more scrutiny on Biden, who was already being criticized for what some considered a hasty and disorganized exit from Afghanistan. Republican adversaries have vowed Biden will face a "reckoning" over the attack. Biden defended his decision to stick to the troop withdrawal timeline and his withdrawal plan in general, saying, "It was time to end a 20-year war." More existential questions lie ahead, like what the US' moral obligation is to an Afghanistan left vulnerable to terrorism and how the US should recognize the rising Taliban rule there.

2. SCOTUS

The Supreme Court has blocked the Biden administration's eviction moratorium, which was extended at the beginning of August to provide continued relief during the pandemic. Landlord groups balked at the extension, and the Supreme Court decided such a move would require new legislation. The White House said because of the ruling, families will face more evictions and more dangers from Covid-19.

3. Tropical Storm Ida

Tropical Storm Ida is heading toward the US Gulf Coast and could develop into a hurricane by the time it arrives. The system is now threatening the Caribbean with winds of 40 mph. It will impact Cuba today before likely reaching the US by Sunday. Residents in Louisiana, where the storm is forecast to hit, are preparing for potential rains and hurricane-force winds.

Check your local forecast here>>>

4. Coronavirus

The CDC issued a health advisory yesterday warning doctors and the public about the "rapid increase" in prescriptions for the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin. Calls to poison control centers about the drug have increased threefold compared to the number of similar calls before the pandemic, the CDC said. One doctor in Arkansas is being investigated after he admitted he's prescribed the drug thousands of times to patients despite warnings.

5. Trump lawsuit

Seven US Capitol Police officers are suing former President Trump and some far-right entities, saying they should be held responsible for the events of January 6 and ultimately put police in danger with their misinformation and provocations. Among the defendants are alleged members of the far-right extremist groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. The suit is the latest in a long string of legal actions that aim to hold Trump liable for the insurrection.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

'Dancing with the Stars' will feature a same-sex dancing pair for the first time

JoJo Siwa of "Dance Moms" fame will be paired with a female dance pro.

Peloton is giving its bike another price cut

The reduced price tag? $1,495.

Wendy's is upgrading its french fries

It wants to decrease the sogginess and increase the crunch.

What does it mean when cats knead with their paws?

Basically, it's cat for "I like you!"

TODAY'S NUMBER

55,000

That's how many flavored e-cigarette products the US Food and Drug Administration has blocked from the market in its first big ban of e-cigarette products. Such products have been controversial because of their appeal to kids and teens.

AND FINALLY

'Songs My Mother Taught Me'

This is one of Czech composer Antonin DvoAak's most beloved works, with a keen understanding of how deeply our cultural and familial traditions resonate within us. To this achingly beautiful melody, he set a poem by his fellow countryman, Adolf Heyduk. Translated lyrically to English, it reads:

Songs my mother taught me, in the days long vanished;

Seldom from her eyelids were the teardrops banished.

Now I teach my children, each melodious measure.

Oft the tears are flowing, oft they flow from my memory's treasure.

(Click here to view.)

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Texas Children's Hospital is seeing a surge of coronavirus cases -- nearly all of them caused by the Delta variant. Not only are kids showing up in greater numbers, but they're sicker, too.

On top of it, many are infected with a second virus at the same time -- usually respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

A fresh surge of Covid-19 is colliding with an unseasonable epidemic of RSV, and it's landing kids in hospitals across the country.

"The past few days, the past week, we've been seeing high numbers of children coming in," said Dr. Sarah Combs, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC.

"You name it -- anything from the common cold to pneumonia to having respiratory distress, meaning we need to get some support breathing, and they're just coming in in higher and higher numbers," Combs told CNN. "In the summer, typically RSV is a non-issue. It's just not there."

It's the same in Texas.

"This Delta surge has been coupled with the re-emergence of other respiratory viruses," said Dr. Jim Versalovic, interim pediatrician in chief at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

And in Ohio.

"We are definitely seeing more RSV," Dr. Joshua Schaffzin, director of infection prevention and control at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, told CNN.

'Christmas in July' -- without the joy

"It's not seasonal. I have been calling it Christmas in July, because we usually see it around Christmas," he added.

"It's not exactly a gift. We are just seeing it at a time we typically don't."

The three hospitals, among others, are also seeing high numbers of other respiratory viruses such as parainfluenza 3, rhinoviruses and enteroviruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease and other conditions.

"The interesting thing with rhinovirus is that normally it would cause just the common cold," Combs said.

"It's normally a very mild virus. It's the most common cause of the common cold, so it is unusual that we're seeing children get sicker than we'd expect. And really what we see is that children are just getting that much sicker, you know, they may be requiring things like BiPap to breathe." Bilevel positive airway pressure devices are a non-invasive type of ventilator that help ensure the lungs keep filling up with oxygenated air.

It's all new for 2021.

In 2020, Versalovic told CNN, "it was really mainly about Covid."

Now, hospitals are not only seeing more kids with Covid-19, and sicker than they were with Covid-19, but they're sicker with viruses that normally do not land most children in the hospital.

"We are working with other children's hospitals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Children's Hospital Association to share data to explore this further," Versalovic said.

The CDC warned doctors last June of a growing number of cases of RSV across the US South. CDC data show a continuing upsurge of RSV across the rest of the country now.

"The cases are there. The cases are rising. The children are getting sick. And so we need to be prepared to take care of them," Combs said.

The pediatricians see some clear reasons for what's causing the surges, and equally clear ways forward for preventing them.

Back to school for kids, and germs, too

"I think it's clear over the summer months we had children mingling playing out and about," Versalovic said. "Many children are now congregating in preschool and obviously grade school environments -- high schools too. So we also know they're involved in extracurricular activities and getting together socially and playing," he added.

"And we want children to develop and to be in class in person, but we have to continue to emphasize the importance of masking. Because masking doesn't just protect one from Covid but could also prevent these co-infections."

There's another factor. Kids have not been exposed to seasonal viruses for more than a year.

"I think one thing is that we essentially sheltered a lot of these children during Covid," Combs said.

"So there's a theory that their immune systems didn't have the normal low-lying, routine level of exposure to the normal routine viruses like rhinovirus, so they weren't able to mount those kind of micro-responses to viruses and keep themselves ticking over," she added.

"Essentially it was like a bubble child, right? You've had them contained. You've had them quarantined ... and then all of a sudden we released these children. They're often in summer camps and we're even looking at going back to school. So all of a sudden these relatively naive immune systems that have kind of been resting on their laurels for the past 18 months are forced to confront the normal load of viruses and it's just that much harder to fight them."

On top of that, said Schaffzin, people got tired of wearing masks, of washing hands, of keeping apart. The heat of summer drove many people back indoors.

"We can't say for sure whether the unmasking and people wanting to spend time with each other is causing more of an increase, but we're certainly seeing a lot more infections and for RSV, not at the typical time of year," he said.

The benefits of all that masking and social distancing earlier in the pandemic was made clear by the lack of a flu season in 2020-2021, Schaffzin said.

"On average, 125 children die of flu in the United States every year, but the range is between 40 to closer to 200," he said.

"Last year, there was one. And that's why masking, again, seems to be the answer."

The CDC did indeed report just a single pediatric flu death last season.

"I think this statistic of a single flu death last season in the United States was really striking, and there were many, many school systems that were open and functioning, many daycares that were open and functioning," Schaffzin said.

"And I think that really proves, the real-world data shows us, that masking is an inexpensive and effective intervention," he added.

Masks won't hurt you. Really

People don't like masks, but the pediatricians agreed that parents and governors making a fuss over mask mandates are wrongheaded.

"I'm not going to lie -- you're outside and there's 100% humidity, a high heat index, it doesn't feel great," Combs said.

But it's not dangerous to anyone to wear a mask.

"When people are uncomfortable from the mask it's because they feel overheated and they're either getting a little anxious, or the mask is uncomfortable. It's close up against their mouth. Sometimes they breathe in and they can feel it against their lips and it's not something they're accustomed to. And it makes people feel out of breath," Schaffzin said.

"It is a sensation. It is not an increase of carbon dioxide. It is not anything internal that's dangerous."

And children don't mind masks unless their parents tell them they should.

"Kids tolerate masks really well. Kids tolerate masks a lot more than adults give them credit for," Schaffzin said.

"Especially if you make it fun, if you make it colorful or something that they enjoy, kids will not only have no problem but they'll want to wear the masks," he added.

"If you normalize masking, which is normal in many countries around the world, the controversy goes away."

The same goes for hand hygiene.

"You know there are lots of things that we do that we do for our own health that may not impact others' health. We brush our teeth. Some of us floss, exercise and whatnot, and what we do is we build those methods and those events into our daily routine, so that it feels weird if we don't do them," Schaffzin said.

"We're more likely to notice that we haven't brushed our teeth than we are to remember brushing our teeth on a given day. And what I would like to see is Covid prevention methods to be similar to that."

The pediatricians note that it's true masks can interfere with communication, especially in classrooms, where seeing someone's mouth or expression might be important.

"We need more data in terms of the social effects of masks and we can't dismiss that outright," Schaffzin said.

There are work-arounds. For instance, clear masks, sometimes used at children's hospitals, can help, he said.

"There's always a way around it. Humans innovate. It's what they do," he added.

'We can control a pandemic'

"We have not found a way to prevent every respiratory disease, but we do have mechanisms, including hand hygiene and including masking and including avoiding people who are sick, that when we do them together, reliably, we actually can prevent transmission," Schaffzin said. "We can control a pandemic."

Combs echoed this.

"What we know, numbers wise, is that we were successful when we put all the measures in place," she said. But people have started letting down their guard.

"There's a lot of fatigue around with doing the same things over and over, especially with seeing these peaks come and go and come and go. But what we do know is that when we mask appropriately, especially if you have a well-fitting mask or even a double mask technique, if everyone in a certain area is wearing that appropriate masking, that's going to be about 95% effective at preventing transmission or spread," she said.

And that will be the same whether the virus being kept at bay is Covid-19, or RSV, or rhinovirus or parainfluenza virus.

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Since March 2020, would-be travelers have experienced more turbulence on the ground than in the air. As always, though, CNN Travel are your attendants on hand to guide you through the safety instructions and point our your nearest exits.

Here's our latest roundup of new developments in pandemic travel. Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy week.

1. Bahamas, Sint Maarten and more have been added to US 'do not travel' list

The Bahamas and Morocco are now among the highest-risk destinations for travelers, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's regularly revised travel advisories list.

They moved to the top tier on August 23, along with Sint Maarten, Haiti, Kosovo and Lebanon. The recommendation for these destinations is to avoid all nonessential travel.

2. Seven new destinations have been added to the UK's 'green list'

Canada, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and the Azores are all new additions to the UK's travel "green list." This means that UK visitors who want to go there have to take a pre-departure test, as well as a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival back in the UK. They don't need to quarantine.

Thailand and Montenegro have moved to the UK's "do not travel" red list.

3. Denmark will lift all Covid restrictions on September 10

Denmark is in the top 10 of the world's most vaccinated countries, and it's marking this pandemic success by lifting all of its remaining Covid restrictions on September 10.

Minister of Health Magnus Heunicke said in a statement Friday that "even though we are in a good place right now (...) the government will not hesitate to act quickly if the pandemic again threatens important functions in our society."

4. Hawaii is asking tourists to stay away

Hawaii Governor David Ige asked tourists Monday to voluntarily stay away from the state -- but stopped short of introducing fresh restrictions on out-of-state visitors.

Covid cases are at a record high, with close to 5,000 new cases reported in the past week.

"We know that it is not a good time to travel to the islands," said Ige. "The visitors who choose to come to the islands will not have the typical kind of holiday that they expect to get when they visit."

5. Venice is employing armed guards to deal with crowded ferries

The tourists have returned to Venice, with up to 80,000 visitors a day pouring into the city of 50,000 inhabitants, according to local media.

The long lines -- and tensions in them -- have become such an issue that this summer, armed guards have been brought in to control the crowds, CNN's Julia Buckley reports.

6. Unruly passengers are risking flight safety

US federal authorities are warning passengers that the rising number of violent outbursts on commercial flights are not only a problem for flight attendants, but they also distract pilots from keeping the entire flight safe.

A Federal Aviation Administration public service announcement video released Tuesday, and first to CNN, shows actual recordings of flight crews informing air traffic controllers of emergency situations in the passenger cabin, interspersed with audio of in-flight altercations.

7. A European international airport is now the world's busiest

UK-based travel data provider OAG has been crunching the numbers and announced that Amsterdam (AMS) has moved into first place as the world's busiest international airport, knocking Dubai (DXB) down into second.

New York JFK-London -- named in 2019 as "the world's only billion-dollar air route" because of its revenue-generating capacity -- has returned this month to once again place on OAG's Top 10 Busiest International Routes.

However, it's still far from back to its pre-pandemic clout: While the UK is now accepting fully vaccinated inbound travelers from the US, the UK is still in the highest-risk category on the US travel advisories list.

8. Air Canada is mandating Covid-19 vaccines for staff

Air Canada has joined fellow North American airline United in introducing a vaccine mandate for its workers. All the Canadian airline's employees and new hires will be required to be vaccinated and to report their vaccination status as of October 30.

Other US major airlines including Delta, American and Southwest have stopped short of introducing a mandate, but are strongly recommending their workers get vaccinated, and Delta will be raising insurance premiums and limiting sick pay for the unvaccinated.

9. Iceland has had no Covid deaths since May

Iceland is fourth in the world -- just behind Malta, Singapore and the UAE -- when it comes to the percentage of its population that's vaccinated.

While infections have surged in the country's latest Covid-19 wave, there have been fewer hospitalizations compared to 2020 and no coronavirus deaths since May.

10. Disney Cruise Line has issued a vaccine mandate for sailings to the Bahamas

The Bahamas has joined the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" travel risk list -- and while Disney Cruise Line is still running sailings there, from September 3 all passengers 12 and older will have to be fully vaccinated.

Guests who choose not to provide proof of vaccination won't be permitted to board the ship, according to the cruise line. The mandate will be effective until at least November 1.

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YREKA, Calif. -- The Antelope Fire has burned a total of 71,447 acres and is 50% contained as of Sunday morning.

A virtual community meeting will be held August 29 at 6 p.m. on the Klamath National Forest Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KlamathNF/.

Firefighters today are working to prevent new fire starts and encourages community members to be vigilant.

Saturday brought hot and dry conditions with relative humidity bottoming out at 12 percent.

Fire was active in several areas of the Antelope Fire still retaining heat.

Light winds helped firefighters make good progress deepening the width of mop up near fire lines to increase containment. Helicopters dropped water to help ground crews cool hot spots and helped haul out excess equipment.

Although evacuations have been lifted for many private lands affected by the fire, national forests in northern California remain closed through September 6th.

Sunday is the third day of abnormally hot and dry weather. This weather is promoting conditions for active fire behavior. Southwest winds will help firefighters keep the fire within established lines and safely build new lines. They will also watch for spot fires in unburnt areas east of firelines. Crews will also continue to patrol, monitor, and mop up along fire lines through the day and night.

Saturday, on the southwest side of the fire, firefighters monitored areas near Duck Lake south to Antelope Creek and mopped up heat with engines from Duck Lake to Harts Meadow. That work will continue Sunday as intense heat remains in the West Haight Mountain area. Crews will continue the mop up to create depth on containment lines.

Mop up will continue from Watakma Butte to Dry Creek Peak. Along Forest Road 6, firefighters will patrol for hot spots, continue to mop up, and begin removal of hazardous trees.

On the east side of the fire Saturday, firefighters focused on cooling hot spots around Red Cap Mountain and from Squaw Peak to Red Cap Mountain. Sunday, they will continue to focus on mopping up this area.

The northwest and northeast flanks of the fire remain cold. Firefighters continued to remove unneeded hose line and equipment in these areas of the fire, focusing on Haight Mountain to Filson Springs. More crews arrived to pull and stack hose and will continue that work. Firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol from Antelope Sink southeast to Tamarack Springs and southwest to Blue Spring.

In the Medicine Lake area, a Structure Protection Group continues to make progress on grinding up downed vegetation with a chipper and excavator, with support from an engine. Crews hope to complete removing unneeded hoses and pumps from the area today.

Evacuations: The following evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted: Mt. Hebron, MJ area, Four Corners area, Three Sisters area, Shasta Wood area, Medicine Lake area, Red Rock area, Tennant, Fish Camp area, Bray, Round Valley/Antelope sink and the Andesite areas. An evacuation order remains in place for the Duck Lake area.

The following evacuation warnings remain in place: Antelope Creek Ranch, Ash Creek Butte area, Trout Creek area, Harris Springs area, Tod Mountain area, Slagger/Hambone area, Cabin Butte area, Bartle area, Coonrod Flat area, Shasta Forest Estates area and Esperanza areas.

Residents should stay alert for changes in evacuation status and sign up for emergency alerts using CodeRED at: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices/page/codered-emergency-alert.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Hot and dry conditions will persist Sunday with winds blowing from the southwest 6 to 10 mph with afternoon gusts up to 14 mph.Some areas will be smoky and hazy.

Temperatures will be near 85 degrees with minimum relative humidity of 11 to 15 percent.

Conditions remain for active surface fire spread. Activity should pick up in early morning and last well into the evening.

Embers from burning snags may drift across control lines and create new starts. Spotting may occur up to 0.3 miles from the main fire area. The ground cover is very dry and will significantly contribute to fire intensity and spread.

Firefighters will remain vigilant for new starts. Areas of concern include west of Rainbow Lake, north of Duck Creek around Alder Creek Divide/Haight Mountain, junction of Forest Road 6 and Forest Road 13 and Red Cap Mountain.

Restrictions: National forest lands in the Tahoe, Modoc, Klamath, Plumas, Shasta-Trinity, Lassen, Six Rivers and Mendocino National Forests and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit remain closed under Regional Order 21-04 until September 6th. (https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd945702.pdf). A temporary flight restriction is in effect over the Antelope Fire.

Smoke: A Smoke Outlook for the Antelope Fire is available at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/NECalifornia. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease should take precautionary measures.
BEND, Ore. (AP)  The death toll from COVID-19 in Oregon is climbing so rapidly that some counties cannot handle the number of bodies and have requested refrigerated trucks to hold them.

The state emergency management department says refrigerated trucks to hold bodies have been requested by Tillamook and Josephine counties.

A refrigerated truck arrived in Tillamook County on Friday, loaned by Klamath County.

In a statement, the Tillamook County commissioners said that from Aug. 18 to Aug. 23, there were six new COVID-19 deaths in the county, surpassing the five total deaths that occurred during the first 18 months of the pandemic.
Duchess Catherine is reportedly keen for Prince George to go to her old secondary school, in favour of Eton.

The 39-year-old royal's friend has revealed that Marlborough College in Wiltshire is high up on The Duchess of Cambridge's list of secondary education establishments to send her eldest son, eight, whom she has with husband Eton alumni, Prince William.

A close friend of the duchess - who met William, also 39, at St Andrew's University - told the Daily Mail: "Eton hasnt been ruled out but they have talked at length about Marlborough as an option and the smart money is on George going there instead.

"William and Catherine surprised many with their choice of Thomas's Battersea for George over more traditional royal schools but picked it because they felt it was the right fit for him.

"They are very keen to allow George to spread his wings as a child and wont ever do what people expect them to do when it comes to their children."

George and his sister Charlotte, six, currently go to Thomas's Battersea in southwest London.

Both public school Marlborough and private institution Eton take on pupils from the age of 13, so Catherine and William - who also have three-year-old Prince Louis - have a few years to decide just yet.

Third-in-line to the British throne, George, started school in 2017, and settled in "really easy".

Speaking about his son's first few days at school to patients at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, The Duke of Cambridge said at the time: "It's been an interesting week.

"George has been really easy. He hasn't said, 'Have I got to do this for the rest of my life?'"
EUGENE, Ore. -- Several community members gathered at Alton Baker Park Saturday afternoon for Eugene's first Black Cultural Festival.

The event featured food, live music and vendors from Black-owned businesses.

Ayanna Moriguchi, the early learning specialist at United Way for the Lane African American/Black Student Success program, was excited for a chance to bring the community together.

"The focus is to bring Black people together to celebrate their culture and to meet with other Black people and share knowledge and ideas and buy stuff from vendors," Moriguchi said.

Masks were required during the events and vaccines were offered.

The festival ran from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
EUGENE, Ore.-- Oregon is now the only state to mandate masks outdoors in most public settings as well as indoors.

This is for everyone regardless of vaccination status and went into effect Friday.

It comes as hospitals are quickly filling to capacity, and COVID-19 cases are at new record highs.

RELATED: NATIONAL GUARD COMING TO PEACEHEALTH RIVERBEND

Hundreds of people showed up at the Saturday marketa busy section of downtown Eugene where there is concern about social distancing and people masking up.

However, the only thing different about this weekend's market was a lot more mask-wearing--almost everyone at the market was seen masked up-- and if they weren't-- they were actively eating or drinking.

Venessa Roy, the Marketing Manager for the Saturday Market, said to also help stop the spread, they've chosen to go back to 50 percent capacity.

This means that all the booths are split up into even and odd numbers. Even booth numbers set up one week-- then the next week, the odd booth numbers will be in attendance.

She said this system allows for 8 feet of distance between each booth. They've included social distancing arrows and signs in all the booths asking people to mask up. They've limited touching in each booth, and hand sanitizer can be found in each booth as well.

"We're finding that everybody that showed up today pretty much has a mask on-- and it's a wonderful thing," Roy said. "It's really great to see our community paying attention to the current mandates so we can get the spread lowered and keep everyone safe."

Roy said they've gotten pretty good at making adjustments like these ones since we've experienced so many changes over the past year and a half.

She said she was nervous this morning because she didn't know if people would comply.

Frank Gosar, who has had a booth at the Saturday Market for almost 20 years, said he was impressed with the community members for following the rules.

He said everyone who stopped by his booth was wearing a mask and respectful of others' space.

Gosar told KEZI that because the Saturday Market has endured the whole pandemic -- it's really become a safe environment for people to stop by.

"I think people are --sad to say getting used to the whole necessity of masks now," Gosar said. "Pretty much everyone I have seen is either wearing a mask today, or if they don't, it's because they are sipping on their coffee then tucking their mask up back over their nose before they come into the booth."

Gosar said he really appreciates that level of responsibility and that the market vendors are diving in headfirst when it comes to adjusting to these new mandates.

The Oregon Health Authority also recommends masking up for outdoor gatherings at private homes when with different households.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon State Police troopers were dispatched to the report of a vehicle failing to maintain its lane while traveling southbound on Interstate 5 from milepost 226.

The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Officials located the vehicle and observed driving behavior consistent with the complaint and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle was slow to yield, but ultimately yielded on the offramp at milepost 191.

The driver was an elderly female. Troopers determined the source of the poor driving was a medical episode.

Medics responded to the scene and transported the driver to the RiverBend Hospital due to severe confusion and memory gaps.

A community caretaking tow was summoned to avoid vandalism or theft of the vehicle.

While at RiverBend Hospital, investigation revealed she had a medical BAC of 0.146%. Officials said the driver provided consent for a legal blood draw.

According to OSP, the driver was cited and released for DUII and Reckless Driving.
HIGHWAY 58, Ore. -- A man was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants after crashing into a power pole on Highway 58 Friday night, Oregon State Police said.

Police have identified that man as Dexter resident Dalton Long, 30.

Officials said he was driving a truck when he lost control and hit the power pole.

After the crash, officials said Long was taken to RiverBend hospital with significant injuries.

An investigation at the hospital revealed he was impaired at the time of the crash, police said.

The crash caused several homes in the Oakridge area to temporarily lose power. Power has now been restored, officials said.

This happened near milepost 19 a few miles west of Oakridge at about 11 p.m. Friday.
The death of Christy Stafford was heard of with great regret in the Thomastown community, where he lived for 93 years.

Christy was one of three children born to Tommy and Bridie Stafford. Christy was the last surviving member of the family. The three siblings died within a period of 11 months. His brother, Sean, died in August 2020, aged 96, his sister, Kathleen, died in December 2020, aged 99 years and Christy died in July aged 93.

Christy lived life to the full and was very popular and a favourite of all. He loved socialising and meeting up for a drink and a chat. Many a great night was had in Rosehill House Hotel with his friends, many of whom have long since passed on.

Memories too of the many hurling tournaments played during fetes in Knocktopher and the craic afterwards in Pakie Carrolls yard. Some memorable trips were also made to London over the years with his Thomastown buddies.

Christy loved a sing song and he had a great voice, one of his favourite ballads being, I wish, I wish, I wish in vain, I wish I was a youth again.

Galway Races

At the funeral service, many remarked on the fact that he should pass away during the Galway Races as he never missed the annual event. His holidays were invariably booked for July each year and nothing interfered with this.

Many will have fond memories of Christy and he will be mourned by a large circle of friends and neighbours.

He spent all his working life in Comerfords Bakery, Thomastown where he was a master confectioner. Excerpt from Joan

Cleeres Diary of a Working Girl in Thomastown, published in the Duchas journal In the Shadow of the Steeple:

Christy began working in Comerfords in 1942 at the age of fifteen for the weekly wage of 10 shillings a week. He retired in 1992 having spent 50 years working there.

He has great memories of his time in Comerfords and enjoyed working with the many people who passed through during his time there. In turn, people contacted during the writing of this article had nothing but good to say about Christy and were loud in their praise of him as a colleague and friend.

He recalls delivering bread on a bicycle for a time and then progressed to a pony and trap driven by Willie Heafey. Comerfords first van was an old army Bedford.

On one occasion a delivery of bread to Mount Juliet in a turf lorry driven by Christys neighbour and friend, Joe Maher, was not appreciated by Major McCalmont.

The confectionery was set up in the late 1940s and it rapidly developed a reputation for fine confectionery throughout the South-East. It gave employment to many people in the area and was a great place to work.

Christy Stafford, who spent all his working life in Comerfords, was in charge and his friendly manner helped many a newcomer to blend in easily.

While wedding cakes were all iced by Joe Comerford, birthday cakes were Christys responsibility. In addition to wedding cakes, a wide range of cakes were produced in the confectionery, including, sponges, madeira cakes, fruit cakes, ginger cakes, apple tarts, and endless fancy cakes and pastries.

The poor relation was the chester cake, about which all sorts of tales were told. The ingredients were basically cakes which were a few days old and these were mixed together and covered with a thin layer of pastry and then cut in squares. The result was a tasty snack which proved popular.

When Christy retired, a get together was organised in Johnny OBriens pub, Thomastown and his long-time colleague and good friend, Sean Gosh Challoner penned a tribute as follows:

A few words to say about Christy

A man who I greatly admire

Honest soft gentle efficient and qualities

That greatly inspire.

No order was too small for Christy

He tackled them all with good heart

You can be sure that when Christy was finished

It would undoubtedly be a work of art.

Fifty years of unselfish devotion

A record not many will break

Long life health and happiness

Be the icing on his cake

And when his time does come to be called up

The angels they will be rejoicing

At last theyll have an archangel named Christy

Show them how to do icing.

Of the three siblings, Christys brother Sean was the only one to leave Thomastown, for Galway, where he embarked on a teaching career, met and married Maire and raised a family of five.

Kathleen became the homemaker and the brother and sister lived together in Ladywell, Thomastown.

When Sean died in August 2020, his family received a letter of regret from President Michael D Higgins.

Sean will be remembered best for the support, encouragement and opportunity that he provided for hundreds of actors, playwrights and directors to practice their craft through the Irish language and for the joy this brought to audiences over the decades.

With his wife, Maire, who predeceased him, Sean had a hugely positive influence on cultural life and on the Arts in Ireland. As a nation, we are indebted to them both. Sean was a good friend to Sabina and me and we would like to express our deepest sympathy to his children Ruairi, Fionnuala, Maeliosa, Orfhlaith and Conall, to his extended family and friends.

Christy died peacefully on Friday, July 23 at St Lukes Hospital Kilkenny. He was predeceased by his brother, Sean and sister, Kathleen. Deeply regretted and sadly missed by his loving family: nieces, Fionnuala and Orfhlaith, nephews, Ruari, Maeliosa and Conall, neighbours, carers and friends.

Requiem Mass was celebrated by Rev Dan Bollard in the Church of the Assumption. Interment took place in St Marys New Cemetery, Thomastown, Kilkenny where a large crowd gathered, observing social distancing, to pay their final respects to one of their own.

Rest in peace, Christy!
Northern Iowa - The steady rainfall North Iowa has seen over the past few days is leading is aerial flash flood warnings in some areas.

Earlier this week, forecast predictions estimated to see more than six inches of rainfall in some Iowa areas.

Between now and Thursday, parts of North Iowa have seen over a foot of rainfall.

Due to standing water, some Iowa counties are experiencing blocked roadways.

In Chickasaw County, roads on Highway 18 near New Hampton and Fredericksburg are blocked and in Mitchell County, a portion of Highway 9 is blocked.

Tom Brunner shared how he felt as he watched the storm quickly approach his Marble Rock bean field last night.

"I like in Charles City and I had my mother-in-law in our basement, because she doesn't have a basement, and we were watching it," said Brunner. "And I said, "ohhhh." And when you said a mile east of Marbrock and I was hoping it was north instead of south. And it wasn't. Well - find out how good my insurance is."

According to the National Weather Service, most flood deaths occur in vehicles, so Northern Iowa residents are urged to not drive through the standing water.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Hundreds of people gathered outside the Minnesota Capitol to protest COVID-19 vaccines and face covering requirements.

Organizers billed Saturday's event as a medical freedom rally. Many in the crowd held up signs criticizing vaccines, masks, and mandates and chanting slogans such as My body, my choice. About a half-dozen Republican legislators and two candidates for governor addressed the group that stood together without wearing masks.

The statewide mask mandate ended in May but many employers have taken matters into their own hands as case numbers surge across the state. Speakers objected to the idea of carrying vaccine passports and many signed a petition to ban them.
SMITHLAND, Iowa (AP)  Nearly 80 years after he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Wesley Brown has been laid to rest in Iowa.

Dozens of people who never had the chance to know Brown gathered Saturday to honor him as he was buried in the Little Sioux Township Cemetery in Smithland. His final resting place is a site near the graves of his mother and sister who both died long before his remains could be identified through DNA testing.

Brown died at age 25 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Roy Struble, who is married to Browns great neice, said the burial brought great peace to the family.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP)  President Joe Biden met in solemn privacy Sunday with the families of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport and became the fourth commander in chief to bear witness as the remains of the fallen returned to U.S. soil from Afghanistan.

First lady Jill Biden joined the president at Dover Air Force Base to grieve with loved ones as the dignified transfer of remains unfolded, a military ritual for those killed in foreign combat.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me.

Five were just 20, born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.

At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present as flag-draped transfer cases are taken off the transport plane that returns them to American soil.

Aside from the quiet commands of honor guards who carry the transfer cases, the short prayers of the chaplain typically are the only words spoken during the ritual.

Biden's three most recent predecessors as presidents all attended such dignified transfers. It was Biden's first time taking part in the ritual as president, but he has been here before.

Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS' Face the Nation that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.

The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier.
NEW HAMPTON, Iowa  Work continues to deal with a train that went off the tracks in Chickasaw County.

It happened just after 4 pm about three miles southwest of New Hampton and the Chickasaw County Emergency Management Agency says cleanup work is continuing Sunday. Some families near the derailment site who had been evacuated due to the leak of diesel fuel and anhydrous ammonia are now being allowed to return home.

Emergency officials say current weather modeling shows no danger from the derailment to New Hampton or its residents but the situation will continue to be monitored. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is checking on water quality downstream.

Continuing work has closed 220th Street between Jasper Avenue and Ivanhoe Avenue and people are asked to avoid the area due to heavy traffic and equipment.

The conductor and engineer of the train were taken to MercyOne New Hampton has a precaution but were treated and released. No other injuries have been reported.

Previous story below

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Iowa - Emergency management in Chickasaw County is asking the public to avoid an area where a train derailment took place.

It happened Saturday at 4:07 p.m. about three miles southwest of New Hampton.

Canadian Pacific, along with the New Hampton and Ionia Fire Departments, Chickasaw rescue, ambulance and the sheriff's office is working to mitigate the incident.

All households affected have been contacted.

The area was hit by torrential rain Friday into Saturday and severe flooding was reported throughout the county.
President Joe Biden watched stoically as flag-draped cases carrying the remains of American service members killed in Afghanistan returned Sunday to the United States.

The President's attendance at what the military calls a "dignified transfer" is among the gravest responsibilities for any American commander in chief, a searing reminder of the consequences of his decisions and the weight of the job. In withdrawing all US troops from Afghanistan, Biden hopes to be the last US president to witness war dead returned home from that country.

'A true hero;' Wentzville Marine killed in Kabul airport attack honored during hometown rally Hundreds of community members lined Wentzville Parkway on Saturday morning, many with flags and patriotic signs in memory of a local fallen marine.

The 13 service members whose remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday morning were among the 6,000 US troops Biden deployed to assist in a massive airlift evacuation, and were killed in a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport gates last week, a deadly coda in the final days of America's longest war.

One-by-one on Sunday, the cases were carried with practiced, solemn precision by teams of seven from the bay of a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane and onto waiting gray mortuary vans.

The transfers occurred in near-silence; the hum of the plane's auxiliary power pierced only by occasional cries from family members watching nearby and an officer's calls to "present arms" when cases emerged. The plane had carried the remains from Kabul to Kuwait to Ramstein Air Base in Germany before its final flight leg to Dover, where it landed Sunday at 8 a.m. ET.

Biden looked on from several yards away, the first lady on his left, lifting his hand to his heart each time the process repeated itself. He watched intently, locking eyes with the procession as it moved past. Before the transfers began, Biden walked up the ramp into the hulking interior of the plane, where the cases were arranged in neat rows, for a moment of prayer.

He was joined in Delaware by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and other senior military officials.

It is the first time Biden has attended a "dignified transfer" since taking office seven months ago, and comes as he withdraws all US troops from Afghanistan. He is the fourth US president to carry the weight of sending American troops to Afghanistan who returned in flag-draped cases.

The 13 service members were killed during a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport gates on Thursday as they assisted in a massive airlift mission to evacuate American citizens and vulnerable Afghans from the country.

Eleven were Marines, one was an Army soldier and one was a Navy corpsman. The youngest were 20 years old and the oldest was 31. They came from Massachusetts, California, Nebraska, Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Wyoming, Ohio and Tennessee.

They were the first US troops killed in hostile action in Afghanistan since February 2020, when two soldiers were killed in combat in Nangarhar province. Then-President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer when their remains returned to Dover.

Biden, in a statement on Saturday, called the slain troops "heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others."

"Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far," he said, referring to the number of people airlifted from Kabul. "May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days."

The Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, responsible for the return of remains from military theaters overseas, specifies that the transfer is not a "ceremony" but rather "a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team composed of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service."

Families of those killed watched the transfer from a designated section opposite where the President stood. Under a policy enacted in 2009, families can choose whether media is allowed to cover the proceeding.

Once the remains are transferred from the plane, they are driven to the base mortuary, the largest in the country. They are prepared for burial there and transferred onward.

While Sunday's dignified transfer was Biden's first as commander in chief, he participated in at least one other event of this kind as vice president. He was on hand at Dover Air Force Base in November 2016 for the dignified transfer of a soldier who was killed by a suicide bomb at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Milley, who at the time was serving as the Army chief of staff, also attended.

As a senator, Biden once claimed he was being blocked from attending dignified transfers at Dover by the Pentagon, describing times when he wanted to pay his respects but wasn't allowed.

He had been among the major critics of George W. Bush's administration for a policy of not allowing media coverage of dignified transfers at Dover Air Force Base, the primary entry point for remains of fallen US troops.

Biden once claimed they were being "snuck back into the country" and called the policy shameful.

In an appearance on CBS in 2008, he explained that even as a senator, he had been disallowed from attending the transfers but received permission from the Pentagon at one point to attend one at the request of the family.

He said he had "tried" to attend other transfers but wasn't allowed.

"I'm allowed in the military base. I'm not allowed to go to the mortuary. I'm not allowed to be there when the flag-draped casket comes in," he said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated where the Americans' remains had gone after leaving Kabul and before arriving at Ramstein Air Base. They were flown to Kuwait.

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Seen is an aerial view of the central business district in Jakarta, Indonesia. gettyimagesbank



By Park Jae-hyuk



The government is going all out to avoid any further delay in its ambitious plan to open the Korea-ASEAN Financial Cooperation Center, which has been pursued over the past three years as part of the Moon Jae-in administration's efforts to boost ties with Southeast Asian countries and India.



A recent document from the Mission of the Republic of Korea to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in Jakarta showed that it had invited tenders from Korean-owned construction firms in Indonesia until last Friday to open a separate space for the center inside the mission's office in the Sentral Senayan 2 building by the end of this year, with a budget of around $340,000.



The mission plans to announce the winning bidder on Sept. 6. According to its notice, the winner should sign a contract with the mission within 10 days of the announcement, and finish construction within 90 days of beginning.



In February, the mission recruited two Korean employees to work for the center starting in May.



The government is also said to have finished hiring a government official to lead the center, as well as chosen the Korea Financial Telecommunications & Clearings Institute, the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, the Korea Deposit Insurance Corp., the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency and the Korea Securities Depository as the five institutions that will send their employees to the center.



The opening of the center in Southeast Asia has been delayed several times.



The Presidential Committee on the New Southern Policy had announced in May 2019 that the government was aiming to open the center in Bangkok or Jakarta by 2020 in order to offer financial support to Korean companies doing businesses in the ASEAN market and to satisfy the demand of Southeast Asian countries for financial infrastructure.



A few months later, Jakarta was selected as the city where the tower would open, and the plan was officially agreed upon between Korea and the leaders of the ASEAN member countries during their summit in November 2019.



The Korean government, however, announced in December 2020 that the center would open during the first half of 2021. Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo said the same in May, while he was attending a seminar on financial cooperation between Korea and Indonesia.



The plan was postponed again to the end of this year, as Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi agreed to the opening of the center "within this year" during their meeting in Jakarta on June 25.


A poster of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation / Screen captured from World Health Organization



By Bahk Eun-ji



A high court has ruled that a Sierra Leonean woman who came to Korea to avoid female genital mutilation should be granted refugee status because the practice is violation of human rights. The Gwangju High Court overturned a lower court decision that ruled against the 38-year-old woman who filed the suit to counter the Gwangju Immigration Office's decision not to recognize her as a refugee.



"Circumcision is a practice that inflicts pain to a women's body and infringes on human dignity, and is a persecution someone has to suffer because she is a member of a specific group," the court said. "There is sufficient grounds for fear and a high chance of being circumcised against her will if the woman is repatriated."



The Sierra Leone woman converted to Christianity in 2009 after attending a Catholic school in her home country, but was pressured by her mother to join a traditional religious group that circumcises women. Her mother was one of the leaders of the group and wanted the woman to succeed her position after undergoing genital cutting.



The woman refused and was assaulted by people of the religious group several times in April 2019. She said she reported this to the police, but was not protected because of the religious group's great influence in her country.



After receiving death threats, she came to Korea in September 2019. After 23 days in the country, she applied for refugee status with the immigration office.



But the office rejected her application, saying fear of female genital mutilation did not constitute "enough grounds that she may be persecuted."



She then filed an administrative suit with the Gwangju District Court to annul the immigration office's decision. But the local court ruled against her, saying she failed to present evidence of her claims and it was unlikely she was persecuted because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a specific social group or political opinion  factors applied in deciding whether to grant refugee status.



However, the appeals court overturned the lower court's ruling, saying she had been pressured to succeed her mother's position as a leader of the group and that she had been kidnapped and assaulted because she refused to do so.



"She was at risk of being circumcised in her familial, regional and social circumstances, and she has stated this situation consistently," the court said. "Her statement that her life could be in danger if she refuses to succeed her mother in the post is also consistent with the results of the United Nations Refugee Agency's fact-finding."



"She also didn't seem to have other cause for entry to Korea than the attempt to avoid circumcision, and she may face the same pressure for genital mutilation even if she moves to other regions in Sierra Leone because the nation has no law prohibiting the practice," the court said. "So we recognize there are sufficient grounds that she could be persecuted."


By Sean O'Malley





In the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, voices of concern are rising in South Korea. There is speculation that the United States may abandon its alliance commitment. The corollary between a U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan and a withdrawal in South Korea is weak.







The precedent has not been set. The U.S. will not abandon South Korea. That is a prediction of course, but those who fail to learn their history fail to see the forest for the trees.







Critics of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan should recognize that it was inevitable. The nation-building effort there was always going to fail. Nation-building requires two fundamental aspects to succeed: an indigenous consensus for change and effective governance. Afghanistan had neither.







For two decades, the Taliban and other elites undermined political reconciliation and consensus. The collapse of the Afghan military and police forces, as well as the well-documented corruption of the Afghan government, are clear indicators that Afghan governance was an illusion. Great powers cannot overcome such obstacles in the face of a determined indigenous commitment to independence.







The U.S. followed the failures of other great powers in Afghanistan because once again "Americans were blind to evidence of mankind's capacity all over the world to generate indigenous chaos without regard to global powers."







Those poignant words were written in 1975, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam, another failed nation-building effort. The writer though was reflecting on the U.S. commitment to help South Korea in its war with the North, 25 years earlier.







Those claiming the U.S. simply needed more time to force change on Afghanistan have failed to learn their history. The mission and goals in Afghanistan had grown muddied over time. This is not the case in the U.S.-Korea relationship.







The goal of U.S. forces in South Korea is clear. "The objective, beyond maintaining the independence of South Korea, is the security of neighboring Japan." In addition, with a rising China and a resurgent Russia, U.S. strategic fundamentals have not changed: the "strategy is global but contains fixed priorities  the defense of Western Europe and the security of Japan."







If such quotes seem like mere rhetoric, then think again. They were also written in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam, some 46 years ago.







The U.S. alliance commitment to South Korea has evolved since then, but it has not wavered. For decades, South Korea has enjoyed a bilateral consensus in Washington that it is an important ally. It has powerful friends throughout U.S. government institutions. The U.S. remains in large part because its friendship with the South Korean people is stronger than the occasional ranting of inexperienced presidents.







The U.S. defense establishment blocked President Carter's desire for troop withdrawal from South Korea in the late 1970s. The U.S. Congress blocked Donald Trump's threat of troop withdrawal with a new law that stripped the U.S. president of his unilateral decision-making power in regards to cutting the number of U.S. forces stationed on the peninsula.







Still, politics of the U.S.-Korea alliance has its challenges. Certain political elites, especially from progressive political circles in South Korea, would like U.S. forces to leave. Anyone with serious political ambitions does not state this openly of course.







It is much better to float such an idea at a private institute in Washington or New York via proxy to maintain political deniability. An open declaration for troop withdrawal would be political suicide, as many Koreans want U.S. forces to stay, albeit grudgingly for some.







Actually, the U.S. overlooks a number of factors that seemingly harm its presence in South Korea. Relatively recent security lapses include failing to detect a North Korean crossing the demilitarized zone and failing to detect a North Korean boat sailing for days in South Korean waters and then docking in the South.







In addition, the Moon Jae-in administration has been reluctant to allow more permanent provision for the U.S.-operated THAAD anti-missile battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.







Of course, political ambivalence and security lapses can be overlooked, in light of an overwhelming strategic value to the national interest of the U.S. The fact is that a military alliance is a partnership. Both sides must see value in the relationship. For more than 70 years, the U.S. has been a good partner for South Korea and South Korea has been a good partner for the U.S.







Still, there is an important lesson to be learned from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Korea, the lesson has to do with the attitude of the Korean people: "If South Korea has no will to fight, then the U.S. cannot help her." No truer words may have been spoken.







The U.S. has no plans to abandon South Korea, but this does not mean Koreans can be complacent. If Koreans want a transfer of military operational control, then they must meet the high standards set by the U.S. military, and they must avoid blatant, embarrassing security lapses.







South Korea must enhance its strategic value in regional and global affairs, by continuing support for multi-national security missions abroad. The South Korean military must continue to increase and improve its operational readiness and capacity through hardware acquisition and joint training with U.S. forces.







It is through actions and deeds amassed by working together in harmony and trust that will maintain and strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance. It has been this way for more than 70 years. The U.S. failure in Afghanistan does not change that.









Sean O'Malley (

) is a professor of international studies at Dongseo University, where he teaches classes on U.S.-Korea Relations and South Asia. He has published numerous papers on security and regional issues important to South Korea. His most recent publication is "Assessing Threats to South Korea's Undersea Communications Cable Infrastructure" in the Korean Journal of International Studies.


GS Group's headquarters in southern Seoul / Korea Times file





By Yi Whan-woo



GS Group has established a foothold in the biotech industry after years of searching for new growth engines, with its latest acquisition of a majority stake in Korea's No. 1 botulinum toxin manufacturer, Hugel.



The acquisition is expected to allow the conglomerate to diversify its business portfolio amid the rapidly changing global business landscape.



GS Group, the country's eighth-largest conglomerate, has been reliant on the refinery, construction, retail and other traditional industries. It has been considered relatively slower than other family-owned conglomerates in the transition to next-generation industries.





Korean botulinum toxin (botox) manufacturer Hugel has been selling its product under the brand, Letybo. Korea Times file






Morgan Stanley forecasts space industry to reach $1 trillion by 2040



This article is the first in a series of stories highlighting the emergence of the private space industry, in which companies are helping the sector take a major leap.  ED



By Kim Hyun-bin



The competition in the global space industry is heating up, with billionaire moguls making dramatic moves to spearhead the advancement of commercial space travel.



The commercialization of the space industry by the private sector is gaining momentum quickly, resulting in renewed interest in the public sector as well, contrary to major space projects in the past which were led and run by governments only.



The recent voyages into space of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin LLC, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. and Tesla CEO Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) have attracted much public attention to the billionaires' hopes to commercialize space travel.



The industry has the potential for exponential growth in diverse sectors, including faster world travel via space, orbiting hotels, the establishment of bases on the moon and the colonization of other planets in the future.







The current leader of the pack is SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, which aims to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars by 2050. The company is focused on long-distance space travel and has developed the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles, rocket engines and Starlink communications satellites, in part to speed up its efforts in this area.



As a private company, SpaceX has is the first to fund a liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit, the first to reuse an orbital rocket and the first to send private astronauts into orbit and to the International Space Station (ISS).



Musk has expressed his interest in developing the SpaceX Starship system which includes a family of spacecraft, ground support infrastructure and a super-heavy booster that can lift 150 tons of orbital payload and up to 100 people, all of which is fully reusable, solving what Musk says is an "insanely hard problem."



SpaceX will be ready to launch its Starship with the highest payload capacity of any orbital rocket in a few weeks and plans to send four civilians to visit the ISS for a couple of days by the first half of 2022.



According to Morgan Stanley, these efforts to develop reusable rockets will become a major turning point in boosting future developments in the industry.



"We think of reusable rockets as an elevator to low Earth orbit (LEO)," Adam Jonas, a Morgan Stanley equity analyst, said in the company's report. "Just as further innovation in elevator construction was required before today's skyscrapers could dot the skyline, so too will opportunities in space mature because of access and falling launch costs."



Blue Origin, founded by former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, is also speeding up development to commercialize space travel through reusable rockets. Unlike SpaceX which aims for the colonization of Mars, Bezos aims to colonize the Moon.



On July 20, Bezos and his brother Mark, 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk and an 18-year-old Dutch student named Oliver Daemen, experienced suborbital space for four minutes, while another flight is scheduled to take place on Aug. 26.



Virgin Group founder Richard Branson established Virgin Galactic in 2004. The company differs from SpaceX and Blue Origin in that it uses an airplane-like rocket ship to travel to space. Virgin Group is the umbrella company that many of Richard Branson's Virgin-branded ventures are under.



The company's suborbital spacecraft is air-launched beneath a carrier airplane called "White Knight Two," which ignites 15km in the air to reach 90km above sea level, so as to experience microgravity for a few minutes, before gliding back to base. The company is charging $450,000 per flight but plans to reduce the price to $40,000 within 10 years, in order to commercialize space travel.



Private companies have also been developing space technologies for manned landings on the moon as well as airplane-borne rocket launchers that could place small satellites into orbit at far lower costs and with greater responsiveness than ground-based systems.





This rendering shows SpaceX's Starship human lander design. The Starship is the first commercial human lander, and will carry the next NASA astronauts to the surface of the Moon under the Artemis program. Courtesy of SpaceX and NASA




The death toll from a missile and drone attack on a key military base in Yemen's south on Sunday climbed to at least 30 troops, a Yemeni military spokesman said.







Mohamed al-Naqeeb, the spokesman for the Yemeni southern forces, told The Associated Press that the attack on the Al-Anad Air Base in the southern province of Lahj wounded at least 65 others.







No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.







The officials said at least three explosions took place at the air base, which is held by the internationally recognized government.







Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government.







A ballistic missile landed in the base's training area, where dozens of troops were doing morning exercises, the officials said.







Medics described a chaotic scene at the base following the explosions, with soldiers carrying their wounded colleagues to safety fearing another attack.







The officials blamed the Houthis for the attack on the base. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.







The military spokesman for the Houthis did not confirm or deny the attack, which carries the hallmarks of the Iranian-backed rebels. The Houthis have previously launched similar attacks including one by a bomb-laden drone on the Al-Anad in Jan. 2019, killing six troops. (AP)


hospital workers

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SALEM, OR (KPTV)  The Oregon State Fair is well underway in Salem, just as Gov. Brown's outdoor mask mandate is now across the state.

"With the masks on, I feel really safe. I'm glad the fair is requiring it," Heather Piercy, an attendee, said.

Oregon State Fair opens back up as outdoor mask mandate is put into place SALEM, OR (KPTV) - Starting Friday people in Oregon will have to wear a mask in most public outdoor settings. This new rule applies when you c

While masks are required indoors and outdoors at the fair, plenty of attendees went without one.

"A large number aren't wearing masks, Piercy said. More than I thought and that really surprises me."

Gov. Brown announced the outdoor mask mandate would begin on Friday. The order says you have to mask up regardless of your vaccination status. This applies to most public outdoor spaces and large outdoor events where social distancing isn't possible.

Zach Fish said he's vaccinated, so he feels safe, but noticed many weren't following the mandate.

"There definitely has been a lot of no masks so that's kind of sketchy but as a whole I feel okay," he said.

There's signage throughout the fair and at the amphitheater reminding people to wear a mask but Piercy said she wishes more people followed those rules.

"I think there's a false sense of security, Piercy said. I think people think if they're vaccinated, they don't need to mask and that's not true."

Brown announces new mask mandate in Oregon for outdoor gatherings SALEM, OR (KPTV) - Masks will be required in most outdoor settings in Oregon starting Friday, Aug. 27, regardless of vaccination status, Gov.

FOX 12 reached out to the Oregon State Fair to ask how they're enforcing these rules. Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center CEO Kim Grewe-Powell sent a statement, saying:

"All of us at the Oregon State Fair have been working very, very hard to make sure we can make our guests experience visiting the fair as safe and fun as possible. We have crews walking through the fair on a regular basis re-sanitizing handles, knobs, faucets, push bars, etc. And please notice the number of hand sanitizing stationstheyre located throughout the fair; in all buildings; and of course near the food and beverage vendor stands.

We have posted signs EVERYWHERE reminding guests of the need to wear masks both inside and out. Youll see them at the gates, on doors to buildings, throughout the barns holding the livestock, and of course at the amphitheater.

In fact, before concerts at the amphitheater the emcee announces that masks must be worn when attendees arent eating or drinking. The message is repeated on the jumbotron.

We remind people as they enter the Fair to keep their masks on. We provide masks to those who forgot their own.

And we have staff who wander through the fair asking anyone unmasked (and not eating or drinking something) to put their masks back on. So far, thats been very effective.

We have the option to ask people to leave the fairgrounds if their behavior is causing problems. We dont want to get to that stage; we prefer educating people about the mask mandate in a calm, friendly, cooperative mannerthats who we are! Were hoping guests will indeed cooperate.

Just today, we took an additional step to ensure our vendors, exhibitors, performers, staff and volunteers are setting the proper example. We distributed a memo from Oregon OSHA, which has final enforcement authority. OR-OSHA will conduct random visits throughout the remainder of the Fair and at its discretion will issue fines to any vendors, exhibitors, staff or volunteers not in compliance.

We really appreciate everyones cooperation in our efforts to produce a safe, fun event for all of Oregon. Our team will continue to monitor compliance, and we will continue to work to make the Oregon State Fair safe for all and therefore fun for all.

Were asking all guests to help us keep you as safe as possible, and also help protect your community: Please, while youre at the Oregon State Fair, wear your mask."
This is one of the earliest photos of Nebraska City, showing Central Avenue, looking east toward the Missouri River. The wagons have assembled and are heading west. From this point they will cross the creek before continuing almost directly northwest on the Ox-Bow Trails Salt Creek ford at what would become Ashland.
Tonight will be the first ever, regular Monday night draw for Idahos favorite game, Powerball. The estimated jackpot for this historic draw for the most popular game in America is $293 million. Read more
POCATELLO, Idaho (KPVI) - "As we saw the last four years, we had low gas prices, a stable Afghanistan and other things," said Bannock County Commissioner Terrel Tovey, who believes the new presidency has gone off the path. Read more
Main events

The village of Fontana fireworks display was scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 28, at 9 p.m.

But it was postponed because of weather until Sunday, Aug. 29.

See the display on the west end of Geneva Lake, at Fontana Beach.

Several months ago, village officials decided to postpone the communitys traditional Fourth of July fireworks display to August. There was lots of uncertainty at the time when officials needed to make a decision on if and when to continue with the display.

It has been said that the display draws around 20,000 spectators each year.

Even the U.S. National Guard comes in to help with traffic control.

Visit villageoffontana.com for more about Fontana and the fireworks display.

More events

Thursday, Aug. 26
Dave Salkin, account executive for Bauer Sign and Lighting, said his company has been researching the appropriate location for the museum sign and feels it will be visible to motorists driving through the area of the museum.

It took a lot of time to figure out this area, Salkin said.

Alderman Tim Dunn, who also is a member of the plan commission, said the museum sign probably will be more visible than the library sign, because there will not be any parking spaces in front of it.

Its going to be much easier to read than the one by the library, Dunn said.

Buetler said the museum has been well attended during the past few weeks.

Now that COVID is going down, attendance is going up, Buetler said. Weve had several days over the last month with over 100 people. Considering the whole environment that were in, thats sensational. Were running at a pace greater than what the museum has even done, so hopefully the sign will help us with that.

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Her death, he said, happened so suddenly. I was her primary caregiver in the three months from her diagnosis to when she died. I was taking care of her and also working on the film.

His worst fear had come true, he said, but, working on a film that deals with death actually helped.

Because I had confronted the subject of death during my research, talking to grieving families and funeral directors while I was writing the script, I felt like I understood the subject more, he said. It wasnt so strange to me anymore. Its still very hard, and I miss her so much, but I handled it all surprisingly well.

Villanueva lives with and cares for his grandfather, who just turned 90 years old, and cherishes their time together.

Because I experienced this death, I want to spend as much time as I can with him, he said.

His grandparents adopted me and three of my siblings, and they loved us so much. My father was gone (he and his brother were murdered on separate occasions) and my mother got into drugs and couldnt take care of us. Im so grateful to my grandparents. They saved us.

A love of filmmaking
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Forecasters warned residents along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast to rush preparations Saturday ahead of an intensifying Hurricane Ida, which is expected to bring winds as high as 130 mph (209 kph), life-threatening storm surge and flooding rain when it slams ashore in Louisiana on Sunday.

The National Hurricane Center warned that super-warm Gulf waters could rapidly magnify Ida's destructive power, boosting it from a Category 2 storm to an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane in just 18 hours or less.

Coastal highways saw heavy traffic Saturday as people moved to escape the storm's path. Trucks pulling saltwater fishing boats and campers streamed away from the coast Interstate 65 in south Alabama. Traffic jams clogged Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans.

"We're going to catch it head-on," said Bebe McElroy as she prepared to leave her home in the coastal Louisiana village of Cocodrie. "I'm just going around praying, saying, 'Dear Lord, just watch over us.'"

Ida was poised to strike Louisiana 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. A Category 3 storm, Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, which took years to recover.
RIDGEWAY  Nels Diller wasnt quite sure of his plans when he entered retirement in 2014.

But over the last seven years that question has been clearly answered with broad axes, draw knives, hand drills, planers and chisels.

Diller, who spent nearly 40 years working as a carpenter in Madison, has been working with a dedicated team of volunteers and paid summer interns to rebuild a historic log cabin at Folklore Village, a nationally recognized folk arts and cultural center between Ridgeway and Dodgeville and home to a collection of historical structures.

The crew reconstructing the cabin, using a mix of original and newly felled timbers, has shunned power tools and is getting a feel for what it was like when Aslak Olsen Lie, his family and friends constructed the cabin out of white oak on a ridge of limestone and sandstone beginning in 1848 near the hamlet of Klevenville, northeast of Mount Horeb.

This project kind of called me, Diller, 71, said. Its a pleasure, really. I wanted to feel what it felt like to be a pioneer and to be doing these things that Aslak did. We take it for granted. We just think that this world that we have now just magically appeared. It didnt. It was a result of all these people who did all these things the best that they could.
My wife and I are elderly and she does not have an immune system.

Consequently her survival against the highly contagious delta variant depends on Wisconsin being vaccinated.

Most Wisconsinites demonstrate concern for their fellow citizens and compassion for and the will to help others.

Freedom makes a huge requirement on all of us. With freedom comes individual rights.

There are two ways to exert one's individual rights: one is pushing others down, the other is pulling others up.

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Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of Wisconsinites. Kindness can cause misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to melt away. Individual freedom consists of more than doing what we like, but also doing what we ought. Our moral fabric involves doing something for someone who will never be able to repay us.

We need to consider the rights of others before our own feelings and the feelings of others before our own rights if we are to destroy COVID-19 and its variants.
Story Farm in Catskill, N.Y., has diversified its operation over the years, but one thing has remained the same: Its still a family-run farm.
New York, August 29: Covid-19 is not a respiratory illness, as widely accepted, but a vascular one, claims a study. The study, led by the University of California-San Diego, could explain blood clots in some Covid patients and other issues like "Covid feet", which are not typical symptoms of a respiratory illness, Euronews reported.

The findings, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed how the virus attacks the vascular or circulatory system. The S protein of the virus, the spike that forms the crown, attacks the receptor ACE2, damaging the mitocondrias that generate the energy of the cells, thus damaging the endothelium, which lines the blood vessel.

This is something that has already been observed, but what wasn't previously known is the exact mechanism and role of the S protein. This protein is replicated by all of the currently available vaccines, the team said. South Africa Detects New COVID-19 Variant C.1.2, Most Mutated Variant So Far.

For the study, the team created a pseudovirus for the study, which only had the S protein but not the rest of the virus, to show in the lab that this protein is enough by itself to cause disease.

The effects on the respiratory system are a consequence of the inflammation of the vascular tissue in the lungs. "A lot of people think of it as a respiratory disease, but it's really a vascular disease," Uri Manor, assistant research professor, at the varsity was quoted as saying. US Reports Worlds First Case of COVID-19 in Wild White-Tailed Deer in Ohio.

"That could explain why some people have strokes, and why some people have issues in other parts of the body. The commonality between them is that they all have vascular underpinnings," Manor added.

According to Professor Rafael Manez Mendiluce, head of intensive care at Bellvitge University Hospital in Spain, the vascular problem could be related to the inflammatory response of the patient's immune system.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2021 09:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Visiting the west of Ireland I came across a relatively tall wildlfower growing dominantly at field margins, along road verges and in wet fields.

At first glance I thought maybe it was rosebay willowherb (lus na tine) which is also in flower at the moment, but having a closer look I now believe the wildflower was purple-loosestrife (creachtach).

While it is said this wildflower can be found growing all over Ireland, I have never seen it growing as predominantly at is was in County Clare.

The plant can grow to a height of 1.5 metres and flowers each year from June to August. The flowers are borne in clustered whorls in a spike at the top of the plant.

The flower colour is deep pink-purple. The leaves are longer than wide and grow opposite each other along the stem.

It was the leaves that helped me distinguish between whether this plant was rosebay willowherb or purple loose-strife. Both wildflowers are tall and rosebay willowherb can reach a height of two metres. Both are in flower at this time of year and both begin to flower in June.

Both these wildflowers hold their flowers on spikes. Flowers are arranged in whorls along these spikes, and both have pink-purple coloured petals.

Both have long and narrow leaves  however the leaves of rosebay willowherb are coarsely toothed while those of purple loose-strife are smooth at the edges.

Purple-loosestrife is a native plant in Ireland and is said to be an important source of nectar for butterflies, including the brimstone.

Reading a little about this plant online, I found out that it is actually considered an invasive species in North America, where it was first introduced in the 19th century. Now established, it is affecting both native animals and plant populations.

While August will soon be coming to an end, take the next few weeks to explore the wildflowers in your local area  you may be surprised what you find.

If you would like help identifying local wildlife or indeed to share your images of local wildlife encountered to be used in a future wildlife watch contact me on 045 860133 or bogs@ipcc.ie.
With Schools due to re-open late in August, Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert Students will no doubt be thinking of what lies ahead for them over the next 10 months or so in terms of exams and how they can be best prepared. One of the questions we commonly get asked at ExamCast.ie is How do you create an effective study plan.

So, what is a Study Plan and Why do You Need One?

A study plan is and organized schedule outlining your study times and learning goals. Having an effective study plan in place is a great way to map out your revision plans week by week and hold yourself accountable for your own learning outcomes.

ExamCast.ies Expertise

ExamCast.ie offer past-paper video solutions for exam questions across a range of subjects with some courses available in Irish also. ExamCast.ie content is written by experienced teachers, authors, and publishing consultants. This level of expertise puts them in the perfect position to advise students on how to plan their study effectively in advance of the exams.

Tips on How to Create an Effective Study Plan

Use a Weekly Study Template

Using a weekly study plan template is a great place to help with your exam revision. There are plenty of templates available online. Visit ExamCast.ie/Resources to download our Free Weekly Study Planner.

Write Down All Your Activities

Each week make a note in your planner of all activities you must do e.g., attend training, music class etc. Once you have this done, plan your study sessions around your activities. This way when you attend these activities you will not be stressed-out worrying that you have missed valuable study time.

Study Blasts

Research suggests that 25 mins is the optimum time to study so one stays focused and maintains concentration This may vary slightly from person to person. Studying in short sessions such as this and giving yourself a break between each one is highly recommended.

Focus on Tasks

Instead of just writing down subject name such as Maths give yourself a specific task to do. This will give you more direction. For example, you may focus on Geometry and Trigonometry.

Order

When deciding the order of what you plan on studying it is a good idea to put the more difficult tasks first, so you work on these when you are more focused and energetic.

Do Not Get Stressed

Like any plan it has got to have some flexibility in it. No doubt, there will be weeks when you are busier with other chores, for example you may have extra homework to attend to or you may have more after-school activities on than normal. If you do not get everything done, do not stress out. You can catch up on what you missed out on later that week or spread it out over the next few weeks.

Practice Past Exam Papers

Practicing past exam papers allows you to get used to the structure of the paper and enables you to work on your time management skills. It will also help you understand the allocation of marks and the marking scheme. ExamCast.ie offer a comprehensive amount of video solutions to past exam papers. Check out The ExamCast.ie Blog Page for further information and sample videos.

These Exam Tips are brought to you by ExamCast.ie.
Kildare online sustainable retailer, Faerly, has shared its Top Five tips on how to make the switch to an eco-friendly return to the classroom this autumn.

Established in October 2020 by Kildare-based James Byrne and Eoin Houlihan, Faerly enthusiastically promotes sustainable living by providing a platform for mostly Irish makers and suppliers of environmentally friendly products. The company supports many small and diverse suppliers in Ireland to offer their sustainable products online.

James Byrne said: The environment is a huge concern for children these days and also for their parents. It can be hard however to manage the cost and the stress of returning to school and to make eco-conscious choices as well. Thats why we have put together these Top 5 tips for families.

Invest in a reusable water bottle

Even though the initial cost of a reusable water bottle might be more expensive than the plastic pack of 10 in the supermarket, the reusable bottles are more cost effective in the long run and better for the environment to boot. Most plastic water bottles contain toxic BPA, BVA or phthalates. Stainless steel water bottles will last for years, are easy to wash and wont leak toxic chemicals into your childs food.

Use reusable straws and cups

Our motto at Faerly is that if you have to throw something away after one use, its probably bad for the environment. Think about what youre using in your childs lunchbox or for your own coffee on the way back from the school run and see if you can replace it with something that can be reused again and again such as a collapsible coffee mug or a stainless steel straw.

Sanitise with eco-friendly products

The COVID-19 pandemic has been detrimental to the environment in some instances with throwaway masks polluting the environment and harsh sanitisers that are produced unsustainably and cause damage to skin. Try and use re-usable, washable masks and gentle environmentally friendly palm-oil free hand sanitiser.

Buy plastic-free lunch boxes and lunch wraps

Make your lunch a plastic free one. While most lunch boxes are made from plastic, there are plenty of more sustainable options made from stainless steel, bamboo and silicone that will help keep lunches fresh all day long. Cling film and plastic wrappings can be replaced with reusable sandwich wraps or beeswax food wraps.

Remember the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Going back to school is a great opportunity to start a conversation with your kids about the three Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. You can start by reducing the amount of waste in your own household. Take stock of what you already own and reuse what you have, things like partially used school supplies, or old lunch boxes or a school bag that just needs a bit of TLC. Recycle or donate what you don't want and as much as you can, buy uniforms and textbooks second hand.

For more products, visit /www.faerly.ie
Surplus hares on the grounds of Dublin Airport may be captured and released in County Kildare, it has emerged.

Wild hares have been seen hopping around parked aircraft in recent weeks.

The floppy-eared mammals, who usually live in the long grass inside the perimeter fence, used the deserted runways as play areas when hundreds of flights were grounded during Covid-19 restrictions.

But they have become a regular sight near aircraft since non-essential travel returned last month and surprised passengers going on sun holidays have been posting photographs online.

However Dublin Airport said the hare population is closely monitored and some mammals may be rehomed elsewhere, including in Kildare or Wickow, if numbers get too big.

In the past, some hares were caught and released again on the Curragh.

A Dublin Airport spokesperson said: The safety and security of our airfield environs is a primary concern. Like all international airports, Dublin Airport has a wildlife management policy, which has been in place for decades. We work closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to monitor the hare population at Dublin Airport and operate a catch and release policy with them.

When asked how many hares live on the grounds of the transport hub, Dublin Airport revealed it is currently involved in a study of the hare population with University College Cork which will publish its findings soon.

According to Dublin Airport Authority, a total of 11 hares were either struck by either an aircraft or a vehicle on the airfield in 2018.

In 2019, some 44 hares captured at Dublin Airport were released in Kildare and Wicklow under the supervision of a consultant approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Hares at the airport have no natural predators such as foxes.
Faulty goods and services top the list of consumer queries to the Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in the first six months of 2021.

Queries relating to audio-visual (AV) and electronic goods increased by 63% compared to the same period in 2020, while queries regarding travel, transport and holidays dropped by 71%.

Over 18,800 consumers contacted the CCPCs helpline from January to June of this year, and more than 3,000 of those related to faulty goods and services showing a 15% increase on the previous year.

The types of queries included whether consumers were entitled to seek a refund, or if they had to accept a repair or replacement. Others were unsure as to whether the manufacturer or the retailer was responsible for resolving the problem of their faulty item.

Additionally, some consumers were unhappy with the solution being offered to them and wanted to know their rights and entitlements.

Over 70% (2,241) of consumers who contacted the CCPC about faulty goods were referred to the Small Claims Court procedure as a possible next step to address their issue. AV & Electronic goods were the number one sector overall (842 contacts) for contacts referred to the Small Claims Court procedure.

The report shows a 16% increase in the number of consumers wanting to know their rights when buying online (1,356), making it the second most popular reason (after faulty goods) for consumers contacting the CCPC in the first six months of the year.

The report also highlighted how the majority (86%) of consumers who contacted the CCPC had shopped from Irish-based businesses, with a further 4% shopping from businesses based elsewhere within the EU.

Amongst those that bought from an Irish-based businesses, more than half (51%) bought in-store, followed by a further 2 in 5 (39%) who shopped online.

Almost 1 in 4 (23%) of personal finance queries related to mortgages or equity release, representing a 24% increase on the same period in 2020.

Speaking about the report, Grainne Griffin, Director of Communications with the CCPC said: Insights detailed in this report and, indeed, from our consumer helpline over the past 12 months suggest that consumers have shifted a lot of their buying online.

The reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how and where many of us shop. Even as restrictions have eased, our insights suggest that a mixed approach between in-store and online shopping is set to continue.
Leitrim Arts Office are delighted to invite you on Culture Night to the beautiful surroundings of St. George's Heritage Centre, Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday, September 17 at 8pm for an evening of poetry and music where Leitrim's 2021 Poet Laureate Vincent Woods will premiere a new poem that he has been commissioned to write by Poetry Ireland for this year's Poetry Town programme that honours and reflects Carrick-on-Shannon and its people.

Alongside the first public reading of this work, the organisers will also have poetry written and read by Leitrim's own Stephen Murphy and Roisin Kelly as well as music and song by the wonderful Ailie Blunnie.



For those who are unable to join in person, the event will be filmed and available to watch afterwards on the Leitrim County Council Arts Office Youtube channel.

Though living in Dublin for a number of years, writer and broadcaster Vincent Woods is Leitrim to the core, with strong and evocative memories of Carrick-on-Shannon gathered over the years.

I saw my first films in the old Gaiety Cinema in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrims capital town, part of which stretches into  or out of  Roscommon. The market yard was a ruin then, as was the old courthouse that is now the Dock Arts Centre. I remember weddings in the County Hotel and the Bush, great nights dancing and carousing at carnivals and the regatta, Calypso hitting sweet notes in the music pubs  and early poems printed in The Leitrim Observer. Now the challenge to make a poem: Ill delve at it.

Stephen Murphys work is often said to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Videos of his poetry have amassed millions of views online, and though he has performed to crowds in the tens of thousands on several occasions, he draws his inspiration from the time and space afforded to think from living a quiet life with his family in rural Ireland. To date, three albums of his poetry have been released, and his first full-length poetry collection, From the Sea Hound, was published in Spring 2019.



Roisin Kelly is a writer from Ireland. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Mercy, was published by Bloodaxe Books in March 2020. It followed the publication of her 2016 chapbook, Rapture, by Southword Editions. She won the FISH Poetry Prize in 2017 and in 2020 was awarded a Literature Bursary Award by the Arts Council of Ireland in order to write her second collection of poetry.



Ailie Blunnie is a musician and songwriter from Leitrim in the north west of Ireland. Her songs have a stillness and beauty that carry echoes of the landscapes of her childhood, and a vibrancy and vigour that lend freshness to the modern folk genre in which she works.

POETRY TOWN

Poetry Town is an initiative of Poetry Ireland in partnership with Local Authority Arts Offices with the aim of making poetry the beating heart of community life in 20 Poetry Towns across the island of Ireland this September from the 10th to the 18th and we are honoured to have Carrick-on-Shannon chosen as one of these towns.

The people and communities of each Poetry Town will celebrate poetry in their everyday lives and surroundings, create communal experiences, and celebrate the pride, strength and diversity of each town.



In addition to the Laureate premiere event at St. Georges Heritage Centre, schools and community groups will be undertaking poetry workshops and readings as part of the week-long Poetry Town celebrations while coffee shops will have printed poems on hand to give you that poetry kick with your caffeine hit. Chemists will also have printed poems to pick up - no prescription required.

Rhona Trench, who lectures in performing arts at IT Sligo is coordinating a poetry/history tour of Carrick on Shannon. Combining poetry with an historical tour of the town, you can join Rhona on September 10 and 12 at 12 noon and 6pm to take a tour of the town with a poetic twist.

The full programme of activities will be made available on the Poetry Town and Leitrim County Council Arts Office websites from 30th August.



Commenting, Director of Poetry Ireland, Niamh ODonnell said: We are delighted we could secure such a strong cohort of Poet Laureates for this exciting new poetry initiative, which is characterised by collaboration and communal experiences.

The aim of Poetry Town is to celebrate the vitality and strength of our towns and communities, and to shine a light on the wealth of creativity and talent that can be found in them. The diversity of this talent is reflected in the selection of Laureates, which includes both well-known visionary poets and new powerful voices.

Tickets to the Poet Laureate premiere event in St. Georges Heritage Centre and all other events are free but strictly limited and must be booked in advance through Eventbrite. Bookings open on August 30 . See www.leitrimarts.ie for details and links.

Tickets for the event in St. Georges must be booked in pods of 4 or 6.

For further information, visit www.leitrimarts.ie or www.poetryireland.ie/

poetry-town.

#poetlaureate #poetrytown #poetryireland #culturenight #carrickonshannon
Property has been and continues to be a very popular investment asset in Ireland. With both house prices and rentals continuing to increase, people are looking at tax efficient ways of investing in property.

Using your small self-administered pension scheme to purchase a property has the benefit of incurring no tax on your rental income and no capital gains tax when you sell. This has made purchasing property through your pension particularly popular in Ireland relative to the rest of Europe with thousands of single member schemes owning property through their pension.

The EU recently introduced new rules to protect pension investors from a lack of diversity in their portfolios. Its directive on institutions for occupational retirement provision, known as IORP II, which was transposed in Ireland in April 2021 is designed to give this protection.

The directive is all about ensuring that occupational pension schemes are sound and afford better protection to members and beneficiaries. The rules themselves are not new; they were first introduced in 2006, but single-member schemes such as Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSAS) were exempt. They are however now included. This has made purchasing property through your pension more difficult but not impossible.

There are ways of purchasing a property as both Buy-out Bonds (BOBs)and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) are excluded from the legislation. This means you can buy property through these vehicles. It is not a simple solution in that BOBs and PRSAs operate under slightly different funding rules from the SSASs.

Once you transfer your pension assets from a SSAS into a Buy Out Bond you cannot make any further contributions to this fund. You have to transfer the full value of the fund and close the existing SSAS. You can however set up a new SSAS for further contributions but you are adding additional expense.

Under a PRSA, you are still allowed to make pension contributions but they are bound by rules around age and percentage of salary that can benefit from tax relief.

For a lot of people the additional work is worth it as the advantages are clear. You benefit not only from the potential for capital growth but also from rental income, which is allowed to grow tax free. And if you sell the property, any gains are distributed free of capital-gains tax back into the fund. Social-housing investment in particular has become particularly popular among such pension funds in recent years.

Investors can buy a property through their pension fund, which must be done at arms length, and negotiate an agreement with a local authority to lease the property at guaranteed rents for up to 25 years. This is effectively a state backed rental income. Rental yields in the country can be very attractive also.

As BOBs and PRSAs are outside the scope of IORPs II, you can still borrow through these vehicles. ICS Mortgages, for example, can lend to them via exempt unit trusts at up to 50 per cent of the value of the property, at a variable rate of 4.25 per cent. Loans range from 40,000 to 500,000, for a maximum 15-year term. This is subject to meeting a number of criteria and formal approval.

While investing in property through your pension is very popular you should be mindful of having all your eggs in one basket. Property like all other assets can fluctuate in value and as we have seen in recent years that fluctuation can be substantial. If you need to sell some or all of your property to draw down your pension it might not be an opportune time when you need it. Property assets can be illiquid when the markets are down so it is very important to weigh up your options before making your decision.

Further clarification is due from the Pensions Authority later this year around the finer points of the legislation. This should help with greater clarity on the rules. The Irish love of property will remain and using your pension still continues to be the most tax efficient way to own a property. With all the recent rule changes and the complexity around pensions it is important to speak with your financial advisor before making your decision.

Conor Harte is a Financial Planner with Wealthwise Financial Planning who are based in Block C, Hartley Business Park , Carrick on Shannon, www.wealthwise.ie All details and views contained within this article are for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. Wealthwise Financial Planning makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness or suitability of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses arising from its use. Wealthwise Financial Ltd T/A Wealthwise Financial Planning is Regulated by the central Bank of Ireland.#CI66141
Gardai are looking to caution the Limerick public about Advance Fee Fraud.

"A number of fake websites are offering un-secured loans and are targeting vulnerable persons who have had difficulty obtaining loans from established financial institutions. A person applies for a loan through a website that offers loans which will be processed quickly. The person provides lots of details including contact details. Within a very short time, often minutes, the person will receive a call or communication informing them that their loan application has been approved and providing details of the monthly repayment. The person will then be asked to send an amount of money to the lender and different reasons given for this" admitted Sergeant Ber Leetch

Gardai received a report of an advance fee fraud this week where a lady applied for a loan on-line from a site that appeared to be a legitimate loan site. She was informed by phone that the loan had been granted and was asked to pay 699 to guarantee the loan. She paid that amount into a Revolut account. A short time later she received another call from this loan company, looking for a further deposit to pay for administration fees. This time it was for 950 and unfortunately she also paid this amount into the same Revolut account. When she didnt receive the loan amount she contacted her bank who informed her that this was a scam.

What should a person do if they intend applying for a loan on-line?

Always check the official Central Bank website to see if the firm is authorised by the Central Bank. The register of authorised firms can be accessed at http://registers.centralbank.ie/

Never apply for a loan from an entity that is not authorised by the Central Bank.
FAMILY and friends of a Limerick man who died in his sleep have gone to the ends of the earth to keep his memory alive - they travelled the 32 counties in 24 hours while raising funds for a good cause.

On February 17, 2020, Michael (Mikey) Doran (pictured) went to bed as normal, but sadly he never woke up. He suffered cardiac arrhythmia which causes the heart to beat irregularly. He had just turned 30.

The following April, Mikeys brother Kevin Doran from Bruff and his friends decided to do something to remember Mikey by, as well as assisting the Irish Heart Foundation.

A total of 16,000 was raised. A cheque for that amount was handed over to the Irish Heart Foundation in Bruff last Saturday.

In his memory we hoped to raise as much as possible for the Irish Heart Foundation and keep his memory well and truly alive, Kevin explained.

He had heart problems when he was younger but he had no real complaints before his death. I was talking to him the day before, Kevin added.

Due to Covid-19, Kevin and the other organisers, Tommy Shortt and Donal Doran, held off on doing the fundraising trip until July 9 last.

Their aim was to drive the 32 counties in 24 hours and they accomplished their task in 16 and a half hours.

The group travelling in five cars comprised of Mikeys brothers Kevin and Donal along with Louise Roche, Tommy Shortt, Philip Bray, Pat Dooley, Geoff Bevan, Dan Gallichan, Michael ODonovan, Christopher Crotty and Patrick Kirby.

We had the route on each of our phones and we would swap the drivers. It was a long day - we travelled 1,248km.

We started at Mountcollins GAA Club and we were able to hit Cork, Kerry and Limerick within five minutes of each other, said Kevin.

My sister Tina raised 800 on her own and Daniel Byrnes raffled a Heineken keg and an expensive bottle of whiskey and raised over 800.

Mikey, who was formerly of Meanus and Dromkeen, was very popular in the local hospitality sector.

He had been the manager of The Library nightclub before moving to The Black Rabbit and then became a salesperson with Eir.

He is sadly missed by his partner Hannah Laffan, his family and friends.
ACROSS County Limerick farmers got creative before and after the All-Ireland final.

Roger Mulqueen in Bruff, as featured last week, is known as the Leonardo da Vinci of Limerick hurling.

But he has a rival in suckler farmer Brenda Lundon who has been called the 'Banksy of East Limerick' thanks to her bold white on black creations.

While graffiti artist Banksy uses buildings as his canvas, Brenda prefers silage bales for her expressionism as do many farmers. The lady from Pallasbeg, Cappamore, has been getting rave reviews for her daily creations in support of the Limerick hurlers.

Brenda started writing the messages a week before the All-Ireland and posted photos daily on her Facebook page.

I usually do something at Christmas around Elf on the Shelf but I do Elf on the Shed! So I said I'll do something for the All-Ireland. People are getting great craic out of it. It's all good fun and light humoured and wishing Limerick the very best of luck, smiled Brenda, whose brother James came up with the Banksy of East Limerick phrase.

She was up early on Monday morning to paint her congratulations  Back to Back.

There is another fantastic display in Ballylanders with Brurees Liz Leonard giving it the thumbs up (pictured above).

Meanwhile, Limericks dairy herd didnt know what was up on Sunday. Twice a day milking times were all mixed up with some milking early to go to Croker, cows milked before the match to allow for celebrations, milked late in the evening after getting home or just once a day. There might have been a few sore heads on Monday morning too!

FRS Farm Relief Services manager, Liam O'Rourke told the Leader last week that the All-Ireland final would be the busiest day of the year for relief milkers. To add to the mix this year is the fact that Liam and his staff look after Limerick and North Cork.

Not only do our farmers want to go to the match but also our workers want to go to the match so that puts a squeeze on things as well. Sunday will be tight but well get there - it is looking almost sorted at this stage. We will be doing our level best to accommodate everyone, said Liam, who was speaking last Thursday.

But at the heart of it all is the love of Limerick hurling. In the run-up, Dairygold Co-op CEO Jim Woulfe said it's fair to say that the build-up atmosphere has been set against a background of other unprecedented events that have impacted us all.

For example, take Dairygold as a business  we have had to plot a course through Brexit and Covid-19 and all the while preparing to manage the emerging challenges of global climate change. The same is true for our customers, milk suppliers and employees across Munster. While the pandemic occupied our daily working lives thankfully, we have had sport as a much-needed diversion. Recently, we enjoyed fantastic sporting events but for all Limerick and Cork folk the real gift that keeps on giving is hurling  the wonderful game.

GAA touches every part of Irish society. It is as much a community association as it is a sporting one and Covid-19 has highlighted this. It's just lovely to see people happy, enjoying themselves again and enjoying the sport, said Mr Woulfe.

After the Ardaghs man beloved Limerick won on Sunday, dairy farmers can expect a 2 cpl rise very soon!
Minister for Education Norma Foley has encouraged students at primary and post-primary level to design a new logo for BLAST  Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers, a new initiative that will enable up to 400 new arts in education residencies in schools each year.

The aim of this scheme is to give students in schools all over the country the opportunity to work with a professional artist on unique projects.

Students are encouraged to use their creativity to design a logo for this national initiative that all BLAST projects in all schools can use.

The individual winner will be chosen by a judging panel including Westlife manager Louis Walsh and visual communications programme Lead, TU Dublin, Brenda Dermody.

The winner will receive a GoPro camera while all entries will receive a certificate from the Department. The competition is open to all students across primary and post-primary schools.

Minister Foley said: BLAST is a really exciting initiative which brings creativity and art to the centre of our schools and I believe that our students can gain some valuable skills from the new scheme.

I would encourage all students to enter the logo competition. This is a great opportunity to represent your school and have your winning design used across every other BLAST project in the country.

The closing date for entries by email to blast@education.gov.ie or by post is Thursday 30 September 2021.

Further information on how to enter the competition can be found on www.gov.ie/blast
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LIMERICK firefighters rescued a woman from a house fire in the city late on Saturday evening.

Five appliances from the fire station in Mulgrave Street rushed to an address in Janesboro after receiving a call-out at 9.50pm. A female, aged in her 20s, was rescued by firefighters who entered the house while wearing breathing apparatus.

According to locals who had gathered outside to try and assist, the woman was treated by firefighters for smoke inhalation. She was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick where her injuries are understood to be non life threatening. It is not known how the fire had started.

Limerick Fire and Rescue Service returned to base at 11.04pm after bringing the fire under control.

It was a busy shift for the firefighters as earlier in the day they attended a fire at a unit in the Crossagalla Industrial Estate. Smoke was seen coming out of the roof.

Six appliances - including from Cappamore - were dispatched at 5.10pm. There were on site tackling the incident until 7.30pm. Again, it is not known how the fire started.
Although the Covid-19 situation across the country seems to be stabilising, several states are choosing to err on the side of caution when it comes to opening up inter-state travel .

The central government has also cautioned states and directed them to take proactive containment measures ahead of the upcoming festival season.

In an order issued on Saturday, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) told the state governments and UT administrations to ensure that there are no large gatherings.

If required, necessary local restrictions should be imposed in potentially crowded places, where people must follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

In view of this, here's a complete list of restrictions across states:

Tamil Nadu: The state government has made a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours and a Covid-19 vaccination certificate mandatory for people coming from Kerala.

In addition to this, all passengers landing in the state from UK, Brazil, South Africa and Middle Eastern countries are being screened and tested, as per the central government guidelines.

Himachal Pradesh: The Himachal Pradesh government has made a negative Covid-19 report or full vaccination mandatory for all people intending to visit the hill state.

Assam: Fully vaccinated people travelling to Assam are now exempted from carrying the latest Covid-19 negative report. However, unvaccinated passengers must possess a negative Covid test report taken within 72 hours of their arrival in Assam.

Karnataka: Only travellers from Kerala and Maharashtra are required to possess a negative Covid-19 report not older than 72 hours.

Maharashtra: All passengers are required to carry negative an RT-PCR report issued not before 72 hours of travel.

The government has also tightened the rules for international passengers flying into Mumbai and other airports of the state and made RT-PCR negative tests not older than 72 hours mandatory, even those who have taken both doses of vaccine.

Kerala: Travellers to Kerala are required to get a Covid-19 test report within 72 hours before the start of the journey.

Jammu and Kashmir: Passengers will have to undergo the Covid-19 antigen test. Until the test results are reported negative, passengers will have to undergo home quarantine.

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The last remaining UK troops began landing back from Kabul in Britain on Sunday, ending the countrys 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan where the Taliban have seized power.

The Taliban insurgents stormed across the country on August 15, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.

A Royal Air Force (RAF) plane left Kabul airport on Saturday night and arrived at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, including with British ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow who had been assisting the evacuation process.

Vice-Admiral Sir Ben Key, who ran the UK's evacuation dubbed Operation Pitting, said there was a "sense of sadness that we haven't done all we would have wished".

In a video posted on Twitter on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the end of Operation Pitting was the "culmination of a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes", and that British troops and officials had "worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions".

"They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives," said Johnson. "They've seen at first hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job," he said.

In a letter to the armed forces community, Johnson acknowledged the fall of Kabul to the Taliban would have been hard for them to watch and "an especially difficult time for the friends and loved ones of the 457 service personnel who laid down their lives" during the war.

He noted that the UK's involvement in Afghanistan "kept Al Qaeda from our door for two decades and we are all safer as a result".

Paying tribute to the efforts of UK forces since 2001, he added: "Though we would not have wished to leave in this way, we have to recognise that we came in with the United States, in defence and support of the US and the US military did the overwhelming bulk of the fighting."

"Together with our allies in America and Europe and around the world, we will engage with the Taliban not on the basis of what they say but what they do," Johnson said.

Describing the conclusion of the military campaign launched by former British prime minister Tony Blair as a time for reflection, Johnson reiterated a previous statement that if the new regime in Kabul wanted diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage" for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming an incubator for global terror".

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK was ready to consider sanctions against the militants  but this would "depend on the choices the Taliban make on key issues"  including on enabling safe passage out of the country.

The UK government has said it intends to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Kabul "as soon as the security and political situation in the country allows".

Downing Street said the number of people evacuated from Afghanistan included about 2,200 children, with the youngest born to an Afghan refugee on one of the evacuation flights.

About 5,000 British nationals and their families were airlifted, alongside more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their families and those considered at risk from the Taliban.

It has been the UK's largest military evacuation since World War II.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he thought between 800 and 1,100 eligible Afghans would be left behind, along with around 100 to 150 Britons  although he said some of those were staying willingly.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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The international mass airlift effort out of Afghanistan was ending on Sunday as the countrys banks opened for the first time under new Taliban rule, allowing only small withdrawals to customers who crowded outside branches.

A loud explosion rocked Kabul Sunday afternoon. Witnesses said it was more than 2 miles away from the airport. It wasnt immediately clear whether it was a bombing or a rocket strike and there was no word on casualties.

Afghans were told Sunday that there was no longer any hope of getting a seat on a military flight out of the country. Americas allies have already ceased air evacuations, and the remaining U.S. efforts focused on airlifting American citizens and their children and spouses.

Some private evacuation flights were still attempting to travel to Kabul, but it was unknown if they would be able to continue once the last U.S. forces in the country withdraw on Tuesday.

On Sunday morning, dozens of families were making a last-ditch effort to enter the Kabul airport, despite U.S. Embassy warnings of another attack in the area. The families had been told to board buses at a designated rallying point in the capital, with minimal luggage because of limitations on space.

Many were frightened when the buses didnt leave even after the U.S. Embassy warned another attack was imminent. Some 200 Afghans and 13 American troops were killed in an Islamic State suicide bombing at the airports Abbey Gate on Thursday.

Due to a specific, credible threat, U.S. citizens near Kabul airport, including South gate, new Ministry of the Interior, and gate near Panjshir Petrol station, should leave the area immediately. Avoid traveling to the airport at this time," the embassy tweeted.

Hours later, there was still no information on whether the gates were sealed for good, or if there was any chance of making it through. The families included U.S. citizens, permanent residents and Afghans with visas in process for helping the U.S. during the war.

None got in," said one person involved in the operation. The gates remained closed due to critical threat info. People were going absolutely nuts."

French President Emmanuel Macron said that France is drafting a plan to create a safe zone in Kabul monitored by the United Nations that would allow evacuations and humanitarian operations to continue after Tuesdays deadline.

France and the U.K. are planning to submit the plan to the United Nations Security Council when it meets on Monday, Mr. Macron said in an interview with the French publication Le Journal du Dimanche.

We still have on our lists several thousand Afghans who we want to protect, who are at risk because of their activitiesmagistrates, artists, intellectualsbut also many other people who have been reported by relatives and who we are told are at risk," Mr. Macron said. And then there are many women who have been educated over the past 20 years, especially in the cities, and who must be helped to escape repression."

Mr. Macron said his government wants to organize humanitarian operations that would use the civilian airport of Kabul or facilities in neighboring countries.

This is also one of the preconditions that we set for any relationship with the Taliban, that is to say the ability of the allies to complete their humanitarian operations," he said.

The rush on banks revealed the economic challenge that could pose an early threat to Afghanistans new rulers as they struggle to keep the lights on in a state that has been gutted by four decades of war, a fresh exodus of government officials and professionals, and the recent disconnection from the global financial system.

Bank customers in Kabul queued before dawn to withdraw cash, but said they were told that they could only take out $200 a week per customer. The central bank has also ordered Afghan banks to limit withdrawals from ATMs outside the country to $150 a day, a branch manager of a private bank in Kabul said.

He added that the Taliban-controlled central bank had warned private banks that they would face serious action" if anyone violated the withdrawal policy.

The Taliban last week appointed Haji Mohammad Idris, who is said to have no formal financial training but has acted in senior financial positions in the movement, as the new governor of the central bank.

The former central bank chief, Ajmal Ahmady, fled when the Taliban rolled into Kabul on Aug. 15. According to Mr. Ahmady, the Taliban can only access 0.1-0.2% of the central banks reserves of $9 billion, because most of the banks assets are held in the U.S.

Afghanistans new Taliban administration can expect to be squeezed by international pressure. About 75% of the previous governments expenses were footed by international partners, chiefly the U.S. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suspended operations in Afghanistan after the Taliban toppled the Afghan republic on Aug. 15. Prices for food staples and fuel have already soared.

Since taking power, the Taliban have sought to convince technocrats and officials linked to the deposed government to stay in their positions. Some, including the mayor of Kabul, remained in their jobs.

But many public servants, who for years were considered legitimate targets by the Taliban and saw their colleagues killed in daylight assassinations, appear reluctant to return to work, either due to fear of the militants or because they dont expect to be paid. Many ministries and other government institutions are now manned by a skeleton staff. These public servants account for a large share of the 110,000 people flown out of Afghanistan by the international airlift in the past two weeks.

The whole system collapsed and many government employees fled to other countries," said Qasem, an employee of the ministry of commerce and industry in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif who asked to be quoted by first name only for security reasons.

Out of 15 or 20 employees in each department, I see two or three of them present at work. I personally go to work and sign the attendance sheet and leave because there is no work to do and, more importantly, I dont feel secure in terms of my life and my financial situation," he said.

As the evacuation flights come to an end, growing numbers of Afghans are beginning to travel overland to Pakistan, which has special immigration rules for Afghans leaving in border areas, such as Kandahar.

One Afghan man who recently fled from his northern hometown of Mazar-e-Sharif via Kabul to Spin Boldak on the Pakistani border said bus fares had tripled, and accommodation was hard to come by.

The hotels had no space. We slept on the streets," he said.

Once he made it to the border, the crowds were immense. People who tried to cross the border were either beaten by the Taliban or Pakistani border guards, unless their identification papers showed they were from Kandahar, in which case the Pakistanis let them through, the man said. The beatings resulted in stampedes, he said, adding the sick people and children were the ones who got trampled the most."

Desperate to cross, he said he convinced family members in Kandahar to give him their identification and managed to get through.

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The Covid-19 vaccine made by Chinas Sinopharm was less effective than others at preventing infection, hospitalization and death, especially among people over 50, according to a study by the kingdom of Bahrain and Columbia University researchers.

Chinese vaccines have become a key tool of Beijings international diplomacy, especially in developing nations unable to secure sufficient doses of U.S. and European-made shots. Despite high levels of inoculation with the Sinopharm vaccine, Bahrain in May started giving booster shots to vulnerable citizens using a different shot made by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. It now also offers booster shots for other vaccines.

The study, posted online this week ahead of peer review, shows that all the vaccines administered since December in the Persian Gulf island nationwhich also include Covishield, an Indian-made version of AstraZenecas vaccine, and the Russian-made Sputnik Vwere effective in reducing severe illness compared to the unvaccinated population.

But the percentage of deaths among all PCR positive post-vaccination Covid-19 cases was 0.46% for Sinopharm recipients compared to 0.15% for Pfizer-BioNTech and 0.03% for AstraZeneca, the study showed. That trend was consistent for infection and hospitalization, even with the advent of the Delta variant. Sputnik V results were intermediate.

They found that there is significant difference between hospitalization, ICU admission and death in favor of Pfizer compared to Sinopharm, especially in older populations and in the context of the emergence of the Delta variant," said co-author Dr. Jaleela Al-Sayed Jawad.

This gives a preliminary indication, but it needs further in-depth analysis to say that this is really superior," said Dr. Jawad, who is chief executive of Bahrains primary healthcare centers and helped roll out its vaccination campaign. The paper is under consideration at a Nature Portfolio journal.

Sinopharm couldnt immediately be reached for comment.

Julian Tang, a clinical virologist and professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Leicester, said that while there are notable differences between vaccines effectiveness against different variants, it could be misleading to compare outcomes in sequential or overlapping rollouts without more data on comorbidities and pre-vaccination infections.

Vaccines earlier in the rollout may have had less natural infection than vaccines later in the vaccine rollout," said Dr. Tang, who is unaffiliated with the Bahrain study.

Sinopharm, along with another shot manufactured by Chinas Sinovac Biotech Ltd., has already received emergency approval from the World Health Organization, though published clinical data on its efficiency among the population groups most vulnerable to severe disease remains scant.

The two vaccines are manufactured with inactivated virus, a long-used technique for making vaccines. The Pfizer-BioNTech shot relies on a new technology employing messenger RNA.

Bahrain, one of the worlds early vaccination leaders, has fully vaccinated 66% of its population, more than the 52% vaccination rate in the U.S. It has reported some 272,000 infections and 1,388 deaths in a population of around 1.5 million. The Sinopharm vaccine was deployed there earlier than other vaccines and at a rate three times higher than the Pfizer-BioNTech shot.

The study acknowledges that the vaccines staggered rollouts and an oversampling of individuals who received the Chinese-made shot could have impacted the results, but researchers concluded that such factors were unlikely to explain the highly significant differences in outcomes.

Dr. Sayed said the direct comparison between Sinopharm and Pfizer was possible because of similar age and sex characteristics among recipients, calling the study a unique resource on the impact of various vaccines in one population."

Peter English, a retired consultant in communicable disease control, said the quantity of variables in the study created potential for misinterpretation but that its conclusions appeared to be sound.

Its particularly valuable because they have done as close as anyone has to head-to-head comparisons. The world will want to know which vaccines work best," he said.

The next interesting question is: If you then boost Sinopharm by a different vaccine will you then be as well protected as if you had that other vaccine in the first place or not?"

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text

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Hurricane Ida, an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane, made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at 11:55 a.m. local time on Sunday (Aug. 29), bringing with it maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and "extremely life-threatening" storm surges of 12 to 16 feet (3.7 to 4.9 meters) according to the National Hurricane Center .

The storm came onshore 16 years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region, killing more than 1,800 people when it made landfall as a Category 3 storm. Ida is the first named storm of the 2021 season to make landfall in the U.S.

Related: The 20 costliest, most destructive hurricanes to hit the US

As of 1 p.m. local time, the giant storm was barreling northwest at 13 mph (21 km/h) and was about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southwest of New Orleans, according to an update from the NHC .

Hurricane-force winds extended 50 miles (85 km) from the eye of the storm, while tropical storm-force winds extended 150 miles (240 km) from Ida's giant eye. As Ida's eye moves onshore, catastrophic wind damage is likely across large swaths of southeastern Louisiana, the NHC said. These winds will likely lead to widespread power outages and tree damage, according to the NHC.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declined to issue a mandatory evacuation order, saying there wasn't enough time to prepare for one, Accuweather reported . Instead, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell had asked people to either voluntarily evacuate or "hunker down," according to Accuweather.

Hospitals are currently "packed" with COVID-19 patients who were either too sick to be evacuated or had nowhere they could be transferred, The Citrus County Chronicle reported .

"We don't have any place to bring those patients. Not in state, not out of state," Edwards said in a press conference Saturday (Aug. 28).

However, hospitals are better prepared now than they were during Hurricane Katrina, with backup generators sufficient to last through prolonged power outages, The Advocate reported.

Between 10 and 18 inches (25 and 45 centimeters) of rainfall are expected across much of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, while isolated regions could see up to 24 inches (61 cm) of rainfall through Monday (Aug. 30), according to the NHC.

"This is likely to result in life-threatening flash and urban flooding and significant riverine flooding impacts," the NHC statement read.

In addition, tornadoes are possible Monday across portions of the Gulf Coast region, including southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southwest Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.

Read here to learn more about how to prepare for potential hurricane conditions.

Originally published on Live Science.
Look at any newborn baby, and their cute little face will likely appear almost entirely symmetrical. But with age, that wee babe will accrue wrinkles, drooping skin and maybe even scars that accentuate asymmetry.

In fact, research has shown that the impact of aging isn't limited to wrinkles and fine lines; our faces actually change shape as we get older.

This raises a question: Why do our faces become more asymmetrical with age?

Related: How many calories can the brain burn by thinking?

That's a question that Helena Taylor, an assistant professor of surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital (a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital) in Massachusetts, began to ponder a few years ago when she was trying to find ways to make plastic surgery procedures more data-driven. The goal of reconstructive plastic surgery, such as repairing a face after trauma, is usually to bring the features closer to symmetry. However, almost all faces have some degree of natural asymmetry.

So how far should a plastic surgeon like Taylor go to achieve such symmetry?

"I started imaging all the kids that came in for facial reconstruction, and it became clear that we didn't have data on what a normal amount of asymmetry is," she told Live Science. "I figured we should image some people who hadn't had interventions or trauma."

In a 2018 research paper published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery , Taylor and her colleagues used three-dimensional photography to render detailed images of 191 volunteers between the ages of about 4 months and 88 years. A computer algorithm then calculated and quantified each participant's facial symmetry.

"We wanted to look and see if there were any factors that correlated with asymmetry in our results, and it turned out, there's a fairly linear relationship between age and asymmetry," Taylor said. "We also looked at gender and race, but they didn't correlate with asymmetry, whereas age clearly did."

Taylor proposed a possible explanation for the link. "I think it's probably because the normal forces that act on faces over time don't do so equally, and also [facial features] grow differently, she said. For example, just because your skin starts to sag on one side of your face, doesn't mean it's happening at the exact same rate on the other side. "Over time, that adds up," Taylor said. "This phenomenon probably isn't limited to the face, either."

Taylor hopes findings such as these could help to guide plastic surgeons someday. "There are a number of disorders, such as a cleft lip, which require multiple operations over a long period of time," she said. At the moment, it's largely left to individual surgeons to decide when the end goal of those surgeries has been reached, but that could change.

"Being able to use this tool to follow a patient until you can show that they're within the range of the normative population would be great," Taylor said. "It would add quantitative data to the decision and be used to figure out when we should stop operating on people." So don't expect your face to look nearly as symmetrical as a baby's, and know that you're in good company if you have a few facial asymmetries.

Originally published on Live Science.
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When news broke Sunday that Ed Asner died at 91, Hollywood took to social media to pay tribute to the legendary actor, activist and philanthropist.

The former president of the Screen Actors Guild, Asner is best known for playing Lou Grant in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spinoff series Lou Grant. He also voiced the lead, Carl Fredricksen, in Pixars Oscar-winning tear-jerker Up, and played Santa Claus in Elf alongside Will Ferrell.

There have been few actors of Ed Asners prominence who risked their status to fight for social causes the way Ed did, said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris in a statement. He fought passionately for his fellow actors, both before, during and after his SAG presidency. But his concern did not stop with performers. He fought for victims of poverty, violence, war, and legal and social injustice, both in the United States and around the globe.

On social media, celebrities honored Asners work as an actor and philanthropist, as well as his activism as a labor leader.

Actor Josh Gad wrote on Twitter, I am heartbroken to say goodbye to our friend #EdAsner who graced #CentralParkTV as the voice of Bitsys brother Ambrose. He was a Legend, a beautiful soul and a truly brilliant actor. Love you sir! We will miss down here, but smiling that you are have fittingly gone Up.

I am heartbroken to say goodbye to our friend #EdAsner who graced #CentralParkTV as the voice of Bitsys brother Ambrose. He was a Legend, a beautiful soul and a truly brilliant actor. Love you sir! We will miss down here, but smiling that you are have fittingly gone Up. pic.twitter.com/EAjuW9a3J5  Josh Gad (@joshgad) August 29, 2021

Katie Couric added on Instagram, RIP Ed Asner, forever Lou Grant to me. Thank you for the laughs and for a life of intelligence and integrity. 1929-2021.

See more reactions below.

Ed Asner was a fine man and a great actor. He was tough in the ways that count and suffered no fools. I acted with him just once and knew how lucky I was to do so. A hero. Rest in peace, Ed.  Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) August 29, 2021

Making my 1st film, Roger & Me, I was broke so I wrote to some famous people to ask for help. Only one responded: Ed Asner. I dont know you, kid, but heres 500 bucks said the note attached to the check. Sounds like itll be a great film. I was an autoworker once. R.I.P. Ed pic.twitter.com/AuGCNlyNnC  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) August 29, 2021

Ed Asner, who won seven Emmy awards including five for the unforgettable role of Lou Grant, has passed away. He was a giant on the screen, and a philanthropist, too. A man of true heart and talent. He will be missed.  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 29, 2021

RIP Ed Asner. A great star and a great labor leader. pic.twitter.com/bfTVUNRZ0C  David A. Goodman (@DavidAGoodman) August 29, 2021

not ed asner please i cannot do this today  rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) August 29, 2021
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Kanye West is claiming that Universal Music Group, parent company to the label Def Jam, released his new album Donda without his approval.

In an Instagram post on Sunday  just hours after the long-anticipated Donda was released around 8 a.m.  West wrote: UNIVERSAL PUT MY ALBUM OUT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL AND THEY BLOCKED JAIL 2 FROM BEING ON THE ALBUM.

Representatives for Universal had no comment on the allegation, but sources at the company called it preposterous.

His mention of JAIL 2 refers to the albums 24th track, Jail Pt 2, which was originally unavailable to stream when the album first released. Around 1 p.m. ET, the song became available. Typically, when a song on an album is blocked from streaming on a service such as Spotify, the song has not been cleared legally because of a copyright conflict or similar issue.

The track  and its counterpart, Jail  has been a cause for controversy over the past few days, as the former features both Marilyn Manson, who has been accused of sexual assault by several women, and DaBaby, who made headlines earlier in the month with his homophobic comments. Both Manson and DaBaby made appearances at Wests fourth Donda listening event on Thursday in Chicago, causing immediate backlash on social media. The criticism continues on Sunday, as noted by the likes of label veteran Drew Dixon.

The features on Donda have become a focal point on social media ever since it was revealed at the listening event on Thursday that Jay-Zs verse on Jail had been replaced by a feature from DaBaby (Jay-Zs verse has since been reinstated). On Sunday, rapper Soulja Boy made it known on social media that his verse had been cut from the track Remote Control, and Pusha T also appears to no longer be featured on the albums titular track.

Def Jam sent a press release announcing the arrival of Donda at 10:39 a.m. ET.

Representatives for West and Def Jam did not immediately respond to Varietys request for comment.

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Matthew Mindler, a child actor known for his role in the 2011 film Our Idiot Brother, was found dead on Saturday after being reported missing from his university. He was 19.

His college, Millersville University in Pennsylvania, announced the news in an email to its student body on Saturday.

It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University. Our thoughts of comfort and peace are with his friends and family during this difficult time, the email reads.

Mindler was reported missing by the university on Aug. 26., and law enforcement agencies as well as the university police had been searching for him ever since. Mindler was found deceased in Manor Township on Saturday and was then transported to the Lancaster County Forensic Center for further investigation. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Local officials in the state government voiced support this week for the voting rights bill passed Tuesday by the U.S. House of Representatives which is designed to support many of the provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that have been taken down by the Supreme Court.

TheJohn Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4) was passed fully along partisan lines as only Democrats voted for the bill to pass with no Republican support. As all the local leaders are Democratic, they all tended to support the measure while also stating it is no time to celebrate as much work still has to be done.

The passage of H.R. 4 by the U.S. House is historic, and I am proud to have been in the U.S. Capitol with several of my colleagues as the bill was passed, Rep. Richard Raymond (TX-D-42) said. Now, the bill will go to the U.S. Senate. The Senate must pass it in order for it to become law. I will continue working to get support for passage of this landmark legislation. I have been in meetings with several U.S. Senators including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin who will be pivotal and instrumental in passage of this law.

One of Raymonds colleagues who did not leave the state in protest for the bill also said he is firmly against the policy being proposed by Texas Legislature Republicans by calling it unnecessary.

While I strongly believe in fair and secure elections, I do not support the current voting rights bill up before the legislature, said Rep. Tracy King (D-80), who is also a Democrat and represents the areas of Dimmit, Frio, Uvalde, Webb, Zapata and Zavala counties. Considered by many as one of the most restrictive voting rights bills in the country, I believe the bill is wholly unnecessary. At its best, it attempts to address unfounded election security allegations at the great expense of peoples voting rights. At its worst, it is a poorly veiled effort to intimidate minority voters and reduce overall election participation.

As for the Democrats that left the state, King said he believes his colleagues know how to best represent the people and interests of their districts as they continue the fight in the nations capital.

Raymond continues to call for Democratic leaders that are back in the state legislature to continue opposing and even leaving the state once again if necessary to break quorum.

I wish all of my Democratic colleagues in the Texas House would do all they could to stop this harmful legislation, including breaking quorum again, Raymond said. Right now, not all members are willing to do so. That is their right. But I believe someday, either soon or with the passage of time, they will come to regret not standing up and fighting for all Americans voting rights in the same way so many of our civil rights forefathers and foremothers did, many of them surviving beatings and bombings and many of them giving their lives. I feel very strongly about this issue, but I cannot make others feel as strongly if they do not already.

King said he will continue doing his part to oppose the bill by continuing to vote against it. He also said the bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is the best way to protect voting rights amid the Texas bill eventually passing along partisan lines.

Because Texas has a long, documented history of discrimination when drawing district maps, I support the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill, King said. That bill would reinstate the preclearance provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and require Texas, along with other states with a history of discrimination, to obtain clearance from the Department of Justice when making certain changes to voting laws or district maps.

Judith Zaffirni, who represents District 21 in the state senate, also voiced support for the congressional bill and said she hopes it is the path to stopping the Texas restrictive voting bill. She also agreed with the idea that the state bill is intended to stop minorities, people with disabilities and the elderly from being able to vote freely.

Im delighted that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Act on Tuesday, especially because our right to vote is the most important and sacred cornerstone of our democracy, Zaffirini said. Whats more, it is a right that women and some persons of color in the U.S. were prohibited from exercising for many years and for which men and women were jailed or killed for trying to secure. Today, 56 years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson, were seeing a nationwide effort to make it harder for persons of color to vote. The passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act would reinstate some of the provisions in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 and would recommit us to guaranteeing equal voting access for all Americans.

While Zaffirini was happy to see the bill passed by the House of Representatives, she believes it will face stern opposition in the Senate and will require a long battle to get passed. Many Republicans, including Texas Senator John Cornyn, have been outspoken about the bill calling it disastrous and a way for the federal government to control elections.

Democrats aim to overrule state voting laws in an unconstitutional grab for partisan advantage, Cornyn said.

Just like King, however, Zaffirini continues to stand firmly against the Texas bill and will continue voting against it no matter how many times it is proposed.

I voted against this bill three times, once in the 87th regular legislative session and during both special sessions, Zaffirini said. Because Republicans have majorities in both legislative chambers and hold the governorship, the bill unfortunately and inevitably will pass. Accordingly, I proposed 13 amendments to mitigate the harm done by the bill to persons of color and persons with disabilities, four of which were adopted in the Senate based on their acceptance by the bills author Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola).

King, who continues to work at the state legislature, said he is continuing to focus on other issues outside of the voting bill.

I support certain items on the call, such as property tax relief and the 13th check for retired teachers, but I also believe those issues are being used in this case as a foil to maintain a quorum and pass the voting restriction bill, King said. Ultimately, I think the legislature accomplished the bulk of its task during the regular session.

Zaffirini said dealing with issues related to helping people overcome the pandemic is her main focus as they continue to work in the state legislature during the special session. She also wants to see work done on fixing the state electrical grid.

Raymond was staying in Washington through Saturday to participate in events calling for more support of the national bill.

I am currently in Washington, D.C., and I will participate in a national voting rights event at the Lincoln Memorial this weekend, Raymond said. It is being done on the same day, August 28, as when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous I Have A Dream speech in 1963.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Just a week before she was killed in a suicide bombing with 12 other U.S. service members, Sgt. Nicole Gee was cradling a baby in her arms at the Kabul airport.

She posted the photo on Instagram and wrote, I love my job.

Gee, 23, of Sacramento, California, was one of four Californians killed in the bombing at the Kabul airport where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover. The blast killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines.

Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga; Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio; and Lance Cpl. Kareem MaeLee Grant Nikoui, of Norco, were also killed.

Gee was a maintenance technician with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Sgt. Mallory Harrison, who lived with Gee for three years and called her a sister forever and very best friend, wrote a moving account about the magnitude of her loss.

I cant quite describe the feeling I get when I force myself to come back to reality & think about how Im never going to see her again, Harrison wrote on Facebook. How her last breath was taken doing what she loved -- helping people.  Then there was an explosion. And just like that, shes gone.

Gees Instagram page shows another photo of her in fatigues, holding a rifle next to a line of people walking into the belly of a large transport plane. She wrote: "escorting evacuees onto the bird.

The social media account that includes many selfies after working out at the gym lists her location as California, North Carolina and somewhere overseas.

Photos show her on a camel in Saudi Arabia, in a bikini on a Greek isle and holding a beer in Spain. One from earlier this month in Kuwait shows her beaming with her meritorious promotion to sergeant.

Harrison said her generation of Marines hears war stories from veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts but they seem very distant amid boring deployments until the peaceful float you were on turns into  your friends never coming home.

Gees car was still parked in a lot at Camp Lejeune and Harrison mused about all the Marines who had walked past it while she was overseas, unaware of who it belonged to.

Some of them knew her. Some of them didnt, she said. They all walked past it. The war stories, the losses, the flag-draped coffins, the KIA bracelets & the heartbreak. Its not so distant anymore.
A candlelight vigil was held Saturday night honoring Laredo native and Marine David Lee Espinoza who was one of 13 U.S. service members killed Thursday in a suicide bombing at Afghanistans Kabul airport.

The vigil was held by city officials, local community members and others outside of Espinozas home in Rio Bravo as they gathered to pay their respects. Espinozas family headed to Virginia on Saturday as they were flown by the United States to identify his body.

After his graduation from LBJ in 2019, he enlisted, Espinozas mother Elizabeth Holguin said. He always had that in him as he would always play with pencils and stuff like that as pretending them to be guns and soldiers, but I really think that it hit him the greatest in his senior year.

Holguin said she supported Espinoza in everything he did. However, she was worried like any mother would be about her son leaving to join the military.

I was worried like every mother would be, but I had to be supportive of him because whether I was or was not, he was still going to join, she said. So I always tried to remain a supportive mom.

She said Espinoza was always a reserved man that mainly kept to himself and a close circle of friends, he liked to be around family, he was smart and he was always looking out for ways to help the most vulnerable in his community.

He was a very quiet kid. He was a very good kid, but he always did what he wanted, Holguin said.

City of Rio Bravo Mayor Gilbert Aguilar Jr. said he only knew Espinoza briefly as he used to volunteer and work at the citys community center, and he always saw him as someone reserved that kept to himself but always wanted to assist those in need. Aguilar was hit hard by the loss as a fellow Lyndon B. Johnson High School graduate.

We spoke to the family yesterday as we found out about this 2:30 a.m. in the morning, and we spoke to them later in the morning around 8 a.m., Aguilar said. We are here to continue to support them in whatever they need despite any politics or other stuff, and there are a lot of people around here and around the community to do anything that the mother may need.

He said the news of his passing came as a shockwave to the small community he represents as no one expected for someone so close to pass in the line of duty in Afghanistan.

The entire city is mourning the loss of one of our own, Aguilar said. We will now remember his legacy with pride and continue to put his family in our prayers. Gone too soon but forever in our hearts. You will be remembered.

Rio Bravo Commissioner Amanda Aguero said she also got to know Espinoza a bit as she used to work at the community center and would see Espinoza use the computers available in the activity center and play with friends there.

He was kind and very smart, Aguero said.

The condolences for Espinoza do not just stem from his family and residents of Rio Bravo but also from Laredo and all over the country.

It is so tragic, Texas State Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-TX-21) said. I talked to his mother yesterday, and you know when you have a Marine in the family, when you have a hero like that and something happens to that person, and that is something that we talk about when we have Gold Star families because it is not simply the person who either serves, is injured or gets killed in action but the whole family grieves when something like this happens.

According to Zaffirini, it is tragic that someone so young at 20 years old had to die in such a manner. However, she knows through the family that he died doing what he wanted to do in life, and that was to be a Marine.

The state senator said she is working on a resolution to pass in the Texas Legislature to honor Espinoza.

We are writing a memorial resolution honoring him that the Texas Senate will adopt and the Texas senate will adjourn in his memory, Zaffirini said. We also we are flying the flag over the state capital at half in his honor.

Local veteran groups have also responded to the passing of Espinoza. The local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose members have fought in international conflicts like Afghanistan and elsewhere, said they provide their condolences and well wishes to the family during this difficult time.

First things first, my condolences go out to the family of David Espinoza and may he rest in peace brother, Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter in Laredo Ricky Quijano said. This is absolutely devastating news to hear that a service member, our neighbor who lives a couple of miles away, has died at the hands of terrorists. It is heartbreaking.

For Quijano, the news of Espinozas passing comes at a time when he also has mixed emotions about the withdrawal being seen in Afghanistan as he also served in the conflict years ago and knows about the dangers Espinoza submitted himself to by being deployed to the region.

As an Afghanistan veteran myself, it hits close to home, Quijano said. When were out there serving our country, we know that were fighting to protect our families and the freedoms of this country. And thats what David Espinoza did. He was a brave Marine for doing so. I just want his family to know that David was a hero in the eyes of all veterans.

One local veteran has a similar story to Espinoza as she also attended LBJ High School and quickly enlisted following her graduation.

I was born and raised in Laredo and joined the Marines as soon as I graduated from LBJ High School, Thania Peinado, who is also a Marine native to Laredo, said. With the unfolding of events in Afghanistan right now it has made every Marine and veteran upset and ready to reenlist to avenge our fallen. Losing one of our very own Laredoan Marine brothers has affected me emotionally and mentally knowing he was just 20 years old with a whole life ahead of him.

Peinado said she was angry because she believes these losses could have been avoided if the Marines were cared for better as the conflict comes to an end.

There are not enough words to describe how I feel, but I can speak for most of our Marines that we are angry, Peinado said. He is an American hero. He answered one of the toughest calls. I want to thank his family for raising an outstanding man, and his death wont be in vain. This new administration and military leaders have failed our country and our service members. May God be with our military and military families during these dark times.

As for Espinozas family, they only have one truth that resonates with them, and that is the fact he will always be remembered as a hero.

He was just my son, my brave son, my everything, Holguin said. He was just perfect.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
Dozens of desperate Afghans who had been trying to flee the Taliban before Tuesday's deadline for the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul made it to safety with help from an unexpected place: Instagram influencer Quentin Quarantino.

Quarantino is the alter ego of 25-year-old Tommy Marcus of New York City, previously best-known for his liberal memes and his jokes about opponents of COVID-19 vaccinations. Along with his followers, Quarantino raised $7 million within days on GoFundMe to launch rescue missions into Afghanistan to evacuate as many people as possible, many of whom said they had been threatened by the Taliban.

On Wednesday, their mission Operation Flyaway helped ferry 51 people from Afghanistan to Uganda on a privately chartered plane financed by the GoFundMe campaign.

More than 121,000 people had donated to the campaign after Marcus made an appeal to his 832,000 followers, making it one of the largest humanitarian fundraisers in GoFundMes history.

Its beyond humbling that they have that faith in me, that theyre willing to put significant amounts of money into hands that I trust, Marcus told The Associated Press.

Saraya International, a global development firm, and the Rockefeller Foundation, which both provided organizational support for the flight to Uganda, as well as another company involved with the evacuation, confirmed to the AP that the flight was chartered by the emergency collaboration financed through Marcus' Go FundMe campaign.

I dont know what word to use besides miraculous, because its restored a faith in humanity, Marcus said. Weve shed the political divisions in this situation and really come together from all walks of life to rally together and save these people because .. they dont deserve what their future holds if they stay in Afghanistan right now.

Those who were evacuated, Marcus said, were women, children, humanitarians and others whove been fighting for the greater good in Afghanistan for a long time, as well as their families. The organizers had said they were seeking to rescue 300 people who, along with their families, were at imminent risk of being executed by the Taliban."

The team had been met with skepticism from experts who questioned whether they had the capability to pull of such a mission at a time when governments, corporations and charity groups were rushing to get their citizens and employees out of Afghanistan on whatever aircraft they could.

Marcus' group said more than 350 people have been rescued, with nearly 300 leaving Kabul on other chartered flights that Operation Flyaway reimbursed for providing safe passage from the country. A spokesperson for the State Department wrote in an emailed statement that the department appreciates 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, the statement said.

Officials from several nonprofit groups describe a chaotic and perilous scene at the Kabul airport as they rushed to fill private chartered flights with people who have the necessary paperwork in the limited time that they can keep their planes on the tarmac.

"Im so proud of our extraordinary team and what we were able to accomplish in such a short time, said Sayara CEO Scott Shadian. I just wish we couldve done more. Simply put, the institutions failed, and it breaks my heart how much more we could have accomplished. We are grateful we got out as many people as we did against the greatest odds weve ever faced.

At the request of the U.S. government, Uganda received the evacuees, who will stay at hotels in a city outside the country's capital, Kampala. Ugandan officials said the nation would shelter up to 2,000 people who are expected to be relocated elsewhere after a temporary stay in the country.

The chartered flight that left Kabul early Wednesday morning is one of several private rescue efforts being organized by various groups, separately and through collaborations, to help Afghans flee. The flight from Kabul to Entebbe, Uganda, was organized by Sayara, which advised a company working with Marcus that it knew of a plane available for Operation Flyaway.

Representatives from that North Carolina-based company, Raven Advisory, said they were able to pay for the mission using money raised through Marcus' GoFundMe campaign. The company, which says it performs subcontract work for the U.S. military, said "an all-volunteer team consisting of former Special Forces soldiers and other veterans with expertise in Afghanistan were working with the military to coordinate their rescue efforts.

Sayara's Shadian said he had met Operation Flyaway members on Zoom only earlier in the week and in the chaos of the Kabul evacuations was thrilled they agreed to fund the flight.

They were one of many miracles we experienced in this time, Shadian said. Their last-minute funding, along with the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Schmidt Futures and other donors, was critical. Without Operation Flyaway's quick funding, that flight wouldnt have gotten off the ground.

Raven Advisory CEO Sheffield Ford told the AP that in order to transport the people into the airport, the U.S. government has to be comfortable with our organization saying these people are OK, and that they have actually done things to help their country, to help our country.

Though the deadly suicide bombing at the airport on Thursday complicated their efforts, Ford says those they are helping must have passports, a relative his group can communicate with and someone vouching for them who has passed a background check. The goal, Ford noted, is to ferry Afghan citizens that have been targeted by the Taliban out of the country.

Our focus was the people who wanted to build their country into something great, he said. They thought they were going to stay there, with us backing them, for the long haul. Its going be women that work in journalism and teachers. It could be the young people and older people who have been very outspoken against the different atrocities of committed by the Taliban in the past.

Though crowdfunding has been a welcome tool to mobilize donations during crisis situations, Patricia McIlreavy, president of the Washington-based Center for Disaster Philanthropy, stresses that donors should be cautious when donating to private efforts through these sites.

Theres not necessarily going to be a public report on where these funds went and how they were used, in the way that a nonprofit  or a 501(c)(3)  is required to by law, she said.

Though rescue flights are now winding down with the pending deadline of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the GoFundMe campaign said it will donate whatever money remains to the Washington-based organization International Womens Media Foundation. According to organizers, the foundation, which supports female journalists, will use the money to partner with experienced organizations and experts to support people once they are on safe ground.

Ford was impressed by how quickly millions were raised on GoFundMe for these missions.

Its about people coming together to help others," he said. "And it was awesome to see that happen.

_____

The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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
A new burst of support has arrived for Irish sensation Maura Higgins to take part in the next series of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

The Longford beauty has become a massive success since her Love Island stint with punters eager to see more of her on TV with her new show Glow Up: Irelands Next Make-Up Star making its debut next week.

The Ann Summers ambassador and much-loved personality is now just 7/2 to head to Wales later this year and take part in the new series of Im a Celebrity with those odds backed in from 12/1.

Punters have also been backing TV presenter Una Healy to be a part of the new series. BoyleSports have cut those odds into 3/1 from 8/1 while drag queen The Vivienne is rated as the most likely to take part at 1/4. Conor McGregor is 16/1 from 20/1 and Roy Keane is 10/1 to take on some bushtucker trials.

Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: Punters are continuing to get behind the idea of Irish star Maura Higgins taking part in the next series of Im A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! Her odds have been trimmed into 7/2 from 12/1 but she is not the only Irish bombshell fancied. Una Healy is 3/1 from 8/1 while Conor McGregor is 16/1 from 20/1.
Irish Cattle and Sheep farmer's Association (ICSA) beef chairperson, Edmund Graham, has urged farmers to resist any price cuts factories try to impose next week.

The signs are there that processors will try to pull beef prices again next week because they have essentially gotten away with it this week, he said.

But its time for farmers to fight back and to draw a line in the sand. No farmer should accept any less than 4.20 for steers and 4.25 for heifers.

Mr Graham said we are hearing that factories have been buying up cattle for the early part of next week at the 4.20 mark and will look to cut from then on.

However, he stressed, there is no justification for driving the price downwards.

The ICSA spokesperson noted that the UK market has been getting stronger, and more and more food services are opening up and getting back on track.

Factories too must be aware that the costs associated with producing beef have gone up, he said.

Feed and fuel prices are both rising so there is no room for us to take lower prices for our beef.

Its up to each and every farmer to resist these unwarranted price cuts," he noted in conclusion.
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM CDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values up to 107 expected. * WHERE...Portions of southeast and southern Mississippi and southeast Louisiana. * WHEN...From 10 AM to 5 PM CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. &&
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Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear this evening then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Hurricane Ida was rapidly intensifying early Sunday, becoming a dangerous Category 4 hurricane on track for a potentially devastating landfall on the Louisiana coast while emergency officials in the region grappled with opening shelters for displaced evacuees despite the risks of spreading the coronavirus.

Hurricane Ida News update

Ida quickly gained strength as it moved into the northern Gulf, going from top winds of 115 mph (185 kph) in a 1 a.m. update to 145 mph (230 kph) a few hours later. The system was expected to make landfall Sunday afternoon, set to arrive on the exact date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier.

The storm was centered about 65 miles (100 kilometers) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and 80 miles (130 kilometers) south-southeast of costal Grand Isle, Louisiana. It was traveling northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). Ida threatened a region already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections, thanks to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

South Louisiana residents prepare for Ida AP

Hurricane Ida: Louisiana in alert

Gov. John Bel Edwards vowed Saturday that Louisiana's "resilient and tough people" would weather the storm. He also noted shelters would operate with reduced capacities "to reflect the realities of COVID."

Edwards said Louisiana officials were already working to find hotel rooms for many evacuees so that fewer had to stay in mass shelters. He noted that during last year's hurricane season, Louisiana found rooms for 20,000 people. "So, we know how to do this," Edwards said. "I hope and pray we don't have to do it anywhere near that extent."

In coastal Gulfport, Mississippi, a Red Cross shelter posted signs displaying directions for evacuees along with warnings about COVID-19. With skies still sunny, only a handful of people had shown up Saturday evening. Shelter manager Barbara Casterlin said workers were required to wear face masks. Evacuees were encouraged to do the same. Anyone who refuses will be sent to an isolated area, she said, and so will people who are sick. "We're not checking vaccinations," Casterlin said, "but we are doing temperature checks two or three times a day."

Biden: 'Pay attention and be prepared' for Hurricane Ida

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Ida's arrival. Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. A Category 3 storm, Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it demolished oceanfront homes in Mississippi and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans.

Biden: 'Pay attention and be prepared' for Ida AP

In Saucier, Mississippi, Alex and Angela Bennett spent Saturday afternoon filling sand bags to place around their flood-prone home. Both survived Katrina, and didn't expect Ida to cause nearly as much destruction where they live, based on forecasts. "Katrina was terrible. This ain't gonna be nothing," Alex Bennett said. "I hate it for Louisiana, but I'm happy for us."

Long lines formed at gas pumps Saturday as people rushed to escape. Trucks pulling saltwater fishing boats and campers streamed away from the coast on Interstate 65 in Alabama, while traffic jams clogged Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans.

Ida intensified so swiftly that New Orleans officials said there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of its 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents to leave voluntarily. Those who stayed were warned to prepare for long power outages amid sweltering heat.

Workers attach protective plywood to windows and doors of a business in New Orleans. AP

South Louisiana residents prepare for Hurricane Ida

Officials also stressed that the levee and drainage systems protecting the city had been much improved since Katrina. But they cautioned flooding was still possible with up to 24 inches (61 centimeters) of rain forecast in some areas. Edwards said 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged in 14 Louisiana parishes for search and rescue efforts. And 10,000 linemen were on standby to respond to electrical outages.

Ida posed a threat far beyond New Orleans. A hurricane warning was issued for nearly 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Louisiana's coastline, from Intracoastal City south of Lafayette to the Mississippi state line. A tropical storm warning was extended to the Alabama-Florida line. Meteorologist Jeff Masters, who flew hurricane missions for the government and founded Weather Underground, said Ida is forecast to move through "the just absolute worst place for a hurricane."

The Interstate 10 corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is a critical hub of the nation's petrochemical industry, lined with oil refineries, natural gas terminals and chemical manufacturing plants. Entergy, Louisiana's major electricity provider, operates two nuclear power plants along the Mississippi River.

A U.S. Energy Department map of oil and gas infrastructure shows scores of low-lying sites in the storm's projected path that are listed as potentially vulnerable to flooding.
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
Atlanta, GA (30303)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. Less humid. High near 85F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
It was time to leave; we should have stayed. It was in vain; it was a success. Local veterans who have served in Afghanistan have a range of o
The Empire revolves around the story of a young boy, Babur, who inherits the kingdom of Ferghana in modern-day Uzbekistan. Babur's character is shown over a span of 25 years on the show and Kunal Kapoor plays both the younger and older versions of him.

After the trailer of The Empire was dropped online, people couldnt help but compare it with Game Of Thrones as they felt the director has taken inspiration from the popular show. The Empire boasts of an ensemble cast, which also includes Shabana Azmi, Drashti Dhami, Aditya Seal, and Dino Morea.

People went on to say that even the costumes and even a few scenes have been copied from Game Of Thrones. Kunal who is playing one of the leads found this comparison very tragic. Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, he said, I think these are unnecessary comparisons. Comparisons will be made and it is tragic that it is Game Of Thrones because it is a fantastic show. Whenever you do a period drama like that it will be compared to something.

He went on to add, Some will say it is like Padmaavat, Bajirao or Game Of Thrones, but it is a different story, its a different world, different characters different people. If people are comparing the scale (to GOT) then great, its wonderful, but I dont think there is any other commonality between that show and this show.

In one of the earlier interviews, he had shed light on how he prepared for the role of Babur. He had said, What was very interesting about the character was that he is physically strong but at the same time very emotional. He becomes the King eventually, but he always has this self-doubt of whether he deserves it. My character is depicted over a span of 25 years on the show. So, I had to play Babur at different ages. Young Babur was spontaneous, older Babur, on the other hand, would think a lot before making a decision. So, I had to balance both the acts."

People also want to boycott the show as they feel the makers have glorified the Mughals.

Have you watched the show or are you planning to? Let us know in the comments section below.
In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Federal prosecutors in Missouri have charged 19 restaurant owners and managers  most living in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma  accusing them of a racketeering scheme to hire and employ immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

The indictments unsealed Wednesday charges the defendants with counts ranging from fraud and conspiracy to money laundering and illegal use of social security numbers. They were unsealed as federal Homeland Security agents carried out search warrants at 10 locations in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. Fourteen of the 19 people indicted were arrested.
MOSUL, Iraq (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday visited Iraqs northern city of Mosul, which suffered widespread destruction during the war to defeat the Islamic State group in 2017. He vowed to fight alongside regional governments against terrorism.

Macron said IS carried out deadly attacks throughout the world from its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. He said IS did not differentiate between people's religion and nationality when it came to killing, noting that the extremists killed many Muslims.

We will do whatever we can, shoulder to shoulder, with the governments of the region and with the Iraqi government to fight against this terrorism, Macron said in English following a visit to an iconic mosque that was destroyed by the extremists. We will be present alongside with sovereign governments to restore peace.

Macron said France will help in rebuilding mutual respect as well as monuments, churches, schools and mosques and most importantly economic opportunity.

Despite the defeat of IS on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, the group's sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and an affiliate of the group claimed Thursday's attacks at Kabul's airport in Afghanistan that killed scores.

Macron began his visit to Mosul by touring the Our Lady of the Hour Church, a Catholic church that was badly damaged during the rule of IS that lasted from 2014 until the extremists' defeat three years later. Iraqi children dressed in white and waving Iraqi and French flags sang upon Macrons arrival.

It was the same church where Pope Francis led a special prayer during a visit to Iraq in March. During the trip, the pontiff urged Iraqs Christians to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches.

Macron moved around the church  whose walls are still riddled with bullets  amid tight security as a priest accompanying him gave him details about the church built in the 19th century. The French president then went up to the roof overlooking parts of Mosul accompanied by Iraqi officials.

We hope that France will open a consulate in Mosul, Iraqi priest Raed Adel told Macron inside the church. He also called on the president to help in the reconstruction of Mosul's airport.

Macron made a list of promises during his meeting with Christian leaders at Our Lady of the Hour church, including opening a consulate. Im struck by whats at stake here so I want to also tell you that we are going to be making the decision to bring back a consulate and schools," Macron said.

Macron left the church in the early afternoon and headed to Mosuls landmark al-Nuri mosque, which was blown up in the battle with IS militants in 2017 and is being rebuilt.

The mosque, also known as The Great Mosque of al-Nuri, and its iconic leaning minaret were built in the 12th century. It was from the mosques pulpit that ISs self-styled caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared the caliphates establishment in 2014.

Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, became ISs bureaucratic and financial backbone. It took a ferocious nine-month battle to finally free the city in July 2017. Between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed, according to an Associated Press investigation at the time, and the war left widespread destruction. Many Iraqis have had to rebuild on their own amid a years-long financial crisis.

Since the early years of Christianity, northern Iraq has been home to large Christian communities. But over the past decades, tens of thousands left Iraq and settled elsewhere amid the countrys wars and instability that culminated with the persecution of Christians by extremists over the past decade.

The traditionally Christian towns dotting the Nineveh Plains of the north emptied out in 2014 as Christians  as well as many Muslims  fled the Islamic State groups onslaught. Only a few have returned to their homes since the defeat of IS in Iraq was declared four years ago, and the rest remain scattered elsewhere in Iraq or abroad.

Macron arrived in Baghdad early Saturday where he took part in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing Mideast tensions and underscored the Arab countrys new role as mediator.

Macron hailed the Baghdad conference as a major boost for Iraq and its leadership. The country had been largely shunned by Arab leaders for the past few decades because of security concerns amid back-to-back wars and internal unrest, its airport frequently attacked with rockets by insurgents.

Macron vowed to maintain troops in Iraq regardless of the Americans choices and for as long as the Iraqi government is asking for our support. France currently contributes to the international coalition forces in Iraq with 800 soldiers.

On Saturday night, Macron visited a Shiite holy shrine in Baghdad before flying to the northern city of Irbil, where he met Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, the 28-year-old activist who was forced into sexual slavery by IS fighters in Iraq.

A member of Iraqs Yazidi minority, Murad was among thousands of women and girls who were captured and forced into sexual slavery by IS in 2014. Her mother and six brothers were killed by IS fighters in Iraq. She became an activist on behalf of women and girls after escaping and finding refuge in Germany and shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

___

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Southern Louisiana's hospitals, already packed with coronavirus patients from a fourth surge of the virus, were dealing Sunday with another challenge  the howling Category 4 hurricane pounding the coast.

Lady of the Sea General Hospital in Lafourche Parish, near where Ida made landfall, reported extensive roof damage. All patients and staff are fine at this time without injury; although, our hospital has sustained significant damage, hospital CEO Karen Collins said in a message relayed via Facebook. The hospital's phone system was down.

Once it is safe to do so they will evacuate their small number of patients, state health department spokeswoman Aly Neel said in an email. Details on the number of patients involved were not immediately available.

Another Lafourche Parish hospital, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, reported a partial generator failure to the state. Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for Gov. John Bel Edwards, said the facility had not lost all critical power. She said some patients were moved to another part of the facility and the state health department was working with the hospital.

Ida struck as hospitals and their intensive care units were filled with patients from the fourth surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked by the highly contagious delta variant and low vaccination rates across Louisiana.

Daily tallies of new cases in Louisiana went from a few hundred a day through much of the spring and early summer to thousands a day by late July. Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press on Sunday that more than 2,400 COVID-19 patients are in Louisiana hospitals, saying the state was in a very dangerous place with our hospitals.

The governor also said 22 nursing homes and 18 assisted living facilities have been evacuated, though evacuating the largest hospitals was not an option because there simply aren't other places to send them. Anticipating that power could be out for weeks in places, Edwards said a big focus will be on making sure there is enough generator power and water at hospitals so they can keep up with vital patient needs such as providing oxygen or powering ventilators.

I hate to say it this way, but we have a lot of people on ventilators today and they dont work without electricity, he said.

Officials at Ochsner Health, which runs the largest hospital network in Louisiana, said roughly 15 of the network's hospitals are in areas potentially affected by Ida. The network evacuated some patients with particular medical needs from small, rural hospitals to larger facilities.

Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Ochsner Health, said Sunday that the system decided preemptively to evacuate a smaller hospital in St. Charles Parish when the storms track shifted a bit east.

He said 35 patients were moved to other hospitals in the region over a little less than three hours. When it comes to power at their facilities, Mike Hulefeld said, they are in pretty good shape. Three of their facilities in areas affected by Ida were moved to generator power in anticipation of losing city power.

Later Sunday the hospital system said they planned to evacuate all patients at two other hospitals in the system on Monday as soon as conditions allowed. One hospital, with 21 patients in Raceland, suffered roof damage while the other facility with 45 patients in Houma had roof damage and power issues. Other facilities have suffered roof damage, water leaks and some damage to windows that required moving patients. At the hospital's main campus just outside of New Orleans, Thomas said they'd had problems with water leaks but no structural issues and had performed some surgeries Sunday. They've had no injuries reported.

We'll know a lot more tomorrow morning when we have daylight," he said.

Hulefeld said the hospital network ordered 10 days of supplies for facilities in areas that might be affected by Ida, and everything arrived Saturday. Each facility has backup power that was tested and a backup fuel truck on-site. Many of the chains hospitals also have water wells in case city water goes out.

With people evacuating and potentially going to stay with relatives or in shelters, medical officials said they are concerned the hurricane could translate into more coronavirus infections in coming days just as hospitalization numbers are going down. Thomas said the hospital system has seen a decline in almost 200 coronavirus patients over the past week across all their facilities.

Officials said Sunday they have been making the rounds and talking to staff in the hospitals  often referred to as the A Team because theyre the ones that go into lockdown when a hurricane arrives and work until the storm passes and they can be relieved. The hurricane comes on top of the year and a half long pandemic that has been an amazing stress on health care workers, and many are sad and frustrated.

Folks realize they got a job to do. There are people who need to be cared for, Thomas said. But it does take a toll.

Dr. Jeff Elder, medical director for emergency management at LCMC Health, said the systems six hospitals went into lockdown mode Sunday. Employees were going to stay at the hospitals for the duration of the storm arrived Saturday and early Sunday and would sleep there.

Elder said one of the first things their hospitals do when storms arrive is discharge patients who are able to leave. However, the patient load is high because of the pandemic so theyre not able to reduce by much. He said the hospitals in the system are more robust since 2005s Hurricane Katrina.

Weve learned a lot since 2005, he said. Key pieces of infrastructure are now raised to keep them out of flooding. For example, at University Medical Center in New Orleans, which was built after Katrina, the generator is raised, diesel supplies are protected and the first floor doesnt have essential services so even if flood waters get that high nothing essential is lost.

All hospitals in the system have generator backup power, Elder said. He also stressed that communication is now much better between hospitals in the hospital system as well as with various levels of government.

__

Melinda Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge. Associated Press reporter Kevin McGill contributed from New Orleans. Follow Rebecca Santana on Twitter @ruskygal.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  The capital of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday ordered all residents who received the Chinese state-backed Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine over six months ago to get a booster shot by September 20, adding that recipients of other vaccines do not need the third dose.

The UAE became the first country worldwide to formally offer the booster regimen earlier this year, following reports of Sinopharm recipients seeking the third shot amid concerns about an insufficient antibody response.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Hundreds of Palestinians gathered Sunday night along the separation fence with Israel, setting tires on fire and throwing explosives as Gaza's Hamas rulers pressed ahead with a campaign aimed at pressuring Israel to ease a stifling blockade of the territory. One protester was moderately wounded by Israeli gunfire.

It was the second consecutive nighttime border protest and took place hours after Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on alleged Hamas targets in response to the unrest. Hamas officials have promised to hold nightly protests all week.

The Zionist occupation bears all the repercussions and consequences of the tightening of the siege on Gaza and the escalation of the humanitarian crisis among its residents, said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum. No calm or stability will be achieved as long as our people lack a free and dignified life."

The Israeli military said protesters set tires on fire and lobbed explosives toward Israeli troops, and that its forces took unspecified measures to disperse the crowd. The Palestinian Health Ministry said one protester was shot and suffered moderate wounds. No further details were immediately available.

Israel, with Egypt's help, has maintained a tight blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election.

Israel says the closure, which tightly restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza, is needed to prevent Hamas from building up its military capabilities. Critics say the closure, which has devastated the economy, amounts to collective punishment.

Israel has tightened the blockade since an 11-day war against Hamas in May while Egypt tries to broker a long-term cease-fire. Israel has demanded that Hamas return the remains of two dead soldiers and release two captive Israeli civilians in exchange for easing the blockade.

Hamas has grown increasingly angry over the lack of progress in the cease-fire talks. Its operatives have launched a series of incendiary balloons across the border in recent weeks, sparking a series of wildfires in southern Israel.

Hamas also has allowed a number of violent demonstrations along the border.

Two Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy and a Hamas militant, have been killed from Israeli gunfire, while an Israeli soldier was critically wounded when a militant shot him in the head at point-blank range during one of the protests.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, speaking before returning to Israel from Washington, said the pressure on Hamas would continue.

We will operate in Gaza according to our interests," he said in Hebrew on the tarmac.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars since Hamas took power, most recently in May.

At least 260 Palestinians were killed during Mays Hamas-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
Venice, FL (34285)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 76F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Connecticut is the latest state to pass legislation authorizing adult recreational use of marijuana (about time!) and this should be cause to celebrate for our fellow Nutmeggers. In fact, according to the latest surveys, nearly two-thirds of Connecticut residents agree with this sentiment.

The milestone vote by our lawmakers earlier this summer came amid a wave of recent Northeast state legalizations, including our neighbors in New Jersey and New York. Massachusetts has been ahead of the pack, legalizing cannabis in 2016 while Rhode Island, where pot is currently decriminalized, is expected to follow the path to legalization later this year. Legalization is a game of dominoes, where states cannot fall behind their neighbors or suffer the consequences.

Many people, myself included, think it is high time (pun very much intended) we recognize the wisdom of legalizing the adult use of cannabis, not only from an economic standpoint but a social justice perspective. Following the bills passage, Gov. Ned Lamont directly addressed the inequities faced by minority communities, while also pointing out that criminalization did little to protect public health and safety.

In terms of the economy, almost every expert believes that legal marijuana will provide a much-needed business boost. In February, Lamont published revenue projections estimating that sales from an adult-use cannabis program starting in May 2022 would generate tax revenues of approximately $33.6 million by fiscal year 2023. The number would jump to $97 million by 2026. This doesnt even include the jump in employment and investment in new retail facilities. If the program is implemented correctly, alongside a crackdown of illegal cannabis sales, I think these numbers could be larger still.

No matter what side of the political spectrum you are on, I think we would find consensus around the view that Connecticut taxpayers are overburdened and property taxes too high. The COVID pandemic has only made the situation worse. With that as a backdrop, what better time for new revenue streams?

The best part of these economic benefits is that they will be shared with those who need it most. Connecticuts bill provides for a Social Equity Council and Social Equity and Innovation Fund to appropriate marijuana sales tax revenues and award marijuana business licenses to lower-income applicants who have lived in geographic areas disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Our cities win as a significant portion of revenue generated should be dedicated towards community reinvestment. They will win further if the programs put in place avoid some of the pitfalls seen in other social equity programs, and not only help with licensing, but also help with business operations  something that has been missed in many cases.

Possession of certain amounts for personal usage is now legal  if youre 21, of course  but recreational retail sales will have to wait until next May at the earliest. People looking to grow marijuana plants for their own recreational use will have to wait to do so until 2023, but home cultivation for authorized medical patients can begin as soon as October this year  and getting a medical card is not difficult.

Connecticut now becomes the 19th state to legalize recreational use of marijuana, but it remains an illegal drug under federal law (and under those federal laws is somehow classified as more dangerous than heroin, cocaine or any opioid). And while legalization makes good economic sense all around, we cant forget the impact on the criminal justice system, both here in our own state and on the national level, where in parts of the country simply possessing weed can still land you in prison.

It may surprise you to know that if you ask most people in law enforcement, they also agree that recreational cannabis should be legal. So, in the words of legendary reggae artist Peter Tosh, youve got to legalize it. I believe this holds true not only in Connecticut, but hopefully everywhere in the not-so-distant future. I commend our state lawmakers for helping to lead the way.

Harry DeMott, of New Canaan, is the founder and CEO of A Proper High, an e-commerce website.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Taliban forces sealed off Kabul's airport Saturday to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as the U.S. and its allies were ending a chaotic airlift that will end their troops' two decades in Afghanistan.

Western leaders acknowledged their withdrawal would mean leaving behind some of their citizens and many locals who helped them over the years, and they vowed to try to continue working with the Taliban to allow local allies to leave after President Joe Biden's Tuesday's deadline to withdraw from the country.

Although most of its allies had finished their evacuation flights, the U.S. planned to keep its round-the-clock flights going until the deadline, saying 113,500 people had been evacuated since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban claimed Kabul. Biden warned Saturday that commanders had told him another attack was highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," and the U.S. Embassy issued a new warning early Sunday for all Americans to avoid the airport area entirely.

Britain ended its evacuation flights Saturday, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to shift heaven and earth to get more of those at risk from the Taliban to Britain by other means.

Britains ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said in a video from Kabul airport and posted on Twitter that it was time to close this phase of the operation now.

But we havent forgotten the people who still need to leave, he said. Well continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve to live in peace and security.

As the flow of planes leaving Kabul slowed, others arrived in locales around the world carrying Afghans who managed to secure places on the last evacuation flights, including in the Washington area, Philadelphia, Madrid, and Birmingham, England. Some passengers were relieved and looking forward to starting new lives far from the Taliban, but others were bitter about having to flee.

In Spain, Shabeer Ahmadi, a journalist targeted by the Taliban, said the United States had doomed the work he and others had put into making Afghanistan a better place by allowing the insurgent group to reclaim power.

They abandoned the new generation of Afghanistan, Ahmadi said.

An evacuation flight to Britain landed with an extra passenger after the cabin crew delivered a baby girl midair, Turkish media reported. The parents named her Havva, or Eve, and she was at least the fourth baby known to have been born to Afghan mothers who went into labor on evacuation flights.

Meanwhile, families of Afghans killed in Thursday's suicide bombing at the airport by an Islamic State group affiliate continued burying their dead  at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members were killed. Among them was Belal Azfali, a 36-year-old contractor for a U.S.-funded project who had gone to the airport on his own, without his wife. His remains were so disfigured that he could only be identified when someone picked up the familys repeated calls to the cellphone he had with him, relatives said.

The U.S. on Saturday released the names of the 13 Marines, Navy and Army personnel who were killed in the bombing. One of the Marines  recently promoted Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23  was seen in a widely circulated photo cuddling an Afghan infant temporarily rescued from the crush of the crowds outside the airport gates this month.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Saturday that the group's forces were holding some positions within the airport and were ready to peacefully take control of it as American forces flew out. But Pentagon spokesman John Kirby denied the claim.

The Taliban did deploy extra forces outside of the airport to prevent large crowds from gathering in the wake of Thursday's bombing . New layers of checkpoints sprang up on roads leading to the airport, some manned by uniformed Taliban fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces. Areas where the crowds had gathered over the past two weeks in the hopes of fleeing the country were largely empty.

Officials said U.S. forces were taking every precaution at the airport, as there were concerns that IS, which is far more radical than the Taliban, could strike again. A new security alert from the U.S. Embassy on Sunday morning said due to a specific, credible threat all U.S. citizens should avoid certain gates at the airport and avoid traveling to the area.

In his statement earlier, Biden said a drone strike he ordered that killed what military officials described as two high-profile IS militants believed to have been involved in planning or facilitating attacks would not be his last response to Thursday's suicide attack.

An Afghan who worked as a translator for the U.S. military said he was with a group of people with permission to leave who tried to reach the airport late Friday. After passing through three checkpoints they were stopped at a fourth. An argument ensued, and the Taliban said they had been told by the Americans to only let U.S. passport-holders through.

I am so hopeless for my future," the man later told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. "If the evacuation is over, what will happen to us?

Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, said Saturday that Afghans who had worked with American forces still were being allowed in.

According to a State Department spokesperson, 5,400 Americans and likely more have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, including nearly 300 Americans in the last day. Another 350 were still seeking to leave the country, and those were the only ones the department could confirm were still in Afghanistan.

Biden has said he will adhere to a self-imposed Tuesday deadline for withdrawing all U.S. forces, and the Taliban have rejected any extension. They have encouraged Afghans to stay, pledging amnesty even to those who fought against them, and have said commercial flights would resume after the U.S. withdrawal, but its unclear if airlines will be willing to offer service.

As the deadline neared and with the Taliban controlling nearly all of the country, hundreds of protesters, including many civil servants, gathered outside a bank while countless more lined up at cash machines. They said they hadn't been paid for three to six months and were unable to withdraw cash. ATM machines were operating, but withdrawals were limited to about $200 every 24 hours. Later Saturday, the central bank ordered commercial bank branches to open and allow customers to withdraw $200 per week, calling it a temporary measure.

The economic crisis, which predates the Taliban takeover, could give Western nations leverage as they urge Afghanistan's new rulers to form a moderate, inclusive government and allow people to leave after Tuesday.

Afghanistan is heavily dependent on international aid, which covered around 75% of the toppled Western-backed government's budget. The Taliban have said they want good relations with the international community and have promised a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last governed the country, but many Afghans are deeply skeptical.

The Taliban cannot access almost any of the central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. The International Monetary Fund has also suspended the transfer of some $450 million. Without a regular supply of U.S. dollars, the local currency is at risk of collapse, which could send the price of basic goods soaring.

The U.S. and its allies have said they will continue providing humanitarian aid through the U.N. and other partners, but any broader engagement  including development assistance  is likely to hinge on whether the Taliban deliver on their promises of more moderate rule.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul, Lawless reported from London and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Frances DEmilio in Rome, Joseph Krauss from Jerusalem, Robert Burns in Washington, Arritz Parra in Madrid and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.
August 29, 2021

How The CIA Used ISIS-K To Keep Its Afghanistan Business

There is a larger story behind the recent terror events in Afghanistan. Here is an attempt to track it down.

Over the years several reports by the Afghan Analyst Network (AAN) about the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K) show that it had grown out of militant groups from Pakistan. A report from 2016 describes extensively how they were fostered by the Afghan state:

The IS fighters who pioneered the Khorasan franchise of the IS were Pakistani militants who had long been settled in the southeastern districts of Nangarhar, in the Spin Ghar mountains or its foothills, bordering the tribal agencies on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line. Before choosing to join ISKP, these militants operated under different brands, mainly under the umbrella of the ever-loosening Tehrik-e Taleban Pakistan (TTP). The bulk of these militants had been arriving in Nangarhar since 2010 mainly from the Orakzai, North Waziristan and Khyber tribal agencies.

Pakistan alleges that the TTP is supported by RAW, India's secret services. It may have also helped to finance the ISKP outlet.

Hoping to use them against Pakistan, the Afghan government started to woo some of these fighters, according to influential tribal elders involved in helping relation-building from the districts that sheltered the guest militants.

...

However, efforts by the Afghan intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), to woo Pakistani militants in Nangarhar have not been confined to Lashkar-e Islam or to militants from Khyber. Tribal elders and ordinary residents of Achin, Nazian and Kot testify that fighters from Orakzai and Mohmand agencies belonging to different factions of the TTP have been allowed free movement across the province, as well as treatment in government hospitals. When moving outside their hub in Nangarhars southern districts, they would go unarmed. In off-the-record conversations with AAN, government officials have verified this type of relationship between segments of the Pakistani militants and the NDS, as have pro-government tribal elders and politicians in Jalalabad. They described this state of affairs as a small-scale tit-for-tat reaction to Pakistans broader and longer-ranging, institutionalised support to the Afghan Taleban in their fight against the Afghan government.

The Afghan state's NDS was a CIA proxy agency. During the mid 1990s the intelligence chief of the Northern Alliance, Amrullah Saleh, had been trained by the CIA in the United States. After the U.S. overthrew the Taliban government Saleh became the head of the NDS. The NDS also had extensive relations with India's secret service.

While the U.S. pretended to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) consistent reports from various sides alleged that core ISIS personnel were extracted by unmarked U.S. helicopters from Iraq and Syria and transferred to Nangarhar where they reinforced the ISKP militants.

Hadi Nasrallah @HadiNasrallah - 1:18 UTC  Aug 28, 2021 In 2017 and 2020, Syrias SANA reported that that US helicopters transported between 40 and 75 ISIS militants from Hasakah, North Syria to an unknown area. The same thing was reported for years in Iraq by the PMU along with reports that US helicopters dropped aid for ISIS.

As Alex Rubinstein summarizes:

The list of governments, former government officials, and organizations in the region that have accused the US of supporting ISIS-K is expansive and includes the Russian government, the Iranian government, Syrian government media, Hezbollah, an Iraqi state-sponsored military outfit and even former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who called the group a tool of the United States ...

Like in Iraq and Syria the CIA's fostering of ultra-militant Islamists led to a backlash as the militants increasingly attacked the Afghan state. The U.S. military finally found it necessary to intervene against them. But the fighting against them on the ground was mostly done by the Taliban who for that purpose received direct support from the U.S. air force.

The Taliban operations were successful and a further spread of ISKP in east Afghanistan was prevented. Instead of openly taking more land ISKP then resorted to sensational suicide bombings against vulnerable targets in Kabul. In May 2021, for example, a car bomb placed in front of Hazara girl school in Kabul killed more than 90 people most of them children.

The CIA and the NDS had additional militants at hand to fight against the Taliban. They had grown and built special forces organized in several battalions (NDS-01 to -04 and the Khost Protection Force (KPF). These CIA controlled death squads had their own helicopter support:

As of 2018, the CIA is engaged in a program to kill or capture militant leaders, codenamed ANSOF, previously Omega. CIA manpower is supplemented with personnel assigned from United States Army Special Operations Command. In mid2019, the NGO Human Rights Watch stated that "CIA-backed Afghan strike forces" have committed "serious abuses, some amounting to war crimes" since late 2017.

The 2019 HRW report noted:

These strike forces have unlawfully killed civilians during night raids, forcibly disappeared detainees, and attacked healthcare facilities for allegedly treating insurgent fighters. Civilian casualties from these raids and air operations have dramatically increased in the last two years.

After the Taliban took Kabul it became clear that the CIA would have to shut down its 'counterterrorism' program and that it would lose control of a major part of its (drug) business in Afghanistan.

As Kabul was falling at least one of its Afghan units, some 600 soldiers, was ordered to help guard the airport of Kabul.

NDS 01 Unit @NDS_Afghanistan - 11:50 UTC  Aug 17, 2021 We will come

We will serve our countrymen as well .

#_ #Kabul #ANDSF

The CIA's Afghan forces manned the gates and guard towers:

The Americans have turned to several hundred commandos from the former Afghan governments National Directorate of Security to limit access through some airport gates, to keep the crowds from overwhelming the airport.

...

The former N.D.S. commandos are due to be among the last to leave the country in the evacuation, serving as a rear guard before being airlifted out, according to U.S. and former Afghan officials.

Some of the trigger happy unit got into a friendly fire incident with German soldiers. The CIA Afghan troops at the airport are set to be evacuated. Other units, including the KPF, were reported to be going to the Panjshir valley where a new 'Northern Alliance' under Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud is supposed to be build. The Taliban are trying to hunt them down.

On Thursday a suicide bomber attacked a gate at the airport in Kabul where many people were trying to get evacuated from Afghanistan. The Islamic State claimed responsibility:

Thursday's suicide bombing in Kabul and the following panic killed more than 150 civilians (some 30 of whom were British-Afghan), 28 Taliban fighters and 13 U.S. troops. Before the attack happened a Taliban spokesperson had told RT that they had warned the U.S. of an imminent ISPK attack.

It is difficult to understand why the U.S., after it had been warned, did not take more precautions against such an attack.

Most of the casualties of the attack were not caused by the suicide bomber but by guards on the wall and in the guard towers surrounding the airport. "Most victims" had gun wounds to their upper bodies and the bullets had come from above. This has now been confirmed by multiple sources:

Sangar |   @paykhar - 1:02 PM  Aug 28, 2021 "Most victims of #KabulAirportBlast were not killed by the blast but by bullets fired at them by the Americans."

Faisal of Kabul Lovers channel interviewed aid workers at Emergency Hospital in #Kabul and this is what they have to say:

Embedded video

U.S. media try to ignore those reports. Only deep down in a long New York Times piece one will find these lines:

For the first time, Pentagon officials publicly acknowledged the possibility that some people killed outside the airport on Thursday might have been shot by American service members after the suicide bombing. Investigators are looking into whether the gunfire came from Americans at the gate, or from the Islamic State.

It were neither the Americans at the gate nor the Islamic State but most likely the CIA's Afghan death squads in the guard towers who caused the massacre.

The Washington Post analysis of the attack is likewise misleading:

Multiple gunmen then opened fire on the civilians and military forces. A local affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two days after the attack the CIA CNN published an interview by Clarissa Ward with an alleged ISKP commander said to have been recorded two weeks ago in a hotel in Kabul. Why the CNN blurred the man's face is left unexplained.

As RT mockingly headlines:

CIA tweets CIA interview with CIA: Viewers react to suddenly-released 'eerily prophetic' CNN interview with ISIS-K commander

Also a day after the airport attack the CIA killed an alleged ISKP 'planner' in Jalalabad who had nothing to do with the airport attack.

Dion Nissenbaum @DionNissenbaum - 10:43 UTC  Aug 29, 2021 Exclusive @WSJ video shows aftermath of US drone strike on Islamic State in Afghanistan, which used a "Flying Ginsu" missile. Pentagon says no civilian casualties. Eyewitness says a woman among the four injured.

Exclusive Video Shows Aftermath of U.S. Drone Strike in Afghanistan

The claim of a 'Flying Ginsu' missile, which contain no explosives, is inconsistent with the heavy shrapnel damage seen in the above linked video.

Now onto the big question.

If ISKP is, as shown above, a CIA/NDS product and if the guards at the airport who killed the 'most victims' in the attack are CIA led Afghan special forces why did all this happen?

We may find the answer in another New York Times piece headlined:

Amid Afghan Chaos, a C.I.A. Mission That Will Persist for Years

As the Afghanistan war wound down, the C.I.A. had expected to gradually shift its primary focus away from counterterrorism  a mission that transformed the agency over two decades into a paramilitary organization focused on manhunts and killing  toward traditional spycraft against powers like China and Russia. But a pair of deadly explosions on Thursday were the latest in a series of rapidly unfolding events since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban takeover of the country that have upended that plan. Like a black hole with its own gravitational pull, Afghanistan could draw the C.I.A. back into a complex counterterrorism mission for years to come.

The poor CIA - pulled back into an expensive 'counterterrorism' mission in Afghanistan and elsewhere that was supposed to end until ... well, until a CIA created terrorist outlet sent a suicide bomber to Kabul's airport and until CIA led Afghan forces shot up and killed a large crowd of refugees.

One might also call this the deep state's revenge for President Biden's order to retreat from Afghanistan.

This is the same deep state that had brought us four years of a fake 'Russiagate' when a different president was likewise inclined to call U.S. troops back home and to thereby limit the CIA's fields of operation.

To make their point absolutely clear the NYT's CIA authors in their last paragraph issue this not very subtle threat:

Any terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan would expose Mr. Biden to fierce criticism from his political opponents that it was a result of his decision to pull American troops from the country  yet another factor that is likely to bring intense White House pressure on spy agencies to keep a laser focus on Afghanistan.

White House pressure on the spy agencies? No, CIA pressure on the White House to let it stay in its Afghanistan business.

Posted by b on August 29, 2021 at 15:59 UTC | Permalink

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Midland ranked second in the nation in terms of percentage of home listings with price reductions, according to a Realtor.com report published this month.

The report showed Midland trailed only Des Moines, Iowa, on the list of 10 cities where sellers are slashing home prices. The percentage of home listings in Midland was 28 percent. The median list price in July in Midland County, according to the report, was still $330,050. Toledo, Ohio; Metairie, Louisiana; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; rounded out the top five cities.

To come up with this list, Realtor.com reported examining monthly listing data in cities with at least 30,000 households and 100 monthly listings from April to June. Then, Realtor.com averaged the rate of reduced homes  calculated by dividing the number of price-reduced properties by the total number of homes for sale  for that time period. The site limited its list to one city per state to ensure geographic diversity.

The Reporter-Telegram emailed the Permian Basin Board of Realtors for a comment but didnt receive a response.

Chris Beckett, broker and owner at Pine & Beckett Realtors in Midland, is quoted in the report that he cuts prices on his listings every seven to 10 days.

--

What Realtor.com stated about Midland in its report.

Median list price in July: $330,050

Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 28 percent

Midland, in western Texas, is at the center of the oil industry, so the price of oil and employment rates in the industry largely drive the housing market here. Despite oil prices reaching the highest levels since 2018, companies in the area have curbed drilling activity. Thats part of the reason why the unemployment rate in Midland stood at 6.7 percent in June, higher than the 5.9 percent reported nationally.

With fewer locals able to buy homes and fewer people moving to the area, demand just isnt as frenzied as in the rest of the country.

To help his properties stand out, Chris Beckett, broker and owner at Pine & Beckett Realtors in Midland, says he cuts prices on his listings every seven to 10 days.

That strategy appears to be typical in this marketlast year the share of price cuts was slightly higher, at 32 percent.

10 Cities where sellers are slashing home prices

Des Moines, Iowa Median list price in July: $193,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 32%

Midland Median list price in July: $330,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 28%

Toledo, Ohio Median list price in July: $117,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 26%

Metairie, Louisiana Median list price in July: $359,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 24%

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Median list price in July: $289,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 22%

Portland, Oregon Median list price in July: $550,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 20%

Anchorage, Alaska Median list price in July: $315,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 19%

Winter Park, Florida Median list price in July: $569,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 19%

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Median list price in July: $250,050 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 19%

Peoria, Illinois Median list price in July: $89,550 Percentage of home listings with price cuts: 18%



Source: Realtor.com
KABUL, Afghanistan  The U.S. military says a drone strike on a vehicle suspected of being used for a planned attack in Afghanistan may have caused additional casualties as well as killed the two Islamic State militants it targeted.

An Afghan official has said three children were killed in the strike near Kabuls airport. Witnesses to the blast say several citizens were killed or wounded.

In a statement Sunday night, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Navy Capt. Bill Urban, said U.S. officials were aware of the reports of civilian casualties and were still investigating. Urban said the strike disrupted an imminent threat on the Kabul airport but added: We would be deeply saddened by any potential loss of innocent life.

Separately, a U.S. official said the drone fired a Hellfire missile at a vehicle in a compound between two buildings when individuals were seen loading explosives into the trunk.

The official said there was an initial explosion caused by the missile, followed by a much larger fireball, believed to be the result of the substantial amount of explosives inside the vehicle. In his statement, Urban said those powerful subsequent explosions may have caused civilian casualties.

The U.S. believes that two Islamic State group individuals who were targeted were killed.

The officials said it appears that the secondary explosion did significant damage to one of the buildings next to the vehicle. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information about a military operation.

 Lolita C. Baldor

___

PRISTINA, Kosovo  Kosovo's government says that a group of 111 Afghan evacuees it will host temporarily has arrived in Kosovo.

The Afghans, who had worked with NATO, and their families came from the Ramstein military base in Germany. They will be housed near the U.S. military Camp Bondsteel, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Pristina.

Kosovo has said it may temporarily shelter up to 2,000 Afghans while they process documentation on their final destination to the United States.

Kosovos senior leaders and several Western ambassadors were present to welcome the evacuees.

Many years ago we were victims of genocide ourselves, said President Vjosa Osmani. We will be alongside all of the NATO partners until all of this is completed successfully.

We will do everything to make sure they will be safe, secure here and, at the same time, to get some rest, said Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Family: Taliban kills Afghan folk singer in restive province

 Biden: Another attack likely, pledges more strikes on IS

 Slain Marine who cradled baby at Kabul airport loved her job

 Taliban success in Afghanistan seen as boost for extremists

 Explainer: How dangerous is Afghanistans Islamic State?

___

 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

___

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

PARIS  A military transport aircraft has brought home French special forces, embassy staff in Kabul and Frances ambassador along with the last group of Afghan refugees able to make the final evacuation.

Defense Minister Florence Parly and Prime Minister Jean Castex were present to welcome the arrival of the A400M at the Villacoulay military airport outside Paris late afternoon Sunday, but the welcome scene was kept discreet with no cameras or video for news outlets allowed.

The aircraft flew in from Abu Dhabi, where a French base served as a transit point for the 2,834 people evacuated from Afghanistan since Aug.17, when Paris began its operation. The large majority travelling along with Ambassador David Martinon were Afghans.

Parly offered a special salute to the military personnel, from navigators to health care specialists and mechanics for their professionalism, their reactivity and their sang-froid.

France ended its evacuations Friday night.

___

DAMASCUS, Syria  Syrias foreign minister says the thunderous defeat by the United States in Afghanistan will lead to similar defeats for American troops in Syria and other parts of the world.

Faisal Mekdad made his comments Sunday following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, who began an official visit to Syria.

Mekdad said the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is a strong lesson for the allies and tools of the United States in the region and the world.

Mekdad appeared to be referring to Kurdish-led fighters allied with the United States who control wide parts of eastern Syria, including the countrys largest oil fields.

Hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed in northeastern Syria, working with Kurdish-led fighters in battling the Islamic State group.

___

BERLIN  Germany says it is committed to helping people still in Afghanistan seeking to get out, as well as those who have already fled as refugees.

At the start of a four-day, five-country trip focused on evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas underscored that Germanys engagement is not ending with the conclusion of the military evacuation mission.

Maas spoke before his arrival in Turkey, the first country on his itinerary. After Turkey, Maas will continue on to Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Qatar.

The trip comes just days after Germany ended its military evacuation operations in Afghanistan. According to the German defense ministry, the German Bundeswehr evacuated 5,347 people from at least 45 different countries. Thousands, however, are still trying to get out.

In his statement, Maas acknowledged that several of the countries he is visiting have played a considerable part in ensuring the success of the evacuation efforts. He added that he believes a coordinated international approach to the Taliban is necessary.

Our offer of support to the neighboring countries to assist them with coping with the humanitarian and economic fallout is also part of this, he said. It is in our own interests to ensure that the collapse in Afghanistan does not destabilize the entire region.

___

MILAN  Aircraft carrying U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals evacuated from the chaos in Afghanistan have left Italy headed to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

A joint statement from the Naval Air Station in Sigonella and the U.S. Embassy in Rome did not specify how many flights nor how many passengers departed Sunday on the first flights from the U.S. base, saying only that the flights departed at full capacity.

They were bound for Philadelphia International Airport and Dulles International Airport. Sigonella is one of the overseas U.S. bases designated as a stopover for Afghan nationals eligible to be brought to the United States due to work with coalition forces or Western organizations.

The Naval Air Station has designated two barracks buildings and other temporary lodging for the evacuees, each including halal dining, religious and recreational areas. Medical care is being provided, the statement said, and an imam has made daily visits.

The evacuees include hundreds of children, each of whom has received a stuffed toy, clothing and other necessities.

___

WASHINGTON  U.S. officials say an American drone strike has hit a vehicle carrying multiple Islamic State suicide bombers heading for the Kabul airport. A military official said the strike on Sunday caused significant secondary explosions indicating the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material in the vehicle.

Two senior U.S. officials said the U.S. believes it was a successful strike and that the intended target was hit. This is the second airstrike the U.S. has conducted against the militant group, which claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing Thursday at the Kabul airport gate that killed 13 U.S. service members and scores of Afghans struggling to get out of the country and escape the new Taliban rule.

The officials said Sunday that initial reports indicate there were no civilian casualties caused by the airstrike, but one official said they are assessing reports of any other collateral damage.

There have been reports of an explosion at a house near the airport, but it wasnt clear the two explosions were connected. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  An Afghan police chief says a rocket has struck a neighborhood northwest of Kabuls international airport amid the U.S. evacuation there, killing a child.

Rashid, the Kabul police chief who like many Afghans goes by one name, says the rocket struck Sunday afternoon.

No group immediately claimed the attack. The rocket fire comes as the United States winds down a historic airlift that saw tens of thousands evacuated from Kabuls international airport, the scene of much of the chaos that engulfed the Afghan capital since the Taliban took over two weeks ago.

After an Islamic State affiliates suicide attack that killed over 180 people, the Taliban increased its security around the airfield as Britain ended its evacuation flights Saturday.

___

PARIS President Emmanuel Macron says that France and Britain plan to propose at the U.N. on Monday the creation of a safe zone in Kabul that would allowed for continued humanitarian operations.

The French leader, currently in Iraq, said Sunday that Paris and London would propose at a Security Council meeting on the crisis in Afghanistan a resolution aimed at defining a safe zone in Kabul under U.N. control.

his would keep pressure on the Taliban and hold the international community accountable, he said in an exclusive interview with the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche published Sunday.

It was unclear if the protection zone France and Britain envisage would be linked to eventual targeted evacuations that Macron spoke of on Saturday.

He said at a news conference in Baghdad that France is talking with the Taliban and Qatar about continuing evacuations after the Americans pull out on Tuesday to bring out Afghans on Frances list of potential evacuees that never made it out of the country. One possibility would be to evacuate via Kabuls civilian airport or a neighboring country, he told the newspaper.

France ended its evacuation flights out of Kabul on Friday night after bringing out 2,834 people, mostly Afghans at risk. Britain ended its operations on Saturday.

___

BERLIN  A privately organized convoy reached the airport in Kabul with 147 people in need of protection, all of whom were evacuated Sunday morning, according to Germanys Foreign Office.

Those evacuated via the convoy, which was operated by a German security contractor, included local staff for the German government and employees of the contractor.

The operation was conducted with help from U.S. forces, and in close communication with the German Foreign Office.

__

ISTANBUL  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signaled his willingness to help the Taliban develop Afghanistan.

Citing Turkeys experience in large-scale construction and infrastructure projects, he said: We want to help on this point ... But to help, the doors need to be opened. Thats why our intelligence (agency) is currently meeting Taliban representatives.

Speaking to journalists on a return flight from Montenegro, Erdogan stressed the importance of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and ex-Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who led talks with the Taliban. Both men remained in Kabul after its fall two weeks ago.

He said the Talibans reformist approach to issues such as womens rights would be taken into consideration in any future negotiations.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  A Taliban fighter has shot dead an Afghan folk singer in a restive mountain province under unclear circumstances. Thats according to Fawad Andarabis family Sunday.

The killing reignited concerns among activists that the insurgents would return to their oppressive rule in the country after their military blitz toppled the government. The slaying Friday happened in the Andarabi Valley for which he was named. Its an area of Baghlan province some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kabul. The valley had seen upheaval since the Taliban takeover, with some districts in the area coming under the control of militia fighters opposed to the Taliban rule.

The Taliban previously came out to Andarabis home and searched it, even drinking tea with the musician, his son Jawad Andarabi told The Associated Press. But something changed Friday.

His son says he wanted justice and that a local Taliban council promised to punish his fathers killer.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP that the insurgents would investigate the incident, but had no other details on the killing.

___

VATICAN CITY __ Pope Francis has expressed great worry about the situation in Afghanistan, in particular for the suffering of those who were killed in the suicide attack outside the Kabul airport.

Speaking from a window overlooking St. Peters Square after the traditional Sunday blessing, Francis called on everyone to help those who have been so tried, especially women and children, saying solidarity brings coexistence and peace.

The pontiff says that in historic moments like these, we cannot remain indifferent. He asked the faithful to intensify prayer and fasting, seeking mercy and forgiveness.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  Former officials and lecturers at Afghanistan universities have called on the Taliban to maintain and upgrade the countrys education system instead of creating a new one.

Former minister of higher education Abas Basir said Sunday at a conference on higher education held by the Taliban that starting over is a mistake made by previous governments.

He says: Lets not reject everything, starting a new system, we should work more on what we already have.

Taliban caretaker higher education minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani criticized the current education system founded by the international community, saying that religious education was considered insignificant.

World tried to take religion out of scientific education which harmed the people, Haqqani said. He added that every item against Islam in the educational system will be removed.

The Taliban policy on womens education was not clear but Tariq Kamal, chancellor of a private university, said women were very interested in some higher education fields and we need the guidance of Taliban leadership on them. Kamal spoke for private universities in Afghanistan.

___

LONDON  Military planes carrying British troops and diplomats from Kabul are landing at a U.K. air base after the U.K.s two-week evacuation operation ended.

The U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, was among those who arrived Sunday at RAF Brize Norton northwest of London, hours after the government announced that all British personnel had left Kabul.

Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the past two weeks but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind.

Vice Adm. Ben Key, who was in charge of the British operation, said: We tried our best.

In a video message, Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the colossal effort, saying it was a mission unlike anything weve seen in our lifetimes.

But he is facing strong criticism over the failure to bring to safety all those Afghans who helped British forces during the 20-year deployment in Afghanistan that began in the wake of 9/11.

Johnson acknowledged that Britain would not have wished to leave in this way, but said we have to recognize that we came in with the United States, in defense and support of the U.S. and the U.S. military did the overwhelming bulk of the fighting.

___

TIRANA, Albania  Two more planes have brought Afghans fearing the Taliban to Albania, bringing the total number of evacuees to 457.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday the two planes landed at dawn with 154 and 28 Afghans, respectively. Most of them will be temporarily housed at a student campus in the capital Tirana, while others were sent directly to hotels.

Albania aims to shelter all the evacuees in hotels instead of camps to give them a sense of normalcy.

Albania was among the first countries to offer housing to Afghans who have worked with U.S. and NATO forces and others fearing revenge following the Taliban takeover.

The Afghans in Albania come from different backgrounds, including activists and university staff, and include children.

___

MADRID  The U.S. Embassy in Spain says that a third flight sent by American forces to Spain has arrived at the Rota military base.

The flight arrived early Sunday with 220 evacuees from Afghanistan.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  The U.S. State Department is urging all Americans in the vicinity of the Afghanistans Kabul airport to leave the area immediately because of a specific, credible threat.

The warning early Sunday morning says U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time. It specifically noted the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport.

A suicide bombing at the airport on Thursday killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Hurricane Nora formed off Mexico's Pacific coast Saturday and swept past the Puerto Vallarta area, following a path that could take it for possible close encounters with other resorts farther north.

Nora had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) late Saturday, with tropical storm force winds extending out 105 miles (165 kilometers). It was centered about 50 miles (85 kilometers) north-northwest of Puerto Vallarta, and heading to the north at 16 mph (26 kph).
State Rep. Tom Craddick addressed the procedural move by state Rep. Brooks Landgraf that the Midlander believes would have made a bill banning high-level radioactive waste more effective.

Craddick stated he presented an amendment to make the ban in House Bill 7 applicable to the actual waste being considered for storage by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) used a procedural move to prohibit any consideration of the amendment, Craddick offered in a statement. Rep. Landgraf after removing my amendment from consideration stated before the full House of Representatives he agreed with the need for ban language offered in my amendment. He could and should have accepted my amendment.

Radioactive waste in the form of spent nuclear fuel and reactor-related greater than class C waste represents a very real threat to the Permian Basin, all Texans and America.  The Permian Basin is no place for this storage.

HB7 heads to the Texas Senate.

The Legislative Budget Board offers this general description of HB7 -- "The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to prohibit the issuance of certain permits by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the construction or operation of a facility that is licensed to store high-level radioactive waste by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill would also prohibit the transport of high-level radioactive waste on the state's highways or railways and prohibit the disposal or storage of high-level radioactive waste in the state other than storage at certain current or formerly operating nuclear reactors or test reactors."

Craddick Statement Regarding House Bill 7

This week the Texas House considered on second reading, and ultimately passed by voice vote, House Bill 7. The bills stated purpose is to ban high-level radioactive waste in Texas. While this is certainly something we can all stand behind, the eminent threat to Texas lies in two specific types of radioactive waste; spent nuclear fuel and reactor-related greater than class C waste. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is poised to license next month the interim storage of these two exact types of radioactive waste. Currently the license in Andrews County allows for storage of nothing more than low-level radioactive waste. While I offered an amendment to make the ban in House Bill 7 applicable to the actual waste being considered for storage by the NRC, Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) used a procedural move to prohibit any consideration of the amendment. Rep. Landgraf after removing my amendment from consideration stated before the full House of Representatives he agreed with the need for ban language offered in my amendment. He could and should have accepted my amendment.

Radioactive waste in the form of spent nuclear fuel and reactor-related greater than class C waste represents a very real threat to the Permian Basin, all Texans and America. For 40 years the United States has been looking for a place to dump their highly radioactive waste. To date, there is no temporary or permanent storage facility anywhere in America. Nevada rejected the waste. New Mexico rejected the waste. Now they have targeted Texans, and we have to reject the waste. The Permian Basin is no place for this storage.

There is no room for error by the Texas Legislature, yet the Landgraf bill is nothing more than an error that fails to block spent nuclear fuel and reactor-related greater than class C waste. Craddick stated, The message must be clear: Texas is not the storage grounds for this highly toxic waste. In talking with other House members this week, it is clear there is majority support for banning this waste in Texas. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Texas Legislature who want to do the right thing.
SANAA, Yemen (AP)  A missile and drone attack on a key military base in Yemens south on Sunday killed at least 30 troops, a Yemeni military spokesman said. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the country's civil war in recent years.

Mohammed al-Naqib, spokesman for Yemen's southern forces, told The Associated Press the attack on Al-Anad Air Base in the province of Lahj wounded at least 65. He said the casualty toll could rise since rescue teams were still clearing the site.

Graphic footage from the scene showed several charred bodies on the ground with ambulance sirens blaring in the background.

Yemeni officials said at least three explosions took place at the air base, which is held by the internationally recognized government. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government.

A ballistic missile landed in the bases training area, where dozens of troops were doing morning exercises, the officials said. Medics described a chaotic scene following the explosions, with soldiers carrying their wounded colleagues to safety, fearing another attack.

Solider Nasser Saeed survived that attack. He was taken along with other wounded to the Naqib hospital in Aden. He said a barracks that housed over 50 troops had been hit by missiles, then explosives-laden drones.

We were able to shoot down one (drone), he said. Many were killed and wounded.

Most of the wounded were taken to the nearby Ibn Khaldun hospital, where health officials said many of the wounded were in critical condition and suffer third degree burns.

The officials blamed the Houthis for the attack on the base, once the site of U.S. intelligence operations against al-Qaidas powerful Yemeni affiliate. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

The victims belong to the pro-government Giants Brigades, which are backed by the United Arab Emirates. The unit said in a statement that the attack involved a number of ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. The UAE is a main pillar of the Saudi-led coalition.

The military spokesman for the Houthis did not confirm or deny the attack, which carried the hallmarks of the Iranian-backed rebels. The Houthis have previously launched similar attacks, including one by a bomb-laden drone on Al-Anad in January 2019 that killed six troops.

The Iranian-backed rebels also launched a missile attack on the airport in the southern city of Aden in December as government officials arrived. That attack killed at least 25 people and wounded 110 others.

The Houthis had seized the Al-Anad base in the months after their 2014 takeover of Sanaa, before government forces reclaimed it during the battle to reverse the gains of the rebels.

Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani said the attack would undermine international efforts to establish a cease-fire in Yemen.

This terrorist attack affirms once again that the continuation of Houthi militia in the approach of military escalation, he wrote on Twitter.

Sundays attack on the base came as the Houthi rebels face stiff resistance and suffered heavy losses in their monthslong attempt to take the crucial city of Marib from the internationally recognized government. Thousands of fighters, mostly from the Houthis, were killed in recent months in Marib.

The Houthi offensive on Marib, combined with an increase of missile and explosives-laden drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, has come amid mounting international efforts to halt the fighting and relaunch talks between the warring parties to end the war in the Arab worlds poorest country.

The stalemated conflict in Yemen has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

_______________

Magdy reported from Cairo.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Some of the country's leading technology companies have committed to investing billions of dollars to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and to train skilled workers, the White House announced Wednesday following President Joe Biden's private meeting with top executives.

The Washington gathering was held during a relentless stretch of ransomware attacks that have targeted critical infrastructure and major corporations, as well as other illicit cyber operations that U.S. authorities have linked to foreign hackers.

The Biden administration has been urging the private sector to do its part to protect against those increasingly sophisticated attacks. In public remarks before the meeting, Biden referred to cybersecurity as a core national security challenge for the U.S.

The reality is most of our critical infrastructure is owned and operated by the private sector, and the federal government can't meet this challenge alone, Biden said. I've invited you all here today because you have the power, the capacity and the responsibility, I believe, to raise the bar on cybersecurity.

After the meeting, the White House announced that Google had committed to invest $10 billion in cybersecurity over the next five years, money aimed at helping secure the software supply chain and expand zero-trust programs. The Biden administration has looked for ways to safeguard the government's supply chain following a massive Russian government cyberespionage campaign that exploited vulnerabilities and gave hackers access to the networks of U.S. government agencies and private companies.

Microsoft, meanwhile, said it would invest $20 billion in cybersecurity over the next five years and make available $150 million in technical services to help local governments upgrade their defenses. IBM plans to train 150,000 people in cybersecurity over three years, Apple said it would develop a new program to help strengthen the technology supply chain, and Amazon said it would offer to the public the same security awareness training it gives to employees.

Top executives of each of those companies were invited to Wednesday's meeting, as were financial industry executives and representatives from the energy, education and insurance sectors. A government initiative that at first supported the cybersecurity defenses of electric utilities has now been expanded to focus on natural gas pipelines, the White House said Wednesday.

Though ransomware was intended as one aspect of Wednesdays gathering, a senior administration official who briefed reporters in advance said the purpose was much broader, centered on identifying the root causes of any kind of malicious cyber activity and also ways in which the private sector can help bolster cybersecurity. The official briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The meeting took place as Biden's national security team has been consumed by the troop withdrawal in Afghanistan and the chaotic evacuation of Americans and Afghan citizens. That it remained on the calendar indicates the administration regards cybersecurity as a major agenda item, with the administration official describing Wednesday's meeting as a call to action.

The broad cross-section of participants underscores how cyberattacks have cut across virtually all sectors of commerce. In May, for instance, hackers associated with a Russia-based cyber gang launched a ransomware attack on a major fuel pipeline in the U.S., causing the pipeline to temporarily halt operations. Weeks later, the world's largest meat processor, JBS, was hit with an attack by a different hacking group.

In both instances, the companies made multimillion-dollar ransom payments in an effort to get back online.

Biden on Wednesday pointed to a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June when he said he made clear his expectation that Russia take steps to rein in ransomware gangs because they know where (the hackers) are and who they are.

____

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
Texas attorney Jim Adler, also known as "The Texas Hammer," thinks he nailed an Alabama lawyer using his steez.

One might say he's getting "angrier than a junkyard dog." He's so upset, he filed a lawsuit.

According to AL.com, a website for Alabama news, Adler, who has offices in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Channelview, is suing Mike Slocumb, known as "The Alabama Hammer," for copyright infringement.

Adler accuses his Alabama counterpart of copyright and trademark infringement, unfair competition, and wants compensation and an end to the ads, AL.com reports.

Are the Alabama ads similar to what San Antonio has been seeing for years (and making memes of)? There's certainly a lot of aggressive hammer mentions.

Houston Chronicle contributor

In the documents obtained by AL.com, Adler says he's spent more than $100 million on ads solidifying himself as the "Texas Hammer," a slogan he's been using since the 1990s.

Slocumb denies he's ripping anything off.

The battle was featured on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where the host called them "glorious maniacs" and compared two ads. Turns out Texans aren't the only ones seeing a "tough," hammer-wielding lawyer going head-to-head with an 18-wheeler  you know the commercial. Slocumb has an add that mirrors Adler's. Oliver pointed out that it proves the younger Hammer is ripping off the Lone Star State lawyer.

While Slocumb seems to be paying close attention to our Hammer's ad work, it's unclear if he's dabbled in Spanish like Adler has. No one comes close to EL MARTILLO TEJANO.

Our judgement? Slocumb's original content is pretty wild in itself. One ad shows him running after an ambulance, presumably an "ambulance chaser" joke, then being hit by another emergency vehicle. Another shows a child version of himself punching a hallway bully before morphing into his adult form. At one point, he was able to tap legendary actor William Shatner to be on a commercial.

Stick to what you know, Slocumb.
Click here to read the full article.

Not satisfied with banning mask mandates and undeterred by catching Covid-19 himself, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order on Wednesday banning local governments from imposing vaccine mandates.

The order comes as Covid cases and hospitalizations continue to skyrocket across Texas. One of the new cases belonged to Abbott. The governors office announced on August 17th that he tested positive and that he was receiving Regenerons monoclonal antibody treatment. Abbot has since tested negative, and credited the vaccine as the reason his infection was, according to him, brief and mild.

Nevertheless, Abbott will not allow any local governments to impose mandatory vaccinations. No governmental entity can compel any individual to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, the order issued Wednesday said. The order, which applies to all government agencies, states that any public or private entity that is receiving or will receive public funds cannot require a consumer to provide proof of vaccination in order to receive a service or enter a venue.

Abbott had already banned vaccine mandates earlier this month, but that order was based on the vaccines being under FDA emergency use authorization. The FDA issued full approval for the Pfizer vaccine this week, leading Abbott to issue a new ban with new language.

Vaccine requirements and exemptions have historically been determined by the Legislature, and their involvement is particularly important to avoid a patchwork of vaccine mandates across Texas, Abbott said in a statement on the governors website. Abbott also sent a letter to the states legislature, asking them to consider putting a ban on vaccine mandates into law.

Local governments may push back against Abbotts order, as they have done with his ban on mask mandates. Some school districts  including Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio  issued mask mandates despite the governors order outlawing them. Judge Tonya Parker, of the 116th Civil District Court, blocked blocked Abbotts ban on mask mandates in Dallas, and on Tuesday upheld her ruling that Abbotts order violates the countys ability to mitigate the spread of Covid. San Antonio, however, will have to remove its mask mandate for public schools following a ruling by the Texas Supreme Court handed down on Thursday.

Texas already has a relatively low vaccination rate, with just under 47 percent of residents ages 12 and older fully vaccinated. States with low vaccine uptake are seeing more hospitalizations and deaths than states with higher rates of vaccination. Texas is no exception. According to data from the CDC, the state has a seven-day average of 12,758 patients hospitalized with the virus, which is only 1,000 patients away from surpassing the states last hospitalization peak in January. The surge in Covid patients has brought the states hospital system to near capacity, with ICUs approaching 94-percent capacity, according to HHS, while some emergency rooms have shuttered due to lack of staff and resources.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Last Friday, the CDC published Outbreak Associated with SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant in an Elementary School  Marin County, California, MayJune 2021 (Outbreak). This got a lot of play in the Northern California press, with a good deal of reporting done (or at least original stories written), because the study was led by Marin County Public Health, and they with other California epidemiologists and experts wrote the study up and then submitted it to the CDC, which accepted it. Good for them! However, there is a question Outbreak does not ask, and that the press did not ask. Carefully avoiding spoilers  though few NC readers will be surprised at the plot twist  I will first quote the Outbreak on the incident. Then I will switch into media critique mode, and present the headlines from Northern Califonia. After that, I will present the implications drawn from the outbreak by the press (which are more broad spectrum than the headlines). Finally, I will give the unasked question from Outbreak a thorough airing, and conclude.

Here is what Outbreak says in the Investigation and Findings section:

The outbreak location was an elementary school in Marin County, California Each grade includes 20 to 25 students in single classrooms. Other than two teachers, one of whom was the index patient, all school staff members were vaccinated (verified in Californias Immunization Registry). The index patient became symptomatic on May 19 with nasal congestion and fatigue. This teacher reported attending social events during May 1316 but did not report any known COVID-19 exposures and attributed symptoms to allergies. The teacher continued working during May 1721, subsequently experiencing cough, subjective fever, and headache. The school required teachers and students to mask while indoors; interviews with parents of infected students suggested that students adherence to masking and distancing guidelines in line with CDC recommendations (3) was high in class. However, the teacher was reportedly unmasked on occasions when reading aloud in class. On May 23, the teacher notified the school that they received a positive result for a SARS-CoV-2 test performed on May 21 and self-isolated until May 30. The teacher did not receive a second COVID-19 test, but reported fully recovering during isolation. The index patients students began experiencing symptoms on May 22. During May 2326, among 24 students in this grade, 22 were tested. Twelve (55%) of the 22 students received a positive test result, including eight who experienced symptom onset during May 2226. Throughout this period, all desks were separated by 6 ft. Students were seated in five rows; the attack rate in the two rows seated closest to the teachers desk was 80% (eight of 10) and was 28% (four of 14) in the three back rows On May 22, students in a another classroom, who differed in age by 3 years from the students in the class with the index case and who were also ineligible for vaccination began to experience symptoms. The two classrooms were separated by a large outdoor courtyard with lunch tables that were blocked off from use with yellow tape. All classrooms had portable high-efficiency particulate air filters and doors and windows were left open. Fourteen of 18 students in this separate grade received testing; six tests had positive results. Investigation revealed that one student in this grade hosted a sleepover on May 21 with two classmates from the same grade. All three of these students experienced symptoms after the sleepover and received positive SARS-CoV-2 test results. Among infected students in this class, test dates ranged from May 24 to June 1; symptom onset occurred during May 2231.

So thats the outbreak. Here are the headlines:

There is a unanimity of opinion by the headline-writing editors that the source of the problem was the index case: the unvaccinated teacher. Indeed, thats without justification  that is, is not only a matter of aghastitude  given the Implications for Public Health Practice in the Summary section of Outbreak:

Vaccines are effective against the Delta variant, but transmission risk remains elevated among unvaccinated persons in schools. In addition to vaccination, strict adherence to multiple nonpharmaceutical prevention strategies, including masking, are important to ensure safe school instruction.

(I presume the Summary is tacked on to the submitted study by CDC.) Now lets turn to the bodies of the stories, where there is a broader spectrum of opinion than in the headlines. In the same order as above:

San Francisco Chronicle:

The rash of infections highlights just how contagious the delta variant is, underscoring  the importance of vaccinating school staff members who are in close indoor contact with children ineligible for vaccination as schools reopen, the CDC report said. However, Lam-Hine said that its impossible to know if the unmasking was the cause of the outbreak or if it was a combination of small lapses in the protective measures. When theres things that are very high risk, you have multiple levels of protection , and when one fails, you hope that the other three or four that you have in place hold up, he said. In this case, something didnt line up.

ABC7:

We had someone let their guard down, said Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools. Luz Pena [reporter]:  Do you believe teachers should be mandated to get vaccinated ? Mary Jane Burke: I do, I do.

KTVU (FOX):

The CDC says 18 of the 27 cases were sequenced, and they all were found to be the Delta variant. The CDC says that this incident illustrates just how contagious the Delta variant is .

Nothing on interventions, pharmaceutical or not.

KSBW:

The report, released Friday, emphasizes the significance of vaccination and strict adherence to multiple nonpharmaceutical prevention strategies, including masking in ensuring the safety of students and teachers now that in-person learning is the norm at Bay Area schools. UCSF chair of medicine Bob Wachter used this study as a case study of why a vaccine mandate is necessary for teachers . I doubt this teacher wanted to infect half of her class or thought she was putting them in danger, Wachter said in a tweet Friday. But she did and she was.

SFist:

In a case that illustrates both how essential vaccine mandates are for schoolteachers and how contagious the Delta variant can be in an indoor classroom setting with unvaccinated students, the Marin outbreak holds lessons that should be learned nationwide. At the time of this outbreak, another occurred in Marin County that was centered in San Anselmo and Fairfax. Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis said at the time, because both outbreaks lasted only two weeks and appeared to be stopped short by the vaccines, This is what herd immunity looks like.

Assuming herd immunity for respiratory viruses is a thing; we simply dont know (and Faucis nimble goalpost moving hasnt helped).

KRON4:

The CDC recommends for all eligible people to get vaccinated  especially teachers who are in close contact with ineligible students They also recommend staying home if showing symptoms, getting tested routinely, and wearing face masks inside.

Note that close contact is not a means of transmission.

So, we have a rich bouillabaisse of opinion, with teacher vaccination mandates predominating, but also the contagiousness of Delta, and non-pharmaceutical interventions, including masking. Marin Countys Lam-Hine, the corresponding author for Outbreak, has, to my mind, the best perspective of all: When theres things that are very high risk, you have multiple levels of protection , and when one fails, you hope that the other three or four that you have in place hold up. However, there is one level of protection after vaccination that none of the reporting mentions; its as if masking and social distancing were the only forms of non-pharmaceutical intervention. Ironically  and this is the plot twist  Lam-Hines Outbreak also fails to give adequate consideration to it. That level of protection:

Ventilation. How effective was the ventilation in the school room?[1]

At least in my recollection, aerosol transmission broke through to the mainstream in this lucid and compelling interactive article in the English version of El Pais, A room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air. Here is a graphic about aerosols in schools, directly on point Outbreak:

And here is Outbreaks seating chart, which shows, like El Pais, a pattern of transmission extremely suggestive of aerosol transmission from a superspreading teacher to multiple students:

(So apparently being one of Chris Arnades back row kids is no guarantee of protection, although the front row kids are worse off.) SFist describes the Outbreak seating chart admiringly:

Much like an early study out of China that illustrated how the airborne coronavirus spread in a restaurant, the CDC study provides a map of where the teachers desk was located in relation to students desk, and where each of the infected students sat. Students in the class, included many in the front two rows of the classroom, began showing symptoms on May 23 and 24, and subsequently tested positive. All told, 12 out of 24 students in the class were infected and tested positive, including several in the back rows of the class. The infection rate for the front two rows of the class was 80%. These transmissions occurred despite students adhering to mask protocols, the presence of an air filter at the front of the class, six feet of distancing between desks, windows left open on both sides of the classroom, and the door of the classroom being kept open.

I too, admire seating charts; I find epidemiological diagrams far more persuasive than models[2]. But I have questions. I note that the diagram indicates open windows, an open door, and an air filter. From the text of Outbreak:

All classrooms had portable high-efficiency particulate air filters and doors and windows were left open.

Outbreak, in other words, answers the question: What was the physical arrangement in the room?[3] However, the question that needs to be answered is: How well was the room ventilated?

In terms of physical arrangement, were the windows and doors always left open? How do we know? Were the windows small and high up[4], so a good draft would not be possible? What brand of HEPA filter was used, and was it suitably sized to the room? Were the filters running at all times? A fan or Corsi box was apparently not thought necessary, but why? And who decided? In terms of metrics, why on earth were no CO2 measurements taken with the room populated and under protocol? And what are the Air Changes per Hour? Saying that a room is well ventilated because theres a HEPA filter in it is like saying children are learning music. Joseph Allen of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health tweets:

And how on earth did CDCs editors allow this paper to be published without revisions? Perhaps because the policy objective of mandating vaccines for teachers  so happily propagate in the headlines  is of over-riding importance to them, and not [genuflects] the science?

* * *

The CDC supports, as Marin Countys Lam-Hine correctly points out, a layered strategy against Covid:

CDC recommends a layered approach to reduce exposures to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This approach includes using multiple mitigation strategies, including improvements to building ventilation, to reduce the spread of disease and lower the risk of exposure. In addition to ventilation improvements, the layered approach includes physical distancing, wearing face masks, hand hygiene, and vaccination.

This layered strategy has been characterized as The Swiss Cheese Model (of which California educators are aware, at least in Bakersfield):

It is, therefore, deeply ironic that Outbreak fumbles its analysis of one of the layers: Ventilation. From the data in Outbreak, we cannot know  pace Bob Wachter  that this is a case study of why a vaccine mandate is necessary because we cannot know, from the information before us, how the room was ventilated.[5]

It is also ironic  and I suppose here by ironic I mean teeth-grindingly typical  that even though CDC says that it supports a layered strategy, they cant adjust their messaging accordingly. For example, all they had to do was add two words (which I have helpfully underlined) to their implications for public health practice:

Vaccines are effective against the Delta variant, but transmission risk remains elevated among unvaccinated persons in schools. In addition to vaccination, strict adherence to multiple nonpharmaceutical prevention strategies, including masking and ventilation , are important to ensure safe school instruction.

If CDC had done that, all the coverage would have picked that wording right up, as they did the existing wording.

If I were a parent, I would find this whole episode enraging, because none of the players are upholding what, in the Swiss Cheese model, is labelled a shared responsibility: Ventilation. I cannot go before the school board and argue for improved ventilation to protect my child based on Outbreak, its press clippings, or CDCs messaging.

Finally, nobody should construe this post as being anti-vax; I am vaccinated and pro-vax. That said, vaccination is but one layer, and multiple layers of protection are critical, in the age not only of Covid, but of variants and breakthrough cases. Vaccinations are not a magic bullet, no more than forms of treatment, favored or disfavored. What I dislike about the press coverage of Outbreak is that it makes us more stupid, by reinforcing the PMCs single-minded focus on vaccination alone. What I dislike about Outbreak is that it had the chance to make us smarter, and didnt. And I dislike the CDC for both reasons.

NOTES

[1] Its rather remarkable that CDC can present a study that assumes aerosols as the primary mode of transmission en passant, without actually using the word  perhaps the Marin County officials were savvy enough to avoid it  and without incorporating aerosol transmission into their messaging (Its like cigarette smoke) or indeed admitting any error.

[2] The Chinese restaurant study, if the study SFist refers to is the one I am thinking of, was considerably more rigorous than Outbreak. The study authors broke down CCTV film to rule out fomite tranmission.

[3] Compare Outbreaks portable high-efficiency particulate air filters to this followup study on the Skagit Valley superspreading event:

Limited information is available about the heating and ventilating system; what was learned from personal communications is summarized here. The Fellowship Hall is heated and ventilated with a mechanical air heating system including an outdoor air intake and air recirculation. The air handling unit has a relatively new commercial forced-air furnace (see Supplemental Information for the system capacity details). The furnace is installed with an outside make-up air function and it also has a separate combustion air intake, which is standard for gas appliances. But it is not known how much outside make-up air was supplied to the building that evening. The furnace is also outfitted with a MERV 11 filter, which has a rated single-pass efficiency of 30%-65% for aerosol particles of diameter 1 m or larger.29, 30 Three supply air registers are situated 2.4 m above the floor on one wall with a single return on an adjacent wall, just above the floor (~0.15 m). Someone in the front office reportedly turned on the heating system prior to the rehearsal to warm the space, and the thermostat was set to 20C (68 F). It was about 7C (45F) outside, so the heating was on at the start of the rehearsal, but with so many people in the room, it did not need to stay on to maintain a comfortable temperature. During the entire rehearsal no exterior doors were open. It is not known whether the forced-air furnace fan operated (only) under thermostatic control or whether it ran continuously.

Portable high-efficiency particulate air filter seems awfully vague by comparison. What was the rating of the filter?

[4] CDC does not name the school at which the outbreak occurred, nor do the stories linked. There was an outbreak in the May timefrom at Our Lady of Loretto School in Novato, Marin County; Outbreak appears to have happened in that school. If so, I am dubious that the windows open fully. Via Google Maps:

The state of California requires all businesses to implement a Site Specific protection plan. I looked at Our Lady of Lorrettos. It is replete with hygiene theatre. I searched the document for the strings venti, window, door, filter, MERV, and air. Door appears once in the context car door. Air appears once in the context We will air on the side of caution. (There is a standard template for schools, which does mention ventilation, but Our Lady of Lorretto did not use it, perhaps because they are Catholic.) At some point, given the open windows and doors described by Outbreak, and the filter, their plans changed, but I cant find any documents explaining why or when. This concerns me, because of Our Lady of Loretto is as fanatical about hygiene theatre as their protetion plan indicates, ventilation may have been an afterthought, and carelessly implemented (as indeed the teacher lowering her mask would suggest).

[5] Yes, I know that Delta is extremely contagious, statistically, and I know that fleeting contacts in Australia were sufficient for transmission. However, to the best of my knowledge, those fleeting contacts were not between masked people. It does indeed seem likely to me that aerosol spread from the unmasked and unvaccinated to the masked is the case here, but because of Outbreaks methodological sloppiness on ventilation, we cannot know.
(Natural News) Outrage was sparked after an Australian town council shot dead several rescue dogs in order to prevent volunteers from breaking quarantine to pick them up last week in the city of Cobar, NSW, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, citing the Office of Local Government.

(Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com)

OLG has been informed that the council decided to take this course of action to protect its employees and community, including vulnerable Aboriginal populations, from the risk of COVID-19 transmission, said a spokesman for the government agency.

According to the report, the shelter volunteers had Covid-safe measures prepared to handle the dogs  one of which was a new mother.

We are deeply distressed and completely appalled by this callous dog shooting and we totally reject the councils unacceptable justifications that this killing was apparently undertaken as part of a COVID- safe plan, Animal Liberation regional campaign manager Lisa Ryan told the Herald.

The regime in Australia  is murdering dogs now as their fascist crackdown and sociopathy continues unabated. Time for  to send in troops.  Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 22, 2021

NSW, Australias most populous state, re-entered a strict lockdown two weeks ago, as officials deployed the military and threatened to go door-to-door to enforce mandatory COVID restrictions and tests on Australians, according to Victoria Premier, Daniel Andrews.

Here it is  threats to the unvaccinated pic.twitter.com/DXFOb4TW6e  ValGlass2.0 (@AussieVal10) August 13, 2021

 Fresh hell coming to your street  threats  pic.twitter.com/AjSCJzh8VT  ValGlass2.0 (@AussieVal10) August 13, 2021

Meanwhile in the land of dog murder, one Australian was involuntarily admitted to a mental institution for refusing the jab.

Read more at: ZeroHedge.com
(Natural News) In his debut episode on Brighteon.TV, Dr. Bryan Ardis made good on his word to expose the truth behind what youre being told, and what youre being misinformed about.

Aside from being a chiropractor, nutritionist and acupuncturist, Ardis is also the host of the Dr. Ardis Show, and hes prepared to bring the truth to his audiences when it comes to health.

A story that hits close to home

In this episode, he talked about how the U.S. system has failed Americans, including his father-in-law.

Last February, Ardiss father-in-law was taken to hospital with a fever and a headache; however, he was told that he had the flu and had to be admitted. Within days, his health deteriorated: He developed pneumonia and then had kidney failure. Five days after he was admitted, Ardis was alerted that his father-in-law was barely conscious. He visited that night and found that the hospital was treating his father-in-laws flu infection with vancomycin, an antibiotic known to cause kidney problems.

Antibiotics only treat bacteria, he added. My father-in-law was only diagnosed supposedly with a flu virus.

In addition, the tests came back and showed that his father-in-law was negative for bacterial, viral or fungal infections. However, doctors continued to treat him with three antibiotics, according to hospital protocol. Even his x-rays showed no signs of pneumonia. What the x-rays did show, was that the vancomycin had already caused his lungs to fill up with water, a condition known as pulmonary edema.

Thats called pulmonary edema, and thats coming as a result of you shutting down his kidneys with vancomycin, Ardis said to his father-in-laws doctors.

None of this was related to the flu, or pneumonia was caused by acute renal or kidney poisoning due to vancomycin poisoning, he added.

Ardis then asked his father-in-laws doctors whether they had given Lasix (furosemide) to his father-in-law to address the edema.

Hes shocked to see that on the first day, there was no Lasix given to him; day two, theres no Lasix given to him. Day three, they give him a very minor amount of Lasix; day four, zero Lasix; day five  he still cant believe it.

After a four-hour treatment with furosemide, his respiratory therapists found no fluid in the lungs  and even turned off the forced air. The doctors also took his father-in-law off vancomycin, which helped reduce his kidney failure.

However, after Ardis had gone home, he got a phone call from the hospital at 9:00 p.m., saying that his father-in-laws attending physicians stopped treating his father-in-law with furosemide. He was kicked out of the hospital the next day after he questioned their protocol, saying that the hospital would only deal with direct descendants.

The only reason why you would do that is to cover up your crimes of murdering someone by drowning them to death, and we were able to prove to them that they were actually purposely doing that with an ill-advised hospital protocol, said Ardis.

After consulting with the family  and saying that theres nothing to be done  the doctors injected morphine into his father-in-law to relieve the pain.

Only that was not what they were doing.

Over the next two to four hours they are paralyzing the diaphragm  which is what morphine does  and they are stopping the heart from beating with morphine, said Ardis.

They are literally murdering your loved one in front of you.

Thats exactly what they did to Ardiss father-in-law, as he succumbed to the disease brought on by ill-advised protocols.

Really dangerous medicine

Ardis says whats happening to the U.S. today feels eerily familiar with what happened to his father-in-law. The symptoms, in fact, are very similar: After treating it, the coronavirus causes acute kidney failure in some patients. This was evident in cities like New York.

At the height of the pandemic in New York, doctors were scrambling to get their hands on dialysis supplies, with some even going to social media to ask for supplies.

Dire straits in NYC!!. Shortage of dialysis nurses, CRRT machines and fluids across all hospitals. If you know nurses who are able to volunteer and if able to donate CRRT machines and CRRT fluids, please email me. [email protected]  Jai Radhakrishnan (@jradnephro) April 11, 2020

Now, in my mind, I couldnt help but actually look at the coincidence of the three- to five-day span of acute kidney failure, he added.

At first, he thought that hospitals were treating patients with vancomycin  the drug that was used on his father. But he was surprised to find on the National Institutes of Health website that Dr. Anthony Fauci mandated all hospitals to use remdesivir for treating COVID-19.

Anthony Fauci stated, Were going to actually use this. This drug, called remdesivir, that Id never heard about, said Ardis.

It turns out, remdesivir was more dangerous than everyone thought. (Read: Did Fauci knowingly fast-track approval of drug with deadly COVID-like side effects?)

Learn more about the dangers of remdesivir and how the U.S. health system is covering it up by watching the full episode here.

The Dr. Ardis Show airs every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. only at Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Drugs.com

Brighteon.com

TheCity.nyc

Twitter.com
(Natural News) In a strange turn of events, the Canadian government just placed an order for 293 million additional doses of Wuhan coronavirus vaccine, despite the entire country having a population of just 37 million people.

What is Justin Trudeau up to, you might be asking? Good question. We would like to know the same as it appears that he is gearing up to inject every Canadian citizen and resident with at least eight additional booster shots.

According to reports, Moderna, one of the two manufacturers of messenger RNA (mRNA) injections, has signed a contract with Canada to supply 20 million doses of its experimental jab annually for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. This amounts to 60 million doses over the next several years with the option to throw in an additional 15 million doses if needed.

Not a bad deal for your first product ever to market  and a drug thats still in clinical trials to boot, writes Celeste McGovern, reporter for LifeSite News, linking to the clinical trials website with more details. Especially since Moderna has some problems with the safety of its novel platform mRNA vaccine.

A mere three months after its initial launch, the Moderna injection has received more than 300,000 reports of side effects, many of them serious. This figure is far higher than what has been officially reported to the government in accordance with the law.

All in all, Canada will have eventually received 105 million doses of Modernas Chinese Virus injection by 2024, suggesting that covid booster shots will become a seasonal thing much like annual flu shots.

As you may recall from a few months back, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pushed back against a suggestion from Pfizer that fully vaccinated people get booster shots. Just a few weeks later, the FDA changed its mind and rushed out an emergency use authorization (EUA) contract allowing Pfizer to dole out boosters starting in September.

FDA pretends to not support covid booster shots only to rush them through at warp speed

It turns out that the FDAs initial refusal was just for show. As far back as April, Canada had already secured some 35 million Pfizer booster shots for the years 2022 and 2023, which came with the option to add another 60 million doses in 2024.

Thats 188 million Pfizer shots, McGovern writes.

Added to Modernas supply thats 293 million vaccine doses  enough injections to shoot every Canadian nearly eight times over in just three years. Do you think they might have a few booster shots a year in mind? Or are the extras for Canadian cats, perhaps?

Canadas chief public health officer Theresa Tam pulled a similar stunt as the FDA, pretending to oppose booster shots for covid only to change her tune just two weeks later, perfectly on schedule.

Now, boosters are becoming part of the plandemic lexicon, and will likely become a routine part of staying fully vaccinated against the Fauci Flu. Is anyone really surprised about this?

No one seems to be asking why the miracle vaccine needs a booster dose or why, since every vaccination bar ever presented and then raised again  has been passed in Canada  and 99% of long-term care residents are vaccinated, why are heavily vaccinated Canadians  and Israelis and Brits and others locked down in a 4th wave of COVID cases? McGovern asks.

Why is the wonder vaccine failing?

The answer, of course, is that it was never a wonder vaccine to begin with  it was always a scam to fuel the spread of disease with new vaccine-spawned variants. The so-called vaccines, in other words, are the real pandemic.

The latest news about the Chinese Virus injection scam can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

ClinicalTrials.gov

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Another well-known media personality has died from getting vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

Lisa Shaw, a presenter from BBC News, reportedly developed complications after getting injected with AstraZenecas Chinese Virus jab, which is not an mRNA injection like the jabs offered by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

The 44-year-old had worked for BBC Radio Newcastle, and reports indicate that she developed severe headaches about a week after getting the needle. Newcastle coroner Karen Dilks later confirmed after Shaws death that the victim had developed blood clots in her brain.

Lisa died due to complications of an AstraZeneca covid vaccination, BBC reported in a rare admission that a covid vaccine jab caused someone to die.

Prior to her injection, Shaw was fit and healthy. After the jab, it was clearly established, Dilks added, that Shaw died from a very rare vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, which leads to swelling and bleeding in the brain.

Not even two weeks after Shaws first dose of AstraZeneca, the mother of one had to be rushed to the University Hospital of North Durham after her headaches started. Dr. John Holmes said that Shaw had complained of a severe headache shooting and stabbing across her forehead and behind her eyes.

Shaw was tested and blood clots were identified, prompting her to be moved to the neurology specialist unit at Newcastles Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI).

Shaw was conscious for several days while she was being treated for the clots, and at first things seemed to be moving along successfully. Then, suddenly, Shaw started developing more headaches that were even worse, leaving her unable to speak normally.

Scans showed she had suffered a haemorrhage in the brain and after her condition deteriorated, part of her skull was removed to try and relieve the pressure inside her head, BBC reported about Shaws rapid deterioration, explaining that she died just days later despite more surgery and treatments.

Lisa got all the treatments that were recommended in the order they were recommended, Johnson told the media, saying if he could treat Shaw the same way again that he would.

If we had the same presentation tomorrow, we would do the same thing.

Are covid vaccine blood clots really as rare as the experts claim?

Because Shaw was so healthy and fit prior to her death, Dr. Tuomo Polvikoski, a consultant neuropathologist who examined Shaws body after her death, described what he saw as surprising.

It is apparently quite out of the ordinary for someone like Shaw to die in such a matter  at least it was before Fauci Flu shots came into existence. Now, even the otherwise healthy are experiencing severe problems and sudden death following injection.

On the rare occasion that media outlets actually link cases like this to the vaccine in their reporting, they almost always emphasize again and again that they are very rare. But is this actually true?

We have been reporting on these types of cases for months, and they do not seem as rare as the experts would like us all to believe. In fact, they seem relatively common, especially for an injection that we continue to be told is safe and effective.

Another thing that is almost always included in media reports are claims by the experts that the alleged benefits of the jabs still outweigh the risks, at least for most people, according to Dr. Alison Cave of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

It is therefore still vitally important that people come forward for their vaccination and for their second dose when invited to do so, she added in a statement to the media.

More related news about injuries and deaths caused by Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

TheGuardian.com

BBC.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Joe Biden should be impeached and then tried for treason based on the events of just the past couple of days, let alone for his refusal to enforce immigration laws and as such is allowing our country to literally be invaded by people who have no right to be here.

On Thursday, 13 U.S. military personnel  11 Marines, two Army soldiers, and a Navy corpsman  were killed in a suicide bombing as they were working essentially as refugee processing clerks instead of acting as a badder-than-bad security force for evacuating personnel and Afghanis.

But what happened after that suicide bombing attack made matters even worse.

According to Politico, the remaining diplomatic mission in Afghanistan felt it was necessary to place new trust in the Taliban that has ringed the Hamid Karzai International Airport where the evacuations out of Kabul are taking place after U.S. forces were attacked and killed. Reports said that a splinter faction, ISIS-K, was responsible for the attacks, but as CNN noted in an interview with an ISIS-K commander that aired on Friday but was conducted two weeks ago, fighters and elements of that group moved freely in and out of the city.

And someone within that diplomatic mission also provided the Taliban  the Taliban, the militant group U.S. and NATO troops have been fighting for two decades  the names of all Americans remaining in Afghanistan, some of whom are not going to make it out ahead of the Aug. 31 deadline.

Basically, they just put all those Afghans on a kill list, one defense official, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject matter, told the outlet.

Its just appalling and shocking and makes you feel unclean, the official added.

Politico noted further:

U.S. officials in Kabul gave the Taliban a list of names of American citizens, green card holders and Afghan allies to grant entry into the militant-controlled outer perimeter of the citys airport, a choice thats prompted outrage behind the scenes from lawmakers and military officials.

The move, detailed to POLITICO by three U.S. and congressional officials, was designed to expedite the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan as chaos erupted in Afghanistans capital city last week after the Taliban seized control of the country. It also came as the Biden administration has been relying on the Taliban for security outside the airport.

One of the reasons why many military planners and several U.S. lawmakers with military and combat experience did not want Biden to collapse onto the airport at Kabul was because it was too difficult to defend, as weve seen. The better option, they said, would have been to keep enough U.S. forces at the massive Bagram Air Base, which was the nerve center for U.S. and NATO operations for two decades, because it would have been easier to defend.

Biden, mind-addled as he is, said no, however. No more troops.

In a press conference the day of the attack, Biden couldnt say for sure whether the list had been turned over to the Taliban but he didnt dispute the report, either.

There have been occasions when our military has contacted their military counterparts in the Taliban and said this, for example, this bus is coming through with X number of people on it, made up of the following group of people. We want you to let that bus or that group through, he said. So, yes there have been occasions like that. To the best of my knowledge, in those cases, the bulk of that has occurred and they have been let through.

I cant tell you with any certitude that theres actually been a list of names, he added. There may have been. But I know of no circumstance. It doesnt mean that it doesnt exist, that heres the names of 12 people, theyre coming, let them through. It could very well have happened.

Americas empire is collapsing and with it our countrys pivotal, influential place in the world.

Sources include:

Politico.com

BizPacReview.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) China is calling the United States investigation into the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) political in an attempt to discredit it.

Several months ago, President Joe Biden ordered Americas intelligence community to write a report concerning the origins of the virus. He hoped this report would definitively prove whether or not the coronavirus leaped from animals to humans or escaped from a lab in Wuhan. (Related: WHO Chinese researchers fought against evidence connecting COVID-19 origins to Wuhan lab.)

Days before the report was due to be submitted to Biden, Chinese government officials and state-owned media outlets went on the offensive. They said that any claim in the report would be American propaganda aimed to scapegoat the communist nation.

Scapegoating China cannot whitewash the U.S., said Fu Cong, director-general of the arms control department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If they want to baselessly accuse China, they better be prepared to accept the counterattack from China.

We urge the U.S. to stop using the origins study to seek political manipulation, said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

China Global Television Network (CGTN), a state-owned news outlet based in Beijing, published several articles attempting to paint the U.S. as desperate to blame China for the pandemic. One article called the U.S. probe into the coronavirus origins propaganda against China.

CGTN also published conspiracy theories suggesting that the coronavirus originated in a lab in the U.S. instead. The state-owned outlet recently published a headline arguing that the U.S. should invite the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate its biological research labs instead.

Chinese officials have repeatedly speculated without evidence that the coronavirus leaked from Fort Detrick in Maryland, a military installation that also conducts biological research.

It is only fair that if the U.S. insists that this is a valid hypothesis, they should do their turn and invite the investigation into their labs, said Fu.

Fu said if the WHO wants to pursue the issue, it should start by investigating Fort Detrick. He attempted to portray such an investigation as an issue of fairness, since WHO investigators have already been to the Wuhan Institute of Virology twice.

If [WHO Director-General] Dr. Tedros believes that we should not rule out the hypothesis of a lab leak, well, he knows where to go, said Fu. He needs to go to the U.S. labs.

Wenbin made similar statements in an attempt to shift the spotlight away from the Wuhan labs.

If the U.S. is bent on insisting on the lab leak theory, it should start with inviting WHO experts to launch a probe into Fort Detrick  to find the source of the virus, he said. In the meantime, we hope the international community can work hand in hand to resist the backlash of politicization and bring the origins study back to the right track of scientific cooperation.

Intelligence communitys report inconclusive

Two senior government officials who spoke with mainstream media outlets and are familiar with the intelligence communitys report on the origins of COVID-19 have characterized it as inconclusive.

It was a deep dive, but you can only go so deep as the situation allows, said one of the officials. If Chinas not going to give access to certain data sets, youre never really going to know.

This has been the problem with investigating the origins of COVID-19 since the very beginning. International scientists tasked with uncovering the viruss origins said Chinese officials have been extremely reluctant to share data regarding COVID-19 cases. They claim they do not want to share the data on the grounds of maintaining patient confidentiality.

These scientists further claim that the window is closing for key scientific studies regarding the coronaviruss origins. Continued delays from Chinese officials will be very detrimental to any future investigation.

To get a proper investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, the officials argue that the Biden administration needs to pressure China immediately into sharing lab records, genomic samples and other data that could provide the world with all the information it needs regarding the origins of the coronavirus.

Unfortunately, this seems almost impossible. A senior official in Bidens administration acknowledged: We dont have a silver bullet to get China to open up.

Learn more about the actual origins of the coronavirus by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

WesternJournal.com

FoxNews.com

USNews.com

GlobalNews.ca

WSJ.com
(Natural News) Dr. Scott Lively, the conservative pastor who once tried to run for the governorship of Massachusets, has brought his show Prophecy and Politics to Brighteon.TV. In his inaugural episode on the platform, Lively discusses the current events in Afghanistan and why they should trouble ordinary Americans.

Lively has long positioned himself as a full-spectrum conservative, to the point where he challenged Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in the primaries for the governorship of Massachusets in 2018. In addition, hes also flown to different countries all over the world to espouse bible-based values to these countrys leaders.

In his latest video, which you can watch below, Lively focuses on Afghanistan and what the Talibans victory there means for America and the rest of the world.

Who is more evil, the Taliban or the Democrats?

The fall of Kabul and the capitulation of the Afghan government has once again put the Taliban into the public consciousness. The Islamist groups resurgence has caught many people off guard  even the Pentagon didnt expect the group to gain so much so quickly.

There are not reports that I am aware of that predicted a security force of 300,000 would evaporate in 11 days, admitted Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a news conference on August 18.

As part of his show, Lively says that the Democrats are just as much to blame for the situation in Afghanistan.

He mentions how, during the Obama administration, American soldiers were told to ignore abuses made by Americas Afghan allies. He makes mention of American troops hearing the screams of young boys at night and how they couldnt rescue them because the Obama administration wouldnt allow them to do so.

As a matter of fact, they endorsed it, he says. The Obama administration endorsed the practice of bacha bazi as a cultural phenomenon that had to be protected. (Related: While Afghanistan fell, military and CIA focused on diversity.)

Lively then goes on to explain how the Democrats are now applying the same to the U.S. with how its pushing the LBGTQ agenda.

Its endorsed by the entire leftist block and the Drag Queen story hour and all that.

Secular humanism, the religion of the left

Lively then goes on to discuss how Democrats and the left are following the religion of secular humanism and how it controls their narrative, regardless of whether their supposed religion is.

Secular humanism is the religion of Marxism, he says. Its moral code is political correctness.

Lively then asks whether or not secular humanism is more evil than Islam. He compares the texts they use, saying that the Koran isnt actually problematic  just being the life of Muhammad. Its just how Islamists use it to justify a lot of the rotten things they do.

However, when compared side-by-side, Lively explains that what the secular humanists believe and do is much worse.

Secular humanism, its end goal is, is transhumanism, he explains. Its creating a new species of human beings, you know, based upon our own genetics modified.

Based on this, he explained that the LGBTQ movement is not just about people of so-called sexual minorities being recognized. Rather its part of a chronology, a first step in the secular humanist agenda.

Its a chronology of the dismantling of civilization.

Lively breaks this down further, from how it started in the early 20th century, with the start of the movement, to how its progressed even further today with transgender rights.

Uh, that were talking about transgenderism being the cutting edge right now and it really is an attack, he explains. Its a satanic attack on civilization itself. 

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

NYTimes.com
(Natural News) Shortly before leaving office, President Obama and his administration took some actions regarding pandemics and global health security which some may find interesting.

(Article by Robert L. Kinney III republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

First, President Obamas Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), led by John Holdren, wrote and published a letter to the President with multiple recommendations for defending America against biological attacks and naturally occurring outbreaks of infectious diseases, including epidemics/pandemics.

The letter was released on November 15, 2016, which was a week after the Democrats lost the Office of the President to Donald Trump; this is important and should be kept in mind throughout this article.

The letter discusses the previous U.S. federal government attempts at addressing the United States biodefense strategy, and then concludes that it is necessary to rethink the overall organizational structure for anticipating, preparing for, and responding to biological threats and naturally occurring epidemics. It is implied that new mechanisms to evaluate progress are needed. (Page 6)

This seems to be significant: after losing to Donald Trump, President Obamas science and technology advisors were suggesting President Obama set up a new approach to plan and prepare to defend against biological threats, which include naturally occurring viruses and epidemics.

The letter concludes with some noteworthy recommendations. The first recommendation is that President Obama

should create a new interagency entity charged with planning, coordination, and oversight of national biodefense activities across the Intelligence Community and the Departments of Defense (DoD), Homeland Security (DHS), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Agriculture. (Page 14)

Again, national biodefense activities in this recommendation refers to both intentional attacks and naturally occurring pandemics. Included in this recommendation is the suggestion that the new interagency entity should be charged with

developing, within six months, a national biodefense strategyincluding short-, medium-, and long-term componentsto anticipate, prepare for, and respond to all issues that arise as biotechnology continues to advance (Page 14)

The new entity should provide

requirements and taskings of the Intelligence Community (IC) and holding the IC accountable for adequate collection and analysis of current and future biological threats to the United States and for other activities of the IC that might mitigate these threats (Page 14)

The recommendation does not explain what other activities the Intelligence Community might use to mitigate threats.

President Obamas science advisors next recommend that the new National Biodefense Strateg

should act to substantially strengthen Federal, state and local public health infrastructure for disease surveillance, as well as promote a stronger international system of disease surveillance. (Page 15)

This new surveillance capacity should include the ability to

routinely and rapidly employ advanced biological toolsincluding rapid diagnostic tests, large-scale genome sequencing and analysis, and new approaches to monitor the host immune systemfor systematic evaluation of possible cases, including those presenting simply as fevers of unknown origin or severe acute respiratory infections. (Page 15)

The science and technology advisors then recommend that President Obamas White House make goals to achieve the following within ten years:

For infectious organisms for which there exist effective approaches to creating vaccines, the United States should have the ability to accomplish, within a six-month period, the complete development, manufacture, clinical testing, and licensure of a vaccine. For pandemic influenza, the goal should be 3 to 4 months to vaccine deployment . For infectious organisms that might be reasonably anticipated to lead to sudden epidemic spread that could threaten the U.S. population or U.S. interests overseas, the United States should have pre-tested vaccine candidates through safety and immunogenicity studies. (Page 15)

Included in the recommendation for vaccines are approaches that rely on antigens expressed by RNA and nucleic acid analogs to stimulate protective immunity against specific pathogen epitopes. (Page 16)

The advisors also recommend that the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Defense should report annually to the White House about progress and impediments to reaching such goals. (Page 15)

But how does the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services know the progress of the United Statesability to accomplish, within a six-month period, the complete development, [mass] manufacture, clinical testing, and licensure of a vaccine?

There may be only one mechanism to evaluate progress of developing and mass-producing a new vaccine. Think of it this way: what was the U.S. federal governments mechanism to evaluate the progress of the development, production, and explosion of the atomic bomb?

President Obama followed through with at least some of the above recommendations from his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. On December 23, 2016, (again, after Democrats lost to Donald Trump) President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.

That law required developing a new National Biodefense Strategy after President Obama was out of office. (Sec. 1086) The new National Biodefense Strategy was at least partially published in 2018; it may have included a classified, unpublished annex. (Page 30)

But there was another interesting pandemic action made by President Obama. On November 4, 2016, less than a week before Democrats lost to Donald Trump, President Obama signed the Executive Order Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda to Achieve a World Safe and Secure from Infectious Disease Threats.

As explained in the title, the executive order advances the Global Health Security Agenda, which includes

a group of 70 countries, international organizations and non-government organizations, and private sector companies that have come together to achieve the vision of a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases.

China, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Turkey, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and others are members. Included in the Global Health Security Agenda is increased surveillance and high vaccination rates.

But in the November 4, 2016 Executive Order Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), President Obama then commands the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, State Department, the CDC, National Security Council, and others to make the GHSA and its implementation a high priority within their respective agencies.

Even the FBI is commanded to advance the globalist health security agenda; President Obama orders that the Attorney General, generally acting through the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall link public health and law enforcement, and coordinate with INTERPOL [The International Criminal Police Organization] on the GHSA and its successful implementation. INTERPOL includes countries like China, Russia, Iran, and others.

Those are significant orders from President Obama: the FBI linking law enforcement with public health but also coordinating internationally to implement the globalist health security agenda.

Additionally, President Obamas executive order requires FBI programs to further the GHSA, as well as provide technical expertise to measure and evaluate progress in countries the United States has made a commitment to assist and work, in conjunction with interagency partners and the in-country GHSA team, with other donors and nongovernmental implementers in partner countries in which FBI programs are active in order to coordinate and leverage commitments to advance the GHSA with partners.

Only four days before Democrats lost to Donald Trump  who campaigned on and was elected for his anti-globalist promises  President Obama commanded the FBI to link law enforcement with public health and coordinate with INTERPOL to implement the global health security agenda?

The increased activity on pandemics and global health security by the Obama Administration shortly before and after losing the power of the Office of the President to Donald Trump may be significant.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been granted full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and more and more businesses and organizations are pushing for mandates for their employees to get inoculated, with a third booster shot being pushed aggressively by officials.

However, scientists have questions over the strength of the evidence to push with such protocols, as such decisions are rash and based on weak evidence.

There is little information regarding the safety of the booster shots, including potential side effects that people may face and for whom the additional dose will be beneficial.

Experts also noted that the guilt-ridden drive to line up for booster shots fuel more confusion. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and an adviser to the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration noted that what these booster shots are doing is scaring people. We sent a terrible message. We just sent a message out there that people who consider themselves fully vaccinated were not fully vaccinated. And thats the wrong message because you are protected against serious illness.

It is also important to note that the government is not keeping track of the number of people getting breakthrough infections  they are only keeping track of those that end up in hospitalizations or death.

Overall, the hesitancy over getting shots isnt as rare as the media wants people to believe  only about half of eligible Americans are fully inoculated, as per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In a recent interview, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky admitted that people who have had the shot could experience worsening infections over time. She did not offer any insight on whether this trend could be related to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), which happens when antibodies generated during an immune response recognize and bind to a pathogen, but cannot prevent infection.

Instead, officials have been using such worsening infections as a call for people to have their booster shots merely eight months after their second dose.

Yet, reports of adverse health reactions and deaths following the shots continue to roll in: the CDC noted that there had been over 595,700 adverse events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) since December 14, 2020, including 13,068 deaths as of August 13, 2021. (Related: Even the WHO says booster shots are unnecessary, but Bidens White House prefers to listen to Big Pharma: BOOSTER covid shots coming to the USA.)

Scientists question evidence behind booster shots

Based on available data on vaccine protection, it is not clear whether younger, healthier individuals will find themselves at risk. We dont know if that translates into a problem with the vaccine doing what is most important, which is protect against hospitalization, death, and serious disease, said Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease expert at Georgetown University in Washington and a former chief scientist at the FDA.

Some experts also questioned the focus on booster shots when many more eligible Americans are yet to get their first vaccine dose despite surging cases in the country.

Dr. Dan McQuillen, an infectious disease specialist in Burlington, Massachusetts said that more important than boosters is ensuring that everyone is vaccinated as fast as possible.

Experts emphasized the need to inoculate the vast number of people around the world who are yet to access any of the approved COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, epidemiologist and adjunct professor at Cornell University Public Health, said: 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. In reality you should be vaccinating the rest of the world to avoid new variants.

Read more updates at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

Reuters.com
(Natural News) Tesla is reportedly taking steps to become a retail electricity provider in the state of Texas. The company has already applied for Option 1 Texas retail electric provider certification, according to Energy Choice Matters. The application indicates that Tesla plans to target existing customers who own Tesla products to market their retail offering through their website and mobile application.

This past winter, Texas and much of the South were hit hard by a winter storm that caused millions of people to spend significant time without power and water, and many claim that a big part of the problem was the states failure to properly winterize energy sources.

Tesla already offers retail electric plans in the UK and Australia, where their focus is on integrating home energy storage. They gained approval last year to serve as an electricity generator in the UK. According to Elon Musk, the companys energy division, Tesla Energy, is poised to become a distributed global utility that may even outgrow its car business. Tesla has also formed a partnership with the UKs Octopus Energy to provide special electricity rates to car owners.

The firm owns a license to trade electricity throughout Western Europe, which has fueled speculation that their future business may involve becoming an electric utility provider.

Last year, Tesla conducted a survey among German customers to determine their level of interest in using them as an energy provider. They are considering breaking into the German electricity market using a groundbreaking tariff, and they asked questions related to how customers could be persuaded to switch their electricity supplier. One of the potential answers respondents could select related to a supply contract that was linked to owning a PV rooftop, Tesla software and Tesla Powerwall.

Another question asked which products from Tesla that customers would consider purchasing, with options including the supply of clean electricity, solar panels, an EV charging point, home energy storage and access to a public EV charging network. They also asked potential energy clients if they would allow the company to control when their cars could charge, such as by timing charging to coincide with off-peak hours.

Tesla is already selling its solar panels and Powerwall battery storage systems for homes there, but now they want to sell directly to their customers and use home storage systems for supplying services to the grid.

Teslas interest in Texas has grown in recent years

In May, reports emerged of Tesla building a battery installation in Angleton, Texas, an hour south of Houston. The project, which has been described as secretive, appears to involve 20 large battery banks. It is believed to entail the use of lithium iron phosphate batteries that could last one or two decades and will be monitored remotely. The facility will reportedly not create any emissions and will be concealed by natural vegetation.

The system has been registered with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which is the states power grid operator, and it has the capacity for storing 100 megawatts of energy, which is enough to supply power to 20,000 homes on a hot day. The battery will charge from the grid when energy prices dip and then discharge on occasions where the electric system experiences a shortage of energy.

Tesla is currently building a car factory in Austin and owns a testing facility for its SpaceX efforts in McGregor, so its interests in the states energy supply dont come as much of a surprise at a time when the current electricity options in Texas leave a lot to be desired.

Sources for this article include:

CleanTechnica.com

ARSTechnica.com

PV-Magazine.com

BusinessInsider.com
(Natural News) New South Wales (NSW) Health Minister Brad Hazzard signed a public health order on Thursday, Aug. 26, requiring all healthcare workers in the Australian state to get vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) to keep their job.

Theyre obviously all exposed to the challenges in that regard and looking after patients. The safest thing you can do is get vaccinated, Hazzard said.

Healthcare workers in the state must have at least one dose of the vaccine and provide proof of their vaccination status to their employer by Sept. 30 to continue working. They need to be fully vaccinated or be booked in for their second dose by Nov. 30. Hazzard said he also signed the order from the federal government that requires workers in nursing home facilities to get vaccinated.

An exemption has been granted for workers with underlying medical conditions. Despite having priority access in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout since February, 20 percent of staff working for NSW Health are still unvaccinated.

Hazzard urged staff to come forward and get vaccinated to help ease pressure on the public health system.

Many health workers in NSW are already vaccinated but if all of our staff members are vaccinated it will provide greater protection for patients, visitors and other health staff, he said. The public and private health systems have a responsibility to implement every possible measure to provide a safe work environment for their staff and most importantly, safe circumstances for their patients.

Thousands at risk of losing job in U.S. hospitals and nursing homes

Vaccine mandates are becoming increasingly common in the healthcare industry and nursing home facilities. (Related: Vaccine mandates in healthcare industry are growing, and they are expected to accelerate once FDA grants full approval.)

Earlier this month, the American Hospital Association (AHA) revealed that around 1,500 hospitals in the U.S. are requiring all workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. That number represents nearly 25 percent of hospitals in the U.S.

The first major hospital system to introduce vaccine mandate was the Houston Methodist Hospital system in Texas back in March 31. The hospitals decision was met with backlash from employees, and 117 filed a joint lawsuit against the hospital. But the lawsuit was dismissed and more than 100 employees lost their job.

Unvaccinated nursing home workers are also at risk of losing their job.

Genesis Healthcare, the largest nursing home operator in the U.S., gave its approximately 80,000 employees until Aug. 23 to get their first dose. Its so easy now to say, Well, Genesis is doing it. Now well do it. This is a big domino to fall, said Brian Lee, who leads Families for Better Care, an advocacy group for long-term care residents.

Some smaller nursing home operations across the U.S. have already required their employees to get vaccinated, including Canterbury Court in Atlanta, Jewish Home Family in Rockleigh, Westminster Village in Bloomington and Hanceville Nursing & Rehab Center in Alabama.

Healthcare unions speak up against vaccine mandate

Healthcare unions have spoken up against vaccine mandates. (Related: Influential American Postal Workers Union opposes federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate.)

We have a right to bargain over a new work rule, said Debbie White, president of Health Professionals and Allied Employees  New Jerseys largest healthcare union. Most union contracts will prevent employers from imposing mandates without negotiating.

After the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City gave all of its employees until Sept. 1 to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be terminated, the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union announced that it would oppose vaccine mandates. 1199SEIU is composed of more than 450,000 members across six states and the District of Columbia.

We are not in agreement with a mandate of the COVID-19 vaccine, George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU, said in a statement. We agree that vaccination is an important tool to help us move forward, but mandating vaccination is not, nor will it ever, be the answer.

COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for school staff in NSW

The vaccine mandate in NSW is not limited to healthcare and nursing home workers. COVID-19 vaccines will also be mandatory for school staff as the states plan to get children back in classrooms is unveiled.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a specialized vaccination drive will begin on Sept. 6 at Qudos Bank Arena. All staff will need to be vaccinated by Nov. 8.

A staggered return of students will start on Oct. 25, with kindergarten and Year 1 students returning first. Students in Years 2, 6 and 11 will return on Nov. 1 while the remaining year levels will return on Nov. 8. Year 12 students are currently able to access school facilities in a limited way. Theyll be able to return in full capacity on Oct. 25.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said masks will be mandatory for staff and high school students and strongly recommended for primary school students. The plan could be derailed if cases continue to surge in local council areas of concern.

On Friday, Aug. 27, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) moved to recommend Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for all children as young as 12. Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for all people from 12 years of age, extending the current recommendation for those 16 years and older, ATAGI said in a statement.

Follow Immunization.news for more news and information related to vaccine mandates and coronavirus vaccines.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk 1

DailyMail.co.uk 2

7News.com.au
According to information released by the U.S. Navy on August 28, 2021, the United States Navy celebrated the commissioning of USS Vermont (SSN 792), the first Block IV Virginia-class submarine to enter service, Saturday, August 28, 2021, at Naval Submarine Base New London.

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The crew of the U.S. Navy USS Vermont (SSN 792) man the rails during a commissioning commemoration for the USS Vermont (SSN 792) onboard Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., August 28, 2021. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

The USS Vermont (SSN 792) was administratively commissioned on April 18, 2020, but due to restrictions on large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, no traditional commissioning ceremony was held. The submarine Vermont was christened in a traditional ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, on Oct. 20, 2018. Since its administrative commissioning, USS Vermont has been an active submarine in the U.S. Navy, including participation in anti-submarine warfare exercises alongside the Brazilian navy in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations in December of 2020.



The USS Vermont (SSN-792) is a Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarine in service with the United States Navy. The submarine is 377 feet long (115 m), has a 34-foot beam (10.4m) and will be able to dive to depths greater than 800 feet (244 m) and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots (46 km/h) submerged. She has a crew of more than 130 personnel.



Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities  sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.



The Virginia, also known as the SSN-774, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, in service in the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics's Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia-class is the United States Navy's latest submarine model, which incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems technology.



Block IV Virginia-class submarines incorporate design changes focused on reduced total ownership cost. By making these smaller-scale design changes to increase the component-level lifecycle of the submarine, the U.S. Navy will increase the periodicity between depot maintenance availabilities and increase the number of deployments. The Block V involves 10 boats and will incorporate the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which would give guided-missile capability when the SSGNs are retired from service. The Block V subs are expected to triple the capacity of shore targets for each submarine.



Currently, the U.S. Navy has a total of 19 Block I to IV Virginia-class submarines and it is planned to acquire 9 Block IV and 10 Block V. Blocks I-III Virginia-class submarines are planned to undergo four depot maintenance availabilities and conduct 14 deployments. Block IV design changes are intended to reduce planned availabilities by one to three, and increase deployments to 15.
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Amesbury - John L. Plourde, age 92, of Amesbury MA, died in peace on July 8, 2021. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Phyllis (Fenton) Plourde. He leaves four sons and three daughters-in-law, Dennis and Sally of Newbury, David and Carol of Amesbury, Thomas and Evelyn of Rochester, N
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WASHINGTON (AP)  As the U.S. rushes to evacuate Americans and allies from the chaos of Afghanistan, a growing number of Republicans are questioning why the U.S. should take in Afghan citizens who worked side by side with Americans, further exacerbating divides within the party heading into next years midterm elections.

Little more than a week ago, as the Talibans stunning takeover of Afghanistan still was snapping into focus, former President Donald Trump issued a statement saying civilians and others who have been good to our Country ... should be allowed to seek refuge. But in more recent days, he has turned to warning of the alleged dangers posed by those desperately trying to flee their country before an end-of-month deadline.

How many terrorists will Joe Biden bring to America? he asked.

As Republicans level blistering criticism at Biden during his first major foreign policy crisis, some are turning to the nativist, anti-immigrant rhetoric perfected by Trump during his four years in office. It's causing dismay among others in the party who think the U.S. should look out for those who helped the Americans over the last two decades.

I think these false narratives that these are a bunch of terrorists are just  theyre completely baseless in reality, said Olivia Troye, a former White House homeland security adviser who currently serves as director of the Republican Accountability Project. Theres no basis for this at all in terms of the intelligence and national security world.

Neil Newhouse, a veteran Republican pollster, said the rhetoric reflects a general, overall increase in concern in the country over the risk of terrorist threats after Afghanistans fall to the Taliban  not just in the short term from those who may not have been properly vetted, but a year or two down the road.

Theres just a sense that we are less safe as a country as a result of this," he said.

The Biden administration has stressed that every person cleared to come to the U.S. is being thoroughly vetted by officials working around the clock. But the refugees have become an emerging flash point, with Trump and his followers loudly demanding that Americans be prioritized for evacuation and warning of the potential dangers posed by Afghans being rescued in one of the worlds largest-ever civilian airlift operations.

That talk intensified Thursday after a suicide bombing ripped through the crowd at the Kabul airport, killing 13 U.S. service members and well over 150 Afghans.

How many American military personnel have to die to evacuate unvetted refugees? tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont. Get American citizens out and bring our troops home.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Friday toured the Dona Ana Range complex at Fort Bliss, where many refugees will be housed, and later tweeted the U.S. should rescue Afghans whove assisted the US military, but they should go to a neutral & safe third country.

They should NOT come to US w/o a FULL security vetting, he said.

That followed a call Wednesday by Kentucky Rep. James Comer, the top Republican on the House Oversight and Reform committee, for the administration to brief lawmakers on their efforts to vet Afghan refugees and prevent terrorists from entering the country.

In the chaotic situation left in the wake of the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan, we are particularly concerned that terrorists and others who wish to harm the United States may seek to infiltrate the country disguised as those who provided assistance to coalition forces in Afghanistan, he wrote in letters to the secretaries of state and homeland security.

Still others, including Republican governors and members of Congress, have taken a different stance, welcoming refugees to their states and working furiously to help those trying to flee. On Capitol Hill, the effort to help Afghan friends and family of constituents is the rare undertaking that is consuming legislative offices of members of both parties.

The United States and its coalition partners have evacuated more than 100,000 people from Afghanistan since the airlift began Aug. 14, including more than 5,100 American citizens. While the administrations explicitly stated priority is to evacuate Americans, the numbers reflect the demographics of those trying to flee.

U.S. officials believe about 500 American citizens who want to leave Afghanistan remain in the country; others are believed to want to stay. And many of the Afghans, including those who served as American interpreters and fixers and in other support capacities, are desperate to escape, fearing they will be prime targets for retribution by the Taliban once the U.S. leaves.

But that hasnt stopped Republicans from accusing the Biden administration of failing to put Americans first.

Were actually prioritizing Afghan refugees more than were prioritizing our own citizens, said Republican J.D. Vance, who is running for Senate in Ohio and has made repeat television appearances blasting the administrations approach.

On Fox Business Network, he claimed, without evidence, that the U.S. has no knowledge of 90% of the people being evacuated and said some have shown up on wide-ranging terror databases.

They put Americans last in every single way, but Americans pay for it all, echoed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has shot to prominence with incendiary statements.

Trump and his former policy adviser Stephen Miller, along with conservative commentators like Tucker Carlson, have taken things even further, using the same anti-immigrant language that was the hallmark of Trump's 2015 speech announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination.

You can be sure the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didnt allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights," Trump said. Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighborhoods around the world.

Carlson has warned about Afghans invading America.

The rhetoric underscores the transformation of a party once led by neoconservatives who championed interventionist nation-building policies and invaded Afghanistan  followed by Iraq  nearly 20 years ago.

But not Republicans all are on board.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., whose office has been working around the clock to rescue the countless Afghans he says deserve evacuation, chastised those in his party invoking terrorist rhetoric.

I would say that they need to do their homework," he said. When you talk to the people that weve spoken with, when you look at their service record ... when you recognize that they sleep in the same tents, they carry arms together, theyve been in live firefights, how dare anyone question whether or not they deserve to come to this country or to a safe third country?

Were not talking about just walking down the street and picking and choosing people, Tillis added. We know these people. We know who their children are. We know what their service record was. And quite honestly, somebody taking that position, each and every time they do, is insulting a service member who considers these people like brothers and sisters."

Many of the Afghans seeking to come to the U.S. are doing so under the Special Immigrant Visa program designed specifically for individuals who worked with U.S. forces. Adam Bates, policy counsel at the International Refugee Assistance Project, said that, due to their work, those individuals were extensively vetted by U.S. authorities before applying to the program  and are again extensively vetted by a wide array of federal agencies" before the visas are granted.

Troye, who has spent significant time on the ground in Afghanistan over the years, said Americans became extremely close to the Afghans with whom they served.

These people became like family to many of us," she said. Its really shameful to see some of these Republicans speaking in this way about people who really risked their lives to help us, who were really our allies on the ground."

___

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
BEND, Ore. (AP)  The death toll from COVID-19 in Oregon is climbing so rapidly in some counties that the state has organized delivery of one refrigerated truck to hold the bodies and is sending a second one, the state emergency management department said Saturday.

So far, Tillamook County, on Oregon's northwest coast, and Josephine County, in the southwest, requested the trucks, said Bobbi Doan, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

Tillamook County Emergency Director Gordon McCraw wrote in his request to the state that the county's sole funeral home is now consistently at or exceeding their capacity of nine bodies.

"Due to COVID cases of staff, they are unable to transport for storage to adjacent counties," he wrote, adding that suicides are also up in the county.

The refrigerated truck arrived in the county on Friday, loaned by Klamath County, Doan said in a telephone interview.

The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners said Friday the spread of COVID-19 "has reached a critical phase.

In a statement published online in the Tillamook County Pioneer, they said that from Aug. 18 to Aug. 23, there were six new COVID-19 deaths in the county, surpassing the five total COVID-19 deaths that occurred during the first 18 months of the pandemic.

In the past week, we more than doubled the number of COVID deaths in Tillamook County, from five to eleven, Commissioners Mary Faith Bell, David Yamamoto and Erin Skaar wrote. They begged residents: Please get vaccinated.

The request come as the coronavirus delta variant tears through Oregon's unvaccinated population.

The county vaccination rate is 70%, either in progress or fully vaccinated.

But in Josephine County, where hospitals are overwhelmed and its morgues are also reaching capacity, the vaccination rate is only 53%, according to Oregon Health Authority data. The vast majority of COVID-19 patients clogging the state's hospitals and intensive care units are unvaccinated.

Unlike their counterparts in Tillamook County, Josephine County commissioners are not promoting the vaccine.

Jefferson Public Radio reported that in a meeting earlier this month with local health officials, Josephine County Commissioner Herman Baertschiger Jr., a former leader of the minority Republicans in the Oregon Senate, said: Im not going to hog-tie anybody and give them a vaccination."

Hospital workers in Grants Pass, the county seat, said their morgue was full as a result of a surge in coronavirus cases.

CEO Win Howard of Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Grants Pass told commissioners: "We are in a full-blown health care crisis in our community. Ive never seen anything like this before.

During the public meeting, the commissioners repeatedly questioned the efficacy of the vaccines, suggested the surge was caused by Mexican immigrants, and instead promoted unproven medicines, Jefferson Public Radio reported.

Josephine County Emergency Manager Emily Ring asked the state on Tuesday for a refrigerated trailer that could hold 20-48 cadavers.

She wrote that the county hospital is daily exceeding its body storage capacity and that the five funeral homes and three crematoriums are at the edge of crisis capacity daily.

Trailer must have hoists for body lifts and shelves, she said in her urgent request form.

Morgues are allowed to legally have only a certain number of bodies at the same time, and that creates the capacity issue, Doan said. Her office is facilitating the transfer of a refrigerated morgue truck from Yamhill County to Josephine County.

"Right now, OEMs role is really in that air traffic control, Doan said. Its like, heres a need, heres a resource to help them to connect the dots through mutual aid.

The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported 20 new deaths, raising the states death toll to 3,115.

Since the start of the pandemic there have been 268,401 reported coronavirus cases in this state of 4.2 million.

___

This story has been updated to correct commissioners in Josephine County are not promoting the vaccine.

___

Andrew Selsky is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky
Contributed Photo / Hartford Police Department

HARTFORD  A man in his 20s was shot in Hartford early Saturday morning, according to the citys police department.

The Hartford Police Departments gunshot detection system was activated at around 5:15 a.m. in the 200 block of Martin Street, police said.
President Joe Biden watched stoically as flag-draped cases carrying the remains of American service members killed in Afghanistan returned Sunday to the United States.

The President's attendance at what the military calls a "dignified transfer" is among the gravest responsibilities for any American commander in chief, a searing reminder of the consequences of his decisions and the weight of the job. In withdrawing all US troops from Afghanistan, Biden hopes to be the last US president to witness war dead returned home from that country.

The 13 service members whose remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday morning were among the 6,000 US troops Biden deployed to assist in a massive airlift evacuation, and were killed in a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport gates last week, a deadly coda in the final days of America's longest war. More than 170 other people died in the suicide blast.

Other costs of war became evident later Sunday. A US drone strike on an explosives-laden vehicle that US Central Command had said posed an "imminent ISIS-K threat" to Kabul's airport also killed nine members of one family, including six children, according to a relative of those killed who spoke to a local journalist working with CNN. Central Command had said earlier they were assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties.

The Pentagon confirmed Sunday's drone strike, though not its civilian toll, as Biden was meeting with the families of the 13 American troops before moving to the air base flight line for the transfer process.

One-by-one, the cases were carried with practiced, solemn precision by teams of seven from the bay of a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane and onto waiting gray mortuary vans.

The transfers occurred in near-silence; the hum of the plane's auxiliary power pierced only by occasional cries from family members watching nearby and an officer's calls to "present arms" when cases emerged. The plane had carried the remains from Kabul to Kuwait to Ramstein Air Base in Germany before its final flight leg to Dover, where it landed Sunday at 8 a.m. ET.

Biden looked on from several yards away, the first lady on his left, lifting his hand to his heart each time the process repeated itself. He watched intently, locking eyes with the procession as it moved past. Before the transfers began, Biden walked up the ramp into the hulking interior of the plane, where the cases were arranged in neat rows, for a moment of prayer.

He was joined in Delaware by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and other senior military officials.

It is the first time Biden has attended a "dignified transfer" since taking office seven months ago, and comes as he withdraws all US troops from Afghanistan. He is the fourth US president to carry the weight of sending American troops to Afghanistan who returned in flag-draped cases.

Upon arriving back in Washington, Biden reflected briefly on the day's events during a stop at FEMA headquarters, where he received a briefing on Hurricane Ida as it plowed into the Gulf Coast.

"Jill and I are just getting back from Dover Air Force Base in my home state, where we met with the families of 13 fallen heroes in Afghanistan who lost their lives in the service our country," he said. "While we're praying for the best in Louisiana, let's keep them in our prayers as well."

Biden rebuffed questions about Afghanistan, telling reporters: "I'm not going to answer on Afghanistan now."

The 13 service members killed in Thursday's terrorist attack included 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy corpsman. The youngest were 20 years old and the oldest was 31. They came from Massachusetts, California, Nebraska, Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Wyoming, Ohio and Tennessee.

They were the first US troops killed in hostile action in Afghanistan since February 2020, when two soldiers were killed in combat in Nangarhar province. Then-President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer when their remains returned to Dover.

Biden, in a statement on Saturday, called the slain troops "heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others."

"Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far," he said, referring to the number of people airlifted from Kabul. "May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days."

The Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, responsible for the return of remains from military theaters overseas, specifies that the transfer is not a "ceremony" but rather "a solemn movement of the transfer case by a carry team composed of military personnel from the fallen member's respective service."

Families of those killed watched the transfer from a designated section opposite where the President stood. Under a policy enacted in 2009, families can choose whether media is allowed to cover the proceeding.

Once the remains are transferred from the plane, they are driven to the base mortuary, the largest in the country. They are prepared for burial there and transferred onward.

While Sunday's dignified transfer was Biden's first as commander in chief, he participated in at least one other event of this kind as vice president. He was on hand at Dover Air Force Base in November 2016 for the dignified transfer of a soldier who was killed by a suicide bomb at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Milley, who at the time was serving as the Army chief of staff, also attended.

As a senator, Biden once claimed he was being blocked from attending dignified transfers at Dover by the Pentagon, describing times when he wanted to pay his respects but wasn't allowed.

He had been among the major critics of George W. Bush's administration for a policy of not allowing media coverage of dignified transfers at Dover Air Force Base, the primary entry point for remains of fallen US troops.

Biden once claimed they were being "snuck back into the country" and called the policy shameful.

In an appearance on CBS in 2008, he explained that even as a senator, he had been disallowed from attending the transfers but received permission from the Pentagon at one point to attend one at the request of the family.

He said he had "tried" to attend other transfers but wasn't allowed.

"I'm allowed in the military base. I'm not allowed to go to the mortuary. I'm not allowed to be there when the flag-draped casket comes in," he said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated where the Americans' remains had gone after leaving Kabul and before arriving at Ramstein Air Base. They were flown to Kuwait.

The-CNN-Wire

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Storm surge and strong winds from Hurricane Ida stopped the flow of the Mississippi River near New Orleans on Sunday and actually caused it to reverse -- something the US Geological Survey says is "extremely uncommon."

Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, early Sunday afternoon as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. The hurricane arrived on the 16th anniversary of the historically devastating Hurricane Katrina.

"I remember, off hand, that there was some flow reversal of the Mississippi River during Hurricane Katrina, but it is extremely uncommon," Scott Perrien, a supervising hydrologist with the USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told CNN.

Perrien noted that the river level on Sunday rose about 7 feet due to storm surge pushing up the river at the USGS gauge, located in Belle Chasse, about 20 miles south of New Orleans in southeastern Louisiana.

"During that time, the flow of the river slowed from about 2 feet per second down to about half a foot per second in the other direction," Perrien said.

Perrien pointed out that the gauge does not measure the flow of the entire river, so it is possible that the deeper portions of the river did not reverse flow directions.

"The river is feeling the effects of the storm over a large area," Perrien told CNN. "All the way up to Baton Rouge the river has risen 1.5 feet in the past 12 hours as the surge pushes up the river. And the water level will likely rise more in the coming hours here in Baton Rouge."

Ida became a Category 4 storm early Sunday morning and has tied as Louisiana's most powerful storm ever with 2020's Laura and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856 -- all with top winds of 150 mph.

During Hurricane Laura, strong winds blew the top layer of the Mississippi River upriver away from the Gulf and slowed the river's main current.

Hurricane Ida's landfall comes on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana in 2005 as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds. Storm surge with Katrina measured up to 24-28 feet, according to the NHC.

By comparison, Hurricane Ida is forecast to bring a lower storm surge of 12-16 feet to some areas of southeast Louisiana, the NHC says. And near New Orleans it's expected to be even lower: 8-12 feet outside New Orleans and 5-8 feet along Lake Pontchartrain.

That's because the wind field was larger for Katrina: 90 miles from center at landfall, compared to 50 miles for Ida.

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At least one person is dead as Hurricane Ida moves inland along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, officials said Sunday night.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said it received reports shortly after 8:30 p.m. CDT of a person injured from a fallen tree in Prairieville, Louisiana, about 18 minutes southeast of Baton Rouge. Deputies arrived and confirmed the victim's death, the APSO said in a statement on Facebook. It's the first death reported from the storm.

Ida made landfall earlier Sunday -- on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina -- as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. As of 10 p.m. ET, Ida was a Category 2 storm withwinds of 110 mph, and its center was about 25 miles west-southwest of New Orleans. It was moving northwest at about 10 mph.

More than 968,000 customers in Louisiana and Mississippi are without power, according to PowerOutage.US.

Entergy New Orleans sent out an alert Sunday evening saying the entire Orleans Parish was without power "due to catastrophic transmission damage." According to city officials, the only power in New Orleans at this time is coming from generators.

The outage was caused by "a load imbalance to the company's transmission and generation," Entergy said on Twitter Sunday night.

The power outage was hindering the operation of sewer pumping stations.

"Currently there is no backup power to operate any of those that were impacted," the Sewage and Water Board of New Orleans said in a statement to CNN. "We are assessing how many of the 84 stations are impacted but the number may be very significant."

"In order to prevent sewage backups, we have asked residents to limit water usage at home, thus decreasing the amount of wastewater we must pump and treat," the statement read.

In Lafourche Parish, Sheriff Craig Webre said every road in the parish is impassable, and agencies are unable to respond to calls for service at this time. There is a curfew already in place for the parish, "and we're going to set up checkpoints to aggressively enforce that curfew," the sheriff said.

Officials plan to canvass the parish with every available county employee in the morning, but with the lack of electricity, downed power lines, and scattered debris, Webre doesn't anticipate any opportunities to clear roadways Sunday night that would allow any travel prior to daybreak.

Archie Chaisson III, Lafourche Parish president, said in a news conference that parts of the parish will be without water "for some part of the forseeable future" after a water main line break.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards requested a major disaster declaration from President Joe Biden as his state continues to be pummeled by Hurricane Ida, his office said. Biden has already signed emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi.

"Hurricane Ida is one of the strongest storms to ever hit Louisiana," the governor's release said. "It is our goal to assist our local agencies and the citizens of the state as quickly as possible, and we have pre-positioned search and rescue teams, boats and other assets to begin helping people as soon as it is safe."

Ida is now tied with Hurricane Laura from last year and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856 as the state's most powerful storm ever.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation shut down about 22 miles of Interstate 10 because of fallen trees on the roadway. I-10 is a major thoroughfare connecting the eastern part of the state to the west.

St. Bernard Parish president Guy McInnis told CNN Sunday evening that he has reports of 22 barges that have broken loose in the hurricane.

McInnis says he's not worried about the barges hitting a levee and damaging it, but he is worried that they may hit other infrastructure in the parish.

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Edwards urged residents to remain indoors and to be patient, as the state does not know how soon first responders will be able to respond to calls for assistance.

"Once the storm has passed, you need to be prepared to shelter in place for the first 72 hours," Edwards said. "We have every possible resource ready to go, to help you. We'll get there sooner than 72 hours if at all possible, in order to rescue people across the state of Louisiana."

Live updates: Hurricane Ida heads toward the Gulf Coast

By Sunday evening, Hurricane Ida had leftmore than 930,000 customers without power in Louisiana, according to poweroutage.us. And Energy Louisiana said some of its customers could be without power for weeks.

The storm's outer bands also have knocked out power to nearly 15,000 customers in Mississippi, the outage website said.

TRACK IDA'S PATH >>>

Ida also caused more than 95% of the Gulf of Mexico's oil production to shut down, regulators said Sunday, indicating the hurricane is having a significant impact on energy supply.

Relief already headed to Louisiana

Edwardstold CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that his state "is as ready as we can be," but he expects Ida to be "a very serious test of our levy systems, especially in our coastal Louisiana." He later said the state doesn't anticipate any overtopping of the Mississippi River levees, or overtopping of the levees in the hurricane risk reduction system around the Greater New Orleans area.

The state invested significantly in shoring up the levy system after the catastrophic failure after Katrina. Edwards said Ida "will be the most severe test," but he expects the levees to hold. "The next 24, 36 hours are just going to be very, very critical for us here in Louisiana."

Despite the preparation, Hurricane Ida is causing a levee to overtop on the east bank of Plaquemines Parish between the parish line and White Ditch, according to the New Orleans National Weather Service office.

There are 21 urban search and rescue teams from about 15 states ready to search when the storm calms, Edwards said. The storm is far from over, Edwards warned Sunday night, noting that it hasn't reached Interstate 10 yet and the expected wind and rain, which could be 20 to 24 inches, is likely to cause further damage in the state.

"Nobody is out of the woods in southeast Louisiana yet. We'll be dealing with this until sometime after midnight," Edwards said, adding the full extent of damage won't be known until the sun comes up.

The Louisiana National Guard has been activated, with more than 4,900 guardsmen staged across 14 parishes. They have 195 high water vehicles, 73 boats and 34 helicopters ready to support and assist residents, the governor said.

Officials throughout the state had implored people to evacuate ahead of the storm, with some issuing mandatory orders to do so.

Massachusetts Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team has been activated and will send an 80-member team to the Louisiana area to assist the residents affected by Hurricane Ida, according to a tweet from the task force Sunday afternoon.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed urban search and rescue personnel to Louisiana to aid in response and recovery efforts Sunday, according to a statement from Newsom's office.

The team deployed from California was identified as a "Type 3" Task Force from Oakland Fire Department which includes 35 members and 10 ground support personnel.

In New Orleans, Chef Jose Andres and his World Central Kitchen organization set up three kitchens with enough food to serve over 100,000 meals, he said on Twitter Sunday afternoon. The chef left Haiti on Saturday to assemble a team ahead of the storm.

Andres and his team are sheltering in place until the storm passes. He said he's encouraged by the pre-positioning he's seen from both the federal government and non-governmental organizations since he arrived in New Orleans on Saturday night.

Once it is safe enough to do so, Andres said, his staff will be operational and make sure the kitchens are stocked.

Lt. Governor says 'several dozen' did not evacuate

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser told CNN by phone Sunday he believes there were "probably several dozen" people who didn't leave south Plaquemines Parish for Hurricane Ida and intended to ride out the storm.

Nungesser said he was convincing people to leave as late as 11 p.m. Saturday, but those who have stayed behind should be prepared.

"I was telling people if you're going to stay, put an ax in your attic" because there may not be a chance to look for one once the water begins to rise, Nungesser said. "If it comes up and you're trapped in an attic, you've got to cut your way out to get on the roof."

Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Timothy Soignet told CNN Sunday that his office has received "a lot of calls" from people who stayed behind despite the mandatory evacuation order, but they aren't able to get to everyone due to poor road and visibility conditions amid Hurricane Ida.

Soignet said the parish had initially ordered two zones to be evacuated but then decided to order a full evacuation because of worsening conditions.

People who stayed behind in their homes in Jefferson Parish have called in and reported they have water in their homes up to their chest, Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng told CNN Sunday night.

"The water is rising. People are in their homes and we're getting reports of people with water up to their chest," she said. "They're asking to be rescued. It's a very, very dire situation and we just can't get out yet."

There are reports of roofs damaged, trees down, tree roots pulling up and damaging water mains, as well as power lines down, according to Sheng.

Sheng said a large transmission tower that fed a majority of the parish also came down, adding that "the electrical grid is almost out," with approximately 95% of the parish without power.

"I've lost contact with some of the most vulnerable areas of the parish," Sheng said, adding, "I know they just took a beating today for so many hours."

Ronald Dufrene, a commercial shrimper, planned to stay on his 100-foot shrimp boat in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, with his wife. He said he's stayed on his boat for every storm for the last 42 years.

"I rode out three of them last year. Don't get me wrong. This is a buzz saw we have coming," he said. "Mother Nature's a beast.

Joshua Legg, another hurricane veteran, stayed on Grand Isle, Louisiana, to ride out Ida. He posted video on Facebook.

"We're losing roofs right now," Legg told CNN.

Legg said his home is safe and he is in a Category 5-rated structure. He said he was a police officer for 15 years and still works with search and rescue efforts to help his community.

Sharlette Landry evacuated Grand Isle, Louisiana, and watched her security camera feeds, which showed water quickly rising before her home lost power Sunday.

"I did prepare, but you can never be prepared for this magnitude of a storm," Landry, who posted a video on Facebook, told CNN. "I was very surprised at how fast it rose. I've never seen it that high and I'm sure it's higher now at my place."

Arlene Mire of Port Vincent, Louisiana, planned to stay home initially. But she knows exactly how high the water must get to breach her home: 11 feet, 3 inches.

"My house has drowned before," she said. "We'll lock it up and boogie. We won't stay in the house when the water comes."

Ida reversed the flow of the Mississippi River

A tornado watch is in effect until 6 a.m. CDT Monday for parts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Quick-moving, brief tornadoes will be possible throughout Sunday.

A flash flood emergency has been declared for the south shore area of metro New Orleans, according to the New Orleans National Weather Service office.

The warning is in effect until midnight and includes New Orleans, Avondale, Metairie, Marrero, Harvey, Hahnville, Timberlane, Belle Chasse, Chalmette, Laplace, East New Orleans, Reserve, Jefferson, Gretna, Harahan, Westwego, River Ridge, Waggaman, Elmwood and Bridge City.

Between 4 and 7 inches of rain have fallen producing flash flooding.

Additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are possible in the warning area, the NWS said.

A flash flood emergency was also issued for St. Charles Parish and St. John The Baptist Parish, both near New Orleans, until 12:30 a.m. CDT, the NWS in New Orleans said.

Heavy rainfall of up to 10 inches has fallen with additional amounts of 4 to 6 inches expected. "Life-threatening flash flooding is occurring, and this is a particularly dangerous situation," the NWS said. "Residents are urged to seek higher ground now."

There is also a danger of life-threatening storm surge Sunday in areas along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated Sunday that the flow of the Mississippi River in New Orleans partially reversed its flow due to the strong storm surge and winds from Hurricane Ida pushing up the river. This is something the USGS says is "extremely uncommon."

"I remember, off hand, that there was some flow reversal of the Mississippi River during Hurricane Katrina, but it is extremely uncommon," Scott Perrien, a supervising hydrologist with the USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told CNN.

Perrien noted that the river level rose about 7 feet due to the storm surge pushing up the river at the USGS gauge, located in Belle Chasse, about 20 miles south of New Orleans in southeastern Louisiana.

"The river is feeling the effects of the storm over a large area, all the way up to Baton Rouge. The river has risen 1.5 feet in the past 12 hours as the surge pushes up the river, and the water level will likely rise more in the coming hours here in Baton Rouge," Perrien told CNN.

TheMississippi River is now back flowing in the normal direction, though, according to CNN meteorologist Gene Norman.

New Orleans better prepared for Ida, official says

Hurricane Ida is the fourth hurricane to slam Louisiana since last August and the state's third major hurricane landfall in thattime span.

Hurricane Katrina, which hit Louisiana in 2005 as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds, had a storm surge up to 24-28 feet, according to the NHC.

The water topped levees and flood walls, and more than 80% of New Orleans flooded. More than 1,500 people in Louisiana died.

Katrina brought storm surge of 15 to 19 feet in eastern New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, and Plaquemines Parish, while the surge was 10 to 14 feet in western New Orleans along the southern shores of Lake Pontchartrain, according to the NHC.

By comparison, Hurricane Ida is forecast to bring a lower storm surge of 12-16 feet to some areas of southeast Louisiana, the NHC says. And near New Orleans it's expected to be even lower: 8-12 feet outside New Orleans and 5-8 feet along Lake Pontchartrain.

That's because the wind field was larger for Katrina: 90 miles from center at landfall, compared to 50 miles for Ida.

Since Katrina, the levee and water control systems in New Orleans were improved: Pumps were upgraded with backup generators and gates were added at key canals to help block water from entering the city during storm surge.

"This is a different city than it was August 28th 2005, in terms of infrastructure and safety," Ramsey Green, New Orleans deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, told reporters Saturday at a news conference ahead of Hurricane Ida's landfall.

Green called the city's levee system "an unprecedentedly powerful protection for the city," which has three lines of defense: the coast, the wetlands and the levee system.

"From that perspective, we need to be comfortable and we need to know that we'll be in a much better place than we were 16 years ago," Green said. "That said, if we have 10 to 20 inches of rain over an abbreviated period of time, we will see flooding. We don't know at this moment -- we see 15 to 20 inches over 48 hours or less, and we can handle it, depending on the event."

New Orleans Emergency Management Services announced it has suspended all operations as Ida continues to blow through.

"NOEMS operations have been suspended due to dangerous winds," the department said in a tweet Sunday.

NOEMS said operations will resume once conditions are safe for first responders.

Airlines canceled all flights arriving to and leaving from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday, the airport said.

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Two people have died in Japan days after receiving doses from a batch of Moderna Covid-19 vaccines whose use was suspended Thursday following concerns over a contamination risk, the country's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said Saturday.

A causal link between the vaccine and the deaths has not yet been established, according to the ministry and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, which distributes the Moderna vaccine in Japan.

Japan suspended the use of about 1.63 million doses of the Moderna vaccine on August 26 as a precaution after foreign substances were found in some vials.

While inquiries are being conducted by the Japanese government and three pharmaceutical companies involved, no police investigation has been announced and there is no present indication of wrongdoing.

"Currently, no link has been confirmed between these deaths and the Moderna vaccine, but we believe it is important to carry out a formal probe to investigate the matter further," Takeda Pharmaceutical Company said in a statement released Saturday.

Japan's Ministry of Health will conduct that investigation alongside Takeda, the company stated, adding that Moderna has its own investigation underway.

Rovi, a Spanish company that manufactured the batches, described the contaminant as "particulate matter" in a statement Thursday. Rovi said it is also investigating the contaminated lots.

The 1.63 million doses came from three identified lot numbers -- 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956. The doses had been distributed to 863 vaccination sites across Japan, and some were used.

The health ministry said it began notifying the vaccination sites on Thursday morning about the contamination risk.

The two people who died had received vaccines from lot 3004734, one of the lots removed from circulation Thursday. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that no foreign contaminants had been reported from this lot yet.

Results from laboratory tests from contaminated samples will be available in the coming days, according to Takeda.

CNN has reached out to Moderna for comment.

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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)

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Amira Jadoon is an assistant professor at the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Andrew Mines is a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. They wrote this for The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
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(Newser)  There will be more violence in Afghanistan before US forces are out, President Biden said Saturday. In a statement, Biden said that the situation there remains dangerous and that another terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul is "highly likely" in the next day or two, the Washington Post reports. A US drone strike killed two members of ISIS on Saturday, and Biden repeated his assurance that the US would find the airport attackers and "make them pay." Other developments include:

The US withdrawal . The American force at the airport is now down to fewer than 4,000 personnel, per the AP. Facing Biden's Tuesday deadline, the contingent is in its final withdrawal.

. The American force at the airport is now down to fewer than 4,000 personnel, per the AP. Facing Biden's Tuesday deadline, the contingent is in its final withdrawal. Other nations' withdrawals. France shut down its mission Friday, per the New York Times. Britain ended its effort to get its citizens out Saturday. "We havent been able to bring everybody out, and that has been heartbreaking, Gen. Nick Carter told the BBC. The government had said Friday that 800 to 1,100 eligible Afghans and 100 to 150 Britons were waiting to be evacuated.

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The attack on ISIS . The Defense Department said the two ISIS members killed had planned attacks on Americans but would not say if they were involved in the airport bombing. ISIS has "lost some capability to plan and to conduct missions," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, "but make no mistake, nobody's writing this off and saying, 'Well, we got them. We dont have to worry about ISIS-K anymore.'"

. The Defense Department said the two ISIS members killed had planned attacks on Americans but would not say if they were involved in the airport bombing. ISIS has "lost some capability to plan and to conduct missions," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, "but make no mistake, nobody's writing this off and saying, 'Well, we got them. We dont have to worry about ISIS-K anymore.'" The airport victims. The remains of the 13 US service members killed in the bombing were being flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, officials said. White House aides did not say whether Biden would travel to the base. The Americans killed ranged in age from 20 to 31.

(Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  An unvaccinated elementary school teacher is being blamed for infecting dozens of people with COVID-19 after she went to work for two days while showing symptoms. Per the Guardian, the CDC says the California woman infected a total of 26 people with the virus. In May, the Marin County woman continued to go to work after taking a COVID test, during which time she reportedly read aloud while unmasked to the class despite school requirements to mask while indoors. Per NBC News, the teacher infected roughly half her class with the virus.

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The CDC said four students from other classrooms at the school also tested positive and were all siblings of three students in the teacher's classroom. "Exposure was assumed to have occurred in their respective homes," the CDC wrote. Many of the infected students were too young to be vaccinated. However, per the report, Marin County's high vaccination rate on the whole may have kept the outbreak somewhat isolated. The teacher reportedly initially attributed her symptoms to allergies. "I doubt this teacher wanted to infect half of her class or thought she was putting them in danger," tweeted Bob Wachter, chair of UCSF Dept. of Medicine. "But she did and she was."

(Read more face masks stories.)
(Newser)  Daniel Darling said he was given a chance to renounce his support for COVID-19 vaccines, which he had expressed on MSNBC's Morning Joe. In an interview this month, Darling, senior vice president of communications for the National Religious Broadcasters, told host Joe Scarborough that he was proud to be vaccinated. "I believe in this vaccine because I don't want to see anyone else die of COVID," Darling said. His employer told him last week that his comments broke the organization's policy of neutrality on the vaccines, the Religious News Service reports. Darling was told he could sign a statement saying he was insubordinate, or he could be fired. He didn't sign.

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Darling also had encouraged Christians to be vaccinated in an op-ed in USA Today. "There are not many things in the world today that are worthy of our trust, but I sincerely believe the COVID-19 vaccine is one of them," Darling wrote. "As a Christian and an American, I was proud to get it." Troy Miller, chief executive of the broadcasters group, declined to address the issue but wrote in an email: "Dan is an excellent communicator and a great friend. I wish him God's best in all his future endeavors." Darling relayed word that he received no severance. The Christian nonprofit says more than 1,000 organizations belong to it.

Miller later posted a rebuttal in Twitter, arguing points raised on social media and contending, among other things, that Darling had been offered another job. The provost at North Greenville University, who said he's a friend of Darling's, called the NRB's decision unconscionable. "People are going to come out of the woodwork in his defenseand rightly so," Nathan Finn tweeted. Some evangelicals wondered whether the organization violated its policies advocating free speech and opposing censorship. An ethicist and theologian who once was Darling's boss elsewhere said he'll have "a bright future elsewhere," per Christianity Today. But, Russell Moore tweeted, "this is inexcusable." (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
(Newser)  President Biden and his wife, Jill, traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday to honor the 13 US troops killed in the Kabul airport bombing last week. The Bidens met privately with the troops' families, CNN reports, then watched the transfer of the troops' remains from the base tarmac. Biden held his hand over his heart and appeared to shut his eyes in prayer as the flag-draped transfer cases were taken off a military aircraft and put in a vehicle. Biden has attended such transfers before, but this was his first as president, per the AP. The president called the troops, who were at the airport to assist with evacuations, heroes in a statement on Saturday. "Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far," Biden said.

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Before the transfers, Biden walked up the ramp into the C-17 for a prayer, per Axios. The silence of the transfers was broken only by the carry team's calls to "present arms," per CNN. After the movement, the remains are driven to the base mortuary, where they're prepared for burial. The plane's journey took the remains from Kabul to Qatar, then Ramstein Air Base in Germany, and finally to the Delaware base. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also witnessed the transfers Sunday. (The victims include a Marine who posted a photo of a baby in her arms at the airport.)
(Newser)  Hurricane Ida has made landfall. The storm hit as a Category 4 hurricane at about noon local time on the 16th anniversary of the day Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Its one of the strongest storms ever to hit Louisiana, the New York Times reports. And its going to stay that way for a while. This is not the kind of storm that we normally get. This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told the AP. President Biden said his administration will put "the country's full might" behind rescue and recovery efforts. More:

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How strong? Ida, a Category 4 storm, is producing sustained winds of 150 mph.

Ida, a Category 4 storm, is producing sustained winds of 150 mph. Storm surge. The Mississippi River rose 7 feet and its flow stopped and even reversed for a while, which is "extremely uncommon," a United States Geological Survey official told CNN.

As bad as Katrina? Ramsey Green, an infrastructure official for New Orleans, was optimistic, telling the AP the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago."

Ramsey Green, an infrastructure official for New Orleans, was optimistic, telling the AP the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago." Its going to last. The storm is forecast to slow down a little now that its on land, but it will still be a tropical storm when it makes it to Mississippi on Monday.

The storm is forecast to slow down a little now that its on land, but it will still be a tropical storm when it makes it to Mississippi on Monday. Hunkering down. 400,000 residents dont have power. Many evacuated their homes, but with little warning, a sizable proportion of residents had to stay put. There are 40 people in Grand Isle, La., who defied the evacuation order, and some have now called to be rescued, but cant be reached by first responders.

400,000 residents dont have power. Many evacuated their homes, but with little warning, a sizable proportion of residents had to stay put. There are 40 people in Grand Isle, La., who defied the evacuation order, and some have now called to be rescued, but cant be reached by first responders. What to watch for. Louisiana is home to refineries and chemical plants, and experts will watch those for leaks and spills. Also, once the storm clears, residents will still have to cope with power outages, summer heat, and damage.

(Read more Hurricane Ida stories.)
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable..

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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable..

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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable.
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NEWTOWN - The largest Labor Day parade in the state has been canceled here because of too much work and not enough volunteers.

Also canceled is an early October family fun day with a beer garden and childrens entertainment run by Newtowns Chamber of Commerce and the Parks and Recreation Department.

But the organizers of an upcoming weekend art festival in September want Newtowners to know they have no plans to cancel.

We just want people to know that the Labor Day Parade and Newtown Day were canceled for functional reasons - not because of COVID, said Barbara Snyder, chair of the 2021 Newtown Arts Festival. When rumors start going around, its like a telephone chain game.

Rather than allowing coronavirus considerations to keep them away from the outdoor arts celebration, Sept. 17 through 19 at the towns Fairfield Hills campus, Snyder hopes Newtowners come out all the more.

Were having the festival and were excited about it because we think people are hungry for something to do, Snyder said. Everyone has been shut down in their homes for the last two years.

The weekend event, which features a ticketed Friday night concert and two days of outdoor events for a nominal admission charge, is meant to connect artists with the community.

The hope is to raise enough money after costs for the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission to provide scholarships and grants to local artists.

In 2019 the Newtown Arts Festival broke even, and there was no festival last year because of the COVID-19 public health crisis.

This year, while Connecticut and other parts of the country have had significant strides through vaccinations to minimize the spread of the potentially deadly virus, Newtown and the rest of the state has seen an upswing in new cases - particularly among the unvaccinated and under-vaccinated.

As a result, Gov. Ned Lamont has required public schools to enforce a mask mandate through Sept. 30, and some local leaders have issued their own mask mandates indoors. Danbury and a handful of nearby towns have taken such a measure.

Newtown leaders have chosen to leave mask-wearing up to the individual, while encouraging people to get vaccinated. Earlier this month, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said he was encouraged that 75 percent of Newtown residents who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine have received it.

Snyder said the goal is for everyone who attends the arts festival to feel comfortable.

People can wear masks or not wear masks, she said.

Tickets for the Friday night concert featuring Alternate Routes start at $25. Admission for Saturday and Sunday events is $5 for adults and older teens, $3 for elementary-age youth, and free for kids under 5 years old.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
NEWTOWN - When Monsignor Robert Weiss imagined his 75th birthday in September - and the retirement hed have to take under diocesan rules - the veteran priest couldnt imagine leaving town before the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre in 2022.

I lived this, said Weiss, who presided over the funeral Masses of eight first graders during that grief-stricken Advent of 2012, when Newtown and the nation mourned 26 slain students and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Its still not over.

Nor when Weiss imagined the 50th anniversary of his ordination approaching in 2023 could he picture being away from the parish at St. Rose of Lima Church which hes called home since 1999.

Nothing could be more special and fulfilling than to celebrate my 50th anniversary with members of this extraordinary Parish, he said.

Alas, rules are rules.

When Weiss submitted his resignation to his boss earlier this spring as required, Weiss made a special plea to stay on just two more years - to mark the milestone remembrance of the Sandy Hook tragedy in December, 2022, and to celebrate with his parish the milestone 50th anniversary of his priesthood the following spring.

For good measure, Weiss added that there was much pastoral work to be done to help St. Rose recover the vitality it had before the coronavirus crisis stifled its 60 ministries.

Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano was unqualified in his response, calling Weiss a true spiritual father with a remarkable ministry whose bond with Newtown was forged at the deepest level of personal sacrifice, suffering and faith that sustained so many during the darkest and most difficult days following the loss of life at Sandy Hook School.

His pastoral presence and deep faith have not only led the parish through unimaginable crisis but have also guided the recovery process in the lives of individuals and in the parish community, Caggiano told Hearst Connecticut Media last week. For that and many other reasons, I have been pleased to grant an extension to his terma decision, I know, that has led to great joy in the parish.

The first test of that joy will be Sept. 26, when the parish plans a 75th birthday party for its longtime pastor, whose term has been extended through May of 2023.

Weiss is among the last of Newtowns leaders still in office from the early days off the crisis, when Newtown told the world it would never forget its lost loved ones, but it would not be defined by tragedy.

The first selectman retired, the police chief retired, the schools superintendent retired, and some of the clergy that were here retired, Weiss said. I wanted to be here for the 10th anniversary - weve been told that 10 years is kind of a break point - and the memorial is going up.

The memorial Weiss refers to is 5-acre forest near the new Sandy Hook School that is being converted by San Francisco architects into a nature walk with a reflection pool. Newtown voters approved the $3.7 million project in April, and the state approved a $2.6 million grant toward the memorial in June. The memorial is expected to open by the 10th anniversary of the tragedy in December 2022.

Weiss, who has been open about his nightmares and other struggles with post-traumatic stress, has been equally open about the role faith plays in recovery. In particular, he has been outspoken about the need for forgiveness as a path to healing. He acknowledges that some in Newtown are not ready to practice it.

There are still so many open wounds in our community from that day, and so many events that have taken place since then that re-opened old wounds, he said in a statement, Continuing as pastor at St. Rose allows me to be a constant voice of healing and prayer as we revisit that day and navigate the worlds refocus on us.

Weiss has also been outspoken about the power of human bonds to shoulder pain that is beyond what you can do.

An award-winning 2018 film short about Weiss special relationship with a Scotland priest whose parish was ravaged by the 1996 massacre of 16 children and a teacher features the transforming power of that personal bond. The priest reached out to Weiss in the first season after the Sandy Hook massacre with support and perspective that no one else had been able to offer.

Weiss, who entered seminary in New York after high school and served at St. Andrew Parish in Bridgeport. St. Leo Parish in Stamford, St. Jude Catholic Church in Monroe and St. Joseph Church in Shelton before coming to Newtown is looking forward to celebrating his 75th birthday with his parish family.

We all need something to look forward to and to come together as a parish community, Weiss said. Its been a long time coming.

His boss agrees.

[F]aith that sustained so many during the darkest and most difficult days following the loss of life at Sandy Hook Schoolcontinues to strengthen in the longevity of his service, Caggiano said. As we now struggle with the Covid crisis and many challenges in our society, we can also be reassured by the power of faith to transform lives and by the sacrificial giving of a priest who has walked with his people and finds true joy in serving them.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
As chaos unfolds in Afghanistan, American veterans are struggling with renewed post-traumatic stress, Connecticut officials say.

Thirteen U.S. service members were killed Thursday in a suicide bombing at an airport in Kabul. The next day, the U.S. military said it used a drone strike to kill two high-profile ISIS targets, Maj. Gen. William Hank Taylor said Saturday.

Thomas Saadi, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, said the deaths of service members have heavily impacted the entire military community, and even opened some wounds for veterans.

This is a serious concern, said Saadi, a Danbury city councilman who is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

The loss has really hit home for the veteran community. It is emotional to think about, he added.

Officials have noticed a spike in veterans seeking mental health services.

Jack Mordente, coordinator of Southern Connecticut State Universitys Veterans and Military Affairs office, said he was devastated Saturday thinking of Americas latest military loss.

Im very angry, Mordente said. Most of them were just babies when 9/11 happened, he said.

Its our politicians that bring us to war, our soldiers do their job, he added.

Mordente served in the U.S. Army from 1970-74 in the Vietnam War. He doesnt want to see what happened to his generation happen to veterans who served in Afghanistan.

Our veterans were blamed and were the scapegoats for that war, Mordente said.

While being a veterans coordinator at the university, Mordente has known two U.S. Marine Corps veterans who have died by suicide in recent years.

In 2018, nearly 18 veterans died by suicide each day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said veterans rarely ask for help, especially when theyre going through a tough time emotionally.

Mordente and others are offering support to Iraq or Afghanistan veterans. Even a simple phone call can help former soldiers process their emotions, he said.

Blumenthal and state Sen. Jorge Cabrera, R-Hamden, are also concerned about veterans mental health. The humanitarian nightmare in Afghanistan is dominating news headlines, reviving memories of war and causing renewed post traumatic stress, Blumenthal said.

American troops are set to leave the war-torn country by Tuesday. With the Taliban taking control of the country so quickly, troops are feeling disappointed like the mission was a hopeless effort, Cabrera said.

They went there to do their jobs. A lot of them participating in the building of the country. ... And now it seems to be destroyed and lost, Cabrera said. Like it was worthless.

But Cabrera, Blumenthal and Mordente wanted to assure troops and veterans their work wasnt for nothing.

Even though things are messy right now and difficult, they served their country and they served the folks of Afghanistan well, Cabrera said. And their efforts were not in vain.

As of Saturday, 117,000 people have evacuated from Afghanistan, 5,400 of those being American citizens, according to Taylor.

Blumenthal said about 350 American citizens are left in the country and thousands of Afghan allies, including interpreters, guards, drivers and intelligence contractors who put their lives on the line for us.

Blumenthal said he and other members of Congress met with the administration in April and May pleading to start a mass evacuation effort.

I hope that our military will remain as long as possible to enable as many as possible Afghan allies to escape torture and murder that the Taliban may impose on them or their families, Blumenthal said Saturday.

Blumenthal, who was in the Marine Corps Reserve, has two sons who served in the military. Matthew Blumenthal, a state representative for Stamford and Darien, served in Afghanistan as a Marine combat infantry officer and managed to help an interpreter escape the country before the turmoil. Michael Blumenthal served as a Navy SEAL.

Veterans in crisis or those concerned about a veteran can call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255, text 838255 or chat online at www.VeteransCrisisLine.net. Other resources for veterans can be found by going to the Connecticut Veterans Affairs Facebook page.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Thousands of voting rights advocates rallied across the country Saturday to call for sweeping federal laws that would wipe out voting restrictions advancing in some Republican-controlled states that could make it harder to cast a ballot.

Many activists view the fight over voting rules as the civil rights issue of the era. But frustrations have mounted for months because two expansive election bills have stalled in the U.S. Senate, which is split evenly between Democrats and Republicans and the measures lack the votes to overcome a GOP blockade.

The rallies, which were held in dozens of cities, were intended to increase pressure on Democrats to rewrite procedural rules that would allow Democrats to muscle the legislation through without Republican votes. But they were also aimed at coaxing President Joe Biden to become a more forceful advocate on the issue.

You said the night you won that Black America had your back, and that you were going to have Black Americans backs, the Rev. Al Sharpton, who helped organize the national demonstrations, said at a rally in Washington. Well, Mr. President, theyre stabbing us in the back.

More than a thousand people turned out in sweltering heat on the National Mall on Saturday, the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech.

His son Martin Luther King III used the occasion to call on the Senate to scrap the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes for most legislation, including the voting bills, to advance.

Our country is backsliding to the unconscionable days of Jim Crow. And some of our senators are saying, Well, we cant overcome the filibuster,' King told the crowd. I say to you today: Get rid of the filibuster. That is a monument to white supremacy we must tear down."

At one point, nearly a dozen state lawmakers from Texas who had sought to block changes to their state's elections laws, strolled onto the stage at the National Mall and were hailed as patriots.

Texas is the worst state to vote in, in the entire nation, said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Houston.

Even as rally participants pushed for stronger protections, Republican lawmakers in Texas were on the brink of passing an overhaul of its voting laws, including restrictions on voting by mail, limits on when voters can cast ballots and other measures that Republicans say would improve the integrity of its elections.

Texas would be the latest state to pass new laws, following moves in other Republican-controlled states like Arizona, Florida and Georgia to put in place similar restrictions  efforts driven by former President Donald Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Congressional Democrats have responded to the Republican efforts to make it harder to vote by approving legislation earlier this week that would restore sections of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bill would require the Justice Department to once again police changes to voting laws in states with a history of restricting the vote, a practice that was put on hold by the Supreme Court in 2013.

But unless Democrats make changes to the Senate procedural rules, passage of the bill, as well as a separate measure that would establish national election standards, remains unlikely.

In a video posted on Twitter earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris urged Congress to pass legislation that she said was needed to push back against Republicans in Texas, Florida and other states.

The country is changing. The demographics are changing. And (Republicans) think that if they dont get ahead of it and suppress the vote, they aint gonna have a say in it, said Ken Jones, 72, of Atlanta, who traveled to Washington with his wife, Paula, to attend the rally.

Angela Hill, 61, who lives in the Washington area, attended the rally with her daughter because she is "alarmed" by Republican efforts to make it harder to vote. In spite of Trump's false claims of a stolen victory, Republican and Democratic election officials across the country certified the outcome and Trumps own attorney general said he saw no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Why was it necessary for Republican states to try and make it more difficult to vote? Things went well in this election, Hill said.

Marches were also scheduled for Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix and other cities under the banner of March On for Voting Rights, organized by Sharpton and King. Because of concerns over the fast-spreading delta variant of COVID-19, a march in Houston did not go on as planned.

A daughter of the late civil rights leader, Bernice King, led the march in Atlanta. In an interview with The Associated Press, she called for new levels of civil disobedience to push against voting restrictions.

We're going to have to disrupt some things. We've got to disturb this country to the point that people who are still uninvolved and on the periphery to get involved in some fashion, she said.

In Phoenix, the Rev. Terry Mackey, the pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, urged those attending an indoor rally to honor those who fought and shed blood for voting rights.

I want you to stand up and fight," he said, "until every person in this state has the same voting rights as anybody else.

___

Calvan reported from New York. Associated Press writers Alex Sanz in Atlanta and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.
After avoiding downed trees and a mess of disabled utility wires from Tropical Storm Henris glancing blow last week, Connecticuts largest utility is already preparing for the next storm.

Eversource Energy announced this week that it would partner with more than a dozen towns impacted by Henri, including many in eastern Connecticut. The partnership will expand upon the utilitys normal post-storm cleanup work, and include surveying and removing dead trees that could fall on wires and knock out power during future storms.

The region stretches from Guilford to Woodstock, which is facing dual climate crises from the deaths of thousands of trees due to drought and insect infestations, as well as the threat of more frequent storms.

Felled trees are the primary source of power outages during storms in Connecticut, according to Eversource Manager of Vegetation Management Sean Redding. Every outage has the potential to impact a wide area, including hospitals, police and fire stations, he said.

The work is not just addressing the storm-damaged trees, but other pre-existing hazardous conditions that may not have failed during this storm but could in future storms  to avoid the outage, Redding said.

Guilford First Selectman Matthew Hoey praised the companys outreach to communities impacted by Henri, while pointing to the criticism levied toward Eversource and other utility companies due to widespread outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020.

Eversource is being very proactive, which is good to hear, Hoey said.

Many towns in the region are burdened by soaring costs to remove a backlog of dead and dying trees. While it is the Department of Transportations responsibility to clear trees along state-owned roadways, Redding said there are no dedicated federal or state resources to help towns manage the problem along their own streets or property.

In Guilford, for example, the town budgeted $125,000 for tree removal this year, an increase of $15,000 over the previous budget.

According to Redding, Eversource will pick up some of that burden under a newly formed partnership with towns by having its crews cut down trees deemed hazardous. The municipalities will still be tasked with hauling away the trees once they are cut, he said.

While Redding and an Eversource spokesman declined to provide figures on how much the utility was spending on the local partnership or how many trees they planned to remove, the utility has shared figures showing staggering increases in its overall tree removal budget.

Redding told Hearst Connecticut Media in July that Eversource plans to spend $72 million on vegetation management and $32 million on tree removal this year, up from the $24 million it spent a decade ago.

The DOT has also seen costs soar in its efforts to remove trees from state highways. The agency budgeted $10 million for tree removal this year, more than double the $4.9 million it spent in 2018.

Spokesman Kevin Nursick said rising expenditures were kicked off by drought conditions and twin infestations of emerald ash borer beetles and gypsy moths several years ago, which together killed thousands of trees. Now, the state has to contend with another emerging threat: the spread of invasive spotted lanternflies.

The agency removed 87,447 trees from Connecticut roadways in the last fiscal year, according to Nursick.

As to what we reasonably expect projecting out  we anticipate elevated funding levels for the foreseeable future to continue to address the ongoing tree die-off, Nursick said in an email Friday.

Exactly how much? Well, thats difficult to say with certainty. We do know that we still have a lot of work ahead of us just dealing with [the emerald ash borer] and gypsy moth-related issues.

Redding said he hoped federal support for tree removal would be included in the final version of the $1 trillion infrastructure package currently under consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives.

This is roads, electric grid, communications, Redding said. I would say that that would be part of infrastructure, and long-term sustainability of that infrastructure would include managing that road right-of-way, which includes these trees.
CPI (M) congratulated China for administering 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccines on Friday. Taking to Twitter, CPI (M) shared a picture of Xi Jinping and tweeted in Tamil that China has achieved the record of vaccinating 200 million doses of its citizens. Shockingly, the tweet was made on the day India achieved the milestone of administering more than 1 crore-vaccine doses in a single day.

The party, however, did not react or congratulate the healthcare workers for the significant feat. While it went over and beyond to praise Chinas efforts in vaccinating its population, no such reaction came from the party or its leaders towards Indias vaccination program.

Earlier, CPI (M) leaders, namely, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, S Sethikumar G Devarajan and Du Xialin, participated in an event to mark the centenary of Chinese Communist Party. Du Xiaolin had reportedly said at the event that China had helped India to fight the pandemic at a large scale as Chinese companies worked overtime to help India procure items that it needed to fight the virus. As it can be seen, CPI (M) does not believe in the theory that Covid-19 was made in the labs of Wuhan.

Speaking about the border tensions between the two countries, Du Xinlin had said, Heightening differences does not help solve problems and only erodes the basis of mutual trust. It would make the differences more difficult and complicated to solve. We must place the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations and seek a fair and mutually acceptable solution through dialogue and consultations. Both sides should jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas pending final settlement.
Official sources informed Geo News that the federal government will only use Karachi and Lahore airports as backup alternatives, and that Afghan evacuees would only be allowed to enter through Islamabad.

The Pakistan government has decided to limit the entry of evacuees from Afghanistan exclusively in the capital Islamabad, with intentions to use Karachi and Lahore as secondary transport hubs. The US embassy in Pakistan had asked the Pakistani government to assist in the evacuation operations ahead of the August 31 deadline for the US to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has lasted more than 20 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Embassy requested permission to land or transit passengers in three categories, according to officials: US diplomats/citizens, Afghan nationals, and persons from other nations. Approximately 4,000 individuals were scheduled to be transported to Karachi and Islamabad for a stay before being flown to the United States, including Afghans who aided NATO soldiers during the war.

Official sources informed Geo News that the federal government will only use Karachi and Lahore airports as backup alternatives, and that Afghan evacuees would only be allowed to enter through Islamabad.

Passengers in transit will only stay in Islamabad for a few hours before being transported to pre-determined destinations. The sources informed Geo News that only emergency cases will be allowed to stay in hotels in Islamabad. The decision to stop evacuees from entering Lahore and Karachi was made due to security concerns.

According to the news source, the Sindh government has been informed of the revised plans. Officials say security has been tightened around Islamabad airport and the main highway connecting the airport to the capital.
According to the UNHCR, until now there had not been mass migration, but the evolving situation will lead to a large number of people leaving the country, reported Tolo News.

Due to political uncertainty following the collapse of the former government to the Taliban, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday estimated that 500,000 Afghans will leave the country in the next four months.

According to the UNHCR, until now there had not been mass migration, but the evolving situation will lead to a large number of people leaving the country, reported Tolo News. While we have not seen large outflows of Afghans at this point, the situation inside Afghanistan has evolved more rapidly than anyone expected, said Kelly T Clements, Deputy High Commissioner.

The UNHCR asked neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to Afghan refugees. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has asked the United Nations to provide the organization with USD 12 million to provide food for in-need Afghans, reported Tolo News.

As per residents, the political uncertainty, unemployment and security issues have forced them to leave the country. Habibullahs family is one of the thousands of families waiting outside Kabul airport hoping to leave the country. I worked for four years with the foreigners, but now I am jobless. I heard rumours that the Taliban are searching houses for people who worked with foreigners and killing them. I have to leave the country, Habibuallah said.

Unemployment and security threats have forced us to leave the country to save our lives, said Ezatullah, Habibullahs son.A number of Afghan women say that they are facing an uncertain future. They say they have studied and worked hard but do not know what is going to happen to them, reported Tolo News.

We accepted challenges and studied in Afghanistan. Now we do not know what will happen to us. I am worried about the future of girls in the country, said Rahila, a Kabul resident.
UNSC's position on Afghanistan, is starkly different from its previous comment on August 16, when it warned that "neither the Taliban nor any other Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any other country."

The mention of Taliban has been removed from UN Security Councils statement on terrorist assaults near Kabul airport that called on Afghan organisations not to help terrorists operating on the territory of any other nation. UNSCs position on Afghanistan, is however starkly different from its previous comment on August 16, a day after Kabul tumbled to the Taliban, when it warned that neither the Taliban nor any other Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any other country.

The discrepancy between the two declarations was pointed up by Syed Akbaruddin, Indias permanent representative to the United Nations until April last year, who claimed the T word is gone. When questioned how India perceives and deals with the Taliban leadership on August 19, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar stated it is still early days, adding that now the focus is on the safety and security of Indian citizens in Afghanistan.

India stated on Friday that the precise number of its people still in Afghanistans war-torn country remained unknown. Thousands of Afghan nationals are camped outside the perimeter of the airport in desperate attempts to escape on the last flights out as the Taliban deadline of August 31 approaches.

In diplomacy

A fortnight is a long time

The T word is gone Compare the marked portions of @UN Security Council statements issued on 16 August & on 27 August pic.twitter.com/BPZTk23oqX  Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) August 28, 2021

People across the world took to the streets on Saturday to call for support for Afghans as the evacuation process nears the end. In Washington, about 1,000 people gathered outside the White House, including Afghans living in the United States, reported NHK World. Participants held signs that say Save Afghanistan or Save Afghan lives. They urged the administration of President Joe Biden to help as many Afghans as possible flee the country and help protect the rights of Afghan women.
A judge has denied Gloria Farbers second attempt to require the estate of Fotis Dulos turn over any available assets to satisfy a $1.7 million judgment she won against the former high-end developers company, the Fore Group.

Since winning the judgment in June 2020, Farbers attorney, Richard Weinstein, said she has not received any money from the estate.

It is exactly as I anticipated, he (Fotis Dulos) had no money and lived off his father-in-law for as long as he could, Weinstein said a few weeks ago. Weinstein and a trustee dealing with the financial proceedings involving Farber and Fotis Dulos filed a second demand on Aug. 17 for the $1.7 million after they learned the estate received a small check, Weinstein said.

Farber sued Fotis Dulos in 2018 on the grounds he failed to pay back business loans as he was embroiled in a protracted and acrimonious divorce and custody battle with her daughter, Jennifer Dulos.

As the lawsuit and divorce were proceeding, Jennifer Dulos disappeared on May 24, 2019. She was never found and is presumed dead. Fotis Dulos died on Jan. 30, 2020, several weeks after he was charged with murder and kidnapping in connection with the disappearance.

Farber contended in the lawsuit that Fotis Dulos has repeatedly borrowed large sums of money from her husband Hilliard Farber, but failed to pay the money back after her husband died in 2017.

The lawsuit went to trial in December 2019, five months after Jennifer Dulos went missing. Hartford Superior Court Judge Cesar Noble ruled in June 2020 that Fotis Dulos and the Fore Group owed Farber $1.7 million in business loans. Attorneys for Farber filed paperwork in November demanding that the estate pay the $1.7 million judgment. Noble granted the demand shortly thereafter, court records show.

Noble cited his November ruling in a brief order denying the second attempt to collect the money issued Aug. 23.

Weinstein is still hoping to recoup some funds by preventing Fore Group investor Harry Masiello, a friend of Fotis Dulos, from foreclosing on a property owned by the company at 585 Deercliff in Avon. Masiello contended in court papers that he invested $600,000 in the development of the property and was never paid back. That case remains pending.

Weinstein is battling the foreclosure on the grounds it is questionable as to whether Masiello actually invested the money, and Farber has the first claim on any assets owned by Fotis Dulos due to the judgment.

Farber was able to receive $1.8 million from the sale of 4 Jefferson Crossing in Farmington, the former home of Fotis and Jennifer Dulos. The Farber family put up assets and gave the couple a loan to build the house in 2012. Farber paid off the mortgage in July 2019 as police were searching for her daughter and then later foreclosed on the home.
Kathryn Phillips gave birth to her son in 2019, spending the first few months bonding with other new moms in a breastfeeding support group in Guilford.

But when her baby was six months old, the pandemic hit, closing a large part of the state down and moving her group, along with many other aspects of life, online.

Its much harder to be social on Zoom, said Phillips, an associate professor at Fairfield University. Youre just there in your little box.

Its one of the ways the pandemic affected breastfeeding and access to lactation services in Connecticut, something Phillips and her co-author and Fairfield University colleague, Jennifer Schindler-Ruwisch, highlight in a new study.

The study, touted as one of the first of its kind in the country, surveyed dozens of lactation specialists in the state, including Women, Infants and Children groups, about what they experienced. It concluded that while there were benefits including more convenience, the switch to telemedicine exacerbated existing barriers to breastfeeding and presented a number of challenges.

A decrease

What we saw across the board was a significant decrease in lactation visit frequency, said Schindler-Ruwisch who is also a member of the Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition.

She said most women had four or five lactation visits prior to the pandemic and now only had one. There were also more referrals for formula because the initial touch point wasnt there.

Helen Wilde LaPlant, program manager for the Hispanic Health Councils Breastfeeding Heritage and Pride, said they lost all of their in-person contact at the start of the pandemic. Theyre still unable to do home visits but staff can be at the participating hospitals clinics again.

Unfortunately there was a slight dip in caseload and overall participation, she said, adding recruitment is much more effective when it can be done in person at the clinics.

The pandemic also caused a decrease in the number of women who wanted to breastfeed.

Dr. Mary Marshall-Crim, an OBGYN with Hartford HealthCare, said her hospital had a lot of success with switching to telehealth, but they still saw a dip of about several percentage points in intent rates, going from about 90 percent or more prior to the pandemic to the low to mid 80s now.

She said people were especially scared at the beginning of the pandemic about spreading COVID and there was confusing information from the different organizations that offer the health recommendations.

People arent sure what they should do, she said, adding research now shows if the mother is vaccinated then antibodies will be delivered to the baby through the milk.

Another challenge was that people were being discharged as soon as possible in the beginning, with vaginal births leaving after 24 hours and Cesarean births leaving after 48 hours, compared to the usual 48 hours and 96 hours, respectively, before the pandemic. Marshall-Crim said they werent always able to identify there was a need for lactation specialists with women leaving earlier.

Instead, they would send the mothers home with items and then specialists followed up on a Zoom call. Marshall-Crim said they had 120 telehealth calls in the first month alone, which has remained fairly steady until things started opening up again and mothers were more comfortable about masking up and going out again.

Challenges

Schindler-Ruwisch said the studys survey responses claimed telehealth was not as effective as in-person would have been but was better than nothing. About 70 percent of the responders were using only telehealth, with most connecting with the mother on whatever technology she had.

It was really an informal process, she said, adding some could only speak over the phone and had no visual at all.

Missing the in-person element was highlighted as the biggest challenge, especially since a lot of the help is offered based on what the lactation specialist sees.

Youre missing out on the whole body language to see if they need encouragement or if they understand, said Schindler-Ruwisch.

The virtual element made it harder for the specialist to reposition the baby or see how the baby was latching or if its tongue was tied. It also meant the baby couldnt be weighed to see how it was growing or how much milk it was getting.

Thats hard to tell sometimes in telehealth, LaPlant said.

Providers had to get creative in offering instruction remotely. For those at Hartford Hospital, that included dolls and cloth breasts, Marshall-Crim said.

There were also logistical challenges, including figuring out how to hold the phone to conference with the specialist while breastfeeding.

Access to technology was another challenge though some places loaned out phones to those who needed it so they could use the services.

In other cases, translation services were also harder to get remotely, emphasizing the language barrier, Schindler-Ruwisch said. She added insurance didnt necessarily cover the virtual programs, preventing people from using it because they couldnt afford it.

Even when it was in person, people were wearing masks and the specialist couldnt demonstrate how the baby should latch, Phillips said. Experts also said the pandemic created a feeling of isolation.

Phillips said support is an important part, with women more likely to continue breastfeeding if its there.

Its always good to have that network of other moms and specialists, she said.

Benefits

But while the remote elements present challenges, experts say there are also positives, including reaching people outside of their direct service areas and adding a convenience of sorts for the mothers.

Especially at the beginning, mothers didnt want to bring their baby outside and risk them catching COVID, so this allowed them to see specialists from home.

For the most part, people really wanted it, Marshall-Crim said, adding it removed the transportation obstacles and helped mothers who were having a hard time physically recovering.

She said the hospital provided cell phones to people who might not have access otherwise and ensured the hospital translation services were available, so she didnt see those barriers highlighted in the study.

The additional services were so popular that she had to hire three more full-time staff and three per diem staffers to meet the demand, as well as cover for others who were out due to COVID.

Shannon Chaiklin, assistant area online coordinator for La Leche League of Connecticut, said the organization saw its reach expand during the pandemic.

Before the pandemic, La Leche League of Connecticut was offering 18 in-person meetings and one private Facebook meeting a month, as well as providing email and phone support, she said.

She currently oversees groups in Shelton, Orange and Milford. Other groups are held throughout the state, including Fairfield, Greenwich, Stamford, Ridgefield, Wilton, Hamden, Madison, New Haven, North Haven and Westport.

Once the pandemic began, all in-person support was quickly put on hold and a small group of leaders jumped into crisis mode offering increased support through the Facebook group, Chaiklin said.

Since then, the organization offers six to seven virtual meetings a month at different times throughout the week, split between Zoom and the private Facebook group. There is also more interaction in the Facebook group and a new Spanish speaking Zoom meeting.

Our increased virtual presence, without question, has been incredibly valuable to both leaders and parents, she said.

Chaiklin said the group has expanded its online reach beyond Connecticut with parents from all over the world coming to them for information and peer-to-peer support.

For now, most experts are looking to virtual as a way to expand their offerings but not a total solution.

I hope we never have to give up Zoom in terms of the breastfeeding world, Marshall-Crim said. I think its been so positively received.
The end of remote learning in Connecticut could lead to significant variation across the state in how quarantined students learn from home.

Children are returning to classrooms for a third school year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one of the biggest changes this fall is a statewide push toward full, in-person learning.

The state has told school districts they are no longer required to provide remote classes, and let them decide locally how students should use online tools in quarantine or isolation.

We encourage our districts and schools to work with parents should remote learning be needed, said Eric Scoville, spokesperson for the state Department of Education. It is up to local districts to set up that policy.

But those plans vary widely, depending on where a child is enrolled in school. While some districts have extra teachers on staff to deliver virtual instruction, others will provide packets and third-party software. Some, still, do not have a plan to keep students learning while quarantined  a matter less of if than when.

What guidance says

Despite the more contagious delta variant, officials expect that fewer students should have to quarantine this year than last.

That forecast is in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adopted by the state, which recommends students exposed to COVID-19 in classrooms who remain asymptomatic  regardless of vaccination status  can skip quarantine if spaced at least 3 feet apart and wearing masks.

Fully vaccinated students no longer need to quarantine from school or other activities, including clubs and teams, if symptom-free.

But in towns where few students have received both doses, most children do not have that protection and could lose key class time.

The state so far has left decisions about quarantined learning to local officials, but Scoville said districts can use two digital resources procured by the state and available at no cost to them.

Communities are adapting policies that are going to work for them, said Kate Dias, the president of the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union. What Im seeing is a lot of creative solutions.

Dias said schools have always dealt with long-term absences, long before the pandemic. But the union president added the number of students who will have to quarantine is hard to predict: We dont know the scope of the problem, she said.

Gov. Ned Lamonts office is supportive of the state education departments approach, Max Reiss, spokesperson for the governor, confirmed on Friday.

Low vaccination rates

Superintendent Michael Testani said Bridgeport will not offer synchronous learning for quarantined students, but has online programs for literacy and math, and Khan Academy. He added that teachers will be available to check in with students at the end of the day.

It may not be exactly everything thats going on in the classroom, but it definitely will be meaningful, said Testani.

Less than a third of 12 to 17 year olds are fully vaccinated in Bridgeport, according to the most recent available state data, leaving many students vulnerable to quarantines  though the district will try to avoid that.

Were going to limit it to really close, close contacts, Testani said.

In Ansonia, the district also faces low rates of youth vaccinations: less than a third of eligible children have received both doses ahead of back-to-school, according to state data.

The district will treat those who had COVID-19 within 90 days as vaccinated, but quarantine students who report positive test results in their household.

At the elementary level, students can complete assignments through Google Classroom, and connect twice weekly with their teachers and twice again with support staff. Older students can access assignments, email teachers and schedule meetings with staff if quarantine lasts past five days.

The beginning of the year, we will not have teachers teach simultaneously, said Stephen Bergin, the assistant superintendent. However, we are monitoring that, and possible adjustments will take place after review of needs. This is a fluid process.

Higher vaccination rates

In towns like Westport, where more than 86 percent of 12 to 17 year olds are fully vaccinated, students could be less likely to quarantine, depending on the virus. Still, the district has contingency plans in place that mirror Ansonias.

Greenwich has a similarly high youth vaccination rate  more than 80 percent. Students who are not fully vaccinated, however, must quarantine for seven days with a negative test or 10 days without a test.

These kids can access work through Google Classroom. But if a large number of students in one class, or the entire class, must quarantine, they will be able to log on remotely with their teacher, said Jonathan Supranowitz, the districts communications director.

Old Saybrook and Fairfield, where close to two-thirds of eligible youth are fully vaccinated, are taking different approaches to learning during quarantine.

Jan Perruccio, the superintendent of Old Saybrook, said the district of about 1,100 students, according to 2020-21 state data, will address learning options on a case-by-case basis.

This will be personalized for the students through communication with classroom teacher, parents, students and will be determined by these individuals, said Perruccio.

Fairfield, which state data show had almost nine times the enrollment of Old Saybrook last year, has a robust plan in place, involving grade-level work and new hires. Superintendent Mike Cummings said the district is looking at different options involving Google Classrooms, and hiring long-term substitutes to help quarantined students virtually.

I want to be clear, what were not talking about at this point is a live-streaming scenario, Cummings said. Were talking about either prep lessons in advance or recorded lessons after the fact to support the students, as well as the ability to interface with teachers for questions.

Derby Superintendent Matthew Conway also hired staff to provide support for students remotely via Google Classroom and other online platforms. Close to two-thirds of preteens and teens are fully vaccinated in town, according to state data.

In cities where more than half of 12 to 17 year olds are fully vaccinated, state data show, districts are weighing what to do about close contacts outside the classroom, including on buses or in cafeterias.

Norwalk students who for more than 15 minutes come within 6 feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in either setting will quarantine for 10 days. During that time, they will be assigned a virtual teacher, who collaborates with the students regular teacher on at-home work.

Stamford, too, will apply a quarantine standard of 6 feet, instead of 3, when students were eating and not wearing masks. The district is still hammering out learning plans for that time.

We are in discussions with our teachers union to determine what instruction will look like for a student who needs to quarantine or isolate or if there is an outbreak in a particular classroom or school, wrote Amy Beldotti, associate superintendent for teaching and learning, in an email on Wednesday.

Danbury has created a pandemic-era school quarantine liaison position that, alongside other certified staff, will be available to support quarantined students, said Kara Casimiro, the districts chief officer for academic affairs.

Letting students tune in

Some districts are navigating how to let students tune into classes from home without taxing educators, who have overwhelmingly said dual instruction, online and in-person, is a near-impossible way to teach.

We are really advocating against that strongly, because we know that that model is ineffective, said Dias, the teachers union president. There are other ways to solve this problem.

Monroe Superintendent Joseph Kobza said secondary-school teachers will not teach asynchronously, but their students will have the opportunity to observe their classes virtually alongside using Google Classroom for assignments.

Likewise in Bozrah, Portia Bonner, the interim superintendent, said students in grades 6 through 8 can live-stream their lessons. Those in kindergarten through 5 will be supported by two intervention specialists, who work as a link between classroom teacher and student.

As for what comes next, recent state legislation gave local school boards the authority to authorize remote learning for high school students, but not younger children, starting July 2022.

Whether or not remote learning plays a significant role in Connecticut public education post-pandemic remains to be seen.

Staff writers Serenity Bishop, Amanda Cuda, Christine DeRosa, Tatiana Flowers, Brian Gioiele, Eddy Martinez, Emily Morgan and Julia Perkins contributed to this report.
Diane Brown, the nationally recognized New Haven librarian, was all in as she listened to Michael Jai White describe his ambitious plans to develop a film hub in Connecticut.

She was among about 100 people who the actor, director and writer told about virtual technology, as a game-changer, and his plan to introduce young adults to the wide-range of jobs in the industry through a pre-apprenticeship program.

He addressed them in the party atmosphere at his interim Jaigantic Studios site in Shelton as his complicated plans for 25 stages on River Street in New Haven slowly play out.

In a sermon-like explanation, White, said deep down I feel I am doing what I am supposed to do ...I have to live true to who I am. You live true to who you are, you dont have to look back. White said now is the time to share in his success.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

Referring to growing up poor in Bridgeport, the actor said I was spared for a reason. My life could have gone a lot of different ways. It was right on the line.

Brown said she is going to do whatever she can to support the program.

I feel where he is coming from, she said, as others from New Haven agreed.

Whites plans for New Haven are ambitious, but so is the mark he hopes to leave on the industry.

Mayne Berke, Jaigantics chief operating officer, said virtual production will be one of the biggest things to come out of their proposals.

It is the future of film making and we are on the cutting edge. We are right there. We are actually ahead of everyone. We want to do for virtual production what (Igor) Sikorsky did for helicopters, Berke said of the founder of the aviation manufacturer.

He said they are fortunate to have Alton Glass on their team as the director of emerging media as they wait for delivery of the 360 degree virtual stage. He said they have partnered with a Chinese American company to get the screens out of China.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

We are out front. We want to stay out front. We want to corner the market. We want to do it for Connecticut more than anything. CT Innovations is about to find out just what this state is getting, Berke said, of the states investment agency.

He said it will take 60 days to get the virtual screens here and another two months to test them and set them up.

Connecticut Innovations confirmed it has been talking with Jaigantic officials, but said the plans are too early to comment on at this point.

Donovan DeBoer, the CEO at Jaigantic, said the proposal is to eventually have 7 virtual screens in New Haven and one in Shelton. A recent event at Jaigantic took place in the room in Shelton where the 360 degree LED wall  some 18 feet by 78 feet across  will be installed.

White said they can shoot movies 12 months a year as seasons are now irrelevant. He said you can capture any scene without having to move to a location, which saves time and money.

Berke said they have a studio in Los Angeles. If an actor couldnt leave there to come to Connecticut, you could shoot her role in LA and place it in the same virtual scene in Connecticut. You wouldnt be able to tell they were in two different places, White said.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

It is really like teleporting, Berke said.

He said the virtual stages in Connecticut will be available for rent.

As soon as we set up that virtual 360 stage here, people are going to flock from all over Europe, from all over the country because it is going to be the only one you can use, Berke said.

Although Netflix has already used the stage in Shelton to produce a holiday film, the studio in Shelton is about two months away from completion.

Apprenticeship

DeBoer said the curriculum they put together for the apprenticeship initiative has two units.

There is an exploratory level where people can examine the universe of jobs and determine an area of interest. The second is the focus unit and that is for people who have already demonstrated a certain level of skill and they just want a real pathway to get into a union job and move towards the hours that you need to qualify, DeBoer said.

In a previous interview, DeBoer said to get a union card, a candidate must put in 3,000 hours of union work over five years and in some cases there are exams.

Berke said they are waiting on the state to see whether Jaigantics proposal to participate in the state Department of Labors paid Registered Apprenticeship Program will qualify. He said the plan is to start it in a few months.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

Chief Impact Officer Jackie Buster said it is true that outside producers will come to a studio with a core group of workers that they always use, but there are still jobs to be filled locally.

She said Jaigantic Studios will set up a portal where people can go to register for the pre-apprenticeship.

Buster said Whites first directive to the companys officers was to reach out to the Black and brown communities to help diversify the industry at all levels.

Buster said you dont have to go to college to be in this industry. She said White is also interested in re-entry programs. We know there is a bank of talent that needs a second chance, she said.

Phase one in New Haven is development of stages at 46-56 River St, and a parking garage at 112 Chapel St. Phase 2 is the rest of the plan, which includes multiple other parcels of land.

You have to recognize that there are a lot of mitigating factors that come into play, but our hope is to break ground March 1 and finish nine months later before the snow comes, Berke said.

We look at New Haven as the cultural center of Connecticut. It is the most appropriate place to put the studio for what we want to do. That said, Fair Haven (a neighborhood) is even better. It is a place that needs something like that, Berke said of the River Street location.

Berke said they need a production to kick off the pre-apprenticeship, but he couldnt make that public yet.

Buster said they are in pre-production for two films, a sequel to Black Dynamite, a 2009 send up of blaxploitation, action comedies, in which White starred. The new film is Blacker Dynamite. The other film in pre-production is Crossroads, the story of Whites life.

The studio is in touch with the state Office of Film, Television and Digital Media about tax credits for infrastructure needs as well as productions, Executive Director George Norfleet said.

White has worked in over 100 films and television programs. He played Mike Tyson in Tyson, on HBO and is best known for Spawn, where he portrayed the comic book superhero, Mortal Kombat: Legacy. His latest film is the comedy Western, The Outlaw Johnny Black.

Salwa Abdussabur, who runs Black Haven in New Haven, was another city resident excited about Jaigantic Studios. She said the visuals that defined Whites career and future plans, particularly around diversity and history is like coming into a new revolution.

Lisa Dent of Art Space New Haven also pressed Berke for opportunities for artists who said they would be part of the virtual productions. He said eventually mill work will also be done in New Haven.

Lisa Cruthfield-McLean of BLOOM was at the recent Shelton event, as was Alisa Bowens-Mercado of Rhythm Brewing Co.. Sandras Next Generation soul food was represented.

It is so important for me to see other peoples vision for a city that is near and dear to my heart, Bowens-Mercado said.
ORANGE  With the states legalization of recreational marijuana, the Town Plan & Zoning Commission is grappling with whether to prohibit the retail sale of the drug or create regulations to control it.

They also have the option of doing nothing, which would allow sales in a retail zone without restrictions, but that was taken off the table.

The planners, it appears, are leaning toward creating regulations for the sale of marijuana that might include signage and rules concerning proximity to certain establishments, such as schools and houses of worship.

Selectman Mitch Goldblatt said hes all for a pending measure to ban the smoking of marijuana and tobacco on town property and in outdoor dining settings  but he believes marijuana should be sold in town, with regulations, because the town allows stores that sell other products many find objectionable, including liquor, guns, cigarettes and cigars, and tattoos.

Goldblatt said Orange also has pharmacies and the sale of cannabis will be highly regulated just like the drugs sold there.

There also will be a financial benefit to the town, with a special 3 percent tax on sales, per state regulations. Goldblatt said that adds up.

The question of whether to ban or regulate sale of the product will get further discussion  two of the five PZC members were absent at an August meeting  and then Town Attorney Vincent Marino will be asked to draft a resolution that will be brought to public hearing for residents.

Meanwhile, the Board of Selectman is poised at a public hearing scheduled for Sept 8 to ban the smoking of marijuana and tobacco on property owned by the town, as well as at outdoor dining settings at restaurants.

Selectmen will vote on the proposed measure after hearing comments from the public at the hearing, to be held at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at High Plains Community Center.

Goldblatt, who made comments at the meeting in favor of allowing sales, said it would be shortsighted to ban retail sale of marijuana because small businesses are good for the town and that tax would bring in money.

After a discussion among PZC members at an August meeting, chairman Oscar Ozzie Parente said it sounds like his commission doesnt want to do nothing and doesnt want to prohibit it, so they need regulations that could include conditions such as prohibiting sales in close proximity to schools and/or houses of worship.

Parente noted at the recent meeting that he and another board member, Judy Smith, went into the meeting leaning toward prohibiting sales, then by the end seemed to favor regulation.

PZC member Paul Kaplan said from the outset that its legal in Connecticut, the town is going to make money off it and they need regulations.

Parente originally said, I dont see much value to the town, in allowing cannabis sales.

To that Kaplan asked whether they usually consider the type of business in making planning and zoning decisions. The answer was no.

One factor the PZC took into general consideration is that marijuana is likely to be sold retail in abutting Milford and West Haven anyway. Oranges busy Route 1 corridor is between the towns.

The PZC tried to come up with way to get public opinion on the matter before it takes a stand, but couldnt because it needs to have a draft proposal to have a public hearing, it was decided.

Another question that arose was whether the PZC would review every application for cannabis retail use or such a business would be allowed to just move in if in a location where no permit or variance was otherwise needed.

If a zoning commission is going to enact regulations permitting a cannabis establishment to locate within the town, the law requires that any approval be handled through the special permit process, Marino said.

He said the first step is for the retailer to be licensed by the state to sell cannabis and, I do not expect that licenses will be free-flowing, Marino said.
Your nonreporting of the devastating and dangerous activity happening on our southern border is maddening, but I had become numb to it. But with the Taliban now in charge of all of Afghanistan, with likely support from China, and al-Qaeda on the rise again there, our border situation just got even more serious. To the daily flow of drugs, unvaccinated people, illegal immigration and crime, all pouring through the border recently in unprecedented amounts, we will now have to add the potential of trained terrorists. How could anyone with a mature and realistic sense of risk, and knowledge of history, think otherwise? And probably not just at the southern border. I think its time that you put the interests of the readers who trust you above your political ideology and give them the information they need.

Brian Burke
Was Americas nearly two-decade involvement in Afghanistan worth it? As a former soldier, was it worth nearly five years of my life and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan?

I am proud of the men and women who answered our nations call in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. They volunteered to do a job that most Americans cant (physically, mentally or morally) or wont do  especially during a time of war. Post-9/11 veterans should not confuse our honorable service and sacrifices with the outcomes of the politics and policies of our elected leaders.
A new AP-NORC poll finds half of Americans working in person support COVID-19 vaccine mandates for people at their workplace.
A new survey of organic dairy farmers shows they aren't making much of a profit.
For saying that kidnapping and cultism are the greatest challenges facing the people of Ogun State, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ...





For saying that kidnapping and cultism are the greatest challenges facing the people of Ogun State, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Governor Dapo Abiodun has consciously admitted failure.

When he was playing host to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Johnson Kokumo in Abeokuta on Tuesday, Gov Abiodun stated that the biggest issue we have today in Ogun State is that of random kidnapping and cult activities.

While saying the issue of cultism was abating, the governor expressed worries when he said, we are still struggling and dealing with issues that relate to kidnapping of contractors, farmers and innocent Ogun State residents.

Reacting, the PDP in Ogun State said it was good that the governor had owned up to certain truth.

In an interview with newsmen on Sunday, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ogun State, Akinloye Bankole, explained that the Abiodun government has failed in its primary responsibility.

According to Bankole, the primary responsibility of any government across the globe is the protection of lives and property.

The PDP spokesman regretted that it is a failure for a governor to admit that kidnapping and cultism reign supreme in his State.

He described as unfortunate, the fact that Ogun people found themselves in what he called a mess.

We should thank God that the governor has the courage to own up to certain truth. Gov Abiodun has consciously admitted his failure.

Like we know anywhere in the world, the primary function of any sensible government is the protection of lives and property of its citizens. When a governor now admits that kidnapping and banditry reign supreme in his state, under his watch, it tells you that he has failed and it is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this kind of a mess, Bankole maintained.

He spoke further that the Governor should rise up and ensure the lives and belongings of all Ogun residents are protected irrespective of where they live across the State.

He charged him to make judicious use of his security votes and stop the killing and kidnapping of innocent Ogun people.

Our correspondent recalls that Gov Abiodun has on different occasion warned criminals to steer clear of Ogun State, warning them not to test the resolve of his administration to maintain peace in Ogun, saying anybody who acts in the contrary would find himself to blame.
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has asked the Auditor-General of the Federation, AuGF, Adolphus Aghughu, to avoid seman...





Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has asked the Auditor-General of the Federation, AuGF, Adolphus Aghughu, to avoid semantic gymnastics when he gives the nation a run-down of the audits of ministries and agencies.

The rights group flayed Aghughu for recanting his findings on the consolidated financial statement of the Federal Government in 2019.

It wondered how the AGF is denying that any cash was missing after he told the National Assembly on the 18th of August 2021 that unsubstantiated balances amounting to N4.973 trillion were observed by his office in the audit carried out on the consolidated financial statement of the Federal Government in 2019.

HURIWA expressed shock that the President Muhammadu Buhari government which claims to be fighting corruption was at the same time unwilling to fund the office of the AGF.

The group tasked the AuGF to resign from office if the required material and human resources necessary for efficiency and effectiveness of the office is not provided rather than collecting salaries and allowances for doing next to nothing to detect the colossal and mind-blowing corruption and theft of finances of the public by ministers and Directors General of agencies.

HURIWA said it does not take a soothsayer or naysayers to verify that public sector corruption has destroyed the nations strategic infrastructures due to lack of maintenance.

The rights group said it was unbelievable that the focus of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is on chasing young students about over their despicable involvement in advance fee fraud or yahoo yahoo whereas the largest number of economic saboteurs who are embedded in the public sector of Nigeria are allowed to get away with their monumental and mind-blowing corruption and theft of finances of the public.

HURIWA said that regrettably, as soon as the news got to town that the ministries and agencies failed to give satisfactory accounts of the huge imbalances in expenditures and releases, the same AuGF who had raised the alarm of lack of synergy and balance in the books of the different ministries came out to deny the obvious and asserted that no cash was missing but still failed to explain why no money was missing. Yet the accounts werent balanced as he had alleged.

HURIWA recalled that the Office of the AuGF had said no money is missing from the Federation Account in a clarification note released by the AuGFs press unit.

HURIWA called for an independent forensic probe of the audits submitted by the AuGF because from the drama that has played out with his affirmation of a lack of balance on the books of the ministries and now the clarifications that no cash is missing, what is clear is that the contradictions need to be untangled by a totally independent body of forensic financial auditors.

HURIWA said the Buhari administration was adept at forcing and coercing enforcement and investigative bodies within government to hide their findings of mind-boggling thefts by the political appointees just so the All Progressives Congress government will appear like a saint which isnt the case.

HURIWA charged the EFCC to invite the AuGF to render scientifically and accurate audits of the accounts of the Federal ministries because of the yawning gaps between what the ministries claimed to have executed and whats is on ground as evidence of frauds and lack of transparency and accountability.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel President ...

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel President Muhammadu Buharis administration to publicize details N729 billion payments to 24.3 million Nigerians.

In January, the authorities said more than 7 million poor citizens had benefitted from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).

The CCT, which restarted in August, is a scheme under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

Now, SERAP wants details of the mechanisms and logistics, a list of beneficiaries, how they were selected, and whether the payments were/will be made in cash or through Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs).

The organisation is also seeking an order directing the government to explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, which translates to five percent of the N13.6 trillion 2021 budget.

The action followed SERAPs Freedom of Information (FoI) request to Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

SERAP said disclosing the details of beneficiaries, selection criteria and payment would promote accountability and remove the risks of diversion of funds.

The suit numbered FHC/L/CS/853/2021 seeks clarification on whether the CCT payments are part of the N5.6 trillion budget deficit.

SERAP argues that to spend five percent of a budget mostly based on deficit and borrowing requires anti-corruption safeguards to ensure the monies go directly to the intended beneficiaries.

The suit filed by Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi regretted how the government repeatedly failed to ensure transparency in the spending of public wealth and resources.

They stressed that the right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption.

Democracy cannot flourish in the absence of citizens access to information. Public officers are mere custodians of public records.

The citizenry is entitled to know how their common wealth is being utilized, managed and administered, the lawyers said.

The court is expected to fix a date for a hearing of the suit.

In reaction to allegations of fraud and opaque disbursements, Minister Farouq accused critics of rubbishing the governments efforts.
Cristiano Ronaldo is not in line to make his second Premier League debut for Manchester United today. The Red Devils travel to face Wolverha...

Cristiano Ronaldo is not in line to make his second Premier League debut for Manchester United today.

The Red Devils travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, having picked up four points from their first two fixtures.

Ronaldo sealed a shock return to United on Friday but will have to wait until the international week to play for Ole Gunnar Solskjaers team.

The 36-year-olds move was not finalized in time for him to be registered with the Premier League.

It is also understood that Ronaldo is yet to undergo his medical and process a UK visa.

The former Juventus and Real Madrid superstar will, however, get the chance to play at Old Trafford again, when they host Newcastle on September 11.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 66F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 66F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 66F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Hurricane Ida was on course to smash ashore in southeastern Louisiana at mid-day Sunday as a monster with top winds expected to hit 155 mph, and pushing a life-threatening storm surge of 16 feet topped by devastating waves.

Two feet of expected rainfall began to dump early Sunday along the coast, with the first sprays reaching nearly empty New Orleans streets before dawn.

By 1 p.m., the storm was due to be just northwest of Port Fourchon, its core set on a path over Houma toward an expected 1 a.m. arrival Monday in Baton Rouge  where it would remain at hurricane strength with top winds of 80 mph and possible triple-digit gusts.

Catastrophic Ida arrived 16 years to the day after the New Orleans region was pummeled by Hurricane Katrina, still the most expensive hurricane in U.S. history.

In St. Charles Parish, one of three coastal parishes to order mandatory parishwide evacuations in the swift leadup to Hurricane Idas landing, the scenario had only grown worse overnight as the storm nudged east.

+2 150 mph winds possible in southeast Louisiana as Hurricane Ida advances The National Weather Service has issued an extreme wind warning for much of southeast Louisiana, with forecasters warning of Hurricane Ida win

We wake up at 4 a.m. (Sunday), and we see a potential Category 5 hurricane, and this track shift is putting us right in the eye wall, St. Charles Parish President Richard Jewell said. Its really as bad as it gets right now.

The Houma area was expected to be hit hard by surge. While parishes and the state have spent $500 million on the first phase of the 92-mile-long Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane levee system, most of the built segments are 12 feet above ground level or less, as little federal money was made available to raise it to 100-year standards.

Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove on Saturday issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents, and directed them to public shelters in Monroe.

As a drizzling rain began to fall about 5:30 a.m. in LaPlace, Birdie's Food & Fuel on Airline Drive was one of the few businesses still open. Channing Redd, 35, pulled his pickup truck up to a fuel pump, getting set to ride out the storm at his River Forest home.

His wife and 8-day-old namesake evacuated to Alabama while Redd filled and placed 380 sandbags around his home, with two pit bulls and a Dachsund for company.

"I've been sandbagging for two days," Redd said. "Hopefully, everyone makes it out alright."

Inside the store, Sylvia Leavey, 56, had just completed an overnight shift disinfecting rooms at Ochsner Health Center in LaPlace, and was breaking for drinks and other last-minute provisions before heading back to the hospital to ride out the storm.

+4 Follow: Parish-by-parish updates from New Orleans area as Hurricane Ida hits Louisiana Hurricane Ida began lashing the Louisiana coast early Sunday and made landfall at Port Fourchon, the offshore oil port just east of Grand Isle

Ida's approach brought back unwelcome memories of Hurricane Katrina, but Leavey insisted she wasnt worried.

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"The Lord's got me," she said.

Hospitals in Idas path went code gray Sunday morning  triggering lockdowns, with staff remaining overnight until roads are clear enough for relief teams to arrive.

Were not concerned about power; were concerned about taking on water, said Angela Lambert, a spokesperson for Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa. And our employees, because many do live in low-lying areas.

Hospitals are handling the incoming threat of the storm while also dealing with a high load of coronavirus patients, many of whom need critical, round-the-clock care. Our ICU is still full, said Lambert. We still have a full house.

Jefferson Parish was desolate early Sunday, its residents either evacuated or cloistered in their homes, mostly.

Cherie Eues sat on the front stoop of her half of a shotgun double on Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna as the winds gusted and rain drizzled down.

Eues, 62, has lived in the house 10 years and said she was confident that the levees and pump stations could keep the water levels down. But even if those failed, she said, she knew people would be there to help.

"I've got extremely good neighbors," she said.

State and parish officials, however, said pleas for emergency help could take days to be answered once the storm leaves.

Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans requested implementation of mutual assistance agreements with other public electric utilities, which will result in a storm team of about 16,000 workers responding after Ida's threat leaves the area. Cleco, on the north shore, also had help at the ready.

"Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a storm as intense as Hurricane Ida could experience outages for more than three weeks," Entergy officials said in a Saturday news release. "While 90% of customers will be restored sooner, customers in the hardest hit areas should plan for the possibility of experiencing extended power outages."

In St. Tammany Parish, about two dozen people, including elderly residents and a family with children, were sheltering at an American Red Cross shelter set up at Creekside Junior High. Another building on campus was being used as a shelter for people who need electrical power to survive. It was staffed with nurses and run by the parish.

Jeanne Marino, director of grants for St. Tammany Parish and the shelter manager, said some people arrived an hour and a half before the shelter opened Saturday afternoon.

Major roadways across the parish were largely deserted. But there were a few signs of life: a line of cars at Butter Krisp diner in Covington spilled onto U.S. 190. A line of customers stretched out of the door.

Customers ordered donuts by the dozen as the TV played the latest Hurricane Ida developments and rain fell outside.

Be safe, my darling, the counter clerk said as a customer walked out into the rain.

Staff writers Michelle Hunter, Marie Fazio, Sara Pagones, Faimon Roberts and Emily Woodruff contributed to this story.
The effects of Hurricane Ida's outer bands could already be felt in parts of St. Tammany Parish Sunday morning as officials announced a parish-wide curfew starting at noon.

Hurricane Ida, which is barreling toward Louisiana, was expected to bring more than 10 inches of rain, flooding and possibly tornadoes to the north shore, Parish President Mike Cooper said at a news conference Sunday morning in Covington. The parish is under a tornado watch until 7 p.m. Sunday.

The parish is expecting wind gusts of 100 mph or more.

"Due to the effects of the storm, local roadways will be inundated and impassable because of high water," Cooper said, adding that widespread power outages for "days and days" were expected.

Nearly 7,500 people were without power as of 11:30 a.m., he said, and boil-water advisories were issued for two Slidell-area subdivisions, Meadow Lake and French Branch Estates.

Two shelters are open in the parish, at Lee Road Jr. High at 79131 Louisiana 40 in Covington, and Creekside Jr. High at 65343 Louisiana 41 in Pearl River.

People will need to bring water, food, medication, bedding and any other supplies they need, "but it's getting kind of late to leave to get to a shelter," Cooper said.

Sheriff Randy Smith urged people to stay off the streets and said that the department has readied high water vehicles and boats readied for rescues.

"We've been through this before and we'll get through it again," Smith said.

Cooper said the United Way of Southeast Louisiana and the North Shore Community Foundation have activated their hurricane relief funds. Residents are asked to email damage@stpgov.org to report damage to their homes and contact their insurance companies.

Clarence Powe, the director of the parish's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, warned that flooding could happen in areas that have never been flooded before.

"From here on out conditions will continue to deteriorate over the next few hours," Powe said.

Traffic and other activity was already at an ebb Sunday morning, hours before Cooper announced the noon curfew, but some businesses were open and had drawn customers.

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John Thomas, pumping gas at an Exxon station in the Lee Road area, said that he had waited until the last minute to get gas for his SUV, which he considers a backup after having already filled up his other vehicles, including a tractor that might be needed to clear a road.

Other gas stations had yellow caution tape roping off pumps, indications that they had no more fuel to sell.

The Waffle House on U.S. 190 in Covington had eight customers early Sunday, including Phillip Clark, a Tulane graduate student who had evacuated from Uptown New Orleans to spend Hurricane Ida at his grandmothers home in Covington.

He had planned to ride the storm out with a friend in New Orleans who has a generator. But he said his parents and his four older brothers -- including one who took Clarks dog to northern Louisiana for the storm -- had prevailed on him to come to the north shore. His grandmother has a generator.

We didnt wake up saying, 'Lets go to the Waffle House,' Clark said, as he tucked into a large plate of food. But his brother, who declined to give name, said, We saw the golden glow.

They figured they would eat a good hot meal while they could, and employees told them the diner would be open until they are told to close.

Waffle House is part of first responders, Johny Long chimed in.

Waffle House saved my life, Long, a 34-year-old construction worker, who was sitting at the counter, said. When he was a homeless teenager living in a tent in the woods, a woman at the Waffle House had let him clean up there and had fed him.

Now, he said, hes there on a daily basis, serving as de facto security to keep drunken customers who come into the 24-hour establishment at night from getting too rowdy.

Cooper said that it was getting too late for residents to head to one of the two shelters that had been opened at 4 p.m. Saturday.

In eastern St. Tammany, 14 people had gone to a shelter at Creekside Junior High in Pearl River. A shelter at Lee Road Junior High near Covington had drawn only two, who were sleeping on cots in the darkened gymnasium early Sunday morning.

Thomas Gromley, a volunteer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, arrived Saturday to help with the storm, along with volunteers from Wisconsin, Kentucky and Arizona.

Gromley had just worked in California for the wildfires where shelters were more crowded. You cant wait out a fire, he noted.

The shelter is prepared for more people, he said, with plenty of water and MREs, but whether more would arrive was unclear. You never know, but were here for them if they come, Gromley said.
Jewish Federation sponsoring trip to Israel

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is offering a mission to Israel from July 12-18, with the opportunity to also visit the United Arab Emirates from July 18-22. By expanding its traditional cultural exchange mission to include a multisector trade and business development mission, the 2022 Federation Mission will strengthen Louisianas economic ties with Israel by helping to increase exports to the country, build strategic relationships and explore new business opportunities. Registration will open in the fall.

The trade mission will include a lineup of partners including: Jones Walker, the World Trade Center New Orleans, the New Orleans Business Alliance, GNO Inc., Louisiana Economic Development and Ochsner Health. The mission will feature a traditional Explore Israel track, as well as four industry tracks in sectors for which Israel is among the world leaders in business and innovation:

Medicine/biotechnology/health care

Energy/water management/engineering

Transportation/port/maritime

Cybersecurity/innovation

The mission will include visits to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and industry specific places of interest for each of the four business tracks. The delegation will comprise about 200 business, community, educational and government leaders. Participants will also enjoy an exclusive opportunity to take part in the opening ceremonies of the Maccabiah Games, the third largest sporting event in the world.

For information, visit www.louisianatoisrael.com or contact Aaron Bloch at the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, aaron@jewishnola.com or (504) 780-5608.

Manufacturing group partners with Louisiana community colleges

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana announced an enhanced integration and branding initiative with Louisianas Community and Technical College System. LCTCS began hosting the group in 2016 and has developed an expanded integration bringing comprehensive, proven solutions to Louisiana manufacturers on a local level.

Through the years, manufacturing group has developed a wide range of services and initiatives to enable manufacturers to identify opportunities that will accelerate and strengthen growth and competitiveness in the global marketplace. Now, more than half of the community colleges serve as a local MEP center.

The announcement includes the unveiling of a new logo and brand identity for MEP of LA, which incorporates elements of the LCTCS brand. The logo rebrand symbolizes this new and successful working relationship in support of the manufacturing industry across our state.

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Manufacturers who are interested in manufacturing group services should contact (337) 394-2763 to be put in touch with a local college region MEP representative.

Handyman Connection opens Baton Rouge franchise

Handyman Connection, a home repair company in operation for 30 years, has opened its newest franchise in Louisiana. Handyman Connection of Baton Rouge provides home renovation and restoration services throughout the area, including Denham Springs, Prairieville and Central. It is owned and operated by Shane Mouton.

Mouton is a native of Baton Rouge and an LSU graduate.

Handyman Connection of Baton Rouge has job opportunities in several areas, including carpenter, contractor and drywall finisher. For information and to apply, visit handymanconnection.com/baton-rouge/become-a-craftsman/.

To request a free, no-obligation project estimate, call or text (225) 432-1777 or visit handymanconnection.com/baton-rouge.

Accounting firm opens permanent Albany location

Hebert, Johnson and Associates, a full-service accounting firm serving business, individuals, nonprofits and governmental entities, has opened a permanent location in Albany.

The business is now located at 18890 Florida Blvd. The company also has a location in Ponchatoula.
The 911 system in New Orleans temporarily went down Sunday morning ahead of Hurricane Ida, officials said at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The system was back online as of 10:10 a.m., according to Marcus Creel, the public information officer for the Orleans Parish Communication District.

He said it was an issue with the AT&T network, and the company has been notified.

If the system goes down again, anyone with an emergency should call 504-821-2222.

Hurricane Ida is expected to make landfall Sunday in Louisiana near Category 5 strength.

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Ida has winds of 150 mph and additional strengthening is expected before landfall, the National Hurricane Center said at 10 a.m. Category 5 storms have winds of 157 mph or greater.

Louisiana residents in the path of the storm should shelter in place immediately, officials said.

You should go to a "shelter in a shelter" - a small closet or bathroom with no windows and preferably no outside walls. Prepare to hunker down for the next 24 hours, they said.

Staff writers Carlie Kollath Wells and Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed to this story.

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As Hurricane Ida approaches the Louisiana coast with winds nearing Category 5 status, officials in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes are nervously bracing for the rapidly-intensifying storm's impact.

An overnight shift east presented a "worst-case scenario" for St. Charles Parish, President Matthew Jewell said Sunday morning.

For days, officials had been pleading with St. Charles residents to get out of Ida's way, ordering a mandatory parishwide evacuation on Friday.

We wake up at 4 a.m. (Sunday), and we see a potential Category 5 hurricane, and this track shift is putting us right in the eye wall, Jewell said. Its really as bad as it gets right now.

St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard issued a voluntary evacuation order. On Saturday evening, officials opened a shelter of last resort, Emily C. Watkins School, 938 Louisiana 628, LaPlace, where there were about 32 adults early Sunday morning.

(Check here for a list of Hurricane Ida shelters in the New Orleans area)

As a drizzling rain began to fall about 5:30 a.m., Birdie's Food & Fuel on Airline Drive, was one of the few businesses still open in LaPlace. Channing Redd, 35, pulled his pick-up truck up to a fuel pump to grab more gasoline as he prepared to ride out the storm at his River Forest home.

Redd's 8-day-old son, Channing Jr., and his wife, evacuated to Alabama while he filled and placed 380 sandbags around his home.

"I've been sandbagging for two days," said Redd, who will have his two pit bulls and a Dachshund for company. "Hopefully, everyone makes it out alright."

+10 Packing dangerous winds and a massive storm surge, Hurricane Ida on crash course with Louisiana Hurricane Ida was on course to smash ashore in southeastern Louisiana at mid-day Sunday as a monster with top winds expected to hit 155 mph, a

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In St. Charles Parish, officials opened two shelters of last resort Sunday morning. On the west bank, residents can head to the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center, 274 Judge Edward A. Dufresne Parkway, Luling.

On the east bank, the shelter is operating at Harry Hurst Middle School's gym, 170 Road Runner Lane, Destrehan. The shelters are for residents who did not evacuate and feel they are in danger, those living in substandard structures, mobile homes. Residents must bring all of their own supplies including food, clothing, medications and water.

In St. Rose, several St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office deputies were the last customers of a Waffle House on Airline Highway that was scheduled to close at 7 a.m. Cook/server Lakin Felder, 29, said she'd been at the restaurant since 9 p.m. Saturday.

It was a very slow night with only a handful of customers seeking meals or hot coffee. Felder, who is from LaPlace, was preparing to leave for a hotel where she planned to ride out the storm with her children.

"We don't have the money to evacuate right now," she said.

If undamaged, the Waffle House should is scheduled to reopen on Monday morning.

Back over in LaPlace at Birdie's Food & Fuel, Sylvia Leavey, 56, had just completed an overnight shift disinfecting rooms at Ochsner Health Center in LaPlace.

She was making a stop at the store to buy beer, drinks and other last-minute provisions for her family before she headed back to the hospital at 10 a.m.

Ida's approach brings back unwelcome memories of Hurricane Katrina for Leavey, a former New Orleans resident. But she's said she's not worried.

"The Lord's got me," Leavey said.
The partial loss of generator power Sunday at a Louisiana hospital in the path of Hurricane Ida sent doctors and nurses scrambling to keep patients breathing as they moved them to a different area.

Patients at Thibodaux Regional Health System in Lafourche Parish were bagged by hand, meaning hospital staff manually pushed air in and out of their lungs in place of mechanical ventilation, while they were transported to another floor, according to officials with the Louisiana Department of Health. Other generators in the hospital are still in working order, according to Dr. Joe Kanter, the state's chief health officer, as workers and patients there continue to ride out the storm.

Officials from Thibodaux Regional Health System posted on social media around 7 p.m. Sunday that "the backup generator that was affected earlier by winds from the hurricane is back online at the current time."

"Due to the unknown impacts that the storm may still produce we are closely monitoring the situation," they added. "We continue to provide a safe environment for our patients and staff."

+3 Nearly 600,000 without power, as Hurricane Ida rips through southeast Louisiana Nearly 600,000 residences and businesses were without power in southeast Louisiana early evening Sunday, as Hurricane Ida left a trail of dest

State Reps. Jerome Zeringue and Tanner Magee, both Republicans from Houma, said they received reports of problems at the hospital Sunday afternoon. Zeringue said he was in touch with a physician who reported that generators failed in the hospital's intensive-care unit and described conditions inside as "Katrinaesque."

Patients had to be transferred from the ICU to the hospital's post-anesthesia care unit using the hospital's stairwell, Magee and Zeringue said. It isn't clear how many patients were moved.

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A representative from the hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Social media posts from the medical center said high winds caused a temporary issue with one of the hospital's backup generators.

Grand Isle first responders struggling to survey damage as Ida's winds still pounding island Nearly six hours after Hurricane Ida made landfall near Grand Isle, the island was still being buffeted by 80 mph winds that made it tough for

Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana's coast as a powerful Category 4 storm, with its eye close to Houma just south of Thibodaux, according to a 5 p.m. update from the National Weather Service. A monitoring system at the South Lafourche airport recorded sustained winds at 93 miles per hour, with gusts up to 122 miles per hour.

The 911 system in Lafourche Parish, where the hospital is located, is no longer working, according to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office. Residents in need of emergency assistance can call (985) 772-4810 or (985) 772-4824. If busy, keep trying, the sheriffs office wrote online.

This is a developing story. More to come.
Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng on Saturday again urged residents  even those inside the levee protection system  to evacuate quickly ahead of the approach of Hurricane Ida.

"If you have the ability to leave, you should leave," she said Saturday afternoon. "We are expecting widespread outages and flash flooding."

The parish has called for a mandatory evacuation of those who live outside the levee protection system due to the expected storm surge from Ida. But time is growing short, she said.

"The storm surge we are expecting is unsurvivable," she said. "We need you to leave immediately ... the window is closing."

Lee Sheng made her comments after surveying preparations in Lafitte, where she said sand bags were being placed against the expected storm surge from Ida, which forecasters say could become a Category 4 storm by the time it makes landfall late Sunday or early Monday. The possible 15 feet of storm surge could be devastating for communities like Lafitte and Grand Isle.

+22 South Louisiana scrambles as 'life-altering' Hurricane Ida bears down Southern Louisiana braced for massive damage and flooding as Hurricane Ida strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, forecast to make la

Saturday, she urged residents to secure any loose items outside their houses, such as trash cans or other items.

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"Those are going to be very dangerous once the winds come," she said.

Jefferson Parish sheriff Joe Lopinto had some advice for those who are choosing to hunker down.

"If you are staying, stay in your house, don't get out," he said. "We don't need cars out on the street."

Parish officials have prepared to open a shelter at PARD Playground in Marrero if needed and could open others as conditions warrant. COVID protocols, including masks and temperature checks, will be used at any shelters. Those who are COVID positive or have high temperatures will be isolated.

Folks should be prepared to endure a long one, Lee Sheng noted.

"This storm is not supposed to pass through quickly," she said.
Hurricane Ida strengthened into a major hurricane early Sunday morning and it is expected to continue strengthen rapidly over the next 12-18 hours before it makes landfall along the Louisiana coast on Sunday afternoon or evening.

UPDATE: Ida becomes Category 4 hurricane

As of 12:45 a.m., it is a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The newest forecast, which was released at 10 p.m., places Ida slightly to the east of previous tracks.

+3 Storm surge from Ida could overtop some West Bank levees; officials say they will hold Hurricane Ida could bring up to 15 feet of storm surge to parts of the west bank of Jefferson Parish, threatening to push water over the tops 

The more easterly path likely increases the chance that some locations within the West Bank segment of the New Orleans hurricane levee system might be overtopped, a concern raised Saturday by officials with the Army Corps of Engineers. It also increases the chance that lower levees protection part of the Jean Lafitte community will be overtopped.

The eye is expected to make landfall on Cheniere Caminada between the offshore oil port of Port Fourchon and the populated barrier island, Grand Isle. The area of landfall is mostly owned by the city of New Orleans through the New Orleans-controlled Wisner Trust.

Here's what we know about Hurricane Ida as of 1 a.m. Sunday"

+10 Hurricane Ida poised for catastrophic collision with Louisiana on Sunday evening; see path Hurricane Ida advanced Saturday toward a catastrophic collision with the Louisiana coast just south of Houma as a Category 4 storm with top wi

Where is the hurricane?

Ida is located about 105 miles south southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 185 miles southeast of Houma.

Ida was moving northwest at 15 mph, and this should continue into early Monday.

It will then began to take a slower northward motion on Monday with a northeastward turn expected on Monday night.

Ida's impacts

Hurricane-force wins reach out up to 40 miles from the center of Ida.

Parts of the Louisiana coast could see Ida's impacts as early as Sunday morning. That will include life-threatening storm surge, potentially catastrophic wind damage and flooding rainfall, forecasters say.

Some isolated locations could experience up to 20 inches of rain.

"Heavy rainfall from Ida will begin to impact the Louisiana coast Sunday morning, spreading northeast into the Lower Mississippi Valley later Sunday into Monday," meteorologist John Cangialosi said in the forecast message. "Total rainfall accumulations of 8 to 16 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches are possible across southeast Louisiana into southern Mississippi through Monday."

Hurricane #Ida is approaching the Louisiana coast and forecast to rapidly intensify into a dangerous major hurricane before landfall. Here are the latest Key Messages. See https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB for details. pic.twitter.com/f6GMTR8NOr  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

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Potential storm surge height above ground:

Morgan City, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River 10-15 ft

Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, MS including Lake Borgne 7-11 ft

Burns Point, LA to Morgan City, LA 6-9 ft

Lake Pontchartrain 5-8 ft

Ocean Springs, MS to MS/AL border 4-7 ft

Intracoastal City, LA to Burns Point, LA including Vermilion Bay 4-6 ft

Lake Maurepas 4-6 ft

Pecan Island, LA to Intracoastal City, LA 2-4 ft

MS/AL border to AL/FL border including Mobile Bay 2-4 ft

Sabine Pass to Pecan Island, LA 1-3 ft

Watches and warnings in effect

Watches and warnings have been issued related to Hurricane Ida. There were no changes to these updates in the latest forecast report.

A watch means storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. A warning means storm conditions are expected within the next 36 hours.

A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...

East of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border

Vermilion Bay, Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Mobile Bay

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

Intracoastal City Louisiana to the Mouth of the Pearl River

Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

Cameron Louisiana to west of Intracoastal City Louisiana

Mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama/Florida border

Storm categories

Ida is the ninth named storm of the 2021 hurricane season. The categories, in order of increasing strength, are tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane (categories 1 through 5).

On the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the wind categories are:

Tropical storm: 39 to 73 mph

Category 1 hurricane: 74 to 95 mph

Category 2 hurricane: 96 to 110 mph

Category 3 hurricane (major hurricane): 111 to 129 mph

Category 4 hurricane: 130-156 mph

Category 5 hurricane: 157 mph and higher

Staff writers Patrick Magee, Julia Guilbeau and Carlie Kollath Wells contributed to this story.

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Hurricane Ida's fierce winds, strong storm surge and heavy rainfall aren't the only threats that St. Tammany Parish officials are concerned about. They're also keeping a cautious eye on rivers that are forecast to reach flood stage  in some cases, major flood stage  in the storm's aftermath.

On Sunday morning, St. Tammany's rivers were all well below flood stage, and late last week parish officials were saying that the streams had plenty of capacity.

But that's expected to change going into Monday and Tuesday, as Ida is expected to dump 10 inches or more of rain and Ida's severe winds and the storm surge the storm is pushing will prevent bayous and streams from draining.

St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said the Tchefuncte River near Covington is expected to crest at 28 feet on Tuesday, which is considered major flood stage for the river.

Cooper said people who flooded in March of 2016 should be especially vigilant. While the impacts remain to be seen, we do know that residents near the following rivers should be vigilant. Its important to note these are projections, but are cause for increased awareness.

The Tchefuncte's crest could cause flooding in low-lying homes in the Goodbee area, areas off Tantella Ranch Road, Flowers Estates, Old Landing and Riverbend Lane, he said.

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Cooper also cited forecasts for the Bogue Falaya, which call for Tuesday morning crests of 15 feet at Boston Street and 56 feet at Camp Covington around 1 p.m. That's considered moderate flood state for both locations.

Cooper said flooding could occur on River Bend Road, at Christ Episcopal School and Bogue Falaya Park and that there could be water on Louisiana 21 and E. Boston St.

The crest at Camp Abbey could threaten lower-lying properties off Million Dollar Road and near St. Joseph Abbey. Parts of Million Dollar Road near KC Camp Road could be inundated.'

On the eastern side of the parish, the Pearl River is expected to reach minor flood stage Sunday or Monday, but forecasts call for it to continue to swell and to crest at 17.5 feet, just below major flood stage of 18 feet, on Sept. 5.

Danielle Manning, a senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, said that the rivers along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts could experience "moderate to major flooding," particularly portions of the Tangipahoa, Tchefuncte and Jourdan rivers. But it could change, as the predictions "are almost entirely based on forecast rainfall."

Staff writer Marie Fazio contributed to this report.
The eye of potentially cataclysmic Category 4 Hurricane Ida made a second landfall in coastal Louisiana just southeast of Galliano at about 2 p.m., according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm still had sustained winds of 145 mph after traversing a portion of Barataria Bay after making a first landfall at Port Fourchon, the offshore oil port just east of Grand Isle, at 11:55 a.m.

"Within the past hour, a research wind gauge near Golden Meadow, Louisiana, reported sustained winds of 70 mph and a gust to 107 mph and a Weatherflow site in Dulac reported sustained winds of 76 mph and a gust to 104 mph," forecasters said in a 2 p.m. update. "The New Orleans Lakefront Airport reported a peak wind gust of 76 mph within the last hour."

Ida's top winds were 150 mph at the time of its initial landfall, accompanied by a life-threatening storm surge of 16 feet above ground, topped by devastating waves that are already invading much of the southeastern Louisiana coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Ida's initial landfall winds equal the intensity of both Hurricane Laura, which made landfall in Cameron Parish last year, and the Last Island hurricane of 1856, which hit Isle Derniere along the Louisiana central coast.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, Ida's forward speed had slowed to 12 mph, as it moved northwest, and its central pressure had risen slightly to 934 millibars, from a low of 930 mb at landfall.

At 1:30 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a second Extreme Wind Warning for portions of St. John the Baptist, St. James, St. Charles, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, Plaquemines and Assumption parishes for widespread destructive winds of 115 to 135 mph, lasting until 4:30 p.m.

"Take cover now!" the warning said. "Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to a safe room in your shelter. Take action now to protect your life."

Communities covered by the warning include Houma, Thibodaux, Reserve, Cut Off, Galliano, Larose, Hahnville, LaPlace, Gramercy, Lutcher, Lockport, Golden Meadow, Jean Lafitte, Mathews, Schriever, Montz, Chauvin, Dulac, Luling and Garyville.

Winds as high as 128 mph were recorded at the mouth of the Mississippi River as early as 7 a.m., and the National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Wind Advisory for much of the southeastern coast.

On Sunday morning, National Hurricane Center Director Kenneth Graham warned that hurricane-force winds were being experienced 50 miles out from the storm's center, part of the trigger for the extreme wind alert. Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 150 miles.

A NOAA National Ocean Service tide gauge at Shell Beach reported a water level of 6.8 feet above mean higher high water, which forecasters said represented the inundation in that area.

At the Carrollton Gauge in the Mississippi River in New Orleans, water had risen to 10.57 feet by 11 a.m., from just under 5 feet at midnight.

Gusts of 60 mph were reported at Lakefront Airport just before 11 a.m.

On its present course, Ida's eye will move north northwest across Port Fourchon over the next few hours, traveling along the western side of Bayou Lafouche past Galliano, Montegut, Larose, Lockport and Houma during the day, reaching a point just west of Lutcher at 7 p.m., still with top winds of 105 mph and gusts to 125 mph.

Stunning video taken from inside the eye of #Ida this morning by the NESDIS Ocean Winds Research team during a flight on the @NOAA_HurrHunter P3 aircraft @NOAASatellites pic.twitter.com/sjt970Yeiq  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

That path then turns more north, putting the eye east of Donaldsonville and Gonzales and moving directly over Walker, east of Baton Rouge before exiting north into Mississippi overnight.

+4 Follow: Parish-by-parish updates from New Orleans area as Hurricane Ida hits Louisiana Hurricane Ida began lashing the Louisiana coast early Sunday and made landfall at Port Fourchon, the offshore oil port just east of Grand Isle

"Catastrophic impacts can be expected" in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes over the next few hours as the storm moves through, forecasters with the Slidell office of the National Weather Service warned. The office also issued a warning for the New Orleans area just before 11 a.m. that tropical storm force winds had arrived.

Two feet of expected rainfall began to dump early Sunday along the coast, with the first sprays reaching nearly empty New Orleans streets before dawn. Most areas could see at least 16 inches through Monday.

A flash flood watch remains in effect for the region

Forecasters warned that extreme rainfall may require evacuations and rescues, and said problem areas are likely to include locations along rivers and bayous on the north shore, many of which are already posted with flood warnings lasting through the next few days.

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Catastrophic Ida arrived 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina landed on the New Orleans region, still the most expensive hurricane in U.S. history.

In St. Charles Parish, one of three coastal parishes to order mandatory parishwide evacuations in the swift leadup to Hurricane Idas landing, the scenario had only grown worse overnight as the storm nudged east.

We wake up at 4 a.m. (Sunday), and we see a potential Category 5 hurricane, and this track shift is putting us right in the eye wall, St. Charles Parish President Richard Jewell said. Its really as bad as it gets right now.

Shelters have opened in New Orleans (list) and Baton Rouge (list), along with at least three others statewide.

Shelter in place immediately

Louisiana residents in the path of the storm should shelter in place immediately, officials said at 9 a.m.

You should go to a "shelter in a shelter" - a small closet or bathroom with no windows and preferably no outside walls. Prepare to hunker down for the next 24 hours, they said.

"Conditions will be worsening throughout the day as Ida makes landfall," the National Weather Service in Slidell said. "DO NOT, we repeat, DO NOT, go outside during this time! Stay in place."

Forecasters warned that Ida's extreme winds could cause structural damage to sturdy buildings, including complete roof and wall failures. Mobile homes are likely to be destroyed. And damage is likely to be exacerbated by large airborne projectiles.

The winds are likely to snap or uproot large trees, and blow over fences and road signs, and roads could become impassible from debris.

Parts of southeast Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida also are under a tornado watch until 7 p.m.

More watches and warnings related to Hurricane Ida are in effect for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Storm surge remains a key concern on the West Bank, where surge heights of 16 feet could result in overtopping of the New Orleans area hurricane levee system, which is designed to withstand flood heights with a 1% chance of occurring in any year, a so-called 100-year storm.

Ida's surge likely will be greater than that 1% standard in some places, officials with the Army Corps of Engineers warned on Saturday.

Surge could also be a problem for areas west of Lake Pontchartrain in St. John the Baptist, St. James and Tangipahoa parishes, where surge heights of as much as 8 feet are possible.

The Houma area was expected to be pummeled by surge. While parishes and the state have spent $500 million on the first phase of the 92-mile-long Morganza-to-the-Gulf hurricane levee system, most of the built segments are 12 feet above ground level or less, as little federal money was made available to raise it to 100-year standards.

Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove on Saturday issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents, and directed them to public shelters in Monroe.

Meanwhile, Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans have requested implementation of mutual assistance agreements with other public electric utilities, which it said will result in a storm team of about 16,000 workers responding after Ida's threat leaves the area.

"Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a storm as intense as Hurricane Ida could experience outages for more than three weeks," Entergy officials said in a Saturday news release. "While 90% of customers will be restored sooner, customers in the hardest hit areas should plan for the possibility of experiencing extended power outages."

Staff writer Carlie Kollath Wells contributed to this story.
Hurricane Ida remained a potentially catastrophic Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 120 mph, life-threatening storm surge of as much as 16 feet above ground and as much as two feet of rain, as it moved inland on Sunday.

At 7 p.m., the storm's eye was about 25 miles west southwest of New Orleans, moving northwest at 10 mph.

"Rapid weakening is expected during the next day or so, however Ida is forecast to remain a hurricane through late tonight and remain a tropical storm until Monday afternoon," said senior hurricane specialist Daniel Brown of the National Hurricane Center.

It will still be a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts to 90 mph on Monday at 1 a.m., when it was projected to be just east of Zachary and Baker.

Hurricane-force winds extended outward as far as 45 miles from Ida's center Sunday afternoon, and tropical storm-force winds extended outward as far as 150 miles.

The Slidell office of the National Weather Service issued an extreme wind warning for portions of Jefferson, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist,, St.. James, eastern Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes until 6:30 p.m. for widespread destructive winds of 115 to 125 mph. Communities in the warning include Metairie, Norco, Waggaman, Luling, Des Allemands, Gramercy, St. James, Chackbay and several more that were in earlier extreme warnings along the path of Ida's eye.

Sustained winds of 93 mph have been reported in Dulac, with a gust to 135 mph, while South Lafourche Airport reported sustained winds of 91 mph and a gust of 122 mph.

In New Orleans, Lakefront Airport reported sustained winds of 51 mph, with a gust to 82 mph.

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The storm already had weakened some by the afternoon, as its wind speed has dropped significantly from the 150 mph measured earlier at landfall at Port Fourchon. Its central pressure continued to drop.

Forecasters warned there remained a potential for storm surge of 12 to 16 feet from Port Fourchon to the mouth of the Mississippi River, but the port had seen a high water mark of barely 3 feet and Grand Isle measured barely 4 feet on Sunday, with water levels dropping during the afternoon after Ida's eye moved inland.

Rain remained a concern, forecasters said, with total accumulations on Sunday and Monday estimated to reach 10 to 18 inches. Isolated locations could see as much as 24 inches in southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi through Monday.

"This is likely to result in life-threatening flash and urban flooding and significant river flooding impacts," Brown said.

A hurricane warning remained in effect from Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River, including metropolitan New Orleans and lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas.

A storm surge warning was in effect from Morgan City to the Alabama-Florida border, including lakes Borgne, Pontchartrain and Maurepas in Louisiana and Mobile Bay in Alabama.

The hurricane warning along the Louisiana coast from Morgan City to Intracoastal City was changed to a tropical storm warning, and the tropical storm warning farther west to Cameron was discontinued. The storm surge warning west of Morgan City also was discontinued.
Sixteen years ago today, Louisianans were doing the same thing they are now: Watching a red, ulcerated mass spin across the Gulf toward their homes.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005 as a Category 3 hurricane. Though a last-minute jog to the right spared New Orleans a direct blow, the federal levee system failed. The levees breached in more than 50 places. Brackish water filled 80% of New Orleans up just like the proverbial bowl residents had long described when speculating about the big one, and what they would do if it hit.

Then, the people of Louisiana didn't know how many big ones the future held, or that on the 16th anniversary of a storm that killed more than 1,800 people, they would be experiencing dual disasters. The state is a hotspot for the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, fixed in the crosshairs of a hurricane predicted to be wetter and stronger than Katrina at landfall, if smaller in width.

Hurricane Ida strengthens into major hurricane as it moves toward Louisiana; see path Hurricane Ida strengthened into a major hurricane early Sunday morning and it is expected to continue strengthen rapidly over the next 12-18 h

On the eve of this somber anniversary, Gov. John Bel Edwards acknowledged his constituents trauma.

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Its very painful to think about another powerful storm like Hurricane Ida making landfall on that anniversary, Edwards said in an Aug. 28 press conference. But I also want you to know that were not the same state that we were 16 years ago.  We have a hurricane reduction system in place  that we didnt have before.

That system is going to be tested. The people of Louisiana are going to be tested. But we are resilient and tough people. And were going to get through this.

Watch the full video:
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell must have been so mad that she couldn't think straight, and no wonder.

Running a big city in these turbulent times is tough enough without having to contend with spiteful busybodies from obscure state agencies.

Exactly what Cantrell means when she calls State Bond Commission antics disingenuous to what New Orleans means to the state of Louisiana, is anyone's guess, but such spluttering incoherence makes it clear that she is most displeased.

The commission voted to hold up the financing of several projects New Orleans needs to restore some semblance of normality. Nobody even pretended there were questions about the financial arrangements, which is the commission's only proper concern.

The delay can only have been payback because the commission is dominated by Republicans, while Cantrell is one of those wishy-washy Democrats who favor government measures to mitigate the deadly spread of COVID-19. A couple of commission members did try to claim a grown-up or germane explanation for the vote, but it wasn't there. They just wound up looking even goofier.

And that is saying something, for they were evidently taking their cue from state Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is so goofy that he may well be the GOP nominee for governor next time around. As the fearless leader who will defend your freedom to catch the coronavirus, Landry wanted funding for the Saints cut off because they refused to reimburse season ticket holders who objected to Cantrell's mask mandate. The Saints did finally relent, but too late for the bond commission, of which Landry is an ex officio member, to call off the dogs.

Cantrell's meaning was plain enough when, in denouncing the shameful Bond Commission vote, she called New Orleans the backbone of the state. The risk with that kind of remark is that it could cause offense in the backwaters by giving the impression that New Orleans sinners look down their noses at the rubes.

The truth is that, if bond commission members would quit obstructing legitimate New Orleans projects for petty partisan purposes, town and country could unite for the common good. But the spirit of the times is not conducive to a cooperative attitude.

The commission is responsible for certifying that bonds are issued in accordance with constitutional and statutory requirements and feasibility, including the ability to repay any indebtedness incurred, but state law says it shall have no authority or responsibility beyond such unsexy chores.

Jerome Zeringue, R,-Houma, must know that because he is not only a commission member but chairs the House Appropriations Committee. Asked why he voted to screw New Orleans, Zeringue nevertheless told a reporter, You have to walk through the project and make sure the engineers and everyone meets with the building codes.

Nonsense, and even Zeringue did not deny that the commission was miffed over the vaccine mandate. He just claimed it was not the primary reason for delay. Still, things could be worse. Imagine the confusion if commission members actually believed that inspecting buildings was their job.

Email James Gill at gill504nola@gmail.com.
Richard Nixon popularized the phrase the silent majority more than 50 years ago, referring to voters who were not involved in the anti-war/counterculture demonstrations of the day.

More recently, Donald Trump attached the label to his most loyal followers to somewhat comical effect, given that they were neither silent nor a majority. Noisy minority was more like it.

Theres a noisy minority around today too, people who are screaming up a storm over the obvious need for public health precautions to curb the delta variant of the coronavirus and head off further mutations, preserve hospitals ability to treat patients, save lives and set us all back on a path to normalcy. Members have shown up at public meetings and shouted over officials such as the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which canceled a vote to give them what they wanted  an option for local school districts to not require masks  because of the chaos.

Sadly, there are too many politicians who are treating these voices as if theyre the only ones that matter.

That was the dynamic at a recent State Bond Commission meeting, when 12 Republican state officials and legislators slapped back at New Orleans vaccine mandate, and at the New Orleans Saints cooperation with the citys protocol, by delaying funding for construction projects. Only commission members representing Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards opposed the nakedly political maneuver.

Playing to this crowd has become a knee-jerk move for some politicians, and a go-to stance for Attorney General Jeff Landry, the only statewide elected official who wont say whether hes vaccinated (the others all are, according to the USA Today Networks Greg Hilburn).

Landry has been stoking opposition for much of the pandemic and particularly during the current, deadly fourth wave, advising BESE that it didnt need to follow the governors mask-in-schools order and offering to go to bat for Saints season ticket holders who dont want to vax up or be tested before heading to the Caesars Superdome. As of Friday, his website was prominently encouraging disgruntled fans to file a consumer dispute form over the teams refund policies.

Meanwhile, signs that the majority is resigned to the reality of the situation abound. Most Saints fans appear willing to comply with the attendance requirements. The vaccination rate in the state is noticeably improving, although at 41% its still too low.

There havent been many pro-vax and mask demonstrations, probably because most people are resigned to behaving responsibly, even if reluctantly; a few that Ive heard from said that the last place they want to be is in a room full of people yelling maskless about precautions, and potentially spewing COVID-19 all over the place. But parents who worry about sending their kids into unsafe schools are demanding to their concerns be considered too.

There havent been recent public polls in Louisiana, but Landry et al. might want to watch the news out of Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis has acted aggressively against public health measures that have widespread support among his constituents, while his handling of the crisis does not.

Theres an obvious partisan division to all of this, but theres support for sensible measures among Republican pols too. U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are touting vaccination, as is U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Start, who lost her husband Luke to COVID-19. U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, who last month responded to a question over his status by saying that he lost his father to COVID-19 and has followed all medical guidance from his physician, has since confirmed to the papers editorial board that hes gotten his shots. U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, released an Odd Couple-style public service announcement with new colleague Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, stressing that vaccination is an area on which they agree.

And heres one more hint at where the center lies. During a recent rally in Alabama, Trump said that taking the vaccine is a good thing, and got a telling response  not the usual lusty cheers, some boos, but mostly just a brief lull in enthusiasm. He clearly heard the boos, but it wasnt at all clear that he registered the quiet.

I dont know. Maybe the silent majority in even that sympathetic crowd was trying to tell him something.
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
Lock Have, Pa. -- Lock Haven University recently announced the winners of the 2021 University Faculty Awards. Following the application and faculty committee review process, Dr. Jennifer Deitloff was the recipient of the Outstanding Scholarship Award and Dr. Matthew McKeague was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award.

To be considered for the Scholarship Award, applicants must provide a narrative that details the following areas of scholarship and how they impact their field of study: Publications; presentations; new courses, new programs or similar curricular development projects; professional growth and development, research; and any relevant samples of their work.

To be considered for the Service Award, applicants must provide a narrative that details the following areas of service: departmental, APSCUF, university and community service, as well as any samples of their work.

The success of our students is our highest priority, and they achieve success in great part because of the dedication and support of our talented faculty members, said Dr. Bashar Hanna, LHU interim president. I congratulate Drs. Deitloff and McKeague on this well-deserved recognition and thank each of them for their commitment to our students.

Deitloff has been a member of the LHU Biology Department since fall 2014. In her seven years at The Haven, she has built a strong research program that centers on student interest and helps them build the skills they need to succeed in future biology careers. She also helps to prepare her students for further study in graduate school, medical school or other professional programs.

Working with students to further our research goals is very rewarding and one of the best parts of my job, Deitloff said. I am very lucky to have such amazing students to collaborate with. This award and my research program, in general, would not be possible without these students. It also wouldnt be as enjoyable!

At LHU, she teaches upper-level Biology courses in Herpetology and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy as well as introductory Biology courses. Her research program focuses on evolutionary ecology of amphibians and reptiles and typically studies complex traits such as behavior, morphology, and color.

Previous to her time at LHU, she taught and conducted research at Grandview University and Iowa State University, as well as Auburn University, Alabama. She attended graduate school at Iowa State, earning a doctorate degree in ecology and evolutionary biology.

McKeague, a Lock Haven native and 2006 graduate of LHU, is now in his second year teaching in the Communication Department. He has been able to use his vast video production skills to work with his students in the electronic media track to produce more than 20 episodes of the video podcast, TheHavenCast, last year. When presented with the challenge to keep the video production student club, HavenScope, alive when they couldnt meet face-to-face due to COVID-19, he devised TheHavenCast to give students skills in video podcast creating from a distance and the club is now back on the rise.

The podcast perfectly represents one way that I try to inspire students ... I am able to show students how to craft compelling narratives leading by example and I love watching my students develop their writing voices and production styles over their academic career here, McKeague said.

At LHU, he teaches a variety of topics such as public speaking, advertising and his specialties  video production and editing. Before joining the LHU faculty, he taught at Kutztown University for seven years in the Cinema, Television and Media Production Department, as well as at Indiana University.

McKeague received a bachelors degree in mass communication and journalism with a minor in speech communications from LHU, a masters degree in communication and journalism from Shippensburg University, and a doctorate degree in communication media and instructional technology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

As a proud product of PASSHE, I am honored to win this years Service Award and I look forward to continue giving back to the community that helped me achieve my dreams, McKeague said.
Wellsboro, Pa. -- Leonard Harrison State Park at 4797 PA-660, Wellsboro will remain closed into next week as repairs are made to Route 660, according to The Hills Creek State Park Complex.

PennDOT has received the necessary emergency permits and will begin work on Monday, Aug. 30 to replace the culvert that was washed out by flood waters with a new 72-inch pipe and repair the damage done by heavy rains to the section of State Route 660 that leads to the park entrance. The work is expected to be completed in time to reopen the park for Labor Day weekend.

The park, located 10 miles from Wellsboro, was closed on Thursday, Aug. 19 due to the storm damage done to Route 660.

Prior to the reopening of Leonard Harrison, those who want to visit the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon can go to Colton Point State Park at 927 Colton Road, Wellsboro. It is open and sits on the canyon's west rim.

Questions about this and other park-related matters may be addressed to the Hills Creek State Park office at (570) 724-4246.
Upcoming litter pickups in Tioga and Bradford counties are part of a statewide effort to improve our environment and clean up roadways as the summer travel season winds down. PennDOT crews will continue to expand cleanup efforts through Labor Day.

Through public education, enforcement, clean ups, and volunteering, the commonwealth is working tirelessly to beautify Pennsylvania, said Gov. Tom Wolf. We cannot keep our communities clean without the publics help, and I call on everyone to take personal responsibility for ending this ugly practice.

Cleanups are occurring on higher-traffic roadways where volunteer groups cannot safely pick up litter. There will be no impacts to traffic during litter cleanup activities.

PennDOT maintenance crews in Tioga and Bradford County will pick up litter starting next week, Monday, Aug. 30. Tioga crews will be working during daylight hours, weather permitting, on Routes 15, 6, 49, 287, and 362; Bradford crews on Route 220 in Athens Township.

PennDOT spends roughly $14 million annually on statewide litter efforts. Department programs such as Adopt-A-Highway and Sponsor-A-Highway allow groups and businesses to volunteer to adopt or pay to sponsor cleanup and beautification on roadways across the state.

The department also unveiled new anti-littering messages that will appear on its electronic message signs across the state through September 2. Appearing when active travel alerts are not displayed, the messages aim to appeal to travelers civic pride and address a finding of a 2019 statewide litter survey  cigarette butts were among the most common items found in the estimated 500 million pieces of litter on Pennsylvania roads.

To underscore littering as an illegal practice, this summer the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) initiated Operation Clean Sweep, a project reinforcing a zero-tolerance mindset with litter enforcement and sharing anti-litter messages throughout the year. The operation complements a 2018 state law allowing the designation of Litter Enforcement Corridors.

Litter Enforcement Corridors have a high aesthetic or historic value worthy of preservation or indicate an area in need of additional help with litter issues. Approved segments will be marked with signs to notify motorists of additional litter fines: doubled penalties for motorists caught scattering rubbish and tripled when it is done by a commercial business.

Local governments can help tackle litter in their communities by designating Litter Enforcement Corridors or working with PennDOT to identify potential state-owned corridors.

The Pennsylvania State Police is committed to keeping Pennsylvania beautiful by enforcing the states litter laws, said Colonel Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the PSP. Littering is 100 percent preventable with fines beginning at $300. The public is encouraged to report any litter violation they witness by contacting their local law enforcement agency.

Other state agencies and partners actively work on litter prevention and cleanups year-round and reiterated the harm of litter.

"Most litter along the road isn't going to decompose in our lifetime. If you saw it today, you're likely to see it again the next time you pass by, still leaching, breaking into microplastics, creating hazards for people and wildlife, and diminishing our communities and landscape," said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell.

"On top of this, litter cleanup is a big cost to state government and local communities, and ultimately all Pennsylvanians. Ending the littering habit will benefit everyone and everything that lives in Pennsylvania."

DEP lists many ways Pennsylvanians can reduce litter and be a role model and is working with PennDOT, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, and community leaders statewide on developing a littering prevention campaign based on state research.

These efforts are part of a state-wide initiative promoted by Governor Wolf's administration. Residents who are interested in organizing on behalf of this cause can visit PennDOTs Roadside Beautification webpage and PennDOTs Litter-Beautification Media Center.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful urges Pennsylvania residents to participate in Pick Up Pennsylvania, in support of the Ocean Conservancys International Coastal Cleanup. This annual event  from September 1 through November 30  is an opportunity to improve neighborhoods and Pennsylvanias waterways by coordinating or participating in a litter cleanup. Registration is now open.

Whether you are cleaning up a local waterway, your local park or the street that you live on  it all makes a difference in reducing the amount of litter reaching our oceans. We are honored to provide the resources and supplies needed to help volunteers improve our communities, said Shannon Reiter, president of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Picking up litter is something we can all do to support our communities. Please lend a hand and join us in a cleanup this fall.




Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Sunny. Less humid. High around 85F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear early, then a few clouds later on. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Mainly sunny. Less humid. High around 85F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
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Alicia Christiansen is the Forestry Extension Agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Alicia can be reached by email at alicia.christiansen@oregonstate.edu or phone at 541-672-4461.
Two new businesses are moving into the Diversey Building at AmeriPlex at the Port in Portage.

Johnson Brothers of Indiana and Dream Big Gymnastics leased Suites 104 and 102, taking over a total of 20,100 square feet in the sprawling industrial park tucked between Interstate 94 and the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor.

Indianapolis-based Johnson Brothers of Indiana, a wholesaler of wine and liquor, signed a three-year lease with developer Holladay Properties to take over 5,600-square-foot in Suite 104. The distributor will use the flex space as a warehouse to store and distribute various alcoholic beverages.

Dream Big Gymnastics, currently a tenant in AmeriPlex at the Port, is expanding at a new location in the 385-acre industrial park at Interstate 94 and Ind. 249. The gymnastics school, which teaches toddlers through high school students, signed a five-year lease to take over 14,500 square feet in Suite 102. Starting next month, it will have more room to train students for competitive events as well as personal enrichment.

The Diversey Building, a 52,900-square-foot building at 6340 AmeriPlex Drive, is now 82% leased. It just has two spaces totaling 9,702 square feet left for leasing.
A cosmetics conference with pop-up shops and photo ops is coming to the Southlake Mall in Hobart next month.

CosmeCon, a touring cosmetics and skincare experience that makes stops at malls around the country, will bring beauty and wellness experts and pop-up shops to the super-regional mall at U.S. 30 and Mississippi Street from noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 18. It's previously visited shopping malls in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

"CosmeCon is a cosmetics, skincare, and self-care experience that encompasses all things beauty  from the inside out," Southlake Mall said in a news release. "Join us for this one-day event and interact with make-up artists, beauty and self-care experts, and take Instagrammable pics with cute photo ops. Get ready to see tutorials of your favorite products and services and test out samples from top brands."

The first 100 people to register for the free event get a free swag bag. To register, people can text MAKEUP to 89881 or visit cosmecon2021.com/southlake.
Minneapolis-based Plunketts Pest Control, Inc. acquired Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control, which was founded in 2013.

Plunkett's was looking to expand in Chicagoland, where Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control provides commercial wildlife and pest services. The company serves more than 1,200 residential and commercial customers in Northwest Indiana and eastern Illinois, removing nuisance wildlife, rodents, insects and pests while also performing animal damage repairs on infested properties.

This opportunity to strengthen our team in northwest Indiana and expand into the Chicagoland area is key, said Jared Miller, director of Varment Guard, Plunketts wildlife division. Plus, we added three wildlife techs and one pest tech that are well-trained, knowledgeable, and experienced. Were glad they chose to come with us.

The deal was for an undisclosed sum.

Illianas owner Bob Jansma said he had been looking to sell.
CROWN POINT  A jury trial for a Gary man charged in the homicides of two teenage boys last year in Calumet Township was continued Friday until February.

An attorney for Alvino S. "Vino" Amaya, 36, told Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez DNA analysis in the case has not yet been completed.

Defense attorney Steven Mullins also said he needs more time to review a statement given to police by a co-defendant who recently agreed to cooperate with the state.

Amaya had been scheduled to stand trial in September.

Vasquez granted Mullins' request and rescheduled Amaya's trial to begin Feb. 28.

Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Jacquelyn Altpeter said she had been in "constant contact" with the lead detective in the case about the DNA analysis and would share it with Mullins as soon as she receives it.

Amaya, Dawn M. Carden, 43, of Gary, and Elijah D. Robinson, 19, of Gary, each were charged with murdering 17-year-old Maxwell Kroll and 18-year-old Elijah Robinson on Oct. 16 inside a home in the 3900 block of West 51st Avenue.

There is no relation between the defendant Robinson and the victim Robinson, police said.
MICHIGAN CITY  Concerns about the legality of a no-bid contract are holding up repairs to the Franklin Street drawbridge.

The money has been approved but the $1.5 million project cant move forward unless LaPorte County Auditor Tim Stabosz, the chief financial officer the county, agrees to pay the bill.

Stabosz has refused to budge despite repeated legal claims the project meets state guidelines for not going out for competitive bidding.

Marquiss Electric was awarded the no-bid contract for repairs supporters describe as an emergency.

LaPorte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said the no-bid contract is legal under provisions of state law because of the dire need for the repairs and impact the bridge has on the local economy.

Friedman also said Marquiss Electric has been the long time caretaker of the bridge and can fix it more quickly and cost effectively than some other company without prior experience with the span above Trail Creek.

The 90-year-old bridge serves as the primary entrance to and from the lakefront. Unless repaired, the fear is the bridge once up will get stuck because of worn parts and not come down.
I thank all you supervisors for coming up and talking and expressing your sense of urgency, Mack said.

Councilman Don Przybylinski, D-at large, asked Hoffmaster how much was in the riverboat account and how much unappropriated money is left in the general fund.

Hoffmaster, who said she was just returning from vacation, didnt know. She later guessed $6 million to $7 million when Przybylinski asked a second time about the riverboat fund.

Przybylinski asked her to provide fund balances to the council prior to each meeting. That information was requested at the last meeting, Councilwoman Tracie Tillman, D-5th, said.

Were some of these items things we cut out last year and didnt do? Deuitch asked. The city slashed spending in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.

Councilman Sean Fitzpatrick, D-4th, balked at spending riverboat money for the purchases without more information. This is the reason why the riverboat fund was almost depleted once before, he said.

Its like a kid in a huff, he said. I broke all my toys so mamas going to pull out the Christmas money.
"Those will all be prefabricated, completely finished with the towel bars on, and quite frankly, the paper towels will be in the paper towel holder when it hits the site," he said.

"We're also building all the electrical distribution rooms, prefabricating those, and prefabricating the exam rooms for this hospital."

Gilmore said steel began going up for the project last week, and motorists will be able to see the landmark hospital from I-65 "here soon."

Site work for the project, including installing utilities and a ring road, "is pretty much in," Gilmore said, noting the roads won't be paved until later on due to heavy construction traffic.

"We don't want to damage the roads before we put them into use," he said.

The hospital is currently in the "core and shell" phase of construction, Gilmore said, noting in about a year, the building will be completely erected.

"The inside work will begin before that, but then that's where it takes us to towards the end of 2023 to finish the project," Gilmore said.

$333 million investment
Protect voting rights

You can be darn sure; I am not going to express any regret for raising this issue, or asking this question. Heres why:

First, it is safe to assume that among the rights, our brave soldiers are in Afghanistan and on other continents to protect, restore and preserve, are the rights of women and girls to have an equal say in their government. These rights will be conveyed to them through the power of the vote. It is also highly likely that America would help relocate Afghan people selecting democracy once free of oppression from tyranny.

Well, what about the daughters, sisters and mothers of the so-called minority American soldiers who are risking their lives to rescue the Afghan people? Dont they deserve to have a say in their government also? What about the soldiers themselves? Do they and their families deserve to have the permanent and unabridged right to vote in America?

Apparently not, judging from the wave of voter electoral nullification, voter subversion, suppression and gerrymandering they are having to confront in almost every state in America today.

Practice what we preach
Of course, no pastor questioned who actually committed the acts of terror. They suggested that, along with the actions we take against the terrorists, we must also check our own moral state of affairs to try to understand why such a horrible act of violence could have been successfully carried out on our soil.

We might recall that the pilots who flew those planes, transforming commercial airliners into lethal weapons, trained in our country.

And while these preparations in our backyard for what occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, were taking place, the president of the United States, Bill Clinton, was preoccupied committing adultery in the Oval Office.

Now here we are, 20 years later, having spent more than $2 trillion in our operations in Afghanistan, with a loss of some 2,400 American lives. The Taliban, against whom we launched hostilities in 2001, is back in power. By some estimates, their control in Afghanistan is broader than it was in 2001.

Maybe today, as the United States withdraws from Afghanistan in despair, shame and confusion, and as we note 20 years since the loss of 2,977 American lives to terror in our homeland, there will be greater appreciation for doing some national soul-searching.
The pulling of our troops from Afghanistan is a disaster. We will never be able to be sure all Americans are returned home. We have left billions of dollars worth of military equipment behind for the Taliban to use. The Bagram air base is one of if the most modern in the Middle East, as is the American embassy.
The Yu Yi collection features a Chinese symbol that is believed to offer protection; Bo Bos pieces look like pandas, which, in the aftermath of Chinas panda diplomacy of the 1970s, have become a symbol of peace.

Qeelin designs frequently include diamonds, frequently mixed with semiprecious stones like onyx and mother-of-pearl rather than the 24-karat gold popular for traditional Chinese jewelry.

In China, Qeelin primarily features its less costly creations to appeal to what Christophe Artaux, the brands chief executive, described as the modern Chinese lady: very urban, independent and very self-aware.

That customer tends to shop for jewelry in a different way than her parents or grandparents, who typically bought gold for its value rather than as a fashion statement. A lot of young consumers now buy jewelry in more of an accessory way, said Kemo Zhou, a Shanghai-based retail analyst for Euromonitor International.

Essentially, she added, they care more about what it looks like.

Outside of China, the meanings behind Qeelins designs seem to add to their allure. Theres a story thats really alive behind the brand and each of Denniss collections, said Ms. Wright of Holt Renfrew. Theres more than just the jewelry piece thats being purchased  theres the spirit of the product that comes with it.
Forbes announced on Thursday that it planned to go public through a deal with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

The venerable business publication, owned by Integrated Whale Media and the Forbes family, said in a news release that it had reached an agreement to merge with Magnum Opus Acquisition, a publicly traded blank-check firm.

The deal, which values the combined company at $630 million, is expected to close by the end of the year or early 2022. If it goes through, Forbes will list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FRBS.

Forbes is the latest media company to use the once obscure but increasingly popular SPAC maneuver to go public, rather than an initial public offering, which comes with regulatory hassles. In June, BuzzFeed said it would merge with the publicly listed shell company 890 Fifth Avenue Partners. Group Nine Media, the publisher of PopSugar and Thrillist, formed its own SPAC in December with the aim of going public.
Laetitia takes the form of a police procedural, but its not a mystery that assumes a classic shape or panders to a desire for cliffhangers and shocking reveals. The identity of the killer becomes clear fairly early, and he has no back story with Laetitia. The show doesnt make a point of it, but we can see what the two have in common, and perhaps what draws them together, are childhoods scarred by abusive fathers.

What also becomes clear is that the story is less about Laetitia than about Jessica, the surviving twin, who is understandably traumatized but also curiously reticent as the investigation proceeds. De Lestrade moves back and forth in time, with impressive fluidity, showing us the girls heart-wrenching progression from shattered family to group home to apparent happiness and stability with foster parents. He keeps us slightly ahead of the police investigation, orchestrating information in a way that builds a mounting dismay.

The events in the actual case, which took place near Nantes beginning in 2011, were a bizarre combination of depressingly random and improbably dramatic, and they might defy a straight documentary treatment. (A best-selling book about the case on which the series was based also fictionalized it.) De Lestrade and Lacomblez use their license to shape the story but they dont sensationalize it in any way  the atmosphere is of melancholic reserve, bordering on but not quite surrendering to hopelessness.

Theyre helped by a fine cast, led by the pairs of young actresses who play the twins at various ages. Sophie Breyer and Marie Colomb dominate the action as the 18-year-old Jessica and Laetitia, and theyre quite good, but even more powerfully affecting are the two children, Lewine Weber and Milla Dubourdieu, who play them at age 6. They perfectly capture the girls distressing combination of innocence and experience; De Lestrade shoots them constantly running, playing and jumping on beds, an exuberance in stark contrast to their sudden stillness when violence or madness breaks out around them.
The U.S. fights back in Kabul

After a bombing at the Kabul airport killed about 170 civilians and 13 American service members, the U.S. struck back.

A drone strike on Sunday blew up a vehicle laden with explosives, a Defense Department official said, hours after President Biden had warned that another terrorist attack at the airport was highly likely. Here are live updates.

On Friday, the Pentagon said that two senior Islamic State militants were killed and one was wounded in a reprisal drone strike. Many Afghans fear that revenge from the Taliban will follow soon after the last American soldiers leave.

When Taliban fighters seized control of Kabul two weeks ago, the invading units made a beeline for the headquarters of the National Security Directorate and the Ministry of Communications. Their aim was to secure the files of intelligence officers and their informers, and to obtain the means of tracking the telephone numbers of Afghan citizens, a potential disaster for hundreds of thousands of people who once worked against them.
Image

Last Ferry Out

Dear Diary:

On a hot July weekday, a colleague and I enjoyed dinner and drinks at a restaurant on Front Street in Manhattan.

Two frozen margaritas later, we agreed to do it again in a month.

You taking the train? she asked.

No, I said, smiling. Im going to head over to the Seaport. Catch the last ferry out.

At Pier 11 at Wall Street, I got the attention of a uniformed worker and pointed to Slip A.

Ferry to the Bronx still depart from there? I asked.

None of our ferries go to the Bronx, he said, shaking his head.

Oh, of course not, I responded, remembering that the Financial District was now a tourist destination. How about a ferry to Soundview/Clason Point?
President Biden declared: America is back. Going forward, it will be important to show that the United States is not walking away from its responsibilities, that it will not brook challenges. Instead, America needs to reaffirm its commitments.

To begin, the administration must start by completing the evacuation of Afghanistan. Its important to succeed not only in evacuating all Americans but also in evacuating those Afghans who worked with us and are now at risk. We are morally obligated to them.

As of now, President Biden plans to stick to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline, saying that each day of operations in Afghanistan brings added risk to our troops. The deaths of American Marines on Thursday prove he is right.

Still, the administration should consider extending the Aug. 31 deadline, despite the very real risks of staying longer. Americas duty is to oversee a safe withdrawal. An artificial deadline should not take precedence over that or hurry us into mistakes. The United States has the means to pressure the Taliban to accept a limited extension and to permit and safeguard continuing evacuations even after American forces leave. The United States can continue to politically isolate the Taliban and keep frozen the billions of dollars in Afghan assets that the Taliban want and need. Mr. Biden can make clear that the United States will get out but that it needs more time. It is in the Talibans interest to facilitate the U.S. exit.

Second, the administration must discuss a long-term plan for the greater Middle East with European allies and other regional stakeholders. This is not the time to shift forces out of the area, including those in Iraq and Syria. The United States cannot allow ISIS or other armed organizations to regroup. Instead, the United States must clearly explain American aims in the Middle East, what America will be prepared to do to fulfill them and the roles it needs its allies to play.

Third, the administration must respond to enemy attacks or challenges to international norms with strength and conviction. Its message to the world must be clear: U.S. forces and allies cannot be attacked with impunity. Mr. Bidens retaliatory unmanned airstrike against an ISIS-K planner Friday to avenge the airport bombings was a good first step. More actions against those who attack or threaten the U.S. and its partners will be needed to drive home the point.

Its easy to despair over the idea that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has forever doomed American credibility. Undeniably, the United States has paid and will likely continue to pay a high price in Afghanistan.

But it can recoup, just as it has before.
But they can avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. In March, during his first speech on the Senate floor, Senator Raphael Warnock argued that no Senate rule should overrule the integrity of our democracy. If Senate rules happen to preserve what Warnock called Jim Crow in new clothes, just as they preserved the original version, they must be reformed. For Democratic leaders, this means finding the political will to never again allow bills that guarantee equal access to voting and representation to suffer unequal treatment.

Today, the standard that determines which bills receive majority votes is effectively arbitrary. Many kinds of policies are passed through reconciliation, a special procedure created in the 1970s to allow budgetary measures to proceed with a simple majority vote. Of course, trying to force civil rights bills into this budgetary track will run afoul of the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, who delivers the initial judgment on which provisions can be passed with reconciliation.

But senators can reclaim their right to shape the rules of the Senate even when doing so runs afoul of the parliamentarian, a staff member whose influence has grown dramatically in recent decades as senators lost faith in their ability to interpret Senate rules. Up until now, senators have enthusiastically abused the spirit of reconciliation while adhering, with comic devotion, to its letter; they use it to pass trillions in spending but studiously discard the provisions the parliamentarian deems insufficiently budgetary, such as a minimum wage increase. But only senators and the vice president preside over and vote in the Senate, and they have final say over what gets included in reconciliation bills. Rather than acting as automatons who simply read the rulings that the staff hands them (literally), they can include civil rights in the forthcoming reconciliation bill and, when the parliamentarian rules against it, Vice President Kamala Harris can issue her own ruling countermanding the parliamentarian. Fifty senators can sustain Harriss ruling and pass voting rights, without ever having to vote to alter the filibuster itself.

Senators can also simply reform the rules to ensure that civil rights bills are treated equally. Given the Senates ugly history of blocking such legislation, there is ample justification for targeted filibuster reforms to ensure that civil rights bills receive majority votes.

Of course, Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema oppose ending the filibuster, and imbue bipartisanship with lofty importance. But at the end of the day, it is up to Mr. Biden to bring home the small number of votes needed to end the tiered system that forces voting rights legislation to garner supermajorities in the Senate, while other bills sail through with just 50 votes.
The Biden administration wants people who got the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines to seek a booster shot several months after their second dose, if the Food and Drug Administration deems them safe and effective. (Third doses are already authorized for immune compromised people.) Notably absent from these announcements are what the 14 million U.S. residents who have received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine should do.

We think people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will need a booster, and they can get one now. Pfizers Covid-19 vaccine recently received full approval from the F.D.A., which means that doctors can recommend a dose to their patients at their discretion, or whats called off-label. Physicians should have this conversation and recommend the shots, in particular for immune compromised patients.

Health authorities have so far advocated only for additional Covid-19 doses for people who got the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines, based on multiple studies showing that these vaccines protection against SARS-CoV-2 wanes over time. However, we found the reluctance of organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend vaccine boosters for Johnson & Johnson recipients an unfortunate omission, one they justified by citing ongoing studies, results of which should be available soon.

However, given the spread of Delta, there are concerns over how well the Johnson & Johnson vaccine holds up. While there is no systematic data collection on vaccine breakthrough cases nationally, reports from multiple locations suggest a higher breakthrough rate for Johnson & Johnson versus the other vaccines. In the Provincetown outbreak, a higher proportion of cases occurred from Johnson & Johnson recipients than from Pfizer or Moderna recipients, when adjusting for the number of vaccines given. Among people who are immune compromised, early studies suggest that there may be notable differences between the vaccines. One recent study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that 33 percent of Johnson & Johnson-vaccinated dialysis patients did not develop antibodies, compared with 4 percent for Pfizer and 2 percent for Moderna.
Poetry itself can engage in smart debate, of course. Yet even didactic poetry  poetry that makes an argument  does so in a more creative, meticulous and compelling way than we usually see in our heated public discourse.

Another reason that I think we are drawn to poetry: Poems slow us down. My summer poetry class teacher, Abram Van Engen, an English professor at Washington University in St. Louis, reminded me that poetry is the art of paying attention. In an age when our attention is commodified, when corporations make money from capturing our gaze and holding it for as long as possible, many of us feel overwhelmed by the notifications, busyness and loudness of our lives. Poetry calls us back to notice and attend to the embodied world around us and to our internal lives.

In this way, poetry is like prayer, a comparison many have made. Both poetry and prayer remind us that there is more to say about reality than can be said in words though, in both, we use words to try to glimpse what is beyond words. And they both make space to name our deepest longings, lamentations, and loves. Perhaps this is why the poetry of the Psalms became the first prayer book of the church.

I am trying to take up more poetry reading in my daily life. Reading new poems can be intimidating, but I figure that the only way to get poetry really wrong is to avoid it altogether. It helps that poetry is often short and quick to read so I fit it into the corners of my day  a few minutes in bed at night or in the lull of a Saturday afternoon.

During the past school year, with my kids home because of Covid precautions, we would pile books of poetry on our table once a week (Shel Silverstein, Shakespeare, Nikki Grimes, Emily Dickinson), eat cookies, and read poetry aloud. I now try to always keep some books of verse around.

In one of my very favorite poems, Pied Beauty, Gerard Manley Hopkins writes of a beauty that is past change. In this world where our political, technological and societal landscape shifts at breakneck speed, many of us still quietly yearn for a beauty beyond change. Poetry stands then as a kind of collective cry beckoning us beyond that which even our best words can say.

Have feedback? Send a note to HarrisonWarren-newsletter@nytimes.com.

Tish Harrison Warren (@Tish_H_Warren) is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America and author of Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep.
Most of the guys that were tracking now are terrified to even try to go through Taliban checkpoints, said Michael P. Mulroy, a former C.I.A. officer and top Middle East policy official at the Pentagon during the Trump administration.

So when were not there, when the entire focus of the world isnt on the Taliban, I have zero inclination that they will do anything but probably prosecute, and in many cases execute, people who worked really closely with the U.S., Mr. Mulroy said on Saturday.

Tens of thousands of the Afghans who had worked for the United States were believed to be among the more than 114,400 people evacuated so far from the international airport in Kabul, the capital, since Aug. 14. That total also included nearly 5,500 U.S. citizens, including 50 over the last day alone, most of whom hold American and Afghan passports.

The State Department said an additional 350 Americans were still waiting to be evacuated as of Saturday and estimated that another 280 who claimed to have U.S. citizenship had either signaled they would not leave or had not committed to it.

Sundays joint statement was the latest in a series of diplomatic moves to compel the Taliban to pursue terrorists, uphold human rights and form an inclusive government after its fighters seized power from the countrys Western-backed leaders on Aug. 15. It is a remarkable  and uncomfortable  shift for the United States and its closest allies, who invaded Afghanistan after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and regarded the Taliban as an enemy.

In his statement on Friday, Mr. Stanekzai, the Taliban negotiator, said we have no issues with Afghans traveling abroad for medical treatment, business, education or what he vaguely described as other reasons. No one will prevent you from traveling, he said, according to a partial transcript of his remarks that a U.S. official provided to The New York Times.

But Mr. Stanekzai said Afghan citizens needed first to obtain passports from the Afghan interior ministry and then to try to secure visas and other approved travel documents from foreign governments before they could leave. At best, it is a process that could take months, if not years; at worst, it will alert the Taliban as to who does not want to live under their rule.
Mr. Bidens relationship with the war has been complicated for two decades, and it was complicated on Sunday. As he prepared to meet with the families, military officials confirmed an American drone strike in Kabul. A Defense Department official said the strike had eliminated an imminent threat to the airport that was bombed last week. A spokesman for the Taliban, which has taken over the country as U.S. troops leave, said civilians had been killed. Mr. Biden did not speak to reporters about the strike or any other part of the trip, and he declined on Sunday afternoon to answer a question about security at the Kabul airport.

As a senator from Delaware in 2001, Mr. Biden voted to authorize President George W. Bush to start the war after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. After assuming the presidency this year, Mr. Biden announced his plans to remove all American troops from the country by the 20th anniversary of those attacks. In between, nearly 2,500 American troops died in the war.

Reporters were not allowed to observe the transfers in the early years of the war, under Mr. Bush. Newly elected President Barack Obama, who had chosen Mr. Biden as his vice president, changed the policy in 2009 to allow news media access if families consented. His administration also began offering immediate family members transportation to witness the transfers. Since the change, Air Force officials say, more than 10,000 family members have made the trip to Dover to see a loved ones remains return to American soil.

Presidents rarely attend the transfers. Mr. Obama went twice, in 2009 and 2011. President Donald J. Trump went four times, once bringing the actor Jon Voight with him. Mr. Biden went once as vice president in 2016. Sunday was his first opportunity as president; these were the first American service members killed in combat abroad since he took office.

Mr. Biden has said he hopes to have all American troops out of Afghanistan by Tuesday, and that the deadline remains on track. On Sunday, the U.S. military was shifting its focus from vetting and airlifting Afghan and American civilians to bringing its personnel home.

In Dover, the fallen service members captured the complete attention of the president and his traveling entourage, which included three federal government planes that matched the coloring of Air Force One. As the carry teams worked, the only sounds were the hum of a far-off engine and the hup-hup of the teams marching slowly in time, along with a few anguished cries from the family members who were shielded from reporters by a large bus. At one point in the humid weather, one of the onlookers, the wife of Senator Thomas R. Carper of Delaware, appeared to collapse and was rushed to medical attention by a team of other bystanders. The carry teams did not pause their work.

Mr. Bidens lone public reflection on the day came hours later, in midafternoon remarks to workers at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington who were bracing to help the Gulf Coast withstand Hurricane Ida.
He added, We would be deeply saddened by any potential loss of innocent life.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, said that civilians had suffered casualties in the strike and that a house had been targeted. We are investigating the reason of the airstrike and the exact number of casualties, he said.

The strike followed a retaliatory strike on Friday for the suicide bombing, which was one of the deadliest in the nearly two decades since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. Earlier on Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had said that there was a specific, credible threat to the airport area. State Department officials have issued several similar warnings in recent days.

A U.S. official said the military shot down rockets using a counter-rocket system after five were aimed at the Kabul airport on Monday. There were no initial reports of casualties, and the airport remained open, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational details.

As American troops move to complete their withdrawal, the Pentagon has shifted its focus from vetting and airlifting Afghan and American civilians to bringing its personnel home. At the same time, U.S. intelligence sources are refining target sites for possible drone strikes on suspected Islamic State militants, in particular suicide bombers aiming to attack the airport.

The strike on Sunday, which was carried out by an MQ-9 Reaper drone operating from a base in the United Arab Emirates, demonstrated the degree to which American intelligence officials have refined their target list, defense officials said. A Hellfire missile fired from the Reaper hit the vehicle approximately two miles from the airport, a military official said.
Tropical Storm Nora was downgraded from a hurricane on Sunday, a day after it formed, as it battered the western coast of Mexico and left at least one person dead, officials said.

Nora, which unleashed a torrent of rain and flash floods, was blamed for the death of a boy whose body was found after a hotel in Puerto Vallarta partially collapsed, said the governor of Jalisco State, Enrique Alfaro.

The boy, who came from Spain seven years ago, had been missing and was later found dead, Mr. Alfaro said. The authorities were searching for a woman who was in a car that was swept away by floodwaters. The governor added that the storm caused severe damage, mainly in Puerto Vallarta and Cihuatlan.

Nora was also blamed for at least two injuries in Jalisco, where two people were hurt on Saturday in a landslide along a highway, the authorities in the state said on Twitter. A couple was rescued from floods in the state later that day.
Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the exodus of Afghans has swelled like a flash flood, inundating American military bases in places like Qatar, where tens of thousands of evacuees have over the past two weeks arrived to be screened by the U.S. authorities.

But as international evacuations wind down, attention has turned to the fates of those who were part of the sudden and unanticipated mass exodus. In just two weeks, more than 5,000 American troops in Kabul helped evacuate more than 114,000 people in a chaotic and often violent effort reflective of the stunning pace at which the Taliban took over.

After the insurgents entered the Afghan capital, Kabul, desperate scrums of people descended on the citys international airport, where they clambered onto evacuation flights. On landing in Qatar, which has played a key role in evacuation efforts, some Afghans fell to their knees in tears after disembarking, thinking they had arrived in the United States.

But that hope was extinguished after they were shuttled to a refugee processing center run by the American military in a large aircraft hangar  their first glimpse into the long, grueling journey toward eventually being resettled in the United States.

The surge of evacuees has already promised to create numerous legal, bureaucratic and logistical problems. Many Afghans who clambered onto flights may not be eligible for resettlement in the United States. Those who are risk overwhelming resettlement organizations in the United States that are tasked with providing for the immediate needs of newly arrived refugees  like housing, medical care and food  and that typically handle only a steady trickle of newcomers.
Yet there are growing reports of detentions, disappearances and even executions of officials at the hands of the Taliban, in what some current and former government officials describe as a covert and sometimes deadly pursuit of the Talibans enemies.

Its very much underground, said one former legislator, who was in hiding elsewhere when the Taliban visited his home in the middle of the night.

That is intimidation, he said. I feel threatened and my family is in shock.

The Taliban swept into towns and districts, often without a shot fired, making diplomatic assurances to their opponents and the public. But the first commanders have often been replaced by more heavy-handed enforcers who conduct raids and abductions, officials of the former government said.

The scale of the campaign is unclear, since it is being conducted covertly. Nor is it clear what level of the Taliban leadership authorized detentions or executions.

The people who seized the files at the National Security Directorate and the Ministry of Communications may not have even been Taliban: The men did not speak Afghan languages, the officials said, and may have been agents of Pakistans military intelligence agency working in tandem with Taliban forces. Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency has long supported the Taliban in their violent opposition to the Kabul government.

The fear among Afghans is palpable. All but the youngest remember the Talibans authoritarian regime of the 1990s, with its draconian punishments, hangings and public executions.
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.  President Biden landed in Delaware on Sunday morning to join the families of the 13 members of the U.S. military who were killed in a bombing last week in Afghanistan.

The service members include 11 Marines, a Navy medic and a member of the Army. They were killed at the airport in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, by a bomber from the Islamic State Khorasan group as they attempted to help people escape the country before American troops complete their withdrawal.

The president and first lady, Jill Biden, met with the families on Sunday morning. They then participated in 13 transfers  11 for families who chose to allow media to observe the remains of their loved ones returning home, and two for families who chose to keep their transfers private.

The fallen service members returning Sunday to Dover were: Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City; Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.; Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, Calif.; Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif.; Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha; Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind.; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo.; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif.; Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio; and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn.
A U.S. drone strike on Sunday destroyed an explosives-laden vehicle that the Pentagon said posed an imminent threat to Afghanistans main airport, as the massive airlift of Afghans fleeing Taliban rule shut down just two days before the scheduled final withdrawal of American forces.

Afghans said the drone strike killed as many as nine civilians, including children, and the U.S. military said it was investigating the assertions.

The U.S.-led coalition told Afghans awaiting transport out of the country that for them the airlift was over. We regret to inform you that international military evacuations from Kabul airport have ended, it said in a text message sent late Saturday night, and we are no longer able to call anyone forward for evacuation flights.

The airlift has flown more than 117,000 people out of the country since Aug. 14, most of them Afghans, and some Afghans may already be in the airport waiting for flights, but it is leaving untold thousands behind. The desperate, dangerous scramble to reach Kabuls international airport and the deadly attack there last Thursday by an Islamic State branch have defined the chaotic and bloody end to Americas longest war.
BRUSSELS  The European Union is set to advise member states that they should reintroduce travel restrictions for visitors from the United States, three E.U. officials said on Sunday, as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have surged in the U.S. in recent weeks.

Starting Monday, the officials said, the United States will be removed from a safe list of countries whose residents can travel to the 27-nation bloc without additional restrictions, such as quarantine and testing requirements. The suggested restrictions, made by the European Council, will not be mandatory for member countries, and it will remain up to those countries to decide whether or not to impose them.

Most European countries reopened their borders to Americans in June, more than a year after imposing a travel ban, hoping that Americans would visit this summer and help an ailing tourism industry bounce back.

In essence, the European Union gave the United States a summertime pass to encourage tourism, despite the relatively high infection rates in parts of the country.
A week after his discharge, aimless hitchhiking brought him in 1973 to the village of Beaumont in the Cevennes where he immediately decided to buy an abandoned property  paying it off mostly by repairing roofs in the region and elsewhere.

Some years later, he got into winemaking almost by accident. Two elderly brothers asked him to harvest their jacquez grapes in return for half of the wine production. He learned the history of the forbidden vines and eventually bought the brothers vineyards.

Today, he makes 3,400 bottles a year of his deeply colored, fruity Cuvee des vignes dantan, or wine from vines of yesteryear. He got around the ban by creating a cultural, noncommercial association, Memory of the Vine. A membership fee of 10 euros, or about $12, yields a bottle.

With the growing threat of climate change and the backlash against the use of pesticides, Mr. Garnier is hoping that the forbidden grapes will be legalized and that Frances wine industry will open up to a new generation of hybrids  as Germany, Switzerland and other European nations already have.

France is a great wine country, he said. To remain one, we have to open up. We cant get stuck on what we already know.
A doctor at a nearby hospital said four bodies were taken there, two of them those of children.

A senior U.S. military official responded that the military was confident that no civilians had been in the targeted vehicle but acknowledged that the detonation of the explosives in it could have caused collateral damage.

Video of the scene showed a tangle of metal barely recognizable as the remains of a vehicle, and just a few feet away, the charred, pockmarked wreck of another vehicle, an S.U.V. Mr. Shahyad said his father had been pulling into their garage when the explosion hit.

Earlier Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had said that there was a specific, credible threat to the airport area, where a suicide bombing on Thursday killed as many as 170 civilians and 13 members of the American military. The Islamic State Khorasan claimed responsibility for the attack. Mr. Biden had warned on Saturday that another attack was highly likely in the coming hours.

With Mr. Bidens Tuesday deadline looming, the military was shifting its focus from vetting and airlifting Afghan and American civilians to bringing its own personnel home. And the impending exit created anguishing questions about who would be left behind.

Hundreds of students and alumni from American University of Afghanistan, among the countrys most outspoken advocates for human rights, were turned away at the Kabul airport on Sunday, leaving them with the choice of fleeing overland or remaining in the country to face possible persecution.

At the airport on Sunday night, armed Taliban members in commando uniforms stood outside South Gate. Minibuses were parked nearby, where Afghans paid to shelter while they waited in hopes of making it into the airport.

One man, Hamid, had been waiting inside one of the minibuses for six nights.

They let Europeans and Americans into the airport and they keep us, the Afghans, waiting outside the gate while we hold a valid ticket and documents, he said. But he was not giving up. I still have hope that they will open the gate again and we can make it in, he said.
Disinformation and conspiracy theories, along with more well-founded concerns about waning vaccine efficacy, have contributed to widespread hesitancy about getting inoculated, according to Abdulsalam al-Khayyat, director of the public health department at An Najah Universitys medical school in Nablus, in the West Bank.

Many people simply are not receiving reliable information about the vaccines, he said.

Bethlehem, where the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in a West Bank Palestinian city was found, may have been harmed the most. In addition to causing at least 258 deaths in the region, the virus has ravaged the tourism industry in the city where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born. Hotels and restaurants have closed and tour guides have been put out of work.

But at the bustling open-air market in the Old City, many fruit and vegetable vendors spoke almost as loudly about their vaccine skepticism as they did in hawking their produce.

I read online that people will die two years after they take the vaccine, said Issa Abu Huleil, 53, citing an unfounded rumor as he sold a watermelon to a customer. So I decided Im not taking the vaccine. Why would I risk it? My health is excellent.
The two questions Californians have been asked are simple: Should Gov. Gavin Newsom be removed from his job? And if so, who should take his place?

But as the Sept. 14 special election date to decide Mr. Newsoms political fate comes into clearer view, many of the states 22 million registered and active voters have found themselves with questions  about whats at stake and how to ensure their voices are heard.

Heres what voters need to know:

When is the recall election?

Officially, the recall election is on Sept. 14. But because it is happening under an extension of pandemic rules that were created during the 2020 presidential election, thats really more of a deadline than it is an Election Day in a more traditional sense.

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Sept. 14. (You dont need to add a stamp; you should have a return envelope.) Voters can also return their ballots to a secure drop box by Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. (Look up the ones closest to you here.)
Tropical Storm Larry forms in the Atlantic.

Julian, which formed as a tropical storm in the Atlantic on Sunday while another, more powerful storm was bearing down on the Louisiana coast, had transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone by early Monday, the National Hurricane Center said. It was, briefly, the 10th named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.

The storm emerged over the weekend while Louisiana was braced for Hurricane Ida, which made landfall on Sunday, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Julian was expected on Monday to move toward the northeast followed by a turn to the north, then northeast by nightfall into Tuesday, meteorologists said. On Monday morning it was 820 miles southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour. No costal watches or warnings were in effect. Hours after Julian was downgraded, Tropical Storm Kate formed over the Atlantic.

Its been a dizzying few weeks for meteorologists who monitored several named storms that formed in quick succession in the Atlantic, bringing stormy weather, flooding and damaging winds to different parts of the United States and the Caribbean.
Today

A shower is possible early. Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 77F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunshine and some clouds. High 76F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
THE Covid-19 vaccination centre for county Offaly will move to Mucklagh Community Centre from the Tullamore Court Hotel on Monday next.

The contract for use of the hotel has expired and last vaccinations will be administered there on this Friday, a spokesman for the HSE said.

The centre opened at the hotel on May 3 last and reached a milestone on Tuesday, August 10 when the 50,000th vaccine was administered there.

The centre had the capacity to vaccinate 1,000 people a day and Mucklagh Community Centre will have the same capacity with a similar number of vaccination bays.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 vaccine is now available from participating Offaly pharmacies for people aged 12 and over

For people wishing to avail of this service, they can simply make contact with their nearest pharmacy offering the ervice and book an appointment.

Des OFlynn Chief Officer, Midlands Louth Meath Community Healthcare Organisation said: Support from pharmacies is instrumental in ensuring access to vaccines for people in the community who may not be in a position to get to one of our HSE vaccination centres.

We would encourage people to take up a vaccination at a participating pharmacy, or at a HSE centre, if they have yet to receive a vaccine. Please be assured that all those participating in the vaccine rollout have received dedicated training to ensure the safe and effective administration of the vaccine.

The HSE thanks the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) and our local participating pharmacies for their continued support to ensure we can roll out the vaccine in as safe and timely a manner as possible.

Darragh OLoughlin, Secretary General of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) said: Vaccines are the most effective way to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the effects of Covid-19 and pharmacists are delighted to be playing their part in the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme.

Weve been administering vaccinations in pharmacies for over ten years so people are used to being vaccinated by their local pharmacist. Vaccination centres have done a great job in rolling out the vaccine but were aware that some people may feel more comfortable getting the vaccine in a local pharmacy, often from someone they know.

Over 740 community pharmacies are administering the Covid-19 vaccination around the country so people should not have to travel far to get vaccinated. Supplies and deliveries of vaccines will vary from week to week depending on demand.

People looking to register for pharmacy vaccination should contact their local participating pharmacy. The list of pharmacies administering the Covid-19 vaccine can be found on the HSE website.
Leaders in China, which has claimed to have erased poverty fear that rising financial inequality in the country can fan political agitation against the government.



Beijing continues to face financial inequalities which have concerned the top leaders of the communist regime that in the future, restlessness from below can fan political agitation, reported The Hong Kong Post.

Earlier this year, Beijing boasted of having built a moderately prosperous society despite the corona pandemic.

Now, the Communist Party of China is concerned that issues in the country that were believed to have been tackled long ago, have not yet been resolved, in view of the country not being able to achieve financial stability and common prosperity.



Last week, President Xi Jinping presided over a meeting of the country's highest decision-making body, the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission. Premier Li Keqiang, Politburo Standing Committee member and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Wang Yang and other top officials attended the meeting. The presence of top guns during the meet signalled the sensitivity and critical nature of the gathering, The Hong Kong Post said.



The outcome of the meeting was not reported clearly by the state media.



Adam Ni, the co-editor of China Neican, a newsletter published by two experts affiliated with the Australian Centre of China in the World, and China Policy Centre in Canberra said: "For context, China's rapid development coupled with its political economy has led to rising economic and social inequality in recent decades."



"Despite Xi's claim of victory over absolute poverty back in July, 600 million out of 1.4 billion Chinese are still living on a monthly income of around or belowCNY1000 (USD 154),"Adam said.

Rising income disparity and class differences have been the major concern of China's communist regime. The recent meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission aimed to remove inequalities from the financial system, tech companies, education policy, rural development, and so on.

Recently, private tuitions were closed in China as the regime believes that it adds to social inequality by favouring only those who can afford the fees.



China Neican mentioned that it's not difficult to expect Beijing to bring every sector under scrutiny but what is more fearsome is economic inequality and any kind of restlessness from below. The newsletter stated that the regime strongly believes that if the issue is not tackled at the earliest, such unrest can trigger political agitation in the country.



Adam Ni stressed that people should expect more and more sectors to come under the scrutiny of the communist regime completely or partially over inequality. He also added that the regime can pressurise rich people and private companies to give back more to society. (ANI)


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Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, many are fleeing the country to escape the brutalities of the Taliban. Except one or two, all Hindus and Sikhs have fled the country.



Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar published a story on Sunday (August 29) to whitewash the takeover of the businesses left behind by the fleeing Hindus and Sikhs of Afghanistan.



The story claimed that fleeing Hindus and Sikhs have left behind businesses which are being taken care of by the locals. It even quotes a local resident to substantiate the story.



The story by Dainik Bhaskar does not quote any Hindu or Sikh who have fled Afghanistan to know what happened to their properties.



But, the Hindus and Sikhs who have fled Afghanistan to escape the Taliban brutalities dont expect to get anything back.



A case in point is closer home. Some mainstream media outlets publish stories from time to time to describe how the properties of Kashmiri Pandits were looked after by the locals once the Islamists forced them to flee Kashmir. Occasionally, they also publish stories of some local Muslims performing last rites of some Kashmiri Pandits.



The reality remains Kashmiri Pandits could never get back their properties.

Pazhassi Raja: The Lion of Kerala

On 18th March 1797, in one of the biggest setbacks to the British till then a contingent of 1100 army men under Major Cameron came under a surprise ambush by Pazhassi's men. The attack was so brutal, that the British force was decimated, leaving only a few alive. It is said that between 1793 and 1797, 1,000 British soldiers and 3,000 British-employed native sepoys were killed by Pazhassis men.

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France lauds India's efforts at UNSC for steering Council's response on Afghanistan, maritime security

France on Wednesday lauded efforts taken by India during its month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which ended on August 31 and during which it steered the Council's response on Afghanistan and maritime security. French ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain said that France will continue to work closely with India at the UNSC. "In a challenging context, India's presidency of the #UNSC in August helped steer the Council's response to the situat ...
Guwahati: Continuing its crusade against drug rackets, the Assam police have tasted major success and seized a major drug consignment in the Sonapur area of Guwahati late on Saturday night.

Working on a confirmed tip-off, Guwahati police seized Heroin, weighing 1.32 kilograms from a vehicle coming from Manipur. The seized heroin has been estimated to be worth over Rs 9.25 crore in international markets.

The drugs were seized from a Bolero car near the Sonapur Toll Gate in an operation headed by top officials of Guwahati police.

The heroin shipment (100packets, each weighing 13grams) was stuffed into different parts of the car, including the engine compartment, seats, tail lamps, etc.

A preliminary investigation reveals that the drugs were smuggled into Guwahati from Manipur. The drug consignment entered through Moreh in the India-Myanmar border and stuffed in the vehicle for Assam in the Churachandpur area in Manipur. Police are investigating whether the consignment was for distribution in Assam or was it to smuggle to other states?

Meanwhile, six persons have been arrested, thus far, in connection with the seizure of a huge quantity of drugs.

Guwahati police commissioner Harmeet Singh told the media that in the last one-month city police have arrested 121 drug paddlers including two women paddlers. City police seized 3 kilograms of heroin, 8000 Yaba tablets, 14500 bottles of banned cough syrups,89 lakhs cash and 20 vehicles.
Even though it is faced with numerous challenges, India is evacuating its people from the war-ravaged Afghanistan and will continue to do, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday while unveiling the renovated Jallianwala Bagh memorial through video conferencing.



"Today, anywhere in the world, if any Indian is in trouble, then India stands up to help with all its might. Be it the challenges of the Corona period or the crisis of Afghanistan, the world has experienced it continuously. Hundreds of comrades from Afghanistan are being brought to India under Operation Devi Shakti. There are many challenges and the situation is difficult," PM Modi said.

Dedicating the renovated complex of Jallianwala Bagh Smarak to the nation through video conferencing, the Prime Minister said that no country should forget its history and whatever happened during and after the Partition can be seen in every corner of the country, especially in Punjab.



Jallianwala Bagh is the place that gave courage to an innumerable number of revolutionaries like Sardar Udham Singh and Bhagat Singh to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of the nation, he said.



"My salute to the brave land of Punjab, to the holy soil of Jallianwala Bagh! Today, we are remembering those innocent boys and girls, those sisters, those brothers, whose dreams are still visible in the bullet marks on the walls of Jallianwala Bagh.



"Salute also to those children of Mother Bharati, in whom all limits of inhumanity were crossed to extinguish the flame of freedom burning. Those innocent boys and girls, those sisters, those brothers, whose dreams are still visible in the bullet marks in the walls of Jallianwala Bagh, and in the "Shaheedi Kuan" (well of sacrifice), where the love of countless mothers and sisters was snatched away," said PM Modi.


Pakistan and its notorious spy agency ISI have become extremely active with the agenda of seeing the resurgence of Islamist militancy activities in Bangladesh as part of its conspiracy of unseating the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Pakistans connections, affiliations and collaborations with radical Islamist militancy is not new. For the past several decades, Islamabads military leadership and its spy agency have been actively harbouring militancy as Pakistan uses these forces in spreading terrorism within the region, particularly India and Bangladesh. Despite Islamabads active role in sponsoring terrorism, Washington was rather compelled in forming an alliance with them because of the United States involvement in Afghanistan following the Soviet invasion. For Pakistan, a troubled Afghanistan and battle between the Taliban and Soviet forces was a cash cow as Islamabad was making billions of dollars both from the US and Saudi Arabia under the pretence of being a partner in the war on terror.

But after many years of considering Pakistan as its ally in war on terror, Washingtons relationship with Islamabad cooled when Navy SEALs killed Al Qaeda kingpin Osama Bin Laden in 2011 at a safe house located near a Pakistani military academy. Since then, top American officials stopped visiting Pakistan and assistance was substantially reduced. But Obama administration did not publicly expose Pakistani military role in helping Osama Bin Laden in living with his extended family in Abbottabad, one of Pakistans best-known garrison towns. Should the US had declared that Pakistan was harboring Al Qaeda kingpin Osama Bin Laden, then Pakistan would have been legally a state sponsor of terrorism and subject to mandatory sanctions similar to that of Iran. The reason behind Obama administrations silence in exposing Pakistans terrorist face was, it would have forced the Americans to end its support for Pakistan and that in turn would have led Pakistan stop American war supplied from transiting its own land, sea and air spaces. And that would significantly increase the cost of the war against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.



But now, when the US troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan, hours after the Taliban took Kabul, their flag was seen flying high above a central mosque in Islamabad along side many other places in Pakistan. It was an in-your-face gesture intended to spite the defeated Americans. But it was also a sign of the real victors in the 20-year Afghan war.

In my opinion, Pakistan was superficially Americas partner in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Its military and the spy agency won tens of billions of dollars in American aid over the last two decades, even though Washington was aware, much of the money disappeared into unaccounted sinkholes.

Pakistans relations with the US was riven by duplicity and divided interests from its very beginning after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Moreover, Americas foes  the Taliban and other jihadist forces in Afghanistan was creations of Pakistans spy agency ISI, which through the course of the war nurtured and protected Taliban assets inside Pakistan.

Commenting on Pakistan and ISIs thinking they have won in Afghanistan, Robert Grenier, a former CIA station chief in Pakistan said, the Pakistanis should watch what they wish for. If the Afghan Taliban become leaders of a pariah state, which is likely, Pakistan will find itself tethered to them.

If the US and other western nations will impose sanctions on Pakistan for actively helping the Taliban, Haqqani network and other jihadist groups, Pakistan would increase its reliance on jihadist drug trade with the help of rulers in Kabul. But at the end, a Taliban-run Afghanistan will embolden radical Islamic militancy groups inside Pakistan as well.

It may be mentioned here that, a Pakistani protege, Khalil Haqqani, a Taliban leader who was a regular visitor to Pakistans military headquarters in Rawalpindi, is one of the new rulers of Afghanistan. The head of the Pakistani Army, Qamar Javed Bajwa, and the head of the ISI, Hameed Faiz, met with Haqqani on a recurring basis. The extended Haqqani family has long been known to live in the largely ungoverned areas of Pakistan along the Afghan border.

Khalil Haqqani will certainly find his allies within a large number of Pakistani top military and intelligence officials in running multi-billion-dollar jihadist drug trade. This will cause serious threat to the countries in the region, the Middle East and the world as Pakistan onwards will emerge as the jihadist drug dealing nation.



Pakistan wants resurgence of jihadist notoriety in Bangladesh



While the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan has fueled concerns of a revival of militancy in Bangladesh, amid a surge in social media posts by jihadist sympathizers and claims by Shafiqul Islam, Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) stating the Taliban had issued a call for people to join the war in Afghanistan a day before Kabul fell, and that some Bangladeshis had left home in response.

He said, It is our [understanding] that some people from Bangladesh have been caught in India, and some are trying to reach Afghanistan on foot in various ways.



Counterterrorism experts said DMP Commissioners concerns were valid given the country had militants who joined the Afghan and Palestinian wars and returned to lead local jihadist groups in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The history of Bangladeshs militancy trend that began in the 1990s during the rule of military dictator Hussein Muhammed Ershad in the 1990s, which had later received patronization from pro-Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its political darling Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has deep connection with Taliban and Palestinian Hamas as the Bangladeshi mujahideen who returned from Afghan and Palestinian war later formed several militancy groups, including Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI) and Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB). Both HuJI and JMB and other jihadist groups in Bangladesh denounce democracy and promote establishment of Sharia rule or Caliphate. At a later stage Qaomi madrassa (Koranic madrassa) based Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI) also has formed nexus with HuJI, JMB and other militancy groups, including Hizbut Tahrir, while HeI has been receiving support and patronization from BNP and JeI. Hefazat e Islam opposes womens empowerment and demand the enactment of blasphemy laws and a Shariah-driven polity.

It was later revealed that HeI has been getting patronization and funding from Pakistani spy agency ISI.
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

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Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan newspapers this week report the clash between MPs in the House of Representatives (parliament) and officials of the government of national unity over the budget debate hearing
Photo: (Photo : ISABEL INFANTES/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite their ability to grasp technology and the digital space better than most adults, more tech-savvy teenagers fall victim to social media scams.

A study from Social Catfish, which runs an online identity verification service, has revealed that cases of social media scams involving digital natives, or the below 20-year-old individuals who grew up using the internet, have increased to 156 percent in the last three years. Comparatively, online scams impacting people aged 60 years old and above, or the age group online scammers used to victimize easily, have risen to 112 percent.

Data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI showed 23,200 complaints of social media scams from the younger generation in 2020. Three years ago, the complaints were just at 9,000.

Read Also: Apple App Store Has Problematic Child Safety Measures, Watchdog Says

Social Catfish President David McClellan said that the results of their study highlights worrying concerns as scammers are now targeting the internet-savvy generation. McClellan said that it's a reflection of how trusting teenagers are online, in a space where they are comfortable making their lives public.

How Teens Are Being Scammed

According to Today, the most common social media scams aimed at teens and young 20-somethings start with an offer on their private messages. Someone tries to contact them to ask if they would like to become brand ambassadors or influencers.

As influencers, the teens are promised free, discounted products or even money in exchange for video promotions. However, before they could get these perks, the scammers would usually ask the teenagers to send minimal money.

This deal might sound too good to be true for many kids because the money they would have to shell out is only a small percentage of the promised items they would get to keep as ambassadors and influencers. But after paying anywhere from $55 to $70, the scammers would suddenly disappear from social media with no traces of other contact details. In some cases, the scammers might even ask for the teenager's credit card numbers and other details that might qualify as identity theft.

Social media scammers could also pose as celebrity frauds, sending private messages to individuals to appeal to donate money for their advocacies. However, social media users who receive messages from "celebrities" can easily verify if the profile is authentic and legitimate if there's a blue checkmark next to their names. Actual celebrities will also not be contacting individual people for donations since they will use their popularity to promote the causes they believe in.

Reporting Online Scams

The Federal Trade Commission said that a person could verify anything on the internet, so if someone contacts a teenager with offers, it's best to search for similar activities online. If the person asks to send money or gift cards, this is almost always a red flag.

If the money has been sent, it may be possible to stop the payment or reverse the transaction by calling the bank or credit card company. One could also report fraud activities at the FTC site or the FBI.

Related Article: Student Loan Relief Extended, but Scams on the Rise
Photo: (Photo : Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Evenflo)

Car seat add-ons to help babies stay upright and comfortable even if they fall asleep might be more dangerous than supportive. Injury prevention experts tell parents not to waste money on these accessories any longer.

Parents put car seat add-ons, like headbands or straps, when they see their older babies slumped in their position. Parents think these car seat accessories could help their babies sit better when they are worried about positional asphyxiation or air obstruction.

However, Erin Baughn of Helen DeVos Children's Hospital told Today that these add-ons aren't necessary. She said that children are "completely safe," even if their head appears to be dropping forward, especially if they are at an age when they can properly control their neck and head. Positional asphyxiation also rarely happens to kids who have adequate head and neck support.

Another injury expert at the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Courtney Gleaton, also doesn't recommend car seat add-ons. She said that anything that did not come with the equipment and wasn't provided by the manufacturer must not be used, knowing that every car seat model has "very specific instructions and warnings."

Read Also: Car Seat Installation Tips a Hit on Tiktok as Parents Show Safest Ways

Risks of Headbands or Straps

Baughn added that headbands or straps would prevent the car seat from performing as intended, especially during accidents. A baby with its head strapped on his car seat could acquire more injuries, such as strangulation or decapitation.

Lorrie Walker of the Safe Kids Buckle Up Program is also not a fan of the forehead sling. She echoed Baughn's advice that using these straps may put babies more at risk during a crash. She told Romper that car seats are designed to allow the child to move his head and neck freely as the car absorbs the impact.

The headband might also slide down and cover the baby's nose or mouth, causing suffocation. The straps, on the other hand, are a choking hazard.

The experts also said that, more than anything else, car seats must be age-appropriate because this equipment is specially designed for the baby's age. Thus, newborn baby car seats have a different shape and installation requirements than car seats for older babies.

It's also important for parents to install the seats correctly and securely. If they have trouble with the installation, they can go to a baby store and seek assistance from a child passenger safety technician. They may also locate the nearest certified Safe Kids tech in their area.

Car Seat Recall

Meanwhile, car seat manufacturer Dorel has announced a recall of over 83,000 units of its Maxi-Cosi Pria 85, citing that its design doesn't protect larger kids in a crash. According to the reports, children weighing more than 65 pounds could suffer head injuries if they're strapped in the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 in a forward-facing position.

Testing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that the Dorel car seat couldn't restrain the test dummy, which means that the design didn't conform with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) for a child restraint system.

Child safety engineer Emily Thomas reminded parents that this recall shows the importance of using top tether straps, which are "effective at preventing forward movement" of the child on a car seat.

Related Article: Baby Stroller Maker Recalls 86,000 Units Following Injuries, Broken Noses
Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has admonished the security services and Ghanaians to stay on guard against any possible terrorist attacks in the country.



Commenting during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', Kwesi Pratt made reference to reports that an Islamic terrorist group have infiltrated Ghana.



Ghana Isn't Immune To Terrorist Attacks



It could be recalled that, in 2019, the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave an indication of possible terrorist threats on the nation.



The President, delivering a speech at the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum held in Accra, noted that Ghana is not immune to terrorist attacks despite the growing peace and democracy in the country.



Despite it being a beacon of peace, stability and democracy in a region that is plagued by the activities of terrorist and extremist groups, Ghana must know she cannot be immune to terrorist attacks.



She is determined however to deepen the religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence that exists between majority Christian and the minority Muslim religious groups in the country. They are hallmarks of our nation which we cherish.



Our major encounter with the terrorist group came in 2015 when agents of the so-called Islamic State, succeeded in recruiting a few adherents from the countrys university campuses to join the ranks and the groups fightings in Libya and Syria. They are known to have died in conduct. Two Germans of Ghanaian parentage are also known to have joined the group with one currently serving a jail term in Hamburg, Germany, the President said.



Kwesi Pratt's Take



Mr Pratt, speaking to host Nana Yaw Kesseh, sought to find out what the security agencies are doing or have done to proactively avert terror attacks since they have already picked intelligence on the threats.



''Where did the tip come from that they are here and that they will soon strike? If indeed we know that they are here, then where are they? If we know their whereabouts, why are we waiting for them to undertake their terrorist action before we do something about it?'' he questioned.



He also advised Ghanaians to cooperate with the security services and report individuals they find strange in their neighbourhoods.



''The cooperation with the security services in the fight against terrorism, it must be maximum. We must all become the Police. We are all CID agents.''



He believed the collective efforts of all Ghanaians and the security services will help to make Ghana terrorism-free.







Background



The Presidents comments came following terrorist threats in the sub-region.



Four persons were killed in an attack on a Catholic church in northern Burkina Faso late in May.



Burkina Faso has seen more than 230 terror attacks in a little over three years.



Ghana On High Alert



The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, also recently disclosed that Ghana is on high alert for terrorist attacks.



It is increasingly clear that the greatest threat we have in this sub-region is terrorism although it has not even hit Ghana yet. Terrorism is, therefore, top security concern of the President of the Republic of Ghana and indeed all of us, he said.

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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Farmers and people of Domeabra, a farming community in the Akuapem North municipality are asking Government to come to their rescue to help salvage or solve a life threatening situation in their community.



According to them, the Bridge that joins their community to some communities about 8 communities near suhum built in 1808 by Swiss missionaries led by Engineer Jacob Isliker serving Cocoa and Peasant Famers is a verge of collapsing due to lack of Maintenance.



The bridge that serves Cocoa farmers and children in the communities and villages has trapped many people.



As only in this year, 5 children have been trapped dead in the densu river which the bridge is on.



A visit to the Wharf at Domeabra and mmetiamu, the farmers lamented that, they have no choice and other means to cross the river than to put their lives in danger and access the tattered wooden bridge at Mmetiamu.



Speaking to Michael Akrofi Akrofi, the farmers claimed that, when it rain, all their Agricultural and socio economic activities as well as education is affected.



Therefore the need for the government to come to their rescue to help give them a new bridge.



Also, Residents staying in the communities behind the wharf namely, Abrodi3m, Anomansa, Mia wani, Koransan

Kukua, Akorabo explained that, they carry ill persons at their back and pregnant women to cross the Deplorable bridge to access health care.



The situation also affects them because most at time they end up losing their beloved ones



Making life difficult and unpleasant for them.



Some schools children using the bridge also shared their experience using the Deplorable bridge.



The Queen mother for the Akuapem Domeabra on her part expressed worry over the situation and also disappointment in successive government's for not help to put their bridge in a good state to get to this state.



NANA OYE APIM ASIWAA 1 Domeabra Queen mother added that residents and farmers are always on her with complaints about the bridge.



Several letters has been written to authorities responsible but no action or response.



Finally, the Assembly man for the Area, Mr. Charles Adu on his part narrated action and role played to draw the attention of authorities and the Akuapem North municipal Assembly to urgently come to the rescue of the farmers and residents accessing the bridge. As its a life threatening situation.

Source: Michael Akrofi









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 Formed Police Unit (FPU) together with personnel from the Central East Regional Police Command have arrested fourteen herdsmen over the alleged defilement of a 13-year-old girl at Gomoa Adzintem in the Central Region.



A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Acting Director-General, Public Affairs and copied the Ghana News Agency said the special operations led to the retrieval of two single barrel, two pump action guns and 49 AA ammunition.



It assured the people of Gomoa Adzintem that an identification parade would be conducted in the community to identify the real suspects in that dastardly act on a teenager to face justice.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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"...the difference between John Mahama and the current President His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is that the former is a visionary leader and the latter is a family and friends leader," says a member of the Communication team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Victor Quarshi Adonu.



Victor who was reacting to "economic hardship" and the level of corruption in a panel discussion on Neat FMs Me Man Nti programme lamented over the fact that corruption has become "worst" under the ruling government.



"...things are not going well and the level of corruption is worst...this NPP administration described themselves as saints and tagged Mahama's government as incompetent but look at what is happening now..."



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes his way to talk with reporters after taking part in a virtual G7 meeting on the crisis in Afghanistan virtually from Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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Artur Martirosian Overcomes David Peters to Win SHRB Europe Event #6: $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em

August 29, 2021 Will Shillibier

Artur Martirosian secured the biggest win of his poker career with victory in Event #6: $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em at the Super High Roller Bowl Europe.

The Russian took home $1.4 million after defeating a field of 35 players. After coming into the final day as the overwhelming chip leader, Martirosian held a more than 7:1 chip advantage over David Peters heads-up. However, Peters would double four times over the course of heads-up play to extend the contest, before Martirosian finally closed it out for the biggest cash of his career.

Super High Roller Bowl Europe Event #6: $100,000 NLHE Final Table Results

Place Player Country Payout (USD) 1 Artur Martirosian Russia $1,400,000 2 David Peters United States $910,000 3 Johan Guilbert France $560,000 4 Selahaddin Bedir Turkey $385,000 5 Viacheslav Buldygin Russia $245,000

Final Table Recap

With only five of the seven players making the money when play resumed, caution was expected from everyone apart from Martirosian. However, it took only a few hands for Chi Zhang to bust in seventh at the hands of Martirosian.

Martirosian moved further ahead as the ICM pressure built, before Chris Brewer was sent to the rail on the money bubble. He raised with ace-king and called a shove from Martirosian who held nine-three. Both players flopped a pair, but Martirosian improved to two pair on the river to eliminate Brewer and guarantee the remaining five players $245,000.

The aggression continued from Martirosian who, after the elimination of Buldygin in fifth, held 5.6 million of the 7 million chips in play. There were doubles for Johan Guilbert and David Peters, both through Martirosian, before Peters doubled again through Selahaddin Bedir.

Bedir would double once but ultimately succumbed in fourth. Guilbert followed him out the door for a new career-best cash and play was heads-up.

Heads-Up Play

If fans were expectating a short heads-up, they were mistaken. Peters would double twice during the early exchanges to cut Martirosian's chip lead. He would then secure a third double to gain the chip lead, the first time anyone other than Martirosian had led at the final table.

As the stacks leveled out, the chip lead switched between the pair from hand to hand. Martirosian eventually eked out an advantage, only for Peters to double into the chip lead once again.

However, back came Martirosian who moved into the lead and closed it out at the next opportunity for the $1.4 million payday. Peters would have to settle for $910,000, the eleventh cash of $900k+ of his career.

Super High Roller Bowl Europe Live Coverage

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For Burrel Whitley Sr., the Vietnam War memorial in Aiken is personal. A binder stuffed with receipts, letters and other documents yellowed by time attests to that.

The memorials lineage can be traced back to a handful of people, including Whitley, who served in the war and, by his own account, emerged not totally unscathed.

If youve ever been spit on coming back from a war, it gives you, kind of, a sordid feeling about it, said Whitley, who lived in Aiken for more than 20 years.

Stateside disgust would not bury sacrifices made in Southeast Asia, though. Whitley and others would make sure of it.

The work

Decades ago, then-City Manager Roland Windham approached Whitley for assistance on a project: finding something to do for the Vietnam veterans, the septuagenarian recalled in May. Whitley agreed to help.

Brainstorming sessions generated an idea for a memorial.

We went with that, Whitley said, and didnt realize how much work it was going to be.

The hurdles were many. There was money to raise. There was red tape to navigate. There were plans to draw up. And there were names and addresses to check, double check, triple check. A March 1973 dispatch from U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond included a roster of servicemen from South Carolina who lost their lives in connection with the conflict in Vietnam since January 1, 1961, but it was not sorted by county.

The amount of time it took just to go through all the names in South Carolina and pick out the ones from Aiken County, and then talk to their families and so forth  once I got it done, it was just hundreds of hours that I was working on this thing, Whitley remembered.

Thurmond, in his letter, described the memorial effort as most worthy. The Palmetto State politician, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered any assistance he could.

The Vietnam War memorial that Whitley and others worked so hard to realize was eventually constructed along Laurens Street, in downtown Aiken, across from what is now the old Department of Public Safety headquarters. Windham in November 1973 described the monument as beautiful, if you can call a monument of that kind such a thing.

I know that all the parents and loved ones of the young men involved certainly thank you for this work, the city manager wrote to Whitley, and City Council has been very high in their praise of the work which you have done to see that this monument was erected.

The location, though, has proven problematic over the years. The median in which the monument stands is caged by lanes of traffic, and there are no connecting crosswalks. A large enough crowd will spill into the road, as was the case during a wreath-laying ceremony earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the Aiken County Veterans Memorial Park  with its green space, engraved pavers, fountain, military flags, and wall honoring the fallen  is some 2 miles away.

Get moving

Whitley, like many others, wants the Vietnam War monument moved.

The other victims of wars in the past are in the memorial park out there, Whitley said in May. Considering the fact that this place is very hard to get to  where it is located now  and very dangerous, and theres very little parking, if it were moved out there with the others, then people could go and see all the different wars and those that gave their lives for this country.

Its a point that resonates with Aiken County Veterans Council Chairman Lowell Koppert. The former Green Beret has championed the relocation cause; in April, he and former Navy SEAL Ray Care embarked on a two-day trek to the S.C. Statehouse to draw attention to the monument and the in-limbo plans to transplant it.

This isnt a monument issue, Koppert has said. This is a monumental issue about veterans.

When Whitley heard what Koppert and Care were up to, he quickly reached out.

When I saw that somebody was doing something so wonderful, what they had done, I wrote him a letter and explained to him that I was the one who got it built and erected and so forth, the Vietnam veteran said. And he got right back with me.

Relocating the Vietnam War memorial, much like its creation so many years ago, is no simple task.

Even though Aiken, Aiken County and statewide officials support the monument migration, and more than 1,400 have signed a related petition, the effort is hamstrung by the Heritage Act. It will take more than a truck and a few eager hands to get the thing moved.

Its all about politics, Koppert said in July. And its all about votes.

A bill introduced in the S.C. Legislature by state Reps. Bill Taylor, Bill Clyburn, Bart Blackwell and Melissa Oremus would authorize the city and county to begin transferring the Vietnam War memorial to the more-august Richland Avenue destination. State Sen. Tom Young has applauded Koppert for his advocacy and has said the Aiken County Legislative Delegation backs the move.

Though tangible progress remains elusive, Whitley is undeterred. The man has pledged to give everything to see the relocation through.

What makes you think that people who died for this country, in the Vietnam conflict, should not be memorialized with those who died in other wars? he said. That just doesnt make sense.
SUMMERVILLE  Erin Paitrick knows the call is coming. Its not a matter of if, but when.

Its midafternoon and the four schools in nearby Cane Bay Plantation are just starting to let out for the day. Paitrick can see the traffic building up in both directions on U.S. Highway 176 from her Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming shop at the Cane Bay Market.

A few minutes later the phone rings.

Its from a client whos scheduled a dog-grooming appointment who is now stuck in traffic and is going to be late  30-minutes late.

It happens all the time, said Paitrick, who has been running the bakery and grooming shop for more than three years. Highway 176 is a nightmare. When school is in, it happens every morning and afternoon like clockwork. Well get clients that are late for appointments all the time, and it creates a bottleneck for our scheduling. Weve had to strictly enforce our 15-minute late policy because of traffic, and it ends up hurting our business.

Help is on the way.

On Aug. 27, Berkeley County held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $53 million widening project on Highway 176. Combine that with the recent opening of Nexton Parkway Extension and traffic around Cane Bay and Nexton should improve in the coming years.

This is a critical infrastructure project for the region that will provide long-overdue traffic relief along that entire corridor, said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb. The 176 widening coupled with the improvements already made at Nexton Parkway and the Nexton Interchange, will greatly improve quality of life in the region.

It cant happen quickly enough for Paitrick.

Weve been told since the day we moved in that they were going to widen 176, Paitrick said. Getting out of the Market can be impossible sometimes. The new extension has helped because it gives us another exit out of Cane Bay, but the real problem is 176.

Cribb knows the county cant build roads fast enough to keep up with the growth within its boundaries. According to recently released U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the county has added more than 52,000 residents over the past decade. Its one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, and most of that growth had been concentrated in the three megadevelopments in the area  Cane Bay, Nexton and Carnes Crossroads.

All together, the three large-scale, mixed-use neighborhoods have more than 27,000 residences planned. The Nexton development alone is as big as the Charleston peninsula and extends across 5,000 acres from Interstate 26 to Highway 176.

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Those road projects are absolutely needed, said Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib. Business goes where the traffic already is. You are going to only see more commercial investment along 176 and widening the road will help alleviate some traffic issues, but the problem wont go away altogether. Obviously, the county would have loved to have built or widened those roads 10 years ago, but the funding wasnt there.

Berkeley County has had a plan in place to widen Highway 176 for several years. Phase 1 of the project consists of widening the road from two lanes to four lanes with a raised concrete median from Highway 17A to Nexton Parkway, a distance of approximately 4.2 miles.

One of our goals is to have retail and employment opportunities near communities to help alleviate traffic on our roads and make it more convenient for our residents, Cribb said. The widening of Highway 176 and the Nexton Parkway Extension are critical pieces of infrastructure in an area that is experiencing tremendous growth. These projects will go a long way to achieving that end.

Shops and commercial projects are popping up almost daily along Highway 176.

Theres a lot of stores and restaurants that are opening up, especially just outside of Nexton on 176, said Joanna Reese, who moved into the Nexton development a year ago. It makes things a lot more convenient, but it also draws more traffic. There are a lot of times when I wont go over to Cane Bay because the traffic is backed up so badly. I try to avoid that area unless its the weekend.

Up until last year, Cane Bay had just one exit out of the development. Two more have been added in the past year. The opening of Nexton Parkway Extension on Aug. 6 makes it easier for residents and shoppers to get in and out of the area.

Candi Fender, who works at Japan Karate Institute of Cane Bay, noticed a difference in her commute time during the dojos summer camp.

It made things so much easier, Fender said. You could avoid getting onto U.S. 176 until it was absolutely necessary and that made it a lot faster getting the kids back to their homes.

Additionally, 3 miles of I-26 were widened, starting near mile marker 193 and tying into the newly widened portion of I-26 near the Nexton Parkway Interchange.

At the end of the day, we hope all this construction will help with traffic, Paitrick said. I think that will help with our bottom lines.
COLUMBIA  A number of South Carolinas top labor lawyers expect more companies to begin mandating COVID-19 vaccines as a condition of employment as the shots receive full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

So far only a handful of Palmetto State employers have announced requirements  the Roper St. Francis medical system in the Charleston area, Nephron Pharmaceuticals in West Columbia, and U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs and the Medical University of South Carolina's hospitals in the state.

Lexington Medical Center, where the vaccination rate among employees is 75 percent, also is mulling a possible mandate, spokeswoman Jennifer Wilson said.

More are likely to do it, attorney David Dubberly, chairman of Nexsen Pruet's employment and labor law practice, told members of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

In a recent chamber survey, 73 companies out of roughly 300 respondents said they were considering a mandate. Another 14 employers already had requirements in place. The majority, 178 companies, said they would not implement a requirement.

FDA approval removes a potential legal issue over whether employers could mandate a vaccine operating under emergency authorization status, Dubberly said.

Pfizer received full approval for its vaccine Aug. 23 and Modernas is expected to be approved in the next couple months.

Part of the reason for some of the concern about the (emergency authorization) status was, when you administered one of the vaccines, they had to provide the individual receiving the vaccine with a fact sheet. And one of the things that it said in that fact sheet is it is your choice to receive or not, Dubberly said. Some people said, well, you can't require vaccines as a condition of employment if the fact sheet says that it's somebody's choice.

Despite the hesitancy this caused for some, legal arguments against mandates have been struck down in federal court, Dubberly said. In fact, federal workers' protection agencies like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration encourage them.

The potential loss of workers is a final barrier, especially as some businesses struggle to staff up.

"For many employers if they adopt a mandate, they risk losing 10 or 20 percent of their workforce that feels strongly about not getting vaccinated," Dubberly said. "So that is another practical issue that employers need to take into account.

Meanwhile cases of COVID-19 in the Palmetto State are rising with thousands of new cases announced daily by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and more than 700,000 people have contracted the disease to date. The virus has killed more than 10,000 South Carolinians.

What Dubberly said will continue to be more common is a hybrid approach.

Not necessarily a mandate but weekly testing and incentives for people to be vaccinated, he said.

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He referenced Delta Air Lines adding a $200 surcharge to the company's health plan costs for the unvaccinated. The average cost of a hospital stay for a COVID-19 patient is $40,000 and the surcharge is designed to help offset the cost when employees who are unvaccinated end up in the hospital.

At a recent community vaccine clinic in Columbia, Thomas Tafel, community outreach manager at Lexington Medical Center, said the hospital has been working with employers of shift workers to vaccinate employees at shift change. When vaccinating workers at a steel mill, the benefit of no longer having to wear a mask was a motivator for 17 employees to receive their shots.

Only one state so far, Montana, prevents employers from implementing a vaccine mandate.

"I kind of doubt that very many others will," Dubberly said. "I've heard in the last few days, Republican governors who are rising stars in the party say we're not going to tell businesses, private businesses, that they cannot mandate vaccines because that really kind of goes against the whole free enterprise system."

Gov. Henry McMaster has made similar statements.

But there are several administrative matters companies must take into account when creating a mandate, said Katherine Dudley Helms of Ogletree Deakins law firm  they must legally provide exemptions for health and religious reasons.

Dudley Helms said one employer she represents that has several thousand employees had 20 requests for a religious exemption. Of those, 19 sought reprieve based on their belief that fetal tissue was used in the development of the vaccine. Only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was developed using a fetal material.

Companies requiring proof of vaccination for customers and visitors is a separate matter. Outside a couple large cities, like New York City, these requirements are even more piecemeal and so called vaccine passports are actually outlawed in some states.

The South Carolina Retail Association, which represents larger retailers and big box stores, says none of its members are contemplating proof of vaccination from customers at this point, though some are starting to require masks again, said spokeswoman Rebecca Leach.

Nephron Pharmaceuticals, in announcing its employee mandate, said it would have the same proof of vaccination requirement for visitors to its campus.

A handful of small businesses in the state also have implemented vaccination policies.

In Columbia there is Lula Drake wine bar, where indoor seating is reserved for vaccinated customers though no proof of vaccination is asked for; the pizzeria Il Focolare; and West Columbia's New Brookland Tavern, which asks for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

The Charleston Gaillard Center and Charleston Music Hall in the Lowcountry are also requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test.

And Greenvilles Peace Center in the Upstate has a similar policy.

"We are seeing a lot of people do this," Dudley Helms said. "If you want if you want to walk into someone's business, you're gonna have to prove that you're vaccinated."
History of the struggle is where you least expect it
Evening traffic creates a steady flow of cars on S.C. Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant. The road be widened with money from Charleston's half-cent sales tax increase. But other congested area roads need repairs and improvements. File/Staff
Former state lawmaker Lucille Simmons Whipper of Charleston, matriarch of the Whipper family and who stressed education throughout her long career, passed away Aug. 27.

She was 93 and had been in declining health when she passed at a local hospital, her family said.

Whipper's son, Seth Whipper, who also previously served in the S.C. House of Representatives, said there was no underlying cause of death and that she had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, receiving her shot at age 92.

In an interview Saturday, Seth Whipper spoke of her work in pressing for educational opportunities and bringing young people together, including during the civil rights era.

Later in life and as a state lawmaker, she was more interested in contributing to accomplishments than in getting any credit, he said.

"She was a real team player," he said. "She never had to be No. 1 in the room," he added, saying, "She was motivated by issues, not status."

She also was involved in voter registration drives. Seth Whipper recalled the story of her meeting with young people in Alabama and local law enforcement not being warm to it.

Still, it was her mission to make sure doors were open to young people "to take advantage of their abilities," Seth Whipper said.

In 1985, Lucille Whipper became the first Black woman to represent Charleston County in the Legislature, winning her House District 109 seat. She would serve for 10 years, mostly sponsoring or co-sponsoring legislation covering areas including health care, womens issues, mental health, education and the environment.

College of Charleston President Andrew Hsu put out a lengthy statement of appreciation for Whipper on Saturday, noting she was instrumental in seeing her alma mater, the Avery Institute, join the College of Charleston.

"Because of her efforts and her influence, the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture was established at the College in 1985 and officially opened to the public in 1990," Hsu said.

The college listed her professional career to include teacher, guidance counselor and a public-school administrator in Charleston County, serving at Haut Gap Middle School, Bonds-Wilson and Burke high schools.

In the 1970s, College of Charleston President Ted Stern hired her to direct the Colleges Head Start program and to develop diversity programs at the institution.

Among her honors were two honorary doctorates from the College of Charleston. In 2020, during the Colleges 250th anniversary celebration, she received the Founders Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the College, the school said.

Hsu described Whipper as "not only a trailblazer at the College of Charleston, but she was also a history maker for the entire State of South Carolina. Representative Whipper will be greatly missed, but because of her many contributions to the community, her presence will always be felt."

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement Whipper was "one of the finest people I've ever known."

"She loved generously and well, lived her life with fortitude and purpose, and left the world better and kinder than she found it," the mayor said. "Known to all for her great intellect and indomitable spirit, Lucille will be much missed, but never forgotten."

Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
As tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin get stronger and more plentiful, it is becoming imperative for coastal South Carolina residents to be able to receive emergency alerts from government officials.

In the last five years the Palmetto State has been impacted by nine named storms, with hurricanes Matthew, Irma and Dorian among the most notable.

And through the national Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, authorized municipalities and state and federal agencies were able to keep residents aware of extreme weather threats and evacuations nearby.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division coordinates the public alert and warning systems in the Palmetto State. Agency spokesman Derrec Becker said its most effective systems dont require people to register or sign up to receive the alerts.

Sending Wireless Emergency Alerts is just one way the agency can directly notify people of a potentially life-threatening situation.

Becker said the agency reserves these messages for grave situations when people may be in harms way or need to take action for their safety.

The messages are no more than 360 characters and include the type and time of the alert, any action people should take and the agency issuing the alert.

By now, most people who live along the states coast are used to receiving a sometimes startling ping on their cellphones, periodically alerting them of severe weather, Amber alerts, missing people and even boil-water advisories. These wireless emergency alerts come across the screen sort of like a text message and are designed to grab the receivers attention with a unique sound and repeated vibration, according to the SCEMD.

This is the fastest way to reach as many people as we need to in the state because it pings, or it sends an emergency alert to peoples mobile devices in a given area, and the participating radio and TV stations also receive it as well, Becker said.

The notifications are only sent to devices within the geographical area being targeted and are distributed by local cell towers. Folks dont have to be a resident of the area or need to sign up to receive them. They just need to be in the affected area at the time the alert goes out.

Not all devices, including some older models, are equipped to receive the notifications. People should check with their wireless providers to be sure.

The SCEMD has authorized more wireless alerts for coastal residents than those in other regions, mainly due to the increased need for hurricane evacuations. Probably the biggest user of the system is the National Weather Service, Becker said.

The National Weather Service marks its most critical alerts for distribution through the Wireless Emergency Alerts system. The agency said it will only issue wireless warnings for tsunamis, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, hurricanes, typhoons, storm surge, extreme wind, dust storms and snow squalls.

According to the agency, severe thunderstorm alerts are only sent when the damage threat is destructive. Flash flood alerts are administered when there is a considerable or catastrophic damage threat.

In September 2015, some residents of Johns Island and West Ashley credited the Wireless Emergency Alert system with saving their lives when a tornado with 130-mph winds ripped through the area early one morning.

The wireless alert was sent just four minutes before the twister touched down, waking up many people in the community and urging them to take shelter.

The tornado cut a 7-mile-long swath of oak trees, nearly leveled a home and damaged 80 others.

"The alert on my iPhone was a savior," Ryan Meadows said in 2015. He had ignored the first alert that lit up his phone and assumed it was a "flash-flood alert."

Since people should have more than one way to get information, these wireless alerts are not the only means for the public to receive notifications from officials about emergency situations. State and local governments also work in partnership with the broadcast industry to provide information and instructions in dire situations through the Emergency Alert System.

Most notably, this system allows important messages to flash across TV screens. Standards and procedures for the systems participants are set by the Federal Communications Commission. The SCEMD and broadcasters in the state do not control how cable television providers choose to broadcast the messages over their networks.

CodeRED notifications are another tool used by the SCEMD. Becker said it is an a la carte'' approach people can take to get public safety alerts on their cellphone through text messages or emails. People can essentially pick what type of messages they want to receive by registering through the SCEMD website.

The types of messages that are sent through CodeRED are not necessarily immediate life-threatening situations but certainly public safety situations that people need to know about and take some precautions, Becker said.

In the past, the SCEMD has used CodeRED Alerts for missing-person reports at the request of counties, boil-water advisories and even 911 outages. Counties have also used the alerts to supplement evacuation messages sent through the Wireless Emergency Alert system.

Becker said a lot of people have issues with the way they get emergency alerts over cable TV networks, but the SCEMD does not control that. And the agency has experienced a mixture of responses from South Carolina residents regarding wireless emergency notifications.

Responses have ranged from, "Thank you for sending the alert," to "How could you interrupt my day," Becker said.

For the most part, people are grateful to get information wirelessly because not everyone pays close attention to what is playing on TVs or has a NOAA weather available. But most folks, nowadays, keeps a cellphone within reach.
The S.C. Legislature didn't start this year with an objection to school mask mandates. Lawmakers were appropriately upset about the school boards that were refusing to allow students back into the classroom, and the ones that did allow students  the ones most legislators were applauding  were requiring everyone to wear masks.

I could remind you that those mask requirements were what made the schools the safest place for most kids to be, but this column isn't about the wisdom of mask mandates.

So, we had the mask mandates, and during the entire session, only five bills were introduced that had anything to do with masks: two prefiled in December to prohibit state or local government employees from enforcing a federal mask mandate (which never materialized), two filed in April to clarify that a law against wearing masks in public doesnt apply to anti-COVID masks and H.4388, filed on May 13, to outlaw school mask mandates.

A couple of important points about that final bill. The most obvious is that it was filed on the final day of the regular legislative session  the day you file bills you dont expect to pass, so you can tell annoying constituents that you tried to do the crazy thing they wanted you to do. The other is that it wasnt filed until two days after Gov. Henry McMaster ordered schools to stop enforcing their mask requirements.

You can draw your own conclusions about whether the sponsors were truly concerned about parental rights or were simply sucking up to the same moving-goalpost demands from the COVID-is-a-hoax crowd as the governor. Because my point here isnt the motivations of the legislators who co-sponsored a bill they knew had no chance of becoming law.

Its that no one thought this was important enough to bring up until after Mr. McMaster had eliminated the problem. And that only 40 of 124 House members  only one a member of the leadership  added their names to the bill. And that none of the 46 senators saw a need to introduce such legislation.

The S.C. Supreme Court wont consider how important legislators thought the anti-mask proviso was when it hears arguments Tuesday in two lawsuits, one that seeks to enforce it and another that seeks to block it. Well, not directly. The justices will consider whether it violates a provision of the state constitution that was designed to prevent narrow minorities from forming coalitions to pass cobbled-together strings of pet projects and outlier ideas that couldnt pass if they had to stand on their own.

The mask proviso actually falls within the confines of what has been considered constitutional  as one expert on S.C. constitutional law told me, its just stupid  so the high court will have to decide whether its previous interpretation of what the constitution allows was too liberal.

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But whether the proviso stands or falls, its important to understand that using provisos to write state law allows at best narrow minorities and at worst extremists to hijack the legislative process and give us laws that dont reflect the will of the majority of legislators, let alone the public.

Theres nothing new or unusual about getting stuck with bad laws that arent broadly supported because they were slipped in through budget provisos. Lawmakers used to pass a second category of provisos that became permanent law rather than lasting just the year the budget was in effect, and thats how the Legislature opened up our state to the nations nuclear waste. And hazardous waste. And medical waste. Its how the Legislature passed a bribery-tainted retroactive tax break. Its how the Legislature legalized video gambling  in that case passing a proviso that was written so deceptively that no one even realized it was there, much less what a devastating effect it would have on our state.

Provisos are supposed to tell state agencies how to spend the money appropriated in the budget: how to calculate raises and bonuses, how much money they can carry into the next year, which other agencies they have to work with on a new project, what fees they can collect, under what circumstances legislators can use the state planes ... and the list goes on, for 173 pages this year.

Some have been in every budget for decades. Some last a year and then go away. More are added every year  some in the House Ways and Means Committees first draft of the budget, which means theyre there for debate and subject to removal by the full House, Senate subcommittees, the Senate Finance Committee, the full Senate and the House-Senate conference committee. More get added at each step in the process. The later theyre added, the less scrutiny they receive.

Technically, the conference committee can add provisos, but for all practical purposes, the last time a proviso can be added is after both the House and Senate pass the budget, when the House amends the bill back to the House-passed version and adds a handful of additional changes before sending it to the conference committee.

And that's when a handful of House members offered up the school mask proviso that their fellow Republicans were afraid to vote against and that they didnt really expect the conference committee to accept. But the three Senate conferees didn't object to the proviso, so it stayed in the budget, and the Senate's only choices were to accept it or to reject the entire budget.

As a result, the anti-mask proviso is now our law, which is forcing thousands of students into quarantine, and remote learning, and will continue to do so until either the court or the Legislature repeals it.
As a Class of 1966 Citadel graduate and Vietnam veteran, I have been exposed to life circumstances that have helped me grow as a person.

One such experience was embracing the militarys philosophy, This is what we do so that others can live.

During todays trying time for our society and the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, that philosophy seems particularly apropos for all citizens  Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals or moderates, like me.

Lets join together to fight this health enemy.

Get vaccinated, wear a mask, join the battle as a citizen.

Do it for your family, neighbors and our greater society. Help win this war because, This is what we do so that others can live.

L.F. VOLF JR.

McCrae Drive

Moncks Corner

Repave Long Point

Long Point Road, the second-most-traveled road in Mount Pleasant, has safety issues.

I travel the section of Long Point Road from Whipple Road to U.S. Highway 17 almost daily.

The road is full of large and ever-growing potholes. They are dangerous because I and others try to avoid them and occasionally come very close to either running off the road or having a head-on collision.

Ive observed the patchwork effort that fixes some potholes for a few days. Eventually, they are back and bigger than ever.

U.S. Highway 17 is being repaved almost daily, but nothing of any consequence has been done to Long Point Road.

Please pressure the Mount Pleasant Public Services Department to make this happen before a deadly accident occurs.

TIM KOHL

Oak Point Landing Drive

Mount Pleasant

Income inequality

Arthur Laffers syndicated commentary in Wednesdays paper defines income redistribution as the taking of income from someone who earns a little bit more and then giving those proceeds to someone who earns a little bit less.

He adds that giving the proceeds to people who earn less also reduces those peoples incentives to earn, given that they now have an alternative source of income other than working.

The discussion is not as simple as a little bit more or a little bit less.

The magnitude is much greater.

In 2020, average CEO pay was about 300 times median employee pay and 55 of the top companies they ran paid zero federal taxes.

Inheriting a fortune is clearly an alternative source of income. I guess the Walton family must have next-to-zero incentive to earn, given the level of their alternative income.

There is a huge difference between making money via stock options and inheritance versus working long, grueling hours for minimum wage. Likewise, theres a huge difference between living off a fortune and living paycheck to paycheck.

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Mr. Laffer ignores those distinctions to demonize redistribution. He also ignores the basic economic idea that a dollar is less valuable to someone with $300 and more valuable to someone with $1.

To someone with $300, a dollar here or there is trivial, but to someone who has only $1, that dollar is dear to life.

Redistribution is not evil. It doesnt put families like the Waltons in poverty. It raises working families out of poverty.

RICK PATELUNAS

Thames Court

Myrtle Beach

Firefighters helpful

Recently, I was mowing the lawn when I turned to see a member of the St. Andrews Fire Department there.

My 98-year-old mother had pushed her help button, but because of the loud mower, I hadnt heard the call from the medical alert company.

When the company does not get a response from the customer, it immediately sends help.

Two EMS staff members and three firefighters checked my mom out thoroughly.

Thankfully, she was OK, just a bit dehydrated. While I helped mom drink a glass of juice, the firefighters excused themselves and left the EMS staff to finish evaluating her.

I then noticed one of the men outside my moms window pulling weeds. And another walked by pushing the mower.

These wonderful men were out there finishing my lawn work while I cared for mom.

After the EMS staff left and I got mom settled, I went outside to thank the crew and to tell them I could finish up the yard the next day.

They wouldnt stop. They insisted on finishing the lawn, which also including blowing off the driveway and sidewalk, carrying the bags to the curb and even rinsing off the mower.

These kind and compassionate heroes wanted to free me up to care for my mom.

West Ashley is truly blessed to have Michael Adams, Robert Howard and Erich Nagle at Station 3.

In todays turbulent times, its wonderful to be reminded that there are still a lot of good, caring people out there.

PAMELA PARKER

Treebark Drive

Charleston

King entertaining

Whoever had the brilliant idea to include syndicated columnist Llewellyn King among the Aug. 22 commentaries should get a pat on the back.

What a brilliant and entertaining writer.

GLORIA B. JENKINS

Stonewood Drive

Charleston
Voters in Spartanburg School District 5 will decide in November whether to allow the district to borrow $295 million to build two new schools and fund expansions at others to help manage rising student enrollment.

On Aug. 23, District 5's Board of Trustees voted to place a referendum on the ballot. The question on the ballot will ask voters whether to allow the district to borrow beyond the allowable debt limit. Borrowing above the 8 percent level of assessed value is not permitted in South Carolina unless it is approved by voters. District 5 serves communities in Lyman, Duncan and Wellford in western Spartanburg County. The area has experienced significant residential growth which continues to add more students to the district.

If approved, there would be no tax increase for District 5 residents.

"We are seeing enormous growth not just in the schools but in the community," said District 5 Superintendent Randall Gary. "The housing market is booming and fortunately we have jobs here. By 2024-2025, 10 out of our 12 facilities will be out of operational capacity and we can't wait to come up with a resolution."

District 5's student enrollment for the current school year is 9,800 students  up 700 over last year, which is its largest ever single year increase. There are 1,407 employees in District 5 with 134 new hires for the current school year. Growth is expected to continue with more housing developments planned.

If the referendum passes, a new elementary school would be constructed behind Wellford Academy of Science and Technology at 684 Syphrit Road in Wellford. District 5 Director of Public Relations Melissa Robinette told The Post and Courier students at the academy would continue to attend the school then move into the new elementary school when it is completed. A new middle school would be constructed near Abner Creek Academy at 2050 Abner Creek Road in Duncan.

The cost of the new elementary and middle school combined would be about $115 million, according to District 5.

Robinette said Byrnes High School at 150 E. Main St. in Duncan would be renovated and new additions would be built at the high school to increase its capacity. Reidville Elementary School at 520 Main St. in Reidville would also be renovated to increase capacity.

"The district hopes, if funding is approved, it will allow us to prepare for growth in a timely manner," Robinette said. "We have been experiencing it (increased growth) for some time.

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"The reality is the growth is not going anywhere and we have to have space for students."

District 5 also plans to no longer use the intermediate school concept by converting intermediate schools into new campuses with traditional grades K-5 for elementary schools and grades six through eight for middle schools.

"This journey started in 2019 when we had an outside firm take a look at facilities and demographics," Robinette said.

If approved, bonds would be issued within five years, with the debt paid back by District 5 in 20 to 25 years. The district has a debt capacity of $32 million, according to District 5 Finance Director David Hayes. Hayes said if approved, the $295 million would be added to the district's capacity.

"This is not a permanent increase in capacity," Hayes said. "Thirty-two million is how much debt we can take on now without taking it to the taxpayers. Anything beyond that we must get taxpayers' approval."

District 5 Board of Trustees Chairwoman Julie McMakin said so far class sizes are manageable. She's hopeful the referendum passes Nov. 2.

"We hope to have facilities to house students that are coming," McMakin said. "We have worked on a plan for several years to prepare for growth and do it in way we don't have a tax increase."
Guam Power Authority General Manager John Benavente has sent a letter to Department of Public Works Director Vince Arriola expressing the utility's full support for the solar project owned by KEPCO Mangilao Solar LLC and requesting that DPW reconsider its stop-work order on the project.

Arriola had stated Wednesday that the order will remain until the project contractor, Samsung E&C America Inc., has fully corrected the violations stated in a notice of violation issued by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency.

Benavente said the letter to Arriola was delivered Thursday and they now await a response.

DPW issued the stop-work order Aug. 21, suspending all work on the project other than to comply with the Guam EPA notice issued July 29.

Stormwater runoff impacted nearby private residences and Marbo Cave, a popular hiking and tourist destination, which led to a Guam EPA investigation in late July.

Officials confirmed that approved erosion and sediment controls at the solar farm were not fully installed. Other controls were in the process of being installed, but construction already was well underway.

Ratepayers are not responsible for any remediation work the contractor may need to perform in the area, but project delays may hurt power customers through higher-than-anticipated fuel costs or through penalties for missed project deadlines due to a consent decree between GPA and U.S. EPA.

In his letter to Arriola, Benavente stated that the solar project is critically important for GPA and its ratepayers.

"The completion of the 60-megawatt solar farm will benefit GPA ratepayers by reducing Guam's substantial (over 90%) dependence on imported oil, thereby helping reduce the cost of electricity. This is part of GPA's mandate under Public Law 35-46 to reach 100% renewable capacity by Dec. 31, 2045. In addition, (fuel surcharge) savings are estimated to be $17.9 million for the first year, and $49 million for the first four-year operating period," Benavente stated.

The Public Utilities Commission had recently raised the fuel surcharge under a three-step hike structure due to rising fuel costs and GPA's losses on fuel purchases. This was done even with $15 million granted by the governor funded by the American Rescue Plan.

Benavente said it is GPA's understanding that Samsung had provided DPW and Guam EPA with daily reports indicating substantial efforts to complete requests made to address erosion and sedimentary damage.

The project is also largely complete, with commissioning tracking for early December, a couple months ahead of when the fuel surcharge will need to be updated again.

GPA is not the project owner, but the utility is ready to assist and ensure that all required remediation efforts are completed in a timely manner, Benavente said.
There was a rocket attack in Kabul earlier today that reportedly killed a child. Meanwhile, a U.S. strike took out a vehicle that was en route to the Kabul airport with miltiple suicide bombers. So apparently a more serious terrorist threat was averted for now.

Further, the U.S. Embassy has ordered all Americans to leave the airport area immediately. Given the short time available to complete the evacuation, it is not clear how the final stage will be carried out, since we have been told to expect further efforts to launch terrorist attacks against the airport.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to threaten our enemies:

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan thundered

The idea of Jake Sullivan thundering is laughable in itself.

that the US has shown in other countries that it is capable of suppressing the terrorism threat without a large permanent presence on the ground. And we will do that in Afghanistan as well as we go forward.

Lets hope so. Nothing about the events of the last few weeks creates any confidence that the Biden administration is capable of doing any such thing.
President Biden has vowed to mitigate threats to the United States emanating from Afghanistan through our so-called over the horizon counterterrorism capability. In the context of our retreat and surrender, this vow comes off with a Monty Python quality lacking the humor of the original.

Whats going on under the horizon as we depart? This week Politicos Lara Seligman et al. reported that U.S. officials provided Taliban with names of Americans, Afghan allies to evacuate. Subhead: The White House contends that limited information sharing with the Taliban is saving lives; critics argue its putting Afghan allies in harms way.

Zenger News has just posted Siddharthya Roy and Richard Miniters story First-Ever Interview With Terror Leader Whos Hunting Americans and Allies in Afghanistan. Subhead: In a rare interview, a Taliban commander confirms the existence of a special unit called Al Isha using U.S. data to hunt enemies. They report:

The Taliban has mobilized a special unit, called Al Isha, to hunt down Afghans who helped U.S. and allied forces  and its using U.S. equipment and data to do it. Nawazuddin Haqqani, one of the brigade commanders over the Al Isha unit, bragged in an interview with Zenger News, that his unit is using U.S.-made hand-held scanners to tap into a massive U.S.-built biometric database and positively identify any person who helped the NATO allies or worked with Indian intelligence. Afghans who try to deny or minimize their role will find themselves contradicted by the detailed computer records that the U.S. left behind in its frenzied withdrawal. The existence of the Al Isha unit has not been previously confirmed by the Taliban; until now the Haqqani Network, a terror group aligned with the Taliban, has not admitted its role in targeting Afghans or its use of Americas vast biometric database. The Haqqani Network is the most lethal and sophisticated insurgent group targeting U.S., Coalition, and Afghan forces, according to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. The power and reach of the U.S. biometric database are breathtaking. Virtually everyone who worked with the Afghan government or the U.S. military, including interpreters, drivers, nurses, and secretaries, was fingerprinted and scanned for the biometric database over the past 12 years. U.S. officials have not confirmed how many of the 7,000 hand-held scanners were left behind or whether the biometric database could be remotely deleted.

Maybe their attention is turned elsewhere. However, this is not encouraging:

The U.S. State and Defense departments acknowledged receipt of questions from Zenger for this story on Tuesday. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said he would forward them to the right folks but did not provide answers by press time. State department press officer Nicole Thompson said the questions were being worked inside the agency but also didnt provide a response. White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Zenger asked all three agencies for comment again Friday morning; none of them answered questions on the record.

I guess we shall see, but one would have to be optimistic to think there isnt more to come, and worse.
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Abdulkarim Na Allah, the eldest son of Bala Ibn Na Allah,was on Sunday, found dead in his room in Malali GRA, Kaduna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the father of the deceased, Bala Ibn Na Allah, is the Senator representing Kebbi South Senatorial District.

The deceased, 36, was a pilot by profession.

The Kaduna State Police Commands Public Relations officer , Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the incident to NAN.

Mr Jalige said the death of the deceased was reported to the police at about 3.30pm.

He said the killers took his car, and that investigation had commenced on the matter.

Narrating how the deceased was murdered, Garba Mohammed, special adviser to Mr NaAllah told NAN that late Abdulkarim was tied in his room and strangled while the assailants escaped with his vehicle.

Mr Mohammed said the remains of the deceased had been buried on Sunday evening at Unguwan Sarki cemetery in Kaduna.

He said the father of the deceased was not in the country at the time of his death.

Kaduna in Nigerias north-west has been in the grip of bandits, kidnappers and other violent criminals for some time now despite security operatives doing their best to contain them.

Recently, the nations foremost military training institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy(NDA), Kaduna, was invaded by bandits who abducted an officer and killed two in the process.
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The people of Ugbo in Ilaje council area of Ondo State on Sunday called on the state government to urgently intervene to check sea incursion ravaging the coastal community.

They lamented that many residents had been displaced and property destroyed as a result of the sea incursion in the community.

The traditional ruler of the community, the Olugbo of Ugbo, Fredrick Akinruntan, made the call during the inauguration of Molute/Jinrinwo Development Trust Fund in Ugbo.

Mr Akinruntan said that without urgent intervention by the government, the community would go into extinction in a couple of years.

He also lamented that the oil companies operating in the area were not environmentally-friendly.

We have been calling on the government, but no response from the Federal and State governments. There is nothing traditional rulers can do.

It is high time the government gave traditional rulers the role, because if you talk too much, they will say they want to remove the oba, he said.

Mr Akinruntan, who was represented by Felix Emayero, said the community had written to the government for assistance in checking sea incursion in the area.

Kelly Nomiye, chairman of newly inaugurated Fund, described the neglect of the community as worrisome.

Mr Nomiye said the effect of the sea incursion and the oil exploration in Ilaje communities had made life difficult for the people.

According to him, oil exploration which should bring succour to the people of the area has become a source of pain and hardship to them.

We are experiencing the worst destruction of aquatic lives and its effects on fish farming, destruction of farm lands as well as death and maternal mortality as a result of lack of health care.

We are experiencing ignorance as a result of the lack of schools. We are experiencing the worst of waterborne diseases as a result of lack of potable water.

We are experiencing poverty as a result of unemployment. For so long, we have experienced marginalisation and rejection, he said.

According to him, Molute/Jinrinwo Development Trust Fund is saddled with the responsibility of attracting development to the area.

Other members of the Fund are Felix Emayero, Vice Chairman; Samson Ewajane, Secretary; Esther Orisamoluwa, Treasurer; Inspiration Ajimosun, Palace Representative and Omojuwa Omomomowo, Legal Adviser.

(NAN)
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The kidnapped Mass Communication student of Kwara State University has been rescued from her abductors after six days in captivity.

The universitys spokesperson, AbdulRazaq Sanni, confirmed the development in a press statement on Saturday.

He said the suspected kidnappers have also been arrested.

The Vice Chancellor, on behalf of the Management, Staff and students of Kwara State University is glad to inform the general public that Miss Khadijat Isiaka, the abducted 300 Level Mass Communication student of the University, has been rescued.

Miss Isiaka was kidnapped on August 22, along Okuru Road in Malete town at about 9.30 p.m.

However, the joint efforts of His Excellency, the Governor of Kwara State  Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and security agencies, including the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, DPO Malete, State Anti-kidnapping Squad, IGP Response Team, operatives of the Department of State Security, KWASU Safety Unit and Malete Vigilante group have led to the rescue of Khadijat Isiaka from her abductors on Saturday, 28th August, 2021.

One of the criminals was arrested on Saturday morning in Shao town, a development that led to the arrest of other members of the syndicate.

The suspects have since been moved to the State Police Headquarters for interrogation and further investigation.

In view of this, the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Moshood Jimba, and some staff officers of the University were at the state Police Headquarters to take possession of the victim and subsequently, reunite her with her family.

Also, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi SAN, has received the rescued student in his official residence in Ilorin, shortly after the police had handed her over to the university authority.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor has appealed to staff and students within and outside the campus to remain calm and go about their lawful activities with caution, as the management would not relent in its effort at ensuring safety of lives and properties on the university campus, the official statement said.

Kwara, in North-central Nigeria, has witnessed few cases of kidnappings and attacks on communities, when compared to other North-central states like Niger, Plateau and Benue.

Kidnapping for ransom has, however, become rampant in many states in Nigeria, particularly states in the northern part of the country.
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Community leaders in Borno State, on Sunday, agreed to the return of repentant Boko Haram terrorists into their communities.

The decision was taken at a stakeholders meeting to discuss the prevailing security situation in the state. The meeting was organised by the government of Borno State.

The Borno government confirmed that at least 3,000 persons who were members of the armed opposition group have laid down their arms and surrendered to the Nigerian military.

Governor Babagana Zulum, who presided over the meeting, disclosed that apart from the 3,000 ex-terrorists currently in the custody of the government, another 900 confirmed members of Boko Haram have surrendered to the Cameroonian forces.

Governor Zulum said the stakeholders meeting became necessary following the mixed reactions that recently trailed the mass surrender of former Boko Haram fighters.

Mr Zulum said the government needed to involve all stakeholders in Borno in the decision-making process on how to deal with the repentant insurgents.

Various stakeholders at the meeting which lasted five hours presented their views on how the former terrorists should be accepted and treated in society.

At the end of the meeting, which was attended by many government functionaries, religious and traditional rulers, security operatives and members of the civil society, the gathering issued a communique detailing their resolve to accept the repentant insurgents. They, however, gave conditions that must be met before the remorseful terrorists are accepted into various communities.

Key speakers at the meeting were members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers, soldiers and other representatives of security agencies, victims of the insurgency, religious leaders, elderly residents, representatives of civic groups, as well as representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

The 16-point communique was signed by the Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaka-Shehu Lawan.

According to the communique, the stakeholders called on the federal and state government to handle the issue of repentant Boko Haram insurgents with utmost care and within the instrumentality of the law.

The meeting emphasised the need for proper profiling of the repentant Boko Haram insurgents to avoid hasty release of hardening elements to the larger society.

They called on Borno citizens to key into the educational opportunities created by the state government especially by enrolling their children and wards to schools as a countermeasure for indoctrination.

The meeting also agreed on the need for the establishment of a world-class deradicalization/rehabilitation centre in Borno State being the epicentre of the insurgency.

The stakeholders, however, called on the Nigeria military to sustain the ongoing offensive on the activities of ISWAP.

While calling for a periodic media briefing on the activities of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists as a means of keeping the public abreast of developments, the attendees also insisted that all firearms and offensive weapons used by the insurgents be retrieved from them.

During the meeting, one of the speakers, a district head, who identified himself as a direct victim of Boko Haram having witnessed the killing of his elder brother by the insurgents, said though they are in tune with the resolve to welcome and receive the insurgents, it would be very difficult for them to convince other members of their communities to forgive and accept them unless the government embarked on serious sensitization on the need to forgive and forget.
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the Federal Government to disclose details of proposed payments of N729bn to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, including the mechanisms and logistics for the payments, list of beneficiaries, and how they have been selected, and whether the payments will be made in cash or through Bank Verification Numbers or other means.

SERAP is also seeking an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months, which translates to five-percent of the countrys budget of N13.6 trillion for 2021.

The suit followed SERAPs Freedom of Information (FoI) request to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadia Umar-Farouk, stating that: Disclosing the details of beneficiaries and selection criteria, as well as the payment plan would promote transparency and accountability, and remove the risks of mismanagement and diversion of public funds.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/853/2021 filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is also seeking: an order directing and compelling the Federal Government to clarify whether the proposed payment to poor Nigerians is part of the N5.6 trillion budget deficit.

In the suit filed against Sadia Umar-Farouk, SERAP is arguing that Providing support and assistance to poor Nigerians is a human rights obligation but the programme to spend five-percent of the 2021 budget, which is mostly based on deficit and borrowing, requires anti-corruption safeguards to ensure the payments go directly to the intended beneficiaries, and that public funds are not mismanaged or diverted.

According to SERAP: The Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], UN Convention against Corruption, and African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party require the government to set the highest standards of transparency, accountability and probity in programmes that it oversees.

SERAP is also arguing that The government has a responsibility to ensure that these requirements and other anti-corruption controls are fully implemented and monitored, and that the payments are justified in light of the huge budget deficit and borrowing, and whether there are better ways to spend N729bn to support poor Nigerians.

According to SERAP: The Federal Government has repeatedly failed to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of public wealth and resources.

The suit filed last week on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: Transparency and accountability in the programme would improve public trust, and allow Nigerians to track and monitor its implementation, and to assess if the programme is justified, as well as to hold authorities to account in cases of diversion, mismanagement and corruption.

Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm; it is an apostasy for government to ignore the provisions of the law and the necessary rules to regulate matters

The right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption. This is in line with the Governments anti-corruption strategy of citizen involvement in the fight against corruption. As a positive development strategy, access to information will foster development of democratic institutions in Nigeria.

Democracy cannot flourish in the absence of citizens access to information. Public officers are mere custodians of public records. The citizenry is entitled to know how the common wealth is being utilized, managed and administered. This right to know will no doubt help in promoting a transparent democracy, good governance and public accountability.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Kolawole Oluwadare

SERAP Deputy Director

29/8/2021
The Forum of Chairmen of Health Institutions in Nigeria (FCHIN), a body of chairpersons of boards of parastatals and agencies under the nations health ministry, has charged the Nigerian government and the striking National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to reach a truce on the ongoing strike in the interest of Nigerians.

The forums chairperson, Sam Jaja, who led the leadership to a meeting with the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, in Abuja, said the forum chose a four-pronged approach to resolve the dispute.

This is according to a statement by Charles Akpan, the labour ministrys spokesperson.

The statement noted that Mr Jaja also frowned at the frequent resort to strike by doctors, describing it as insensitive.

The statement reads in part; All hope was that at last weeks meeting, where all affiliates of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) except NARD signed the MOU, would resolve the strike. We feel so concerned the strike hasnt been called off.

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Strike should be the last resort when every other effort has been exhausted in terms of finding a solution to whatever the problem is. But for any little thing, you resort to disruption of services; it does not portray the country in good light. It doesnt also portray the profession in good light, most especially such a profession that has to do with the preservation of human lives.

It makes them(doctors) insensitive and that is not right. For whatever reason, I think we should nip it in the bud. That is what we as a Forum of Chairmen of Health Institutions of Nigeria are in for. We need to find a solution to this. It is not good for us and it is not good for them. I bet that as you are solving this problem , others are warming up to start theirs. We cant allow them to continue. We must find a permanent solution.

Fresh resolution plans

Mr Jaja, according to the statement, also shared his forums four-pronged approach to meet all concerned parties in a bid to resolve the lingering issues.

As the representatives of their employers, we cant continue to fold our hands over this constant disruption of health services in the country. Our plan was to meet first with the NMA, NARD and the Ministry of Health before coming to you. Incidentally, you are the first to open your doors to us. So, we came to intimate you of our plans. We will return when we round off meetings with them, he said.

Ngige speaks

Responding, the labour minister, again faulted the ongoing strike, describing it as unjustifiable and unwarranted.

He, however, said the implementation of the MOU signed on August 21 with doctors was on course, even as he explained why the NARD refused to sign last weekends MOU.

The minister said; All the issues contained in the MOU, ranging from arrears of the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage, Skipping Allowance, Bench fees among others have successfully been tackled at the meeting of 20 and 21 August and all affiliates of the NMA, signed the MoU, with NARD dissenting.

He said the union wants a particular clause to be inserted in the agreement.

He said; That section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act should not apply to them. That we should insert in a Government agreement, that they should be paid for the period they are not at work. Im being careful about this. This is law and I will not lend myself to illegality, to state in the agreement that a group of Nigerians are above the law. But as a matter of fact, a clause in that agreement states clearly that nobody should be punished for participating or not participating in the strike.

So, what else do they want? They want me to put in writing that they are above the law. That No work, no pay, rule should not apply to them. That it is no more part of our law, despite the fact that I swore to uphold the constitution? This is notwithstanding that a clause in the agreement says that no one should be punished for any role in the strike. This is why they refused to sign the MOU and call off the strike and not that the government has not substantially met their demands.

The minister further urged the officials in the parent ministries of the striking doctors to sit up and effectively play their roles.

Whether you are talking about ASUU, SSANU, NMA, JOHESU, etc. , their employers are the Federal Ministries of Education and Health respectively. Those Ministries should do their work with their employees. The employers of workers under these unions should take care of them. Here, Im only a conciliator but the load is much because some people arent doing their beat.

Implementing no work no pay rule

Few days ago, the federal government announced the commencement of the process of withholding the salaries of resident doctors participating in the ongoing strike, making good its threat of implementing the no work no pay rule.

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The ministry of health in a circular dated August 26, 2021 directed all Chief Medical Directors (CMDs), Medical Directors (MD) and registrars at all federal health institutions to commence implementation of the no work no pay rule starting from August 2 when the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) downed tools.

Meanwhile, the leadership of NARD  the striking doctors union  after the meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held at the University of Benin Hospital on Wednesday, vowed to continue with the strike until their demands are met.

The resident doctors strike has, for four weeks, paralysed public health institutions across Nigeria, putting patients in need of care at a precarious situation.
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Sunday in Abuja appealed to the judiciary to institute stiffer penalties against peddlers of counterfeit and unwholesome drugs.

The agency also called on the National Assembly to pass the counterfeit medical product Bill to strengthen the agencys war against offenders, and to make the penalty serve as a deterrent to abusers.

The appeal was contained in a statement signed by the agencys resident media consultant, Olusayo Akintola, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

The statement quoted NAFDAC Director General, Moji Adeyeye, as saying that perpetrators of the illicit trade do capitalize on the weak law in the land to wreak havoc on the nations health system.

She spoke against the backdrop of the ongoing destruction of falsified and expired medicines, cosmetics, and unwholesome food products across the country by the agency.

The NAFDAC boss appealed to the judiciary to take a stricter view of counterfeiting and apply the maximum penalty of the weak laws to deter counterfeiters and fraudsters from the dangers they pose to the society.

Mrs Adeyeye said that the dangerous business would be made unattractive if it carries maximum penalty against offenders, while appealing to NASS to pass counterfeit medical product Bill to reinforce the war against counterfeiting in Nigeria.

She warned that henceforth, there would be no hiding place for the merchants of death who she said derived joy in circulating expired, falsified drugs and putting the health of millions of Nigerians at risk.

Mrs Adeyeye said that NAFDAC have resolved to go after those who engage in circulation of counterfeited and expired medicines in the country until they are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.

She said the agency would not rest on its oars until those merchants of death desist from the nefarious activities, even though NAFDAC had seized and destroyed unwholesome products worth over N 5 billion in five months.

According to her, the agency destroyed unwholesome medicines, expired food items and cosmetics worth N1,429,580,683.00 in Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, in March for South-South and Southeast operations.

She recalled that such dangerous products, worth N613,300,290.00, were also destroyed in Kano within the same period.

She said that the agency also moved to Gombe in May to destroy counterfeited and expired medicines, and food items worth N515,732.587 as well as mopped up in the North-east.

According to Mrs Adeyeye, fake and expired medicines, and food products, worth N2,482,600,290, seized in the Southwest were destroyed in Shagamu, Ogun State, last week.

She assured Nigerians that the Agency would stop at nothing to apprehend the people who engage in the illicit business of endangering the lives of undiscerning consumers who patronize them.

The operatives of the agency had combed the nooks and crannies of the five geo-political zones of the federation, namely, North-west, North-east, South-east, South-south and South-west

This is to mop up expired drugs and unwholesome food products with a view to safeguarding the health of the Nigerian people, she said.

Mrs Adeyeye noted that the destruction was part of the efforts to rid the Nigerian market of unwholesome products and engender public confidence.

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The destroyed products include drugs such as antibiotics, antihypertensive, antimalarial, herbal remedies, psychoactive, controlled substances, food products such as spaghetti, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, chocolates and noodles.

The continued destruction of the spurious products would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the market. Drug counterfeiting is an act of economic sabotage and it poses a serious threat to public health.

This is why NAFDAC has resolved to safeguard the health of the people and ensure that only genuine medicines that are wholesome are sold in Nigeria, she said.

She said that the flag off of the southwest zonal destruction exercise was in line with the agency mandate and strategy aimed at eradicating the reintroduction of expired, Substandard and Falsified (SFs) medical products.

She therefore appreciated the support of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Security, Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and solicited for sustained synergy of the security agencies to ensure that the country was rid of illicit, fake and unwholesome NAFDAC regulated products.

She appealed to community leaders, faith-based organisations, health practitioners and the media to continue to educate members of the public to desist from patronising quacks and hawkers of medicines and unwholesome foods.

Mrs Adeyeye appealed to members of the public to release valuable information that would help in getting information to fight these merchants of unwholesome products.
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The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has released the statement below announcing that it is the recipient of a grant from the UK government to support the project Strengthening the Delivery of Peace and Security in Nigeria (SDPS).

Read the full statement below

Title: The Centre for Democracy and Development awarded FCDO grant to support Strengthening the Delivery of Peace and Security in Nigeria project

Abuja: The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) is excited to announce today that it is the recipient of a grant from the UK government to support the project Strengthening the Delivery of Peace and Security in Nigeria (SDPS).

Nigeria is burdened by an unprecedented array of overlapping security crises ranging from banditry to the spread of extremist jihadist movements. No corner of the country is spared by this surge in conflicts. This funding supports CDDs well documented work in the areas of Peace and Security and will strengthen efforts to stem the surge of insecurity as well as to combat misinformation and disinformation which are often drivers of conflicts across the country.

This grant could not possibly have come at a more symbolic time, said Idayat Hassan, CDDs Director. Insecurity in Nigeria is currently at a scale that threatens the very fabric of our nationhood. With conflict manifesting in various forms in virtually all regions of the country, Nigeria has for decades not been as vulnerable as it currently is. Our SDPS project will not only enhance the publics understanding of the drivers of these conflicts, but will also counter emotion-driven narratives with evidence-based analysis that will equip stakeholders with the timely understanding of issues needed to positively influence policy and entrench lasting peace in the country.

In addition to countering sensationalist narratives in the media and public discourse, the key objectives of the project will be geared towards strengthening the nexus between knowledge creation, public awareness, and policy decision-making in addressing insecurity and conflict in Nigeria. To that end, the funding will leverage partnerships with influential media organisations to commission the production of special investigative reports as well as regular radio programming to advance evidence-based understandings of the conflicts. This funding will also advance activities that drive the uptake of new knowledge by policy makers within relevant and influential policy institutions.

About Centre for Democracy and Development

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) is an independent, non-profit organization that conducts research, training, advocacy, and capacity building. It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1997 and registered in Lagos in 1999. Since its establishment, the organisations goal has been to mobilize global opinion and resources for democratic development while also providing an independent space for critical reflection on the challenges to West African democratization and development processes. Its mission is to be the prime catalyst and facilitator for strategic analysis and capacity building for sustainable democracy and development in West Africa. The Centre has an established track record in capacity building and policy advocacy, and has also remained a research reference point on democratic governance, human security, people-centered development, and human rights.

About FCDO

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID). In Nigeria the FCDO supports good governance, peace and stability through a range of programmatic, diplomatic and operational partnerships and initiatives. Their work across these themes is structured around four strategic goals: promoting inclusive and accountable democratic and governance institutions; furthering human rights, social inclusion and social protection; support to security and justice mechanisms, and tackling crime and corruption; and strengthening conflict prevention, mitigation and resolution.

Signed:

Idayat Hassan,

Director
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The police command in Plateau has foiled a kidnap attempt and neutralised one member of the kidnap gang at Rantya community of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau.

Ubah Ogaba, police public relations officer of the command, disclosed this in a statement issued in Jos.

According to Mr Ogaba, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, adding that other members of the criminal gang escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.

This afternoon, at about 3 p.m., we received a distress call that three gunmen invaded a compound in Rantya to kidnap their target or probably other persons in the compound.

On receipt of the information, our operatives attached to the Rantya Division swiftly mobilised to the scene.

On sighting the team, the hoodlums engaged them in a fierce gun duel where one of the hoodlums was neutralised, while others fled with various degrees of bullet wound, he said.

The spokesperson said that one AK-47 rifle and 12 rounds of live 7.62X39mm caliber of ammunition was recovered from the scene of the crime.

He said that investigation had since commenced and effort was being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.

He urged members of the public to remain calm and always provide useful information to the police in its bid to flush out criminal elements from the state.

(NAN)
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has stated that its intelligence agency (DIA) invited a retired navy commodore, Kunle Olawunmi, so he can share the information he has with the agency.

The DHQ stated this in a statement on Saturday by the Director of Defence Information, Benjamin Sawyerr, a major-general.

The invitation follows an interview Mr Olawunmi granted Channels Television where he criticised the handling of Nigerias security situation under President Muhammadu Buhari and made some allegations against the federal government.

The DHQ, however, said it did not declare the retired commodore wanted contrary to media reports.

Mr Sawyerr did not state if Mr Olawunmi was free to refuse the invitation and what actions the agency would take if he refused to honour such invite.

Sahara Reporters had reported that Mr Olawunmi was declared wanted for allegedly exposing how President Muhammadu Buharis administration refused to probe high profile politicians whom Boko Haram terrorists named as their sponsors.

The newspaper also reported that the retired officer was asked to come to the DIA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday with his international passport, which may be seized.

The retired officer spoke in an interview on Channels Television programme Sunrise Daily in reaction to the recent attack at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) where two officers were killed and another officer abducted by suspected bandits.

Controversial Interview

Following the interview granted by the retired officer, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) queried Channels TV for what it described as a violation of Nigerias broadcasting code.

The violation, according to the NBC, was also observed when the TV station hosted Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, who allegedly made inciting, divisive and unfair comments.

On the programme, Mr Ortom expressed his displeasure about the growing insecurity in the country and accused President Muhammadu Buhari of an agenda to fulanise the country.

In the query signed by its director general, Balarabe Ilelah, the NBC accused Channels TV of not thoroughly interrogating the comments made by Governor Ortom and the Mr Olawunmi.

Invitation not arrest

Reacting to the report, the DHQ said it only sent an SMS to the retired officer, inviting him to shed more light on some of the information he has which according to them may aid the fight against insecurity in the country.

Mr Sawyerr also said the retired officer was not asked to come along with his international passport.

He described the report by the news outlet as scandalous and malicious, adding that the proposed meeting was just an agency-stakeholder relationship.

The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to an online news publication by Sahara Reporters alleging that the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) ordered the arrest of retired Cdre Kunle Olawunmi for recently appearing on Channels Television programme (Sunrise Daily).

The Armed Forces may not want to join issues with Sahara Reporters for the scandalous and malicious publication insinuating that its Agency has ordered the arrest of Cdre Olawunmi (rtd) for sharing his views on matters of defence and national security.

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It is gratifying to state that the retired military officer who is on the military reserve list was only invited via SMS and voice by DIA to further furnish the AFN with relevant and pressing security information which he may be opportuned to have knowledge of as a Professor of Global Security Studies.

The said proposed meeting between DIA and the retired senior Navy officer was intended to get credible tips on boosting the fight against terrorism/insurgency, banditry and sundry crimes. He was not asked to come along with his international passport. This in no way constitute any form of arrest speculated by Sahara Reporters.

It is very sad that an online media like Sahara Reporters would capitalize on a proposed meeting between an agency and its stakeholder to paint the story in a manner intended to portray the military as draconic government agency acting in a crude manner, the statement partly read.

The DHQ also used the opportunity to re-invite the retired officer to come forward with his valuable information which it said would aid in the fight against insecurity.

In this regard, I wish to use this medium to encourage the retired senior officer to come forward to give valuable information to the military authorities as a patriotic citizen who has served meritoriously in Nigerian Navy in various capacities before retirement.
The bandits who kidnapped scores of Islamic school pupils in Niger State beat them daily and threatened to kill them if their families did not pay the ransom demanded, some of the students have said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the kidnap of over 90 pupils on May 30 at the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

One of the pupils died in custody while the remaining 90 were freed on Friday after spending about 88 days in the custody of the kidnappers.

Some of the pupils spoke about their ordeal in interviews Sunday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Ordeal

One of the released pupils, Zuwaira Isa, said they trekked for almost four days in the forest before reaching a final destination.

The little ones amongst us were lifted on the bandits motorcycles throughout the movement.

We were fed with rice though not enough to satisfy us. We were subjected to severe beatings both in the morning and evening and they threatened to kill us if our parents did not pay our ransom, Miss Isa said.

Another one, Hauwa Musa, said: They usually beat us and threatened to kill us and dump our bodies in the bush if our parents did not pay the ransom.

Miss Musa also said the bandits were giving them a small food ration and one pure water sachet for two abductees.

READ ALSO:

She, however, said that the incident would not deter her from continuing with her educational pursuit, adding, I am so much eager to go back to school.

How I secured their release  Headteacher

Also speaking, the Head Teacher of the school, Alhassan Garba, who also spoke to NAN and other journalists in Minna, the state capital, said all the released pupils have been reunited with their parents.

I personally supervised the handover of the pupils to their parents on Friday and Saturday.

All the parents were happy to have their children back and willing to allow them to continue to acquire their education in the same school, Mr Garba said.

He said that the management of the school would soon meet with the community to work out the modalities for the reopening of the institution which had been closed for three months now.

He said the Chairman of Rafi Local Government Area, Ismail Modibi, councilors and other stakeholders would soon deliberate on various forms of security measures to be adopted if the school resumed normal academic activities.

The headteacher said that he personally went to pick the pupils at a village called Gwaska in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said the abductors of the pupils after collecting ransom insisted that he must personally go there and pick the children.

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I had to take a bike from Birnin Gwari town to a particular destination where I picked the children for onward journey back to Minna, he said.

Parents Speak

Meanwhile, one of the mothers of the released children, Rabi Abubakar, said she was happy to have her two kids back.

Mrs Abubakar said she paid an undisclosed amount of money to get her children back, but vowed to allow them to continue with their Islamiyya education in the school.

She said that the incident would not affect the educational pursuit of the children.

Islamic and western education is the only legacy any responsible family will leave behind for their children and I am determined to do that to enable them to be responsible citizens.

We have suffered too much in the hands of the bandits but our Allah will surely punish any person or group of people that had a hand in the incident and for causing untold hardships to us and the innocent kids, she said.

Habiba Aliyu, whose five children are among the freed pupils, was full of praises to God.

When we learnt that the abducted children have regained freedom from their kidnappers, we were all happy and full of praises to God.

We prayed and fasted, seeking Gods intervention for the safe return of our kids, Mrs Aliyu said.

Idris Umar, another parent of some of the released pupils, also stated that the incident would not discourage them from sending their children to Islamic schools in the town.

Mr Umar said they had already planned to secure the school and other schools in the community.

We have put in place sensitive security measures that will prevent future occurrences of the incident as our children resume normal academic activities in the school.

We, the parents, have collectively agreed not to be discouraged by the recent activities of the bandits in preventing our children to acquire Islamic and western education.

We will allow and encourage the children to realise that seeking knowledge is the best thing to happen in this world and the hereafter, he said.
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The Kaduna State Government, says Troops of Operation Safe Haven, have rescued three travelers from armed bandits along the Gidan Waya-Godogodo road, in Jemaa Local Government Area (LGA), of the state.

Samuel Aruwan, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Sunday, in Kaduna.

Mr Aruwan said the travelers were abducted by bandits who barricaded the road.

Troops responded to a distress call, and pursued the bandits, rescuing the victims.

The rescued travelers vehicle, a Peugeot 307, was also recovered.

Responding to the report of the rescue, Governor Nasir El-Rufai commended the troops for the swift response, Mr Aruwan said.

He said the governor thanked them for their determined efforts in rescuing the three commuters, and their sustenance of search-and-rescue operations in the area.

In a related development, Mr Aruwan said security agencies had also reported to the state government that two persons were killed by bandits in Makoro Iri village, Kajuru LGA.

According to the report, bandits invaded the remote village and shot dead the two victims.

Mr Aruwan said El-Rufai, who sent condolence messages to the families, noted with sadness the report of the attack in Makoro Iri village of Kajuru LGA, and prayed for the repose of the victims souls.

NAN
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has recovered N53 billion from a real estate developer for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

ICPCs chairman, spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, quoted the chairman of the commission, Bolaji Owasanoye, as saying this in a statement on Sunday.

Mrs Ogugua said the ICPC boss made the disclosure about the recovery during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Operations of Real Estate Developers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

According to Mr Owasanoye, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the developer from whom the money was recovered, had taken the funds without providing houses for its subscribers.

The statement did not disclose the name of the fraudulent developer.

This was despite Mr Owasanoye being quoted as advocating that government put information in the public domain where people can easily verify details of land as a way of tackling fraud perpetrated by real estate developers.

Read ICPCs full statement:

ICPC recovers N53bn from Real Estate Developer for FMBN

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said that it recovered N53 billion from a real estate developer for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye who made the disclosure during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Operations of Real Estate Developers in FCT, said that the developer took the money without providing houses for its subscribers. He stressed that the Commission will always deploy its mandates against developers who took public funds with the promise to provide houses for public or civil servants without doing so.

Prof. Owasanoye also lamented the rising housing deficit in the country noting that unscrupulous real estate developers in the Federal Capital Territory took advantage of desperate civil servants to scam them of their hard-earned money in the name of housing projects.

He said that the Commission was desirous of partnering with the ad-hoc committee to bring sanity to the housing sector because of its critical nature to the government.

He told the committee that one of the ways to tackle housing deficit and fraudulent real estate developers in the country was for government to completely deploy technology as well as grant easy access to information.

He said, The lack of openness is also creating problems. Government should at least put information in the public domain where people can easily verify details of land. A lot of people are scammed from fake layout, double allocations and others.

ALSO READ: ICPC speaks on ongoing recruitment of about 200 officers

Earlier, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Blessing Onoh, observed that cases of developers defrauding would-be house owners was becoming rampant.

Onoh maintained that it was common for real estate developers to start projects, later abandon them and move on to other cites after collecting monies from subscribers.

She said that the committee was set up to proffer solutions to the anomalies and ensure that Nigerians who subscribed to housing projects end up owning them in accordance with the terms of agreement they entered.

Signed: Mrs. Azuka Ogugua

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Spokesperson, ICPC
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Between Sunday and Tuesday, isolated thunderstorms and cloudy skies are expected over certain parts of Nigeria, the countrys meteorological agency said in its weather advisory Saturday.

On Sunday, the envisaged thunderstorms are expected over parts of Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa States during the morning hours, the agency said.

Later in the day, the same weather condition would likely remain over parts of Kaduna, Borno, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Taraba, Jigawa, Zamfara, Bauchi and Sokoto states.

While NiMet said cloudy skies are expected in the North-central region of the country, it said there are chances of thunderstorms over part of Benue, Plateau, Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kwara and Niger States during the morning hours.

Later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Niger, Kwara, Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue States.

Rains are anticipated over the southern region, places such as parts of Imo, Enugu, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers Cross River and Bayelsa state in the morning hours, NiMet predicted.

Later in the day, rains are expected over parts of Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ogun, Delta and Bayelsa state.

During the morning periods of Monday, thunderstorms are again expected over parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states, while other places are expected to remain cloudy.

By evening and afternoon of Monday, thunderstorms are envisaged over parts of Jigawa, Kano, Borno and Kaduna States, NiMet projections show.

Cloudy skies are anticipated over the North central region with slim prospects of light rains over parts of Niger, Federal Capital Territory and Kwara state in the morning hours. Thunderstorms are expected over parts of Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa and Benue state during the afternoon and evening hours.

Rains are expected over the southern region, especially parts of Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ogun, Lagos, Cross River, Bayelsa and Rivers state during the morning hours. Later in the day, rains are anticipated over parts of Imo, Enugu, Abia, Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom state, a statement by NiMet read.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the northern region of the country could be cloudy with possibility of sunshine in the morning hours.

Later in the day in the region, thunderstorms may resume in parts of Borno, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa and Bauchi states.

Cloudy skies are expected over the North central region during the morning hours. Later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa state, the statement noted.

Light rains are anticipated over the south east coast, while other places remain cloudy. Later in the day, there are good prospects of rain over most places in the southern region, it added.
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A former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, and five other global figures have joined the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs as senior fellows.

Peter Salovey, president of Yale University, United States of America, said this in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Salovey also welcomed the institutions 19 returning fellows.

He listed the schools other 2021 senior fellows as Staffan de Mistura (Italy & Sweden), Jessica Faieta (Ecuador), Anne Patterson, David Brooks and Jessica Seddon(United States).

Jacksons senior fellows are leading practitioners in various fields of international affairs and will spend a year or semester at Yale teaching post-graduate courses and mentoring students.

Ezekwesili will teach two post-graduate courses on Democracy and Africas Political Distortions and Resolving Africas Economic Philosophy Dilemma, respectively, during the 2021 fall semester.

Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs applies evidence-based scholarship to challenges of maximum global importance, such as climate change, war and peace, ethnic conflict, inequality, and migration, he said.

According to Mr Salovey, the world needs creative ideas and leadership to help end global conflicts and solve intractable problems.

By establishing the Yales Jackson School of Global Affairs, we will create an intimate community of outstanding faculty, practitioners and students to conduct research of great relevance to the development and adoption of international policy.

Yale will continue to fulfil its longstanding mission to educate passionate public servants, who confront the days most daunting challenges with wisdom, facts, insight and courage, said Mr Salovey.

The new fellows include economic experts, astute commentators, publishers, bestselling authors, ambassadors, and academics.

An economic policy expert, Mrs Ezekwesili is Senior Economic Adviser to the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative.

She is a co-founder and pioneer director of Transparency International.

She is also the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Human Capital Africa, which is working in the education sector across Africa; Chairperson, School of Politics, Policy and Governance; and Chairperson of research-based citizens-led #FixPolitics Initiative.

Mrs Ezekwesili and her colleagues would join a cast of global leaders who are returning as senior Jackson fellows.

Senior Jackson fellows include global leaders like former US Secretary of State, John Kerry; former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton; former United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development, Rory Stewart.

Mrs Ezekwesili expressed appreciation and delight to accept the globally prestigious fellowship from Yale University and the opportunity to teach its distinguished post-graduate students.
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Armed men, said to be in military uniform, on August 28, invaded a hotel in Alapa community, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara, where they killed one person and abducted another in the process.

This was contained in a press release, signed by the state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Okasanmi Ajayi.

The PPRO said that at about 8 p.m on 28 August, a distress call was received by the command, which said that almost 10 armed men in military uniform invaded Zulu, Abeje Hotel.

The hoodlums carried out the criminal act at Zulu, Abeje Hotel, at about 10:00 p.m. with the intention to kidnap the owner of the hotel, simply identified as Mr Zulu.

He was said to have escaped with injuries, the PPRO said.

The hoodlums fired gunshots sporadically, as a result of which one person, Aro Rasaq of Oloje, Ilorin, was hit. He died in front of the hotel.

In the process of escaping into the bush, the kidnappers abducted one AbdulHakeem Aminu of Anifowose, Ilorin, Mr Ajayi said.

The Commissioner of Police, Tuesday Assayomo, immediately contacted the Commands tactical units on the information received and also called local vigilantes and OPC to get involved in the search and rescue mission.

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The Commissioner commiserated with the family of the dead victim and assured the people of the state, especially the family of the victims, of a thorough search, promising that the abducted man will be rescued and the culprits arrested.

Mr Assayomo solicited the cooperation of the people of Kwara, to provide useful information to police to assist them in their search for the suspects and rescue the victim.

He also cautioned those that planned to protest on August 30, to desist, as adequate security would be provided to ensure peace and avoid breakdown of law and order.
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The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has said that the International Monetary Funds Special Drawing Rights allocation of $650bn will help to boost the reserves of developing economies like Nigeria and others.

The AfDB president was quoted as making these remarks in a statement titled International community must act to avert a two-speed global economic recovery post Covid-19.

The statement said that Mr Adesina made the disclosure during a closed-door session between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and heads of international development institutions last Thursday.

The recent IMF release of $650bn in SDRs, with $27bn to Africa, will go a long way in helping to boost reserves for developing countries, the AfDB boss was quoted to have said.

If the developed countries reallocate $100bn of SDRs to Africa, as agreed at the Paris leaders meeting and by the G7, that will further support faster economic recovery in Africa.

The statement said that heads of international development institutions present at the closed-door session included the heads of AfDB, IMF, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, among others.

According to the statement, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called on the IMF, G7 and World Bank to take measures in assisting lower and middle-income countries.

She also urged them to create strategies to drive economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

We have noted that the recovery after the pandemic is a two-speed recovery, which is cause for concern, she said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the new IMF release includes $27bn to African countries.

Low-income economies are expected to receive $21bn, about 6% of their Gross Domestic Products.

In her remarks, however, the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, said that the composition of the six per cent is changing, with advanced economies broadly accelerating growth, whereas most emerging markets and developing economies are falling further behind.

This is a dangerous divergence, she said.

The consequences of the disparity include continuing supply chain disruptions and the risk of giving up hard-won gains in development, which would fuel unrest and instability.
The recently presented book, Digital Innovation for Economic Prosperity in Nigeria at PRNigeria Centre, Abuja provides readers with insights into the latest development in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in the country.

The book, authored by Inyene Ibanga, the Editor of Techdigest, was released in honour of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, as well as the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, on their second year in office respectively.

The 213-page book engages with over 40 issues in the ICT sector, spread through eight chapters, and relating to: Enhancing Start-Ups, Strengthening Innovative Solutions, Managing Data for Productivity, Protecting Cybersecurity, Accessing E-Learning, Promoting Digital Inclusion, Transforming the Way of Doing Things and Advancing the Digital Economy.

Asides highlighting a host of positive developments in the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, the book also speaks to the plethora of innovative activities carried out by NITDA in the past two years.

Published by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, the publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, some of the major subjects treated in the book include issues around the social media, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, cybersecurity, big data, the Internet of Things, among others.

As a tech journalist, I can testify to the reality of the huge developments in the ICT sector, as chronicled in this very critical compendium on its leaps and bounds in Nigeria.

As outlined in the book, since the appointment of Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi as the boss of NITDA on August 20, 2019, the impact of the agency has been highly felt by many of the sector stakeholders through its various interventions, including capacity building programmes, digital literacy campaigns, ICT skill acquisitions events, smart agriculture initiatives, among others.

Moreover, the agency has sought to enhance the potentials of Nigerian farmers through the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) initiative, which aims at changing the face of the agriculture sector in the country.

NITDA has also developed regulatory frameworks for information technology development in the country. Some of these comprise the Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA), the Public-Private Partnership regulatory framework for ICT and eGovernment projects, Government Digital Service Framework (GDSFrame), and the National Block Chain Adoption Strategy Document, Nigeria Digital Agriculture Strategy (NDAS-2020-2030). Also, there is the Business Process Management Guide for Federal Public Institutions (FPIs), Management System Guidelines for Federal Public Institutions (FPIs), Government Digital Transformation Performance (Readiness) Assessment Toolkit (GDT-PAT), and the eGovernment Masterplan and Digital Transformation for some selected states.

Moreover, the agency has sought to enhance the potentials of Nigerian farmers through the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) initiative, which aims at changing the face of the agriculture sector in the country. At least 565 farmers have been trained and empowered with digital devices, alongside additional funding for seeds, thereby creating direct and indirect jobs in the country.

The launching of the National Adopted School for Smart Education (NASSE) has so far led to the promotion of digital literacy and skills among students. While a number of secondary schools were beneficiaries of the pilot scheme, the training of over 2,000 artisans in digital literacy and phone repairs have also been enabled across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Equally, NITDA trained 200 women in ICT and Entrepreneurship, with each provided laptops (having pre-installed e-learning and graphics software), internet dongles and bag-packs. It further built the capacity of 300 Nigerians in software, mobile app and web development, coupled with training in entrepreneurship. The agency also launched the NITDA Academy for Research and Training (NART), which has run some 67 courses, has 58,227 students, and has engaged in 55,539 training sessions.

People Living with Disabilities have also not been left behind, as the agency trained 30 of them in Kano and 52 in Enugu, while laptops were given to them as working tools.

In addition to NITDAs IT development and capacity initiatives, hundreds of IT hubs, IT parks, and community ICT centres have been either created, furnished or equipped with world class facilities across the states of the country.

The Centre is creating the required environment for Nigerias teeming youths, whilst encouraging innovation and the indigenisation of technologies to help address the continuous reliance on foreign products and services, which have a negative impact on the countrys economy.

In terms of cybersecurity, the agency has conducted five incident analyses affecting the national ICT infrastructure, while handling 34 cases of the hacking of the websites of the ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs); and resolving 15 hacking attempts pertaining to the EndSARS protests, the defacement of 10 MDA websites, and repelling 15 incidents of dark web monitoring.

To leverage the skills and abilities of Nigerias pools of talents, NITDA established the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), through which it is determined to drive and support the research, development, and adoption of emerging technologies in Nigeria.

The Centre is creating the required environment for Nigerias teeming youths, whilst encouraging innovation and the indigenisation of technologies to help address the continuous reliance on foreign products and services, which have a negative impact on the countrys economy. NCAIR serves as a bridge between the government, industry, and academia in providing a research environment for creativity, ideas integration, collaboration, and the development of ICT policies, processes and strategies.

As a result of Mallam Kashifus commitment to the ICT sector, Nigeria made history when it received the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) during the handover ceremony of the Root Certification Authority (RCA) for Country Signing Certification Authority (CSCA), and the Country Verification Certification Authority (CVCA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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With the strategy already in place, the agency has also succeeded in programming, developing and mapping out digital processes to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, since its outbreak globally. The Nigeria COVID-19 Innovation Challenge was set up to meet the challenges of our society. Developers, entrepreneurs, and other creative minds have come together to experiment and build software solutions, with an overwhelming number of in-country applicants.

On the level of staff remuneration, Kashifu Inuwa has championed a Condition of Service protocol that includes paternity leave, which has been endorsed by the Minister, Dr Isa Pantami, and approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. This has enhanced staffs productivity and put NITDA in the category of some high-end public sector organisations like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications COmmission (NCC).

Abbas Badmus writes from FHA Lugbe, Abuja. Email: abbasbadmus@gmail.com
An early morning inferno broke out in Circus Maximus, Rome on June 19, 64 A.D. It spread like bushfire through the ancient city. Emperor Nero Claudius Caesars reaction was immediate: he scapegoated Roman Christians of the time and inflicted a persecution scarcely heard of in Roman history on them. Highly chagrined by the nauseating no-holds-barred interview granted by Retired Commodore Kunle Olawunmi on Channels television last week which exposed its security underbelly, the current Nigerian government found the template of this Roman emperor, renowned for debaucheries and political murders, fascinating. It thereby went on a route similar to Neros, unleashing the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, (NBC) its broadcasting regulatory Rottweilers, on the journalists who conducted the interview.

The Roman fire had wrecked a colossal havoc. In nine days, of the 14 districts in Rome, it totally destroyed three, severely destroying additional seven later. While this fire was raging, classical sources among Roman elite claimed to have sighted Nero, the most infamous among Roman emperors, who had recently acquired an obsession for music and the arts, sitting on his palace rooftop, attired in theatre apparel similar to a performer about to enter the stage. He was said to be reciting by rote a line from the Greek epic, The Sack of Ilium. This new passion of Neros for music must have given birth to the typecast that he fiddled as Rome burned. The emperor then ordered the brutal persecution of these scapegoats. While he decreed some of his victims to be attired in animal skins, preparatory to getting dogs to tear them into shreds and eat their flesh, for some others, he ordered that they be burnt alive at nighttime pyres.

Last Tuesday, the Nigerian fire got so very intense too. Unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, terrorists caught the self chest-thumping Nigerian security apparatchik literally in flagrante. In the early hours of that day, these murderous elements, unconscionably named bandits, matched their infidel feet on the countrys military university, the Nigerian Defence Academy, (NDA) Kaduna. By the time they were done, they had murdered two officers as if they were snuffing life out of gnats and abducted another big-epaulette soldier. A few other soldiers sustained serious gunshot injuries. Like itinerant Mullahs, the terrorists walked out of this highly prized, foremost military training institution, unscathed, into the dusk. This came at a time when the whole world, except this government and its palace courtiers, knows and is aghast that, regarding security and governance of the space called Nigeria, Aso Rock lacks a rudder.

Now, entered Commodore Kunle Olawunmi. Clinical, bold and unconventional, the retired military top-brass dissected the malady of governance and leadership afflicting Nigeria to its basest form in that interview. Very seldom saying anything that Nigerians didnt know already, as a top officer-participant in the Nigerian security equation, his revelation prised the bottom off governments can of cant and hypocrisy. If you had a modicum of respect and regards for government hitherto, that no-holds-barred interview defrosted them all. It seemed to solve a long-time jigsaw puzzle on the epidemic of violence, banditry and Boko Haram insurgency that has held on tight to Nigerias jugular. With the recent take-over of Kabul without a shot being fired by the Talibans and the suspected compromise of Afghan leaders in this roulette, permutations are rife that there is a mathematical permutation to get insurgents to take over Nigeria.

Many analysts have demonised Olawunmi. Typically, they even alleged that his anger at that interview was as a result of the systemic frustrations he encountered in the twilight of his stay in the military. He was unprofessional, they alleged and his revelations were similar to prattles of a chatter-box, unbecoming of a highly placed military officer of his hue. Having been entrusted with sensitive information, he shouldnt have exposed those information in the glare of the public, they pursued further.

To me, these criticisms are unmindful of the precipice that Nigeria has been pushed to. It is gross irresponsibility to be conventional at a critical moment like this when it is obvious that those who hold the Nigerian steering wheel are bent on crashing the ship of state. Except for the Islamization agenda alleged by Olawunmi which may seem a bit off-tangent, there was nothing the retired Commodore volunteered in that interview that was not in the public domain about this government. Were we hearing for the first time that this is the most divisive government in the history of Nigeria? Was it new on us that we are trapped with an unrepentant nepotist leadership?

Even Olawunmis allegation of Islamization agenda may sound logical when viewed from the background of his revelation that security breach was committed every Friday at the NDA. Even a dimwit will know that, by the opening of doors weekly to Jumat prayers and the ease of penetration of the Officers Mess, that breach could not but happen. In this kind of equation, it is trite knowledge that spying on this key military institution as a precursor to planning the NDA-type attack was a fait accompli.

The NDA attack may have awoken Nigerians from their slumbers. Allegations that some governors, ministers and Senators sponsor both the Boko Haram insurgency and the banditry of the northwest are ten a dime on Nigerian streets. Ditto, information that the Nigerian intelligence community and the defense headquarters were aware that Bureau De Change operators were covert sponsors of the Nigerian daily blood spillage. It is in the public domain that, recently, the government of Dubai sent lists of these sponsors to the federal government. The veracity of Olawunmis claim that the DMI, DSS and Police intelligence know the sponsors too can be easily interrogated, as well as claim that the DSS possesses files of the sponsors.

Shouldnt it be logical, judging by Isa Pantamis romance with Islamic extremism, details of which are in the public domain, that our brothers in the forest have his sympathy? Olawunmi merely ignited Nigerians sense of disgust at a government that chose hesitancy in bringing these sponsors to judgment, at the expense of taking action. When you now imagine the cheetah speed with which this government is mowing down dots in a circle who have scarcely spilled a pint of blood and those who are merely calling for self-determination, Olawunmis frustration with the escalating Nigerian riddle will come into focus.

The NDA compromise just wont jell. Under whose purview was such colossal disaster that befell the Nigerian military? Governments reaction to it too was very tepid, too simplistic and petty. Or a combination of all. Its claim that the attack might have been a ploy by a God-knows-who to embarrass it is sickening and weak. Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, had said that government was looking at so many scenarios. Could this be truly a criminal attempt to violate the sanctity of that military institution? Was this an opportunistic crime? Is it political? Does somebody want to embarrass the government by doing this? He then went on a needless voyage to recount what he called the string of victories achieved by the government: Look at how Boko Haram is unravelling in the north; they surrendered. All of the victories that have been recorded even in the north-west  these bandits are being taken out in large numbers. So, in a climate  political climate  in which people seek to make political capital out of this unfortunate incident, you dont rule in anything, you dont rule out anything.

What makes the above claim worthless is that sensible governments all over the world dont talk like a sissy as this; they act. While it is in the province of malefactors to embarrass governments, the governments job is to make life miserable for them. Did you hear President Joe Biden after last weeks Kabul blasts where 13 American soldiers were killed? Biden had said, not through any proxy going by the name, presidency as we have in Nigeria: To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command.

Terrorists killed soldiers fighting your war and all the president did was to convey his disgust through a voluble character. Nigeria has an infamous policy of granting amnesty to insurgents who kill its people at will, without regard for the philosophy behind forgiveness. In this regard, we shouldnt be surprised at the bedlam Nigeria has become.

The global concept of amnesty is very ancient. Its principle was taken from the ancient Greek literature, Odyssey written by the great philosopher, Homer. Homer, author of the Iliad as well, had written, Let them swear to a solemn covenant, while we cause the others to forgive and forget the massacre of their sons and brothers. Let them then all become friends as heretofore, and let peace and plenty reign. The concept of amnesty was reinforced by Carl Schmitt, a German lawyer, who argued that a war against everyone was a civil war and even the cold war turns to civil war without amnesty. Without amnesty, he said, non-forgiveness becomes a vicious circle of self-righteousness and revenge. Still on the foundation of amnesty, Algerian philosopher, Jacques Derida, said it can only be measured against the fact that forgiveness, if there is such a thing, measures itself.

Predicated on the ethics of forgetting and what is called the politics of a rejected memory, amnesty is reconciliation and imposes silence on the memory of the unforgettable. In other words, the one granting amnesty and the amnestied, though the infraction of the latter is normally unforgivable, must take an oath to make a clean break from their memory of the past. From the first recorded amnesty in history which happened in Athens in 403 BC, to the pardon of war criminals of the World War II, people who worked as spies, soldiers, politicians, guards etc, amnesty is the banning of recalling of a certain misfortune. As said above, a major essential of amnesty is that both parties freeze the memory of the crime but with a proviso of non-occurrence of the act.

No doubt due to the confusion of the acts of the two criminal groups that have attacked the Nigerian state  Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants  this government has sought to follow the Umaru YarAdua route by granting amnesty to insurgents. In 2016, through the Defence Headquarters, government inaugurated what it called Operation Safe Corridor, (OSC) a counter-insurgency approach to rehabilitate what is called low-risk repentant Boko Haram fighters so as to reintegrate them into society. It comes with vocational training, de-radicalization and civic programmes. Two years ago, government claimed to have rehabilitated 893 ex-Boko Haram members with the Nigerian Identity Management Commission registering about 900 of them as citizens of Nigeria.

The truth however is that, Amnesty should not be a government-militants, two way without a third wave of victims involvement. In Nigeria, insurgents atrocity is still fresh in the minds of the victims. This freshness elicits stiff opposition to granting amnesty to those who killed their children, parents and consigned them to IDP camps. More instructively, the forgetting that this government forcefully midwives is apparently linear; on governments side alone, without reckoning with the forgetting of the amnestied. Have the killers of yesterday renounced their atrocities? Have they taken the oath to forget? Have they forgotten their deeds indeed?

Apart from the tragedy of the NDA attack, last week also brought the tragic quality of governments interface with the public by Aso Rock to the fore. No matter his personal imperfections, Samuel Ortom of Benue State represents the undisguised antagonism of the people of Benue to this governments eerie silence to the spate of killings in Benue, alleged to be handiwork of armed Fulani herders. In response to the Benue peoples umbrage, Nigerias presidency willingly took a shuttle to the sewage.

Alleging that Ortom was engaged in promotion of ethno-religious politics and divisive utterances, and sectarianism and ethnicity, government walked on a predictable route that has become a convenient path to tread by ethnic warlords masquerading as governments. These are people whose governmental style does not represent what they verbalize. This is the Rwandan genocide. In the release, shamelessly, the presidency tacitly underscored its Acheulean grazing route while excoriating what it labeled so-called Benues own Ranches Establishment Law. It abused Ortom for this law which it said was intended to withhold rights and freedoms from one ethnic group alone, whilst inciting race hatred against them, amongst all others. Purely self-serving and nonsensical!

It is a dramatic irony that this government would label anyone an ethnic canvasser and their defence of their people a copy of the language of Hutu Power. What is the difference between the presidents labeling of Igbo people dot in a circle and Hutus profiling of Tutsi as cockroaches, preparatory to their genocidal rout? Just after that dot labeling, Imo and the east in general have witnessed killings the figure of which seeks to shake hands with the Rwandan genocide casualty. Aso Rocks obsessive impunity has activated that narrative of some felon dipping the Quran in the sea. It is what is burning Nigeria. The killings of the last 6 years are about rivaling the figure of the Nigerian civil war and they can be linked to promotion of the narrative of a Fulani ethnic ascendancy, just like in Rwanda.

As much as we can blame Retired Commodore Olawunmi for violating the oath of secrecy he swore to as an officer, we must realize that this is a season of anomie and not a time to acquiesce to or be rigid to observance of any ancient norms of engagement. The man dies in him who keeps silent in the face of the brand of tyranny that confronts us in Nigeria today. We needed an Olawunmi kind of engagement to ensure our sanity and to be sure we are all on the same page about these locusts among us. I agree with him that this is the worst government in the history of Nigeria but Nigeria is greater than the runners of this government. We should endure this insanity. As interminable as the remaining two years look, before we wake up, the years will soon evaporate into nothingness. What we have endured is not up to what is left. Nigerians are the ones who must be resolved not to allow this affliction to rise a second time.

The Uokha and Ohanmi washed away road

A photograph gained notoriety on the social media last week. It was a washed away asphalt of a road constructed at Ohanmi in the Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State. Said to have been awarded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the four-kilometer asphaltic road spanned Uokha and Ohanmi areas. In less than three months of its construction, the road got washed away, as revealed by the photograph. A federal Permanent Secretary is even said to hail from the area.

Construction of roads of such inferior and substandard quality has cast Nigeria in bad light in the eyes of the world as a country of anything goes. A few months earlier, a video of another road in same Edo State had become a subject of discussion on the social media. The question is, how did such quality of work, under a federal ministry, go through the well-known construction bureaucracy and get certified as done?

The blight of haphazard construction of roads and other infrastructure has become a major nightmare in Nigeria. Apparently fueled by the slide into the hub of corruption and lack of rigour in every facet of life in Nigeria, a phenomenon of this type has wriggled itself into our national life. Between those who award the contracts and contractors who get the contracts, there is an absence of fidelity to the need and desire by society to have infrastructure that endures. When construction works of this quality are done, the people lose two ways. They are the ones expected to make use of those infrastructure which they cannot and their money, used to fund the projects, goes into private pockets.

That such an eyesore could happen, and has indeed become a pattern, calls for serious concern. Nigerian roads are suffering severely from this blight that has almost become a Nigerian phenomenon. It will seem that the most profound way to attack the problem is for governments to award contracts to contractors who in turn must be made to legally adhere to an agreement. The agreement must spell it out that contractors who fail as in the Uokha and Ohanmi road, must get the roads back to shape as a matter of must, failure of which attracts sanctions.

On this Uokha and Ohanmi calamity, both the contractor and those who awarded and passed the road as having been executed should be made to face sanctions.
According to the report, there have been a harvest of abductions, insecurity of security officers, ethnic/communal tensions, unending terrors, and others, which have worsened the insecurity situation across the country. The report also pointed out that banditry alone claimed 906 lives, which made it the highest cause of killings in the country, followed by Boko Haram attacks, claiming 207 lives in Nigeria, while kidnapping recorded 1, 774 abductees within the period under review.

First, my commiserations to the families, friends and colleagues of Lieutenant Commander Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Commander Okoronkwo, both of whom were killed by terrorists who invaded the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to the consternation of Nigerians. I pray for the safe return of Major Datong who was abducted by the daredevil terrorists. And the cheek of it  his kidnappers have demanded a N200 million ransom!

Between the bandits and Boko Haram and other terrorists of indeterminate pedigree, military installations have been violated in many parts of the North-East. Now the gale of daring raids on military targets has reached the very institution where our officers are incubated. In terror-lingo, this must be a target of interest, a very symbolic quarry in the warped worldview of terrorists.

It no longer matters what you call them: Bandits, gunmen, kidnappers, Boko Haram, armed hoodlums The simple word that describes them is their occupation  terrorism. It is still one of the many wonders of these dangerous times that we manage to avoid calling a group of people who routinely kill security personnel and unarmed civilians, and shoot down military aircraft, by their very name  terrorists. Their activities are the very definition of terrorism. So, why the pussyfooting?

It is true that terrorists can always find a chink in the armour of protected targets, but the victim must first come to terms with the truth of the embarrassment before he is able to design counter-measures to prevent the calamity in future. As I am writing this piece, the television is flashing gory photographs of victims of suicide bombing at the gate of Kabul Airport. Thirteen U.S. service members have been confirmed killed, and 18 injured, while about 70 Afghans lie dead  so far.

I was touched by the heart-wrenching scenes coming from Kabul. So, were people of conscience all over the world. I particularly took note of Gloria Ogunbadejos social media post where she shared her reaction:

When I saw that little baby hoisted over the towering gate by the American soldier, who held it with such tenderness and I saw its little legs dangling, I thought of the trauma, baby, mother, father, soldier would all feel later on from that experience. My tears flowed

Tragedy does happen, even unexpectedly. But its no use downplaying the significance of the Nigerian Defence Academy to Nigeria. The NDA is not a Wuse Market. It is a strategic institution. We should be worried that its security was successfully breached. It is only when we acknowledge the seriousness of the breach that we can design measures that will stultify any such attempt in the future. The NDA invasion may as well be a dress rehearsal for more daring ones in future.

The authorities have promised to dig out how the Kaduna fiasco happened. What we have in the public space is that the terrorists broke into five apartments at the NDA residential quarters and quickly escaped before the guards on duty could respond to the situation. Some security experts have pointed out that the successful abduction and swiftness of the operation suggested that the assailants might have collaborators within the NDA. The world eagerly awaits the result of the ongoing inquiry.

Nigeria is yet to successfully prosecute and convict any high profile terrorist or sponsor of terror. The only segment of our operations that has enjoyed prominent attention is the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists and their families  which has made many people wonder if there are different laws applicable to the terrorists.

Looking back, I did warn that it was in our collective interest to back Kadunas Governor Nasir El Rufai when he advocated a scorched earth policy against bandits, instead of paying huge ransoms, which made hostage-taking attractive. I predicted that if the terrorists disgraced El Rufai, our collective humiliation was just around the corner. Perhaps the recent national embarrassment will needle us to rise up to the occasion as Chadian soldiers did when Boko Haram crossed Nigerias border into Chad.

In that incident, the Chadian troops killed scores of the terrorists, leaving only about 22 of them for the video shoot, which they shared with the world. The lesson: You mess with us, we delete you!

In April last year, 44 suspected Boko Haram jihadists were found dead in a Chad prison, where they were undergoing trial for terrorism. They were among 58 suspected jihadists arrested following the fighting around Lake Chad, during which at least 1,000 terrorists were killed. Autopsies confirmed the suspicion of coroners that the prisoners ingested a deadly substance that induced heart and breathing complications in order to beat appearing at the criminal court the following Thursday. They must have reasoned that suicide was a better way to die than facing the firing squad.

In Chad, the wages of terrorism is the firing squad. No quibbling. No prevarication. No messing about. You live by the gun, you die by the gun.

In 2015, 10 Boko Haram members were condemned to death in Chads first trial of members of the Islamist group. They were charged with criminal conspiracy, killings, wilful destruction with explosives, fraud, illegal possession of firearms, as well as using psychotropic substances. Among them was a Nigerian, Mahamat Mustapha, also known as Bana Fanaye, who, according to Chadian authorities, masterminded the June 15 suicide attacks that destroyed a school and a police building in NDjamena, killing 38 people and injuring 101.

All ten were found guilty. A day after the verdict, they were all executed at a firing range north of the capital.

By contrast, Nigeria is yet to successfully prosecute and convict any high profile terrorist or sponsor of terror. The only segment of our operations that has enjoyed prominent attention is the rehabilitation of repentant terrorists and their families  which has made many people wonder if there are different laws applicable to the terrorists. If that is the case, would it be right to release and rehabilitate all repentant armed robbers and repentant ritual killers all over the country? They ask.

That point was underlined by an independent rights organisation, Global Rights Nigeria, in its report published mid-year which revealed that 1, 603 Nigerians were killed in the first quarter of 2021 and wondered why kidnappers and their ilk were being treated with kids gloves.

This is not the time for division and name-calling. This terror binge could spell doom for the nation. We can borrow a leaf from Chad by going after the terrorists and making those who survive our military blitzkrieg face justice like any other Nigerian.

According to the report, there have been a harvest of abductions, insecurity of security officers, ethnic/communal tensions, unending terrors, and others, which have worsened the insecurity situation across the country. The report also pointed out that banditry alone claimed 906 lives, which made it the highest cause of killings in the country, followed by Boko Haram attacks, claiming 207 lives in Nigeria, while kidnapping recorded 1, 774 abductees within the period under review.

The report says, In spite of its continued denial, several sources have documented attempts by some state governors to placate organized criminal groups  paying fat ransoms to kidnappers, and offering cash-back to bandits in exchange for their weapons and assurance of security.

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However, it is pertinent to state that huge ransoms paid to kidnappers by the government sets a dangerous precedent that will encourage criminality rather than quell it. Organized criminal groups who maim people, rape women, destroy properties and cause severe humanitarian crises should be made to face the wrath of the law rather than be mollycoddled.

This is not the time for division and name-calling. This terror binge could spell doom for the nation. We can borrow a leaf from Chad by going after the terrorists and making those who survive our military blitzkrieg face justice like any other Nigerian.

We also have to make up our minds on how to protect defenceless people, especially in areas such as Jos, southern Kaduna and parts of Katsina and Zamfara States, where attackers have killed and burnt down whole villages or kidnapped prominent personages. Some governors have advocated self-defence (which means that Nigerians should arm themselves, a prospect that the Federal Government does not find attractive). Others have said that if Nigerians wont be allowed to carry arms to defend themselves, the security forces have to live up to their billing by showing up whenever they are called upon.

The authorities will, in the coming days, have to dispassionately take another look at Thomas Jeffersons informed commentary: For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

The mood on the streets is palpable: the proposition that we should all lie down and patriotically embrace violent death without the ability to defend ourselves will never fly.

Wole Olaoye can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com.
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The federal government on Saturday resumed payment of stipends to over 4,000 beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom under the Household Uplifting Programme-Conditional Cash Transfer (HUP-CCT), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The HUP-CCT is managed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The Focal Person for the National Social Investment Programme in Akwa Ibom, Godwin Akpan, said that the disbursements were made in Ukanafun and Oruk Anam Local Government Areas simultaneously and would cover seven other LGAs.

Akpan, who disclosed that each beneficiary would take home the sum of N20, 000, in line with the federal governments goal of lifting millions of households out of poverty, lauded the present administration for its sensitivity to the plight of the less-privileged in the society.

He said that the arrangements made to reach the vulnerable poor had proved successful, as the government continued seeking to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.

This programme by the President Muhammadu Buhari is highly sensitive to the plight of the people and it is commendable as many lives are being touched.

Indeed, by 2030, millions will be lifted from poverty and the countrys poverty rating reversed, Mr Akpan said.

Mr Akpan disclosed that payments would also commence through the accounts of beneficiaries in Nsit Atai, Ikono and Uruan LGAs.

Speaking to NAN, a 67-year old beneficiary, Uduak Jimmy, expressed satisfaction with the scheme, saying President Buharis government had given her hope, promising to invest the money in palm oil production to help her generate more income for her grandchildren.

Another beneficiary, a 60-year old grandmother, Grace Udoakpan, said she would remain grateful to the federal government for the kind gesture, adding that she would invest the money to generate more income to help her life.

(NAN)

IE/OJI/MMA
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None of the 18 political parties vying in the November 6 Anambra governorship elections have launched their campaigns, despite the time-table of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicating August 8 as the commencement date of campaigns for the elections.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks revealed that although INEC had fixed the date for the commencement of campaigns for the election, even APGA, the ruling party in the state, was yet to announce the dates for their campaign, while some others are embroiled in litigations.

Solomon Izuka, an Awka based politician, who spoke to NAN, said that non-commencement of campaigns three weeks after the official commencement date for campaigns was not politically healthy, as the situation could fuel untoward rivalry in the heat of the election.

Mr Izuka, however, attributed the situation to two factors: litigations involving the big parties, and low financial capacity of some other parties.

First, some political parties like APGA, APC and PDP are in court which has created uncertainty on when their candidates will start campaigns, while others are feather weight parties that have less financial capacity to fund campaigns, he said.

Obi Nduka, an Awka resident, also noted that the late start of the campaign was a danger sign as politicians might be banking on fraudulent means to win the election.

Mr Nduka challenged those vying for the election to market themselves to the people by rolling out their manifestoes to the electorate, saying that is the sure way to strength our democracy.

When contacted, C-Don Adinuba, director of media of the Chukwuma Soludo Governorship Campaign Council, told NAN on Saturday, via SMS, that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was yet to fix a date for the start of its campaign.

Earlier, Mr Adinuba, who doubles as the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, had announced that the party would meet on August 28 to fine-tune arrangements for the campaign.

In a similar vein, the Director, Media, Obiora Okonkwo Campaign Council, Afam Ofomata, said Zenith Labour Party chieftains were still discussing to work out plans for the commencement of the campaign.

Our governorship candidate is ready to start his campaigns and once we start, we will visit all the 21 Local Government Areas and 326 wards, he said.

Bartho Igwedibia, state chairman of the Accord Party, however, revealed that the partys candidate was still understudying the terrain, but would soon commence his campaigns.

(NAN)
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Some ex-militants in Ondo State have appealed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to ensure fairness in the distribution of pipeline and waterways surveillance contracts to former militant groups in the state.

The ex-militants, under the aegis of Sea-Wolf Avengers, made the appeal in a statement signed by their leader, Deji Ehinmowo, in Lagos on Sunday.

Mr Ehinmowo expressed displeasure in the alleged lopsidedness in surveillance contracts to ex-militant groups in Ilaje Loca Government area of the state.

He called on the governor to ensure the equitable award of pipeline surveillance contracts to former militant groups in Ilaje.

According to him, this has become imperative to prevent a situation where few will benefit at the expense of the majority.

The Sea-Wolf Avengers will like to put it on records that our sole aim when we surrendered our guns during the Federal Amnesty programme, coordinated by the Ondo State Government in 2017 in Akure, is to promote peace in Ilaje.

We promise to continue to abide by the rules and guidelines of the Amnesty Programme, Mr Ehinmowo said.

According to him, it is no longer news that the pipeline surveillance contract is normally awarded by the Ondo State government to youths in Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments as an empowerment programme and to stop youth restiveness in the Niger-Delta region.

He identified eight former militant groups in Ilaje Local Government Area.

In Ugbo constituency, we have General Otelo Mafimisebi (Jogunomi camp), General Sea-Marco Omoyele(Awaja camp); General Jerry Ekuepenikan(Awama camp); General Igbakele Ayeren(Lion camp) and General Tale Ogede (Black Busy camp).

While in Mahin/Aheri/Etikan constituency, there is General Deji Ehinmowo(Sea-Woif Avengers camp); General Job(Forest Soldier camp); General Ebie(Niger-Delta Vangard camp) and General Ojo(Big Fish camp), he said.

Mr Ehinmowo said the Sea-Wolf Avengers, comprising over 205 members that surrendered their guns during the Federal Amnesty programme in 2017, was surprised that the group did not benefit from the recent N28 million pipeline surveillance contract in Ilaje awarded by the state government.

Our belief is that if any benefit in form of pipeline surveillance to the former militants by the state government is given to Ilaje, it should be shared equally amongst the ex-militant groups rather than given it to only Mafimisebis camp, he stated.

Mr Ehinmowo said the Sea-Wolf Avengers had alerted the state government and security agencies of an alleged plan of encroachment and attack by some groups on its camp in Aboto.

We learnt that the Mafimisebi group is planning to attack the peace-loving members of the Sea-Wolf Avengers, damage their properties in Aboto as well as use them to generate revenue by force.

The Sea-Wolf Avengers is appealing to Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, Nigerian Navy Forward Base, Igbokoda and 19 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Okitipupa, for urgent intervention so that it will not degenerate into crisis in the area, he said. (NAN)
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The Federal Government on Saturday recommenced the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme in Lagos State.

Flaging-off the 5th and 6th Bi-Monthly payment in Lagos State, Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Yetunde Arobieke, said that 6,810 persons/households had benefited from the programme since inception.

Mrs Arobieke said the CCT supported the poor and vulnerable to improve consumption, with the aim of reducing poverty, preventing vulnerable households from falling further down the poverty line and building their resilience to withstand shocks.

The programme is to facilitate the transfer of N5,000 per month to beneficiaries, which is paid on bi-monthly bases (every two months), with payment given to all eligible households selected from the National Social Register (NSR).

The livelihood component of this programme is fundamentally aimed at enabling beneficiaries to establish a sustainable means of livelihood.

A total number of 6,810 beneficiaries from six targeted LGAs (Apapa, Amuwo-Odofin, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island and Badagry) have been benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme in Lagos State since its implementation, she said.

The commissioner, who is the State Focal Person on the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), said that Lagos State was among the 34 states benefitting from the programme, due to the effort, support and inspiration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

She said that Mr Sanwo-Olu supported State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) established the Register of Poor and Vulnerable Households in the state, provided office space and the required staff for State Cash Transfer Unit to carry out its activities.

According to her, major benefits of the programme is capacity building, which is built at all tiers to enhance empowerment of beneficiaries household to be self-reliant.

The training is carried out at three tiers; officers at the state level and local government level are trained, who in turn cascade the training to the beneficiaries in their communities.

Beneficiaries are trained on Life Skill and Savings Group Mobilisation and Micro Business Development (SGMB), which is targeted at enabling the beneficiaries to save and form cooperative groups.

The training enables them to make financial plans and engage in viable business activities within their communities to strengthen their livelihood activities by contributing their share to the state and national economy, she said.

Mrs Arobieke said the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) was one of the components of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), domiciled under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

She said the ministry aimed at responding to deficiencies in capacity and lack of investment in human capital of the poor and vulnerable households.

The commissioner said the NCTP was supported by the World Bank and the programme focuses on the poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria as identified through a combination of geographic and community-based targeting mechanisms.

The State Focal Person said the identified households socio-economic data was subjected to Proxy Means Testing (PMT) for ranking the poor and vulnerable in the National Social Register (NSR).

(NAN)
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The Lagos State government will resume the administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to persons who have received the first dose of the vaccine, the states Ministry of Health has said.

This is contained in a statement released by Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the spokesperson of the ministry, on Sunday.

The exercise will hold between August 30 and September 24, across the 88 health centres the first dose of vaccination was administered, the statement said.

It is pertinent to note that only persons who have taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and are due for the second dose are eligible for this exercise.

Citizens who have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and due for a second dose are encouraged to report to the vaccination sites where they received the first dose, to get their second jab, the statement reads.

A total of 210,633 persons who received the first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine were yet to get the second dose, Akin Abayomi, the health commissioner, said in June.

Mr Ogunbanwo added that eligible persons are to go to vaccination sites with their vaccination cards between 9.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. on weekdays.

The state also began the administration of the Moderna vaccine last Wednesday.

It is important to note that mixing one brand of vaccine with another brand in this exercise is not allowed, the official said.

Those who have received AstraZeneca as first dose should receive AstraZeneca as second dose, while those who have received Moderna as first dose will receive Moderna as second dose when due,  he said.

Mr Ogunbanwo added that the government is working with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and other parties to ensure that there is no confusion on which vaccines will be given to whom.

The state government commenced the administration of the Moderna vaccine in the second phase of administration last Wednesday.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Akin Abayomi, commended the turnout of citizens at various vaccination sites, saying it is an indication of impressive vaccination uptake.

The ministry urged members of the public, particularly persons 18 years and above, who have not received any COVID vaccine, to present themselves for the Moderna vaccine at the designated 183 vaccination sites across the state.

Citizens who have not received any vaccine are encouraged to pre-register and schedule an appointment for the Moderna vaccine on the E-registration portal of the NPHCDA: https://nphcda.vaccination.gov.ng/

Both AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines are highly effective against serious illness and death from COVID variants including the Delta variant, the statement said.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AHHDC is a small group of atheists, but they cannot be just atheists. They are citizens. They want to help, to give, to learn, and to receive. They may be Beyond Belief, but they have ethics; they have moral compasses. They are integral parts of our society and are proud to be your family, your friends, and your neighbors, and they want to help our community.

The goal of AHHDC is to provide small items (travel size) needed daily (soap, nail clippers, towelettes, socks, combs, small shampoo, toothbrush and small paste, etc.) to people who are homeless and who may who travel primarily by foot. They distribute to those who cannot carry regular-sized items everywhere they go. The items are for people living on the street, out of a tent or car, or out of a shelter.



AHHDC is a small group of volunteers that operates on donations. They set up a table for 3-4 hours on a sidewalk where homeless people pass by to distribute items. The last event (August 2021) in Silver Spring, MD was able to help over 75 clients.



As a relatively new group, an immediate goal of AHH, DC is to achieve public awareness. Their website is www.atheistshelping.org. You may write to them at [email protected].



Twitter: @atheistsHH



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/atheistshelping



Media Contact:

Joseph Shaw

[email protected]



Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12883184



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Atheists Helping the Homeless, DC

Related Links

https://atheistshelping.org


WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft is bound for the International Space Station after launching at 3:14 a.m. EDT Sunday on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying more than 4,800 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and spacecraft hardware.

The cargo Dragon, launched on SpaceX's 23rd Commercial Resupply Services mission, is scheduled to autonomously dock at the station around 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 30, and will remain at the station for about a month. NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough will monitor arrival of the spacecraft. Coverage of the arrival will begin at 9:30 a.m. on NASA Television, the agency's website, and the NASA app.

The science experiments Dragon will deliver include:

Building bone with byproducts

REducing Arthritis Dependent Inflammation First Phase (READI FP) evaluates the effects of microgravity and space radiation on the growth of bone tissue and tests whether bioactive metabolites, which include substances such as antioxidants formed when food is broken down, might protect bones during spaceflight. The metabolites that will be tested come from plant 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 scientists' 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.

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. The videos and images will 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 Institute of Space Medicine and European Astronaut Centre.

Robotic helpers

The Nanoracks-GITAI Robotic Arm will demonstrate the microgravity versatility and dexterity of a robot designed by GITAI Japan Inc. Results could support development of robotic labor to support crew activities and tasks, as well as inform 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 inside the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock, the space station's first commercial airlock.

Putting materials to the test

MISSE-15 NASA is one of a series of investigations on Alpha Space's Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility, which is 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 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.

Helping plants deal with stress

Plants grown under microgravity conditions typically display evidence of stress. Advanced Plant EXperiment-08 (APEX-08) examines the role of compounds known as polyamines in the response of the small, flowering plant 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.

Easier drug delivery

The Faraday Research Facility is a multipurpose unit that uses the space station's EXPRESS payload rack systems, which enable quick, simple integration of multiple payloads . 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 in Orlando, Florida.

The Faraday Nanofluidic Implant Communication Experiment (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. Remote-controlled drug delivery could simplify administration for people with limitations.

A partnership between Faraday and Girls Scouts allows troops to play a role in conducting the control experiments, including providing them with images of the same experiments that are happening in space. The studies involve plant growth, ant colonization, and the brine shrimp lifecycle.

These and other cutting-edge investigations join the hundreds of ongoing experiments in biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science aboard the International Space Station. Advances in these areas will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low-Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars through NASA's Artemis program. To learn more, check out our SpaceX CRS-23 research highlights story.

Learn more about SpaceX's missions for NASA at:

https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


LONDON, Aug. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the latest 2021 CBI Index, the Commonwealth of Dominica's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme was the only one to be awarded a perfect score for its Certainty of Product pillar. The annual report evaluates operating CBI programmes, an initiative that grants citizenship to those that can make a qualifying investment, using nine pillars as a form of measurement.

The Certainty of Product pillar uses five features to determine a programme's ranking. These include longevity, stability, reputation, adaptability and popularity and renown. As one of the oldest programmes on the market, Dominica continues to be a trusted product and a popular option amongst investors. The programme has stood the test of time and has evolved to meet the changing demands of clients. This marks the second year Dominica's CBI Programme has received full marks for its Certainty of Product, making it the only one to do so.

The 2021 CBI Index notes: "For the second year, Dominica achieves a score of 10 in the Certainty of Product Pillar  a result of its transparent and highly renowned programme. At 28 years old and with a track record of good governance, the Dominica CBI Programme has led the way in providing clarity as to how CBI funds are used, this year earmarking US$370m for the construction of an international airport. Furthermore, 2215 applications were approved in the 2019/2020 fiscal year (which runs from 1 July to 30 June)  showing strong interest even amid the Covid-19 pandemic."

Dominica's programme remains the best CBI option in the world, as ranked by the CBI Index for the last five consecutive years. Its appeal derives from the programme's affordability, transparency and the wide-range of benefits it offers its citizens. This includes increased travel freedom to 75% of the world, a second home in a stable democracy and a currency pegged to the US dollar along with the ability to pass citizenship down for generations to come. Dominica also has one of the most family-friendly programmes on the market, recently widening the number of dependants that can be added into an application. This means those that have a larger-family unit can rest assured that the country takes that into consideration.

Those who want to become citizens of Dominica can do so by either contributing to the government fund or buying into selected real estate properties from internationally renowned hoteliers like Hilton, Marriott and Kempinski.

+447867942505, [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
All Oceania Cruises voyages are operating with a requirement that 100% of guests and crew are vaccinated, creating what we believe is one of the safest vacation experiences in the world. The line is undertaking a phased restart with its science-backed plan for a healthy return to service that protects our guests, crew and communities visited. The robust SailSAFE Health and Safety Program creates multiple layers of protection against COVID-19 and was developed with guidance from our team of public health and scientific experts including the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council and the Healthy Sail Panel.

Full details on our SailSAFE protocols can be found here. These protocols will be continuously evolved and modified using the best available science and technology.

Marina's first voyage sails from Copenhagen to ports in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland prior to concluding in Stockholm. Marina will spend the remainder of the summer and autumn cruising around Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Isles prior to setting sail for Miami where she will arrive on December 1st.

Marina is the first ship to resume sailing for Oceania Cruises and will quickly be followed by Riviera, which resumes sailing in the Greek Isles on October 18, 2021, and Insignia from Miami on December 21, 2021, to kick off the epic six-month-long "Around the World in 180 Days" voyage. Sirena resumes sailing in the Caribbean on January 21, 2022, and Regatta will start sailing on February 5, 2022, in Polynesia followed by Nautica in the Mediterranean on April 1, 2022.

About Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's seven small, luxurious ships carry no more than 1,250 guests and feature the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 450 marquee and boutique ports across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. The brand has an additional 1,200-guest Allura Class ships on order for delivery in 2025.

With headquarters in Miami, Oceania Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a diversified cruise operator of leading global cruise brands which include Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

About Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands. With a combined fleet of 28 ships with nearly 60,000 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 490 destinations worldwide. The Company has nine additional ships scheduled for delivery through 2027, comprising of approximately 24,000 berths.

SOURCE Oceania Cruises
The end of days must be approaching ... a government representative has (anonymously) sided with the Unite union and told companies to whack up the wages of lorry drivers

Another day, another tale of food shortages in the UK, this time featuring lorry drivers working for ( )s cash-and-carry business, Booker.

A dispute between the Unite union, which represents heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers, and Booker has been rumbling on for days and the two parties are still at loggerheads.

In the latest exchange of fire, Unite accused Booker of trying to hoodwink its lorry drivers on pay by bypassing the union and putting a proposal directly to staff.

Unite says the terms of the offer are far below the settlement that Unite negotiated for its drivers based at Bookers depot in Hemel Hempstead in July.

Bookers ham-fisted decision to attempt to cut Unite out of negotiations has made a bad situation worse, claimed Unite regional officer, Paul Travers.

Our drivers are not going to be hoodwinked into accepting a deal which is lower than what they have already been offered.

The offer of a bonus in both December and March has more strings than an orchestra and our members already believe that most will never receive this payment, Travers said.

If the union calls its members out on strike it could lead to food shortages in Londis and Budgen outlets - retailers both served by Booker.

A spokesperson for Booker said the national shortage of HGV drivers has created some distribution challenges that the company is doing its best to overcome.

We continue to work with our suppliers, our colleagues at our distribution centres and Unite to manage the issue, the spokesperson said.

A number of retail chiefs have called on the government to change the rules in an attempt to lure back lorry drivers who have stopped working in the UK since it left the European Union but the Bloomberg news agency reports that the government has no plans to change tack.

One person in government who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity said there was frustration at the attitude of road haulage associations, who needed to stop blaming Brexit and simply stump up more money to encourage more people to change careers and become lorry drivers, although in many cases this would require them to gain an HGV licence.

The retail trade has responded that an influx of new lorry drivers would take time to train and that with this being the time of year when the major retailers start shifting stuff about in preparation for the Christmas rush, a more immediate solution to the shortage of lorry drivers needs to be found.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The government may rope in state-run developers such as NBCC (India) Ltd to maximise value from the sale of sick and loss-making public sector undertakings (PSUs) that failed to generate suitable investor in the initial round of bidding.

As per a plan shared by the government officials privy to the development, non-core assets including land and buildings of several weaker PSUs may be handed over to specialised state-run agencies for redevelopment to realise higher value or for sale through a bidding process.

Redeveloped land may be offered to investors on lease while ownership of plant and machinery could be transferred completely.

The plan is to create an entity on the line land management agency that could be in the shape of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with participation from experienced companies such as NBCC.

An approval for such agency may be taken from the cabinet.

The new measure is expected to end the almost dead run being encountered in the disinvestment of weaker PSUs including plans for strategic sale.

Sources said that the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has drawn up a plan for strategic sale in more than three dozen PSUs, including Air India, Air India subsidiary AIATSL, Dredging Corporation, BEML, Scooters India, Bharat Pumps Compressors, and Bhadrawati, Salem and Durgapur units of steel major SAIL.

The new measure to rope in agencies like NBCC will help some of these entities to get overall higher valuations as their operations would be restructured between core and non-core activities and then put up for sale, in some cases after redevelopment of land or other assets for commercial use.

The new measure would be different from Rs 6 lakh crore asset monetisation plan unveiled by the government where brownfield project in various sectors would be monetised by being in the private sector for management and development and operations of some these assets for a time bound contractual period.

The Centre had framed guidelines on closure of loss-making companies in 2016, under which a land management agency (LMA) was to be appointed by the administrative ministry or the CPSE's board to assist in disposal of land.

In the new model, such activity could be taken over by another CPSE such as NBCC that can carry on the work of redevelopment on payment of a fee. The redevelopment work could include determining the current land use and its suitability for industrial, manufacturing or some other purposes.

Several sick PSUs are sitting on huge tracts of land that have the potential for providing huge gains after redevelopment and commercial sale. One such example is Indian Drug and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (IDPL) company that is sitting on 834-acre of prime land in Rishikesh.

"The land of a few sick PSUs could be commercially utilised by other cash-rich PSUs for their expansion plants or other activities. This PSUs-led disinvestment plan for sick units would work best," said another government official.

(Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in)
Hyderabad, Aug 29 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao may revive his idea of a federal front and gear up to play a key role in national politics as he is all set to lay the foundation stone for the office of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in New Delhi next week.

The development is not without significance and it comes at a time when Rao has just launched the 'Dalit Bandhu' scheme, which, he hopes, will become a torchbearer for empowerment of Dalits across the country.

Looking to turn the event into a show of strength, he will be leading a team of over 100 leaders to the national capital. All MPs of TRS, state ministers, state legislators and members of the party executive will attend the ceremony on September 2.

The foundation stone laying ceremony has led to speculations in political circles that KCR, as the TRS supremo is popularly known, will formally announce his entry into the national politics.

KCR's ambition to play a key role in the national politics is well-known. He wants to cobble up a front with like-minded parties as an alternative to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, which according to him, proved to be utter flops in governing the country.

Though there are still more than two-and-a-half years to go for the Lok Sabha elections, political analysts say KCR may use the event to renew his efforts to forge an alternative front.

Political observers say KCR will highlight the rapid strides Telangana has made in various sectors during the last seven years. He claims that the country's youngest state has emerged as a role model for all the states in a short span of time.

The development also comes at a time when KCR has launched what he calls a revolutionary scheme for social and economic empowerment of Dalits.

The regional satrap is projecting 'Dalit Bandhu' as a model scheme and is confident that it will become a torch-bearer for the upliftment of Dalits across the country.

Under the scheme, launched on pilot basis in the Huzurabad Assembly constituency in Karimnagar district, every Dalit family will get Rs 10 lakh as grant and they will be free to choose their profession, self-employment or businesses, for utilising the funds.

KCR has already announced that he is ready to spend Rs 1.75 lakh crore on the scheme to cover all 17 lakh Dalit families in the state. He believes that the scheme will be a big game changer for Dalits and eliminate social discrimination against them.

The TRS chief, who has been talking of providing an alternative to the BJP and the Congress for the last 3-4 years, will put forth the successful Telangana model before the country and promise to replicate the same at the national level.

TRS leaders say KCR will try to highlight how his government has delivered on various fronts in a short span of time to transform an arid region into a lush green and prosperous state.

With a growth rate and per capita income higher than the national average and continuing impressive growth even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Telangana is already claiming to be a role model for other states.

The TRS founder plans to unveil his agenda for national politics with a new economic model, which will focus on farmers. Analysts say that KCR will showcase at the national level his success in transforming agriculture with 'Rythu Bandhu', an investment support scheme for farmers which is emulated by the Centre and many states.

KCR has been slamming both the Congress and the BJP as 'storytellers' who failed to give direction to the country and guide it on the right path. He has been targeting them for failing to create wealth while claiming that his government succeeded in not only creating the wealth, but is also distributing the same among the poor and underprivileged sections of the society.

It was in 2018 that KCR had floated the idea of a front of like-minded parties as an alternative to both the BJP and the Congress.

He had intensified the efforts after retaining power in Telangana in the December 2018 elections.

After the massive victory in Assembly elections, KCR had appointed his son K.T. Rama Rao as the working president of the TRS so that he can focus on national politics.

He flew from one state to the other to meet leaders of various regional parties. He called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

He also discussed the idea with H.D. Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka, Hemanth Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of the YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh.

KCR was even seen as the potential prime ministerial candidate by his party in the event of regional parties emerging as a major bloc in the Lok Sabha.

With the BJP retaining power at the Centre with a massive majority, KCR had dumped the idea of a front and confined himself to the state.

Last year, there were reports that KCR was planning to float a national party. He, however, clarified that there was no such proposal for now.

He, however, did not rule out such a proposal. He told a party meeting that a decision would be taken at the right time after discussions.

KCR's blow hot blow cold stand on the third alternative has come under criticism from various quarters. His opponents say he talks of a front only at the time of elections.

During the campaign for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections in November last year, he had stated that the country definitely needs a new experiment and TRS would be in the forefront to provide the alternative.

He had declared that a conclave of like-minded parties will be held in Hyderabad in December.

He had also said that Hyderabad would be the epicentre of the movement against the BJP government for its 'anti-people', 'anti-farmer' and 'anti-labour' policies, and the TRS will lead the movement.

However, KCR adopted complete silence on the proposed front after the GHMC polls.
Shimla, Aug 29 : Water, instead of woes, may soon flow out of the taps in the 'Queen of Hills', once the favourite summer retreat of British India, with the pumping of the Satluj river water from its catchment with the World Bank help.

As per the project with an outlay of $250 million (Rs 1,813 crore), it will cater to the demand of Shimla Planning Area, comprising suburbs Kufri, Ghannatti and Shoghi, for an estimated population of 4.13 lakh by 2050.

As per records of the state Urban Development, Shimla, planned for a maximum population of 16,000 during the British Raj, is now home to 2.47 lakh people with a floating population of 75,000 as per Census of 2011.

For over a decade this tourist town has been getting water supply once in two or three days, largely during the peak summer. In some localities, the water supply is once a week.

Still the pleasant weather remains one of its prime attractions as it is known for wooded deodars and Raj-style structures. It supports more than 450 hotels, restaurants and guesthouses.

For Urban Development Minister and four-time local legislator Suresh Bhardwaj, the 24-hour water supply to Shimla residents is his dream project and a major promise. The timeline of the project by laying a 23.65-km-long pipeline from Sunni tehsil is June 18, 2024.

"As a pilot project five wards of Shimla town will be provided 24 hours water supply by December this year," Bhardwaj told IANS.

A total of 107.63 million litres per day (MLD) is estimated for Shimla by 2050. Currently, the town is getting 40 MLD from two major sources -- Giri and Gumma streams.

He said the Sutlej Water Supply Scheme will add 67 MLD to the total capacity. "This will be sufficient to meet water demand in the Shimla Planning Area by 2050. The existing water source will continue to remain the primary source of water. The Sutlej supply will supplement the existing sources." Shimla has been ranked the best city among below one million population in the Ease of Living Index of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

"After we get 24 hours water supply, our performance will definitely be improved. The scheme will help to provide urban entitlement, besides boosting the economy, releasing the mental pressure from people. As we know Shimla is a tourist town and after 24-hour water supply is available, the tourism sector will also get a boost," an elated Bhardwaj told IANS.

"What pained me to see is people leaving their jobs in the middle and rushing home to fill the water for daily use. This project will be of great use for them." Bhardwaj said the government is also planning to set up solar panels on the water line to produce green energy.

The cabinet last week approved the draft package negotiated by the Urban Development department with the World Bank and the Department of Economic Affairs of the Centre for funding the Shimla Water Supply and Sewerage Services Delivery Programme in the Greater Shimla area.

Of the Rs 1,813 crore, the World Bank will provide an assistance of Rs 1,160.32 crore and the state government will bear Rs 652.68 crore.

The main components of the project include augmentation of water supply from the Satluj river with additional 67 MLD to meet the water demand till 2050 and bulk water supply of special area development authorities of Kufri, Shoghi and Ghanahatti.

The project envisages lifting water from the river near the Shakrodi village in Shimla district involving lifting to a height of 1.6 km and pipe laying of 22 km to augment 67 MLD water at Sanjauli near here. The project also seeks to replace the distribution pipe network across the Shimla Municipal Corporation to upgrade it to a 24x7 water supply system.

The sewerage network in areas of Mehli, Panthaghati, Totu and Mashobra will be provided.

Explaining the advantages of the project, an official associated with the project said the laying of pipeline for the supply of water from the river is open on anchor blocks. This helps avoid or minimizes the axing of trees.

The anchor blocks increase slope stability and prevent soil erosion as it counters the pipe thrust.

Also laying of the pipeline in open increases the lifespan of the pipe by reducing corrosion.

Expressing its anguish, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has time and again been rapping state authorities on their knuckles over failure of the successive governments to provide adequate potable water and despite rationing, which has become a common feature.

According to tourism industry representatives, Shimla gets 20,000-30,000 tourists on an average every weekend during the peak season -- from May to June and November to January.

Shimla for the first time in its history saw an unprecedented water crisis in 2018, resulting in widespread protests and even marches to the Chief Minister's residence at midnight.

At that time rampant water shortage forced residents to lock their water tanks and the government to provide security to water supply employees.

Old-timers blame the water crisis over the years for losing green cover and natural water streams and springs due to unplanned urbanization. But climate experts blame decline in snow cover owing to deforestation and rise in pollution.

As per studies conducted by the scientists of the Indian Meteorological Department, the snow season in Shimla has shrunk by 21 days over the 1991-2001 period.

Octogenarian Raj Kumar Sud, who was born and brought up in Shimla, said Britishers restricted human activity in the catchment areas and ensured thick forest cover.

"They had dug up several wells in Mount Jakhu (the highest peak in the city) where the snow is stored during the winter. The wells helped recharging the groundwater and sprouting of waterfalls during the peak summer. Now those wells have disappeared. There is no natural water body in the town. If there is anyone, its water is unfit for consumption," he added.

Similar is the fate of the Chadwick waterfalls, deep inside the Glen Forests on the suburbs of Shimla, which disappeared silently.

Elated over the upcoming water supply project, housewife Usha Gupta added: "The 24-hour water supply will greatly impact the daily lives of every housewife who is desperately waiting for years. It will also help heal those challenging times. Now we can invite our relatives even during the peak summer season." (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
The horrific terrorist attacks outside Kabul airport will boost chaos sky high. It will take focus away from the only frame in which the epochal events of the past few days should be seen. Did the US withdrawal, however messy, bring an end to the 'forever wars'? Is that outcome to be welcomed? Or is this the time to analyze the 'incompetence' of the Taliban? A people who defeated a superpower in battle should be given a little more than a fortnight to find their feet.

Or, is there an urge in wounded hearts for some rearguard action in order to pick up shreds of prestige blown to smithereens? A military response to the residual imperialist yearning, pulsating beneath the ashes, may well provide Afghans with an opportunity to measure up to Vietnam's record. Vietnam defeated three permanent members of the Security Council in the battlefield: France at Dien Bien Phu, the US at Saigon, and China in Lang Son. Mujahideen Taliban have two scalps in their bag already -- Soviet Union and the US. Another trophy for the Afghans, anybody? It is ironical that Tony Blair's has been the loudest yelp. "Imbecilic" to withdraw, he screamed. How thick a human skin can be? Just the other day Sir John Chilcot in his historic report grilled the illustrious British Prime Minister for dissembling facts leading Britain into a bogus Iraq war. "I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you will ever imagine" he wept.

Donald Trump asked Jimmy Carter, "What should we do, China is going ahead of us?" Carter's reply was pithy: "China has not been at war since 1978; we have never stopped being at war." Does this withdrawal spell an end to Imperial overreach? Is there something akin to racism in the way TV images of the Taliban in Kabul send shivers down our spine? How did we ever persuade ourselves that they are a ghastly lot? Who knows, they may well be but who has drilled this image so indelibly into our consciousness? Not our media, surely. Our 'atmanirbhar', or self-sufficient media take 'foreign' news from Western agencies to a point of saturation. This shapes our mind and, to some extent, South Block's too. Of course, our ambassadors file reams of copy but spring a surprise on them at work: they are all watching the same channels.

When Nick Robertson of the CNN froths in the mouth about the "thugs" which means the Taliban in his book, the froth is sprayed all over our 'atmanirbhar' channels. Christiane Amanpour grills former Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel on his support for Biden's decision. "Are we giving up on terrorism? Is our project of democracy, human rights being abandoned?" in acute anxiety she rolls her eyeballs virtually out of their sockets.

Painting Muslims in lurid colours has been a practice at least since the 70s when Muslim states surrounding Israel vigorously supported the Palestinian cause. Palestinian Professor at Columbia University, Edward Said's 'Covering Islam' has a jacket which is a collector's item. It is a metaphor for the way Muslims are portrayed in the media. An Afghan militant, headgear et all, is crouching and taking aim with his Kalashnikov. In the very frame is a western cameraman, resting a knee on the ground, clicking the gun-toting Afghan. This is how the image of a 'militant Islamist' is manufactured.

It was prescient of Edward Said to have spotted the beginnings of manufactured Islamic militancy. This industry was to grow after the Soviet collapse and burgeon after 9/11. In terrorism the Military Industrial Complex found a durable replacement for the Cold War enemy, the Soviet Union.

Oh, the excuses that are being made for the debacle: we made the mistake of training the Afghan army in "our image", like the US military. Really! Where the hell have all the soldiers gone, however wrongly trained, armed to the teeth? What were all those "Green on Blue" attacks when trainees turned upon their trainers, killing many. Did such attacks just end by divine intervention or embarrassing episodes just go away because the obedient media switches off its cameras? Thumb through the files of the Guardian and locate the headline 'US marines charged over urinating on bodies of dead Taliban'. Trump appointed Gina Haspel as the CIA chief specifically for her record in torture and rendition. He said on TV "torture works; torture works." Afghans even the supine ones making money hand over fist with US contractors and even more with Ghani's corrupt minions -- would they fall in love with the Americans who built torture chambers, multiple Abu Ghraibs, crashing down doors and stripping families, humiliating them.

Even as I write Ben Roberts-Smith, of Australia's Special Air Services regiment, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for duty in Afghanistan, was, until the other day, fighting with his back to the wall in an Australian court facing charges of atrocities on Afghan civilians. An internal investigation last year found Special Forces men "unlawfully killed" 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners. At least in Australia some limited processes were set into motion, but as for the US, let me quote George Bush the senior. "United States can do what the hell it wants." If Biden's withdrawal puts an end to actions which do not become America, history will judge him fairly. Dealing with the Taliban is a separate matter.

(Saeed Naqvi is a senior commentator on political and diplomatic issues. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com)
Bengaluru, Aug 29 : At a time when the lockdown 2.0 was imposed in Karnataka in May 2021, ambulances carrying dead bodies of Covid-19 victims queued up near crematories; horrified people remained indoors, this 32-year-old PhD student was busy obtaining permission from the police to feed about 80 to 90 dogs that have made sprawling Jnana Bharathi campus of Bangalore University their home.

Shruthi S. Iyengar, ran from pillar to post, day after day obtained permission to feed the canines under the emergency and essential services to feed canines from DCP South Harish Pandey. This happened when there was a massive surge in Covid fatalities and Karnataka overtook Delhi by registering 6,790 deaths only in 17 days in May 2021. Her mission to feed man's best friend, continues till date.

She feeds about 80 to 90 dogs, from tiny, little to fully grown-ups with milk & rice, biscuits, chew sticks and handful of dog food. Shruthi's day starts with attending to cats (about 15) at home and coming over to Jnana Bharathi campus to feed the canines. She has been part of the campus since 2009, when she pursued MSc. She developed a special bondage with canines all through these 12 years.

"Earlier there was no such trouble for the canine population as cafeterias, canteens operated on campus served as a source of food, students fed them. When lockdown was imposed, canteens were shut. Source of food for dogs was cut down. It was during the first lockdown and passes were issued. However, though it was a tedious process, I managed to obtain the pass and feed them. The bondage between them grew stronger then," Shruthi explained.

During 2nd wave lockdown, no passes were given. First she took a risk and went to Jnana Bharathi campus. The police officers let her on that day and warned her not to venture out the next day, she said.

Shruthi reached the jurisdictional South DCP office with a letter. She explained to the staff about her intention and sought permission to feed the dogs. She explained the condition of dogs, that the civic agency just released them after neutering, their wounds to be healed and no source of food available to them on campus. After multiple follow ups, DCP South office had granted permission to her under emergency and essential services to feed canines.

The dogs are extremely excited whenever Shruthi steps into the campus. All of them want to get equal attention, they surround her. They want to be petted, scratched behind their ears, on their tummy. Some would lie down before her to be scratched on their underbellies. When affection is being shown to a few dogs, others paw her from behind and pet her.

Whenever she walks down the lane, the entire clan of dogs follows. Sometimes, timings of serving food vary with chores. To keep the process of serving food as discreet as possible, Shruthi uses a set of three keys and these canines will respond to the special sound. 'That is the secret code between us,' she said.

"I rarely spend on myself. I don't generally go out to movies, hotel. I cook my food, clothing needs are minimal. Whatever I have, it is for them. My family is extremely supportive. My father, sister drive me to the campus whether it is raining, or hot sunny day, whenever salary is credited late, they chip in." She explained.

So, how long does she want to continue with this work, "as long as there is life in here and life in there I want to carry out this," she revealed.
Washington, Aug 29 : US President Joe Biden has warned that another terror attack against the Kabul airport could be "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours".

"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," Biden said in a statement on Saturday after meeting with his national security team.

"I directed them to take every possible measure to prioritise force protection, and ensured that they have all the authorities, resources and plans to protect our men and women on the ground," he added.

Thirteen US service members and some 170 Afghans were killed in a suicide bombing attack outside Kabul airport on August 26.

The IS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State terror group in Afghanistan, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

In retaliation for the deadly attack, the US military on August 27 launched a drone strike against the terror group in Nangarhar province, which killed two "high-profile" members and wounded another, according to the Pentagon.

"This strike was not the last," Biden said in the statement on Saturday.

"We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay," he added.

Biden set August 31 as the deadline to end .S military mission in Afghanistan.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said earlier on Saturday that the US forces on the ground have started withdrawing from the Kabul airport.

The US has been scrambling to evacuate Americans and its Afghan partners from the country since the Taliban captured Kabul on August 15.

The White House said on Saturday that around 111,900 people have left Afghanistan since August 14.
Prayagraj : , Aug 29 (IANS) Three persons have been detained for allegedly stealing 35 vials of Covid vaccine from Utrav and Handia in Prayagraj district.

As many as 35 Covid vaccine vials, including 24 vials at Kirav village vaccination site in Dhanupur development block and 11 vials at Dalipur village vaccination site in Saibadbad development blocks, were stolen during the mega vaccination drive on Friday evening.

Following the incident, health authorities lodged separate FIRs at the police stations concerned and launched a probe.

Additional chief medical officer and district immunization officer (DIO) Dr Teerath Lal said that a group of unidentified persons on Friday were allegedly creating ruckus during the vaccination drive. They were mounting pressure on the health staff to get them vaccinated on priority. These unidentified people took away 24 vials from primary school Kirav vaccination site. They had also exchanged heated arguments with the health workers on duty.

The health workers had deposited the Aadhaar cards and PAN cards of eligible recipients for their enrolment ahead of the vaccination. However, during heavy rush at the site on Friday evening, a group of recipients barged into the vaccination room and stole vials.

In the Dalipur village of Saidabad development block, an unidentified man allegedly entered the vaccination centre and escaped with 11 vials. Two of the 11 vials got damaged while the man was escaping.

Inspector General of Police (Prayagraj range) K.P. Singh said that police teams have received clues regarding the incident and the cases would be solved soon. He added that a few persons have been picked up for quizzing.
Los Angeles, Aug 29 : It has been a year since 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman passed away after battling colon cancer. The late actor's co-stars Lupita Nyongo and Michael B. Jordan among many others have paid a poignant tribute on his one year death anniversary.

Nyongo took to social media to share an image of herself laughing together with Boseman, who died due to colon cancer aged 43 on August 28 last year.

She wrote alongside the Instagram image: "I did not know I could miss both his laughter and his silence in equal measure. I do, I do... One year after his passing, the memory of @chadwickboseman remains this alive in me." The 38-year-old actress previously shared that she was still struggling to "come to terms" with Boseman's death and couldn't contemplate making more Marvel movies without the star, who played the role of T'Challa in 'Black Panther'.

Jordan shared a picture of himself and Boseman. He captioned the image: "Not a day goes by bro, Love and miss you but I know you still with us." Actress Kerry Washington also shared a tribute to Boseman, writing: "One year without Chadwick Boseman. Thank you for watching over us. We miss you King." 'Avengers' actor Mark Ruffalo wrote: "Can't believe how fast time has gone. Thinking of you today." While Boseman's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' co-star Viola Davis shared: "This day last year you left this earth and us.. Man you are missed!"
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Following the successful launch of the realme GT 5G series, the company is aiming to become the number one online brand by selling at least 20-30 million devices overall this year, a top executive said on Sunday.

The company recently launched two smartphones -- realme GT 5G and realme GT Master Edition 5G -- along with foraying into the super-competitive laptop market in India.

"We believe the realme GT 5G series will be appreciated by the users," Madhav Sheth, Vice President, realme, and Chief Executive Officer, realme India and Europe, told IANS.

"Overall, this year realme aims to make the best effort to deliver at least 20-30 million devices to cater to the market demand. This Diwali, six million is the minimum target that we are aiming to achieve," Sheth added.

The GT Master Edition smartphone is available in three storage variants -- 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB -- priced at Rs 25,999, Rs 27,999 and Rs 29,999, respectively.

The realme GT 5G comes in Dashing Silver and Dashing Blue in 8GB+128GB storage variant, priced at Rs 37,999 along with a dual-tone leather design variant, Racing Yellow, AND in the 12GB+256GB variant at Rs 41,999.

According to the CEO, with the launch of the realme GT 5G series, the company is aiming to disrupt the premium category with segment-leading offerings.

"With the realme GT 5G series launch, we are able to further complete our smartphone portfolio which will benefit the whole brand for sure. This is a solid step to our aim to be India's top 3 brands and number 1 online brand this year," he emphasised.

The CEO also mentioned that, currently, the company is planning to focus on the most popular clamshell model, which has come from its research and community interactions.

"The two-in-one and others are interesting form factors, but unless there is a demand from our consumers for it we will stick with Clamshell models," Sheth said.

Meanwhile, the recently-launched realme Book (slim) laptop comes in two versions -- the 11th Generation Intel Core i3 Processor with 8GB+256GB priced at Rs 44,999 and the 11th Generation Intel Core i5 Processor with 8GB+512GB priced at Rs 56,999 as part of the introductory offer.

"Laptops, tablets and many electronic brands have been playing more important roles in people's life in the post-pandemic era. We have received several requests from customers to launch the laptop," Sheth said.

"However, not meant to offend any brand, we found that most products launched in the India market are either too costly or don't sport up-to-date features. We think this should change," he added.

Sheth strongly believes that the realme laptop will create a place among the consumers and the company will disrupt the laptop market as it disrupted the smartphone market.

(Vivek Singh Chauhan can be contacted at vivek.c@ians.in)
Lucknow, Aug 29 : An elderly farmer, who had recently sold his land for Rs 3.4 crore, was found murdered at his house in the Chinhat area in the state capital.

The deceased, identified as Gopi Kashyap, 75, was found dead on Saturday by his daughter Ritu who was staying with him.

He had injuries on his head and strangulation marks on his throat.

The daughter Ritu lodged a complaint with the police.

Ritu's other two sisters Munni and Sunita are married. Munni lives with her husband Munna in the same area while Sunita and her husband Ram Saran live in Barabanki.

The police have detained two maternal grandsons of the deceased -- Jai Singh and Shiv Singh.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) East, Qasim Abidi said, "Preliminary investigation revealed that Gopi had sold his ancestral land to a resident of Lalulai for Rs 3.4 crore and had got Rs 40 lakh as advance. However, the family started staking claim on the money." The ADCP said that both Ram Saran and Munna (husbands of her sisters) also used to fight over their share in the sale proceeds.
Tokyo, Aug 29 : Jyoti Baliyan's challenge in the women's Individual Compound Open archery competitions at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games came to an end with the Indian losing to Ireland's Kerrie-Lousie Leonard in a 1/16 Elimination round at the Yumenoshima Final Field here on Sunday.

Jyoti, who had qualified 15th with a score of 671, lost to Kerrie-Lousie -- who scored 657 in the ranking round -- 137-141 in the 15-arrow elimination round.

Jyoti started with an eight but followed it up with a 10 and nine as she tallied 27 points in the first end. She got a one-point lead as her Irish opponent ended with 26 from two 9s and an eight.

She lost the initiative in the second set of three arrows, a seven after 10 and eight undid her efforts as she earned 25 points while Kerrie-Lousie shot a 29 with two arrows in the inner 10 (X) and one nine to take lead at 55-52.

Jyoti responded with a perfect 30 in the next three arrows, hitting three 10s, Kerrie-Louise shot 29 thanks to a 10, an X, and nine.

The 27-year-old Jyoti managed 29 in the penultimate round while her 30-year-old Irish rival shot a perfect 30 to maintain her upper hand. The Indian could manage only 26 in the fifth and final round of three arrows as Kerrie-Louise shot 27 to seal the victory.

Jyoti will now figure in the Mixed Team compound with Rakesh Kumar in the evening.
Iraqi President Barham Salih speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at Baghdad's Presidential Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Iraqi President Barham Salih welcomes the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at Baghdad's Presidential Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 28, 2021.Xinhua/IANS Image Source: IANS News

Iraqi President Barham Salih welcomes Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi as he arrives at Baghdad's Presidential Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 28, 2021.Xinhua/IANS Image Source: IANS News

Baghdad, Aug 29 : Iraq held the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, with the participation of nine countries and several regional and international organisations, to boost security and economic cooperation in the Middle East.

During the opening session on Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said in his speech that the convening of the conference embodies Iraq's vision of establishing "the best relations", voicing his hope that economic partnerships will be achieved through the gathering, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We hope that the Baghdad conference will be a new station to achieve aspirations of the Iraqi people and the people of the region, and we seek to activate projects and restore life in all cities of Iraq," al-Kadhimi said.

He added that the Iraqi people defeated the Islamic State (IS) terror group, which is also a victory for all people of the region, as terrorism "is a common danger for all, and eliminating it requires confronting the conditions that allow its growth".

French President Emmanuel Macron said in his speech that the Baghdad conference "demonstrates partnerships and achieving peace in the region", stressing that the conference will support Iraq's sovereignty.

Macron reiterated his country's commitment to supporting the Iraqi forces and the country's sovereignty, praising Iraq's confrontation with the IS.

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi considered the conference an opportunity for consultation and cooperation to face regional challenges.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi President Barham Salih and al-Kadhimi received heads of states invited to the conference, including Macron, Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The conference also gathered Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the newly-appointed Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and other high-level regional and international officials.

On August 26, Salih said that the conference would establish a new order based on common regional security and economic interdependence.

He told local media that the conference "will contribute to easing regional tensions and crises, and support the path of constructive dialogue".

A day earlier, Nizar al-Khairallah, spokesman of the regional conference, said the conference would focus on economic and investment cooperation, adding that representatives from permanent members of the UN Security Council, the G20 countries, and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq will attend the conference as observers.
Chennai, Aug 29 : Chennai, A statement from the office of the state health minister on Saturday said that at least one dose of vaccine would be administered to the staff of schools and colleges till September 5.

More than 90 per cent of the teachers and non-teaching staff of schools and colleges in the state have been administered a minimum of one dose of vaccine.

The colleges and higher classes in schools are scheduled to reopen in Tamil Nadu from September 1 and the state health department and higher education and school education department do not want to take any risk regarding the vaccination of staff, both teaching and non-teaching, the statement said.

The state would also be administering vaccines for super senior students in schools, especially those in Class 12 and all the college students. Tamil Nadu Minister for Health, Ma Subramanian and state higher education minister, K. Ponmudi had on Saturday attended a vaccine drive for the college students.

The state has been conducting vaccination drives for targeted communities and this focused vaccination has yielded the desired results, the statements said. In Pudukottai district almost all the differently-abled persons were administered the vaccine while in Ayilur district all the pregnant women were inoculated.

Health department stated that on Saturday itself, 4.7 lakh people took the vaccine across the state taking the daily tally to 2.9 crore in the government centres.

The state is expecting one crore doses of vaccines as a single allotment to become the overall top performer in the country. The officials are of the opinion that in the first four months of vaccination drive the allocation was poor to the state resulting in the poor performance in inoculating.

Ma Subramanian while speaking to IANS said, "We have received a special allocation of 22 lakh doses of vaccine for August and we are trying to get 1 crore doses as special allocation and this would take us to a higher level among the best performers as far as vaccination drives are concerned.

"We have administered vaccines to targeted communities like sportspersons, differently-abled people, lactating mothers, and pregnant women and the results have been up to what we had expected. With colleges and higher classes in schools reopening from September 1, we need more doses of vaccine and complete all those who would be in contact with the students."
Kabul, Aug 29 : The US and coalition forces have handed over the control of three gates, including the entrance to the military section, of the Kabul airport, to the Taliban, an official of the group told local media on Sunday.

"The US troops are in control of a small part of the airport, including an area where the radar system of the airport is located," Xinhua news agency quoted the official Enhamullah Samangani as saying to TOLO News.

Taliban deployed a unit of special forces at the main gate of the airport about two weeks ago.

"We are ready to take over the security and technical responsibility of the airport," he said.

The takeover came after a deadly suicide bomb blast and gun firing claimed by IS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State terror greoup, killed 170 Afghans and 13 US troops at an eastern gate of the facility on August 26.

Earlier a Taliban official reportedly said that the group's special forces, and a team of technical professionals and qualified engineers were ready to take over all charges of the airport after the departure of the US forces.

Dozens of planes, including military planes, took off from the airport since late Saturday.

Most of some 6,000 US and coalition forces and a unit of Afghan Special Forces who were deployed to the airport before the Taliban's takeover of Kabul on August 15 had reportedly evacuated.

All US and coalition forces are expected to leave the country on August 31, a planned deadline set by President Joe Biden.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Congress has launched a scathing attack on the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) for the omission of the photograph of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's from a poster of "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations.

P. Chidambaram, former finance minister, said on Sunday: "ICHR Member-Secretary's explanation for the omission of Jawaharlal Nehru from the first digital poster to celebrate 75 years of Independence is ludicrous.

"If he was celebrating the birth of the motor car, will he omit Henry Ford? If he was celebrating the birth of aviation, will he omit the Wright brothers? If he was celebrating Indian science, will he omit C V Raman? After bowing down to prejudice and hate, it is best the Member-Secretary shuts his mouth," he said.

Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said, "It is not merely petty but absolutely ahistorical to celebrate Azadi by omitting the pre-eminent voice of Indian freedom, Jawaharlal Nehru. One more occasion for ICHR to disgrace itself. This is becoming a habit!" Jairam Ramesh in a tweet said, "Not surprising from this regime and its toadies masquerading as scholars but atrocious nevertheless." The ICHR has released digital poster with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, B.R. Ambedkar among others, but Jawaharlal Nehru is missing in the poster.

Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi is celebrating 75 years of India's Independence "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava".

Om Jee Upadhyay, Director (Research & Administration), ICHR, had said that they are not diminishing anybody's role but making several pages like this and people whose contribution to the Freedom Struggle was downplayed should also be highlighted.
Kabul, Aug 29 : The Taliban has called upon Kabul residents to hand over government vehicles, arms and ammunition if those assets have been left with them, according to the group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

All those living in Kabul are informed "to return all government assets including vehicles, arms and ammunition or any other things", Xinhua news agency quoted Mujahid as saying in a Twitter post.

To back the Taliban's call for returning the government assets, prayer leaders in their sermons have also urged people to hand over government assets if they have kept the assets with them.

Conveying the Taliban messages, the prayer leaders have also called on government employees to return to their offices and resume their work normally.
Chennai, Aug 29 : Tami Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday in the state legislative Assembly announced a package of Rs 317.40 crore to the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps spread across the state. The money was for the reconstruction of the camps as well as providing education to the children and scholarships for the postgraduate students among the refugees.

The government will also support self-help groups in the refugee camps and an amount of Rs 6.16 crore has been sanctioned for the same. The government also announced an amount of Rs 10 crore to provide skill development training to 5,000 youngsters.

Free of cost cooking gas connection and stove would be provided to camp inmates at a cost of Rs 7 crore and a subsidy of Rs 400 would be provided for five gas cylinders and an amount of Rs 3.80 crore per year is earmarked for this purpose.

The announcement of such a huge package to the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees by the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is being seen by political analysts and social activists as a brilliant political move by him and the DMK to keep the revival of the LTTE at bay.

In April 2021, the Indian Coast Guard apprehended a Sri Lankan boat from Pakistan and headed towards the Island nation with drugs worth Rs 3,000 crore and 5 AK-47 assault rifles. Sri Lankan nationals were arrested from the boat. On interrogation and questioning, the arrested gave information that certain people living in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were behind the deal. Police acted swiftly and arrested a Sri Lankan national, Suresh Raj, who was staying in Aluva in Kerala without proper details. He had an Indian Aadhaar card, PAN card, and Indian Voter ID card and was staying near Nedumbassery airport under the guise of a cloth businessman.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies on questioning the apprehended Sri Lankan national found that the money to be received after the sale of drugs was for funding the LTTE movement and that in several European countries some groupings were taking place.

The Government of India had in 2019 extended the ban of LTTE for five more years and the banned outfit was trying to regroup in India using sleeper cells and with the support of funds sourced through dirty money raised through drug trade.

The DMK has always been under scanner over its covert and overt support to the LTTE and its alliance partners in the front, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(MDMK) has always been vocal for the LTTE and Tamil Nationalism. While MDMK leader Vaiko was arrested and jailed after slapping the dreaded POTA charge against him in 2002, the VCK leader and MP Thol Thiruvamavalavn has also been a vocal supporter of the LTTE.

Actor-politician Seeman, who is the founder of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) has also been a pro active supporter of Tamil nationalism and LTTE.

With all these factors looming large and the arrested Sri Lankan nationals spilling the beans that the contraband drugs and their sale were for the funding the activities of the LTTE, the Tamil Nadu government and the Chief Minister wanted to keep a safe distance from these movements.

Chief Minister Stalin has announced a Rs 317 crore package for the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in a swift move to prevent any unrest from being developed in these refugee camps in favour of the Tamil nationalist movement and sympathies.

With the LTTE trying to regroup and the DMK government with vocal supporters of LTTE like Vaiko and Thol Thirumavalavan as part of its alliance, the Chief Minister wanted to stay clear from the LTTE and its politics and hence to wade of any uncertainty in the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps, Stalin has announced this package.

C. Rajeev, Director, Centre For Policy and Development Studies, a Think Tank based out of Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "The Tamil people of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu are the same. The possible regrouping of LTTE and the financial support it could garner following drug trade can lead to a sympathy quotient developing for the outfit in the Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps in Tamil Nadu.

"Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wants to stay clear of the LTTE and prevent the outfit from sowing the seeds of Tamil nationalism again in the minds of these refugees. The Chief Minister has announced a Rs 317 crore package for the Tamil refugees is a deft political move to prevent LTTE from garnering support from these refugee colonies," said Rajeev.
Kabul, Aug 29 : The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has estimated that some 500,000 Afghans are likely to leave the war-torn country in the next four months in the wake of the Taliban takeover.

In a statement issued on Saturday, UNHCR said that the political uncertainty following the collapse of the former government to the Taliban in mid-August will force people to start a mass migration, TOLO News reported.

"While we have not seen large outflows of Afghans at this point, the situation inside Afghanistan has evolved more rapidly than anyone expected," said Kelly T. Clements, deputy high commissioner.

The UNHCR asked neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to Afghan refugees.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has asked the UN to provide the organization with $12 million to provide food for in-need Afghans.

A number of residents say that the political uncertainty, unemployment and security issues have forced them to leave the country.

Habibullah's family is one of thousands of families waiting outside Kabul airport hoping to leave the country.

"I worked for four years with the foreigners, but now I am jobless. I heard rumors that the Taliban are searching houses for people who worked with foreigners and killing them. I have to leave the country," Habibuallah told TOLO News.

"Unemployment and security threats have forced us to leave the country to save our lives," said Ezatullah, Habibullah's son.

A number of Afghan women say that they are facing an uncertain future. They say they have studied and worked hard but do not know what is going to happen to them.

"We accepted challenges and studied in Afghanistan. Now we do not know what will happen to us. I am worried about the future of girls in the country," said Rahila, a Kabul resident.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : To consolidate its presence among the Other Backward Castes (OBC), which play a decisive role in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is banking on over a dozen initiatives which also include inducting 27 ministers from the community in the Union cabinet. And to tell the people about these measures, the Uttar Pradesh OBC Morcha is launching a series of programmes from next month from Ayodhya.

The focus for such a huge campaign is to win support of all, non-Yadav, small or big OBC castes in next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The OBC constitutes over 50 per cent of the total electorate of Uttar Pradesh. While the non-Yadav OBCs constitute around 35 per cent of the state's total electorate.

The BJP Uttar Pradesh OBC Morcha has formed over three teams to oversee the organisational works across the state. "We have formed 32 teams at the state level, who will organise work in the six regions and 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh. From Ayodhya on September 2, we are launching an outreach program to tell the people about the BJP's government welfare initiatives for the backward communities," Uttar Pradesh BJP OBC Morcha president Narendra Kashyap told IANS.

In these meetings across the state, the BJP OBC Morcha will explain how the other political parties have cheated them and treated them only as vote banks. "During the meeting with the OBC communities, we will explain that it was the Narendra Modi government that gave Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes, passed the 127th Constitution Amendment that allowed states and union territories to prepare their own list of backward classes, providing quota in medical seats and picking 27 OBC ministers for his government," Kashyap said.

Another party leader pointed out that the OBCs are an influential and decisive vote bank in Uttar Pradesh and played an important role in the rise of the BJP in recent times.

"OBCs are electorally important in Uttar Pradesh. This time we are also trying to win support of all OBC communities especially of non -- Yadav," a party insider said.

"It is Modi ji who is focused on the weaker and marginalised sections of the society. The so-called champions of OBCs like Mulayam Singh and others did not do anything when they were in power. It was the Modi government that worked for the communities," Kashyap said.

To address the social engineering ahead of the Assembly polls, in the recent Union cabinet reshuffle seven ministers from Uttar Pradesh were inducted and three of them are from OBC communities.

In a strong message to the communities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 27 OBC ministers from 20 different castes from key states, including three from Uttar Pradesh. Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal, Pankaj Chaudhary and B.L. Verma of the BJP are from the OBC community from the state. Of the seven newly inducted ministers in the Union cabinet, three are from OBC.

A senior party leader pointed out that the majority of the OBC communities supported the party in the last Assembly polls. Yadav is the largest OBC community followed by Kurmi, Lodh, Pal and Nishad. In 2017, the BJP was able to corner a majority of the non-Yadav backward caste votes.

The Kurmi voters play a decisive role in more than 50 Assembly seats, and seeing its importance, the BJP has appointed Swatantradev Singh, a Kurmi, the party's state president. Newly inducted Union Minister Patel, MP from Mirzapur, and Chaudhary, MP from Maharajganj (near Gorakhpur), are also from the Kurmi caste.

A party leader said that Verma, from the Lodh community having five per cent vote, has not only been made the Rajya Sabha member but also a Union minister. The Lodhs are considered the biggest supporters of the BJP. Former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh was the biggest and most influential leader from the Lodh community.

(Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in)
Jakarta, Aug 29 : At least five people were killed due to landslides that hit a village in Indonesia's province of North Sumatra, a statement from the local disaster mitigation agency said.

The landslides, triggered by heavy rains, also injured four people and damaged seven houses in Laubawang village in the province's Karo district, the Karo regional disaster mitigation agency said in the statement on Saturday.

The statement said the injured are now receiving treatment at a local hospital, and the bodies of the five victims have been returned to their families, Xinhua news agency.

Floods and landslides frequently occur in the country after heavy rains.
Basseterre : , Aug 29 (IANS) After losing their first two matches in the ongoing edition of the Caribbean Premier League, Barbados Royals finally had a win against their name. All-rounder Raymon Reifer was unbeaten on 31 before claiming 3/31 to secure a win for Barbados by 15 runs over Jamaica Tallawahs on Saturday.

Reifer's spell included a match-changing double-wicket 15th over, claiming Carlos Brathwaite followed by Andre Russell for a golden duck. That double strike caused Jamaica to fall from 99/4 to 103/6, eventually falling short in the chase of 162 on Saturday.

After electing to bat first, Barbados slipped to 51/4 after seven overs. At 106/5, it felt that Barbados won't touch the 150-mark. But Reifer teamed up with Glenn Phillips for an unbroken partnership of 79 runs for the sixth wicket.

The duo's late flourish helped Barbados massively as the last two overs fetched 13 and 18 runs respectively. Phillips finished unbeaten on 56 runs off 46 balls while Reifer was unconquered on 31 runs off 20 balls.

Jamaica's pursuit of 162 got off to a bad start as they were reduced to 33/4 in 5.2 overs. But Carlos Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks added 66 runs for the fifth wicket. With Russell still waiting in the wings, Jamaica looked good to overhaul the target.

But Reifer's return shifted the momentum in favour of Barbados. It started with three wides, which paid off as Brathwaite skied a wide yorker to Phillips at sweeper cover for 29. A single to Brooks put Russell on strike. But Reifer's plan of three wide yorkers caused the big-hitting Russell to mistime a lofted drive to sweeper cover for a first-ball duck.

Though Migael Pretorius and Chris Green got some boundaries, it was too late for Jamaica to complete a win.

Brief Scores: Barbados Royals 161/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 56 not out, Raymon Reifer 31 not out, Veerasamy Permaul 2-15) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 146/9 in 20 overs (Shamarh Brooks 47, Carlos Brathwaite 29, Raymon Reifer 3-31, Thisara Perera 2-17) by 15 runs.

Player of the match: Raymon Reifer
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Born and brought up in Purani Dilli, Osama Jalali's with food dates back to his childhood, most of which he spent amid the royal khansamas (cooks) of the Delhi and Rampur Gharana. His mother, Nazish Jalali, who hails from the princely estate of Rampur, collected rare recipes during the years she spent in the Walled City.

Osama, the natural inheritor of this culinary legacy, has carried out extensive research on lost Indian cuisines, meticulously recreating and perfecting age-old recipes. His quest to bring back these forgotten flavours has taken him across the country and he also runs a group called the 'Lost Recipes of India'.

The Lodhi, New Delhi presents the culinary splendours and secrets of Old Delhi with food writer, historian and chef, Osama Jalali, as he curates time-honoured preparations from a bygone era at Elan.

Old Delhi, formerly called Shahjahanabad, has forever been a foodie's delight. During the royal Mughal era, various unique culinary influences and cooking styles emerged, and these trickled down to the kitchens of erstwhile families in the old city.

Inspired by these authentic flavours and his ancestral roots, Osama has put together a selection of home-style food and heirloom recipes made in the houses of Old Delhi. With the exquisite menu he will showcase at The Lodhi, diners can expect classics like Anjeer Mewe ke Kebab, Kulliya Chaat, Chitta Murgh Tikka Makhni and Ghilafi Seekh among others to start off with. Signature dishes from the main course include Dilli Nihari and Hari Mirch Qeema in the non-vegetarian offering, and Ballimaran Chana Dal, Mughlai Gobhi Qorma among others in the vegetarian section. Shahi Chawalon ka Zarda, Siwai ka Muzafar and other desserts are perfect to finish off the delectable meal.

Commenting on this collaboration, Rajesh Namby, General Manager, The Lodhi said, "We're thrilled to have the Jalalis at The Lodhi and for the Daawat they have curated for our valued patrons. We have always strived to offer the best of culinary experiences to our guests and we're privileged to have someone of Jalali's stature bring in his expertise and passion for food to the heart of the city." Elaborating further on this association Osama Jalali said, "We love travelling the globe, showcasing the rich culinary legacy of our country. This time we are honoured to present the iconic flavours from Old Delhi at one of India's most prestigious hotels, The Lodhi. It is our pursuit to revive lost recipes and preserve the food heritage of our nation. We would really like to reintroduce the old cuisines of India to the younger generations." (IANSlife can be contacted at IANSlife@ians.in)
Johannesburg, Aug 29 : South Africa Tourism (SAT) has launched the 2021 'Sho't Left Travel Week' during which tourists are given huge discounts to encourage local travel to revive the sector.

The SAT, a national tourism agency responsible for marketing South Africa as a destination internationally and domestically, said travellers will get up to 50 per cent discount in various parts of the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Through Sho't Left Travel Week, which will commence from September 6 to 12, we call upon South Africans to book these massively discounted packages," said SAT acting CEO Sthembiso Dlamini.

"As the country begins to open up, the appetite for domestic travel must be reignited and South Africans should be encouraged to travel their country.

"The month of September is known as Tourism Month, alongside Heritage Month and Public Service Month," she said.

The Director General of the Department of Tourism Nkhumeleni Victor Tharage said they have measures in place like Covid-19 protocols and discounts to reignite local tourism.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Actress Bhumi Pednekar, who is all set to share screen space with Akshay Kumar once again after 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' in the upcoming film 'Raksha Bandhan', says her friendship with the National Award-winning star has become thicker and that he has been a huge part of her career.

In a chat with IANS, Bhumi talked about how her bond with Akshay has evolved since 2017.

She said: "I think my friendship has only become thicker with him. He is someone I hold in a very high regard. He's been a huge part of my career and we've done some very successful things together. He is somebody who I learnt a lot from and only have love and respect for him." Bhumi remained tight-lipped about 'Raksha Bandhan', which is directed by Aanand L. Rai.

"I unfortunately can't (say). As a principle, I don't talk about any of my films till the makers do but all I can say is it's been a very heart-warming process for me to work with two people I love so much," she said.

The 32-year-old, who is also an environmentalist, heaped praises on the director.

"Anand Sir is one of the nicest and kindest directors. It's genuinely an experience to be directed by him," she concluded.
Tokyo, Aug 29 : The Japanese Health Ministry said that two men died after they received two shots of Moderna Inc.'s Covid-19 vaccine, local media reported.

The Ministry said on Saturday that the two men aged 30 and 38 died within days of receiving the second jab, and no foreign matter was found in either of the vials of vaccine used on the two men, reports Xinhua news agency.

It remains unknown whether there is a causal relationship between the vaccination and their deaths, the Ministry said, adding that neither of them had an underlying medical condition or a history of allergic reactions.

On August 26, the Ministry had said that foreign substances have been found in 39 unused vials at eight vaccination sites in five prefectures.

The same day, about 1.63 million doses that came from the same production line of a Spanish factory were suspended to use as a precaution.

However, more than 500,000 shots have already been administered from the potentially contaminated batches, said Taro Kono, the Minister in charge of the vaccination effort.

Although the foreign substances had been confirmed since August 16, the Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., which is in charge of the sale and distribution of the Moderna vaccine in Japan, waited until August 25 to report the problem to the ministry.

Moderna and Takeda said in a joint statement on Saturday that they were working with the Health Ministry to investigate the two deaths.

The two companies said that at this time, they did not find any evidence that these deaths were caused by the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
Basseterre, St Kitts And Nevis : Half-centuries from Evin Lewis (62) and Devon Thomas (55 not out) set a convincing eight-wicket win for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots over Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday. Set to chase 147, Lewis and Thomas put on a 133-run stand to reach the target with seven balls to spare. With two wins in two matches, St Kitts and Nevis now sit at the top of the points table.

Patriots started cautiously with just 29 runs in the first five overs. Lewis was more destructive of the two openers, cracking back-to-back sixes off Imran Tahir to end the power-play at 42/0. From the other end, Thomas stayed solid despite being at 11 from 26 balls.

Lewis continued his scoring ways after the powerplay, hitting five sixes and four boundaries overall in his knock of 62 runs off 39 balls. Tahir finally had the last laugh as he got Lewis stumped in his final over of the match. But the platform for St Kitts and Nevis to complete the chase had been laid. Thomas carried his bat through in a unbeaten knock of 55 in 54 balls and finished off the match in style with a boundary off Ashmead Nedd.

Earlier, after electing to bat first, Guyana were reduced to 34/3 in seven overs. Chanderpaul Hemraj stitched a 33-run stand with Shimron Hetmyer. But the duo fell in quick succession, leaving Guyana in trouble at 75/5 in 12 overs.

It required a late flourish from Mohammad Hafeez (38 not out) and Nicholas Pooran (23) to give a late but crucial push to the score. But St Kitts and Nevis struck back again with wickets as Guyana finished with 146 for 8 in 20 overs, which wasn't sufficient to avoid defeat.

Brief scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 147/2 in 18.5 overs (Evin Lewis 62, Devon Thomas 55 not out, Naveen-ul-Haq 1/28) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 146/8 in 20 overs (Chanderpaul Hemraj 39, Mohammad Hafeez 38 not out, Dominic Drakes 3/26, Fawad Ahmed 2/33) by 8 wickets.

Player of the match: Devon Thomas
Kabul, Aug 29 : The Taliban have imposed limits on bank withdrawals in Afghanistan, a media report said on Sunday.

In an official directive, the central bank of Afghanistan, De Afghanistan Bank, has ordered all private and international banks to limit withdrawal to their individual customers to $200 which equals AFS2,000 per week, said the Khaama News report.

The directive reads that the decision is made after financial difficulties arose in Afghanistan and will be temporary.

The decision comes hours after hundreds of people took to the streets of Kabul and protested against the closure of banks.

De Afghanistan Bank has also instructed all the private banks in Afghanistan to resume their operations based on the principles and laws of the central bank.

"The owners of all companies related and individual accounts are allowed to transfer money electronically," reads the directive.

It comes as there is no banking serviced available ever since the Taliban entered Kabul on August 15.

People have been facing severe problems, employers are not able to pay salaries and employees have run out of money which will cause a crisis if not resolved.
Cairo, Aug 29 : The Cairo-based Arab League's (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit has called for accelerating efforts to form a cabinet in Lebanon that will implement the necessary reforms immediately.

In a statement on Saturday, Aboul-Gheit stressed that this step will enable the Arab and international community to engage effectively in "saving Lebanon", reports Xinhua news agency.

Aboul-Gheit noted that he received the Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati's appeal to the AL to continue supporting Lebanon, wishing Mikati success in forming a cabinet.

The Arab country has been without a cabinet since August 10, 2020 when caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned in reaction to the Beirut port's blasts which killed over 200 people and wounded thousands of others.

Saad Hariri was appointed as the prime minister on October 22, 2020, but he failed to form a new cabinet given his differences with President Michel Aoun over ministers.

Lebanon has been going through the worst economic and financial crisis in its history and the political vacuum during the past year contributed to worsening the country's multiple woes.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Agatha Sangma, an MP from Meghalaya has flagged concerns through a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding his ambitious expansion of oil palm plantations in the "biodiversity hotspot and ecologically fragile" Northeast (NE) region.

"Palm tree is not an endemic species of plant of the NE region and large-scale adoption of a foreign species of plant, which is water intensive, harvest will definitely create irreparable ecological imbalance and distort the ground water table," the Tura MP said in a letter to Prime Minister Modi on Saturday.

The Union Cabinet had last week approved the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) as a new centrally sponsored scheme with a financial outlay of Rs 11,040 crore.

The scheme proposes to cover an additional area of 6.5 lakh hectare (ha) for oil palm till the year 2025-26, thereby reaching the target of 10 lakh ha ultimately.

The NE region and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands were chosen in the renewed scheme for expansion in oil palm plantations.

Environmentalists have already termed the government's announcement as not just an ecological disaster for the fragile biodiversity in those areas but also a social disorder.

While oil palm plantations are not new for NE India, yet the environmentalists are concerned as there has been no assessment on the environmental impact due to the proposal for increased plantation area.

"The concern is generated when one peeks into the finer details of the programme, the plantation areas so selected are the NE region and the Andaman Islands, both of which are biodiversity hotspots and ecologically fragile. Palm plantations in all certainty will denude vast swathes of land of its forest cover. Loss of habitat for the endangered wildlife will have a devastating impact," she said in the letter, a copy of which is with IANS.

Sangma also flagged the other concern vis-a-is the socio-cultural issue.

Stating that the Northeast India, though sparsely populated than the rest of India, is dotted with many ethnic tribes with their own cultural heritage and practices.

"Ownership of land is a centrality of any tribal society, which is also connected to the identity, in many cases, it is the community ownership. Widespread plantations for commercial gain in all possibilities will detach the tribesman of this prized possession of land and wreak havoc on the social fabric," the letter said.

She ended her letter registering her "opposition to the unilateral imposition of the NMEO-OP programme on the people of NE region" and requested the Prime Minister to have wider consultation with all stakeholders before moving forward with the decision.
Dar Es Salaam, Aug 29 : Tanzania has expressed disappointment over a decision by Denmark to close its embassy in the east African nation by 2024.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Liberata Mulamula, said in a statement that Tanzania looks forward to continued bilateral cooperation with Denmark after the closure of its foreign mission, reports Xinhua news agency.

On August 27, the Danish government announced its intention to close its mission in Tanzania in 2024, citing the adjustment of its international presence as one of the reasons.

Mulamula said in the statement that Denmark's decision to close its mission has come at a time when Tanzania is working hard to revive and strengthen diplomatic relations with friendly countries, including Denmark.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation released the statement in Washington D.C. where Mulamula is in an official visit.

According to the statement, Mulamula held a virtual meeting with Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Flemming Moller Mortensen.

Mulamula told the Danish Minister that Tanzania hopes that the government will continue to work with the east African nation on various development issues, said the statement.

According to the statement, the Danish Minister assured Tanzania that Denmark will continue implementing financial commitments already made to Tanzania and will continue supporting efforts to strengthen trade, economic growth, democracy and the private sector.
Colombo, Aug 29 : Reacting to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalins announcement of a welfare package for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, Namal Rajapaksa, the son of the island nation's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaka, welcomed the decision and invited the refugees to return home.

On August 27, Stalin announced schemes worth Rs 317.4 crore for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. While making a statement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Stalin said his government would construct 7,469 houses for the refugees living in various camps across the state.

The expenditure incurred on this scheme would be Rs 231.54 crore.

Reacting to the announcement, Namal Rajapaksa tweeted on Saturday: "While welcoming Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's statement on Sri Lankan refugees, after the end of the war in 2009, then government of Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomed back refugees who had fled to Tamil Nadu. According to stats, 3,567 families have returned to Sri Lanka with the help of UNHRC facilitation.

"Those who have returned and who require assistance have been provided with houses and livelihoods. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa will ensure all refugees who return back are safe in their homeland and can restart their lives. " In his announcement, Stalin also said that Rs 108.81 crore would be allocated in the first phase to build 510 new houses.

Among the facilities promised, he had said as part of the educational relief package, the top 50 students selected for Engineering studies among the community, would receive scholarships in addition to postgraduate students would be given scholarships and a waiver on hostel fees.

"A committee will also be set up to look into the welfare of the refugees and to improve basic amenities in the camps. Among the benefits, each family will receive a stove and a gas cylinder free, and up to five refills for the cylinders at a reduced cost annually." The Sri Lankan Tamils mostly from the war-torn Northern peninsula fled to India during the 26-year long ethnic war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the majority Sinhala government.

The two Rajapaksa brothers, Mahinda as the President and Gotabaya as the Defence Secretary, militarily crushed the LTTE and won the war in May 2009.

A total of 3,04,269 Tamils from Sri Lanka have been living as refugees in Tamil Nadu since 1983. Of these 58,822 live in refugee camps across 29 districts.

A large number of refugees are living outside the camps.
Agra, Aug 29 : The security personnel at the 17th century monument of love, the Taj Mahal, denied entry to a visitor who was costumed in full regal splendour as Lord Sri Krishna, to celebrate the Janmashtami fervour.

The incident happened on Saturday.

Even as the security personnel shooed him away, a big crowd cheered and admired the character after he played the flute.

The ASI officials said it was normal to deny entry to people carrying flags, banners or posters or making attempts at self promotion.

In the past, there have been several occasions when groups of donning Sri Ram 'dupattas' have been stopped at the gate, leading to controversies.

Meanwhile, cheer returned to the local tourism circles as around 20,000 people visited the Taj Mahal, the highest number after the second wave of the pandemic.

A large number of people taking advantage of the long weekend have come to Mathura and Vrindavan for the Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations on Monday.

"On Sunday, weather being pleasant, we expect a huge turnout of visitors at the Taj Mahal," tourist guide Ved Gautam said.
Gaza, Aug 29 : Night clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli soldiers resumed near the borders between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel for the first time in two years, witnesses said.

They said that members of the so-called "the night disturbance units" arrived at the border area with Israel, burned tires, detonated handmade bombs, whistled and clashed with the soldiers stationed at the borders on Saturday night, reports Xinhua news agency.

The witnesses said the Israeli soldiers fired live gunshots and little drones fired teargas canisters to disperse the protesters, who chanted slogans against Israel and tried to approach the fence of the borders.

Medical sources said that at least seven protesters were shot and injured.

One was shot in the head and is in critical condition and the other six were moderately injured in their legs.

The decision to resume the protests near the borders with Israel was made earlier on Saturday by members of "the night disturbance units", which comprise members of various Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Hamas Movement.

"These activities were resumed and will continue until the siege is lifted and Palestinian demands are fulfilled," the group said, adding that the activities will include launching incendiary balloons.

Protests in the Gaza Strip were recently escalated near the fence of the borders after Israel tightened the blockade imposed since 2007.

Leaders of the Palestinian factions insist that the anti-Israel activities in eastern Gaza will continue until the Jewish state completely lifts the blockade.
Chennai, Aug 29 : Tamil Nadu government's Department of Fisheries will establish an integrated fisheries college-cum-research centre at Tuticorin to provide scientific training to fishermen to improve their skill set, an official statement said.

The statement issued by the office of Minister for Fisheries, Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry on Sunday said that an amount of Rs 3.2 crore is allotted for the initial expenditure of the project.

The state government would construct 31 fish landing centres across the coastal districts of the state at an estimated cost of Rs 359 crore, it added.

Of these 11 fish landing centres would come up at Tuticorin at a cost of Rs 109 crore.

Tuticorin incidentally is the home district of state Fisheries Minister, Anitha R. Radhakrishnan.

Meanwhile six fish landing centres would come up at Cuddalore, seven at Chengalpet, three at Kanniyakumari, two at Mayiladuthurai and one in Thanjavur, the statement said.

It also said that the fishing harbour at Tuticorin, for smooth entry of fishing boats, will be desilted and deepened at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

As per the statement, the state government will also strive for the establishment of a National Commission for Fishermen Welfare for safeguarding the welfare of fishermen, both marine and inland.

The state government would establish an advanced multi-speciality hospital and research centre for pets at an estimated cost of Rs 7.99 crore. The hospital and research centre would come up at Nandanam, Chennai.

The government would support the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science university to undertake research for the betterment of livestock, poultry and food sector in the state, it noted.

The government would establish an international trade centre for Ornamental fish at Kolathur near Chennai at a cost of Rs 50 crore, the Fisheries Minister's office added.
Washington, Aug 29 : Intensive care units (ICU) at hospitals across the US are reaching their capacity, and more vaccine and mask mandates as the country is witnessing a resurgence of record Covid-19 cases and fatalities.

On August 27, the country reported 155,365 new cases of daily coronavirus, with the 14-day change seeing a 21 per cent rise, Xinhua news agency quoted The New York Times as saying in an update on Saturday.

The daily hospitalisations stood at 98,337, with the 14-day change a 28 per cent increase, while the daily death toll was 1,266, with the 14-day change a starling 95 per cent hike, newspaper added.

Due to the resurgence, New York State has ordered all students, staff and visitors inside school buildings to wear masks, a mandate that will not just apply to public school districts but also to private, charter and religious schools.

The policy was filed in an emergency regulation, out of the government's fear that the highly contagious Delta variant might spread as students head back to school.

New York City already had a mask mandate in place for city schools in advance of the first day on September 13.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has also ordered all Department of Education staff to get vaccinated by September 27.

Liberty University is enacting a campus-wide quarantine after reporting its highest rate of Covid-19 cases to date, just days after the Virginia-based evangelical institute reopened with no mitigation measures.

The university announced that it would be switching to online classes and ban all large indoor gatherings starting from Monday.

The shutdown, which will last through September 10, follows a large uptick in the number of coronavirus cases since students made their return to campus in mid-August.

The university's Covid-19 dashboard shows the number of active coronavirus cases increased from three on August 15 to 159, including 124 among students and 35 among faculty.

Meanwhile, some hotels have announced they will require proof of vaccination from guests and staff as an effort to curb the virus spread.

Accommodations such as PUBLIC Hotel, Equinox Hotel and Wythe Hotel, all in New York City, Urban Cowboy Lodge in New York State, and Pilgrim House in Provincetown, Massachusetts, are among the first in the US to announce that they will require evidence of vaccination, via a physical card or a digital verification, from their guests.

The American Hotel and Lodging Association, an industry trade group, has issued safety guidelines based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which includes encouraging employees to get vaccinated.

on August 27, Arizona surpassed 1 million Covid-19 cases, becoming the 13th state to reach the grim milestone while contending with yet another major spike in infections, according to the CDC's Covid-19 Data Tracker.

Now the state, like the rest of the country, is coping with a surge, mostly among the unvaccinated, and in conflicts over mask and vaccine mandates, it added.

Louisiana's hospital system is already straining due to large numbers of Covid-19 patients, and it must now tackle another challenge: Hurricane Ida is expected to hit the majority of the state on Sunday.

Approximately 68 per cent of all hospital beds in the state are filled, including 84 per cent of all ICU beds.

Texas hospitals are also overwhelmed with the latest surge in coronavirus patients.

There were a total of 13,932 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 in Texas and only 356 available ICU beds statewide.

As the pandemic is once again raging across the US, the country's overall caseload and death as of Sunday stood at 38,755,584 and 637,241.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Washington, Aug 29 : The US intelligence community has failed to reach a consensus on the origin of Covid-19 disease, while ruling out the possibility that China developed the virus as a biological weapon, according to key takeaways from a classified report delivered to President Joe Biden this week.

Biden had, in May, ordered the country's intelligence community "redouble their efforts" and report the origins of the pandemic within 90 days. Their report was delivered to the White House on Tuesday.

While most of the new information gathered remains classified, some was released this week as an unclassified summary of assessment on Covid-19 origins.

The intelligence community "assesses that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019," said the unclassified summary, compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon," it added.

Majority of agencies also assessed with low confidence that SARS-CoV-2 probably was not genetically engineered; however, two agencies believe there was not sufficient evidence to make an assessment either way.

One intelligence agency said it assessed with moderate confidence that the first human infection with SARS-CoV-2 most likely was the result of a laboratory-associated incident, while four agencies noted with low confidence that the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection was caused naturally.

The report did not name the agencies.

"After examining all available intelligence reporting and other information, the IC remains divided on the most likely origin of Covid-19. All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident," the report said.

The report also noted that China's officials did not have foreknowledge of the virus before the initial outbreak of Covid-19 emerged. At the same time the agencies also noted a lack of clinical samples or a complete understanding of epidemiological data from the earliest Covid cases.

"If we obtain information on the earliest cases that identified a location of interest or occupational exposure, it may alter our evaluation of hypotheses," the agencies added in the report.

The agencies asked for more cooperation from China to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of Covid-19.

Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the US.

"These actions reflect, in part, China's government's own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead as well as its frustration that the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China," the agencies wrote in the report.

Meanwhile, China's foreign minister has dismissed the report as "anti-science".

In a statement after the report was published, Biden criticized China for not cooperating with the investigation.

"Critical information about the origins of this pandemic exists in the People's Republic of China, yet from the beginning, government officials in China have worked to prevent international investigators and members of the global public health community from accessing it," Biden was quoted as saying.

"The world deserves answers, and I will not rest until we get them," he added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Official protection has been granted to six seaside heritage sites around the coast of England.(pic credit: https://historicengland.org.uk) Image Source: IANS News

Official protection has been granted to six seaside heritage sites around the coast of England.(pic credit: https://historicengland.org.uk) Image Source: IANS News

Official protection has been granted to six seaside heritage sites around the coast of England.(pic credit: https://historicengland.org.uk) Image Source: IANS News

Official protection has been granted to six seaside heritage sites around the coast of England.(pic credit: https://historicengland.org.uk) Image Source: IANS News

London, Aug 29 : British cultural watchdog Historic England announced that official protection has been granted to six seaside heritage sites around the coast of England.

Sites listed for conservation and protection by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport include a picturesque boathouse in Devon built to celebrate the coronation of King George VI in 1937, reports Xinhua news agency.

Eight decorative shelters along Britain's best known promenade at northern England's seaside resort, Blackpool, have also been added to the list.

It also includes a stone obelisk, The Crow Stone, in Southend in southern England that marks the City of London's historic jurisdiction over the River Thames.

"England has a rich and distinctive seaside heritage. Ranging from piers to pavilions, bathing pools to beach huts, there are many colorful historic sites that reflect almost 300 years of seaside holidays and are still welcoming millions of visitors each year," said Historic England.

"This summer our seaside resorts are enjoying an influx of visitors again and these six newly listed sites offer a small insight into the range of seaside heritage England has to celebrate," it added.

Heritage minister Caroline Dinenage said she was delighted the seaside gems would be "recognised and protected".

The listings were announced as millions of day trippers across England headed to the seaside this summer.
Beijing, Aug 29 : China's National Meteorological Centre on Sunday renewed an alert for rainstorms in multiple regions of the country, calling for precautionary measures.

From 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, downpours are expected in parts of Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui. Parts of Shandong Province will see up to 120 mm of rainfall, reports Xinhua news agency.

Some of these areas are likely to encounter over 50 mm of hourly precipitation.

The centre has advised local authorities to take appropriate measures to prepare for rainstorms, and reminded drivers of possible road waterlogging.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday called for coming up with innovative ways to promote Indian languages and adapt them to the changing times.

Observing that language is not a static concept, he stressed the need to adopt a dynamic and proactive approach to enrich languages.

"A people's movement is needed to preserve the 'living culture' of language," he said. He also expressed his happiness that the cultural and linguistic renaissance was getting more and more support from the people.

Urging people to take pride in speaking their own mother tongue, Naidu said there should not be any feeling of inferiority in the use of Indian languages in day-to-day life.

Virtually addressing an event to commemorate 'Telugu Language Day' organized by Veedhi Arugu and South African Telugu Community (SATC), the Vice President observed that Telugu is an ancient language with hundreds of years of rich literary history and called for renewed efforts to promote its usage.

On this occasion, Naidu paid rich tributes to Telugu writer and linguist, Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy whose birth anniversary is celebrated every year as the 'Telugu Language Day'. He lauded the literary icon for his efforts in spearheading a language movement to make Telugu literature comprehensible to common people.

Listing a few measures to protect and promote the use of Indian languages, the Vice President suggested the use of local languages in administration, promoting reading habits among children, and encouraging the culture of libraries in towns and villages.

He also called for more initiatives to translate literary works between different Indian languages, to teach the nuances of language to children in a simple manner, through games and activities.

Observing that language and culture are deeply interlinked, Naidu advised the youth to use language as a means to reconnect with our roots. "Language is more than just a medium of communication, it is the unseen thread that connects our past, present and future", he remarked.

The Vice President noted that language is not just a marker of our identity, but also boosts our self-confidence. For this, the Vice President underscored the need for primary education to be in one's mother tongue, as envisaged by National Educational Policy, 2020, and to eventually be extended to higher and technical education.

Naidu also suggested improving scientific and technical terminology in Indian languages in order to facilitate wider reach. "This self-confidence will lead to self-reliance and gradually pave the way for Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said.

Naidu observed that giving importance to the mother tongue did not imply the neglect of other languages.

He suggested encouraging children to learn as many languages as possible, beginning with a strong foundation in one's own mother tongue.
London, Aug 29 : The Rolling Stones honoured their late drummer Charlie Watts with a two-minute video tribute on their social media.

The tribute video, shared on the band's official Twitter and Instagram, is a slideshow of photos and videos of Watts playing in the band, appearing in music videos, addressing the press, and more, edited to the beat of 'If You Can't Rock Me', the opening track of the Rolling Stones' 1974 album 'It's Only Rock n Roll'.

In an interview included in the video, Watts says, "So when the Stones asked me to join, they talked in terms of a band, a commitment in other words. 'Oh, this will go on for a year, and next year fold up.'" The video continues to show that the opposite was the case, showcasing highlights of the band's time together from their youth to their old age.

Watts died in London at age 80 on Tuesday.

On August 4, Watts abruptly withdrew from the Stones' upcoming pandemic-postponed U.S. tour, citing the need to recover from an unspecified but "successful" recent medical procedure.

A spokesperson said, "Charlie has had a procedure which was completely successful, but I gather his doctors this week concluded that he now needs proper rest and recuperation. With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it's very disappointing to say the least, but it's also fair to say no one saw this coming." Drummer Steve Jordan, a longtime associate of Stones guitarist Keith Richards, is filling in for the tour, which launches in St. Louis on September 26, according to Variety.com.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Central universities, IITs and the private sector higher education institutions are set to introduce the curriculum as per the New Education Policy (NEP) from the current academic session itself.

Central universities are working on new non-technical postgraduate (PG) courses, where students can directly take admission in PG courses after passing 12th.

The initiative is based on the multiple entry and exit system outlined in the NEP.

According to Professor V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi, some of the latest initiatives taken by the IITs include the establishment of the School of Artificial Intelligence.

Similarly, the IIT Delhi has established a Center for Transport Research and Injury Prevention, Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

Further, keeping the NEP in mind, PG programmes in Electric Mobility, and Public Policy have been started here, he added.

Based on the NEP, three new integrated courses are going to be started in the Central University of Haryana.

These courses will be available in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from the session 2021-22.

The new courses include B.Sc.-M.Sc Physics, B.Sc.-M.Sc. Chemistry and B.Sc.-M.Sc. Mathematics.

Admission to the courses will be done through the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET).

The university Vice Chancellor Professor Tankeshwar Kumar told IANS that all these three courses are being started keeping in mind the new National Education Policy. Through these, students will be able to study directly after 12th till post graduation.

He said that these courses have been specially designed, in which along with academic excellence, efforts have also been made to make them employment oriented and self-reliant.

Dr Phool Singh, the nodal officer of the CUCET-2021, appointed by the university, said that the university will start these three courses under the Basic Science Chair.

The application process for the admission to all the three courses will begin with other undergraduate and postgraduate courses available in the university and will be conducted through the CUCET-2021.

Keeping in mind the NEP-2020, there is also a plan to give exit options to the students under the new courses.

The University of Delhi (DU) is also not behind, new courses, especially new vocational courses, will be started in its colleges.

More than 30 DU colleges will start employment oriented vocational courses.

Vikas Gupta, Registrar of University of Delhi, said that the new education policy will prove to be very helpful in providing employment-oriented education.

Various colleges of Delhi University will soon start diploma, certificate courses under their new vocational courses, he added.

Under the policy, the alliance between Indian educational institutions with foreign higher education institutions that have performed better in the world rankings has also been approved.

As part of the NEP, SOMMET Education, a prestigious higher education institution in Switzerland, has entered into an agreement with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) in India.

Dilip Puri, Founder, ISH said, "The partnership with SOMMET Education will help us strengthen our offerings, expand our presence across India and neighbouring countries. Our education system will be further enabled to be part of SOMMET's prestigious network of 18 campuses and 60,000 influential alumni located in 8 countries around the world, including Switzerland."
Kabul, Aug 29 : Two journalists, including a female TV anchor, were among the victims of a deadly explosion at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, an independent media group said on Sunday.

"Ali Reza Ahmadi, a reporter for Raha News Agency and Najma Sadeqi, former presenter at Jahan-e-Sihat TV channel were killed in the airport attack," Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) said in a Twitter post.

Nearly 200 people, including 13 US soldiers, were killed and hundreds others wounded in the suicide blast that hit an eastern airport gate, when huge crowds were waiting for evacuation flights.

The victims have mostly been women and children and IS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State terror group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Over 100 journalists have been killed in Afghanistan in the past two decades, making the Asian country one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.

Sunday's development comes hours after US President Joe Biden said his military commanders informed him that another attack in Afghanistan is "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours".

In retaliation for the deadly attack, the US military on August 27 launched a drone strike against the terror group in Nangarhar province, which killed two "high-profile" members and wounded another, according to the Pentagon.

In a new security alert issued early Sunday in Kabul, the US State Department advised all American citizens to immediately leave three of the Kabul airport's gates and avoid travelling to the airport, citing a "specific, credible threat" The Department, however did not reveal about the nature of the threat.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : A Delhi Police official allegedly shot himself at duty early on Sunday, police said.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ramchandra shot himself in his shoulder with his service revolver. He has been admitted to a hospital, where his condition is out of danger, said a Delhi police official.

During investigation, Ramchandra, who was posted in a PCR, said that he has been going through depression for the last few days, police said.

"Preliminary inquiry suggests that he took the extreme step due to depression, however, the matter is still under investigation," a senior police official said.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 29 : The release of the list of District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents seems to have opened a pandora's box in the state Congress. Party chief and Member of Parliament, K. Sudhakaran lashed out at former Chief Minister and senior leader Oommen Chandy stating that the open statement of the latter over the list was inappropriate.

Sudhakaran in a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday said that Chandy stating that he was not consulted over the list was not true and added that he has had two rounds of meetings with both Oomen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala before the list was finalized and released from New Delhi.

Two Congress state office bearers, K.P. Anil Kumar who was party's former state organizing general secretary and K. Sivadasan Nair, former MLA and former KPCC general secretary were suspended from party for airing their views in public during a television channel debate after the list was announced on Saturday evening.

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader V.D. Satheesan also came down heavily against those who had expressed open resentment against the list and said that all those who mattered in the state Congress were consulted before the list of DCC presidents was finalized.

Satheesan while speaking to media persons said, "The list was not prepared by having discussions between me and Sudhakaran in a corner of the room. All concerned were consulted and their opinions were taken before the list was finalized and forwarded to the high command which announced the list in New Delhi." The Congress group leaders, Oomen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala had expressed their unhappiness to both AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and it was at the insistence of Rahul that the close loyalists of these two leaders were accommodated in the list. In Alappuzha DCC, former MLA and Ramesh Chennithala's close associate Babu Prasad was given the nod over Sreekumar whose name was finalized by the KPCC president and Opposition leader in consultation with AICC general secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal.

In Kottayam district also, there was an alternation in the list after Chandy insisted on his nominee Nattakam Suresh over the Philson Thomas whose name was finalized as also in Idukki wherein Asokan was removed and C.P. Mathew came in after Chennithala expressed dissatisfaction.

After the drubbing of the Congress in the 2021 assembly elections, party had decided for a major makeover and both the then leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran were removed by the party high command. V.D. Satheeshan and K. Sudhakran were the respective replacements and the senior leaders like Chandy and Chennithala who are heading the powerful "A" and "I" groups in the state Congress wanted to have more share in the decision making process in the party.

Meanwhile K.P. Anil Kumar who was suspended from the party temporarily said that he has not said more than what Satheesan and Sudhakaran had said against the party during earlier days and that his suspension was uncalled for.
Chennai, Aug 29 : Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister, E.V. Velu said that the carelessness on the part of contractor has led to the collapse of the under-construction Madurai-Nathan flyover and added that it was an avoidable incident.

The Minister was speaking to reporters at Madurai on Sunday in the presence of state Finance Minister P.T.R. Thiagarajan who represents the Madurai assembly constituency.

The minister was speaking to the media at the accident spot where a guest worker, Akash Singh died in the flyover collapse.

Talakkulam police registered a case under IPC sections 304(a) and 287 against incharges and supervisors on the accidental death of the guest worker following a complaint filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Velu said that the flyover work is part of the Rs 545 crore Madurai-Natham four-lane highway project and the work was likely to be completed in 2022.

The state PWD minister said that the hydraulic lift malfunctioned resulting in the accident and added that this was due to the improper care and lack of safety protocols on the part of the contractor.

He said that two guest workers, Akash Singh and Saroj Kumar were working at the site without any physical supervision. The state works minister said that he has directed the Madurai district collector to review and monitor the ongoing works on the site.

The minister while speaking to IANS said, "A lab sheet maintenance will be conducted soon in the state at the ongoing flyover construction site. The sheets will have details of people, supervisors, and the workers and the work they are carrying out every day. The reports would be submitted to the person who is heading the project on a day-to-day basis."
Kabul/New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Taliban said their forces entered Panjshir province from various directions on Saturday without facing any resistance. But Ahmad Massoud's supporters denied the claim.

"No fighting occurred, but the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan advanced from various directions without facing any resistance. The Islamic Emirate forces have entered Panjshir from different directions," said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's Cultural Commission, Tolo News reported.

Samangani, however, said the door is still open for negotiations and on Saturday, a delegation of Ahmad Massoud met a Taliban delegation in Kabul.

Massoud's supporters, however, rejected the claims of a Taliban advance toward Panjshir and say no one has entered the province.

"There is no fight in Panjshir and no one has entered the province," said Mohammad Almas Zahid, head of the Resistance Front delegation, the report said.

The first round of talks between the Taliban and Massoud delegations was held on August 25, during which the two sides agreed to not attack each other until the second round of talks.

Zahid said that the second round of talks will be held in two days but warned of consequences if the talks fail.

"The failure of negotiations will have heavy consequences for both sides because war will pave the way for foreign intervention, and intervention will prolong the war," Zahid said.

Meanwhile, two American senators have said that Panjshir should be recognized as a secure zone and some of the leaders of the Resistance Front should be recognised by the US and others.

Kabul residents, however, call for peace between the Taliban and Massoud supporters.

Reports indicate that the road leading to Panjshir has been blocked by the Taliban in the Gulbahar-Jabal Saraj area. The Taliban has yet to comment on this, the report added.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : To strengthen its booth management ahead of next year's assembly polls, the Uttarakhand BJP has started verification of its booth committees across the state.

The BJP Uttarakhand has launched 'Booth Satyapan Abhiyan' (booth verification campaign) to verify the existence of the booth committees.

The saffron party has directed its state units specially the poll bound ones to form a committee of party workers at each polling booth. The booth committee consists of women, youth, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, Ex-service men, Other Backward Caste and other sections of the society.

Now, the BJP has started the verification drive to check whether the booth committees are formed or not.

A senior party functionary said that verification work is assigned from senior party leaders to ground workers. A group of three leaders complete the verification process of the booth committee which include a verifier appointed by party leadership, booth president and block in-charge or president.

Party insiders said that despite repeated and clear instructions from leadership, the process of forming booth committees is not yet completed. "In many places, the committees only exist on papers or records of members that do not match. So the party leadership has decided to verify all the booth committees across the state in a special drive and it will be completed soon," he said.

Another senior leader explained, the physical verification of each booth has been done and a report will be sent to the state leadership. "The panel of party leaders is holding meetings at booths and verification is expected to be completed soon. There are several members, who are not very active or those who changed their phone numbers, which are now being updated. At many places the mandatory 21 member committee has not been formed yet. These are things which are verified during the 'Booth Satyapan Abhiyan' in Uttarakhand," he said.

Another senior party leader in the state said, "This drive will help us identify energetic and active workers.
Wellington : , Aug 29 (IANS) The ongoing situation in Afghanistan has forced the entire world to rethink their strategies, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.

With the fundamentalist Islamist group Taliban taking over Kabul on August 15, Afghanistan has plunged into a humanitarian crisis. Pakistan is seen as having played a major role in bringing Taliban back to power.

In an address at the Defence Service Staff College, Rajnath Singh said: "With the change in the global order and national security paradigm, we have not only made immediate change in our policies but also taken decision on our futuristic reforms." He noted that looking at the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, every country is forced to rethink its strategy. "Quad was established keeping in mind these situations," he said. Quad, or officially the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, brings together the US, Australia, India, and Japan.

Citing the threats from China and Pakistan, he said that India has got challenges in legacy since Independence.

About Pakistan, without naming it, he said: "The foreign enemies have tried to destabilise the country since it got Independence. If we look at 75 years of history, it seems like we have got challenges in legacy. One of our neighbouring countries initiated proxy war and made terrorism as an integral part of state policy. The country started providing arms, money and training to the terrorists to target India." About China, he said that that in the northern sector, there was an effort to change the status quo unilaterally, but India changed its previous response and faced the adversary with new dynamism.

"Even after lots of challenges on our borders, the common man has faith in the government that it would never compromise on national security issue. They know that India will counter terror activities on its land and if needed, it can also cross the boundary," he said.

Amid change in the global order necessitating futuristic reforms, Rajnath Singh said that the objective is to enhance the Army's teeth to tail ratio, bring decentralisation in decision-making process, and make a future-oriented leaner force.

About Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs), he said that his ministry is seriously considering it. "You all are aware, quick decision-making is an important factor during wartime. There would be more lethal, brigade-size and self-reliant fighters formation." He also lauded 'Tour of Duty' proposal and termed it as a game-changing reform. "With this, the average age could be reduced and be made more agile." On theatre commands, the Defence Minister said the discussions on its implementation have been fast tracked.

The Department of Military Affairs under Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat is working towards the creation of Joint Military Commands for better synergy and utilisation of resources.

The minister also talked about increasing women's role in the defence forces. "History tells us that our women warriors have always played an important role when faced with any challenges," he said.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Congress party in UP has completed training in 42 districts while the target is to give training to 2 lakh office bearers as the party is organizing 700 camps in the state ahead of assembly polls.

On Sunday, the program was completed in Banda, Mainpuri, Muzaffarnagar, Chandauli, Amethi, Kasganj and Basti in the sixth day of the training session.

Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday had addressed the session virtually and said the party will appoint 58,000 village level heads in the state.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress has launched the 100-day campaign to train its office bearers under the 'Prashikshan Se Parakram' programme on August 24.

The party will organise 700 training camps in which about two lakh office bearers from the grassroots level will be given training.

The organisation building programme of the party is in its final stages. Block committees of the party have been constituted at all 823 blocks in the state and also 8,134 Nyay Panchayats. The process of selecting gram sabha heads in on.

The 'Prashikshan Se Parakram' programme which began on Tuesday at the district level will ensure the participation of district and city committee members and various frontal organizations, the Congress said.

"After the district training camps, the programme will be held in every Assembly segment and only authorised persons will attend the camps," said a party functionary.

The topics that will be discussed include booth management, better utilization of social media, focus on Congress ideology and exposing the true face of the BJP-RSS.

Another topic that will be discussed is the role of parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in derailing the development of Uttar Pradesh.
Karlovy Vary : , Aug 29 (IANS) The 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's most prestigious prize 'The Grand Prix Crystal Globe' went to the movie 'As Far As I Can Walk'.

As the festival came to an end on Saturday, it announced its various prizes.

Stefan Arsenijevic's 'As Far As I Can Walk' is a movie about African immigrants deported to Germany from Serbia. The film also took the Best Actor award for lead actor Ibrahim Koma. The other lead actors in the film are Nancy Mensah Offei and Maxim Khalil.

The award-winning movie is written by Stefan Arsenijevic, Nicolas Ducray, and Bojan Vuleti.

The Grand Prix Crystal Globe, the event's main prize comes with a $25,000 grant split between the director and producer, according to Deadline.com.

'As Far as I Can Walk' follows Strahinja and his wife Ababuo, who left Ghana with a dream of a better life in Europe. Instead of reaching the western part of the continent, they were deported back to Serbia. Strahinja has started to build himself a career, while Ababuo is unable to fulfill her ambitions and she feels increasingly frustrated. When she disappears one day, Strahinja sets out to find her.
Chandigarh, Aug 29 : More than 250 Afghans belonging to a minority communities of Sikh and Hindu, who have connections in India, have been holed up in a Sikh shrine just seven km from the international airport in Kabul and are desperately awaiting their evacuation to a Western nation.

For them India is not the preferred destination as a refugee. The reason: they believe it took years and years to procure the Indian citizenship. Also, there is too much red tapism while procuring government documents like a passport and an Aadhaar card.

They are praying to enter a Western nation as a refugee where they are hoping to live a dignified life. They comprise dozens of women and children.

"We understand their urgency at this point in time. Our volunteers are working with a team of ex-military contractors and the US State Department to help 250-270 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus find their way safely to the international airport in Kabul," US-based global humanitarian non-profit organization United Sikh's International Humanitarian Aid Director Gurvinder Singh told IANS over phone.

He said many of them took refuge in the Karte Parwan gurdwara after the country fell into the hands of the Taliban.

"Most of them belong to middle-class families and they were doing small-time business in Kabul. Even the Taliban assured them that they won't be harmed and they will play a crucial role in the recovery of war-torn Afghanistan," he said.

"But all of them were desperately awaiting their evacuation from the country well ahead of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan (on August 31). After that there might be potential attacks by Islamic State terror group," he said.

"We are providing them emergency humanitarian aid, besides international protection and intervention for the families. This is vital for their secure and permanent resettlement. We are on the job to evacuate them by August 31," said an optimistic Gurvinder Singh, 38, who is based in Texas.

"They can be evacuated either to Canada or the US or the UK or Australia or New Zealand. We are in constant touch with all these countries. Our first priority is to ensure safe passage to them from the gurdwara to the airport that is just seven km away," he said.

A day before "martyrdom attack" near Kabul's international airport killing 13 US service members and dozens of Afghans on August 27, he said all the Sikh and Hindu families were boarded in nine minivans and were on the way to the north gate of the airport which is under the control of the American forces.

Their vehicles were attacked by some terror groups ahead of the airport and they narrowly escaped. For 18-long hours they remained stranded in the vehicles and failed to enter the airport.

He said their teams still remain in constant contact with the community in Kabul as another attempt is made before the August 31 deadline for evacuation flights from Afghanistan.

Gurvinder Singh said they have set up an Afghan Helpdesk in New Delhi to reach out the displaced.

Since the terror attack on March 25, 2020 in Gurdwara Har Rai in Kabul, the United Sikhs' ongoing relief work for Afghan Sikhs was enhanced and moved forward with urgency.

For decades, the Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan have been victims of discrimination, terror, violence, and persecution at the hands of extremists. The proof is in the mass exodus of a proud community that once numbered over 100,000 to now being dwindled to less than 700, said the humanitarian organization.

Any Afghan citizen wishing to escape persecution must obtain a passport. To facilitate this resettlement, the United Sikhs has been requested by those on the ground as well as by multiple Afghan Sikh advocates to undertake the responsibility of passports for 356 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in 2020.

In 2018 after the Jalalabad bombing that left 12 Sikh leaders dead, the global advocacy presented before the 39th session of the Human Rights Council the plight of the Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan.

In 2019, the Permanent Missions to the UN were urged to address the continuing threats to the safety of the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus.

Later in 2019 a petition was filed in the Canadian Parliament seeking safe passage.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Chennai, Aug 29 : The Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department will set up special markets at five places - Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, and Salem - to display branded products of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), a statement said on Sunday.

According to the statement from the office of state Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, an amount of Rs 8 crore has been earmarked for setting up these markets.

The department would also train farmers to become traders, with five members of each FPO to be selected for this.

According to a study conducted by it, around 1.6 lakh farmers would benefit from such a move and Rs 2.2 crore has been allocated for these training programmes.

A two-year diploma programme in agriculture engineering would also be launched at the Agriculture Engineering College and Research Institute in Kumlur, Trichy.

The statement said that 40 students would be admitted to this course and its main idea is to provide employment to students from rural backgrounds. The farmers would be benefitted as students of this course would be equipped to repair agricultural instruments and tools.

The ministry has also proposed to open agriculture colleges in Karur district, Kilvelur in Nagapattinam district, and Chettinadu in Sivaganga district. An amount of Rs 30 crore is allocated for the three colleges to commence classes from the 2021-22 financial year.

A Rs 12 crore micro-irrigation project which would benefit Adi Dravidar and Tribal farmers in Kancheepuram, Virudhanagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Pudukottai, Kancheepuram, Ariyalur, Krishnagiri and Chengalpettu areas was also announced.

Talking to IANS, Panneerselvam said: "The Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is bringing up major changes in agriculture sector and this will benefit the farmers of the state. We are opening three new agriculture colleges as well as we are into promoting FPOs. Our aim is the total development of the farming community of Tamil Nadu and we are striving hard for that."
London, Aug 29 : An international team of researchers has identified five objects that have masses near the border separating stars and "brown dwarfs" that could help scientists understand the nature of these mysterious objects.

Brown dwarfs are astronomical objects with masses between those of planets and stars. The question of where exactly the limits of their mass lie remains a matter of debate, especially since their constitution is very similar to that of low-mass stars.

"We still do not know exactly where the mass limits of brown dwarfs lie, limits that allow them to be distinguished from low-mass stars that can burn hydrogen for many billions of years, whereas a brown dwarf will have a short burning stage and then a colder life," said Nolan Grieves, a researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Geneva (UNIGE).

The team, led by scientists from the UNIGE and the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Planets, in collaboration with the University of Bern, characterised five companions that were originally identified with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) as TESS objects of interest (TOI) -- TOI-148, TOI-587, TOI-681, TOI-746 and TOI-1213.

These are called 'companions' because they orbit their respective host stars. They do so with periods of five to 27 days, have radii between 0.81 and 1.66 times that of Jupiter and are between 77 and 98 times more massive. This places them on the borderline between brown dwarfs and stars. These five new objects therefore contain valuable information, the team said. The findings are detailed in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

"Each new discovery reveals additional clues about the nature of brown dwarfs and gives us a better understanding of how they form and why they are so rare," said Monika Lendl, a researcher in the Department of Astronomy at the UNIGE and a member of the NCCR Planets.

One of the clues the scientists found to show these objects are brown dwarfs is the relationship between their size and age.

"Brown dwarfs are supposed to shrink over time as they burn up their deuterium reserves and cool down. Here we found that the two oldest objects, TOI 148 and 746, have a smaller radius, while the two younger companions have larger radii," said Francois Bouchy, Professor at UNIGE.

Yet these objects are so close to the limit that they could just as easily be very low-mass stars, and astronomers are still unsure whether they are brown dwarfs.

"Even with these additional objects, we still lack the numbers to draw definitive conclusions about the differences between brown dwarfs and low-mass stars. Further studies are needed to find out more," Grieves said.
Mumbai, Aug 29 : Actor Satyen Chaturvedi, known for featuring in Bollywood movies like 'Toilet: A Love Story' and 'Mission Mangal', says he is open to playing every kind of role, irrespective of how tough it is.

"I think versatility in the roles is something that excites me. Playing different shades, characters is an ultimate dream of an actor. I wish to portray characters that are challenging, relatable and require a lot of hardship to portray. Be it a positive or a negative shade character, I am open to anything that is extraordinary, exciting," Satyen tells IANS.

Satyen cites some of his famous characters and how they impressed him.

"When I saw the famous show 'Peaky Blinders', I was thrilled with the character of Tommy Shelby, such an underplaying yet powerful character, I wish I get to play something like that. On the other side, I also want to play characters like 'Janardan', played by Ranbir Kapoor in 'Rockstar'. Such a wild, fierce character. So the range of characters that I wish to plays is wide and I am hoping in times to come, I get to play such characters." The actor was last seen in web series 'Mentalhood' along side Karishma Kapoor and Sanjay Suri.
Kabul, Aug 29 : A blast was reported from near Kabul airport on Sunday evening as the evacuation mission to fly out foreign citizens neared its end.

The blast could be from a rocket that hit a nearby house and the airport was not targeted, the BBC quoted a local official as saying.

There was no information of any casualties.

Images posted on social media show black clouds of smoke rising into the air, and freelance journalist Shafi Karmi shared photos of the purported site of the attack.

The blast came hours after US President Joe Biden warned that another attack in the airport area was highly likely.

At least 170 people, including US troops, were killed in a suicide bombing by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province near the airport on Thursday. The US had carried out a retaliatory drone strike, in which, it said, the planners of the attack had been killed.
Hyderabad, Aug 29 : Rajya Sabha member and chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on education, women, children, youth and sports, Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said on Sunday that the new education policy has opened floodgates for innovation and experimentation.

He was addressing the round table meeting of Mission 5151, an initiative of the Gramodaya Chamber of Commerce and Technology (GCOT).

Sahasrabuddhe said integration of knowledge emanating from rural India is very important for the country to progress. He suggested that cow milking too could be a certificate course; and any individual who completes four such certificate courses in related fields could be considered for a valid degree from an educational institution of repute in the country.

Earlier, Delhi Vasanth, Founder of GCOT and Trustee of Mission 5151 said, Covid-19 pandemic has forced India to look at and opt for traditional means of medicine which has proven to be highly effective in saving lives.

He observed that historically, Indian villages had knowledge of medicine indigenously but unfortunately the country lost that with time. He stressed the need to restore that great legacy of India for benefit of the future generations.

Prof R. Limbadri, Chairman, Telangana State Council for Higher Education and vice chancellors of various universities attended the event.
Kabul/New Delhi, Aug 29 : A child was killed in a rocket attack northwest of Kabul airport amid the US evacuation, according to an Afghan police chief, Al Arabiya reported.

Early reports suggest at least two people have been killed and three injured in the attack, according to Afghan media reports.

BBC reported that the recent blast was caused by a rocket that struck a house near the airport. The airport was not hit directly.

There have been multiple reports of a loud explosion heard near Kabul airport.

Some images posted on social media show black clouds of smoke rising into the air above buildings.

Evacuation efforts in Kabul began to wind down Saturday as the Afghan capital was on high alert for possible terrorist attacks in the wake of a US strike against Islamic State, Wall Street Journal reported.

US President Joe Biden said his military commanders informed him that another attack in Afghanistan is "highly likely in the next 24-36 hours".

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack Thursday outside Kabul's airport that killed nearly 200 people, including 13 members of the U.S. military.

"The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high," Biden said in a statement. He said he directed military commanders "to take every possible measure to prioritise force protection".
Kathmandu, Aug 29 : Almost 70 per cent of Nepal's population have developed Covid antibodies, a large-scale seroprevalence study carried by the Ministry of Health and Populations has found.

"As per our findings, around 68. 6 per cent of the total population have developed Covid antibodies," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday, noting that means out of 30 million total population, 20 million have already developed the antibodies.

Though just 14.2 per cent population is fully vaccinated and 17.7 per cent population has received at least one dose of Covid vaccine, it is estimated that the rest of the population has been infected with Covid-19.

Official figures show that only 759,222 people have been infected by Covid, out of 30 million. It is said that around four million people are out of the country or living and working in India, Gulf countries, Malaysia and others.

A seroprevalence study or a serology test examines the presence of antibodies for a specific disease in a population. When a human body is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it produces antibodies in response.

Experts say that the seroprevalence survey was necessary as it would provide data on the prevalence of coronavirus in communities, and help authorities prepare strategies for locating hotspots and taking necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus.

Such a study can also tell authorities how many people in a specific population may have contracted the virus.

The ministry said that it carried out the seroprevalence test from July 5 to August 14 and blood samples of 13, 161 individuals were analysed.

The antibodies were found in all age groups, all kinds of geographies, professions, and sexes.

The ministry also assessed the efficacy of Covid vaccine during the study. Those people who had received only one dose of vaccine have developed 80 per cent antibodies against Covid while those who were inoculated with both doses developed 90 per cent antibodies.

With these studies, Covid vaccines are found very effective against the Covid-19, the ministry said.

Nepal has been administering various kinds of the Covid vaccine developed by different companies. Initially, ot began using Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and then Vero Cell produced by China's Sinopharm, J&J of the US, the AstraZeneca vaccine made in Japan. The highest number of people have received China's Vero Cell.

As of Monday (August 23), the country has received 13,227,590 doses of vaccines - of AstraZeneca, Vero Cell and Janssen.

Nepal launched its vaccination campaign on January 27 with 1 million doses of Covishield received in grant assistance from India.

Nepal on Sunday reported 1,214 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the nationwide infection tally to 759,222.

The countrywide death toll has now reached 10,714. The number of active cases stands at 35,796.

According to the ministry, 712,712 infected people have recovered from the disease so far.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New York, Aug 29 : Covid-19 is not a respiratory illness, as widely accepted, but a vascular one, claims a study.

The study, led by the University of California-San Diego, could explain blood clots in some Covid patients and other issues like "Covid feet", which are not typical symptoms of a respiratory illness, Euronews reported.

The findings, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed how the virus attacks the vascular or circulatory system.

The S protein of the virus, the spike that forms the crown, attacks the receptor ACE2, damaging the mitocondrias that generate the energy of the cells, thus damaging the endothelium, which lines the blood vessel.

This is something that has already been observed, but what wasn't previously known is the exact mechanism and role of the S protein. This protein is replicated by all of the currently available vaccines, the team said.

For the study, the team created a pseudovirus for the study, which only had the S protein but not the rest of the virus, to show in the lab that this protein is enough by itself to cause disease.

The effects on the respiratory system are a consequence of the inflammation of the vascular tissue in the lungs.

"A lot of people think of it as a respiratory disease, but it's really a vascular disease," Uri Manor, assistant research professor, at the varsity was quoted as saying.

"That could explain why some people have strokes, and why some people have issues in other parts of the body. The commonality between them is that they all have vascular underpinnings," Manor added.

According to Professor Rafael Manez Mendiluce, head of intensive care at Bellvitge University Hospital in Spain, the vascular problem could be related to the inflammatory response of the patient's immune system.
Mumbai, Aug 29 : Parenthood is definitely an enriching and memorable journey for any couple, especially when it's their first baby. While every parent always dreams of becoming the perfect mom or dad to their newborn, at the end of the day parents are not born as perfect parents.

Here are some light-hearted, yet absolutely lovable shows and movies that show the different paths one takes to parenthood.

Mimi Actress Kirti Sanon plays protagonist Mimi, in an all-new avatar who aspires to become a popular actress someday. In an effort to fastrack her success, Mimi decides to earn a hefty amount of money from a deal to become a surrogate mother to a couple visiting India. The movie encapsulates her journey and the eventual hardships she faces as her life moves in a whole new direction than what was planned earlier. The film is directed by Laxman Utekar and it also features Sai Tamhankar, Manoj Pahwa, Supriya Pathak among others.

Firsts Season 6 Faced with an accidental pregnancy, actors Tara Alisha Berry and Karan Jotwani are now required to make important decisions about their future in Season 6 of Firsts. Each episode unfolds the 'first' moments that an expecting couple experiences while showcasing the growing bond between the couple through the journey. The show will definitely take you down a memory lane to your pregnancy days and all those happy moments. All one-minute episodes are streaming on Dice Media channels for you to enjoy.

The Sky is Pink This movie is a heart-warming love story of a married couple, nostalgically narrating the 25 years of their teenage daughter's life, who has now passed away. The film unveils the journey of this couple starring actors Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar in an unexpected magical tale of two parents who bear a girl with a rare genetic condition that takes away her life. The parents work towards providing their daughter with all the different experiences possible as they also try to fulfill her wishes and dreams, all before the clock stops ticking.

Good Newwz This is a hilarious tale of two married couples. Actors Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Kiara Advani, and Diljeet Dosanjh are the couples who face difficulty in conceiving and the story unfolds with series of twists after they seek advice from doctors. As the story progresses, the couple ends up in a complicated situation after there is a big blunder at the doctor's end. The film is directed by Raj Mehta and it also features Tisca Chopra, Adil Hussain, Anjana Sukhani, Faisal Rashid among others.

Salaam Namaste This film released in 2005, is a love story starring Saif Ali Khan and Preeti Zinta. Preeti's charecter Ambar embraces the idea of becoming parents to their unplanned baby. While Saif plays the role of the father who is completely against keeping the baby initially, Preeti plays the mother who takes the decision to raise the child on her own regardless of her partner's decision. As the story moves forward, we see the pair eventually learning to respect each other as they excitedly work towards becoming parents to their child. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also featured Arshad Warsi, Tania Zaetta, Jugal Hansraj, Jaaved Jaffrey among others.
Mumbai, Aug 29 : In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a notice to senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab.

Parab has been issued summons to appear before the ED on August 31, ostensibly in connection with the ongoing probe into the corruption allegations levelled by dismissed former Mumbai cop Sachin Vaze.

Confirming the development, Parab said late this evening that he received the ED notice but it has only sought his appearance on Tuesday.

"There is no reference to any case matter... I shall take legal opinion and do the needful," Parab said.

Reacting sharply, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut gave his 'Congratulation' for the ED's anticipated action, and said the chronology of events should be considered.

"Shabbaas! As expected, as soon as the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' (of Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane) ended, Anil Parab has been served an ED notice. The government above (Centre) has got down to work," he said.

Hinting at the Bharatiya Janata Party's role, he said "epicenter of the earthquake is in Ratnagiri" - the Konkan district of which Parab is the Guardian Minister - but said Sena would fight the legal matter as per the laws.

The ED move comes in the wake of demands by the BJP in the past four months demanding action for the corruption allegations levelled against Parab by the sacked cop Vaze.

However, Leader of Opposition in the Council, Pravin Darekar denied Raut's contentions and said the ED notice cannot be linked with the recent political upeahvals witnessed during Rane's 'Yatra' since it may have been triggered due to some complaint lodged with the central probe agency.

In a series of dramatic developments during the 'Yatra', Rane was arrested last Tuesday (August 24) in Ratnagiri, taken to Mahad court in Raigad which sent him to 10 days magisterial custody, but later granted bail the same night.

Subsequently, the BJP had raised questions of Parab's involvement in the entire arrest drama episode and sought a CBI probe after a video clip of the minister speaking with someone on phone went viral.

Undeterred by the interruptions, Rane resumed his 'Yatra' on Friday in the coastal Konkan even as a bitter verbal war raged between between the two ex-allies, Shiv Sena-BJP, though the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance tackled the challenge unitedly.

Rane continued to target the Sena and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while Raut questioned the BJP why it is "shielding" the Rane family with top Central and state leaders throwing their weight behind the Union Minister.

During the 'Yatra', Rane also told the local media persons that several MVA leaders are on the radar of the ED and the CBI, indicating tough times ahead for the Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress regime.

The three parties have repeatedly slammed the BJP government at the Centre for misusing various central probe agencies like the ED, the CBI, and the NIA to harass the leaders of Opposition-ruled states, including Maharashtra.
Community radio is by the people, of the people, for the people Image Source: IANS News

Community radio is by the people, of the people, for the people Image Source: IANS News

Community radio is by the people, of the people, for the people Image Source: IANS News

Community radio is by the people, of the people, for the people Image Source: IANS News

He was speaking after inaugurating the community radio station (JSS Radio 91.2 MHZ) on the occasion of the 106th Jayanthi celebration of Jagadguru Dr Sri Shivaratri Rajendra Mahaswamiji at JSS Mahavidyapeetha at Mysuru on Sunday.

Chennai, Aug 29 (IANS) Union Minister of sate for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairy, Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan has said that community radio stations are perfect examples of <dbl-qts>By the people, of the people for the people<dbl-qts>.

He was speaking after inaugurating the community radio station (JSS Radio 91.2 MHZ) on the occasion of the 106th Jayanthi celebration of Jagadguru Dr Sri Shivaratri Rajendra Mahaswamiji at JSS Mahavidyapeetha at Mysuru on Sunday.

The minister said that there are 329 operational community radio stations broadcasting across the country and 22 are in Karnataka. He said that JSS radio station is the third community radio station to broadcast in Mysuru.

Murugan said: "As the media of grassroots people of the disadvantaged areas, community radio has become popular in recent years and it has opened a new arena for both the policymakers as well as grassroots people to be involved in the development process of their community." The Minister of State for I&B said that community radio stations played an important role in creating awareness about Covid-19 as well as the welfare schemes launched by the Central government during the pandemic.

He said that the Sri Suttu Math is one of the outstanding religious centres of south India and is known for its immaculate service to humanity, in every possible way.

Murugan said that Sri Suttur Math with its more than one thousand fifty years of existence has been the centre for socio-spiritual health and educational hub for thousands of people across the country and abroad.

Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswmiji of Sri Sutturu Veersimhasana Sanshtan Math, MLAs S.A. Ramadas, Nagendra, Tanveer Sait, Smt Sunanda Palentra, Mayor of Mysore City corporation and Dr Hemant Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore were among the dignitaries present.

--IANS aal/skp/

</dbl-qts></dbl-qts>
New Delhi, Aug 29 : After launching scathing attack on the National Monetisation Pipeline plan of the central government, the Congress has decided to take the issue to each state and hold press conferences across the country starting from August 31.

Some surprise names have been added in the list and one of them is of Milind Deora who was till now in political oblivion and now being tipped to get important assignment in the party. He has been roped in to address press conference in Cochin. While Sachin Pilot who is likely to make a comeback in Rajasthan will be in Bangalore and leaders belonging to G-23, Shashi Tharoor and Mukul Wasnik will address the press conferences in Kashmir and Guwahati respectively.

Former finance minister P. Chidambaram will hold a press conference in Mumbai, while Chhattisgarh chief minister who is facing tough political battle in the state will be in Lucknow and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digivjaya Singh in Patna.

Randeep Surjewala, Congress General Secretary said, "the party wants to tell the nation that the creation of monopolies in this country is extremely dangerous." The series of press conferences have been initiated by Rahul Gandhi and party wants to carry forward it. Rahul Gandhi has been tweeting hashtag "IndiaOnSale".

Gandhi had said: "The Prime Minister and the BJP said that the Congress had done nothing in the last 70 years. There is a list here of all the assets that the Congress has helped build using the public money." "Now the Prime Minister is in the process of selling the crown jewels of this country." Listing out the sectors which are going to be privatised, Rahul Gandhi said that these are being sold and one can guess to whom it is going.

"And frankly, these will go to three to four people," he said.

Announcing the measure, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said it is to unlock value in brownfield projects by engaging the private sector, transferring to them the rights but not the ownership in projects, and using the funds for infrastructure creation across the country.

But assailing the government, Gandhi said: "I want to tell the youths, your employment has been snatched, for farmers, three special farm laws have been made. And today I want to say what Prime Minister plans to give to his industrialist friends." This, he claimed, comprises 26,700 km of national highways worth Rs 1.6 lakh crore, Rs 1.5 lakh crore in railways with 400 railways stations, 150 private trains, railway tracks and warehouses. He further said that 42,300 circuit km of transmission network, 6,000 MW power generation, solar wind assets from NHPC, NTPC and NLC, and 8,000 km of national gas pipeline of GAIL are all going to be privatised among others.

He alleged that the Prime Minister is for the elimination of the informal sector", and creation of monopolies in the formal sector.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra, former Unitech promoters accused of money laundering, were shifted from Tihar Central Jail to the premises of Arthur Road Jail and Taloja Central Jail in Mumbai respectively on Sunday morning.

Sandeep Goel, Director General of Tihar Prisons, said that Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra both were taken under police escort to Mumbai by train on Saturday morning. "They reached Mumbai and were lodged in the respective jails there in the early hours of Sunday," Goel said.

In the meantime, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has initiated inquiry about the conduct of the Tihar Jail Superintendent and other staff for conniving with the Chandra brothers to flout the court orders and undermine its jurisdiction.

On Thursday, Supreme Court had ordered that former Unitech promoters --Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra -- be immediately shifted from the Tihar Jail here to separate jails in Mumbai.

The apex court order came after Enforcement Directorate claimed the brothers were conducting business from inside in connivance with the prison staff.

The financial investigating agency had also alleged it had unearthed a "secret underground office" in Delhi being operated by the erstwhile Unitech founder Ramesh Chandra and visited by his sons Sanjay and Ajay while on parole or bail.

The top court had also directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to personally hold an inquiry about the conduct of the Tihar Jail Superintendent and other staff for conniving with them to flout the court orders and undermine its jurisdiction.

Delhi Police chief had been directed to submit a report to the court within four weeks.

The ED is probing money laundering charges against the Chandras and Unitech Ltd.

The agency told apex court that Sanjay and Ajay have rendered the entire judicial custody meaningless as they have been freely communicating, instructing their officials and disposing of properties from inside the jail in connivance with the prison staff there.

Sanjay and Ajay, who are in jail since August 2017, are accused of siphoning off home buyers' money.

In October 2017, apex court had asked the two brothers to deposit Rs 750 crore with the apex court registry by December 31, 2017.

The case pertains to a criminal case filed initially after one complaint was lodged in 2015 which was followed by multiple complaints by 173 other home buyers of Unitech projects -- 'Wild Flower Country' and 'Anthea Project' -- located in Gurugram.

Delhi police had claimed 67 FIRs have been filed in the matter.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The US says its drone strike in Kabul on Sunday was successful in "eliminating an imminent" threat to the airport, where evacuations are winding down, BBC reported.

Capt Bill Urban of US Central Command said he was "confident" that the target, a vehicle carrying at least one person associated with IS-K and a "substantial amount of explosive material", was destroyed.

"We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time," he said, the report said.

"We remain vigilant for potential future threats." It comes after witnesses reported a rocket strike near the airport, although it is not clear if the two incidents are connected.

A bombing at Kabul airport last Thursday killed as many as 170 people, including 13 US troops.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said they will continue to carry out strikes in Afghanistan, after an attack at Kabul airport killed about 170 people.

"The president (Joe Biden) does not intend to start a new war in Afghanistan," he told CBS.

"That being said, he also is going to talk to his commanders about whatever set of tools and capabilities they need to get the people who attacked our troops at the Kabul airport and to make sure that we are degrading and debilitating the group, Isis-K, that conducted this attack." Isis-K, or IS-K, is the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State jihadist group, which claimed the Kabul airport attack.

BBC reported that Sullivan also said they were "very closely tracking" the potential threat of attacks in the US: "What the intelligence community has assessed to date is that the relevant terrorist groups in Afghanistan do not possess advanced external plotting capabilities - but, of course, they could develop them."
Jaipur, Aug 29 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday reached Jaipur to attend a 10-day Vipassana camp at a meditation centre situated here.

Kejriwal came here by an IndiGo flight and went straight to Vipassana centre. Here, he shall spare his time to attend Vipassana sessions and shall not be attending any kind of political meetings during his stay here.

In fact, mobile phones, TV, newspapers, laptops are banned in this centre and hence Delhi CM will be unable to use them too.

The Delhi CMO shared the information about Kejriwal's visit to Jaipur.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot welcomed the neighbouring state CM to Jaipur.

In his tweet, he said, "I welcome the Chief Minister of Delhi, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, in Jaipur. Thank you for inquiring about my health and sharing your good wishes. I am glad that you chose Rajasthan for Vipassana and health benefits. I wish you good health."
New Delhi, Aug 29 : Relations between China and Lithuania are headed for a stormy patch with the latter's decision to let Taiwan open up a trade office and calling out China on various issues, says a member of the Lithuanian Parliament.

Participating in a webinar titled 'Whither Lithuania-China Relations?', organised by Red Lantern Analytica on August 27, Dovile Sakaliene, who is also a member of the parliament's National Security and Defence Committee and had been a journalist and human rights defender, sketched out the issues between her Baltic country and China.

Sakaliene, who has been very vocal about calling out China's treatment of Uyghurs and as a result, has even been blacklisted and sanctioned by China, was interviewed by Dr Sriparna Pathak, an Associate Professor at the O.P. Jindal Global University and Director of its centre for North-East Asian studies.

Recently, Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a trade representatives office in its capital and is allowing it to use the name 'Taiwan' instead of Taipei which other countries usually do. This decision has greatly irked the People's Republic of China as it claims Taiwan to be a part of it and considers this move to be a threat to the one-China policy.

Asked that Chinese imports into the European Union have actually gone up in 2021 despite the numerous allegations of human rights abuses and claims of forced labour and where does Lithuania stand in regards to this, Sakaliene said that any one that cares about human dignity and morality would rejects products coming out of Xinjiang.

"The main export from Xinjiang is cotton and this sector comprises very little percentage of Lithuania's GDP. While it is true that trade between the EU and China remains high, EU leaders and their policies are slowly changing and Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) has been doing a good job in calling out China for its abusive behaviour and trying to change EU's stance.

"Lithuania has very low economic dependence on China and that is one of the main reasons it has been able to stand up to China's bullying tactics. While Lithuania is a small country, they are still a member of the democratic club and wish to remain true to their ideals, values, and principles," she said.

On the opening of the Taiwan representative office, Sakaliene stated that Lithuania took a systematic approach, and it is not an embassy, as claimed by some newspapers, thus, maintaining the one-China policy somewhat. But the most important factor is that the office will be under the name of Taiwan and not Taipei, she said, adding that Lithuania is an independent country and therefore it reserves the right to establish trade and cultural relations with any country it chooses.

On whether Lithuania expected retaliation from China in the form of weaponising trade as it did with Australia when Australia asked for an independent investigation into the origins of Covid-19, Sakaliene said that China had already taken some hostile steps against Lithuania.

"China had put train connections on hold with Lithuania, as well as creating several obstacles for Lithuanian companies operating in China. Past trade deals between China and Lithuania were also suddenly annulled. While Lithuania does not wish a trade war with China, Beijing's actions show clear hostility," she said.

She also added that these measure taken by China do not come as a surprise. Under the recently amended National Security Law, private Chinese companies are required to provide data regarding all economic activity to the party. This ensures that private companies in China, as well as foreign companies operating in China have no privacy.

In addition, China has recently also enacted the anti-sanctions law which allows Beijing to freeze the assets of western companies and arbitrarily deport employees, she said.

"These factors make the Chines economic environment extremely unpredictable. Lithuania is just trying to defend its values and principles while wishing for its trade partners to be predictable.

"Lithuania has already started taking steps in order to ensure that China's actions do not negatively impact it. Lithuania is reaching out to its allies like the US and Taiwan so as to alleviate the pressure from its companies," Sakaliene said.

With a report in Global Times on how China and Russia could ally together to punish Lithuania, Sakaliene, asked whether Lithuania's relation with Russia were impacted at all due to China's influence, said that Global Times is a mouth piece of the Chinese Communist Party, therefore, its threats do carry some weight. In addition, Lithuania's relations with Russia have been strained since "occupation times" and especially recently since Russia is performing military drills close to the Lithuanian border.

But officially Russia has not responded to the report by Global Times or taken an steps against Lithuania, she added.

On how China is attempting to change the world order and how can the international community tackle China's aggressive actions, Sakaliene said that the current world order was built on rule of law, and mutual respect for other nations and their borders.

"In order to maintain peace and stability, nations must stick to it. But unfortunately, some nations have recently tried to challenge these rules and China is among these nations.

"China has made wild territorial claims in its neighbourhood that has brought it into conflict with almost all its neighbours. The only way to combat China is for the international community to stick together and stand up to every attempt by China to violate our borders, our rules, and the rule of law." As Lithuania and India have in a sense faced the same backlash from China and thus does the shared experience open up the possibility of future cooperation, Sakaliene said that she was very optimistic about future cooperation between Lithuania and India as they have more in common with each other than just China.

"The Communist Chinese regime is very similar to the Communist Soviet regime of the past in terms of double standards, repression, and prison camps. Therefore, Lithuania like India knows what it means to live next to an authoritative state that does not know what democracy looks like," she said.

She added that Lithuania and India are connected by history, culture and language and thus have a lot in common. In the future, Lithuania and India could be good friends, she stressed.
Guwahati, Aug 29 : Assam's Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) administration has decided to rehabilitate thousands of Santhals, Bodos and Bengali-speaking Muslims, displaced from their villages in ethnic riots and terrorism since 1996, BTC chief Pramod Bodo said on Sunday.

Over 2.5 lakh people were displaced since 1996 in separate Bodo-Santhal conflicts and militants' violence in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), comprising the four western districts of Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Kokrajhar.

"The BTC has decided to take back the displaced Bodos, Santhals and others to their villages within the next three months. Some of the displaced people had been sheltered in relief camps for the past 25 years while others had relocated somewhere else," Pramod Bodo told the media.

He said that the Bodoland areas witnessed many ethnic riots and militant violence with major incidents in 1996, 2008, 1998, and 2012.

Bodo, the President of the United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL), said that the BTC is keen to rehabilitate the affected people in their original villages and create a harmonious and peaceful BTR.

He said that houses for the returnees would be built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and other area development plans would also be undertaken simultaneously.

"The riot and militancy-affected people did not return to their areas all these years due to security reasons. The BTC has decided to set up police posts in their villages," he said.

The Santhals were also affected in December 2014 when the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants had carried out a series of violent attacks, killing around 76 people, in and around BTR.

Ethnic violence also witnessed between the Bodos and the Bengali-speaking Muslims in 2008 and 2012, leaving over 100 people dead and thousands displaced from their homes and villages. The NDFB extremists had also been involved in these violence.

The BTC head also said that the surrendered NDFB militants are also being rehabilitated.

"The Assam government would give Rs 160 crore for the rehabilitation of NDFB cadres," he said.

Over 1,600 rebels, belonging to four factions of the NDFB, had laid down weapons on January 30 last year after the signing of the historic BTR pact in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Centre has already provided a Rs 1,500 crore special development package to the BTC administration to undertake specific projects for the development of Bodo areas.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and the local Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) and the UPPL took over charge of the BTC in December last year, defeating the Congress-led alliance in the polls.
New Delhi, Aug 29 : The Finance Ministry has extended the last date to avail of the late fee amnesty scheme under Goods and Services Act (GST), till November 30.

The scheme was due to expire on August 31.

The government had provided relief to the taxpayers by reducing or waiving late fee for non-furnishing form GSTR-3B for the tax periods from July 2017 to April 2021, if the returns for these tax periods are furnished between June 1 and August 31 this year.

Based on the multiple representations received, the government has also extended, to September 30, the timelines for filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration, where the due date of filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration falls between March 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021.

The filing of forms GSTR-3B and GSTR-1/IFF by companies using electronic verification code, instead of digital signature certificate has already been enabled for the period from April 27 to August 31. This has been further extended to October 31.

"The extension of the closing date of late fee amnesty scheme and extension of time limit for filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration will benefit a large number of taxpayers, specially small taxpayers, who could not file their returns in time due to various reasons, mainly because of difficulties caused by Covid-19 pandemic, and whose registrations were cancelled due to the same," the ministry said in a statement.

Taxpayers are requested to avail the benefit of these extensions at the earliest to avoid last minute rush, it added.
Guwahati, Aug 29 : With two more suspected dacoits killed on Saturday night in an "encounter" with police, 23 "criminals" have died in shoot-outs with police in different parts of Assam during around 100 days.

Amidst controversy as various political parties, rights groups and civil society question the purported "police encounters" in Assam, police killed two more suspected dacoits in western Assam's Goalpara district on Saturday night.

This was the 13th such "encounter" since Himanta Biswa Sarma Sarma became Chief Minister on May 10.

Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, in a tweet, said that two dacoits, Rafajuddin Ali and Basit Ali, died in the "shootout" while Rashidul Islam has been injured and shifted to the hospital.

"We are on the lookout for a fourth accomplice. All of them have prior cases of dacoity against them. One gun and the car in which they were travelling have been recovered. The Goalpara police yesterday night (Saturday) had to chase criminals across the area of four police stations, while being shot at by the criminals ! But finally Police got better of them," he said.

According to the police, the first "encounter" between the security forces and "criminals" took place on May 23 when six cadres of the outlawed Dimasa National Liberation Army were gunned down in Karbi Anglong district. Two militants of the United Revolutionary People's Front were gunned down in the second encounter on June 20, also in the same district.

On June 23, Bubu Konwar, wanted for several murders and crimes was shot dead in Sivasagar district while on July 2, Kanwaldeep Singh Sindhu, a railway official turned criminal and wanted in a kidnapping case, was killed in Karbi Anglong district. Cattle smuggler -- Chaurangi Syni -- was also killed in Kokrajhar district that day.

Between July 3 and July 11, "encounters" with Assam Police claimed the lives of four "criminals" in Kamrup, Nagaon, Chirang, and Dibrugarh districts while in between August 7 and August 23, Assam Police killed a drug peddler, four dacoits, and a arms smuggler in different districts.

Police claimed that in some of the cases, the criminals "snatched weapons from the police" and tried to shoot their way out.
BloomsyBox We are literally in the business of growing things from the ground up through seasonal flowers, said BloomsyBox.com Founder, Juan Palacio

Inc. magazine today revealed that Miami-based floral subscription brand, BloomsyBox.com, is no. 704 on the Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. This is the first appearance on the Inc. 5000 for vertically integrated BloomsyBox.com and Founder Juan Palacio--an immigrant from Colombia--which experienced 698% growth in revenue over the last three years.

Additionally, BloomsyBox.com came in at No. 23 among the fastest-growing Miami-based companies, No. 55 in all of Florida, and No. 73 for the Consumer Products & Services industry.

BloomsyBox.com, which has served as a one-stop shop for flower subscriptions and more since 2015, seamlessly streamlines the flower shipping process by cutting out the middleman. Seasonal and sustainable bouquets are shipped directly from the company-owned, eco-friendly flower farms where they are bred, grown, cut and arranged, and delivered straight to recipients doors across the United States.

We are literally in the business of growing things from the ground up through seasonal flowers, said BloomsyBox.com Founder, Juan Palacio. To be recognized for this recent growth is an honor, and a direct result of our teams hard work and perseverance to deliver beautiful blooms to a rapidly increasing and loyal customer base. We are extremely grateful to Inc. magazine, and are inspired by others on this list to keep planting the seeds of success through high quality bouquets, customer service, and trusted partners.

This years list proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent. 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 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 BloomsyBox.com

Founded in 2015, BloomsyBox.com is a startup floral subscription company offering fresh handpicked bouquets on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis from sustainable farms around the globe. BloomsyBox disrupted the floral industry by offering the first farm-to-table floral subscription directly sourced by their own farms, revolutionizing the way fresh flowers are sent. By cutting out the middleman, each stem shipped is hand-picked and cut 2-4 days before subscribers receive them, ensuring quality and freshness. To learn more, visit BloomsyBox.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/.
Reforestation of mined lands aims to produce a sustainable forest similar to the forest that existed prior to disturbance.

A tree is a wonder of nature; a forest is an army of trees protecting nature. Trees cleanse the air by aborbing carbon dioxide and other toxins, and storing the carbon for their lifetime. Trees provide a shade canopy reducing ground temperatures. Trees provide homes and food for animals, insects, and birds. Trees filter water, clearing contaminants which are harmful to drinking water and healthy aquatic habitats. Finally, trees protect against erosion and protect valuable top soils.

The footprint of the Tennessee River Valley is pure Appalachia, with mountains and forests in the highlands of the east, and grasslands and savannahs in the west. As commerce moved into the Valley, extraction businesses, timbering, and farming greatly impacted the landscape of the region. All three of these industries built economies for the surrounding communities, but these industries also created scars that negatively impacted the health and wellbeing of those same communities.

In the early days of TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), the agency focused on reforestation of reclaimed lands that were strip cut for timber or farmland. Run-off of water on these lands washed away top soil leaving rocky, subsoil which was not suitable for sustaining farms or tree regrowth. TVA replanted almost 1.5 million acres of land over a period of many years.

In modern days, the Appalachian Region Reforestation Initiative (ARRI), in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is being challenged to reclaim thousands of acres of abandoned coal mines by encouraging restoration of the land by planting high-quality forests. Both TVA and ARRI look to practices that improve the survival of seedlings. Best practice looks to first growth tree production to supports wildlife and mitigate soil erosion, while second growth trees provide high commercial value.

Collaboration among agencies is the key to preserving our forest lands. OSMRE Forester, Clifford Drouet reached out to us and asked for help to raise awareness for the ARRI program. Here are some facts that he shared about their work:



Most of the land that the ARRI program is restoring throughout Appalachia is privately owned. Project sizes can range from 10 ac to 1000+ acres.

The ARRI program works with multiple partners in each state including federal and state agencies, non-profits, for profits, academia, and foundations to coordinate restoration efforts and resources.

Established in 2004, ARRI has a long successful history throughout the Appalachian region and is now assisting other states with reforestation.

While the ARRI program is not carbon credit certified at this time, it is being evaluated as a volunteer carbon market program and should be certified soon in addition to existing federal and state tax credits.

The project sites are hand- planted by professional planting crews, but there are also scheduled volunteer planting events to observe Arbor Day & Earth Day (on small plots.) All ARRI partners and local media are invited to attend so ARRI volunteers can demonstrate the "5 W's" behind restoring old mine sites (aka=moonscapes) and promote the program.

Conservation, sustainability, and resiliency are at the core of caring for our forests, which are caring for us.


Written by Bordertown-creator Mikko Oikkonen and directed by Juuso Syrja, the 8 x 60 drama is described as a modern Robin Hood-like series, examining the relation of power and individuals through a robbery plot. Set in contemporary times, it reflects on a forthcoming financial crisis caused by the pandemic with flashbacks to the Finnish banking crisis of the 1990s.Helsinki Syndrome is centred around Elias Karo (Peter Franzen) who kidnaps four renowned journalists at their newspapers Helsinki headquarters. For several years, Karo has been planning how to reveal the crimes committed by banking officials and the government against his family. Now, he forces the journalists to expose the two bank officials and a district court judge who have wiped out the reputation and possessions of Elias family and caused the suicide of his father.The programme is produced by Fisher King in coproduction with Panache Productions, YLE, NDR (commissioning editor: Sabine Holtgreve) and ARTE (commissioning editor: Uta Cappel), with the support of Business Finland. The series is currently in the final phase of shooting. It is the first-ever joint project by Fisher King - part of the Beta Nordic Studio group (BNS) - and Beta itself. It is one of only a few Finnish productions to secure coproduction with ARTE.ARTE is very pleased to be part of this coproduction, said Bernd Mutter, Program Director ARTE.  YLE is one of ARTEs first European broadcasters and coproduction partners and Helsinki Syndrome the first TV series in this long-term cooperation, which aims to support Nordic creativity and talents. Helsinki Syndrome is the best opportunity to follow this way.The story is universal and relevant: What happens to people and business in a big crisis like Covid - that are not too big to fail and are therefore left alone by the state with their fate, Justus Riesenkampff, CEO Beta Nordic Studios: Our hero is striking back at the system raising questions of justice and morals in our modern society.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh was trying to be a nice guy. In an act of judicial gallantry, he chose to give the losing side a break.

The Alabama Association of Realtors had sued to halt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium on the grounds that bureaucracies don't have the authority to write laws.

Four Supreme Court justices -- Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett -- sided with the realtors.

For his part, Kavanaugh wrote on June 29, he agreed that the CDC had exceeded its authority in issuing a national eviction moratorium, but since the moratorium was scheduled to end on July 31, he decided to let the situation ride.

"Because the CDC plans to end the moratorium in only a few weeks, on July 31, and because those few weeks will allow for additional and more orderly distribution of the congressionally appropriated rental assistance funds," Kavanaugh explained, he voted to allow the program to continue through July 31, for what was supposed to be the final extension.

Let's just say Kavanaugh is unlikely to make the same mistake again.

On Aug. 3, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signed an order extending the moratorium until Oct. 3.

There are good reasons to extend the eviction moratorium. With the delta variant leading to a rapid acceleration of community transmission, authorities have an interest in keeping people in their homes. And who wants to see mass evictions during the hot COVID-19 summer?

There also are good reasons not to extend it. The federal government outrageously has shifted the burden to landlords without compensating them. While supporters maintain that renters still will be liable for skipped rent, they're not fooling anyone.

In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which included a 120-day moratorium on evictions from rental properties. That is, Congress approved and the president signed a law against most evictions.

Later, Congress passed a bill that extended the moratorium until Jan. 31 of this year. Again, your elected officials did their jobs, and voters will be free to elect others to Congress and the White House if they don't like what happened.

Later, the CDC extended the hold on evictions until March 31, then June 30, then July 31 and now Oct. 3 -- and that is problematic because the CDC does not have the authority to write laws.

"Congress knows how to pass a moratorium if they want," attorney Luke Wake of the nonprofit Pacific Legal Foundation told me. PLF filed a lawsuit for the Apartment Association of Louisiana and other landlords that argued the CDC lacks the authority to impose the moratorium.

"If we thought it was important to keep these tenants in place, why didn't we appropriate funds for that?" Wake added, noting that the CDC shifted the weight onto landlords.

Observers can argue that the question is unsettled.

It's not just the Supreme Court that thinks the CDC doesn't have the authority to write laws. Biden and members of his administration said as much.

On Aug. 2, as prominent Democrats were pushing for the administration to do what Congress wasn't doing, Biden's senior COVID-19 adviser, Gene Sperling, told reporters the Supreme Court declared the CDC could not grant an extension "without clear and specific congressional authorization."

That was the day before Walensky signed the moratorium order.

And on the day the moratorium order was signed, Biden admitted, "The bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it's not likely to pass constitutional muster."

Rather than press Congress to pass legislation, the Biden White House preferred to toss the hot potato to the Supreme Court.

As Judge John K. Bush of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit warned in a ruling for a similar case, granting new authority to the CDC would give its "director near-dictatorial power for the duration of the pandemic, with authority to shut down entire industries as freely as she could ban evictions."

What could go wrong?

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Actor Matthew Mindler has died at the age of 19, his university in Pennsylvania announced.

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Mindler's credits include Chad: An American Boy, Our Idiot Brother and As the World Turns.

He went missing from his rural Millersville University campus last week.

The university confirmed Saturday in a statement that he had been found dead.

No cause of death was given.

"It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University," President Daniel A. Wubah wrote in the statement.

"Our thoughts of comfort and peace are with his friends and family during this difficult time. A search had been underway for Matthew since Thursday, after he was reported missing. Millersville University Police and law enforcement agencies from the area had been searching for him since that time. Matthew was found deceased this morning, Saturday, August 28 in Manor Township near campus. Matthew was transported to the Lancaster County Forensic Center by the coroner for further investigation.This is a time of grief for the family, our campus and the community. I ask that the campus community come together to support each other, and our students, during this difficult time."

Wubah said there is no public safety threat to the university community.
An event attendee takes a beer sample from Wrecking Bar Brewpub on Saturday, August 29, 2021 at Hotel Indigo in Athens, Georgia. Over fifty cask ales were available for tasting during the afternoon event. (Photo/Katie Tucker ktucker@randb.com)
Speaker Nadia Coleman discusses the room the group is gathered in. The Historic Athens Welcome Center hosted History on Tap event discussing rre-Civil War stories of Black Athenians on Aug. 28, 2021, in Athens, Georgia. (Photo/ Kathryn Skeean, kskeean@randb.com)
New report shows unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to die from COVID-19; Adult ICU patients hit record highs
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

A shower is possible early. A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. High 72F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A mostly clear sky. Low 53F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
AP PhotoFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the opening of a monoclonal antibody site Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Pembroke Pines, Fla. The site at C. B. Smith Park will offer monoclonal antibody treatment sold by Regeneron to people who have tested positive for Covid-19. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Beckley, WV (25801)

Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. Less humid. High 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
NEW HAVEN  Residents looking up in the sky this morning might have noticed a plane flying overhead with a banner promoting climate action.

The banner, reading Connecticut Must Lead on Climate, comes from the Connecticut Citizen Research Group, an affiliate of Connecticut Citizen Action Group.

With the state having just endured a sweltering week, activists are calling for Gov. Ned Lamont to take swift and bold administrative climate action to stop all fossil fuel expansion, ramp up energy efficiency and renewable energy for all, and push to end the financing of fossil fuels through community and online engagement, the group said in a press release.

Ann Pratt, the executive director of the Connecticut Citizen Research Group, said state leaders need to stop kidding themselves, and us, that we are doing enough to address climate justice.

We are at a point where real steps need to be taken on climate, and our leaders need to stop dragging their feet, Pratt added.

The banner was scheduled to fly over Lighthouse Point in New Haven and Hammonasset Beach in Madison from about 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and Seaside Park in Bridgeport around 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

At the same time, activists will be canvassing these beaches. There will be a mobile billboard with the same slogan, Connecticut Must Lead On Climate, traveling through the state, including past Lamonts residence in Hartford, the group said in a press release.

The group purchased carbon offsets, which reduce carbon emissions to compensate for emissions from another source, to counteract any emission impacts from the banner, according to a statement.


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Actor Hansika Motwani took to her Instagram account on Sunday and decided to have a chat with them. She indulged in a Q&A session and answered several questions from her followers. She was also asked questions about actors Allu Arjun and Kajal Aggarwal.

Hansika Motwani on Allu Arjun and Kajal Aggarwal

During the Q&A session, the Maan Karate star was asked to describe her Desamuduru co-star Allu Arjun in one word. However, Motwani responded to the question with three words. She wrote, sweetest, kindest and funniest and recalled that the actor was her first co-star. Allu Arjun later reshared the story and wrote, Thank you sweet with a heart emoticon. The actor will soon be seen in the upcoming action thriller title Pushpa: The Rise  Part 1. The film will also star Fahadh Faasil, who will be making his debut in the Telugu film industry.

The next question Motwani was asked was to speak about her friendship with Kajal Aggarwal. She described Aggarwal as extremely sweet and kind and also mentioned that the two should reschedule their coffee date. Kajal Aggarwal was last seen in Amazon Prime Videos Mumbai Saga, which starred an ensemble cast. The film was released in 2021 and starred John Abraham, Rohit Roy, Emraan Hashmi, Kajal Aggarwal, Mahesh Manjrekar and many other well-known actors. The crime action drama was helmed by Sanjay Gupta.

Hansika Motwani was recently in the news for her 30th birthday bash. The actor headed to the Maldives with her friends to celebrate the occasion. She shared several posts and videos on her social media account and gave her fans a glimpse into the celebration. She also uploaded a video of a surprise her friends had planned for her. The room can be seen decorated with pink and purple balloons. She captioned the video saying Grateful.

Motwani also took to Instagram recently to share a sneak-peek into a day in her life on set. In the video, fans can see the actor getting her hair and makeup done, they can also see her rehearsing her lines before the shoot begins. The short video also sees short clips of the actor bursting out laughing during a scene.

Picture Credits: Hansika Motwani, Allu Arjun and Kajal Aggarwal-Instagram
After four months of suspension due to the COVID-19 outbreak, flight operations between India and Bangladesh will restart under the air-bubble agreement. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has announced that flight operations will resume from 3 September.

"The air bubble may be resumed w.e.f. 03.09.21 till resumption of scheduled international passenger flights," MoCA letter read.

Guidelines set for Air bubble flights between India, Bangladesh

In view of COVID-19, Indian government has set certain restrictions like limited number of passengers per aircraft and strict health measures to be followed by travellers on board.

"Passengers travelling from Bangladesh to India shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned (port of entry). Therefore instead of a blanket restriction of 140 passengers per aircraft it is proposed that the capacity may be restricted to a specific percentage of the installed seat capacity of the aircraft (say 90 per cent or 95 per cent)," MoCA Said.

There will be seven flights per week, for any country carrier, in the air bubble at first. "This Ministry has examined the proposal in consultation with the health authorities of India and would like to propose resumption of operations under the Air Bubble with 7 frequencies per week (for carriers of either country)," the Indian aviation ministry said.

As a result, those with tourist visas are prohibited from entering the country. "The Government of India would be applicable to such passengers, as amended from time to time. It may be noted that passengers holding tourist visas are not allowed to enter India as on date," the MoCA said.

COVID-19 cases in India

India on Saturday reported 46,759 new cases of coronavirus. This marked a third consecutive day with a daily caseload of over 40,000. Twenty-eight states contributed 89.52% of all cases, with Kerala alone accounting for 32,801 cases. Overall, India's recovery rate is at 97.56% after 31,374 people recovered in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministry's data provided on Saturday. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had reported on Friday that the COVID-19 vaccination coverage of India has reached the cumulative number of 61.22 crore along with a distribution of 79,48,439 vaccine doses in the past 24 hours. This was accomplished after 66,60,983 sessions.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Picture Credit: Pixabay)
The ban on scheduled international passenger flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended till September 30, the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Sunday. In the circular shared on social media, DGCA said that the suspension does not affect the international all-cargo operations and flights which have been specially approved. The latest extension on the ban on international passenger flights to and from India, came after the services were initially suspended on March 23, 2020, in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

DGCA said in its circular, In partial modification of circular date 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of 30th September 2021. This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.

However, International Scheduled flights mat be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis, it added.

Under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020, special international flights have been operating under the bilateral air bubble arrangements with some of the countries. As of now, India has functional air bubble arrangements with 27 actions to enable travel to foreign nations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. These nations include the United States, UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. This air bubble arrangement allows both nations to operate special international flights, both ways.

India-Bangladesh Flights To Resume From Sept 3

Further, most recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has announced the end of a four-month suspension on flights operating between India and Bangladesh on September 3. MoCA letter stated, The air bubble may be resumed w.e.f. 03.09.21 till resumption of scheduled international passenger flights. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, India still has some restrictions placed in the air bubble arrangements with various nations. For instance, only a limited number of passengers are permitted in each aircraft along with adhering to strict health measures.

Passengers travelling from Bangladesh to India shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned (port of entry). Therefore instead of a blanket restriction of 140 passengers per aircraft it is proposed that the capacity may be restricted to a specific percentage of the installed seat capacity of the aircraft (say 90 per cent or 95 per cent)," MoCA Said.

IMAGE: Unsplash
Kishore Biyani-led Future Retail Ltd on Saturday moved the Supreme Court against orders passed by the Delhi High Court to maintain the status quo regarding the companys merger with Reliance Retail. The SC had earlier ruled against Future Retail Ltd in the case filed by Amazon against the deal. Putting a stay on the Rs 24,713 crore deal, the SC had directed to enforce the order of the Singapore-based Emergency Arbitrator.

FRL pleads against halt on deal with Reliance

Future Retail, in a regulatory filing, said, "Please be informed that the company has filed a special leave petition before Hon'ble Supreme Court of India against the impugned orders dated 2nd February 2021 and 18th March 2021 passed by 'Ld. Single Judge'...The SLP will be listed for hearing in due course." The petition also claimed that the "there is extreme urgency to hear" and "stay the Impugned Orders" passed by the single-member bench of Delhi High Court, failing to which the company would go into liquidation.

Future Retail, in its petition, stated that the scheme of amalgamation cannot go through due to the orders of the High Court. The company went on to claim that the scenario would cause serious loss for all parties involved. ".... and as a result of which the Scheme which benefits all the stakeholders, including the public at large and various public sector banks, may fall through; If the Scheme falls through, it is inevitable that FRL will go into liquidation," it said.

Besides "approximately Rs 28,000 crore of public money in the form of bank loans and debentures issued by FRL and its group companies is also be at risk," the Future group added in its appeal. The company also claimed that the magnitude of the damage that the event might cause was unimaginable and informed the court that the firm has more than 35,575 employees depending on it. "The solvency of over 8,050 SMEs (excluding SMEs of Future Enterprises Limited) and their employees is at stake, the petition informed.

SC upholds halting of Future Group-Reliance deal

Earlier on August 6, the Supreme Court ruled that the Emergency Award stalling the Future Retail Ltd's merger deal with Reliance Retail is enforceable in Indian law. A bench comprising Justices RF Nariman and BR Gavai delivered its verdict on the e-commerce giant's plea challenging the Delhi High Court division bench's order dated March 22. This order had stayed a single-judge order which upheld Singapore's Emergency Arbitrator Award halting the Rs.24,731 crore FRL-Reliance Retail deal.

In August 2020, the Future Group reached an agreement to sell its retail, wholesale, logistics, and warehousing units to Reliance. Thereafter, Amazon took FRL into Emergency Arbitration before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) for the alleged breach of contract between them. The SIAC passed an interim order in favour of the US-based company on October 25, 2020, barring FRL from taking any steps to dispose of its assets or securing funding from any restricted party. This was followed by Amazon urging the SEBI, Competition Commission of India and stock exchanges to take into consideration this interim decision.

Subsequently, Amazon moved the Delhi HC seeking the enforcement of this order and sought the detention of the Biyanis, the directors of FRL and Future Coupons Private Ltd in prison. Moreover, it sought attachment of their properties for their "willful disobedience" of the Emergency Arbitration Award. While Justice JR Midha of the Delhi HC directed FRL to maintain the status quo on its deal with Reliance Retail in an interim order passed on February 2, the division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh stayed it on February 8 and allowed FRL to seek clearances from the regulatory authorities.

(IMAGE: PTI/ SHUTTERSTOCK)
A special NIA court here has sentenced a Bangladeshi national to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 15,000 for smuggling fake Indian currency notes (FICN) into this country, an official said.

Rahim Sk of Bangladesh's Chapainawabganj was convicted by the court under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Foreigners Act on Friday, the official said.

He was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 15,000.

The case was registered in Murshidabad in August 2018 following the seizure of fake notes of face value of around Rs 8 lakh from Rahim Sk and Mijan Sk -- both native of Bangladesh's Chapainawabganj.

During the NIA investigation, it was revealed that the two accused had hatched a conspiracy to procure and circulate fake currency notes for unlawful gains, the NIA official said.

They had illegally entered India and got involved in the circulation of FICN. They were in close contact with their Bangladeshi associates and were procuring FICN from them for circulation through their contacts in Jharkhand, the official said.

Mizan was convicted by the NIA special court in Kolkata in February last year.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Nargis (45, name changed) from Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh was living separately from her husband after several years of marriage, along with her two daughters and a son.

Financially weak, the woman came across an opportunity to work as a domestic help in Oman that would help her earn Rs 25,000 per month.

In February, with the help of a travel agent based in Kanpur, she reached the Gulf country, only to realise that she had fallen into the trap of a human-trafficking nexus.

"As soon as I reached Oman, my phone was taken away and I was subjected to physical and mental torture. Ayesha, a Sri Lankan woman, was handling me. I begged her to let me return to India, but she demanded Rs 4 lakh for my release," Nargis told PTI over the phone.

Her daughter Sophia (name changed) said, "Ammi somehow informed us about her ordeal over the phone, after which I reported the matter to the Kanpur police, along with details of the travel agent." On August 15, as the country marked its 75th Independence Day, Nargis returned home, along with two more women, courtesy the Kanpur police and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

During investigation, the police found a larger human-trafficking nexus spread across several countries and targeting women aged between 24 and 50 years on the pretext of getting them employed as domestic helps for a good salary in Gulf countries such as Oman, Qatar, Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, officials said.

The victims are not only from Uttar Pradesh, but also from other parts of India like Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, while the nexus has also trapped women from neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan as well as from some African nations, they claimed.

Kanpur's Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Salman Taj Patil said the lid blew off the human-trafficking racket when they started investigating a complaint in April from a city resident, who alleged that his wife was "trapped" in Oman, only to uncover the larger international nexus.

"When we extended the scope of the investigation, the officers soon understood that the matter was related to human trafficking. Police Commissioner Asim Arun engaged Kanpur's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit to go deeper in the case, while central agencies like the MEA were also alerted and their help was sought in rescuing the victims."

"In the last four months, 12 such women -- six from Kanpur, two each from Punjab and Chennai and one each from Goa and Karnataka -- were brought back to the country safely with the MEA's help," the officer told PTI.

He said the police investigation has revealed that Ayesha, the Sri Lankan-origin woman in Oman, handles the entire network abroad while her key India stooges, who are based in Bengaluru, have connections with "travel agents" in states who trap women and send them to foreign countries on a "tourist visa".

During the probe, two Kanpur residents -- Muzammil and Ateequr Rahman -- who worked as travel agents and had sent some women to Gulf countries were arrested, according to police officials.

The two led the police to the all-India network operated by Bengaluru-based Amin, who too was arrested, they added.

"The gang sent about 18 women from Kanpur and adjoining cities to Gulf countries in the last two years. Most of these women are in the age group of 24 to 40 years and three are in the age group of 40 to 50 years. These women were sent to Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman," one of the officials said.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's evacuation efforts in Kabul, senior Congress Leader Kapil Sibal said that not only Indians should be flown back, but also those who have been persecuted, asserting that it is our 'constitutional duty'.

Speaking to ANI, Sibal said, "Anybody, who is persecuted whether they are Hindu, Afghani, Sikh or anybody else, it is our constitutional duty to help and protect them. I welcome what PM Modi has said. But at the same time, it should not be restricted to the people of a certain religion."

He said that India's rescue operations should not be only restricted to its nationals. "The Taliban does not target people on the basis of their religion," Sibal stated. He said that India should take cues from other nations like USA, Germany and Canada who are rescuing persecuted Afghans.

His remarks come after PM Modi on Saturday said that India is evacuating its citizens from Afghanistan despite many challenges, stressing that if any countrymen are in trouble anywhere in the world, the nation stands up to help them.

"If Indians are in trouble anywhere in the world, then India stands up to help them with all its might. Be it the Corona period or the crisis of Afghanistan, the world has experienced it continuously. Hundreds of friends from Afghanistan are being brought to India under Operation Devi Shakti," PM Modi said.

"There are many challenges. The circumstances are difficult but Guru Kripa (grace of Gurus) is with us", PM Said, adding that the government could bring "swaroop" of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan.

Taliban takes over Afghanistan

Earlier this month, the Taliban took control over Afghanistan's capital city Kabul after the US' decision to withdraw troops from the war-torn country. Following this development, foreign countries have started evacuating their diplomats, citizens and vulnerable Afghans from the country.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday informed that the majority of Indians have been evacuated from Afghanistan. "We are monitoring the situation very carefully. It is an evolving situation," Arindam Bagchi said. Till now, India has evacuated hundreds of people from the war-ravaged country since the Taliban's takeover.

With inputs from ANI

Image: PTI/AP
Top seed Novak Djokovic practised with 2012 champion Andy Murray on Saturday as the pair warmed up ahead of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.

Djokovic is bidding for an historic 21st major men's title at a US Open missing some of the sport's big stars.

Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are all injured - the first major without the three of them in a singles draw since 1997.

Victory for Djokovic in New York would not only give him a men's record 21st major title, but would also make him the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

The Serbian begins his US Open campaign against qualifier Holger Rune - whilst Murray plays Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Ahead of his first round match Murray has voiced his concerns about the low uptake of Covid-19 vaccine among tour pros.

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It's common seeing people enjoy pizzas on Earth. But, a video shared on Instagram showing astronauts relishing pizzas has amazed the people on the internet. The one-minute video shared by the astronaut, Thomas Pesquet, shows a group of six astronauts enjoying the delicious fast food at the International Space Station (ISS). Though, this was not the surprising part of the video. The people were stunned when the astronauts were seen assembling the ingredients of pizza while it was floating in the air. Pesquet, in the description, said the 'floating pizza party' revives his memory of enjoying the fast food on Saturday night on the Earth.

Have a look at the floating pizza night video:

Netizens were amazed to watch floating pizza night

Meanwhile, the video which was shared 18 hours ago with the caption: "Floating pizza night with friends, it almost feels like a Saturday on Earth. They say a good chef never reveals their secrets, but I made a video so you can be the judge. Everything but pineapple, that would be a serious offence in Italy," is now viral on photo-sharing applications. Since being shared, it has garnered over five lakh views and thousands of comments. "Why the pizza flows but the toppings stays still on top of the pizza? Mysterious," said an Instagram user named Pawsomness. "Space Pizza So awesome. Definitely, more of a challenge to make pizza in space. Very cool to watch the process," read the comment of another user. "I also want this kind of pizza party in Iss," commented another user.

Earlier this month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft weighing more than 8,200 pounds of science investigation equipment and cargo. According to the statement released by the civilian space program, the shipment includes fresh apples, tomatoes and kiwi, along with a pizza kit and cheese smorgasbord for the seven-station astronauts. The cargo ship had reached the International Space Station on August 12. Have a look at the video:

5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. liftoff!@NorthropGrumman's Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft launched at 6:01pm ET (22:01 UT) from @NASA_Wallops in Virginia, on a resupply mission to the International Space Station: pic.twitter.com/UGxMk7bnYk  NASA (@NASA) August 10, 2021

Why do objects float in space?

Meanwhile, the space agency has explained the reason behind the hanging objects in the space. NASA cited free fall behind the floating objects in space. In a vacuum, gravity causes all objects to fall at the same rate. "The mass of the object does not matter. If a person drops a hammer and a feather, air will make the feather fall more slowly. But if there were no air, they would fall at the same acceleration. Some amusement parks have free-fall rides, in which a cabin is dropped along with a tall tower. If a person let go of an object at the beginning of the fall, the person and the object would fall at the same acceleration," read the explanation cited by the space agency. "Because of that, the object would appear to float in front of the person. That is what happens in a spacecraft. The spacecraft, its crew and any objects aboard are all falling toward but around Earth. Since they are all falling together, the crew and objects appear to float when compared with the spacecraft."

(Image Credit: Thomas Pesquet Instagram)
NASA, in an editorial published on Friday, discussed the concept of space pens and the myths around them. The American space agency started off by making references to the pens appearance in movies and series denoting the interest around it. NASA also said that the claims of the agency spending a large sum for the pen, while cosmonauts simply used a pencil, was merely a myth.

Is the Space Pen a real thing?

The space agency cleared the air and said that the pens are real and are used by astronauts to actually write while on the International Space Station. The Space Pen looks like a regular pen but is special as it is a type of pressurized pen that can function in the space stations microgravity environment. NASA said that the Fisher Space Pen manufactured by Fisher Pen Company was a reliable and safe product.

The pens are known in part for their reliability, but they also came to symbolize American ingenuity: an inventor and small business owner stepped up and solved the pen problem while NASA focused on safely landing American astronauts on the Moon, NASA said.

How do astronauts take notes in the space?

Explaining that the Space Pen didnt cost taxpayers millions of dollars, NASA said that there was a reason astronauts stopped using pencils to take notes. The space agency explained that the ISS is full of sensitive equipment and can potentially end up damaged by small bits of debris floating around in zero gravity. Pencils need to be sharpened and a broken tip could result in small bits of graphite roaming free in the space station. This could be a problem for the sensitive electronics on the ISS, and also to the astronauts.

NASA pointed out that the cosmonauts have been using the Space Pens for decades and have no plans to change anytime soon. The space agency said that the product plays a vital role and has a rigorously tested technology. The Space Pen has been used for every crewed NASA space mission since Apollo 7, dozens are currently aboard the International Space Station. Them, the space agency said.

(IMAGE: NASA)
Libya's Interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibeh hit back at the no-confidence threat in the Parliament and said that the parliaments failure to vote on a state budget was delaying his administrations work. This has led to a significant rift that is gradually increasing the fear which is further threatening the peace process to end the years of conflict.

More about the Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibeh

Dbeibeh, who joined the office in March, has said that the arguments which the eastern parliament has given to reject his repeated budget proposals were impractical and fragile and accused the parliament of delaying scheduled elections in December. The disagreement in the budget proposal has surfaced as a key source of tension between competing political groupings, which has further jeopardised a United Nation based support on the peace process that had been viewed as the best hope at harmony in ages.

While, Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh who was appointed in 2014, has requested Dbeibah last week to attend the parliament. He will be interrogated about his productivity in the government or will confront a no-confidence vote.

Several Libyans feel that the procedure which was very close in achieving the production of a unified administration for the very first time in many years is now regressing, which is due to the growth of political stalemate. The political reunion might be damaged because of the inability to conduct the election or to contest the result. This may further reignite a battle that will ravage large parts of Libya's cities, drew in major international forces and left foreign troops anchored on the front boundaries.

On Friday, Libyas Dbeibah stated that the election issue is not a practical matter, but an essential legislative one. He further said that his government has provided a serious program to assist and execute the election system.

Early instances in Libya

During the time, when NATO supported the revolt which overthrew and executed the longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been afflicted by corruption and instability since then. In the meantime, the nation has been divided between an UN-accepted administration in Tripoli's capital and competing officials on the east side of the country.

While in the last October, a truce deal was achieved, leading to a settlement on the December poll and the formation of an interim government chaired by Dbeibah to oversee the elections.

(Image Credit: AP)
The authorities of Australia said that they will extend the Melbourne lockdown, the nation's second-largest city, while they are battling with the coronavirus spread caused by the extremely contagious Delta strain. The statement was made on Sunday when the number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria state increased by 92 within the night.

Melbourne lockdown extended

Since the outbreak began, Melbourne had already imposed five lockdowns and the sixth one was supposed to end on Thursday. On Sunday, however, Victoria Premier Dan Andrews stated that this might no longer be feasible. Andrews said that there still are too many instances in the community and it would not be possible to open up and return to those liberties that the citizens value and dearly want back.

As per the health records, there are also 778 current cases in Victoria. Melbourne lockdown is now in its fourth week, and it comprises a curfew, playground closures, and tight exercise restrictions. Further, Andrews did not specify the fact that how much longer the stay-at-home restrictions would be in effect. He also added that the authorities would consider all of the possibilities other than Melbourne lockdown.

On the other hand, New South Wales, which contains Sydney, the most populated city in Australia, reported about 1,218 record cases on Sunday, bringing the country's entire daily caseload to a record peak.

As when the Delta strain breakout started in mid-June, almost 19,000 instances have been recorded in the state of approximately eight million citizens population. The citizens who have been under the long-term restrictions have been assured some small liberties in New South Wales, where vaccination rates are currently rising and officials anticipate that 70% of people will be completely vaccinated by October.

From mid-September, at least five completely vaccinated individuals will be able to assemble outside for approximately an hour in non-hotspot Covid regions, and officials have indicated that small weddings gatherings may soon be permitted.

Policymakers in Australia have decided on a national strategy to reopen the nation after vaccination objectives of 70% and 80% have been met in each state and region. Approximately 33.7 percent of persons over the age of 16 are completely inoculated at this time. However, with current vaccination rates, 80 percent of the population may be immunised by mid-November.

In a population of 25 million people, Australia has seen more than 51,000 instances of COVID-19 and approximately 1,000 fatalities since the epidemic began.

(Image Credit: AP)
New South Wales has recorded six new deaths and a further 1,218 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian announced on Sunday. That is the highest number of daily new cases ever recorded in Australia since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Talking to reporters in Sydney, Berejiklian also pointed out that 35% of the state's population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with 834,000 people receiving a vaccination this week. Berejiklian also said the state was now "halfway to that magic 70% number (of vaccinations) across the state in order to have those extra freedoms."

Meanwhile, the state of Victoria recorded 92 new cases of community-acquired cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours which is the highest daily number of cases recorded in the state this year. Talking to reporters in Melbourne on Sunday, Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews announced that "with almost 100 cases today, where many of them remain mysteries, many of them were out in the community during their infectious period, it is not going to be possible for us to be able to open up our Victorian community" meaning the lockdown will be extended beyond next Thursday which was when the current lockdown was supposed to end.

There were almost 51,000 tests conducted on Saturday in Victoria and 31,436 vaccines administered. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) recorded 13 locally acquired new cases of COVID-19 taking the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the ACT to 250.

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At least 539 migrants which were approaching the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, were rescued by the Italian Coastguard on August 28, Saturday. The port where the coastguard rescued the migrants is considered as one of the main arrival ports for the migrants aspiring to reach Europe. According to a doctor who runs the Doctors Without Borders operation on Lampedusa, is not sure of the exact date when the boat was launched but said that the migrants had spent months in Libya expecting passage in traffickers vessels in hopes of entering Europe. Alida Serrachieri, the doctor who looked at the medical reports of the migrants said the passengers included three women and several unaccompanied minors. Serrachieri noted 20 of the migrants were critically injured and have marks of scars and assault.

They had burn wounds, firearms wounds, Serrachieri told the Associated Press. "(They) were very worn down, some were dehydrated."

People rescued in Europe narrate the horrific journey they had

While explaining their modus operandi to ferry the migrants, Ali Karkenni, one of the smugglers, said his routes are "tough for the coastguard to navigate" as they are too shallow for their motors. "Now the coast guard is improving and they are using helicopters but they can't do anything to us," he told British broadcaster Sky News. Recalling the moment he got caught 18 miles off the coast with 21 migrants, Karkenni described the situation as one of his 'hardest times'. "I poured fuel on their boat and my boat and I took a lighter and threatened them, so they were worried about what I could do, so they let me go," he added.

Migrant crisis in Europe kills over thousand in 2021

According to the reports, more than one thousand people lost their lives while crossing the sea route this year, while several remain uncounted. Describing one of the toughest sea-route journeys for the migrants, Sangare, an Ivoirian migrant, said they didn't have food and water for nearly two days. Despite, not having a meal, they had to ask for help from some fishermen after the motor broke down midway. Earlier in the last week of July, at least 57 people were dead after a country-made boat capsized off Libyas coast. According to the reports, all those who died were migrants who sought a better life in Europe. While explaining the disaster, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration Safa Msehli said that the vessel had left the western coastal town of Al-Khums on Sunday. She informed that there were at least 75 migrants on board, including women and children. It is worth noting that the incident of July 27 was the second ocean disaster in less than a week. Earlier on July 21, Wednesday, at least 20 migrants died after the boat carrying migrants overturned midway.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image Credit: ANI)
Italy's final evacuation flight of refugees from Afghanistan landed at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport on Saturday.

The Italian Air Force C-130J with 58 Afghan citizens aboard arrived on Saturday morning some 17 hours after it departed from Kabul airport and after a programmed stopover.

Also aboard were Italy's consul and a NATO diplomat who had coordinated evacuations at the Kabul airport.

Italys remaining soldiers left on a separate flight from Kabul on Friday night.

That air force flight went to Kuwait and the troops are due back in Italy early next week.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said that the 4,890 Afghans evacuated by Italy's air force thanks to 87 flights was the highest number of any European Union nation.

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French president Emmanuel Macron met with the speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Mohamed al-Halbousi, in Baghdad on Saturday evening.

Macron is in Iraq to attend the Baghdad Conference for Peace and Partnership which France co-organised with Iraq.

The French leader described Saturdays summit meeting as historic, showcasing Iraqs return to stability following the ruinous war against the Islamic State group, which was defeated in 2017.

After decades of conflict, Iraq is seeking to reclaim a leadership role and status in the Arab world with a centrist policy and a determination among the countrys top leaders to maintain good relations with both Iran and the United States and its regional allies.

The Shiite-majority country lies on the fault line between Shiite Iran and the mostly Sunni Arab world, led by powerhouse Saudi Arabia, and has long been a theater in which Saudi-Iran rivalry for regional supremacy played out.

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Norwegian nationals who have recovered from coronavirus wont have to undergo any quarantine requirement for 12 months, the country's authorities said, adding that the validation of COVID recovery certificate has been extended. On Sunday, Norways Minister of Health asserted that the decision was based on reports of post-recovery immunity. It is worth mentioning that barring Norway, all other European Union states are issuing certificates only to those who have recovered within a period of 180 days or six months.

"We now have good knowledge that indicates that people who have had the COVID-19 disease are well protected for at least 12 months. Therefore, we extend the exception from the quarantine of infection for this group," Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Hie was quoted as saying by Schengen Visa Info.

After witnessing start-stop restrictions for months, the Scandinavian country started issuing COVID certificates to facilitate domestic and international travel in June. Apart from Norway, the certificates are issued in all EU countries and will be available in digital format by September 9. Meanwhile, Norway has reported three COVID-related deaths during the last 24 hours and 3,296 positive cases, according to the World Health Organisation.

EU, UK digital COVID certificates recognised by IATA

In a recent development, travellers who have an EU DCC or a UK NHS COVID Pass can access accurate COVID-19 travel information, generate electronic passports, and import immunisation certificates all in one site. Airlines and border control officials can now say if a certificate presented by a tourist is authentic. This is according to IATA.

Nick Careen, IATAs Senior Vice President for Operations Safety and Security, noted,

"COVID-19 vaccination certificates are becoming a widespread requirement for international travel. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward, providing convenience for travellers, authenticity for governments and efficiency for airlines. "Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation, avoid unnecessary airport queues and ensure a smooth passenger experience. IATA welcomes the work done by the EU Commission in developing, in record time, the EU DCC system and thereby standardizing digital vaccine certificates across Europe."

Image: AP
King Felipe VI of Spain and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday visited temporary units at Torrejon de Ardoz Air Force base which had been designated for housing and care for Afghan refugees.

During the visit the King met with military and administration personnel who are in charge of the operations.

The Spanish monarch and PM thanked and congratulated military personnel who participated in evacuating people from Kabul.

Spain finished its dramatic evacuation from the troubled country with the last two military aircraft arriving at Torrejon on Friday afternoon.

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Around 30 soldiers have been killed and 65 injured in a missile and explosives-laden drone attack on a key military base in Yemen on Sunday, a Yemeni military spokesperson told to The Associated Press (AP). Mohamed al-Naqeeb, the spokesman for the Yemeni southern forces, said that at least three explosions took place in the Al-Anad Air Base in the southern province of Lahj, which is held by the internationally recognised government. However, no one immediately claimed responsibility, whereas the officials blamed the Houthi rebels for the attack on the base. Dozens of troops were doing morning exercises when a ballistic missile landed in the base's training area, the officials told to The AP on condition of anonymity.

The Houthis previously launched similar attacks in 2019

The medical teams described a chaotic scene at the base following the explosions, with soldiers carrying their injured colleagues to safety fearing another attack. Meanwhile, residents nearby claimed that several laud blasts were heard in the area, The AP reported. The Houthis have previously launched similar attacks including one by a bomb-laden drone on the Al-Anad in January 2019, killing six troops. However, the military spokesman for the Houthis neither denied nor confirmed the attack, which carries the hallmarks of the Iranian-backed rebels. Earlier, on Friday, August 27, Yemen's government had announced that 20 Houthis were killed in airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led coalition in the country's northeastern province of al-Jawf, according to ANI.

Yemen embroiled in civil war since 2014

Yemen has been mired in civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north along with capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government, reported The AP. The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to support President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi's government. It should be mentioned here that Sunday's attack came amid peace talks between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, backed by the United Nations and the United States, which have been hindered after both sides failed to reach a suitable deal, The AP reported.

(With Inputs from AP)

(Image Credits: ANI/PTI/Representative)
The Israel Defense Forces launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip early Sunday after Hamas-backed activists held night-time protests along the Israeli border. Hundreds of activists on Saturday launched what they said was the first in a series of nighttime protests, throwing explosives toward Israeli forces who responded with live fire.

Palestinian media reported five people were wounded by Israeli fire. Footage released by the Israeli Defence Force showed what appeared to be airstrikes on what the IDF called a "military compound". Organizers said the gatherings, which are to continue throughout the week, were meant to step up pressure on Israel to ease a crippling economic blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Israel and Egypt have maintained the blockade since Hamas, a group sworn to Israels destruction, seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after it won Palestinian elections. Gaza health officials said earlier Saturday that a 12-year-old Palestinian boy who was shot in the head by Israeli fire during a violent demonstration at the Gaza-Israeli border last week has died of his wounds.

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Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) struck Hamas militant targets in the besieged Gaza Strip hours after violent clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and zionist law enforcers. In the wee hours of Sunday, the IDF conducted aerial strikes on Hamas military compound and one of the tunnel entrances used by the terror outfit. Further, in an online statement, the IDF also assured Israel residents that they will continue to defend them against Hamas violent tactics.

Israels airstrikes came in retaliation to Hamas launching incendiary balloons in Southern Israel, a common tactic used by the group to create panic. Additionally, days of protests at the separation barrier has also left the Neftali Benett administration ired. On Saturday, Hamas backed activists staged demonstrations asking the zionist regime to lift the gruelling blockade of the strip. The protests turned bloody after acticists hurled stones on the Israeli soldiers who then responded with live fire. Later, Gaza health officials said three people were injured by Israeli fire, according to a report by US news.

In response to Hamas terrorists launching arson balloons into Israel & violent riots at the security fence, we just struck:

 Hamas military compound

 Hamas terrorist tunnel entrance



Hamas employs these tactics for 1 reasonto terrorize Israeli civilians. We will defend them.  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 28, 2021

Second strike in a week

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out airstrikes along the Gaza Strip in response to the launching of incendiary balloons from the coastal enclave that set off at least nine fires alongside Israeli border communities earlier in the day. Amongst the target hit by the zionist army were a Hamas weapon factory in Khan Younis, the entrance to a terror tunnel in Jabaliya, and an underground rocket launcher in the Shejaiya neighbourhood.

Israel, Egypt partially lift blockade

Earlier this week, Egyptian authorities on Thursday partially reopened the Rafah border crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip, allowing one-way traffic in the Hamas controlled region. Earlier on Monday, 23 August 2021, Cairo had closed what is deemed as Gazas only gateway to the outside world which is not controlled by Israel. Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Egypt and Israel imposed a blockade on the land, cutting its contact with the rest of the continent.

Meanwhile, in a good sign, Israeli PM Neftalli Benett announced that his administration would allow the passage of goods in and out of the Gaza Strip. Later, Israels Defense Ministry added that it will allow imports of new vehicles, goods and equipment for civilian projects in the Gaza Strip, and issue more permits for Gazan businessmen to enter Israel starting Thursday.

File Image: AP
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Irbil early on Sunday morning and was greeted by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. Macron is in Iraq to attend the Baghdad Conference for Peace and Partnership which France co-organised with Iraq. Conference invitees included Iran and Saudi Arabia, whose actions have often influenced other countries including Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

The French leader described Saturdays summit meeting as historic, showcasing Iraqs return to stability following the ruinous war against the Islamic State group, which was defeated in 2017.

After decades of conflict, Iraq is seeking to reclaim a leadership role and status in the Arab world with a centrist policy and a determination among the countrys top leaders to maintain good relations with both Iran and the United States and its regional allies.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) informed that the country will begin granting visas to all travellers who have been properly vaccinated against COVID from August 30 onwards. The announcement comes a month before Dubai hosts the postponed Expo 2020 trade show. Tourists will now have to be inoculated with one dose of the vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization, according to UAE's travel rules. Passengers must also use the government's health app to submit their immunisation status.

More about visas for vaccinated tourists in UAE

As per UAE's travel rules, the individuals should be fully vaccinated from the World Health Organization-approved COVID vaccines such as AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.

According to the official WAM news agency, UAE's decision to re-open its gates for travellers from all countries is because the country wants to achieve sustained restoration and growth in the economy. WAM further said that the decision was applicable to every individual from all nations, including those who arrive from formerly prohibited countries due to the surge in COVID cases.

Visitors who want to take advantage of the privileges available to those who have been vaccinated in the UAE, such as accessing malls and public places in Abu Dhabi, can do so the same by registering their vaccination through the ICA platform or the Al Hosn application. According to the new UAE travel instructions, all regulations for travellers who have been unvaccinated, which even includes exempted groups, remain in effect.

Previously, the visitors with passports from various SAARC nations, including India, were permitted to enter the Arab country on a tourist visa earlier this month. Passport holders from the countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Nigeria were given the waiver, according to Gulf News, which cited the flydubai website.

It's worth noting that all visitors are obliged to take RT-PCR testing on landing and again on the ninth day after reaching the UAE.

Now, the country's daily number of positive instances continues to decline, having dropped below 1,000 over the last week. After Malta, the immunisation percentage was approaching 92%, the second-highest in the world.

Etihad Help tweeted that The UAE officials have opted to temporarily halt the Visa-on-Arrival program for travellers who are arriving from or departing from India during the last 14 days. Further, it was written that Etihad is working on updating its website. They even urged to keep attention on https://bit.ly/TravelGuideEN for the most up-to-date rules.

The UAE authorities have decided to temporarily suspend the Visa-on-arrival facility for passengers who are arriving from or been in India in the past 14 days. We're working to update our website, please keep an eye on https://t.co/hWA7ZGfiaF for latest regulations. *Ari  Etihad Help (@EtihadHelp) August 23, 2021

(Image Credit: Unsplash)
Dhaka, Aug 28 (PTI) At least 22 people, including nine children, have died in a passenger boat accident in Bangladesh's Laiska Beel rivulet, according to a media report on Saturday.

On Friday evening, a boat carrying over 100 people collided with two sand-carrying vessels in the river near Brahmanbaria city, resulting in the passenger boat sinking.

Twenty-two bodies were recovered on Saturday, while 15 others were rescued and sent to hospital. Nearly 50 people swam to safety after accident, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

The deceased include 11 women, two men and nine children, The Daily Star reported.

The police have arrested five people in connection with the mishap.

The arrested are the owners and staffers of the sand-laden trawler.

The government has setup a three-member probe panel to investigate the incident and submit a report in 10 days, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Further, the government has announced compensation of 20,000 Bangladeshi taka to the families of the victims. PTI IND

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An evacuation flight from Afghanistan landed in the UK with an extra passenger on Saturday after cabin crew delivered a baby girl mid-air, Turkish media reported.

When the traditional cry of "Is there a doctor on the flight?" went unanswered, Turkish Airlines staff helped 26-year-old Soman Noori give birth at 30,000 feet, Demiroren News Agency said.

Soman, an Afghan national, and her husband, 30, had been evacuated from Kabul to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where they caught a flight to Birmingham.

Shortly after the plane took off on Friday night, Soman's labour pains started and crew members stepped in to deliver the couple's third child.

The flight landed in Kuwait as a precautionary measure and mother and baby were deemed healthy enough to carry on to the UK.

The baby girl was named Havva, which translates as Eve in English.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Afghan children have paid the heaviest price in recent weeks of increased conflict and insecurity, said a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) senior official, adding that the world "cannot abandon them now". George Laryea-Adjei, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia, said: "Now, with a security crisis, skyrocketing food prices, a severe drought, the spread of COVID-19, and another harsh winter just around the corner, children are at greater risk than ever."

The children have been deprived of basic healthcare that can protect them against polio, tetanus, and other diseases. With the conflict in the country intensifying, many have been forced from their homes and cut off from their schools and friends, UN News reported. The UNICEF has predicted that if the current trend continues, one million under-fives in Afghanistan will face severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition.

Laryea-Adjei said more than four million children, including 2.2 million girls, are out of school.

Around 300,000 youngsters have been forced to flee their homes, some of whom were in bed sleeping, "and too many of them have witnessed scenes that no child should ever see", he said. "Children and adolescents are struggling with anxieties and fears, in desperate need of mental health support," he added.

With some humanitarian partners considering cutting aid to Afghanistan, Laryea-Adjei voiced concern over having enough resources to keep health centers up and running, schools open, and services available to treat severely malnourished children. The UNICEF, which has been in Afghanistan for more than six decades, continues to maintain a field presence across the country and is engaging with interlocutors to scale up the response.

The agency is currently supporting mobile health and nutrition teams at camps for displaced people, and setting up child-friendly spaces, nutrition hubs, and vaccination sites, while also prepositioning additional lifesaving supplies and supporting thousands of students in community-based education classes.
As chaos continues to engulf Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, scores of people protested against Pakistan in front of the Greek Parliament on August 29. According to ANI, the people assembled in front of the Greek parliament and later marched to the US Embassy. The demonstrators accused Pakistan for the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Protests against Pakistan outside the Greek Parliament

The protesters were raising slogans against Pakistan saying, "Who killed Afghanistan- Pakistan Pakistan", "Pakistan supports terrorists" and "Stop killing Afghans". Pakistan has been repeatedly accused of providing shelter and logistical support to the Taliban on its soil. Pakistan has also been accused of bolstering "proxy wars" in the war-torn country. People assembled for the rally in front of the Greek parliament and then proceeded to march towards the US Embassy.

Last week, hundreds of people including Afghans held a protest march in Thessaloniki city of Greece against the Taliban and Pakistan. According to ANI, approximately 600 Afghans, Baloch and Kurds participated in the rally while holding black. Red, and green flags. The demonstrators also held posters with their demands such as "pray for Afghanistan" and also raised slogans against Pakistan. Pakistan has been repeatedly accused of sheltering the Taliban since the insurgents started making taking control over the war-ravaged country.

Several rallies and protests have been taking place across the globe since August 15 when the Taliban reconquered Afghanistan. Afghan nationals and their allies have protested in countries around the world, in solidarity with Afghans. Earlier on Saturday, protest against the Taliban were held across the globe in more than 30 cities, including Washington, London and Berlin. The demonstrators have called for support of Afghans as the evacuation process nears the August 31 deadline.

Massive numbers of Afghan demonstrators in the United Kingdom took to the streets to stage a protest against the self-imposed regime in Afghanistan. Following the Taliban's takeover, approximately 1000 people including Afghan nationals living in the United States gathered outside the White House on Saturday, August 28, ANI reported citing NHK World. The protesters urged the US government to help Afghans in fleeing the war-torn country.

(With inputs from ANI)
Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan is set to visit the middle eastern Kingdom of Bahrain, marking his maiden visit to the country. In a statement, MEA said that the three day trip is scheduled between August 30 and September 1 and will witness Muraleedharan holding discussions with Bahraini Ministers and dignitaries. Additionally, he will also meet a wide cross section of non-resident Indians including people from the health and business sector.

However, the press release did not specify if the leaders will deliberate upon the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan or not. Just recently, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar spoke to his American counterpart Antony Bliken discussing efforts to coordinate efforts on the Afghan crisis. Meanwhile, the Bahraini monarch has allowed his countrys transit facilities to be used by countries for their airlift operations.

India Bahrain relations

In recent years, both India and Bahrain have ramped up co-ordination in multiple fields including the Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, leaders of both the allied countries have witnessed frequent visits by leaders from the other country. In November last year, Jaishankar had visited the island which was followed by Bahrains Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani visit to India in April 2021.

"The Indian community numbers about 350,000 in the Kingdom of Bahrain and enjoys great goodwill of Bahraini leadership. India-Bahrain bilateral trade is around USD 1 billion and has shown an increasing trend. Both countries are celebrating the golden jubilee of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 2021," EAM said in a press release.

Earlier this week, Muraleedharan on Wednesday met Ambassador of Egypt to India Dr Heba Elmarassi at his office on her farewell call-on. The two officials discussed important aspects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. During their meeting, Muraleedharan conveyed his best wishes to Elmarassi for her future endeavours. According to the MEA, at present, the Indian community in Egypt numbers at around 3600, most of whom are concentrated in Cairo. There are also a small number of families in Alexandria, Port Said and Ismailia. A majority of the Indians are either employed with Indian companies or are professionals with various multinationals.

Image: MOS/MEA
While the Pakistan government has repeatedly dismissed that it provides any military or financial support to the Taliban, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mahmoud Saikal, citing former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf, has stated that Pakistan established the terror group in the war-torn country to counter India.

In a tweet, Saikal said that according to Musharraf, Pakistan gave birth to the Taliban to counter Indian action against it. He also slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, stating that his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) believes the Taliban have broken the shackles of slavery.

Mahmoud Saikal, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan and Ambassador to the UN and Australia, on Saturday tweeted, "According to @P_Musharraf, Pakistan gave birth to the Taliban to counter Indian action against it. @ImranKhanPTI believes the Taliban have broken the shackles of slavery. @SMQureshiPTI & @YusufMoeed are currently busy lobbying the world to engage with the Taliban."

'Pakistan gave birth to Taliban'

Saikal also cited a report by Matt Waldman Carr Center for Human Rights Policy Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, titled "The Sun in the Sky: The Relationship Between Pakistan's ISI and Afghan Insurgents."

"Only a policy of pressure/sanction and condition-based rapprochement with Pakistan can bring real positive change in Afghanistan and maintain international peace and security," the former Afghan envoy said in a subsequent tweet.

A new UN report, according to Saikal, establishes the symbiotic linkages between ISIL-K, the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. According to the UN's latest Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team report, a large portion of Al-leadership Qaeda's resides in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, alongside Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. In many places of Afghanistan, there are large numbers of Al-Qaeda fighters and other foreign extremist groups affiliated with the Taliban.

ISIS-K & Taliban

It is pertinent to mention that ISIS, which took the responsibility for the Kabul airport bombings, majorly recruits from Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which are all sheltered by Pakistan. However, Pakistan has time and again tried to wash its hands off culpability for the terrorist groups while allowing them to operate freely from its soil.



Meanwhile, reports suggest that leaders of Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad held a meeting with Taliban leaders in Kandahar in the third week of August, seeking their support for 'India-centric operations'. Indian security and intelligence agencies, after learning of the meeting between JeM-Taliban, have been put on high alert, as the movement of the terrorists across the border areas is being anticipated.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Picture Credit: AP)
In Afghanistan, history seems to have repeated itself in many ways. The Taliban, which had found itself vanquished in the 2001 invasion by the United States-led NATO forces, has re-taken the capital city Kabul, just as they had in 1996.

Similarly, many of those who battled the Taliban oppression a whole generation ago as the famed Northern Alliance, are once again taking up positions against their old foe. In fact, if one were to take a look at the leadership of the second resistance, one would be forgiven for thinking that we are in somewhat of a time loop.

As the Taliban took control over Kabul on August 15 and the then President Ashraf Ghani fled the war-torn country, two men, Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud instead, escaped about 100km north-east of the Afghan capital, to a place called Panjshir, and it is they, who have constituted the 'National Resistance Front of Afghanistan' which is giving the Taliban and other assorted Pak stooges sleepless nights.

The first of these men is one who has remained relevant in Afghanistan's particular brand of 'dog-eats-dog' political-military equilibrium for decades. Despite being only 48 years old. Amrullah Saleh, the first vice president under Ashraf Ghani, allegedly survived two attempts on his life as he made his way to Panjshir. And upon reaching there, he proclaimed himself the caretaker President of the country by upholding a provision to that effect in the country's constitution.

Amrullah Saleh, a fighter in the old Northern Alliance, became Afghanistan's chief spymaster and Intelligence chief in the governments that came in under American supervision after the post-9/11 invasion. Known to be a hard taskmaster, Saleh's competence is beyond doubt, and his unwillingness to play political games is evident in the startling fact that he had informed Pakistan of Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts in Abbottabad, way back in 2006. Yet, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf hadn't acted then, but the Americans did five years later, by eliminating Bin Laden.

Saleh's disdain for Pakistan's meddling in the Taliban is evident amid the ongoing Afghan crisis. In fact, speaking to Republic Media Network about Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi jetting off to neighbouring countries to seek bridges with the Taliban, Saleh was the first to dub Imran Khan's stooge Qureshi as "Taliban's Foreign Minister".

But while Saleh brings credibility and political gravitas, the Panjshir resistance is going to need a very strong military leadership if it is to hold out against a Taliban, that is probably far better equipped than it used to be.

During the old Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan, which came to an end after the fall of the USSR, Panjshir had not only held out but had also given the Red Army a bloody nose on copious occasions. It was led by Ahmad Shah Massoud, a guerilla leader who came to be known as the 'Lion of Panjshir'.

Under his dynamic command, small groups of fighters holding a positional advantage took on and defied much larger armies for years. Massoud's name and image are still iconic in the region - that is Panjshir - that remained an anti-Taliban bastion in the Taliban's heyday and also remained unconquered after Massoud's death, which happened by assassination and treachery.

Two days before Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda carried out the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3000 people in the process, Al Qaeda terrorists disguised as Arab journalists had visited Ahmad Shah Massoud claiming they wanted to interview him. Along with their cameras, they also carried bombs and assassinated Massoud in a cowardly suicide bombing.

However, his 32-year-old son Ahmad Massoud is taking his legacy forward. The younger Massoud, who was educated in war studies and international relations in the UK, escaped the fall of Kabul on August 15 by helicopter. Reaching his old family stronghold of Panjshir, he unfurled his banners and issued a clarion call for all anti-Taliban fighters to rally to the Afghan cause once again.

However, while the young Massoud and the Resistance he leads with Amrullah Saleh have hammered the Taliban into a tense stalemate so far, the West is quick to write off their chances. The West claims that he is not experienced in war like his father was, and this, coupled with the Taliban getting a hold of sophisticated American weaponry from Joe Biden's botched withdrawal, means that the Resistance has its work cut out.

Massoud wrote a one-column in a prominent American newspaper, seeking support in terms of arms and ammunition, but the Biden administration is unlikely to answer, lest doing so anger the Taliban with which the Donald Trump's administration had struck up a hackneyed deal which Biden seems to be unwilling to scupper.

During Ahmad Shah Massoud's rule, the supply of weaponry used to come from Tajikistan, and assistance would also come in from India and Iran, while Pakistan and its intelligence ISI empowered the Taliban. The Northern Alliance then had fought for a more inclusive Afghanistan, where Tajiks and other minorities could live alongside the majority Pashtuns in a moderate Islamic republic, rather than the Taliban's hardline regressive, oppressive, male-dominated society. The new Northern Alliance's goals aren't clear as yet. Reports claim they'd settle for an inclusive government, and negotiations to this effect have also been cited.

However, the threat of a military conflict always remains. The Taliban is said to have besieged Panjshir, but reaching its doors is one thing and gaining entry is completely another. The Panjshir valley, which has numerous sub-valleys, spans about 100km from South-west to northeast. It is surrounded by the Hindukush mountains, which form walls on both sides that are about 3000m tall, leaving just one entry point, which the locals of Panjshir know how to defend.

In fact, while Ahmad Massoud was only 12 when his father was assassinated, Amrullah Saleh has fought under the Lion of Panjshir, whom some media outlets even refer to as the Afghan Napoleon. One particular factor analysts speculate could decide the fate of the Resistance is whether the average Afghan in the rest of the country identifies with its cause.

Abdullah Abdullah, the national chairperson for reconciliation who led the fruitless peace talks with the Taliban was also a part of the old Northern Alliance. He has now joined up with former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the duo are negotiating with the Taliban. If they forge a consensus, it may damage the Resistance's cause.

The American exit from Afghanistan has left a power vacuum in the country that will still take some time to fill. The Taliban is stretched and in disarray, perhaps not anticipating the speed of its own victory. Its leadership hasn't even reached Kabul, upholding the US withdrawal deadline as the reason, though it could be any number of other things. Will the Afghan resistance be able to mount a serious enough threat that it forces a change in the Taliban's outlook to administration? In Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires, stranger things have happened.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to pull back from plans of Ankara operating the Kabul airport and Taliban providing security. He also added that Ankara would be in a challenging position if another attack, such as the one that took place on Thursday, 26 August 2021, near the Hamid Karzai International Airport. The latest development came after Turkey expressed its long-standing plan not only to secure but also to run the airport in the Afghan capital.

But, as per reports, Erdogan appeared to drop the idea when it started the withdrawal of 500 non-combat troops on Wednesday from the war-torn country. Earlier on Friday, the Turkish President had also said that it held first talks with the Taliban in Kabul. He also said that Ankara was still assessing the offer by the extremist group to run the logistics at the Afghan capitals airport.

"What does the Taliban say with regard to the airport issue? They say 'give us the security but you operate it'," Erdogan said in comments published by the official Anadolu news agency and other media outlets. "How come we hand you over the security?

"Let's say you took over the security but how would we explain to the world if another bloodbath takes place there? It's not an easy job, he added.

Bombings near Kabul airport

Thursdays bombings near the international airport in Kabul have reportedly killed more than 160 civilians, 13 US troops and wounded several others, as stated by American and Afghan officials. August 26 also marked the deadliest day for the United States soldiers since August 2011. Officials have also noted on Friday that the actual toll of the incidents could be much higher.

One of the officials, who spoke to the media on the condition of anonymity, said that other people might have taken bodies away from the scene. The responsibility for the attack has been claimed by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (IS-K). In retaliation, on August 27, the US launched a drone strike on ISIS-K and claimed to have neutralised two high profile targets from the terrorist group.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said on August 28 that although ISIS-K members were killed and not one civilian was injured, the security situation in Afghanistan is still dangerous. Kirby said, The threat stream is still active, still dynamic. We're still laser-focused on that and force protection, and we aren't thinking for a minute that what happened yesterday gets us in the clear.

IMAGE: AP


More than 90 countries, including the US and its European allies, issued a joint statement on Sunday, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring the safe travel of their citizens and at-risk Afghan nationals outside Afghanistan. In the joint statement, the countries informed that they have been assured by the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen will be allowed to safely move out of the war-torn nation.

"We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us, and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan," the statement said. "We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries," it added.

Among the countries that signed the statement were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom. The statement was issued on the basis of public statements made by the Taliban "confirming this understanding".

"We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country," the statement said.

Taliban assures safe evacuation

This statement from over 90 countries comes a day after the Taliban's Political Office announced that Afghan citizens intending to move out of the country would be allowed to do so in a "dignified manner".

"Those Afghans who are intending to go abroad, they can do so in a dignified manner and peace of mind by having legal documents like passports and visas after the resumption of commercial flights in the country," said Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the deputy director of the Taliban's Political Office, on Saturday.

Those Afghans who are intending to go abroad, they can do so in a dignified manner and peace of mind by having legal documents like passports and visas after resumption of commercial flights in the country.

S.Abas Stanikzai

Deputy Director, Political Office.  Suhail Shaheen.    (@suhailshaheen1) August 28, 2021

Ever since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, millions of people, including native Afghans, have been desperately attempting to flee the reign of terror. Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 114,400 people and since the end of July, the US has relocated approximately 120,000 people.

(With inputs from agency)
Since the Taliban re-conquered Afghanistan on August 15, people across the globe have been protesting against the extremist group. In the United Kingdom, people began protesting against the Taliban on August 21. The protests have now entered the second week since Afghan nationals and various UK-based Afghan community groups organised the march against the Taliban.

Protests against Taliban in the UK

The demonstrators began the rally from Marble Arch and walked towards BBC Headquarters, 10 Downing Street and the US Embassy, ANI cited Geo News report. The protesters urged the international community to do more to restore peace in Afghanistan. The demonstrators also condemned regional and international powers for causing the ongoing crisis in the war-torn country, according to ANI. Protesters outside BBC's central office at Oxford Circus demanded that the broadcaster should "present the true picture of the Afghan nation."

The demonstrators called on BBC to "stop portraying the Taliban and their bloody rule in a positive light," according to ANI. On August 21, people took to the streets in support of Afghanistan in the United Kingdom. The protesters turned on national music and unfurled a huge flag of Afghanistan. The demonstrators carried posters calling for democracy and urged the international community to stop the Taliban. It is worth mentioning that several rallies and protests have been taking place across the globe since August 15, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

Afghan nationals and their allies have protested in countries around the world, in solidarity with Afghan citizens. The demonstrators have called for the support of Afghans as the evacuation process nears the August 31 deadline. It is worth noting that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on August 29, lauded the armed forces of the country after Britains last evacuation flight from Afghanistan landed on Sunday morning. The last remaining UK troops have now touched down in the home country after leaving the conflict-stricken country.

"It is at the darkest and the most difficult moments that the Armed Forces of this country have always performed their greatest and most astonishing feats," Johnson said in a video message shared on Twitter.

On the end of military operations in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/sOeXjeYtIr  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 29, 2021

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from ANI
COVID-19 cases in England are 26 times higher than they were at this period of time last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data of ONS shows that the weekly estimated COVID-19 infections jumped from 28,200 in late August 2020 to 7,56,900 for the same period this month. Meanwhile, scientists in the country warned that reopening of the schools in the country this week will see a further surge in cases, reported The Guardian. The Boris Johnson-led government had eased restrictions after more than 70% of adults were fully vaccinated. However, according to the Office for National Statistics data (ONS), last month, hospitalisations rose for the first time since March this year.

One in 70 people found infected with COVID-19 in August

The latest data is also mounting pressure on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to approve the deployment of booster jabs for vulnerable people. The ministries in the United Kingdom have also backed extending the vaccinations to most 12 to 15-year-olds in the country, reported The Guardian. The government is still waiting for the final advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the booster jabs. "In the week ending 20 August, the ONS estimated that 7,56,900 people in the United Kingdom were infected with Covid-19, which means one person in 70," Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at Reading University, told The Guardian.

UK is one of the most affected countries by Delta the variant

According to the health ministry's data, the UK is one of the worst-hit countries due to due to the Delta variant with over 6.7 million COVID-19 cases and over 1,32,600 fatalities since last year. The country has also relaxed quarantine rules for foreigners, however, authorities this week had added Thailand and Montenegro to the 'red list' requiring travellers who return from these countries to be under mandatory quarantine. However, a study published on Friday in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, stated that COVID-19 patients infected with the Delta variant had about double the risk of hospitalization compared to those infected with the Alpha variant.

(Image Credits: AP)
An Afghan evacuation flight from Kabul landed in the UK on Saturday with an extra passenger after the cabin crew delivered a baby girl mid-flight. Turkish Airlines workers assisted 26-year-old Soman Noori in giving delivery at 30,000 feet after she asked for a doctor on board.

Afghan mother gives birth on plane

They were evacuated from Kabul to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where they found a flight back to Birmingham. On Friday night, just after the plane had taken off, Soman's labour pains began, and the crew stepped in to assist with the delivery of the couple's third child.

To be on the safe side, the plane landed in Kuwait before continuing on to the UK. The baby girl was named Havva, which translates as Eve in English and air in Turkish and Hindi.

Two elder children, Taj Moh Hammat (30), and the father travelled together on the same plane. Havva is the third child born to the couple. Mother and daughter are in good health, according to the statement.

Afghanistan evacuation

Since the Taliban took control of the capital, a massive evacuation effort has been underway. On Friday, the United Kingdom reached the end of its evacuation process and no longer accepts passengers for planes out of Kabul. In the past two weeks, more than 13,000 individuals have been evacuated out of Afghanistan, leaving many behind.

On Friday, Boris Johnson expressed "deep sadness" that not everyone eligible will be evacuated out of Afghanistan by the Americans' August 31 deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan.

ISIS-K members were believed to be involved in the terrorist attack at Kabul airport that left more than 170 people dead, including two British nationals and the child of another British national, when the US military launched an airstrike early Saturday morning. On Saturday, US Army Maj. Gen. William "Hank" Taylor said that two "high priority ISIS targets" were killed and one was wounded in a drone strike.

(with inputs from AP)

Picture Credit: Pixabay
Anger and sadness at a vigil was organized upon news that a Marine from Massachusetts was among the U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Officials said Saturday that the family of Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo was notified of her death, and that the family requested privacy.

The suicide bombing at the airport where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines.

Dozens attended a vigil in honor of 25-yeear-old Pichardo on Saturday afternoon at The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston.

The memorial honors the memory of soldiers from Massachusetts killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Numerous evacuees from Afghanistan landed at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC Friday after harrowing days of trying to get out of Kabul, Afghanistan.

One of the evacuees was Ahmad, who lives in Washington state and has been a permanent U.S. resident for several years.

He was in Afghanistan, trying unsucessfully to get some of his immediate family members out.

"Well, I would say the last six or seven days have been the toughest days of my life," he said. "And you kind of feel lucky if you can get just through those gates."

He got into the Kabul airport before a suicide bomber killed well over 160 Afghans and than a dozen U.S. troops.

Many other American troops were injured in the blast.

"We heard about it. We were very concerned because I still have families there," he said. "I mean, I really feel bad because lots of innocent people, they just lost their lives."

Although Ahmad wasn't able to bring his parents and other family members out of Afghanistan, he is hopeful they can make it to the U.S. in the future.

"I really hope I can find a way to bring there back here because they really deserve a better life," he said.

The Pentagon has said it has evacuated more than 110,000 people.

It takes evacuees several days to arrive in America, because evacuees are first taken to other nations, including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Spain, Germany and Bulgaria, so many thousands more are still on their way to the U.S.

According to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, non-citizens arriving from Afghanistan are taken to the Dulles Expo Center after being processed at the airport and then to one of several military bases.

Three of those bases are in Virginia - Quantico Marine Corps Base, Fort Pickett and Fort Lee.

Northam said those military bases are prepared to ramp up to house thousands of evacuees if necessary.

From the military bases they are resettled in communities in Virginia and elsewhere.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Hurricane Ida struck Cuba on August 27 and it is expected to make landfall on Sunday evening. Thousands of residents are fleeing Louisiana as Hurricane Ida is expected to ravage the state. Ida is now a Category Four hurricane, with up to 145 mph sustained winds. Heavy traffic was seen on Coastal highways on Saturday, August 29 as people moved to escape the storms path.

5 AM CDT August 29 -- Hurricane #Ida is still intensifying, with the most recent data from the @NOAA_HurrHunter aircraft indicating maximum sustained winds are up to 145 mph.



Latest Info: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/vJ3ctJQFCv  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

Residents flee Louisiana

Ida is expected to be stronger than Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts, as per a report by BBC. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards in the press conference on Saturday, August 28, pointed out that a federal levee system has seen improvements since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. Edwards added, "this system is going to be tested". According to The Associated Press, the storm has arrived on the exact date as Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi.

This will be one of the strongest storms to hit Louisiana since at least the 1850s. Preparations need to be complete and you need to be where you intend to ride out the storm by tonight. Conditions will begin deteriorating early tomorrow morning. Stay vigilant. #lagov #lawx #Ida pic.twitter.com/7wkArbd9uo  John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) August 28, 2021

Addressing a press briefing, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said that the storm could be one of the strongest to hit Louisiana since at least the 1850s. Edwards urged residents to prepare quickly and added that conditions will begin deteriorating early morning on August 29. He informed that 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged search and rescue efforts with high-water vehicles, boats and helicopters and 10,000 linemen were on standby for power outages.

National Hurricane Center has informed that IDA continues to strengthen and is expected to make landfall in Southeastern Louisiana later today. National Hurricane Center on Twitter predicted that there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation on August 29 along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama within the Storm Surge Warning area. National Hurricane Center warned "Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the coast of Southeastern Louisiana".

Hurricane #Ida is an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane. 4 AM CDT Key Messages highlight dangerous life-threatening storm surge along LA, MS, & AL coast in Storm Surge Warning area. Catastrophic wind damage expected where Ida's core moves onshore. https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/ppgJFP0Gtl  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

National Hurricane Center has predicted that Ida may cause damaging winds that will spread across portions of Southeastern Louisiana and Southwestern Mississippi on August 29 night and August 30 early morning. The winds could possibly lead to tree damage and power outages. It is expected that Ida will produce heavy rainfall across the central Gulf Coast from Southeastern Louisiana, Coastal Mississippi, Southwestern Alabama.

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from AP
President Joe Biden has received a letter from US lawmakers in which they ask a range of questions about the current situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, including those relating to terrorism as well as nuclear weapons and infrastructure as well as military and women's safety.

In the letter dated August 24 and signed by 68 senators and representatives from the Senate and House of Representatives, the lawmakers insisted that Biden answer important questions about what transpired during the evacuation phase in Afghanistan and what his intentions are for the future.

US lawmakers write to Joe Biden

As per the letter, lawmakers said, "The situation in Afghanistan has rapidly metastasized into Taliban rule with reinstated oppression of women and girls, the repression of civil society, the displacement of countless Afghans from their homes who the Taliban then use force to prevent from fleeing Afghanistan, and a power vacuum that China seeks to fill by increasing its ties to the Taliban."

"The consequences of withdrawal from Afghanistan are not isolated to that country, or even to the Middle East region. The withdrawal carried geopolitical and strategic consequences that have already begun to unfold and will reverberate for decades," it added.

US lawmakers demand answers

The lawmakers said in a letter to Biden that the world has watched in surprise as the Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan with incredible speed, "the result of unforced errors made by withdrawing completely the small remaining footprint of our main military force from Afghanistan, and by needlessly delaying the evacuation of US personnel and Afghan partners."

The latest horrific blast outside Kabul's airport heightened tensions, prompting the United States to strike an Islamic State "planner" in Afghanistan. The United States also warned that there was a high risk of more explosions in the near future.

13 US service members were among the scores killed in the suicide bomb blast, which was claimed by an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan. This is the deadliest incident for US forces in Afghanistan in the previous ten years, according to the military.

(with inputs from AP)

Picture Credit: AP
US President Joe Biden on Sunday is heading towards Dover Air Force Base to attend the "dignified transfer" of the remains of 13 US troops who were killed in the Kabul attack. In the morning, the President and the First Lady on Sunday will travel to Dover, Delaware. They also met with families of fallen American service members who gave their lives to save Americans, and their Afghan allies in Kabul, reported The Associated Press (AP). The number of the deceased ranged in age from 20 to 31, which include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming was been expecting his first child in three weeks. Among the deceased was also a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me," reported The AP.

13 US soldiers lost their lives in Kabul blast

The 13 young service members were involved in assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the US war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power. Biden on Saturday, August 28, stated, "the 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others," adding that their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far. It is to be noted that these 13 US troops were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport, which also claimed the lives of more than 160 Afghans. Out of 13 fallen soldiers, 11 were Marines, one was an Army soldier and one a Navy corpsman.

US says the matter will be investigated

Earlier, in an emotionally overwhelming speech, President Biden blamed the Islamic State groups Afghanistan affiliate for the blast, which is considered prominently more radical than the Taliban terrorists. He also pledged to ensure the safety of Afghans even as the pressure to extend the Tuesday, August 31, deadline continues to intensify. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Defence (Pentagon) on Friday held a press conference and gave details on the explosions that killed US Service Members. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby while briefing the reporters said that there will be an investigation into the suicide bombing to figure out what happened at the airport checkpoints.

Image Credits: AP
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A planeload of Afghans landed in Kosovo on August 29 after fleeing their country following the takeover by the Taliban.

The Afghans arrived at Pristinas airport on a U.S. Air Force flight and were welcomed by Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett.

Afghanistan In Turmoil: Full Coverage On Gandhara Read RFE/RL's Gandhara website for complete coverage of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. Gandhara is the go-to source for English-language reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and its network of journalists, and by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, which offers extensive coverage of Pakistan's remote tribal regions.

Kosovo has agreed to temporarily host about 2,000 at-risk Afghans who worked with U.S.-led international forces while their immigration status to the United States is processed. The Afghans who arrived on August 29 -- a group of at least 100 men, women, and children -- are the first to be welcomed by Kosovo.

They will be sheltered in the former camp of the Bechtel Enka company, located near an American military base in Ferizaj.



Hundreds of other Afghans who fled Kabul arrived in Albania in recent days. Albania said it can temporarily house up to 4,000 Afghans.



Northern Macedonia has also expressed its readiness to temporarily host about 450 Afghans.

The United States and other governments have been racing to evacuate Afghan citizens and their own nationals from Kabul airport as the August 31 deadline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan approaches.

Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia joined the United States and dozens of other countries in a joint statement in which they committed to ensuring that Afghans who worked for the countries who are at risk can continue traveling freely to destinations outside Afghanistan.

The joint statement said the countries have been assured by the Taliban that all foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with travel authorization will be allowed to leave.
Shortly after Joe Biden won the U.S. presidential election last November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed optimism the incoming occupant of the White House would be a better fit for his country than his predecessor.



Afterall, Biden oversaw Ukraine policy while serving as vice president from 2009-17, visited the country six times during that period, and knew firsthand its struggles against Russian aggression and domestic corruption.

Highlighting Bidens close ties to Ukraine, Zelenskiy told The New York Times in December that his presidency will really help strengthen relations, help settle the war in Donbas and end the occupation of our territory.

That background contrasted sharply with outgoing President Donald Trump, who had expressed reservations about Ukraine during his turbulent four-year term. Trump accused Kyiv of interfering in the 2016 election on behalf of his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and pressured Zelenskiy in 2019 to dig up dirt on Biden's work in Kyiv, triggering an impeachment trial that all but brought bilateral relations to a standstill for the rest of Trump's term.



However, seven months into Bidens term and just days before Zelenskiy makes his first official trip to the White House on September 1, the bilateral relationship appears just as strained as under Trump.

The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed disappointment over Ukraines perceived lack of progress in implementing Western-backed reforms and fighting corruption.



Meanwhile, Ukraine has been frustrated by a perceived lack of military support from the United States in the face of an existential threat from Russia, as well as by the Biden administrations decision to waive sanctions on a Kremlin-backed natural gas pipeline that could deprive Kyiv of $2 billion a year in gas-transit revenues starting in 2025.



Zelenskiy has expressed disappointment with the Biden administration in interviews with U.S. media outlets in June and August.

Alyona Getmanchuk, director of the Kyiv-based New Europe Center, said Biden's Ukraine experience and his 2019 campaign comment that Ukraine would be a "foreign policy priority" made officials in Kyiv "too optimistic" about what his administration would do.



There is slight disappointment," she said, adding U.S. domestic considerations could also be a factor. "It seems Biden is trying to distance himself from Ukraine.



Much has changed at home and abroad since Biden made that campaign comment to the Council on Foreign Relations.

A deadly pandemic has damaged the global economy and left millions of Americans without work, while racial tensions in the United States have spiked following the killing of an unarmed black man by a white police officer in Minnesota in May 2020. Meanwhile, on the foreign policy front, U.S. tensions with China have increased.

Now, as Biden tries to push through $4.5 trillion in spending bills that could be the hallmark of his term, he is facing a mounting crisis in Afghanistan, where the U.S. military pullout has resulted in the fall of the government to the militant Taliban, completely destroying a two-decades-long attempt to build a viable, democratic state.

Biden doesnt want Ukraine to be on the front burner, said William Pomeranz, deputy director of the Kennan Institute in Washington. He has a lot on his plate, and I dont think he wants to be entangled in another foreign policy situation.



Pomeranz said it appears Biden wants "to be a domestic president."



Russian Aggression



The Biden administration expressed support for Ukraine when Russia amassed more than 100,000 troops on its border and in the annexed Ukrainian region of Crimea in March and April in what Washington called an attempt to intimidate Kyiv.



However, it dropped plans to send two U.S. destroyers to the Black Sea in April amid fears that doing so could escalate already high tensions in the region.



Russia seized Crimea and began backing fighters in parts of two eastern provinces in Ukraine after months-long protests in Kyiv caused Kremlin-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych to flee in February 2014.



Analysts say Putin is seeking to destabilize the country because he fears a successful, democratic, and Western-oriented Ukraine.



The seven-year war in parts of eastern Ukraine has taken the lives of more than 13,200 people and -- along with the annexation of Crimea -- devastated the nations economy.



Ukraine has expressed a desire to join NATO to protect itself against further Russian aggression, a move the Kremlin recently called a red line.

Biden in June said Ukraine is not ready for NATO, pointing to the high level of corruption, but he did not offer any guidance on how the countrys progress would be measured, leaving Kyiv frustrated.

Pomeranz said the United States just doesnt want to take the geostrategic responsibility for defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.



Analysts say the Biden administration wants to stabilize relations with Russia in order to focus on China, which it perceives to be the bigger threat to the United States and the liberal world order. That would mean tiptoeing around the issue of Ukraine.

In support of that view, analysts point to Bidens decisions to meet with Putin in Geneva in June before receiving Zelenskiy in Washington and to waive sanctions on Russias Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline over Kyiv's objections.



Ukraine feels it has been treated badly by the Biden administration over the Nord Stream 2 decision, said John Herbst, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006 and an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.



In a further setback for Kyiv, the Biden administration set the meeting with Zelenskiy for late August, days before Congress is due to return from summer recess, making it nearly impossible for the Ukrainian leader to meet with U.S. lawmakers.



Congress has shown strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in its efforts to combat Russian aggression and overwhelmingly approved mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2.



The last two Western-leaning Ukrainian presidents -- Viktor Yushchenko and Petro Poroshenko -- addressed joint sessions of Congress during their first official visits to Washington.



The Biden administration has rejected suggestions it purposely sought to limit Zelenskiys interaction with lawmakers.



White House Meeting



Zelenskiys visit comes as the U.S. is pulling out troops from Afghanistan ahead of an August 31 deadline, potentially overshadowing the meeting of the two leaders.



Biden and Zelenskiy are not expected to field questions from the media following their talks.



The United States and Ukraine are expected to announce a new defense framework agreement that could include expanded training and greater participation in joint military exercises. There should also be an agreement on economic cooperation.



Under the 2016 U.S.-Ukraine defense agreement that expires this year, Washington has been helping Kyiv enhance its military and reform its defense sector in line with NATO standards and principles.

Ukraine receives approximately $400 million annually in U.S. security assistance, including training and education, according to the State Department.

However, the new defense agreement is expected to fall short of Kyivs demand for more tangible support, such as air and naval hardware, something that could provoke Russia.



Getmanchuk said on the surface, U.S.-Ukraine relations look fine, but what is lacking [from the Ukrainian point of view] is some concrete actions.



Orysia Lutsevych, a research fellow and manager of the Ukraine Forum in the Russia and Eurasia Program at London-based Chatham House, said the meeting will still be important symbolically as it shows that the United States stands by Ukraine.

Putin, she said, wants the United States and Europe to give up on Ukraine.



Corruption, Reforms



During the meeting, Biden is expected to push Zelenskiy to carry out the nations Western-backed reform agenda and tackle corruption, including improving management of large, state-owned companies.



The United States and European allies have given Kyiv billions of dollars in financial and largely non-lethal military support since 2014, but have conditioned part of it on political and economic changes that would improve the rule of law and put Ukraine on a path toward Western integration.



Ukraine has made some progress with reforms over the years, including in procurement, banking, and agricultural-land sales, but it has been slower than its Western backers had hoped.



Observers say the Biden administration may be disappointed with developments under Zelenskiy, a political novice who won the presidential election in 2019 in a landslide on a promise to tackle corruption and take on the nations tycoons.



Zelenskiy in March 2020 fired his reformist government and prosecutor-general after just six months, raising concerns he was taking a step backward.



Then his government in April dismissed the head of Naftogaz, the state-owned natural-gas company, in a manner inconsistent with Western corporate governance standards, angering Washington.



Naftogaz has been at the center of Ukraines biggest corruption scandals over the past three decades and its cleanup has been a major focus of Western government attention since 2014.



Zelenskiys government defended its decision, saying the previous head of Naftogaz failed to deliver on profits and production growth.



Following meetings in Washington in July, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukrainian prime minister from 2014 to 2016, told an Atlantic Council conference that he sensed a real lack of trust right now toward Kyiv.

Lutsevych said the Biden administration sees reforms and defense against Russian aggression as two sides of the same coin.



From the U.S. point of view, corruption is closely linked with malign [Russian] influence, she said.



However, Lutsevych said that Zelenskiy will have something concrete to show Biden on this front when he arrives in Washington, pointing out a series of measures the Ukrainian president has taken to address some of the nations problems.



Zelenskiy in February sanctioned tycoon and Russia-leaning lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk and took down three of his television stations on suspicion he was supporting the Moscow-backed rebels in parts of eastern Ukraine. The television channels have been accused of promoting Russian disinformation within Ukraine.



The president later sanctioned Dmytro Firtash, an influential businessman wanted by the United States on charges of corruption that he calls politically motivated, and submitted a law that attempts to rein in the influence of such tycoons.



Zelenskiys party in July passed judicial reform legislation that Ukrainian civil society has called a potential landmark."



The Ukrainian parliament is now working on a bill to reform the security services.

The United States will be watching closely to see how the legislation is implemented.
Tajikistan was the only one of Afghanistans neighbors that did not engage in talks with the Taliban prior to the militant groups conquest of most of Afghanistan.



Afghanistan In Turmoil: Full Coverage On Gandhara Read RFE/RL's Gandhara website for complete coverage of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. Gandhara is the go-to source for English-language reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and its network of journalists, and by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, which offers extensive coverage of Pakistan's remote tribal regions.

Dushanbe kept quiet about events in Afghanistan before the fall of Kabul and for many days after, but when Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on August 25, Rahmon said his country would not recognize a Taliban government that did not include representatives from minority groups, naming specifically Afghanistans Tajik population.



But even before Rahmon's comments, there were signs that Tajikistan did not welcome the Talibans successes in Afghanistan and was loathe to ever engage with the Afghan militant group.



On this week's Majlis podcast, RFE/RL Media-Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir moderates a discussion on Tajikistans stance on Afghanistan.



This weeks guests are: from Washington, Paul Stronski, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowments Russia and Eurasia program; from Prague, Khirimon Bakoeva, senior web editor at RFE/RLs Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi; and Bruce Pannier, the author of the Qishloq Ovozi blog.

Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes or on Google Podcasts.
In 1926 Georg Nillsen became an American. He sailed across the ocean from Sweden because he believed there was a wonderful and exciting new life for him in the United States.

With his name reconfigured in English to George Nelson, he wound up in Mansfield working at the Steel Mill. He was so thrilled with this new world he borrowed a camera and used up a roll of film snapping pictures of his town to send to family and friends back in Goteborg.

It was 84 years later in 2000, some years after George had departed this Earthly plane, when his daughter, Anna Marie Nelson McCracken, made a trip back across the Atlantic to explore the Swedish roots of her father.

She found an old aunt still living in Goteborg, and when they spoke of the United States the aunt seemed to know all about Mansfield. She still had all the photos that Georg had sent from America.

So once again these little snapshots made the trip across the Atlantic, back to Mansfield where they began.

This small album preserves for us a perfect snapshot of our town through the eyes of a young man in love with Mansfield, America.
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Rockdale County Board of Commissioners listen to citizens, approve rollback millage rate

Special Photo The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners are (left to right) Post 1 Commissioner Sherri Washington, Commission Chair Oz Nesbitt Sr., and Post 2 Commissioner Dr. Doreen Williams.

CONYERS  For the second year in a row, after hearing residents concerns, the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at a called meeting on Aug. 24 to accept the rollback rate, which will keep property taxes at the same amount as last year.

But the commissioners warned that after keeping the taxes the same for the last two years, they do not believe they will be able to do the rollback rate for a third time next year, especially with courthouse needs on the horizon.

In 2020, the county had proposed a millage rate of 18.90 mills and a HOST exemption of 60%. While the 18.90 mills was less than the 2019 millage rate of 20.19, with increased assessments in property values, it still would have created a 4.19% tax increase. After hearing the pleas from residents not to raise their property taxes during the pandemic, the BOC voted to accept the rollback rate of 18.016 mills and a HOST exemption of 70%.

In 2021, the BOC proposed the same millage rate as last year  18.016 mills, and keeping the HOST exemption at 70%. But with property values being assessed higher again, that rate would still generate 7.94% more tax revenue. Their other option was to change to the rollback rate of 16.69 mills, which would keep tax revenue the same as last year.

At three public hearings, the last one being just before the called meeting Tuesday, a total of 17 residents spoke out on the issue, with many of them stating that the increased tax revenue was more than residents  especially the elderly  still recovering from the pandemic can afford. Some also noted that the county is receiving $8.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds from the federal government and urged the commissioners to use those funds to help residents.

Residents received a glimmer of hope that the commissioners might change to the rollback rate Thursday night when Post 2 Commissioner Dr. Doreen Williams sent out an email stating that after hearing the concerns of residents, she would not support the tax increase, and Post 1 Commissioner Sherri Washington having said earlier that she is still on the fence.

Following the public hearing Tuesday, Washington commented on the need to keep property taxes the same through the rollback rate. They also noted the county needs to show residents why an increase in tax millage next year will be needed.

What Im hearing from the citizens this year are questions of what justifies this increase, especially during a pandemic, especially in a time when everybody is still uncertain, Washington said. I think the citizens are saying, What have you done for us to justify this increase? Because to the citizens, we havent done enough in their minds to justify a 7.94% increase in taxes.

I believe that for me, this year Im going to listen to the people and rollback the millage rate and keep the budget where it is, she continued. Were going into our new budget cycle, and hopefully this budget will be more reflective of value, because I cant imagine us being able to rollback three years in a row. You will see a budget and a reason for you to come before us and say You know, I see it. I see it and understand it. I can pay a few dollars more because I see the changes coming.

Williams concurred with Washingtons comments, adding that with a courthouse that is woefully inadequate, there will be no way the BOC can even consider taking a rollback rate next year.

The district attorney was pleading with us for space and personnel, Williams said. The judges have all said they desperately need more space. We have a new State Court judge coming in January, and we have no place to put them. But I think you must know that we will be working on these plans. We will let you see our overall plan of how we will spend those extra dollars next year, so that you will know what youre getting for your money.

But for this year, Williams added, because we have some extra federal funding, I will also be voting for the rollback rate.

Washington made a motion to approve the rollback rate of 16.69 mills and the HOST exemption of 70%. Williams seconded the motion, and the vote was 3-0 in favor.
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A shower is possible early. Partly cloudy. High 66F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

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LONDON (AP)  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday praised the colossal effort to airlift civilians from Kabul, as U.K. troops and diplomats flew home after the two-week mission, ending 20 years of British military involvement in Afghanistan.

In a video message, Johnson praised the colossal exertions of British troops engaged in a mission unlike anything weve seen in our lifetimes.

But his government is facing criticism for leaving behind hundreds, or even thousands, of vulnerable Afghans whom the U.K. had promised to protect.

The U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, was among those who arrived at RAF Brize Norton northwest of London on Sunday, hours after the government announced that all British personnel had left Kabul. More flights bringing back approximately 1,000 U.K. troops from Kabul airport were due throughout the day.

Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the past two weeks, but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind.

Vice Admiral Ben Key, who was in charge of the British operation, said: We tried our best.

But the government is under pressure to explain why it didnt act more quickly once it became clear the U.S.-led military presence in Afghanistan was ending.

A former head of the British Army, retired Gen. Richard Dannatt, said the government was asleep on watch and had been warned that former interpreters and others who worked with British forces were at risk.

This issue has been on politicians desks for two to three years and, certainly, its been there during the course of this year, he told Times Radio.

We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behooves us to find out why the government didnt spark up faster, he added.

Johnson acknowledged that Britain would not have wished to leave in this way, but said it was tied to the departure timetable set by the United States, which is ending its 20-year Afghan involvement by Aug. 31.

Though we now leave with the United States, we will remain represented in the region, Johnson said. Together with our allies in America and Europe and around the world, we will engage with the Taliban not on the basis of what they say but what they do.

If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from, again, becoming an incubator for global terror, because that would be disastrous for Afghanistan.

___

Follow APs coverage of Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP)  Condolences poured in from across Massachusetts and dozens gathered in a vigil Saturday upon learning that a Marine from Massachusetts was among the U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The family of Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo was notified Friday evening and asked for privacy, said Jaime Melendez, director of veterans services in Lawrence, where Rosario attended high school.

We will not allow her to be forgotten, Melendez said.

Dozens attended a vigil in Rosario's memory Saturday afternoon in Boston that was hosted by Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, an organization founded by veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My veteran community is grieving. My Gold Star family members are feeling the shock all over again. Should it have happened? Never. What can we do as a community? We can stand behind the our military right now and pray, said Mary Ellen Callahan, who lost a Marine son in Iraq.

Jeff Lau, a U.S. Army veteran, led the group in a moment of silence.

This has been a tough couple of weeks for this country, and thats an understatement, especially for the Afghan community and for the veteran community. Its gut wrenching, he said.

Gov. Charlie Baker called Rosario a Massachusetts hero gone too soon. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called Rosario a hero whose selfless service represents the best of our country.

The suicide bombing at the airport where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines, a Navy corpsman and a U.S. Army soldier.

The Dominican Republics embassy in the United States tweeted that Rosario was originally from that Caribbean nation.

Sonia Guzman, the Dominican Republics ambassador to the United States, tweeted that the Dominican community shares in the loss.

Peace to your soul! she tweeted in Spanish.

Rosario served with the Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which praised her efforts as supply chief this spring and thanked her for a job well done.

In Lawrence, Massachusetts, Mayor Kendrys Vasquez said he had been in contact with the family and said he and other residents were saddened that one of the suicide bombing victims "was a daughter of our city.

The family wishes for privacy "and that their loved one be recognized as the hero that she was, the mayor said.

Melendez said people have strong feelings about the U.S. involvement that's coming to an end after two decades in Afghanistan.

There are people on both sides of the fence. I get it," he said. This is about one of our own, a daughter of Lawrence. For us it is definitely about her service and her familys sacrifice. Thats what will be focusing on.

Lawrence is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Boston, not far from the New Hampshire state line.
Orhun U

Built with monarchical lines of a British Tudor, this stunning abode perched over Seattle's Elliott Bay was built in 1900. You could be the next to call the castle-like 1706 Magnolia Way West your kingdom, for $2 million.

The home is impressive on many levels, its size being one: there are 4,290 square feet here, with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The opulence of the original design lives on in the ornate fireplaces, massive exposed beams, wood floors and paneled walls, peaked ceilings, and stone and brick accents.
Californias wildfires are not only getting bigger, theyre moving higher, reaching once unthinkable heights.

The still-burning Dixie Fire was the first to push over the towering Sierra Nevada, igniting on the western side of the mountain range and catapulting to the valley floor on the east. The blaze, in the states remote north, also climbed into Lassen Volcanic National Park, where it was recently burning near 8,500 feet.

Other large fires have gotten even higher. Last years devastating Creek Fire and Sequoia Complex fires in the southern Sierra approached the dizzying elevation of 10,000 feet, a point at which trees and other burnable vegetation become exceedingly sparse.

These high-elevation burns, which are among the surge of big fires in California over the past few years, are the direct result of the warming climate, scientists say. And theyre exacerbating the wildfire crisis by charring tracts of land that were long considered too cool to burn. Theyre also harder for firefighters to get to.

Now Playing: The Caldor Fire roared through drought-dried timber as it headed toward South Lake Tahoe Monday, forcing the city's 22,000 residents to evacuate. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

One study published this spring suggests that 11% more forest across the West, or 31,500 square miles, has become susceptible to burning over the past 3 decades because of the expanded reach of flames. Nearly 2,400 square miles of this newly at-risk land are in the Sierra.

Were just opening up more opportunities for fires, said John Abatzoglou, an associate professor of climatology at UC Merced and one of the authors of the recent paper. We expect, moving forward, that high-elevation forests will just burn more regularly.

Abatzoglous research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that Californias wildfires are migrating upward even faster than those in most Western states.

During his study period of 1984 to 2017, the upper reach of fires in the Sierra rose more than 1,400 feet, compared with 827 feet across all mountain ranges in the West. The upper reach refers to the point at which only 10% of fires burn higher.

Several mechanisms are behind the climate-driven climb. Increasing temperatures are drying out mountain forests as well as reducing the amount of snow that keeps them moist. Some places are seeing less precipitation. Also, many of these forests have become thicker with vegetation because of the heat, all of which is making higher elevations ripe for burning.

In addition, some spots are experiencing increases in lightning, meaning more ignitions, too.

Its the future that we face, said Mark Schwartz, a plant ecologist and professor emeritus at UC Davis who also has researched the upward creep of wildfire. Theres just more continuous fuels, which are allowing more fires to get to that high-elevation zone.

The Dixie Fire, he said, is a perfect example. The fire started July 13 in the Feather River Canyon in Butte County at about 1,500 feet and has since climbed to above 8,000 feet. Its become the second-largest blaze in California history.

While the Dixie Fires elevation may not be as high as some fires to the south, the cooler weather and moister conditions in the north make the ascent just as impressive, perhaps more so.

The upward migration of wildfire may play a role in fundamentally changing the landscape at higher elevations, too, and make these areas even more prone to burning in the future.

The trees that characterize the upper edge of Sierra forest at about 8,000 to 9,500 feet, such as white pine and mountain hemlock, are less adapted to fire and dont do as well with rising temperatures. When and if they burn, they could be replaced by other pines and fir better suited to these newer conditions, trees that generally burn a lot more frequently.

An ecological model of vegetation change would suggest you get upward movement of red fir and the capacity to have more fuels for fire, Schwartz said.

Managing fire at higher elevations, including putting them out, comes with its own set of challenges. Long treks for fire crews and more restrictions on aircraft are just a couple.

The further up you go, and in general, the more remote you are, the harder it is to supply firefighters to the line and support them logistically, said Nic Elmquist, a fire behavior analyst for the U.S. Forest Service, which operates the nations largest wildland firefighting force. When you get a year like this year, in all honestly, teams are already stretched to the limit.

The Sierras high country has long been considered a place where firefighters havent had to worry much about suppressing wildfires. The fires often burned themselves out amid the cooler, moister conditions and lesser amounts of vegetation to feed flames. Fire crews sometimes steer blazes to high elevations for this reason.

But as the higher areas become more at risk of burning, fire managers have had to reassess their strategy.

Patrick T. Fallon / AFP / Getty Images

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.

All bets are off, said Ken Pimlott, a professional forester and former director of Cal Fire, the states firefighting agency. High-elevation fires change the dynamic. You cant count on the Sierra crest as a natural barrier anymore.

Pimlott was among many who were critical of the Forest Service this summer for not being more aggressive about putting out the Tamarack Fire, south of Lake Tahoe. The agency sent firefighters to the blaze six days after it started on July 4, during which time it went from a small fire on a remote mountain ridge at about 7,500 feet to a giant inferno burning to 9,000 feet and threatening the Alpine County community of Markleeville.

Forest Service officials said with limited staffing, they had no choice but to prioritize more threatening burns. The Tamarack Fire, which ignited with a lightning strike in a spot with little vegetation, was one that might have burned itself out in the high country, if not for the uptick in wind and heat that ensued.

Its hard in California to find locations anymore where a fire is not going to be influenced by these conditions, Pimlott said. Maybe historically that would have been the approach, but you cant do that now.

The recent study on wildfire migration found that the amount of Western lands that burned above 8,200 feet from 2001 to 2017 was more than triple what burned from 1984 to 2000. In the Sierra, it was seven times more. While all elevations have experienced more flames, these higher areas recorded the largest increase.

Abatzoglou, the studys author, said that if his research had not ended in 2017 and continued through last years big and brutal wildfires, the spike in high-elevation blazes would be even more profound.

The same may prove to be true with this years young, but very active, fire season.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
UPDATE: Thousands of Lake Tahoe residents have been ordered to evacuate Monday morning as the Caldor Fire runs over Echo Summit. See the latest live updates here.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE  All residents on the California side of Lake Tahoes south shore were warned Sunday night to be ready to leave their homes in the face of the monstrous Caldor Fire as crews fought to beat back the blaze and new mandatory evacuation orders were issued outside the city of South Lake Tahoe.

The entire Desolation Wilderness was ordered evacuated, and Sunday nights warning included all areas surrounding the south side of Lake Tahoe up to the Nevada border, including the city of South Lake Tahoe. Some areas south of the city were previously ordered to evacuate.

Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe was evacuating all of its patients Sunday evening.

The 2-week-old blaze has frequently resisted all efforts to control it. On Sunday, a combination of critically dry vegetation and strong winds helped it cast flames as far as 1 mile ahead at times, officials said.

The Caldor Fire was 13% contained as of Sunday evening, down from 19% that morning. The 168,387-acre fire has destroyed 472 homes, and more than 21,000 structures were threatened.

Firefighters will face more punishing conditions early this week. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for extreme fire danger from 11 a.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Tuesday, warning of winds moving as fast as 35 mph, with anticipated low humidity.

Though the fire had not entered the Tahoe Basin as of Sunday evening, its rapid advance caused authorities on Sunday afternoon to order some near South Lake Tahoe, those living in the Meyers and Christmas Valley communities, south of the Lake Tahoe Airport, to evacuate their homes.

The Red Cross opened a shelter for evacuees at Douglas County Community and Senior Center in Gardnerville, to the east of Lake Tahoe in Nevada.

The fire burned Sunday with a lot of extreme rates of spread, also leading to new evacuations in neighboring Alpine and Amador counties, said Eric Schwab, Cal Fire operations section chief.

Bulldozers circled homes on both sides of Highway 50 as firefighters defended the community of Strawberry on Sunday after the northernmost tip of the blaze managed to cross Strawberry Creek the previous day, said Tim Ernst, operations section chief for Cal Fire.

On the west side of the fire, south of Pollock Pines and east of Somerset, crews struggled to contain the blaze in the Butte Creek area, Schwab said.

Overall, firefighters faced extreme and dynamic fire weather with spot fires burning outside of existing containment lines Sunday. That threat was a key concern, prompting the digging of backup lines for reinforcement, Cal Fire said.

The first priority for fire crews was to evacuate people quickly and defend properties from destruction, Schwab said.

Sunday was a challenging and difficult day, said Dusty Martin, Cal Fire unified incident commander.

Bront Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Isaac Lake, Cal Fire division chief, said Sunday was the hottest and driest day since the Caldor Fire ignited two weeks ago. The increasing winds, along with rising temperatures signaled a tough fight ahead, officials said. Monday highs were forecast in the 90s across most lower elevations and 80s for valleys near the Sierra.

Those are going to be some hurdles for us, Lake said.

AlertWildfire

As of Sunday, more than 25,000 people were evacuated in El Dorado County, according to Cal Fire.

Air quality readings around the south shore of Lake Tahoe, which is east of where the fire is burning, exceeded 200 in many places, with some spots topping 300. Similarly polluted levels hovered over Placerville and other communities west of the fire. Any score beyond 100 is considered unhealthy.

In Placerville on Sunday, the activist groups Rural Resistance Placerville and Black Lives Matter El Dorado County were distributing 1,200 N95 respirator masks from Mask Oakland, a group that has provided masks to Bay Area residents during past fires.

Organizer Ali Jones estimated she had handed out hundreds to local farmworkers, fire evacuees and others in downtown Placerville, and 100 masks to a group helping homeless people.

Its a really important thing right now, Jones said. Local government agencies arent really supplying masks to the public in huge waves like this.

Bront Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Smoke drifting south from the Northern California fires prompted a continued Spare the Air alert for the Bay Area, warning of unhealthy air quality and banning wood burning.

The gray blanket of smoke over Tahoes south shore improved a little on Sunday so the lakes waters returned to their classic blue color at El Dorado Beach, but skies grew darker in the late afternoon. Orange and dark gray smoke billowed across the sky from the south, casting the sun through a red filter and making Caldors advance clear.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

In South Lake Tahoe, Hillary Lawson and Paul Jenkins were hunkered down in their home Sunday near the Tahoe Keys, trying to avoid the smoke.

The two work at local hospitals and were married Aug. 14 near Alpine Meadows in front of a rock-topped mountainside surrounded by green trees  not realizing as they took their vows that the Caldor Fire had started the very same day, near Grizzly Flats.

They returned from their honeymoon last week, and instead of spending time in their beloved outdoor environment hiking and walking their two American Labradors, Weve walked the dogs once in the last week, said Lawson, sitting at her kitchen table.

Hoping they could remain at home, the couple said they would leave if their neighborhood falls under an evacuation order.

On another street nearby, Noel Manalo stood atop his roof early Sunday evening sweeping up pine needles and anything else that could ignite should Caldor embers reach the area. Though his neighborhood was not among those ordered evacuated yet, Manalo, who has lived in the area since 1974, said he wanted to be ready.

I feel anxious, he said. But what are you gonna do?

With firefighters stationed near the Sierra at Tahoe ski resort prepared to defend structures, John Rice, manager of the resort, worried about what hed find in the morning. Cal Fire crews directed him to leave the resort for safety in the afternoon and he had received no word hours later as to whether his home or the resort had been damaged."We will see when the sun comes up. I have to find out if I have a house and a ski resort," Rice said Sunday night.

Meanwhile the Dixie Fire east of Chico  the second largest blaze in state history  held steady at 48% containment, though the weather forecast suggested conditions could quickly turn menacing.

Meteorologists expected low humidity and winds up to 25 mph to push flames into steep terrains in the western area of the wildfire, with crews attempting to hold lines near Janesville and Susanville. In the west zone more resources were brought in near the area of Genesee Valley to help slow western movement.

The 45-day-old blaze has destroyed 1,275 structures and chewed through 765,635 acres across five counties: Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A 28-year-old Kansas man is dead after being struck by a semitruck on Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas City police say the accident happened just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the westbound lanes. A tire blew out on a Chrysler sedan and the driver, a man from Osawatomie, Kansas, got out of the vehicle.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  Troopers arrested 69 people outside Gov. Tim Walz's residence in St. Paul Saturday in a protest against an oil pipeline replacement project, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The demonstrators are calling for Walz and President Joe Biden to shut down the Enbridge Line 3 project that carries oil from Alberta, Canada and passes through North Dakota and northern Minnesota on its way to Superior, Wisconsin. The 337-mile segment in Minnesota is the last phase in construction.
Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

Regarding S.F. wants to put homeless hotels around the city. These are the neighborhoods pushing back (Aug. 26): I am one of the many who attended the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing meeting regarding the city purchasing the Buchanan Hotel in Japantown. I am one of a minority of people supporting this idea. While activists use anti-homelessness rhetoric and fear tactics like it will ruin the neighborhoods economy, I feel it would be a benefit to the neighborhood.

A permanent supportive housing program where the building is always fully occupied and has a majority of seniors living there, instead of a hotel with fluctuating tourist occupancy, means stability for the neighborhoods economy; people need to buy food, groceries and supplies, and its all available just outside the building. To those of you against this proposed project, please remind yourselves that we are talking about providing shelter to our fellow human beings and not to use negative generalizations. Please be compassionate.
Its not just our recall elections that are broken in California. Its all our elections that are broken.

Even before the voting started, Democrats and California elites were crying foul. And when they say we need to change the way we do recall elections, they are half right.

The recall  the question of whether to remove a governor  works just fine, despite what you may have read. But the election piece  the second question on the ballot, in which voters must pick a replacement for the governor if hes recalled  is an anti-democratic mess.

And worrying about an undemocratic result in this one election understates the problem. All California elections, be they recalls or not, dont match how human beings think, choose and vote.

For one thing, humans do best when we have a lot of information about a few clear choices. But our elections give people dozens of possible candidates, about whom we often have very little information. Low-information elections are also deeply vulnerable to misinformation.

Over the past decade, we California voters eliminated party primaries for state and federal elections. The change was supposed to discourage political polarization and give us more moderate candidates. Its done the opposite.

In the party primaries of old, a voter could study their partys relatively short list of candidates, then choose one. The process gave us a greater sense of the people for whom we were voting. Our current top two system, sometimes called an open primary, confuses and overwhelms voters. We put the dozens of candidates for a single major public office all together, regardless of party, with 30 or more names running over multiple pages. Its impossible for voters to know anything about more than a handful of the candidates  much less to find the choice they prefer that thick jungle of names.

The recall replacement election, with 46 candidates, is thus a typical California electoral mess, and voters are confused about how or whether they should vote on this second question. Democrats, unable to come up with short and clear messaging on the matter, have given up, and told voters not to name a replacement for governor. When the largest party in the state is telling people not to vote, something is seriously wrong.

Such confusion and mixed messaging also tend to discourage voter turnout. But this is hardly the only problem; these big, all-party, open elections can be easily gamed. The main argument against this recall is that one can win the election with a slim plurality  the current leader in the polls is at less than 20%  replacing a governor who might have the support of 49% to remain in office. Thats awful, but its not the only awful possibility in these too-many-candidate California elections.

A party that offers more competition, and more compelling candidates, can end up losing despite having the support of most voters. Imagine either a recall election or a regular election in which 60% of the voters want to vote for Democratic candidates, but there are six viable candidates who get around 10% of the total votes. All six candidates could easily finish behind two Republican contenders who divide up just 40% of the votes, getting 20% or so each. In such a case, the winner  or the top two candidates  would have a tiny plurality of support, from the party that has only a minority of support.

That isnt democratic. And it doesnt fit how we vote. Humans are party animals  party affiliation almost always determines our vote, studies show. And if you doubt that, just try to remember the name of the person you voted for in your local state Assembly race last year. But can you remember the party of that candidate? Probably yes. Most Californians vote for candidates of the same party. Our reforms should make it easier for us to vote by party. The simplest and fairest way to do that would be to adopt a system of proportional representation, in which Californians vote for a party or slate of party candidates. Whether its a recall or a regular election, the party with the most votes would get the office  and a number of representatives equal to their percentage of the vote.

If thats too radical for you, another alternative would be to replace the current election system with ranked choice voting, which was used recently in the New York City mayoral election. Ranked choice encourages coalition building and elevates candidates with broader support  unlike the top two and the recall jungle election systems, which are better for candidates with narrow but intense support.

Unfortunately, these types of reforms arent on the table. The leading Democrats, and California elites who are angry about this recall, are proposing reforms that, in fact, limit democracy. So far, there have been calls to make it harder to qualify recalls for the ballot, even though its already very hard  requiring nearly 1.5 million signatures in a short time frame. (This years recall had an extra four months to qualify, because of a judges unusual ruling; in the normal time frame, it never would have made it.) Making recalls harder to qualify would only make them more expensive  meaning that only the richest people or interests could pursue recalls.

Another argument is that there shouldnt be an election at all  that the lieutenant governor should succeed a recalled governor. That may be what previous constitutional framers in California intended, but thats not very democratic. Lieutenant governors are often allies of governors, so replacing one with the other isnt change. Shouldnt people have the right to choose the successor of any official they want to recall?

Still other elitists are arguing for limiting the basis for recalls  requiring that a politician be guilty of violating the law or corruption to be removed from office. But that would make the recall like the federal impeachment process  a quasi-prosecution to meet a standard of high crimes and misdemeanors. And as we learned in the Trump era, its impossible for politicians to remove even the most abusive fellow politician from office in a process like that.

People should be able to remove their governor for incompetence, failure or any other dereliction of duty. In this apocalyptic century, a governor who cant respond effectively to emergencies might need to be replaced. Californias recall, which can have any justification, might save lives. Making it harder to use recalls also would diminish some of the positive effects of the tool. Gov. Gavin Newsoms performance clearly improved earlier this year when it appeared he might face a recall. He was more responsive to the public, replaced failing staff members and took more aggressive actions to aid needy Californians. Regardless of whether Newsom wins or loses, California may win  if this recall election forces us to reform all of our elections.

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square.
Who should I vote for?

Ive been hearing that question from a lot of Democrats and left-leaning independent voters. These are people who oppose the recall but are dubious about Gov. Gavin Newsoms advice not to vote for anyone to replace him.

A Change Research survey of 782 likely voters released Friday found that only 32% of people who plan to vote no on the recall have selected a candidate for the second question; 38% plan on leaving it blank.

The main worry of some who dont want to do that: The risk that Californias next governor could be conservative talk show host Larry Elder  who is leading in many polls  given that the Los Angeles Republican is so far out of step with many Californians on several issues, as we pointed out last week.

So theyre staring at their mail-in recall ballot, scanning the list of 46 names. Stumped.

They dont want to ignore that second question. Nor do they want to write-in Newsoms name, which wouldnt count, since he is ineligible to replace himself. And they dont recognize any of the nine Democrats listed there, since party leaders strongly discouraged any big-name Democrats from running. They didnt want a repeat of the 2003 recall of Gov. Gray Davis, when many Democrats believe that voters were confused by the presence of Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante running as a replacement candidate under the slogan, No on recall, Yes on Bustamante.

Voters just want some guidance for their simple, yet vexing question: In the event that Newsom is recalled on Sept. 14, who should I vote for that is closest to my political viewpoint? Leaving it empty is not an option.

I relayed their query to more than a dozen top Democratic strategists and operatives in California. Their overwhelming advice (provided under the cloak of anonymity so they could speak freely):

Vote for former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer. Yes, (gasp!) a Republican.

Not that their advice constituted an endorsement.

If someone put a gun to my head I would tell them to vote for Faulconer, said one strategist. The rest of that ballot is a complete joke and wouldnt get elected to the city council of Pawnee, Indiana.

Probably Faulconer, said another. Because he wont burn the house down.

We absolutely dont want him as governor, said a third, but hes not insane.

Safe prediction: The Faulconer campaign wont be minting But Hes Not Insane campaign bumper stickers to hand out over the next two weeks.

For several strategists, their choice was sealed after a swift process of elimination.Unfortunately, said one Democratic consultant, none of the Democrats on the ballot are qualified.

Nevertheless, for hard core Democrats like the strategists I tapped, the two-term mayor of a Democratic city was the next best thing to being an actual Democrat.... even though Faulconer voted for Donald Trump in 2020 after writing in former GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan four years earlier.

He governed in San Diego as mayor as a moderate. He will return to being a moderate, one strategist predicted, if he wants to have any chance to get re-elected.

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Hes pro-choice, has been a leader on climate change, and supports a path to citizenship for undocumented Californians, said one strategist. He understands complex government, having run the second largest city in the state.

And if Faulconer didnt turn out to be as moderate as advertised, some trusted that the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature would, as one put it, block any horrible things a Republican governor would try to do.

Given that there are twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans in California, its highly unlikely that any Republican who might win the recall will get re-elected in 2022 when turnout would normally be much higher, the consultant continued. At least Faulconer understands the machinations of government and will leave the office without doing nearly as much damage as any of the other candidates.

That sounds like a second rejected bumper sticker: Faulconer: Wont Do as Much Damage as the Other Republicans.

Not every Democratic strategist was on the gun-to-my-head Faulconer bandwagon. Others thought it was important to elect a Democrat.

One top strategist was concerned that if 88-year-old Sen Diane Feinstein were unable to complete her term, a GOP governor could choose a Republican to replace her. That shuffle would cause Democrats to lose their narrowest of narrow advantages in the Senate, and with it, any hope to advance President Bidens agenda.

Here, the strategists were nearly unanimous in who theyd chose: 29-year-old Ventura County real estate investor Kevin Paffrath, who has a sliver of name recognition thanks to the 1.7 million viewers who watch him dispense investment advice on YouTube. Hes done well in some polls, too.

One challenge: remembering Paffraths name.

One strategist who advocated for him called Paffrath, the YouTube guy. Another preferred the YouTube dude. And one coupled his suggestion by mocking Paffraths idea to address Californias water shortage by building a pipeline to the Mississippi River.

Vote for the YouTube dude  at least that way we are covered if DiFi needs to step down. And as a bonus, he is going to give us a giant straw to suck up the Mississippi river, the strategist said. Seriously people, vote for the Democrat who could win. And that Democrat is Kevin Paffrath.

A few refused to suggest any Republican and stood behind Newsoms admonition not to pick a successor. Said one consultant: The most important thing Dems can do is get everyone they know to vote on the recall.

That advice may be sinking in. The Change Research poll found that 57% of likely voters have either already voted or plan to vote to keep Newsom in office, while 42% support tossing him. Just 1% are undecided. Its an early sign that voters want Newsom to stick around.

The Newsom campaign thinks focusing on Faulconer is misguided since the reality is that that Elder is far ahead of the competition in every poll, said anti-recall spokesman Nathan Click.

Change Research found Elder leading among the replacement candidates with 27% of the vote, including 67% of those who voted for Trump in 2020. No other candidate surveyed  including Faulconer  had even double digit support.

Hes consolidating the Trump vote, Click said. Any comfort that Democrats get from voting on the second question will be simply a false sense of security.

That wasnt the only query Im hearing repeatedly about the recall. Youve got questions; weve got answers.

Will writing in Gavin Newsoms name invalidate my ballot? No, it wont, said Jenna Dresner, a spokesperson for California Secretary of State Shirley Weber.

Each question is counted separately, so a vote for one does not impact the other. No matter how a voter votes on the question of the recall, they can still cast a vote for a replacement candidate or leave either question blank, Dresner told me. Gavin Newsom cannot run as a replacement candidate for himself, so a write-in vote for him will not be counted, however it will not disqualify the ballot.

Why is the list of certified write-in candidates published after ballots go out? On Sept. 3, Secretary of State Shirley Weber will publish a list of certified write-in candidates. But reader Marcy Kates asked me, Why on earth wasnt the list of certified write-in candidates published before the ballots went out? Right now people are voting without complete information.

Dresner said that according to the state election law, those who wish to file their candidacy as a write-in candidate have until 14 days prior to the election to do so, a rule that governs all California elections. The California Secretary of State then takes the time required to certify the paperwork. As such, the certified list of write-in candidates will become available September 3.

Any changes to this process would need to be made by the state legislature, Dresner said. As for how voters will know who is on that list, Dresner said we will promote the write-in list on our official communication channels and voters can look for the write-in list on our website, www.sos.ca.gov.

Realistically, the chances of a write-in candidate generating the type of momentum needed to win in such a short time frame is next to nil unless their name is Oprah. And even then it would be tough. One of many reasons why: Roughly 13% of California voters have already turned in their ballots, according to Political Data, a Sacramento firm that is tracking ballots as they are turned into election officials. That number will be a lot higher by Sept. 3.

Will Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis be on the list of certified write-in candidates? No, Kounalakis reiterated to me Friday.

I will not be a certified write-in, Kounalakis texted me. Im telling everyone they can write my name if they want but it wont be counted! So better to leave it blank.

For those Democrats who believe in leaving the ballot blank, that is.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
A bystander and two surfers at Ocean Beach were hailed as heroes after rescuing a man who nearly drowned after being swept underwater Sunday morning, fire officials said.

At about 9 a.m., a woman walking her dog on the shore near stairwell 6 spotted a man in his 50s head into the waves on a boogie board, and noticed that he started to struggle when he entered the surf zone, said Jonathan Baxter, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department.

Shortly after, a large wave crashed down on the man, pulling him underwater and out of the womans line of sight, Baxter said. The woman then flagged down two surfers who were still on the beach, and pointed to the area she believed the man was drowning.

The two surfers managed to locate the man and pulled him back to shore while the woman called 911, Baxter said. Dispatchers then walked the three through how to perform CPR on the man, which they continued until paramedics arrived.

After the bystanders fast-acting response, plus about 15 to 20 minutes of life-saving efforts from paramedics, the victims pulse and breathing returned as he was transported to a local hospital.

This person most likely would have perished if that alert woman wasnt there, and most likely would have also perished if no one knew how to do CPR, Baxter said Sunday.

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.

Theres some great components of real community involvement that led to this persons life being saved.

Baxter said he was not yet able to identify the woman or surfers who performed the rescue, but hopes to be able to formally acknowledge them in the coming days.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
- Updates: Get info on the Caldor Fire from the Eldorado National Forest.

- Information line: 530-303-2455

- Evacuations: Get the latest info from the U.S. Forest Service and from a map posted by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.

- Maps: Find from the Forest Service.

This is Sunday's Caldor Fire update. To read the Monday update, click here.

LATEST, 9:35 p.m.: Cal Fire issued updated evacuation warnings for El Dorado County that include the remainder of the South Lake Tahoe Basin. The agency's update included new evacuation orders for El Dorado and Alpine counties.





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Fire crews lost some containment on the Caldor Fire Sunday as unfavorable conditions began pushing the blaze closer to highly populated areas of the Tahoe Basin.

After starting the day with 19% containment, crews are back down to 13% after a brutal day on the fire lines. The fire has burned 168,387 acres as of Sunday evening.

"Everything is burning different today. Were seeing movement like we saw about 15 days ago," Cal Fire operations section chief Eric Schwab said at the Sunday evening briefing. "A couple days ago I really felt like we were turning the corner with it... To put it in perspective, weve been seeing less than a half mile of movement on the fires perimeter for the last couple weeks each day. Today, this is already moved about two and a half miles with no sign it's about to slow down."

As a result, additional evacuation orders for Amador, El Dorado and Alpine counties were issued on Sunday afternoon. The new orders include the town of Meyers, which is a little less than three miles from the Lake Tahoe Airport. The fire is raging on both sides of Highway 50 near Twin Bridges. "It's impassable right now," Schwab said.

People living south of Highway 88 along the Amador/El Dorado County line from Dufrene Road to the Amador/Alpine County line are required to evacuate immediately, a Cal Fire news release said. In El Dorado County, the evacuation zone includes those residing in Christmas Valley from Highway 89 West to Echo Summit, Highway 89 westbound to Watershed Ridge and Echo Summit and south to the Amador/El Dorado County Line, and all homes on both sides of Highway 89.

In Alpine County, the order spans residences on Highway 89 south from Luther Pass Road to Pickets Junction and westbound on Highway 88 to Kirkwood. A Red Cross temporary evacuation point is located at the Italian Picnic Grounds in Sutter Creek.

An evacuation warning was also issued in El Dorado County from Sawmill Road at Lake Tahoe Boulevard to Pope Beach. An evacuation warning means residents should be ready to leave at a moment's notice, although people are always encouraged to leave any time they do not feel safe.

With the closure of Highway 88, people in the area must evacuate north on either Highway 50 or Highway 89. Schwab said the south border of the fire is now about a mile away from Highway 88.

Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

As the raging Caldor Fire bears down on the Tahoe Basin, firefighters have set up for the fight at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort.

The resort, normally famed for its snowy winter views, is now filled with fire crews, equipment, trucks and medical aid. The plentiful parking makes it an ideal spot for a staging area, from which Cal Fire will deploy its resources. Sierra-at-Tahoe, as well as homes and businesses further down on the mountain, are in the mandatory evacuation zone. Firefighters are lighting defensive fires around both Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood, hoping to prevent structure damage to the resorts.

Fire crews are hoping to make a stand at Echo Summit, which drivers will know as the cliffside part of Highway 50 that begins to dip down into the Tahoe Basin. If the fire descends below that summit, it will begin to directly burn down into highly populated areas of Meyers and South Lake Tahoe. With a red flag warning in effect for high winds on Monday afternoon through Tuesday evening, critical fire conditions remain on the horizon.

On Saturday night and into Sunday, fire crews fought to protect Strawberry. Flames stretched into the sky behind Strawberry's post office, general store and beloved lodge, which has been hosting Tahoe visitors since 1858. Fire crews were positioned to protect structures, spraying down trees and setting backfires.

Wildfire cameras in the region show a large column of smoke and flames rising up from the forest near Highway 88. The camera set up on Leek Spring Hill looking toward Kirkwood shows intense fire activity Sunday.

Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Caldor Fire ignited on August 14 in heavy timber in the Eldorado National Forest near the small town of Grizzly Flats south of Pollock Pines, burning a destructive path through the community of about 1,200 people. Photos from the aftermath show an elementary school, a post office and homes that were turned into piles of ash. The fire has been burning along Highway 50, a main artery between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. The road has been closed since August 20.

Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

Cal Fire said 471 single residences and 11 commercial properties have been destroyed. Damage assessments are still underway, and a map of damaged structures is available from Cal Fire. Over 18,000 structures remain threatened, and evacuation warnings stretch from Amador to Alpine to El Dorado counties.

Staff and fond customers of the Strawberry Lodge, a pretty inn that was once a stop along the Pony Express, can only wait and hope for good news.

"Today we are thinking of our staff, neighbors, regulars, and friends, who make up our Lodge family and community," the lodge posted on Facebook Saturday. "Please continue sharing your happy memories and thoughts with us. Your support has been felt and is appreciated. We still have hope."

Noah Berger/AP

SFGATE news editor Amy Graff, KCRA, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
If theres one thing you can count on at Disneyland, its that whenever a change happens at the park, a certain section of fans will have strong feelings about it. Sometimes those changes are objectively for the better, like to make rides more inclusive or remove ties to problematic movies in Disneys vault. And sometimes those changes fundamentally alter the park experience in ways that many people find hard to justify.

Right now, a large segment of Disney fans are having a difficult time understanding the companys choice to implement Genie+, a new, paid system that replaces the previously free FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World, and both the free physical Fast Pass tickets and the MaxPass at Disneyland.

Disney making fast pass a paid system is making me rly sad but i guess thats life, tweeted @realvibekill.

Absolutely gutted that Walt Disney World are doing away with fast passes and started a pay to play Genie+, @spainwithlauren tweeted. Disney holidays are already expensive enough without squeezing even more out of people.

Under this new system, Walt Disney World guests can pay $15 per day and Disneyland guests can pay $20 per day for access to a Lightning Lane, replacing what used to be a Fast Pass line. Those fees add up: for a family of four, it would cost $80. However, that flat fee only includes some of the park rides and attractions. Many of the more in-demand rides, like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will have an additional, as-yet-undisclosed per ride fee.

This new system comes in a year when Disney CEO Bob Chapek has laid out what he calls a more aggressive financial strategy that also includes the first-ever paid ride upgrade, a toy that enhances rider score on Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure in Disney California Adventures new Avengers Campus.

A YouTube video from the Disney Parks channel released on August 18 explaining this new Genie service has fewer than 900 likes and more than 11,000 dislikes as of August 27. Just ruined a favorite character buy using Genie  should have been honest and called it $ Scrooge McDuck Service $, Steve Davis commented on the video.

Youre right, Ive never had a friend like this! Jonathan Davies said, referring to Friend Like Me, Genies famous song from Aladdin. Thats because Ive never had a friend who constantly asks me for money, those are the people I stay away from.

Rather than joking, though, some of the comments reflected a concern about the rising costs of a Disney trip and the way that, with fewer and fewer things included in the price tag, the experience is becoming out of reach for many families. My wife and I have gone to Disney every single year since weve been married, Matt Davis commented. As a lower middle class family that has to travel from Illinois, we cant afford it anymore. This is the final straw.

Previously, guests to Walt Disney World with hotel reservations and tickets in hand could book Fast Passes 90 days in advance, choosing advance times for three rides per day. Booking our FastPasses was always the most exciting part of vacation planning, Davis continued. We cant afford to use this service. Disney has rejected the lower and middle class families that allowed them to operate all these years. Disney World is only for the wealthy now, and thats all they care about.

While Disney is targeting a more affluent customer  or at least one who will spend more  that customer isnt actually Disneys core demographic. Business Insider conducted a poll earlier this year asking readers whether they intended to take a Disney vacation this year. The result: People with income less than $75,000 are the most likely to visit the Mouse, while people with income over $150,000 are the least likely to visit. Those who said they earn between $50,000 and $74,999 per year were seemingly the most eager to visit Disney, Amanda Krause wrote. Those who said they earn between $25,000 to $49,999 per year were the second largest group to say they'd consider visiting a Disney park this year.

However, some critics have said that pre-booking those passes made the standard queue wait times significantly longer. That policy allowed every guest to wait physically and virtually in up to four lines at once, blowing up wait times across the resort, Robert Niles wrote for the OC Register. With advance reservations available, guests who did not prebook their Fastpasses the moment they were eligible, weeks in advance, found top attractions impossible to get.

Unlike the previous Walt Disney World system, Genie+ can only be purchased at midnight the day of a guests park visit. Disneyland users who previously used the MaxPass system, which also cost $20 per day per person to be able to choose Fast Pass return times, will find this Genie+ system largely the same, with the added feature of paying per ride for premium attractions. The previous existence of MaxPass is probably at the core of why Disney is charging more at its California park than its Florida ones.

Many of the negative reactions to the elimination of Fast Passes are from people noting the increasingly scaled-back perks of staying at on-property hotels for Disney vacations. At Walt Disney World, the free Magical Express airport transportation and almost all of the free Extra Magic Hours for hotel guests have been eliminated.

No fast pass, no dining plan and no magical express. @Disney execs are out of touch with its consumers, Twitter user @costall said.

I bet Disney World starts offering free Disney Genie+ promotions for on-property stays like they do with the free dining plan some times of the year, Leslie Harvey, @tripswithtykes, tweeted. On-property benefits are just too low right now.

Additional charges and fewer perks dont seem to be affecting Disney attendance, though. We see strong demand for our parks continuing, Bob Chapek said in the Walt Disney Companys third-quarter earnings call on Aug. 12. In fact, our park reservations now are above our Q3 attendance levels. And as you just saw with our earnings announcement, our Q3 attendance levels were pretty darn good. In that call, the company reported more than a $3 billion increase in revenue for that quarter year-over-year.

Earlier this summer, Disneyland Paris rolled out a fee-based Fast Pass system called Premier Access, which has similar features to Genie+. Under this new system, guests can purchase entry to accelerated queues individually, per ride. The cost is dependent on the popularity of the ride and how busy the park is that day, between 8 euros and 15 euros ($9-$18) per ride.

Disneyland Paris did not respond to a request for comment about guest reception to Premier Access or how those accelerated lanes are impacting wait times in the standard queues.

There are positives to the situation, though. If you want to shell out the money to pay for it, you can theoretically ride any ride in the park as many times as you want in a day. The system will likely alleviate one of the biggest complaints at Disneyland  that people who came to the park specifically for Rise of the Resistance werent able to get a spot in the virtual queue and therefore couldnt ride their only cant miss ride in the park. With single day adult tickets at Disneyland costing up to $154, thats an expensive disappointment. Spending $20 (or whatever the fee will be) for Lightning Lane access is a better financial proposition than paying another $154 on a different park day, only to be faced with the same slim chances of landing in the virtual queue.

I think this shift towards Disney Genie+ and a la cart options was the right choice for the parks going forward, Carlye Wisel wrote for SyFy Wire, noting that Fast Passes lengthened other wait times. By limiting the number of guests who receive expedited entry, the standby lines can, hypothetically, move more quickly, particularly when in-app software is nudging you towards locations that currently have shorter lines.

The FastPass system was broken, without a doubt, Wisel added. Will this tiered approach fix it? For that, well have to wait until it starts later this fall.
GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP)  Attention, left face and company halt were likely some new instructions for 17 middle school students.

Discipline, teamwork and motivation also were prevalent throughout the six-day Georgetown Police Department Junior Police Academy, recently staged at Delaware Technical Community Colleges Owens Campus.

This is not a camp. This is a very structured academy experience. Its very paramilitary, said Georgetown Police Detective Joey Melvin, a school resource officer in the Indian River School District and organizer of the academy.

They learn about teamwork. Its about accountability. They learn about how individual responsibility affects everyone. So if one makes a mistake,  then everybody has to pay for it.

Again, his years camp included ethnic diversity.

Its very reflective of our community, Detective Melvin said. It usually does.

JaTara Morris of Milton, a 14-year-old incoming freshman at Cape Henlopen High School, attended the academy in tribute to a family member via a recommendation from her friend, Mia Gallo, another 2021 cadet.

I wanted to come here because I thought it would respect my Pop Pop because he did Army. It was like the motivation,  that he told me to never to give up and just push through, JaTara said.

Likewise, 13-year-old Karime Sanchez took a friends advice and enlisted in the academy.

One of my future careers is in intelligence analysis. I thought it would be a good opportunity to maybe go a little bit more forward into what I would like to do, said Karime, who will begin eighth grade at Georgetown Middle School next month. It also motivates me to become more independent and learn things.

Discipline was contrastingly different from the cadets home life. Among the guest officers barking out orders were Anthony Smitty Smith of the Dover Police Department and Pfc. Robert Scisco, a school resource officer with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department.

The discipline, it was really shocking, Karime said. You would be nervous at first because you didnt know how to act. But now that I know, part of it helps me remember that were all a group, and if something happens, we have to help each other to become together and make sure we have everything completed.

JaTara added, And if one person gets in trouble,  it goes to the rest of us. Officer Smith, he kept encouraging us. Even though he yelled at us, it was like a motivation to push through and dont give up and try to reach your goals.

Structured for youth in grades six through eight, the academy featured rigorous routine, physical fitness and a tight schedule, punctuated by guest speakers and demonstrations from various agencies.

Gov. John Carney and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., visited the cadets. So did Deputy Attorney General David Hume and Chief Magistrate Alan Davis.

Speakers included Georgetown Police Chief R.L. Hughes; Georgetown Mayor Bill West; Ruth Ann Spicer and granddaughter, Aubrey Spicer, who lost their son and father, Chad Spicer, in the line of duty in 2009; Dr. David Carter of Indian River High School; and John Oakey of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

There were also presentations from the Delaware Public Defenders Office, the Department of Correction, Delaware Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Controls Air and Waste Division and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

A Milford Police Department K-9 demonstration, a trip to the Delaware State Fire School and a presentation by Dean Stott, a former British special forces soldier and world record-holding cyclist, rounded out the academy, as well as books (including Grit by Angela Duckworth), movie time and Zoom sessions.

One virtual event brought the story of Rose Schindler, a Holocaust survivor whose mother and younger sister were taken to a gas chamber.

Rose, she was a survivor of the Holocaust, said Karime. That was really interesting. But it was sad at the same time. She went through a lot.

Detective Melvin said sharing stories like these will aid the students during trying times.

Hopefully, when they think they are having a bad day or things are rough, they will reflect on that, he said.

With an eye on both her immediate and long-range future, JaTara took notice of Officer Smiths Power in Consistency presentation.

I am going to do track and field in high school. I am doing (Jobs for Delaware Graduates) and (Junior) ROTC, and later in my future, I want to do military and be in the National Guard, she said. When I come here, I just feel like its more motivation.  You push through. Yes, youre going to go through pain. Youre going to fail. But youre also going to be successful in something that you did.

And thats the point, Detective Melvin added.

I think a lot of people underestimate our youth today. You commonly hear them referred to as lazy, always on their phones, he said. I actually find it to be the opposite. They yearn for discipline. They yearn for structure. Thats what they get here. And they get a lot of it.

The graduation on Aug. 21 marked the conclusion of the sixth Junior Police Academy, which has produced 117 graduates during those years.

And its not necessarily about leading students to a path in law enforcement.

I really try to make the experience and curriculum less about law enforcement and more about inspiration and instilling values for future leaders, said Detective Melvin. I dont care if they ever want to be a cop. I want them to be positive, contributing members of society. And I hope what they experience throughout this week helps.

I have worked with kids in schools for a long time, and the biggest gap I identified was this age range in programs specifically to identify and inspire future leaders. I dont see it a lot. Thats what led me to start this program.

The academy has developed a strong support network of sponsors, including businesses and organizations that help provide uniforms, books and speakers. Lunches were provided by El Charro, Bethany Blues BBQ, Carusos Pizza and Pasta Italian Eatery, the Wheelhouse, Arenas Deli & Bar and Pizza Palace.

I leverage a lot of my friends who share this passion from other agencies. Having them help is a blessing because then (the students) get exposed to different agencies and officers. We share that passion for dealing with youth, the detective said. The same thing with sponsors that I get. That lifts a heavy load. I could not do it without them.

Were very blessed this year that DelTech sponsored the event and donated the venue for us all week. It also exposed them to what DelTech has to offer.

Detective Melvins reward is hearing what course these young folks have mapped out, he said.

You hear all different kinds of things they want (to) do. Its neat to see it come to fruition. Last year was the first year I had kids that (have) been through this program graduate from high school, he said. So attending their graduation and talking to them and hearing about what college they are going to and that some are going into the military,  its kind of neat.

He was also pleased to hear that there were requests for an extended academy from students.

I had two or three come up and ask me if I can add another week, so they could stay longer, he said. I wish I could. If I had the resources to do this numerous times throughout the year all year long, I would love to do it. They yearn for it.
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Alert: U.S. State Department urges U.S. citizens to leave area of Kabul airport immediately, citing specific, credible threat.
ANTONITO, Colo. (AP)  On a recent Saturday morning, it looked like the town of Antonito, Colorado, was on fire.

But it was just steam from the Cumbres & Toltec train depot  lots of it.

Four steam engines from the 19th century were running simultaneously in honor of the railroads 50th anniversary of joint ownership between Colorado and New Mexico. The celebration was to take place last year but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tickets have been sold out since 2020.

The four Iron Horses will be in Chama, New Mexico, for demonstrations and more rides from Aug. 27-29.

Theres nothing quite like this thats ever been done before in rails historic preservation, said Stathi Pappas, chief operations manager and head of restoration at Cumbres and Toltec.

The 64-mile railroad runs on narrow tracks through the Rocky Mountains on ancestral Tewa land.

On Aug. 21, train enthusiasts rode the coal-powered 1883 Rio Grande engine No. 168 and the 1893 Rio Grande engine No. 425 as part of the Victorian Iron Horse Roundup.

The 168 is in Antonito; the 425 in Durango. It took two years to restore each passenger car using state funds, Pappas said.

According to federal transportation regulations, passengers on moving train cars with open windows dont have to wear masks. Windows were open and masks were mostly off last Saturday.

Instead of going to the zoo and seeing something in captivity, its like going on a safari and seeing everything in its natural habitat, Pappas said of the locomotives. They really belong here.

The trains had to be above their original standards of safety to be in compliance with todays laws, he said. Because parts for the old trains are no longer manufactured, restorationists often make them from scratch.

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad bridged Salt Lake City and Denver in 1870, and the San Juan extension served the mining industry through the mountains of southern Colorado.

In the late 1960s, the narrow gauge of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad tracks were set for abandonment.

Colorado and New Mexico bought the portion between Chama and Antonito, forming the Cumbres & Toltec railroad.

This is your railroad, too, Pappas said. It is something that all of us, as residents and people that are part of these states, should have pride in.

Two other trains were brought in from Nevada for the celebration: the Eureka and Glenbrook locomotives, built in 1875.

The Glenbrook once carried lumber through the Lake Tahoe Basin, and the Eureka rumbled through Nevadas gold-mining district.

All these locomotives were built to work, Pappas said. They were built in an era when there was a lot of thought invested in how they look. Theyre intended to be works of art in their own way.

With wood-powered engines and kerosene-powered headlights, the Glenbrook and Eureka are considerably smaller than those of the later 19th and early 20th centuries.

They took their first test runs on the tracks Saturday morning. The trains will require 80 cords of pine wood and a lot of water to keep them running during the anniversary week, railroad commissioner Scott Gibbs said.

Russ Murphy and his wife Caroline traveled from Tennessee to attend the event.

Russ, 60, has been a fan of railroads since he was 3 years old. Raised in Kansas, he often took rides with his father on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Hes ridden trains from Antonito since the 1970s.

When the couple ride a vintage train, they dress in clothes from the time period  Russ in a full vintage suit, silky red vest and cowboy boots modeled after a pair worn by outlaw Curly Bill with spurs to match.

Its all authentic and old, he said.

Yasmine Sealy and Carol OSaben drove from Flagstaff, Arizona, to Antonito for the event. Sealy grew up riding the subway in New York. It sparked a lifetime love of locomotives.

Trains are amazing feats of engineering, she said. Trains helped build this country. Just to see something that was built in the 1800s, its still going. Its still a workhorse to behold.

Sealy said trains can take people to places a car could never go such as densely vegetated areas and narrow natural corridors.

Youre seeing America, she said. Enjoy it. Take it in. Know this is where you live. This is the beautiful country that you have.

Jim Wrinn, editor of Wisconsin-based Trains magazine, planned to attend the event in Chama.

Its business, its geography, its history, its politics, its technology, he said of his love of trains.

And theres a lot of romance to railroading, he added.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Hospitalizations in Arkansas for COVID-19 dropped for the third consecutive day on Saturday, a sign of hope for a state health care system thats been strained due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

On Saturday, there were 1,272 Arkansas residents hospitalized with the virus, 52 fewer than Friday, the largest drop this month after hospitalizations surged throughout July and August, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Sunday.
CHICAGO (AP)  A 19-year-old pregnant woman found dead in Lake Michigan earlier this month, authorities said.

Lake County authorities identified her as Yarianna Wheeler. Her body was recovered Aug. 15 after a fisherman saw it floating in the water three miles southeast of Waukegan Harbor.

She was about six to seven months pregnant and her body had likely been in the water for several. Her autopsy showed she had suffered several sharp force injuries, but an official cause of death hasnt been released.

Her death was being investigated as a homicide.

After Lake County sheriff's detectives received a tip, Wheeler was identified using dental records.
CHICAGO (AP)  A Black man who was left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot in the back by a white police officer in Wisconsin expects to be walking soon, an accomplishment he says is tempered by fears of it happening again.

Jacob Blake Jr. was shot seven times by a Kenosha police officer in August 2020, three months after George Floyd was killed by police in Minnesota. Blake's shooting set off days of violent protests in the city of about 100,000 people located midway between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Blake tells CNN he was able to take a few steps during his son's birthday celebration this past week, which he compared to sliding his legs through a woodchipper. Although he was so geeked by the moment that followed months of physical rehabilitation, he is not claiming victory.

Yeah, Im here, and yeah Im about to be walking, but I really dont feel like I have survived because it could happen to me again, Blake told the network. I have not survived until something has changed.

Blake said he continues to relive not only his own shooting, but other gun violence in the Black community. Last month, during Fourth of July fireworks when Blake was in Chicago with family, he called 911 over what he later realized was an anxiety attack.

Im hearing these booms (fireworks) and its not scaring me because I got shot, its scaring me because all of those people have gotten shot so every time a boom went off, Im kind of imagining people dying," Blake said.

Blake was shot by Kenosha police Officer Rusten Sheskey after he and two other Kenosha officers tried to arrest Blake on an outstanding warrant. A pocketknife fell from Blakes pants during a scuffle. He said he picked it up before heading to a vehicle to drive away with two of his children in the back seat. He said he was prepared to surrender once he put the knife in the vehicle. Sheskey, who was not charged, told investigators that he feared for his own safety.

The shooting touched off chaotic protests in the Kenosha area, during which time an Illinois man allegedly shot and killed two demonstrators and wounded another. Kyle Rittenhouse faces two charges of felony murder and one charge of attempted felony murder in the attack that left Blake furious and angry.

For the reasons they said they shot me, they had every reason to shoot him, but they didnt, Blake said. Honestly if his skin color was different, and Im not prejudiced or a racist, he probably would have been labeled a terrorist.
MENDOTA, Calif. - This small town in California's agriculture-rich Central Valley advertises itself as the "Cantaloupe Center of the World." But as relentless drought punishes California and the West, the land is drying up and the cantaloupes are disappearing.

Farmers have let large portions of their melon fields lie fallow as they struggle to get by on dramatically curtailed water supplies. Some are giving their vines barely enough water to stay alive in an effort to conserve. In other cases, fields that have already been planted will never get harvested because there's not enough water for the fruit to survive.

"We could have fields that could burn up because of lack of water," said Joe Del Bosque, who grows organic melons on a 2,000-acre farm near here and sells to high-end grocers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Del Bosque has cut back his melon crop by 20% this year.

"Melons are very moisture-sensitive and when they need water they will decline very quickly," he said. "They basically shrivel up and die."

Climate change and a devastating heat wave have decimated towns like Mendota this summer, and the carnage stretches far beyond fruit. Farmworkers are struggling to find employment, working fewer hours or driving long distances for jobs. Fewer workers means less spending in the community. Less money for farm suppliers, restaurants, and the small shops where people wire money to family members in Mexico and Central America. Without the water everyone needs to survive, a sense of anxiety pervades about what the future will bring.

"There's very little work," said Teofrido Fraga, 65, a longtime farmworker who used an old straw cowboy hat to shield himself from the baking afternoon sun at an auto repair shop operated by Mendota's mayor, Rolando Castro.

Fraga, a native of Michoacan, Mexico, said that he has labored in the local fields for more than 40 years, but it's getting harder to find work even as he himself slows down. Still, "while I can move, I say I have to work," Fraga said in Spanish.

At a small grocery and wire transfer store nearby, Hortencia Aceves, 52, said that sending money back home is an obligation for local residents, not a luxury they can do without. "People have to send money to their loved ones - they have to eat," said Aceves. "So maybe instead of $100 it's $80."

Population growth has slowed in Mendota, a onetime boom town thrumming with life and surrounded by lush green fields. Dusty streets give way to parched brown tracts, and agriculture packing plants sit empty and padlocked on barren lots. Mayor Castro predicted that without more water, Mendota and other nearby rural communities will turn into "ghost towns" within the next five years.

"We need people here. I don't want to be a ghost town," Castro said. "If there's no water, where are they gonna work?"

Versions of Mendota's story are playing out all over California and the West as the region parches and sizzles under nearly unprecedented drought and heat. Farmers are bulldozing down citrus groves and grinding up the trees because they can't water them, walking away from acres of farmland, selling off herds of cattle, and abandoning annual crops like tomatoes and onions to focus on nut trees they've sunk years of money, labor and water into already. It's a menu of bad options that hurts growers and the communities they are part of, while hiking up the prices of food at grocery stores.

"When you have rising temperatures, you've got early snowmelt, you've got low rainfall, you've got wildfires. It is a toxic mix for California agriculture," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said while visiting a farm near here earlier this month. "And for that matter for all of American agriculture because of the role California plays."

Vilsack said in an interview that the federal government's agriculture aid programs, many designed to address temporary problems, must be re-examined to fit what is emerging as the new normal: droughts, heat waves and wildfires that are much lengthier, fiercer and more routine than in the past.

"I think we as policymakers need to understand that this is the new reality that we're facing," Vilsack said. "Are the programs we have appropriate, and if not, how do we change them?"

Ninety-five percent of California - which grows around two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts, including some 75% of U.S. cantaloupes - is now categorized as being in "severe drought" or higher, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center's U.S. Drought Monitor, a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The percentage of the West in the worst category, "exceptional drought," has never been higher since the monitor began in 2000.

For farmers like Joe Del Bosque, the immediate goal is to somehow make it through this growing season by juggling an array of strategies such as planting fewer crops, pumping unsustainable quantities of groundwater and purchasing water at five times its normal cost from neighbors who have some to spare. But the real concern is what happens if there is not enough snow again this winter to refresh California's water supply, and the drought continues - something meteorologists are already predicting. Many don't know if they'll be able to survive another dry year at all.

"There's a few times where I just want to go and crawl into a hole, I just don't know what to do," said Del Bosque, 72, who started his farm in 1985 and has grown it painstakingly into a profitable enterprise that employs several hundred workers. Del Bosque and his wife have six daughters and hope to hand their farm over to the next generation. Whether that will be possible is now an open question that keeps Del Bosque up at night worrying about where the water will come from, and if there will be enough.

"Everything I've worked for the last 36 years is on the line," Del Bosque said during a break from the grim work of inspecting melon fields that need more water and almond trees that are on the brink.

"This year will do damage, is doing damage, for a lot of the family farms," said Dave Puglia, head of Western Growers, which represents farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. "If the situation does not improve and we have a similar situation next year, we'll lose a large number of family farms and they won't come back because there's no cushion. "

With the bleak realities of climate change now impossible to ignore, Vilsack and others are calling for the West's water stakeholders to come together for new solutions about how to become even more efficient with water, and do more with less. At the large ranch in Helm, Calif., that Vilsack visited this month, owner Don Cameron has worked for years on a complex system of pumps aimed at capturing floodwaters and diverting them into the soil.

This year there is no floodwater to collect. But even as climate change brings tremendous drought, it can also produce the other extremes: raging storms, and winters that have less snow but more rain - precious water that must be captured and put to use.

"I firmly believe we will have floodwater again, because with climate change you experience not only the increased temperatures and the droughts," Cameron said. "The flooding should also be more intense."

A drought emergency was declared for most of the state of California in May, with most farmers receiving none of their usual irrigation water allotment. Because of that, farmers have turned to more expensive groundwater, pumping an additional 6 or 7 million acre-feet of water over usual amounts from their wells this year - an amount that far exceeds what the aquifer can replenish, experts say. Earlier this month, California's State Water Resources Control Board announced it was reducing the amount of water farmers can draw from rivers and streams, further eliminating places for farmers and ranchers to turn.

That decision stirred controversy, some directed at Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election next month, and has urged California residents to conserve water but not imposed any mandates. Central Valley roadways are dotted with "Recall Newsom" signs. The governor's office had no immediate comment on farmers' complaints.

Experts say California will see a drop in agricultural production this year, especially on lower-value crops that farmers may have chosen not to grow in favor of higher-value products like almonds, pistachios and grapes. Some crops, such as leafy greens, may migrate out of the state to places with more hospitable climates.

Although it's difficult to quantify the economic impact of this year's drought while it's underway, Western Growers says that drought conditions between 2014 and 2016 in California resulted in the fallowing of a half-million acres of farmland and losses of $3.8 billion in statewide economic activity. At the same time, the state is contending with other climate change-related disasters. Last year alone, storms and wildfires caused at least $560.5 million in crop damage in the state that went unreimbursed, according to USDA data.

Over the last two decades, three out of four years in California and the American West have been drought years, with a half-century warming trend superimposed on that, said Brad Rippey, a USDA meteorologist at the World Agricultural Outlook Board and one of the authors of the U.S. Drought Monitor. He said the dramatic warming trend is "too much for the system to handle" and that the country is already seeing movement of crops and changes in farming techniques as a result.

""The problem in the West becomes water supply - you can get water from the sky, ground or reservoirs," Rippey said. "When you have drought, you can't get it from the sky; chronic drought and you can't get it from the ground." ."

Back in Mendota, Mayor Castro and other longtime residents of the area remember when the surrounding fields were verdant and the abundance of cantaloupe provided work for anyone who wanted it. In recent years cantaloupe production in California and the United States has slowed, and many cantaloupe sold in the United States are now imported from Central America - a trend this year's drought threatens to accelerate.

As for Mendota's claim to be the "Cantaloupe Center of the World" - a slogan still emblazoned on the municipal crest - Castro acknowledged that "I can't say that anymore."
DUBROVNIK, Croatia (AP)  Beaches along Croatia's Adriatic Sea coastline are swarming with people. Guided tours are fully booked, restaurants are packed and sailboats were chartered well in advance.

Summer tourism has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations in Croatia this year. Once fearful that the coronavirus pandemic would discourage people from traveling, Croatias tourism industry was caught by surprise.

It's much better  its almost like 2020 never happened, said Josip Crncevic, a tour guide in Dubrovnik, a southern city known for its Old Town and nightlife that is Croatia's most popular destination.

The Balkan country experienced four years of war in the 1990s, but before the pandemic had become a top vacation spot for European and American visitors who appreciated its small towns and scores of islands offering natural beauty, local seafood and recreation in comparatively uncrowded settings.

The success of the summer season carries strong implications for Croatias economy, which is among the weakest in the European Union. Tourism accounts for up to 20% of gross domestic product, and visitor spending is essential to the incomes of locals who rent lodging or run other tourism-linked businesses.

While people here prepared for this year to be better than last because of the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, the tourism minister described the July and August demand for getaways in Croatia as remarkable. As of Aug. 10, overnight stays were at 69% of the record number seen in the 2019 season, tourism minister Nikolina Brnjac said.

The tourism revival is clearly visible in Dubrovnik, known as the pearl of the coastline, famous for its fortified, walled medieval city that is a UNESCO protected area and which served as a set for the popular Game of Thrones series. The main street in Old Town buzzes with people as tour groups mill along the outer walls.

As a reminder of the continuing risk of COVID-19, a huge sign on one of the stone walls warns people to keep their distance from others, to wash their hands and to wear masks. Wearing a mask is required in enclosed spaces in Croatia, but not outdoors.

Toni Dugandzic, a waiter at the restaurant Gusta Me, said the influx of tourists surprised many town residents and business people following last year's poor season. Restaurant owners didn't expect it and therefore didn't hire enough staff in time, he said.

We work a little bit more because we were not prepared regarding human resources, Dugandzic said.

Health officials organized vaccination drives for people with jobs in tourism and kept some crowd limits in place. About 40% of the adult population in the country of 4.2 million has been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Daily reported cases have increased in recent weeks, reaching nearly 600 late this week. Croatia has reported about 370,000 cases and more than 8,000 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Some visitors decided the best way to stay safe while on vacation was by renting a sailboat to tour Croatia's islands and isolated bays. Most of the sailboats in the crammed marina in the central Adriatic town of Biograd were already booked.

Everybody is looking to have a boat! exclaimed Marin Katicin, the CEO of charter company Pitter Yachting. We have no boats anymore!

Kate Redder, a visitor from Germany, chartered a boat with her friends. Sailing around Croatia provides a feeling of independence, a better view of the country's stunning scenery and a way to self-isolate on the water, she explained.

I think it is just safer than going to a hotel where you meet different people all the time, Redder said. So you are safe. We are only here as a family and with our skipper.
BRUSSELS  The European Union is set to advise member states that they should reintroduce travel restrictions for visitors from the United States, three EU officials said Sunday, as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have surged in the U.S. in recent weeks.

Starting Monday, the officials said, the United States will be removed from a safe list of countries whose residents can travel to the 27-nation bloc without additional restrictions, such as quarantine and testing requirements. The suggested restrictions, made by the European Council, will not be mandatory for member countries, and it will remain up to those countries to decide whether to impose them.

Most European countries reopened their borders to Americans in June, more than a year after imposing a travel ban, hoping that Americans would visit this summer and help an ailing tourism industry bounce back.

In essence, the EU gave the United States a summertime pass to encourage tourism, despite the relatively high infection rates in parts of the country.

The threshold for being on the EU safe travel list is having fewer than 75 new COVID-19 cases daily per 100,000 people over the previous 14 days. The United States has an infection rate well above that threshold, and COVID hospitalizations in the country climbed above 100,000 last week for the first time since January.

Yet while American tourists were able to travel to Europe this summer, the United States has remained closed to Europeans, drawing anger from Europeans and their leaders, who have expressed frustration at the lack of reciprocity.

Travelers from countries on the safe list can usually visit EU countries without quarantining by showing a proof of vaccination or a negative test, while those from countries not on that list are barred from visiting for nonessential reasons and can be subject to further testing and quarantine requirements.

Most European countries reopened their economies this summer after vaccination campaigns picked up speed in recent months. Countries such as France and Italy, among others, have required proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test result for people to dine in restaurants, visit museums or attend concerts, making COVID passes a fixture of daily life.

The decision to urge the reimposition of travel restrictions on U.S. travelers was first reported by Reuters. European officials who outlined the plan did so under condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly before an announcement planned for Monday.

Other countries expected to be removed from the safe list include Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

The EU overtook the United States in vaccinations last month, with 64% of the blocs residents having received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, compared with 60% in the United States, according to Our World in Data.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
LONDON (AP)  A former U.K. Royal Marine who waged a high-profile campaign to leave Afghanistan with almost 200 rescued dogs and cats has flown to safety  with the animals, but without his charitys Afghan staff, who were left behind in Kabul.

A privately funded chartered plane carrying Paul Pen Farthing and his animals landed at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday after a saga that gripped and divided Britain, raising difficult questions about the relative value placed on human and animal lives.

Iain McGill, a veterinarian involved in the effort, said the animals appeared healthy and had been placed in quarantine.

Farthing, who started the Nowzad charity after serving with British forces in Afghanistan 15 years ago, was eligible for evacuation in Britains military airlift along with Afghan members of his staff and their dependents. But he refused to leave without the animals.

For days, Farthing used social media and press interviews to chronicle his attempts to depart with his four-legged companions amid the chaotic exodus from Kabul airport, as his supporters lobbied the British government for help with a rescue effort dubbed Operation Ark.

Farthing gained backing from celebrities including comedian Ricky Gervais, and many offers to adopt the rescued animals. But he also drew criticism from those who said the case was draining time and energy from the task of rescuing Afghans at risk from the countrys new Taliban rulers.

Britain says it evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in a two-week airlift that ended Saturday. But officials say as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind. Some British lawmakers who have been trying to help stranded constituents and their families believe the true total is higher.

What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother? said Conservative lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, who served with the British Army in Afghanistan.

Weve just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile my interpreters family is likely to be killed, Tugendhat told radio station LBC on Saturday.

Farthing and his supporters say Operation Ark did not take airplane seats from people or drain resources from the official evacuation operation. But U.K. government officials have become increasingly vocal in their frustration.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the military had to prioritize people over pets, and complained that some of Farthings more militant supporters had taken up too much time of senior commanders and had sent abuse to military staff.

The Sunday Times released a recording of an expletive-filled message left by Farthing last week for a senior defense official, Peter Quentin, accusing him of blocking the evacuation and threatening to spend the rest of my time  destroying you on social media.

Animal welfare campaigner Dominic Dyer, who has acted as a U.K.-based spokesman for Farthing, said Farthing was a national hero who was facing a smear campaign by government officials.

Pen Farthing, who was risking his life in Kabul to get his people and animals to Britain, was completely justified in holding Mr. Quentin to account for his actions, he said.

A convoy carrying Farthing, this staff and the animals was near Kabul airport on Thursday when a suicide bomber killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops. On Friday, after days of failed attempts by the group to reach safety, the British military said it had given clearance for the chartered flight and British troops had assisted Farthing and the animals into the airport.

Dyer said Taliban guards would not let the Afghan staff enter, even though they had papers permitting them to come to Britain. He said Nowzad would continue to work to get them safely to Britain.

___

Follow APs coverage of Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
HELSINKI (AP)  A team of Arctic researchers from Denmark say they accidentally discovered what they believe is the worlds northernmost island located off Greenland's coast.

The scientists from the University of Copenhagen initially thought they had arrived at Oodaaq, an island discovered by a Danish survey team in 1978, to collect samples during an expedition that was conducted in July.

They instead wound up on an undiscovered island further north.

We were convinced that the island we were standing on was Oodaaq, which until then was registered as the worlds northernmost island, said expedition leader Morten Rasch of the universitys department of geosciences and natural resource management.

But when I posted photos of the island and its coordinates on social media, a number of American island hunters went crazy and said that it couldnt be true, he said in a statement on Friday.

Island hunters are known as adventurers whose hobby it is to search for unknown islands.

The yet-to-be-named island is 780 meters (about 850 yards) north of Oodaaq, an island off Cape Morris Jesup, the northernmost point of Greenland and one of the most northerly points of land on Earth.

The tiny island, apparently discovered as a result of shifting pack ice, is about 30 by 60 meters (about 100 by 200 feet) in size and rises to about three to four meters (10 to 13 feet) above sea level, the university said. The research team reportedly doesn't consider the discovery to be a result of climate change and has allegedly proposed naming the island Qeqertaq Avannarleq, which means the northernmost island in Greenlandic.

The island consists primarily of small mounds of silt and gravel, according to Rasch. He said it may be the result of a major storm that, with the help of the sea, gradually pushed material from the seabed together until an island formed. The island isn't expected to exist a long time, Danish researchers believe.

No one knows how long it will remain. In principle, it could disappear as soon as a powerful new storm hits, Rasch said.
HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP)  An Upper Peninsula city is giving credit to college students for a rise in its official population.

The population of Houghton, the home of Michigan Tech University, rose nearly 9% to 8,386 between 2010 and 2020, according to fresh census figures.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  Hundreds of people gathered at the state Capitol in Olympia on Saturday to protest Gov. Jay Inslees vaccine mandate.

The mandate, which Inslee announced in early August, requires most state workers, healthcare workers and school employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 or face losing their jobs. Inslee has said the getting people vaccinated is essential for getting Washington past the pandemic.

Organizers of the rally Saturday warned that a large segment of state workers, including many firefighters, sanitation workers and bus drivers, wont get the vaccine  as much as 30% to 40% statewide, they said. It wasn't clear what that estimate was based on.

If the Governor refuses to rescind his mandate, it will mean that multiple areas of the state will be severely reduced or shut down completely, Tyler Miller, of the group Liberty, At All Hazards, said in a news release. The Governor is unnecessarily threatening the genuine safety and well-being of the citizens of Washington if he forces his mandate to stand.

Inslee spokesman Mike Faulk defended the need for the mandate.

Employees are losing their lives to COVID. Hospitals are filling up. Communities are stressed by the pandemics impacts. The safest and most effective way to get beyond these tragic circumstances is vaccination, Faulk said in a statement.

The Washington Federation of State Employees on Thursday sued to block the mandate in Thurston County Superior Court, saying the state failed to bargain over the issue in good faith. The lawsuit says allowing the mandate to take effect without an agreement with the union would harm the rights of the unions members. Inslees office says he disagrees.

Our unions top priority is health and safety  for staff and the public we seInrve, union President Mike Yestramski said in a news release. That is why we need the state to make a good faith effort to bargain and to really think through how theyre going to implement this mandate in a safe, fair and consistent manner.

That includes coming up with processes for how workers can qualify for exemptions for religious or medical reasons and for dealing with staffing concerns, he said.

Inslees mandate is among the strictest in the country. It does not allow for employees to show proof of negative COVID-19 tests in lieu of getting vaccinated.

In Oregon, an outbreak at a long-term care facility in Springfield began with an unvaccinated worker, public health officials said. That outbreak resulted in dozens of infections and five deaths.

In California, public health officials said Friday that 22 children contracted COVID after an unvaccinated elementary school teacher took off her mask to read to students.

But many employers have voiced concerns that the mandate could prompt workers to quit.

Vaccination rates across the state have risen since the mandates were announced, which also came amid a steep rise in cases and hospitalizations caused by the highly infectious delta variant.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  The New Hampshire Insurance Department will host a legislative review webinar in September.

The Sept. 9 meeting is open to the public and will provide an opportunity to hear from regulators regarding new statutes, rules and legislation from the 2021 session. The session will also include a review of what is to come in the 2022 legislative session.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)  Iran and Syria vowed on Sunday to take mighty steps to confront U.S. sanctions imposed on the two regional allies, saying their relations will strengthen under Irans new leadership.

The announcement was made by Irans new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who was received at the airport a visit to Damascus by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.

Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar Assads strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops in Syrias 10-year conflict that has killed half a million and displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million.

With the help of Russia and Iran, Syrian government forces now control much of Syria. But the country has been suffering for years under American and European Union sanctions.

U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia, and which is responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.

American sanctions were imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.

The sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in Syria, which has been relying mostly on Iranian oil shipments that have been subjected to mysterious attacks over the past two years. Syria has blamed Israel for the attacks.

The leadership of the two countries will together take mighty steps to confront economic terrorism and reduce pressure on our people, Amir-Abdollahian said at the airport. He did not say how the two countries will fight the sanctions.

Amir-Abdollahians visit to Syria comes a day after he represented Iran in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing regional tensions.

Amir-Abdollahian described Syria as the land of resistance, adding that Damascus and Tehran had worked together on the ground and achieved joint victories.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  A foundation in Maine is seeking proposals to help protect land throughout the state.

The Maine Community Foundation funds preservation projects through its Maine Land Protection grant program. The foundation said it's taking applications for new projects through Sept. 15.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Several hundred migrants, including many children, headed north from near Mexico's border with Guatemala on Saturday hoping to reach the U.S., but Mexican security forces dispersed the group several hours later.

About 300 Haitians, Cubans and Central Americans set out on foot from the town of Tapachula, and a few hundred more migrants joined in as the walk progressed.

After about eight hours, they passed through an immigration checkpoint without problems, but then National Guard troops in riot gear blocked their way as a heavy rain fell. Some of the migrants were arrested while others eluded capture and kept heading north. By Saturday night about 200 had arrived the town of Huixtla, said Rev. Heyman Vazquez, a priest who works with migrants.

Immigration agents also helped break up the group. An Associated Press journalist saw one immigration agent kick a migrant who was already immobilized and on the ground.

The Collective of Monitoring and Documentation of Human Rights of the Southeast, which is a coalition of groups that work with migrants, said some people were injured though it gave no numbers. It said the detained migrants had been loaded on buses and driven away.

The flow of migrants from Central America has increased since the beginning of the year and in recent days despair had grown especially among the Haitian community stranded in Tapachula. This week they began to demonstrate seeking to speed up their immigration procedures and threatened to leave in a caravan if Mexican officials did not pay attention to them.

The group that started out Saturday was the biggest one this year and recalled the caravans that occurred in Mexico before the pandemic and the big formation that tried to leave Honduras in January but that was blocked from crossing Guatemala.

The Mexican government has insisted this week that it will continue with its policy of containing migrants. Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Friday that the main goal of the deployment of the army, navy and National Guard is to stop all migration. He said more than 14,000 military and National Guard personnel are deployed in Mexico's south..
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Four people were shot and wounded in a confrontation near an intersection in the central part of the city early Sunday, according to authorities.

Las Vegas Metro Police said officers were called out to the incident about 2 a.m.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  While dozens of Virginia colleges and universities have implemented COVID-19 vaccine mandates for the fall semester, a newspaper report found loopholes mean those requirements are sometimes going unenforced.

As the first week of college classes came to a close Friday, it was clear some mandates were being treated more like recommendations, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  South Carolina's highest court will hear two challenges to the state's refusal to let school districts require masks for students and teachers this week.

The state Supreme Court has set aside two hours to hear the cases Tuesday.

South Carolina lawmakers passed an item in the state budget in June threatening school districts with losing state money if they required masks.

Back then, South Carolina was averaging 150 new COVID-19 cases a day. Now the state is averaging around 4,500 new cases a day, and deaths are increasing as hospitals become strained at a time when children return to school and vaccinations lag.

In the first case, the city of Columbia is being sued by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson over City Council's decision to pass a state of emergency because of the rise in cases and then to require masks for workers and anyone under 12 in schools. Vaccines have not been approved for younger children.

In the second case, Richland School District 2 is suing the state, asking the Supreme Court justices to suspend the mask ban until it can rule on the previous case.

The lawyers supporting mask mandates are expected to argue that requiring or banning masks has no place in the state budget, a bill whose purpose is to raise and spend money.

The state plans to argue that the salaries of teachers and administrators who would enforce a mask rule are paid with state money, so lawmakers have wide latitude to determine how they want that money spent.

A separate lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union that banning masks discriminates against disabled and other medically fragile students by keeping them out of school is currently in federal court.

The states most visible opponent to mask mandates is Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has repeatedly said that parents should decide whether children wear masks. The governor has suggested that face coverings dont stop COVID-19s spread and harm children from learning and socializing. Top state health officials have refuted those beliefs.

Republican state Education Superintendent Molly Spearman said schools should be able to require masks. She has been joined this month by the states health agency, pediatrician organizations, House Democrats, teachers groups, an association of school board members and a group of two Democratic and two Republican state senators, among others.

Some school districts in the state have already defied the Legislature and required masks. But most districts have decided to wait for the court ruling even as students enter their third week of school and children up to age 20 now account for nearly a third of all new COVID-19 cases in South Carolina.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A shooting suspect opened fire on responding deputies and then holed up inside a Sacramento home for several hours before surrendering, authorities said.

Sacramento County deputies called to the home Saturday afternoon found a man suffering from at least one gunshot wound, the sheriff's office said in a news release.
Mariea Gosdin says she gave ghosts a place to stay when she bought a property just off the town square in Greenville, GA.

The 1.5-acre parcel on Reville Street has a cute garden path leading to the porch and front door. At the end of the path is a large building containing a single-family home with an unsavory history.

From 1896 until 1986, this structure served as the Meriwether County Jail. Now the section of the building that was once the jailers residence is a cozy two-bedroom, 1,450-square-foot home.

But the section of the structure that served as the 8,500-square-foot jail hasnt been touched and awaits a new buyer's ideas.

Gosdin paid a measly $5,000 for the property back in 2009. It's now available for $499,000. The listing agent is Charles Wilkerson.

Mariea Gosdin at the home in Greenville, GA Mark Spain Realty

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I just so happened to be at a county commissioners meeting, and they were about to vote to tear it down, and I just went crazy, Gosdin says of the day she heard that the property she had always coveted might be available.

Instead of bringing in the wrecking ball, the county decided to accept closed bids. Many folks looked at the property, but in the end, only Gosdin put in a bid.

I didnt really go after it, it just fell into my lap, she says. I went there and I had three envelopes in my hand, one with $5,000 in it, another with $10,000, and a third with $20,000. When they said nobody had bid on it, I gave them the one with $5,000 in it. Before I knew it, it was mine.

Despite the paltry offer, the commissioners accepted the bid because it would have cost more than $5,000 to tear the place down.

For Gosdin, the work was only just beginning. What was once the jailers residence was completely separate from the jail area. And its walls are about 2 feet thick.

Everything had to be updated, and Gosdin estimates she spent more than $200,000 on the renovations. As she tells us, Everything had to be torn apart before I could put it back together.

It was horrible. There were like nine layers of flooring downstairs and many layers of paint on the upstairs floors, but I finally got down to the hardwood floors, she says.

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Many of the old pecan trees in the yard were rotten, so some of the wood from those trees is now repurposed as trim inside the house.

Despite its history, the renovated home has a cozy feel, with high ceilings and lots of wood and brick.

Beautiful bedrooms offer that same warmth. The two bathrooms were also updated, and one displays a touch of the homes history.

In a nod to the building's past, a cell door leads into a toilet.

The downstairs bathroom used to be a holding cell, where they would hold you until they decided to keep you, she says. If they kept you, they put you back where the big cells were.

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Gosdin hasnt done any work to the jail area, which used to have at least 48 beds. At the moment, it has no power or plumbing.

Its peeling paint, rust, steel, and concrete. The beds are still in there that the prisoners slept on. I dont want to touch it," she says. "It looks just like it did when they built it, and I dont want to mess with it.

The jail has been the subject of both a 1976 book and a movie, "Murder in Coweta County." Margaret Anne Barnes wrote the book, based on an infamous murder in 1948 involving a wealthy landowner and the corrupt sheriff of Meriwether County. In 1983, a popular TV movie based on the book starred Johnny Cash and Andy Griffith.

Gosdin says folks often come by the house to tell her about experiences that either they or their relatives had in the jail. Some have even showed her writing on the walls and pointed out other personal details.

One person showed her footprints in the concrete that they said were their grandfather's. Gosdin loves hearing their stories.

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Gosdins favorite room in the former jail offers the best views of the surrounding townbut comes with a creepy history.

I do oil painting, and it is my art gallery. Its a place where I get motivated and inspired, she says.

It was also once a room where inmates were hanged.

I had to put a ceiling in there, but before I did, you could see the mechanics of how it worked, she explains. There is a large beam up there with an iron ring screwed into it that they tied a noose to. It was directly over a wooden door, with a lever attached to it.

In her extensive research about the property, she says she found no evidence of people being hanged in the room. The room below is now Gosdins laundry room.

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While the jail was in operation for nearly a century, it became notorious, and apparently some former residents still voice their complaints. Gosdin laughed when asked about the presence of ghosts.

Everyone asks me that. Ive had some weird stuff happen, and I have pictures with my ghost in it, she says. My lights go on and off sometimes, doors open and close sometimes, I hear pots and pans. I hear a room full of people talking, and when I notice it, it will abruptly stop. Its like an auditorium full of people talking, and then it stops.

One comforting thought is that apparitions in the building at least seem friendly.

If they scared me, I would leave. I talk to them," Gosdin says. "If I hadnt bought this place, they would have no place to be. I say, 'All right, you be nice.'

The spirits arent always around.

Sometimes, Ill go months and nothing, and then I wonder if I have changed something they dont like or if I changed something and they do like it and are just letting me know.

Gosdin says she loves the place and wants to do more with it, but the opportunity to build a country house near her children on 180 acres outside of town beckons.

I wish I could finish it," she says. "I want to make a museum out of the jail and the murder in Coweta County, and I want people to be able to come in here all the time.

She has many ideas about who might buy the property. One might be someone who will keep it accessible to people and love it. Another is a refreshing business idea.

It might be a good place for a brewery," she says. "You could put the vats in the basement and have your brewing going on."

Then she says, you could install a bar and give tours. We'll raise a glass to that idea!

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The post Infamous Georgia Jail Converted Into Cozy Home Is Listed for $500K 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.
SHELTON - Artan Ismaili knows Canal Street well. He grew up and witnessed the transformation from industrial hub to a wasteland, with dilapidated structures littering the streetscape.

Ismaili is now helping to bring life - and foot traffic - back to the Canal Street strip with his plan to open Pier 131 Kitchen and Bar in first floor space in the Riverview Retail Center - which sits on the former Rolfite property. He says he hopes to open next month.

There have been some dramatic changes, definitely, Ismaili said about the redevelopment of Sheltons downtown, specifically Canal Street, which is now home to dozens of condominiums and apartments, with more development to come.

I never thought it would be redeveloped, but here I am, he said. This is a perfect spot for what I plan to offer people here.

Ismaili, a lifelong Shelton resident, was born into the restaurant business. His father, Agim, a native of Macedonia, formerly owned Artans Pizza, a deli-style pizzeria on Kneen Street, and Yolandas Bakery in Derby. He then opened Casa Nova Ristorante on River Road.

Ismaili broke off on his own in 2014, opening the popular Pizzeria Mazzo Wine Bar in Danbury. He chose to close Mazzo earlier this year, selling to IHOP, in June.

Its bittersweet, Ismaili told Hearst Connecticut Media at the time. This was my first venture on my own, so it was a good time [and] I met a lot of good people.

The decision to close stemmed from a lot of things including his struggle to expand Mazzos patio and the pandemics impact on business, he said.

Ismaili continues to follow his fathers footsteps now as he opens his own restaurant in Shelton. He said when he closed Mazzo, he knew his next stop would be Shelton - he just did not realize that he would find a space that included a patio overlooking the Housatonic River.

I was looking for my next opportunity, and I couldnt have found a better place, he said. Its a nice setting, looking over the river.

Pier 131 will feature American pub-style comfort food, he said, and offer farm-to-table options, with a raw bar, salad and rice bowls, prime steaks, plant-based and vegan options, custom blend burgers and pizza. He said there also will be handcrafted cocktails.

In Danbury, I was an outsider, I had to start from scratch, Ismaili said. Here, in Shelton, Im home. We open and start with customers, but they always end up being family.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
The expenditure incurred on this scheme would be Rs 231.54 crore.

On August 27, Stalin announced schemes worth Rs 317.4 crore for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. While making a statement in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Stalin said his government would construct 7,469 houses for the refugees living in various camps across the state.

Reacting to the announcement, Namal Rajapaksa tweeted on Saturday: "While welcoming Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's statement on Sri Lankan refugees, after the end of the war in 2009, then government of Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomed back refugees who had fled to Tamil Nadu. According to stats, 3,567 families have returned to Sri Lanka with the help of UNHRC facilitation.

"Those who have returned and who require assistance have been provided with houses and livelihoods. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa will ensure all refugees who return back are safe in their homeland and can restart their lives. "

In his announcement, Stalin also said that Rs 108.81 crore would be allocated in the first phase to build 510 new houses.

Among the facilities promised, he had said as part of the educational relief package, the top 50 students selected for Engineering studies among the community, would receive scholarships in addition to postgraduate students would be given scholarships and a waiver on hostel fees.

"A committee will also be set up to look into the welfare of the refugees and to improve basic amenities in the camps. Among the benefits, each family will receive a stove and a gas cylinder free, and up to five refills for the cylinders at a reduced cost annually."

The Sri Lankan Tamils mostly from the war-torn Northern peninsula fled to India during the 26-year long ethnic war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the majority Sinhala government.

The two Rajapaksa brothers, Mahinda as the President and Gotabaya as the Defence Secretary, militarily crushed the LTTE and won the war in May 2009.

A total of 3,04,269 Tamils from Sri Lanka have been living as refugees in Tamil Nadu since 1983. Of these 58,822 live in refugee camps across 29 districts.

A large number of refugees are living outside the camps.

--IANS

sfl/ksk/


PH sets up a 9-member committee to discuss details of collaboration with government

PETALING JAYA Aug 29 (Sin Chew Daily)  A nine-member committee has been set up by Pakatan Harapan to discuss details of the collaboration with the new government, says Anthony Loke Siew Fook, the national organizing secretary of DAP.

The nine-member committee met on Saturday (Aug 28) to discuss about the proposals raised recently.

Loke told Sin Chew Daily discussions among the committee members are ongoing and he does not have details on meeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob again.

DAP is represented by Loke, deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo and political education bureau chief Liew Chin Tong, while Parti Keadilan Rakyat is represented by its secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin and Subang Jaya MP Wong Chen.

Parti Amanah Negara is represented by its deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayob, former health minister cum strategic director Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Melaka state chairman Adly Zahari.

Salahuddin, when contacted, said the meeting mainly focused on proposals to revive the economy and preventive measures on COVID-19 pandemic apart from anti-hopping law.

In the DAPs live telecast program on Friday night, Loke said after meeting with Ismail on Wednesday Pakatan Harapan formed a nine-member committee on Friday to discuss the matters and collaboration mode raised with Ismail, including the anti-hopping law to be tabled in the parliament.

Loke said the move is to focus on battling COVID-19, reviving the economy as well as reducing the heat on politics.

He said the most important thing would be tabling the anti-hopping law in the parliament. Otherwise, voters might not have confidence in the election in future as a member of parliament could join another party after winning a seat due to his personal interest.

Loke is of the view that anti-hopping law should be implemented before the next election and should be tabled in parliament this year.

On the criteria for collaboration, Loke said the criteria offered by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin were PHs request for collaboration between the opposition and the government.

Of course, we have other requests and not only those offered by Muhyiddin, he said.

Ismail invited PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng to meet him last Wednesday.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Ismail said the opposition leaders and him agreed the importance of upholding judiciary independence, institutional reforms and implementing good policies to ensure Malaysia is progressing under a constructive environment with the Malaysian Family concept.

The joint statement said the prime minister invited opposition leaders to meet in accordance with the Kings decree that political leaders should cut down on political feuds and opt for a united stand in combating COVID-19.
Gretta Rays perfectionism stood between her and her debut album. Its been five years since her award-winning single, Drive, attracted a national audience, and the expectation to deliver an album loomed large.

But Ray had growing up to do, and Begin To Look Around reflects a worldlier and wiser woman. Its a confident chronicle of heartbreak and freshly declared independence that she has delivered on her own terms, though ultimately on the pandemics timetable.

Musician Gretta Ray. Credit:courtesy EMI Music

I finished writing this record towards the end of 2019 ... it has been a waiting process to finally share these songs with people, she explains. But learning lessons, being able to capture those lessons, in the songs that I wrote  thats very empowering, for sure.

Ray was in her final year at Princes Hill Secondary College when she won Triple Js Unearthed competition for emerging songwriters in 2016, over 1000 fellow entrants. Her winning song, Drive, a melodic guitar-based pop song that announced her as a talented storyteller and vocalist, gave her an instant fan base and public profile.
Most tourists ended up at the concreted, rebuilt sections of the wall. Visiting Chinas famous architectural feat had become a feat of endurance as they fought their way through the crowd. Noisy buses blowing out dirty exhaust would disgorge visitors from early in the morning. An hour later theyd clamber back on, laden with gaudy souvenirs that would end up gathering dust back home, or would be gifted to a young relative who wouldnt question the trinkets authenticity. ABC journalists Leigh Sales, left, and Lisa Millar have been best friends for over 20 years. The wild wall, we were told, was untouched and mostly out of reach for time-constrained tourists. This adventure of ours was going to be an all-day affair and Gustav the Swedish count had promised it was worth the effort. We would make our lunch booking for 1pm but deliberately arrive far too early. Wed then suggest to hotel staff that wed take a look at the wall while we waited for our table. We made the lunch booking for later that week and, on the day, our driver arrived as planned outside our friends apartment. He had no English and we had no Mandarin but hed been given a rough outline of the scheme and we joined the traffic jam getting out of Beijing. Every now and then hed turn and speak, gesticulating with rapid hand movements while keeping his knees attached to the wheel. We assumed he knew where we were going. We certainly didnt. An hour later we hurtled past the tourist buses at Badaling, a drop-off place for regular Great Wall visitors, and 20 minutes later slowed down in front of a private gate guarded by armed security officers. There was nothing to indicate what was beyond it. Our driver turned to us and shrugged his shoulders, his face questioning if this was our destination. We shrugged back.

Whatever he said to the guards encouraged them to open the gate and we entered a vast expanse of summer greenery, driving past secluded villas built in earthy colours, poking out from behind pockets of trees. He deposited us at the hotel reception and these two Aussie tourists, dressed in shorts and covered in sunscreen, walked into an almost-empty lobby. A lone staff member peered at us from the front desk. We have a reservation for lunch, we told her. She glanced at her watch with a look that told us we were far too early for the reservation. But before lunch wed like to climb the wall, Leigh added, her voice echoing off the cool tiles on the floor. In broken English, the woman responded with words that crushed us.

Oh, we are very busy today and the wall is not open. Our mouths dropped open and we turned our heads slowly to remind ourselves the lobby was completely empty. Not open? The walls not open? we asked, bewildered. Our carefully constructed ploy was already starting to fall apart. But we want to climb the wall, Leigh added firmly. Which wall? the receptionist asked, delivering the words in English slowly. Um, the Great one? we tentatively suggested, wondering if wed missed something. There was a small sign of acknowledgement on her face. Go straight and security will tell you. We were so relieved we almost skipped out of there, but as we wandered outside and looked for signs or the promised security officers, we found neither. We strolled along a track that wouldnt have been out of place on a hike through the bush in Australia. There was no sign of any wall, let alone a Great one, and we wondered if our excitement had been misplaced.

We finally spotted a small weathered wooden sign stuck into the ground. It was about 10 centimetres tall, with faded painted letters. To Great Wall, it read with an arrow. We followed the grassy path for another 20 minutes, veering up a steep climb past scattered rocks. We wondered out loud if we were already on the wild wall. Was the wild wall so overgrown that we were walking along the broken remains of it and didnt know? For years after, if either of us felt our spirits sagging, we would remind each other of the awesomeness of that day and the tantalising prospect that another magical moment could be waiting just around the curve of an overgrown path. LISA MILLAR, ABC JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR OF DARING TO FLY And then, as the trail curved, the bushes opened up and we lifted ourselves into a vista that took our breath away. For as far as we could see, the Great Wall of China stretched out in front of us, up and over mountains and beyond. And for the next hour it was ours. We scrambled up ramparts, the steps forcing us onto our hands and knees. We posed for photos in the rectangular openings at the top of watch towers, laughing as we mimicked the hotel receptionist asking us: Which wall? What if wed said to her, Um, the not-so-great-wall? The one built in 1956?  Our giggles could be heard by no one. We were entirely alone. In some places the wall was in such disrepair, with trees growing up through the crumbling rocks, that wed have to leap down into the long grass and find a way to climb back up onto it.

Ants stung our legs, and wed been warned about virus-carrying mosquitoes, but nothing could take away our exhilaration. Each turn and bend in the wall opened up another sweeping view. We walked until we reached a fence and, far beyond it, we saw the tiny dots of human tourists who were crowding into the restored and concreted part of the monument. If only they knew what was on the other side. If only they could see what wed seen. We reluctantly turned back. When we reached the spot where wed first glimpsed the wall, when wed wondered if we were even on the right track, we hesitated. Stepping off the bricks would signal the end of this adventure and neither of us felt able to do it. We may never, ever have an experience like this again, we said with a tinge of sadness. On our return we were ushered into the almost-empty restaurant as if wed been simply strolling around the grounds for the past two hours. We took a stab at the menu and ended up with tasteless chicken gristle but washed it down with a glass of wine each. The lunch had been a means to an end and we werent bothered. We felt wed been granted a remarkable wish, something so rare and magnificent, so uplifting, we glowed with pleasure. For years after, if either of us felt our spirits sagging, we would remind each other of the awesomeness of that day and the tantalising prospect that another magical moment could be waiting just around the curve of an overgrown path.
A new antibody treatment could be provided to vulnerable COVID-19 patients in Victoria from tomorrow and cut down on hospital admissions.

The drug, Sotrovimab, can be given to people as soon as they fall sick to reduce the risk of serious illness.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt purchased 7700 doses of the drug, which was provisionally approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on August 20 following a rigorous evaluation.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Monday confirmed 500 doses were already in Victoria and could be administered, in one-hour long infusions, to vulnerable patients from this week or as early as Tuesday.

It protects you from that more severe illness, Professor Sutton said.

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He said it would save lives, minimise the number of people in intensive care and the number of people admitted to hospital.

They are all positive things with this particular treatment.

It certainly gives us an assurance that our health system can be protected from those more severe cases that would otherwise require intensive care.

Professor Sutton encouraged people to get tested as soon as symptoms develop so that early interventions, like the new antibody treatment, could be used before serious illness can develop.

That can make a difference to your outcome, keep you out of hospital, and absolutely keep you out of ICU and keep you from dying.
An Echuca aged care community was on Sunday night added to the exposure sites list as a tier-1 location for all staff and visitors from August 13-26. Premier Daniel Andrews said the Victorian government was considering whether some restrictions could be safely wound back when lockdown is extended beyond Thursday. If not, then we will all have to find a way, find it in ourselves to push on and continue to throw everything weve got at trying to drive these numbers down, Mr Andrews said. Government sources told The Age a decision would need to be made imminently on bringing year 12 students back to school after they effectively missed out on an entire year of face-to-face learning during their VCE, due to last years four-month lockdown.

The effectiveness of the curfew is also being examined amid the chance some people will be deterred from visiting other households, which pose the highest risk of transmission, if police caught them outside their homes after 9pm. Loading Prominent Victorian epidemiologist Catherine Bennett said the spread of the virus across Melbourne meant it was looking impossible Victoria would crush the outbreak back to zero this time. She predicted in the coming weeks the government will concede it cannot keep the outbreak fully contained and decide to wind back some oppressive restrictions that are not major contributors in transmission. Reopening playgrounds and allowing year 12 students back into the classroom before their final exams were two areas that could be eased, allowing the state to continue to suppress the virus and keep serious illness and hospitalisation low, Professor Bennett said.

However, she warned allowing year 12 students back into the classroom required ongoing stringent public health measures. This includes using the best ventilated classrooms, only permitting students on-site during critical times for group work, and mandatory masks for teachers and students. Rapid antigen testing of students could also be considered to minimise the risk they will bring the virus to school. With year 12 students youre trading off the benefits of them being in a classroom with the risk that theyll have the virus, Professor Bennett said. She said there would never be zero risk of transmission at playgrounds, but the real danger was interaction between households. If parents understand how to have their kids in play in playgrounds safely ... where you dont have a whole lot of kids climbing on the same piece of equipment  you can find some kind of safe compromise, she said. This isnt relying on kids to do the right thing, but means parents know how to use those playgrounds by being really mindful of cross-household transmission.

Grattan Institute health program director Stephen Duckett argued the mounting economic costs and mental health burden of lockdowns should play an increasingly important role. Professor Duckett said the Victorian government should remain cautious, but it could afford a more nuanced approach for restrictions in regional Victoria, for example, distinguishing Shepparton, where an outbreak has seeded, from western Victoria. The economist also said the government must consider relaxing some restrictions for fully vaccinated people, including access to cafes and the five-kilometre rule, to lighten the burden of the lockdowns. This would not mean abandoning a COVID-control goal; it would simply mean recognising the reality that the principal aim is to protect the public and the hospital system, and that we could still achieve that with a lighter touch, Professor Duckett wrote in an opinion piece for The Age on Sunday.

Professor of psychiatry at Monash University, Jayashri Kulkarni, said the mental health toll of the latest lockdown in Victoria had triggered another surge in Victorians of all ages seeking professional help, including young people, those living alone and parents who were struggling to cope.

Professor Kulkarni said she was observing increasing levels of despair, hopelessness and frustration in patients. Some were exhibiting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that she believes was centred around the sense of the unknown. Professor Kulkarni said if it was safe to do so, reopening parks and allowing year 12 students to go back into school would make significant difference to families. Social isolation is difficult for a lot of people, she said. If you extend that to the families with small children...it has been very difficult not having an outlet for the children. She said women were seeking help at record levels as they struggled to cope with the pressures of home schooling, caring for elderly relatives, and the economic stress of the pandemic with no outlet to socialise with other adults. Women are largely responsible for bearing, caring and rearing of children, she said.

Meanwhile, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said he expected the curfew and five-kilometre travel limit to be lifted on Thursday, and called for a plan to allow businesses in regional Victoria with no cases to be allowed to trade. Businesses across Victoria are in crisis. They are incredibly frustrated that, despite doing everything that has been asked of them  COVID-safe plans, QR code check-ins, observing density limits and, for many, closing their doors and standing down staff  there is still no clear path to how or when they can open, Mr Guerra said. However, computational epidemiologist Mikhail Prokopenko warned against Victoria easing any of its restrictions, including sending year 12 students back to the classroom, before the 70 to 80 percent vaccination target was reached. I understand the pressure. It is a very difficult balance, but Victoria is so close to reaching its 80 percent target and I think they should hold off on easing any restrictions until then, he said. Professor Prokopenko predicts the state will reach its 80 per cent vaccination milestone in mid-November.

Mr Andrews rejected any criticism the latest lockdown in Victoria had failed to stem the spread, and said he received public health advice on Sunday morning that stated the state could beat COVID-19 before the population is vaccinated. Its bloody tough. Its incredibly difficult, but if you look at whats happening in Sydney, you could let this off, you could make decisions that were not backed up by health advice, and we would not have 90 cases today, 93 cases today, we would have thousands of cases, Mr Andrews said. NSW on Sunday recorded 1218 cases of COVID-19 and six deaths. Additional allocations of vaccines were delivered to Victoria and New South Wales to deal directly with major outbreaks and only when extra vaccine supplies were secured from pharmaceutical companies. In a phone call on Sunday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Mr Andrews that vaccine had always been distributed on a population basis to all states and territories and that would continue.
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 When the 400-metre long, 220,000-ton container ship Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal in March, shipping was thrust into the limelight. We dont normally pay much attention to sea lanes but the Suez snarl, which lasted for six days, underscored how dependent we are on the maritime arteries of international trade. By blocking the busy shipping lane that connects Asia and Europe, the prone vessel halted the passage of almost $10 billion worth of seaborne traffic per day  around $400 million each hour. At any given moment, tens of thousands of commercial vessels are plying the worlds oceans, the unsung heavy-lifters of the global economy. We associate airports with air travel, which is all very glamorous and linked with holidays and so on, whilst shipping does the day-to-day grunt work of global trade, says Tim Harcourt, a trade economist at the University of Technology, Sydney. Shipping is like the hard-working midfielder and airlines are like the fancy full-forwards. Even before (and since) the Ever Givens mishap, disruptions caused by the pandemic have meant international shipping is under pressure. The flurry of online purchases we make during lockdowns has triggered a surge in demand for the giant vessels that traverse the high seas. At the same time, the spread of coronavirus has played havoc with shipping schedules and port operations. Reserve Bank figures show the global price of transporting containers quadrupled in the year to June 2021. Australian retailers have even warned Christmas shopping might be interrupted by the supply chain crunch as consumers face delays and price hikes for shipped goods. Many popular Christmas presents are imported from overseas  toys, electronics, leisure equipment and homewares. That means they come to us by sea. But right now, the global shipping system is caught in a perfect storm of pandemic-related events, from Delta outbreaks and port closures to freighter scarcity and a lingering boom in demand for goods transported by sea. In late August, hundreds of ships were reportedly stranded outside congested ports across the world, waiting to be unloaded. The head of one of the worlds biggest shipping companies, Rolf Habben Jansen, chief executive of Hapag-Lloyd, has warned the bottlenecks will persist. We currently expect the market situation only to ease in the first quarter of 2022 at the earliest, he said earlier in August. Even when global shipping is not grappling with these disruptions, seafarers face some age-old hazards. There were 195 incidents of piracy against ships worldwide in 2020, 20 per cent more than in 2019, and some crucial seaways are increasingly contested by regional and global powers.

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So, how did we come to rely so heavily on maritime trade? How vulnerable are the sea routes that keep the global economy going? And how is global shipping changing? Who invented container ships? A simple idea revolutionised the shipping industry in the mid-1950s. Truck driver Malcolm McLean stacked 58 metal boxes on an ageing tanker ship going from Newark on the US east coast to Houston, Texas. This concept sparked a flurry of innovation, including a standardised, truck-sized container called twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs. Shiploads are measured in TEUs, but containers now come in several sizes: three metres and six, twelve and 13.7 (in feet, thats 10, 20, 40 and 45). Given their size  designed to fit on trucks  many unused shipping containers have been recycled into small houses, granny flats and sheds. Before McLeans invention, most shipped items were packed in barrels, sacks, baskets, crates or pallets then loaded and unloaded separately, partly on the backs of wharfies. It was a slow, labour-intensive and backbreaking business. But the introduction of the shipping container brought sweeping changes to international trade by slashing transportation costs. Before containers, wharf labourers such as these men in Sydney in 1954 did the back-breaking work of unloading sacks. Credit:Archive

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In his 2006 book The Box, economist Marc Levinson explains how the standard-size container allowed huge economies of scale because ships, port facilities, trucks and trains in every country could be purpose-built to take any container in the world. The lower cost of shipping meant more factories could be located a long distance from customers, paving the way for economies in Asia, especially China, to become global manufacturing hubs. The introduction of refrigerated containers allowed perishables such as fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, flowers and some pharmaceuticals to be transported to distant markets. As a result, containerisation has been an important factor in the advance of globalisation. Cheaper, more efficient shipping has underpinned the development of sophisticated global supply chains and the just-in-time management strategies embraced by manufacturers, retailers and others. Rather than incur the costs of stockpiling goods in warehouses, companies rely on the global shipping industry to deliver what they need when they need it. This has given households access to a vast array of low-cost products  everything from power tools to iPhones and fresh fruit to plastic toys. Around 90 per cent of the worlds traded goods are transported by sea on a variety of ships. Tankers carry liquid cargo, mostly oil, while dry bulk carriers move huge quantities of commodities such as grains, coal and ore. Much of those raw materials are taken to manufacturing regions where they are made into finished goods, which are themselves then moved back across the oceans in container ships or more specialised cargo vessels such as the roll on roll off transporters that carry vehicles. The UNs Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says the total value of the worlds merchandise exports reached $US19 trillion in 2019. Container ships are the heavy-lifters of the global economy. A huge workforce keeps that trade moving. About 1.5 million seafarers are employed by the global shipping industry and each month about 150,000 crew members need to be changed over to, and from, the vessels they operate. China is now at the centre of shipping commerce, especially container cargo. It hosts the worlds biggest container port, in Shanghai, which moved 42 million containers in 2018. By comparison, all of Australias container ports combined move around 8 million per year, mostly in Melbourne and Sydney.

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The increasing scale of tankers carrying oil and gas from giant terminals and the bulk carriers transporting grains, coal, ore and cement has also helped to drive global trade growth. Tankers and bulk carriers are fundamental to the worlds supply of food and fuel. These giant vessels share the high seas with other commercial vessels  fishing boats, passenger liners, ferries and so on  and an array of more specialised vessels that provide specific maritime services such as drilling, research, salvage and dredging. Shipping containers seen from above at the worlds biggest automated container port, Yangshan Deepwater Port in Shanghai, in May 2021. Credit:Getty Images How does shipping affect our daily lives? The effect of shipping-based innovations on the everyday lives of Australians has been profound. More than 42 per cent of goods in a Sydney household arrive in containers through Port Botany, according to research commissioned by NSW Ports. Each year the Port of Melbourne, which is the biggest container port in Australasia, handles nearly 3 million standard containers. Container shipping is now fundamental to our society, says Marika Calfas, the CEO of NSW Ports. Its integral at a personal level, a family level and at a business and economic level, she says. And yet commercial shipping and ports receive surprisingly little public attention. Michael Bell, professor of Ports and Maritime Logistics at the University of Sydney, says that reflects positively on their efficiency. From the point of view of the consumer, it works; the goods turn up and they are on the shop shelves, he says. Around 90 per cent of the worlds traded goods are transported by sea. Credit:Getty Images

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Australia is especially dependent on international shipping. During the past three decades, our economy has become deeply integrated into global commerce, so much so that one in five of our workers is now involved in trade-related activities. We rank fifty-fifth in the world for population but a 2019 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade report said Australia was the worlds twenty-third-largest exporter and twenty-first-largest importer (although some of that trade is in services rather than the goods transported by sea and air). Shipping allows Australia to earn income from agricultural and mining commodities that are far too plentiful for us to consume ourselves. Australia exports about two-thirds of its agricultural produce and most of its iron ore and metallurgical coal production (used for steelmaking). Most of Australias merchandise exports leave on tankers and bulk carriers but when it comes to container shipping we import much more than we export. That means hundreds of thousands of empty containers are loaded onto ships each year and returned, mostly to Asian ports. Essentially, our biggest container export is air, says Calfas. The system can be perplexing for outsiders. Many commercial ships are registered under a flag that does not match the nationality of the owner. For example, at the beginning of 2020, more than half of all ships owned by Japanese entities were registered in Panama; more than a fifth of the ships owned by Greek entities were registered in Liberia and another fifth in Marshall Islands. Bell says the main reason for this is that owners wish to avoid the stricter marine regulations imposed by their own countries including labour rules, pay rates and taxation. Nations such as Panama and Liberia also offer simple and inexpensive registrations. But Bell says the quality of construction and maintenance of commercial ships is safeguarded by the need for insurance and the threat of inspection when vessels are docked at many foreign ports. A member of an anti-piracy team from Benin, in West Africa, on patrol in the Bight of Benin in 2011. Credit:Getty Images How secure is global shipping? The Suez Canal, a narrow sea-level waterway built in Egypt during the nineteenth century, is a shortcut between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean that means vessels travelling between Europe and Asia dont have to sail around Africa, saving weeks each journey. It is one of three strategically sensitive passages in the Middle East that carry a large volume of maritime traffic. The other two are the Strait of Hormuz, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which separates Africa and the Middle East. All three are primary waterways for the transport of oil and natural gas. The Panama Canal, opened in 1914, is a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. As with the Suez, opened in 1869, it has been upgraded in the past decade to allow the passage of larger vessels. After the Ever Given debacle, Egypt announced it would further widen and deepen the Suez.

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Seventh-generation grower Mark Watkins has never seen a larger crop at his orchard on the northern outskirts of Sydney, not far from the banks of the Hawkesbury River.

But instead of reaping the rewards of a bumper harvest, he has been forced to take the chainsaw to hundreds of trees full of plump, ripe mandarins at Watkins Family Farm.

Mandarin farmer Mark Watkins of Wisemans Ferry picks produce for delivery. Credit:Wolter Peeters

COVID-19 restrictions have meant the farm has had no market or way to distribute most of the tens of thousands of boxes of fruit on its trees.

The orchard moved to a pick your own model a number of years back after being squeezed out of the large markets by larger producers in Queensland, and had become a popular weekend destination for Sydneysiders. It was a business model that finally seemed sustainable.
Most people are surprised that I actually want to sit the exam. For me, regardless of my results, I feel the need to complete what I started over 12 years ago. Before COVID. But then the virus came.

The HSC has been an institution in NSW. For myself and my friends it is the culmination of all our years of learning. It is our rite of passage.

I would prefer my name not to be published because, rightly or wrongly, I feel uncomfortable publicly criticising the system that educated me over the past 12 years.

Throughout our interrupted Year 11 last year we watched with horror as the HSC loomed and the virus threatened the experience for the Class of 2020. I was even more alarmed when Britain cancelled its HSC-equivalent exams last year. In NSW they scraped home  only just, and with some adaptations. For last years HSC students the lockdown was earlier and shorter than this years. The HSC was in doubt, but, thankfully, all came good, just in time.

At that stage my HSC exams were more than a year away. I watched with growing confidence as businesses were required by the state government to effect COVID safe plans  templates were even available on the state government website. Arrangements were sensibly being made everywhere to adapt to the virus as we all have done.

But when its came to a core component of their responsibilities, education, the authorities have miscalculated.

COVID has now been around in Australia for almost 18 months. Hundreds of billions of dollars have justifiably been thrown at helping people survive. But no one thought to spend, perhaps even a few hundred thousand dollars, to prepare a COVID plan for the HSC? Something  anything  to reassure us that there are options on the table?
A 22-year-old man allegedly stalked and intimidated residents of a home over two days in Sydneys south-east, where police say they also found a suitcase containing detonators and explosives with wires protruding.

Eastern suburbs police were called to the property at Lasseter Avenue, Chifley, about 11am on Sunday after reports of a domestic-related incident.

Officers from Strike Force Raptor (not pictured in this generic image) were called to the address in Chifley. Credit:NSW Police

Marcus Tekorona was arrested at the home and taken to Mascot police station before officers returned to the address about 2pm.

Police say they seized a black pistol and a bag containing rounds of ammunition before locating a suspicious case with wires protruding, prompting an evacuation.
NSW has recorded 1218 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours - its highest daily tally.

Six people died, including three people in their 80s and three people in their 70s. Four were unvaccinated and two had one dose.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Healths Dr Jeremy McAnulty said they were concerned about peoples mental health. Credit:Edwina Pickles

There are 813 people in hospital. That includes 126 people in intensive care, of whom 54 require ventilators. Of those in ICU, 113 are not vaccinated, 12 have received one dose and one patient has received both doses.

Ms Berejiklian said west and south-west Sydney and western NSW remained the areas of the greatest concern. Virus fragments have also been detected in Trangie, near Dubbo, as well as Byron Bay, Cooma and Tamworth - where there are not identified COVID-19 cases.
Lamentable history of overseas interventions We went into their country, they and their ancient ways were a mystery to us. Our plan was basically unclear, but we were determined to forestall threats to us from the area. Many welcomed us and did all they could to assist (Kabul airport has grim echoes for the West, August 28-29). They did the menial jobs, and were happy to use their vastly superior local knowledge to contribute to a brighter future for themselves. Friendships were struck and admiration was shared. Suddenly, we left. They then bore the full force of violent reprisal causing many deaths, so many deaths. Afghanistan 2021? No, Portuguese Timor 1942. Australia has form in betrayal and bad planning. - Susan Connelly, Lakemba As with the aftermath of the Vietnam War, we will surely see people taking desperate measures to escape Afghanistan. And if this federal government wishes to stop people drowning at sea, surely now it will consider a more humane approach than turning back boats. Why not consult our neighbours on establishing a regional processing centre for asylum seekers and offer far more generous targets for Australias refugee intake? - Jill Napier, Phegans Bay I recently received an official response to my letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison regarding Afghanistan refugees. It says, in part: In addition, please know Afghan temporary visa holders currently in Australia will be supported by the Australian government and will not be asked to return to Afghanistan while the security situation remains dire. Currently, there are over 4200 Afghan nationals living in Australia on temporary visas. Cant we find it in our hearts to grant these people full citizenship? Let them become productive citizens, so they can get on with their lives and prosper along with the rest of us. - Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge For the past 20 years, arms dealers and their shareholders have been making a killing in the war in Afghanistan. Vast profits have been made in arms deals to various groups during the Afghan war. Militarism is the backbone of arms deals and capitalism. As former US major-general Smedley Butler said: War is a racket. - Richard Ryan, Summerland Point

Watching the disaster unfold at Kabul airport reminds me that we went into Afghanistan on a captains call just as we did in Iraq. No more! The decision to go to war must be taken by a joint sitting of Parliament. Will a member of Parliament please draw up a bill to this effect and present it to Parliament before we get dragged into any more disastrous wars? - Lynette Foley, Gerringong Shut the gate on coal-seam gas How disappointing that large areas of NSW farmland are still not protected from coal-seam gas development (Prime farmland at risk if zombie licences renewed August 28-29). Oil and gas giant Santos has not yet resolved the issue of groundwater contamination regarding its Narrabri gas project. Meanwhile, this company faces a lawsuit over allegedly misleading and deceptive claims about its environmental credentials (Santos hit with lawsuit over net zero claims, August 27). No wonder farmers and investors are questioning its credibility. Gas is an emissions-intensive fossil fuel, set to become a stranded asset as the move towards renewables gains momentum. Why would the NSW government leave the door open for the expansion of CSG development? - Anne OHara, Wanniassa (ACT) HSC is not for the students Mark Scott presents a fairytale world where, if we close our eyes and think happy thoughts, it will all be OK (HSC class of 2021, we want your true grit at our universities, August 28-29). In stark contrast, Natassia Chrysanthos piece shines a light on the true motives of decision-makers (Graduation, formals and schoolies taken from HSC students. But the exams remain, Sun-Herald, August 29). (The) Education Minister wants as many students as possible to show us what they know through the written exams. What the minister is really saying is that the top dogs in NSW Education want to tick a box saying HSC exams  done. There are two fundamental issues here. Firstly, the 2021 HSC is not an even playing field. Some courses are not conducive to remote learning. Pity the poor chemistry students who are unable to conduct experiments at home, yet the Education Minister wants them to write an exam paper as if they can. Secondly, the written exam results will be distorted and incongruent with prior years. Education officials will have to manipulate results to fit the ATAR bell curve. Mark Scott side-stepped this inconvenient truth. - Stewart Cummins, Kogarah Bay

Mark Scott is on solid ground recognising the resilience of HSC students and the alternatives offered for placements in universities. But let us not forget who forged these students with these super abilities. Our parents and teachers need continued acknowledgment for their years of devotion and willingness to give and provide opportunities. Universities take the cream, but the milk still flows through our schools. - Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Anyone considering studying at Mark Scotts university (Im a current fourth-year student) will certainly need true grit to battle its consistent and blatant disregard for student learning, teaching quality and student/staff mental health. As a domestic student, you will not be prioritised. - Maddie Allan, Glebe The federal governments plan to ask university staff to reveal their political affiliations sounds like an ideal application for a colour-coded spreadsheet; no doubt the organisers will be consulting Bridget McKenzie or Alan Tudge (Plan to lift lid on foreign influence at unis stalls, August 28-29) - Peter Nash, Fairlight Premier got this right It does not inspire confidence in the national leadership when our generally unflappable Premier is reported to have called our Prime Minister a bully and evil (Berejiklian fed up with evil PM August 28-29). But it does concur with my own observations that he is someone incapable of empathy, constantly failing to take responsibility for his actions, quick to blame others for his own failures, hectoring reporters and anyone else who dares question him. How he remains popular with the electorate is a mystery. - Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove

When Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973, US singer-songwriter Tom Lehrer opined that political satire had become obsolete. For 48 years, I believed he was right. Then I read Peter Hartchers allegation that Gladys Berejiklian would rather be dealing with [Peter] Dutton because Morrison is so unpleasant. - Steve Cornelius, Brookvale Id be much happier to read that Gladys Berejiklian would have preferred that Julie Bishop had won the last federal leadership ballot but crikey! Peter Dutton? So much for the sisterhood. - Max Fischer, Wollongong Utzon insulted Architect Jorn Utzon did not resign and return to Denmark, as stated in Stephen Craftis otherwise fine article (Architects guided by Utzon principles, August 28-29). The reality was that the minister for public works at the time, Davis Hughes, forced Utzon out by simply not paying his fees. Utzon couldnt pay his staff, couldnt continue and had to leave. Hughes spun the news of the day to suggest that Utzon resigned as he didnt know how to finish the job, a gross insult. As chairman of the Sydney Opera House Trust when we re-engaged Utzon in 2006, I received a call from Hughes, launching a vehement diatribe against the Dane, whereas when I met Utzon in Denmark, he was politely diplomatic, saying that the minister became so involved in the project that there wasnt room enough for both of them.

History will record that Utzon has been honoured as the only living architect to have his work, the Sydney Opera House, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It was a unique listing in that usually listed buildings are to be preserved as built. However, in the case of the Opera House, the building elements not designed by Utzon, namely the interiors, are not listed to be preserved. Under the conservation management plan prescribed in the UNESCO listing, whenever a major refurbishment is carried out, then the new work should follow the Utzon Principles, rather than the work of his successor, Peter Hall. - Joseph Skrzynski, Former chair, Sydney Opera House Trust Debt, where is thy sting? Whoa, Ross Gittins and other economists who subscribe to the claimed conventional wisdom that high debt doesnt necessarily have to be paid back (Investment in a better class of economic debate pays off, August 28-29). That is trite. It is always open to governments and other borrowers, if they see fit, to remain in debt indefinitely and to service their debts. As inflation is the friend of borrowers, and anathema to lenders/savers, there is more than a fair chance that its incidence will reduce the burden of debt repayment. This is the expropriation of lenders and savers. Its happening at present to some extent. In the past, some very large rises in nominal GDP, fuelled by inflation, have indeed worked to shrink the task of repaying government debt, inequitably. Lets hope the distinction between real and nominal outcomes will not be unrecognised or ignored again in the future. - Mike Bush, Port Macquarie Stand, and deliver Since it can afford to hand out $92 million in bonuses (Letters, August 28-29), Australia Post must surely be in a position to resume mail deliveries five days a week.

Glenn Johnson, Leura Testing times Along with the HSC, a number of other significant public assessments are in hiatus  the pub test, the water cooler analysis and the BBQ stopper, for instance, not to mention the much-celebrated taxi driver opinion meter. At least we still have the Herald letters page. - Barry Ffrench, Cronulla Dont Astle me I am known to sit cheerfully solving the Herald cryptic every evening  except Friday, when Im heard to mutter bastard over and over as I read David Astles Wordplay column. But his take on affixes had me laughing out loud (Perils of the omni-asphyxia of affixia, August 28-29). Hes still a bastard, though. - Ron McQuarrie, Budgewoi

New order Gladys Berejiklian says it is now a pandemic of the unvaccinated (NSW sets daily record with 1218 new local cases, smh.com.au, August 29). Has she declared a jabocracy? - Les Shearman, Darlington Trading places So Beefy Botham will soon take up a position for the UK that seems equivalent to the one that Tony Abbott holds for Australia (Little guy with a big future cut Beefy down to size, August 28-29). They make a strange match. What possible qualifications do they have in common? - Greg Tome, Burradoo The digital view
Queensland police have charged one man over the alleged serious assault of an officer, while two others were arrested during a second, smaller, weekend of anti-lockdown protests on the NSW border at Coolangatta.

The latest rally followed a larger one last weekend, when tensions boiled over amid the toughest restrictions faced by the heavily populated cross-border community to date.

Mounted police were called in from Sydney on the eve of Sundays planned protest. Credit:Mackenzie Colahan / Nine News Gold Coast

More than 100 people gathered on Sunday at the protests peak at about midday, but joint efforts from police on both sides of the border hindered organisers attempts to rally together in larger numbers, Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman told reporters.

Unfortunately, on our side in Queensland, we had three arrests. One of those arrests actually involved the assault upon one of our police officers  a serious assault, he said. The officers  were actually trying to arrest the male due to his behaviour, and [he] actually assaulted the officer during the arrest process.
A $34 million land rights deal between the Andrews government and a First Nations group is in limbo after the National Native Title Tribunal refused to register a key component of it.

The Native Title Registrar this month informed the Taungurung Land and Waters Council it had not registered an Indigenous land use agreement struck as part of the 2018 deal, covering 20,000 square kilometres of central Victoria.

The decision came after the Federal Court found the Victorian government denied natural justice to other Aboriginal groups that may have native title rights over the land.

The decision reopens a bitter territorial dispute between the Taungurung people and clans that identify as Ngurai Illum Wurrung, Waywurru and Dhudhuroa, and has the potential to affect the states treaty negotiations.
The difficulty in obtaining a conviction for a sexual crime is self-evident in the data. There were 26,892 victim-survivors of sexual assault in Australia in 2019 who reported to police, according to the ABS. But criminal court data shows there were 10,132 defendants against sexual assault charges who had their case finalised in 2018-19. Of those defendants, only 4436 were found guilty. And for such a common crime - its believed more than 180,000 people experience sexual assault each year - even those whose cases meet the standard of being able to be prosecuted are often left feeling like their trauma is not addressed. Thats where advocates say restorative justice can step in. State Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes is set to receive a crucial report next month recommending the state embrace restorative justice for victim-survivors of sexual assault. Options available to Victoria include a model already in place in the ACT, where Hannah previously lived, since late 2018. In Hannahs case, the year-long process of meeting with conveners  qualified support staff who assist the victim in deciding how they want to confront the perpetrator  ended in a three-hour meeting in a conference room with her ex-partner. We could have done it via video, we could have corresponded via letters. I didnt have to face him if I didnt want to, she says.

The restorative justice model, which is widely used in New Zealand and occurs in Victoria already in domestic violence cases, does not leave a perpetrator with a criminal record and hence gives them an incentive to co-operate. Credit:Illustration: Jo Gay During the three hours in that room, flanked by a close friend as a support person and overseen by the two conveners running the session, Hannah says she got to ask questions that had plagued her and prevented her recovery from the trauma of having her trust breached. One of the conveners had asked me, what do you want out of this day?, and I said, I wanted to leave the room with nothing left to say on the matter, Hannah recalls. Because it had consumed my life. I had dropped out a semester of uni, my anxiety was so bad.

Hannah asked him how he could have done this to someone he purported to care about. I was completely shocked [when the incident happened], she says. It seemed out of character. He was a boy who went to church on Sundays with his mother. Hannah said that during the conference, her emotions swayed between feeling furious, emboldened and sad. [But] I didnt cry that whole time. There were multiple times where I made him cry, which felt a little cathartic. But I felt in control and empowered. And when he was saying things that didnt answer a question or werent true, I felt comfortable to call him out. Lewers says there are multiple scenarios where restorative justice can fill the gaps left by the criminal justice system  either because an incident is historical, the victim-survivor doesnt want to go through the ordeal of a trial, or there is not enough evidence to press charges.

She says restorative justice is also useful to victim-survivors who have seen the perpetrator jailed but still require closure to move on with their lives, or for businesses dealing with a workplace harassment issue. A conference could either be between a victim-survivor and the perpetrator, involve an employer, or a victim-survivor and their family  which is common. If theyve disclosed the harm and perhaps havent been supported by their family members or havent been believed, we can facilitate processes where we assist them to have those conversations with the family members so that they can have a chance to feel heard, she says. Advocates for the use of restorative justice say the methods should not be seen as an alternative to the criminal justice system, but should be provided within and alongside existing frameworks. They say it could go a long way to addressing the trauma of thousands of victim-survivors every year, whether they have access to the criminal legal system or not.

Not everybody wants or wishes to have this type of opportunity, and not all matters will be suitable, says the co-founder of Transforming Justice Australia, solicitor Thea Deakin-Greenwood. But we believe in choice and that we should have restorative choices there for people harmed by sexual violence and for their families and communities. Loading With Wellington academic Jane Bolitho, Deakin-Greenwood started Transforming Justice, an initiative to bring together legal practitioners and researchers to create restorative justice frameworks for sexual assault survivors. She says Australia is far behind the rest of the world in terms of this kind of practice, but there is growing recognition that restorative justice should be available as an option.

I think one of the difficult conversations we are hoping to contribute to is what does justice mean when prison isnt part of the story?. Because the vast majority of people who are responsible [for sexual crimes] will never be charged. They will never be convicted, and like survivors, people responsible for harm live and work in our communities, she says. What do survivors really want from the person who has harmed them? And what does justice mean for them? When we actually ask people, they want it not to happen again. They want the person to get help, they might need certain things like counselling, they might want some undertakings from the person who harmed them, they might have specific questions that they need to ask them, to explain things for themselves. Those things are what restorative practices do - they give you that opportunity for voice and to really listen to what the survivor wants. Carolyn Worth, a veteran advocate for sexual assault survivors and the former manager of the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault in Melbourne, ran informal restorative justice sessions for clients herself for two decades before leaving the organisation. While shes seen the benefits up close, she warned about any pushes to tie restorative justice too closely with the existing criminal justice system. She believes it should be offered after criminal proceedings are complete.

Veteran sexual assault survivor advocate Carolyn Worth. Credit:Wayne Hawkins Because basically, people need to voluntarily engage in this process and I dont know how voluntary you are if youre about to be sentenced, she says. Deakin-Greenwood says concerns from some in legal circles that restorative justice could be used by perpetrators to further traumatise or manipulate victim-survivors are valid, but are surmountable. Frameworks used overseas and in emerging and established practices in Australia have been carefully designed, with cautious implementation, rigorous training and attention to safety and doing no further harm, she adds. Restorative justice for sexual assault is slow and careful work and its not mandated and shouldnt be  its participatory and consent-driven for anyone involved, she says. She also says the response to sexual violence must include support and treatment for those who are responsible and genuinely seeking help: If we want to ensure harm does not recur, we need to support those who are responsible to change their behaviours.

Hannah concedes that restorative justice wouldnt be suitable for many but says for her, the overall experience was positive. She left the meeting with her ex-partner having said all she needed to, and with an agreement that he would reimburse her $5500 to compensate for the fees of the university semester she had missed and the costs of her related psychology and psychiatry sessions. She also gained an agreement from him that he would undertake consent education, and asked him that if they were to ever cross paths again in their home town he would remove himself. I think coming out of that room, I felt lighter, she says. Having been able to air it all out and let that person know how much I had been hurt and how much it had affected me made me feel like I was heard, but also validated the experience for me. I dont think about it that much any more and my life is a lot better. But its still trauma that I have to live with.
William Sydney Porter, the American short story writer known as O. Henry, published a story in 1907 which seems well suited to our times, called The Last Leaf.

O. Henry writes of a young artist struck down with pneumonia in Greenwich Village, New York, during a pneumonia epidemic. From her sick bed, the artist watches through the window the leaves falling from the ivy vine on the brick wall outside, believing that when the last leaf falls she will die.

Spring is beginning to bloom in Melbourne. Credit:Jason South

Her neighbour, a dissolute old artist, steals out in the middle of a cold, wet night to paint a leaf on the wall so that the last leaf does not fall.

O. Henry writes: But, lo! after the beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that had endured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against the brick wall one ivy leaf. It was the last one on the vine. Still dark green near its stem, with its serrated edges tinted with the yellow of dissolution and decay, it hung bravely from the branch some twenty feet above the ground.
Lockdown 6.2 is hard on all of us. For me, it is only irksome, realising that I will have to cancel my planned holiday in Broome for a third time, cancelling coffee and meal catch-ups with friends, and spending most of my day in my home office.

For some though, it has meant loss of employment, closure of their businesses, exacerbation of mental illness, more exposure to domestic violence, and initiation into drugs or increased alcohol intake as coping mechanisms.

Premier Daniel Andrews. Credit:Joe Armao

It is no wonder that some  even apparently some in the Victorian cabinet  are heeding the siren call for an early end to lockdowns at a time when just over half the total population is vaccinated, or 70 per cent of the adult population as the national plan phrases the phase B threshold.

I have enumerated above the cost of lockdowns, but government must weigh those against the benefits  controlling the spread of the virus, protecting our hospital system, and reducing deaths, especially in the vulnerable.
New Delhi: A band of veteran Afghan leaders, including two regional strongmen, are angling for talks with the Taliban and plan to meet within weeks to form a new front for holding negotiations on the countrys next government, a member of a group said.

Khalid Noor, son of Atta Mohammad Noor, the once-powerful governor of northern Afghanistans Balkh province, said the group comprised of veteran ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum and others opposed to the Talibans takeover.

Atta Mohammad Noor, chief of Jamiat-e-Islami and a powerful northern warlord, pictured in July. Credit:AP

We prefer to negotiate collectively, because it is not that the problem of Afghanistan will be solved just by one of us, Noor, 27, said in an interview from an undisclosed location.

So, it is important for the entire political community of the country to be involved, especially the traditional leaders, those with power, with public support, Noor said.
Kabul: US anti-missile defences intercepted as many as five rockets that were fired at Kabuls airport early on Monday morning, a US official said, as the United States rushed to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan to end its longest war.

Rockets also struck a neighbourhood near the airport. It wasnt immediately clear who launched them. Witnesses said the rockets struck Kabuls Salim Karwan neighbourhood. Gunfire immediately followed the explosions but it wasnt immediately clear who was firing.

The witnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said they heard the sound of three explosions and then saw a flash in the sky. People fled after the blasts, they said.

US and allied forces are hurrying to evacuate their remaining citizens and at-risk Afghans before completing their own withdrawal by midnight on Tuesday, Afghanistan time, to meet a deadline agreed between the Taliban and Washington.
Rome: The Italian coastguard has rescued 539 migrants crammed onto a decrepit fishing boat off the tiny southern Italian island of Lampedusa.

Alida Serrachieri, a nurse who runs the Doctors Without Borders operation on Lampedusa, said the passengers included three women and several unaccompanied minors.

More than 500 migrants were found crammed into one boat off the Italian island of Lampedusa. Credit:EPA/CONCETTA RIZZO

The dangerously packed boat would have travelled about 300 kilometres from the Libyan coast to Lampedusa.

At least 20 of the migrants who were examined by medical personnel had scars from torture, she said.
PHILIPSBURG:--- SOS: Season of Storms by Fabian Adekunle Badejo is the newest HNP title in St. Martin bookstores and in the hands of island readers. Now SPD is recommending the poetry book in the USA, said Jacqueline Sample of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).

SOS: Season of Storms is A frank, passionate description of a life in the Caribbean impacted by hurricanes, power outages, health crises, and pandemic  and provides insight into St. Martin protests, said Jeannine Hall Gailey, an American poet.

Small Press Distribution released its periodic SPD Recommends last Thursday and the St. Martin book was on the list of 15 new titles at SPDbooks.org. The California-based SPD is a key distributor for indie publishers in the USA, said Sample.

In a crucial review of the book, the Catholic Bishop of Oyo, Nigeria, wrote, For all the existential toxicity exposed in his poetry, Badejo still holds the sun between his fingers without being burnt.

Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo further stated, I am inspired by the authors rebellious but tender attentiveness to the plight of tortured and twisted humanity.

For its recommendation to US readers, SPD quoted from the SOS introduction by researcher and author Mark Yokoyama in St. Martin: Many of its best moments are simple stories about people. An old woman sits in the wreckage of her home, ...

There is searching, sweating and wading through water. Corned beef is eaten and children run after chickens. People pray and sing and wait.

People fight for their homes, and their feet beat the ground to dust. These are poems about survival, life, and the daily work of turning an often troubled island into a homeland of justice and freedom.

Throughout the collection, Badejos voice is intimate and tinged with humor, said Gailey, herself an award-winning writer.

SOS: Season of Storms is available at Van Dorp, Arnias, SOS radio station, and from Amazon and SPD bit.ly/3hBBUuG, said Sample.

Badejo is also the author of Claude  A Portrait of Power, Salted Tongues  Modern Literature in St.Martin, Fantasies  Love-making poems, and co-author of Maroon Lives  Tribute to Maurice Bishop & Grenadian Freedom Fighters.

He is well known throughout St. Martin and neighboring islands as a journalist and as the producer/host of Culture Time, the weekly cultural magazine on PJD2 radio.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Three students were arrested by police around 1:00 pm on Friday, August 27, for pelting cars with raw eggs and for the damage their actions caused to private property.

The trio was taken to Philipsburg Police Station where they had to await their parents who were summoned by police. Fines were issued to all three students.

Police addressed the bad unlawful behavior with the parents and minors before they were released from police custody.

The police patrols in school districts, especially at peak times, have been increased based on a ministerial decree issued by the Minister of Justice. More controls will be conducted by police officers to prevent acts of further public disorder in school districts.

KPSM Press Release.
Diane Logsdon, 66, of Science Hill, passed away Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at her residence. Arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Morris & Hislope Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed to the family at: www.morrisandhislope.com.
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Two men were killed and another was injured Thursday morning in a shooting near the courthouse in the small northern Illinois city of Kankakee, authorities said. Kankakee Police Chief Robin Passwater said officers arrested two men and recovered "multiple" firearms, including one long gun, at
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP)  Authorities in South Carolina confirm a small plane crashed Saturday, injuring three people.

Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office deputies said the plane landed in the backyard of a house in Spartanburg, multiple news agencies reported.

The sheriffs office described the passengers' injuries as minor. They were transported to an area hospital for assessment and treatment, first responders said.

It is unclear what caused the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration has investigators headed to the scene, Spartanburg fire officials said.
GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP)  A former nurse at a Delaware correctional facility has been found guilty of two misdemeanor charges in connection with an investigation into the death of an inmate.

Erin Clark-Penland, who worked at the Sussex Correctional Institution, was convicted this week of falsifying business records and providing a false statement to law enforcement after a one-day trial, the News Journal reported.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  A group of Maine Democrats wants a state Republican lawmaker to resign over comments in which she compared vaccine mandates for healthcare workers to the Nazi doctor known as the Angel of Death for experiments on Jews during the Holocaust.

A letter dated Aug. 27 called Rep. Heidi Sampson's remarks wildly unacceptable and inappropriate.

The state lawmaker made her claims during a rally in front of the State House after the governor announced a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. "Do I need to remind you of the late 1930s and into the 40s in Germany and the experiments with Josef Mengele? What was it? A shot? These were crimes against humanity.

Mengele conducted medical experiments, often fatal, on people imprisoned at the Auschwitz death camp.

It is an utter disrespect to Holocaust survivors, to the Jewish community in general and to thinking people everywhere. It is a pathetic statement only designed to stir more hate and more falsehoods, Sen. Joseph Baldacci, D-Bangor, wrote in the letter.

The New England chapter of the Anti-Defamation League also has called on Sampson to apologize for her remarks.

A message seeking comment was left with Sampson.

Her comments come against a backdrop of differing opinions on whether COVID-19 vaccines should be mandated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contends COVID-19 vaccines in the United States are safe and effective. One of them, made by Pfizer, received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration last week.
POTTSVILLE  The county Salary Board approved by a 3-1 vote Wednesday the salary of a full-time clerk typist 1 for the office of Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III.

I think we just have to move forward, on the hiring of Alexis Southam, of Branch Twp., Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. said after fellow Commissioner Gary J. Hess expressed displeasure with how Moylan has operated the office.

Although Hess cast the negative vote, he did not dispute Southams qualifications.

Weve tried to assist the doctor over the years, he said.

Southam will be paid $13.64 per hour under the terms of the vote, in which acting Controller Sharyn Yackenchick joined Halcovage and commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington.

County Administrator Gary R. Bender said the county had to act to improve the operation of Moylans office.

I agree 100% with you on the office, Bender told Hess.

After the meeting, Bender said Moylans office had been having problems with death certificates. Deputy coroners have been doing work that did not match their job descriptions, he said.

It was taking time from their responsibilities, Bender said.

He said Moylans motive was not to impede the operation of his office.

He didnt want to increase his budget, Bender said.

During their meeting, the commissioners also took the following actions.

n Announced that the second Community Development Block Grant program hearing will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 29 in the commissioners board room.

n Voted to submit an application for $1,272,344 to the state Department of Community and Economic Development on behalf of Butler Twp. (Schuylkill County), Mahanoy City, Minersville, Pine Grove Twp., Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, Tamaqua, Wayne Twp. and West Penn Twp. for the Community Development Block Grant program.

n Extended a contract to Sept. 16 with Affordable Construction and Demolition for a demolition project at 318 N. Coal St., Port Carbon.

Its blighted, Bender said of the house at that address.

n Approved submission of a grant application to DCED for up to $150,000 for upgrading and paving the parking lot at Schuylkill County Joe Zerbey Airport in Foster Twp.

n Extended a grant agreement with the state Department of Human Services until June 30. Under the agreement, the state helps to fund Nurse Family Partnership.

n Authorized the Schuylkill Transportation Authority to execute the annual certifications and assurances need to obtain federal operating and capital funding.

n Approved a contract appointing Timothy McGinley, of Ashland, to the county Board of Assessment Appeals through Dec. 31.

He is intelligent, excellent in his expertise in the trades, Halcovage said.

n Praised the Scouting program in the county. Hetherington noted that a number of young men have become Eagle Scouts this year.

They have a lot of respect for the country, he said of the Scouts.

n Director of Human Resources Heidi L. Zula announced Friday that a county employee had tested positive for COVID.

Zula said that employee is now in isolation. She also said contact tracing has been completed and that no other employees need to be quarantined.

She also said all medical information will be kept confidential as required by federal law.
Most new cases of COVID-19 compared to the last report were registered in Bucharest - 143 and in Timis - 57, Suceava - 46, Satu Mare - 44, the Group informed on Sunday of Strategic Communication.

No new cases were registered in Covasna County.

All counties and the municipality of Bucharest remain in the green scenario from the point of view of infections with the new coronavirus, the highest incidence per thousand inhabitants being in Ilfov County - 0.89 and in Bucharest - 0.74.
A number of 143 houses, 78 outbuildings, including cellars, 14 economic objectives, 1.8 km of streets and 32 wells were affected by floods following the rains of the last 24 hours, in the Stupini district of Brasov, the representatives of Brasov City Hall informed on Sunday.

Mayor Allen Coliban said he was in the Stupini neighborhood in the early part of Sunday to make sure the intervention authorities act on consolidating the dam that broke on the left side to stop the danger immediately.

According to him, the City Hall will distribute drinking water to families whose wells have been affected by the floods and is preparing accommodation units for those who will request evacuation.

The city of Brasov is under the warning of Code Orange of rains until Monday, at 16.00.

AGERPRES
The worlds largest operating steam locomotive is traveling through the St. Louis region starting this weekend, and you can get a good look at it Sunday downtown.

Union Pacifics Big Boy No. 4014 rolled into Poplar Bluff, Missouri, at 4:30 p.m. Friday. It left at 8 a.m. Saturday for Scott City, Missouri, then was off to Chester, Illinois.

It arrives in St. Louis at 7:45 p.m. Saturday, but there will be no public access at that point.

It will be on display 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at Poplar and South 16th streets downtown, near the St. Louis Gateway Transportation Center, or the train station. There, visitors can have the opportunity to buy souvenirs and visit the Experience the Union Pacific Rail Car, a multimedia, walk-through experience about the Big Boy and railroading history.

The Big Boy then travels west, arriving at the train station in Kirkwood at 9 a.m. Monday and staying there until 9:30 a.m.

It continues west with stops in Pacific at 10:15 a.m., Washington, Missouri, at 11:30 a.m., Hermann, Missouri, at 1:15 p.m., and Jefferson City at 3:30 p.m.

It makes its way across Missouri and stops in Kansas City on Tuesday evening.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Gov. Mike Parson has rescinded the COVID-19 related state of emergency that was put in place on March 13, 2020, and replaced it with a narrower state of emergency that focuses on the health care system.

Parson, a Republican, said in a statement Friday that the changes acknowledge the progress the state has made when it comes to the pandemic, particularly now that vaccines are available. But he continued regulatory and other procedures that will allow the still-struggling health care system to respond to increased caseloads.

In addition to a rising number of cases, health care workers blame the severity of the illnesses, staffing shortages and the refusal of so many to get vaccinated for the challenges hospitals are now facing. Kansas City-area hospitals have had to transfer patients, both with and without COVID-19, as far away as Chicago and Oklahoma City.

It just breaks my heart that were at this point, said Allison Edwards, a doctor and the owner of a small direct primary care clinic in midtown Kansas City. I dont even know how to begin to ration care. How do you start to make these decisions of where to put your priorities when business as usual cant happen?
Jenny had been in the foster care program since age 14, the result of a biological father who abused her: The last time, it was so horrible, I had to run away to a strangers house.

Her grandmother ended up taking her to a hospital; she had been in foster care ever since. But when she turned 21 during the pandemic, she found herself with no financial aid, no guidance. She feared she and her children would end up on the streets.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri interceded. They filed a lawsuit asking a judge to make Missouri enforce the federal law. On Aug. 13, Jackson County Family Judge Jalilah Otto issued an order requiring the state to extend Jennys foster care services and pay her the assistance she should have been receiving since last December.

Jenny is hardly alone. There are hundreds of other teens or young adults like her who could use the services provided for in the federal law, but Missouri hasnt done enough to help them, alleges ACLU attorney Anthony Rothert.

Unfortunately, President Trumps compassion is more than Missouri officials can muster, he said. Instead, they continue to break their word by defying obligations that come from their choice to take a massive amount of federal funds.
If Republicans were to carve up the 5th Congressional District to get control of seven of Missouris eight congressional seats, it would increase the number of Democrats in other districts, potentially making them more competitive over time.

When gerrymandering gets too aggressive, there is a chance of backfire, said Yurij Rudensky, a redistricting counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice. And we live in a time where the politics of the country are changing quickly and its not exactly clear how they will continue to evolve, especially as demographic changes keep playing out.

Instead, some eyes are on what lawmakers will try to do to at the other end of the state. Bush said shes concerned about how Republicans will try to move people around.

We are calling on them to make decisions that are based on fairness, not whats best for their party, Bush said in an emailed response to questions from The Star. Because lets call it as it is: the laws weve seen passed by Republican state legislatures across the country are anti-democratic attacks on our most fundamental right to vote.

Packing a district
These are some of the most luxurious homes on the St. Louis market.
They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban in which the militant group halted attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that the 2,500 to 3,000 troops who remained would be out by September, ending what he has called America's forever war.

With Biden's approval, the Pentagon this month sent thousands of additional troops to the Kabul airport to provide security and to facilitate the State Department's chaotic effort to evacuate thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghans who had helped the United States during the war. The evacuation was marred by confusion and chaos as the U.S. government was caught by surprise when the Afghan army collapsed and the Taliban swept to power Aug. 15.

About 5,400 Americans have been evacuated from the country so far, including 300 in the last day. The State Department believes about 350 more want out; it said there are roughly 280 others who have said they are Americans but who have not told the State Department of their plans to leave the country, or who have said they plan to remain.
Given Trumps influence over the largely Republican group of vaccine skeptics who are fueling a renewed surge in infections, Republican and Democratic leaders have urged Trump to take credit for the vaccine and urge his followers to get on board. Trump did exactly that at a rally in Alabama on Aug. 21. I did it, its good. Take the vaccines, he said.

In what may be a first, his fans booed and heckled him.

The next day, Jones stated: Shame on you, Trump. Seriously. Hey, if you dont have the good sense to save yourself and your political career, thats OK.  But, my God, maybe youre not that bright. Maybe Trumps actually a dumbass.

Recall Trumps unbridled support of the Proud Boys white supremacist group and his stubborn refusal in a presidential debate to denounce them, responding instead: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. They did stand by, and when Trump pointed toward Capitol Hill on Jan. 6 and urged his followers to fight like hell against congressional certification of his election defeat, the Proud Boys reportedly were among the first to start breaking windows to attack the Capitol.
Now, intrepid visitors fly about four hours from Anchorage on an Alaska Airlines 737 to hunt, birdwatch, hike, or play archeologist at the dozens of defunct military sites.

Cellphone flashlights in hand, we cautiously toured abandoned residences, musty barracks, mess halls, a control tower, a school and theater, and what was once the westernmost McDonalds  all eerily frozen in time from when the Navy left in 1997.

In town, fewer than 100 full-time residents occupy former military houses sprinkled throughout mostly vacant developments with crumbling walls and boarded-up windows.

Why do they stay? Some love the quiet isolation. Others cited the pandemic-safe locale, bonus pay for remote work, or an opportunity to do a little bit of everything. The town barkeep also works at the airport for the twice-a-week, federally subsidized flights; the restaurant cook cleans the handful of rental units by day.

Adaks resilient locals work with what theyve got. The only grocery store is in the old day care center, open just a few hours on some evenings  though none during our visit. The former high school and middle school houses city hall, a health clinic and the post office.
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

CARMAT (FR0010907956, ALCAR) (Paris: ALCAR), the designer and developer of the worlds most advanced total artificial heart, aiming to provide a therapeutic alternative for people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, today announces the third implant of its Aeson bioprosthetic artificial heart in a commercial setting.

This new commercial implant of the Aeson device was performed by Prof. Assad Haneya and his team of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel (Director: Prof. Jochen Cremer). With 14,000 employees in over 85 clinics and institutes, UKSH is one of the largest medical care centers in Europe and the first training provider in Schleswig-Holstein. UKSH in Kiel is recognized as one of Germanys leading heart centers with a history of thoracic transplantation for several decades. It provides maximum medical care in this federal state and guarantees medical-technical care at the highest level, especially for patients who require highly differentiated diagnosis and therapy.

Prof. Assad Haneya, Director of the Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support Program at UKSH, declared: We are pleased to have successfully implanted the CARMAT TAH in our center last week. The patient who received the device suffered from severe end-stage biventricular heart failure and he was eligible to an urgent heart transplant. During the last weeks, we noticed a further deterioration with signs of a beginning multi-organ failure and the use of Aeson was a natural choice.

Dr. Bernd Panholzer, Director of Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, added: A few days after the procedure, the device is providing all the necessary support and the patient is recovering well. Since the device has some key characteristics similar to a real heart, such as pulsatility, hemo-compatibility and self regulation, we expect to meet the needs of many other patients placed on the waiting lists with this new type of therapy.

Stephane Piat, Chief Executive Officer of CARMAT, concluded: We are proud that University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, one of the largest in Germany and even in Europe in terms of the use of mechanical circulatory support, has chosen Aeson as a treatment option for this critically ill patient. I would like to thank Prof. Assad Haneya and his teams for their trust and our technical staff for the support during the entire process. We are experiencing growing interest in our therapy and are pursuing its commercial deployment in Europe as planned.



About CARMAT: the worlds most advanced total artificial heart

A credible response to end-stage heart failure: CARMAT aims to provide a response to a major public health issue associated with heart disease, the worlds leading cause of death: advanced heart failure. Thanks to its total artificial heart, Aeson, composed of an implantable bioprosthesis and its portable external power supply system to which it is continuously connected, CARMAT intends to overcome the well-known shortfall in heart transplants for the tens of thousands of people suffering from irreversible end-stage heart failure, the most seriously affected of the 20 million patients with this progressive disease in Europe and the United States.

The result of combining two types of unique expertise: the medical expertise of Professor Carpentier, known throughout the world for inventing Carpentier-Edwards heart valves, which are the most used in the world, and the technological expertise of Airbus Group, world aerospace leader.

The first physiologic heart replacement therapy: given the use of highly biocompatible materials, its unique self-regulation system and its pulsatile nature, the Aeson heart constitutes a new therapeutic class - Physiologic Heart Replacement Therapy (PHRT)  and could save the lives of thousands of patients every year without risk of rejection and with a good quality of life. Aeson is commercially available in the bridge-to-transplant indication in Europe and other countries that recognise the CE mark. Aeson is also currently being evaluated in an Early Feasibility Study in the United-States.

For more information: www.carmatsa.com



Name: CARMAT

ISIN code: FR0010907956

Ticker: ALCAR

Disclaimer

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to, shares in CARMAT ("the Company") in any country. This press release contains forwardlooking statements that relate to the Companys objectives. Such forwardlooking statements are based solely on the current expectations and assumptions of the Companys management and involve risk and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, whether the Company will be successful in implementing its strategies, whether there will be continued growth in the relevant market and demand for the Companys products, new products or technological developments introduced by competitors, and risks associated with managing growth. The Companys objectives as mentioned in this press release may not be achieved for any of these reasons or due to other risks and uncertainties.

No guarantee can be given as to any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements, which are subject to inherent risks, including those described in the Universal registration document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers on February 24, 2021 under number D.21-0076 as well as changes in economic conditions, the financial markets or the markets in which CARMAT operates. In particular, no guarantee can be given concerning the Companys ability to finalize the development, validation and industrialization of the prosthesis and the equipment required for its use, to manufacture the prostheses, satisfy the requirements of competent authorities, enroll patients, obtain satisfactory clinical results, perform the clinical trials and achieve commercial objectives.

Aeson is an active implantable medical device commercially available in Europe ONLY, CARMAT SA., CE0344. The Aeson TAH is intended to replace ventricles of native heart and is indicated as a bridge to transplant in patients suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure (INTERMACS classes 1-4) who are not amenable to maximal medical therapy or LVAD and are likely to undergo heart transplant in the 180 days following device implantation. The decision to implant and the surgical procedure must be executed by Health Care professionals trained by the manufacturer. Carefully read the documentation (clinician manual, patient manual & alarm booklet) for characteristics and information necessary for patient selection and good use (contraindications, precautions, side effects).

In the USA, Aeson is currently exclusively available within the framework of clinical trials.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210826005634/en/

CARMAT

Stephane Piat

Chief Executive Officer

Pascale dArbonneau

Chief Financial Officer

Tel.: +33 1 39 45 64 50

contact@carmatsas.com

Alize RP

Press Relations



Caroline Carmagnol

Tel.: +33 6 64 18 99 59

carmat@alizerp.com

NewCap

Investor Relations &

Strategic Communication



Dusan Oresansky

Quentin Masse

Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94

carmat@newcap.eu

Source: CARMAT
Dr. Srinivasan provides 30 years of broad regulatory and drug development experience including a career serving as Director of CMC Regulatory Affairs for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he led the CMC strategy and successfully submitted a monoclonal antibody based BLA (Dupixent approved in 2017)

VANCOUVER, Washington, Aug. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) ("CytoDyn" or the "Company"), a late-stage biotechnology company developing leronlimab, a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, announced today the appointment of Seenu Srinivasan, Ph.D., as Executive Director-CMC Regulatory Affairs.

Dr. Srinivasan provides CytoDyn with 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical drug development, including extensive CMC development experience in developing APIs (small and large molecules) and drug products (biological and small molecules) from early phase to commercialization, strategy development and execution. He has led the CMC portions of development (process development/engineering, analytical development, formulation development, stability testing under cGMP conditions, and preparation of all technical documents for regulatory filing).

Dr. Srinivasans career included serving as Director of CMC Regulatory Affairs for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he led the CMC strategy and successfully submitted a monoclonal antibody based BLA (Dupixent approved in 2017). Prior to Regeneron, Dr. Srinivasan served as Global Vice President/Chief Scientific Officer, CMC Pharmaceutical Development Services for Covance Laboratories Inc. (a Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings company) where his primary responsibilities included strategy development, P&L responsibility for the business unit, all CMC activities and API development under cGMP for Phase 1 and 2 and cGMP stability, and CMC project/program management. Dr. Srinivasan earned B.Sc. Ed. (Chemistry and Physics, First Class), Regional College of Education, Mysore, India, M.Sc. (Chemistry, First Class), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India, M.S. (Education) and Ph.D. (Chemistry), Purdue University, and was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Electrochemistry), at Michigan State University.

Dr. Srinivasan, commented, I am very excited about the opportunity to join CytoDyn at such an important time when our management team can define and shape the Companys future by advancing our multi-pathway approach to evaluating leronlimab for so many potential indications.

Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., CytoDyns President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, We are very fortunate to add Dr. Srinivasan to our CMC regulatory management team. His deep experience and proven leadership qualities will clearly enable him to be a strong contributor in setting the strategic course for our long-term future.

About Leronlimab

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted CytoDyn Fast Track designation to explore two potential indications using leronlimab to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and metastatic cancer. The first indication is combination therapy with HAART for HIV-infected patients, and the second is for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). Leronlimab is an investigational humanized IgG4 mAb that binds to CCR5, a cellular receptor important in HIV infection, tumor metastases, and other diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Leronlimab has been studied in 16 clinical trials involving more than 1,200 people and met its primary endpoints in a pivotal Phase 3 trial (leronlimab combined with HIV standard care in patients with multi-drug resistance to current available classes of HIV drugs).

Leronlimab, among various potential applications, is a viral-entry inhibitor in HIV/AIDS. It binds to CCR5, thus protecting healthy T cells from viral infection by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype from entering those cells. Leronlimab does not work on other strains of HIV (for example X4), however, R5 is the most dominant strain of HIV. Five clinical trials have demonstrated leronlimab could significantly reduce or control HIV viral load in humans. The leronlimab antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent with fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements than currently used daily drug therapies. Cancer research has shown CCR5 may play a role in tumor invasion, metastases, and tumor microenvironment control (for example, through angiogenesis). Published studies have shown that blocking CCR5 can reduce tumor metastases in laboratory and animal models of aggressive breast and prostate cancer. Leronlimab reduced human breast cancer metastasis by more than 97% in a murine xenograft model. As a result, CytoDyn is conducting two clinical trials, one, a Phase 2 in mTNBC, which was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA in 2019, and a second, a Phase 2, basket trial which encompasses 22 different solid tumor cancers.

The CCR5 receptor plays a central role in modulating immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation. After completing two clinical trials with COVID-19 patients (a Phase 2 and a Phase 3), CytoDyn initiated a Phase 2 investigative trial for post-acute sequelae of SARS COV-2 (PASC), also known as COVID-19 Long-Haulers. This trial evaluated the effect of leronlimab on clinical symptoms and laboratory biomarkers to further understand the pathophysiology of PASC. It is currently estimated that between 10-30% of those infected with COVID-19 develop long-term sequelae. Common symptoms include fatigue, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, and shortness of breath. CytoDyn plans to pursue clinical trials to evaluate leronlimabs effect on immunological dysregulation in other post-viral syndromes, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial for NASH to evaluate the effect of leronlimab on liver steatosis and fibrosis. Pre-clinical studies revealed a significant reduction in NAFLD and a reduction in liver fibrosis using leronlimab. There are currently no FDA approved treatments for NASH, which is a leading cause of liver transplant. About 30 to 40 percent of adults in the U.S. live with NAFLD, and 3 to 12 percent of adults in the U.S. live with NASH. There have been no strong safety signals identified in patients administered leronlimab in multiple disease spectrums, including patients with HIV, COVID-19, and oncology.

About CytoDyn

CytoDyn is a late-stage biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for multiple therapeutic indications using leronlimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor. CCR5 plays a critical role in the ability of HIV to enter and infect healthy T-cells and appears to be implicated in tumor metastasis and immune-mediated illnesses, such as NASH.

CytoDyn successfully completed a Phase 3 pivotal trial using leronlimab combined with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected patients who were heavily treatment-experienced individuals with limited treatment options. CytoDyn is working diligently to resubmit its Biologics License Application ("BLA") for this HIV combination therapy since receiving a Refusal to File in July 2020 and subsequently meeting with the FDA telephonically to address their written guidance concerning the filing. On July 1, 2021, CytoDyn announced that it had submitted a dose justification report to the FDA, an integral step in the resubmission process for its BLA, which it expects to complete in October 2021. CytoDyn also completed a Phase 2b/3 investigative trial with leronlimab used as a once-weekly monotherapy for HIV-infected patients. CytoDyn plans to initiate a registration-directed study of leronlimab monotherapy indication. If successful, it could support a label expansion approval. Clinical results to date from two trials have shown that leronlimab can maintain a suppressed viral load in a sub-population of R5 HIV patients who chose to switch from their daily pills regimen to once-a-week subcutaneous dose of leronlimab. Several patients on leronlimabs Phase 2b extension arm have remained virally suppressed for almost 7 years and many patients in our Phase 2b/3 investigative trial are passing two and some four years of monotherapy with suppressed viral load.

CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial with leronlimab in mTNBC, a Phase 2 basket trial in solid tumor cancers (22 different cancer indications), Phase 2 investigative trial for post-acute sequelae of SARS COV-2, also known as COVID-19 long haulers, and a Phase 2 clinical trial for NASH. CytoDyn has already completed a Phase 2 and Phase 3 trial for mild-to-moderate and severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients, respectively, for which CytoDyn did not meet its primary or secondary endpoints except for the secondary endpoint in the critically ill subpopulation. More information is at www.cytodyn.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as "believes," "hopes," "intends," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "plans," "anticipates" and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements specifically include statements about leronlimab, its ability to provide positive health outcomes, the possible results of clinical trials, studies or other programs or ability to continue those programs, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for commercial sales, and the market for actual commercial sales. The Company's forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks and uncertainties including: (i) the regulatory determinations of leronlimabs efficacy to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with multiple resistance to current standard of care, COVID-19 patients, and metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (mTNBC), among other cancer indications, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and various drug regulatory agencies in other countries; (ii) the Companys ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations; (iii) the Companys ability to meet its debt obligations; (iv) the Companys ability to enter into partnership or licensing arrangements with third-parties; (v) the Companys ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion; (vi) the Companys ability to achieve approval of a marketable product; (vii) the design, implementation and conduct of the Companys clinical trials; (viii) the results of the Companys clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results; (ix) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved; (x) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Companys products; (xi) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process; (xii) legal proceedings, investigations or inquiries affecting the Company or its products; (xiii) general economic and business conditions; (xiv) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions; (xv) stockholder actions or proposals with regard to the Company, its management, or its board of directors; and (xvi) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Companys control. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release.

Important Information

CytoDyn intends to file with the SEC a definitive proxy statement and associated proxy card in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Companys 2021 Annual Meeting. Details concerning the nominees of the Companys Board of Directors for election at the 2021 Annual Meeting will be included in the proxy statement. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC, INCLUDING THE COMPANY'S DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company free of charge from the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company's stockholders will also be able to obtain, without charge, a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other relevant filed documents by directing a request by mail to CytoDyn Inc. at 1111 Main Street, Suite 660, Vancouver, Washington 98660.

Participants in the Solicitation

The Company, its directors and certain of its executive officers will be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in respect of the 2021 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of the Company's directors and executive officers and their respective interests in the Company by security holdings or otherwise is set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on July 30, 2021, and the Company's definitive proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting, filed with the SEC on September 1, 2020. To the extent holdings of such participants in the Company's securities have changed since the amounts described in the proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the interests of these participants in any proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will also be included in any proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC, if and when they become available.

CONTACTS

Investors:

Cristina De Leon

Office: 360.980.8524

ir@cytodyn.com
High-resolution, 3D data is essential in guiding conservation research

Intermap continues to innovate, building on its 102-year legacy of delivering rapid, actionable intelligence from the sensor to the operator

DENVER, Aug. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company"), a global leader in geospatial content development and intelligence solutions, today announced a new collaboration with The Snow Leopard Trust to provide high-resolution elevation models to scientists who are researching snow leopard behavior to aid the conservation of the species.

The Snow Leopard Trust started the first long-term study of snow leopards in the Tost Mountains in Southern Mongolia in 2008. The snow leopard is a top predator with a habitat range of over two million km2, but scientists estimate there may be only 3,900  6,400 snow leopards left in the wild. Researchers seek to learn more about snow leopard ecology, such as how the snow leopards use the mountainous terrain, to guide the conservation of the species. Intermap is an acknowledged expert at modeling complex, dynamic mountainous terrain in austere environments. Intermap is supporting this exciting project by providing 3D digital elevation models (DEMs) in Southern Mongolia.

The Snow Leopard Trust is currently exploring whether snow leopards stay longer at kill sites in rugged terrain, which offer better escape routes and hiding places. Intermap's NEXTMap high-resolution, 3D digital elevation model and all-domain routing analysis will be used to conduct studies along with the GPS tracking data from snow leopard collars to follow their movement and determine if terrain ruggedness affects the amount of time they spend at kill sites. The Snow Leopard Trust began their study using a 30-meter resolution DEM. The initial results were unclear because cliffs, hills and other terrain features are not well represented in a coarse DEM. Intermap's high-resolution, 3D elevation datasets are readily available to be integrated into studies like this or other all-domain command and control analysis for any location in the world. The Snow Leopard Trust was able to access Intermap's high-resolution DEM for the study area and start scenario modeling along with data collected in the field in a quick and efficient manner.

Using Intermap's DEM, the preliminary results suggest that terrain did affect snow leopard behavior around kill sites where there was adequate conceal and cover. Researchers found that snow leopards stayed longer at kill sites of their largest prey when the kills were made in rugged terrain. They also found that snow leopards stayed longer at the kill sites of wild prey, compared with domestic prey, when the prey were larger in size. Located just miles from the Chinese border, the Tost Mountain region covers Mongolia's two largest, strictly protected areas. These results suggest that potential risk from humans changed how snow leopards behave at their kill sites in the Tost Mountain region. This study will help The Snow Leopard Trust gain more insight into the patterns of snow leopards and develop ways to help conserve the species.

Read more about the study here.

Research continues Intermap's 102-year history of innovation and rapid delivery of information from sensors to decision makers

The snow leopard research is the latest in Intermap's 102-year history of innovation. The Company has powered a diverse array of projects, ranging from aerial photography and national mapping programs to data collection with proprietary sensors, creating customer-specific analytics in insurance, aviation, telecom and rail markets and now conservation efforts in Mongolia. Intermap's roots date back to 1919, when its predecessor, Pennsylvania Aero Service Corporation (Aero Service), was founded. Aero Service is the oldest flying corporation in the world and used aircrafts to collect aerial photos of Philadelphia with a camera attached to the plane's cockpit cowling. Aero Service participated in several major projects, including aerial surveying work for the U.S. Geological Survey and for the European and Pacific theaters during World War II. After a series of strategic acquisitions from 1961 to 1997, Intermap became a listed company and continued to acquire and develop cutting-edge remote sensing capabilities. Intermap commercializes its technology and 3D data library, creating leading products and solutions that offer non-expert users the ability to subscribe to geospatial solutions.

"We are pleased to support the Snow Leopard Trust's conservation efforts in Mongolia," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap Chairman and CEO. "Intermap's high-resolution terrain data is a rapid, efficient and accessible solution for the researchers to analyze the mountainous terrain in the snow leopard habitat and learn more about their behavior. We are building on our history by innovating and developing the future of geospatial intelligence with next-generation technology and capabilities. Our vertically integrated software and solutions simplify large-scale geospatial data challenges and allow non-expert users to get answers quickly and efficiently down range at the edge, anywhere and in any environment. We are continuing to build partnerships with key industry players to serve government and commercial clients around the world."

Learn more about Intermap's history here.

Intermap Reader Advisory Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

About Intermap Technologies Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions. The Company's proprietary 3D NEXTMap elevation datasets and value-added geospatial collection, processing, analytics, fusion and orthorectification software and solutions are utilized across a range of industries that rely on accurate, high-resolution elevation data. Intermap helps governments build authoritative geospatial datasets and provides solutions for base mapping, transportation, environmental monitoring, topographic mapping, disaster mitigation, smart city integration, public safety and defense. The Company's commercial applications include aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation. For more information, please visit www.intermap.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/intermap-supports-conservation-of-the-snow-leopard-in-mongolia-301364084.html

SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation
Marine Corps Cpl. Nicole Gee, second from left, a maintenance technician with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, awaits the launch of an MV-22B Osprey during an exercise aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima on April 5, 2021. Gee was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a terrorist attack in Kabul on Thursday. (Mark Morrow/U.S. Marine Corps)

Clad in body armor with her hair pulled back in a tight bun, Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee cradled the barefoot Afghan infant in her arm as softly as she could through thick work gloves.

"I love my job," the 23-year-old wrote in an Instagram caption last week, after her unit's enormous task of processing thousands of Afghan and American evacuees through the Kabul airport gates after the capital fell.

Gee, of Roseville, Calif., was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a terrorist attack in Kabul on Thursday when a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside Abbey Gate, where U.S. troops were focusing their efforts. Most were Marines in their early 20s, and two were women: Gee and Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.

The deaths of Gee and Rosario underscore the unique mission women in the military have played in two decades of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even as women were barred from officially serving in combat jobs until recent years, female service members were already on the front lines, exposed to the same danger as infantrymen and working in roles where risk did not discriminate according to gender.

In many cases, female service members volunteered for teams focused on gathering intelligence from women and searching them on patrol  both jobs difficult for male troops to accomplish because of Islamic cultural sensitivities. The roles, often voluntary in nature, were conduits for women to sidestep restrictions and work alongside grunts and Special Operations troops.

Those advances and histories converged Thursday. Gee and Rosario, a maintenance technician and a supply chief, respectively, were assigned duties to search incoming Afghan women and children, Marine Corps officials said, putting them at the epicenter of risk exposure that the suicide bomber exploited. Rosario had volunteered with her unit's female engagement team, said 1st Lt. Jack Coppola, a Marine Corps spokesman, and "was screening women and children at Abbey Gate when the attack took place."

Gee, who was promoted last month, was also involved in searching women and children, officials said.

Her father, Richard Herrera, told The Washington Post that he wasn't sure why his daughter, trained in overseeing equipment, was at risk. He "never expected her to be on the front lines in Afghanistan," he said.

The grueling task of searching evacuees was placed squarely on the shoulders of junior troops and young leaders, such as Gee and Rosario, and there is no substitute for placing hands directly on bodies, officials said, to ensure that no militants were slipping by with explosives. Troops on duty ordinarily report in shifts and rotate on a roster.

But the Marine Corps has far fewer women in its ranks relative to other services, and the female Marines on hand may have been working more shifts at the gate than male counterparts, said Kyleanne Hunter, a former Marine Corps officer who flew Cobra attack helicopters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Any time you are in contact with a person, you're opening yourself up to risk of the unknown. It puts you in a greater proximity to danger," said Hunter, a senior adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security think tank.

All-female groups, known as lioness teams and later as female engagement teams or cultural support teams, were key to counterinsurgency campaigns that long ignored what could be learned from female civilians on the battlefield.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, women were added to infantry units to engage with women they encountered, but the efforts became more formalized, said Hunter, who served on a Pentagon advisory committee on women in the military.

Women flourished in those roles, despite pushback from lawmakers and Pentagon officials trying to keep them from combat duties, and in other duties that men long held.

"As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan  with their blurry front lines  intensified, the discrepancy between what was technically allowed for women in war zones and what was actually happening became more apparent," wrote Kasey Cordell, in a 5280 magazine story about women in combat. "It was impossible to deny the fact that women, regardless of their assigned jobs, were very much involved in 'engaging an enemy on the ground.' "

Although bans on women serving directly in combat roles were not lifted until 2013, the services took years to implement their rules. The first female Marine Corps infantry officer earned her designation in 2017.

Female service members dotted the casualty list before then, often in noncombat roles.

Lt. Ashley White Stumpf joined one such all-female Army cultural support team in August 2011, when she was tasked with building and improving relations with Afghan civilians. She served alongside Special Operations forces, "encountering the same type of intense risks as their male counterparts," the Military Times reported.

The 24-year-old Ohio native was killed in an IED blast two months into her deployment. She was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. A book about her and other women, "Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield," is being developed into a film produced by Reese Witherspoon.

Two years later, Army Capt. Jennifer Moreno, 25, was killed while serving on a Special Operations task force in Kandahar province. Although Moreno, a nurse by training, survived the initial blast, she stepped on a land mine while rushing to help a wounded soldier.

"None of us would have done what you did, running into hell to save your wounded brothers, knowing full well you probably wouldn't make it back," Capt. Amanda King, the commander of Moreno's cultural support team, wrote in her eulogy, according to Task and Purpose. The San Diego native was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Badge and a Purple Heart.

Before Thursday, the last female service member killed in combat appears to be Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a Navy cryptologist who died in a 2019 Islamic State bombing in Manbij, Syria, along with another service member, a Defense Department civilian and a U.S. contractor working as an interpreter.

As more women filter into combat jobs previously closed to them, more will be wounded and killed, said Hunter, illustrating the need for Americans to better understand who gets remembered for valor, and who counts as veterans.

"Women have been part of this fight for a long time," she said.
Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller called for accountability from senior military and civilian leaders for failures in Afghanistan, in a video he posted on social media platforms. (U.S. Marine Corps)

A Marine officer who filmed a viral video calling out senior military and civilian leaders for failures in Afghanistan resigned his commission effective immediately in a new 10-minute video Sunday and threatened to bring the whole [expletive] system down.

Lt. Col. Stu Scheller was dismissed Friday from command of the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C., over the original video. In the new one, he claims he is not currently under investigation and that he likely would be allowed to ride out his remaining three years until retirement if he chose to stay silent.

I dont think thats the path Im on, he says in the video, shot inside an abandoned school bus in eastern North Carolina. Im resigning my commission as a United States Marine, effective now  [and] I am forfeiting my retirement, all entitlements. I dont want a single dollar.

He then suggests that senior military leaders would need the money for jobs and security after what he intends to do, though he does not provide further details.

The Marine Corps is taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and well-being of LtCol Scheller and his family, said service spokesman Capt. Sam Stephenson in an emailed statement. As this is a developing situation, we cannot comment further at this time.

In his original video, posted on social media hours after a blast in Kabul killed 13 U.S. troops, Scheller appeared in uniform and criticized the Marine Corps commandant, defense secretary and other senior defense officials.

That nearly 5-minute clip had been viewed about 1 million times on Facebook and LinkedIn combined as of Sunday and touched a nerve within the military and veterans community.

Some have praised his courage to challenge the brass at the risk of his career, and others criticized him for grandstanding or sowing dissent.

Blatantly using rank does cross a line, said Jim Golby, a 20-year Army veteran and adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security who focuses on civil-military relations. A battalion commander just doesnt have all the info that senior military (or civilian) leaders do.

Golby hoped someone would convince Scheller to seek mental health treatment and get out of the spotlight quickly, he said. I find it very sad and misguided.

Its not clear what new consequences he could face, but Golby said the Corps will need to be careful not to cement him as a martyr among those who would use him divisively.

Hes been celebrated by some on the right to further demonize my husband and justify the vitriol he endured, Rachel Vindman, wife of retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, said in a tweet Sunday.

I like you and I like Jim so I'll sit this one out because he has been celebrated by the crazies who are using it as an opportunity to further demonize my husband and justify the vitriol he endured. Once wasn't enough for him, he had to lean in all the way.  Rachel Vindman (@natsechobbyist) August 29, 2021

Alexander Vindman is a former Ukraine expert for the National Security Council who testified in President Donald Trumps first impeachment case.

Scheller did not immediately respond to an inquiry asking for clarification of his plans.

Marine spokesman Maj. Jim Stenger said Friday that social media is not the place to air disagreements with the chain of command, saying it was an emotional time for a lot of Marines who should seek counseling or talk to their comrades.

Eleven Marines, a soldier and a Navy corpsman were killed in the attack on Kabuls airport Thursday, which was claimed by the Islamic State group. Over 160 Afghans were killed, two officials told The Associated Press on Friday. Scores of others were wounded, along with at least 18 U.S. troops.

Scheller had a personal relationship with one of the slain Marines, he said Thursday, though he did not say who because next of kin of the fallen had not yet all been notified.

In his new video, he tells those offering to send him money to instead give to the families of the fallen. He thanks both his supporters and critics but singles out a remark by retired Marine Col. Thomas K. Hobbs, who he said he knew personally and loved like a father.

If Scheller was truly honorable, he would have resigned his commission in protest after stating what he did, Hobbs wrote in a comment on one of Schellers LinkedIn posts.

Scheller repeatedly quotes from that remark, protesting that he is honorable and announcing his resignation in response to it. The video does not appear to be a resignation in a formal sense, though he says he plans to follow whatever the services legal requirements are.

But he also says that if senior leaders would have simply said yes, mistakes were made in Afghanistan, he would have gone back to rank-and-file and given up his quest. He believes such an admission would help those struggling with PTSD and other issues more than any other message, he said.

Praising the ordinary grunts who go outside the wire, get blown up, bring their Marine back and then go back out there the next day, Scheller says they deserve accountability.

While some of his critics have suggested hes positioning himself for a political career, hes vague about his plans. But he suggests he may need backing from rich philanthropists and blue collar workers.

Follow me, and we will bring the whole [expletive] system down, he says. Were just getting started.
U.S. Air Force retired Col. Regina Aune receives a Vietnam veteran lapel pin from Aryn Lockhart, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs visual information specialist, during the 50th Vietnam War Commemoration at the Fort Concho parade ground in San Angelo, Texas, Nov. 18, 2017. Lockhart was one of the babies from Operation Babylift who survived a plane crash and was adopted and raised in Northern Virginia. In 1997, not long after graduating from Virginia Tech, she began investigating her life story, hoping to write about it. She typed Operation Babylift into the nascent Internet and found an article recounting Aunes heroism, which had resulted in her receiving the prestigious Cheney Award for valor from the Air Force. (Randall Moose/U.S. Air Force)

It was early April 1975 in Saigon, the final days of the South Vietnamese collapse in a ruinous war, and crying women were handing orphaned babies to Regina Aune.

Aune, a 30-year-old Air Force flight nurse, had just landed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base as part of Operation Babylift, a mission ordered by President Gerald R. Ford to evacuate thousands of orphans before Saigon fell.

It was just total chaos, Aune recalled in an interview. There was so much desperation.

Aune took one baby after another onto a military cargo plane, their caretakers wailing as the children disappeared into the fuselage and a new life.

You just wanted to cry, she said. But we also had a job to do.

The screaming babies, the anguish  it all came back to Aune watching the chaos unfold at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan, where thousands of Americans and Afghani citizens have boarded planes bound for anywhere but there.

One image shown over and over was especially gut-wrenching  a baby being passed to a Marine over a barbed-wire lined wall.

It just immediately brought back memories of images embedded in my mind  of mothers handing babies to strangers, literally strangers, to get them to safety, Aune said.

But like the bombing at the Kabul airport that left 170 dead, including 13 U.S. service members, Aunes operation on April 4, 1975, also turned tragic and deadly.

The plane crashed.

What happened next was a remarkable episode of heroism that led, decades later, to an extraordinary friendship.

April of 1975 was the beginning of the end for Americas long and disastrous involvement in the Vietnam War.

U.S. Air Force retired Col. Regina Aune, Aryn Lockhart, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs visual information specialist and retired Chief Master Sgt. Ray Snedegar stand at the Galaxy C-5A shrine in Saigon, Vietnam November 2014. (Aryn Lockhart) Nurses and Vietnamese refugee children on an Operation Babylift Flight upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport, April 5, 1975. (National Archives and Records Administration)

By the end of the month, the North Vietnamese would take control of Saigon. But in between, the Ford administration launched a series of complicated and often harrowing missions to extract U.S. military members, American citizens and Vietnamese allies.

The first sanctioned mission was Operation Babylift, an effort to transport thousands of babies and young children out of Vietnam on dozens of flights.

I ordered American officials in Saigon to cut through any red tape that might stand in the way of the childrens escape, Ford later wrote in his presidential memoir. Then I told our Air Force to begin those mercy flights as soon as possible. Everyone suffers in a war, but no one suffers more than the children, and the airlift was the least that we could do.

Doctors and other aide workers were sent into the streets of Vietnam looking for orphans. Frederick Skip M. Burkle Jr., a physician who had been a Navy doctor during the war, was one of them. (Burkle later served in other conflicts, earning two Bronze Star medals, and was minister of health in Iraq after the U.S. invasion in 2003.)

It was really a desperate time in Vietnam, with the small alleyways and all the rest of the stuff going on, said Burkle, now 81 and living in Hawaii, having spent his entire career in humanitarian and disaster medicine. I had to somehow find these orphanages. It was obviously dangerous. I was the only American or Caucasian among many.

Families had been abandoning their children at orphanages hoping theyd be rescued.

When they saw me as an American, they were rushing up to me, totally desperate, just giving me their children, Burkle said. You cant imagine it.

The orphanages were grim.

I entered these orphanages without any lighting, Burkle recalled years later in a military medicine journal. I tripped almost immediately over an infant who was stuck to the floor in his own feces. I just looked at all these babies in disbelief.

He spotted 20 infants and said, Ill take them all.

Aunes flight, carrying more than 200 children, was scheduled to be the first Operation Babylift plane to leave. The military C-5 Galaxy was unequipped to transport young children, let alone infants. The crew strapped the babies into seats using cargo tie-down straps.

The air reeked of jet fuel. There was a lot of vomiting and diarrhea. Once in the air, Aune was on the planes upper deck with the babies. The older children were on the lower level.

About 12 minutes into the flight, a cargo door blew off. The pilots tried to return to the airport, but the plane crashed and skidded into a rice paddy. Nearly everyone on the lower deck died.

On the upper deck, there was a scramble to get the babies out of the plane to waiting rescue helicopters. Aune had been badly injured, breaking multiple bones in her feet and legs, but she managed to make multiple trips in and out of the plane carrying babies in each arm.

At some point, the pain overwhelmed her.

I asked to be relieved of duty because my injuries prevented me from carrying on, she said.

Then she collapsed.

More than 130 people were killed in the crash, including 78 children.

The incident was, at first, a huge embarrassment for Ford. But more than 3,000 orphans were eventually evacuated, and Ford met some when they arrived in San Francisco.

One of the babies who survived the crash was adopted and raised in Northern Virginia. Her name is Aryn Lockhart.

In 1997, not long after graduating from Virginia Tech, she began investigating her life story, hoping to write about it. She typed Operation Babylift into the nascent Internet and found an article recounting Aunes heroism, which had resulted in her receiving the prestigious Cheney Award for valor from the Air Force.

Lockhart got Aunes phone number. By now, the Air Force flight nurse who saved countless lives was a colonel. One day her office phone rang and it was Lockhart.

Hello, Colonel Aune, Lockart said. This is Aryn Lockhart. You dont know me but I was one of the babies on the C-5 Galaxy that crashed during Operation Babylift. I have been looking for you, and I just want to say thank you for giving me life.

The two became friends. Now they consider each other family.

Lockhart embarked on a career as a civilian in the military and now works in public affairs for the Air Force in San Angelo, Texas. Aune, now retired, lives a few hours away in San Antonio. They see each other often.

Three years ago, they published a book together  Operation Babylift: Mission Accomplished.

In it, they recount how their lives collided on that plane and what came next  including a trip they took together in 2014 to the crash site.

There was no plaque or monument marking what happened.

Standing there, they could hear the airport not far away.

Life was born out of the ashes of tragedy, Aune wrote, hope triumphed over despair, love trumped hate, and joy displaced sorrow.
Four people tried to make it to Floridas shores from Cuba on a makeshift raft, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami/Facebook)

MIAMI (Tribune News Service)  Braving the Florida Straits on a makeshift raft, four people tried to make it to Floridas shores from Cuba, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Adrift for more than a week, three died and one was saved after a good Samaritan spotted the raft.

Around 1 p.m. on Saturday, the unnamed Samaritan came across a man on the makeshift raft while he sailed on his boat, named Spread Out, the Coast Guard said.

After receiving the report of a raft near Fowey Rocks, which is a few miles from Key Biscayne, a Coast Guard Station Miami Beach rescue crew came to the rafters aid.

The man told authorities he left from Cuba, was adrift for 10 days and that three other people with him had died, according to the Coast Guard. He needed immediate medical care.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took him to a hospital. Customs and Border patrol have been alerted.

We cannot stress enough how dangerous it is to take to the seas and navigate the Florida Straits on unsafe vessels, said Lt. Cmdr. Ben Tuxhorn, command center chief of Sector Miami. The South Florida maritime community has some of the best people who assist others while on the water, whether thats towing a boat or helping out a migrant with food, water, and bringing them aboard if necessary.

2021 Miami Herald.

Visit at miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a plane from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, England, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. Military planes carrying British troops and diplomats from Kabul landed at a U.K. air base after the U.K.s two-week evacuation operation ended. (Jonathan Brady/Pool via AP)

LONDON  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday praised the "colossal" effort to airlift civilians from Kabul, as U.K. troops and diplomats flew home after the two-week mission, ending 20 years of British military involvement in Afghanistan.

In a video message, Johnson praised the "colossal exertions" of British troops engaged in "a mission unlike anything we've seen in our lifetimes."

But his government is facing criticism for leaving behind hundreds, or even thousands, of vulnerable Afghans whom the U.K. had promised to protect.

The U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, was among those who arrived at RAF Brize Norton northwest of London on Sunday, hours after the government announced that all British personnel had left Kabul. More flights bringing back approximately 1,000 U.K. troops from Kabul airport were due throughout the day.

Britain says it has evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in the past two weeks, but that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind.

Vice Admiral Ben Key, who was in charge of the British operation, said: "We tried our best."

But the government is under pressure to explain why it didn't act more quickly once it became clear the U.S.-led military presence in Afghanistan was ending.

A former head of the British Army, retired Gen. Richard Dannatt, said the government was "asleep on watch" and had been warned that former interpreters and others who worked with British forces were at risk.

"This issue has been on politicians' desks for two to three years and, certainly, it's been there during the course of this year," he told Times Radio.

"We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behooves us to find out why the government didn't spark up faster," he added.

Johnson acknowledged that Britain "would not have wished to leave in this way," but said it was tied to the departure timetable set by the United States, which is ending its 20-year Afghan involvement by Aug. 31.

"Though we now leave with the United States, we will remain represented in the region," Johnson said. "Together with our allies in America and Europe and around the world, we will engage with the Taliban not on the basis of what they say but what they do.

"If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from, again, becoming an incubator for global terror, because that would be disastrous for Afghanistan."
In this satellite photo taken by Planet Labs Inc., a Taliban checkpoint is seen blocking access just south of Kabul's international airport Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. (Planet Labs Inc./AP)

LONDON  A former U.K. Royal Marine who waged a high-profile campaign to leave Afghanistan with almost 200 rescued dogs and cats has flown to safety  with the animals, but without his charity's Afghan staff, who were left behind in Kabul.

A privately funded chartered plane carrying Paul "Pen" Farthing and his animals landed at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday after a saga that gripped and divided Britain, raising difficult questions about the relative value placed on human and animal lives.

Iain McGill, a veterinarian involved in the effort, said the animals appeared healthy and had been placed in quarantine.

Farthing, who started the Nowzad charity after serving with British forces in Afghanistan 15 years ago, was eligible for evacuation in Britain's military airlift along with Afghan members of his staff and their dependents. But he refused to leave without the animals.

For days, Farthing used social media and press interviews to chronicle his attempts to depart with his four-legged companions amid the chaotic exodus from Kabul airport, as his supporters lobbied the British government for help with a rescue effort dubbed Operation Ark.

Farthing gained backing from celebrities including comedian Ricky Gervais, and many offers to adopt the rescued animals. But he also drew criticism from those who said the case was draining time and energy from the task of rescuing Afghans at risk from the country's new Taliban rulers.

Britain says it evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans in a two-week airlift that ended Saturday. But officials say as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. have been left behind. Some British lawmakers who have been trying to help stranded constituents and their families believe the true total is higher.

"What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?" said Conservative lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, who served with the British Army in Afghanistan.

"We've just used a lot of troops to bring in 200 dogs. Meanwhile my interpreter's family is likely to be killed," Tugendhat told radio station LBC on Saturday.

Farthing and his supporters say Operation Ark did not take airplane seats from people or drain resources from the official evacuation operation. But U.K. government officials have become increasingly vocal in their frustration.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the military had to prioritize people over pets, and complained that some of Farthing's more militant supporters had "taken up too much time" of senior commanders and had sent abuse to military staff.

The Sunday Times released a recording of an expletive-filled message left by Farthing last week for a senior defense official, Peter Quentin, accusing him of "blocking" the evacuation and threatening to "spend the rest of my time  destroying you on social media."

Animal welfare campaigner Dominic Dyer, who has acted as a U.K.-based spokesman for Farthing, said Farthing was "a national hero" who was facing "a smear campaign" by government officials.

"Pen Farthing, who was risking his life in Kabul to get his people and animals to Britain, was completely justified in holding Mr. Quentin to account for his actions," he said.

A convoy carrying Farthing, this staff and the animals was near Kabul airport on Thursday when a suicide bomber killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops. On Friday, after days of failed attempts by the group to reach safety, the British military said it had given clearance for the chartered flight and British troops had "assisted" Farthing and the animals into the airport.

Dyer said Taliban guards would not let the Afghan staff enter, even though they had papers permitting them to come to Britain. He said Nowzad would continue to work to get them safely to Britain.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks as he meets with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Aug. 27, 2021. Early Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, Israeli planes struck Hamas militant targets in the Gaza Strip, hours after violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and troops along the border. (Evan Vucci/AP)

JERUSALEM  Hundreds of Palestinians gathered Sunday night along the separation fence with Israel, setting tires on fire and throwing explosives as Gaza's Hamas rulers pressed ahead with a campaign aimed at pressuring Israel to ease a stifling blockade of the territory. One protester was moderately wounded by Israeli gunfire.

It was the second consecutive nighttime border protest and took place hours after Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on alleged Hamas targets in response to the unrest. Hamas officials have promised to hold nightly protests all week.

"The Zionist occupation bears all the repercussions and consequences of the tightening of the siege on Gaza and the escalation of the humanitarian crisis among its residents," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum. "No calm or stability will be achieved as long as our people lack a free and dignified life."

The Israeli military said protesters set tires on fire and lobbed explosives toward Israeli troops, and that its forces took unspecified measures to disperse the crowd. The Palestinian Health Ministry said one protester was shot and suffered moderate wounds. No further details were immediately available.

Israel, with Egypt's help, has maintained a tight blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election.

Israel says the closure, which tightly restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza, is needed to prevent Hamas from building up its military capabilities. Critics say the closure, which has devastated the economy, amounts to collective punishment.

Israel has tightened the blockade since an 11-day war against Hamas in May while Egypt tries to broker a long-term cease-fire. Israel has demanded that Hamas return the remains of two dead soldiers and release two captive Israeli civilians in exchange for easing the blockade.

Hamas has grown increasingly angry over the lack of progress in the cease-fire talks. Its operatives have launched a series of incendiary balloons across the border in recent weeks, sparking a series of wildfires in southern Israel.

Hamas also has allowed a number of violent demonstrations along the border.

Two Palestinians, including a 12-year-old boy and a Hamas militant, have been killed from Israeli gunfire, while an Israeli soldier was critically wounded when a militant shot him in the head at point-blank range during one of the protests.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, speaking before returning to Israel from Washington, said the pressure on Hamas would continue.

"We will operate in Gaza according to our interests," he said in Hebrew on the tarmac.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars since Hamas took power, most recently in May.

At least 260 Palestinians were killed during May's Hamas-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, center left, receives Iran's new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, left, in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (SANA via AP)

DAMASCUS, Syria  Iran and Syria vowed on Sunday to take "mighty steps" to confront U.S. sanctions imposed on the two regional allies, saying their relations will strengthen under Iran's new leadership.

The announcement was made by Iran's new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who was received at the airport during a visit to Damascus by his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.

Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops in Syria's 10-year conflict that has killed half a million and displaced half the country's pre-war population of 23 million.

With the help of Russia and Iran, Syrian government forces now control much of Syria. But the country has been suffering for years under American and European Union sanctions.

U.S. Treasury sanctions have targeted a network that spans Syria, Iran and Russia, and which is responsible for shipping oil to the Syrian government.

American sanctions were imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.

The sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in Syria, which has been relying mostly on Iranian oil shipments that have been subjected to mysterious attacks over the past two years. Syria has blamed Israel for the attacks.

"The leadership of the two countries will together take mighty steps to confront economic terrorism and reduce pressure on our people," Amir-Abdollahian said at the airport. He did not say how the two countries will fight the sanctions.

Amir-Abdollahian's visit to Syria comes a day after he represented Iran in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing regional tensions.

Amir-Abdollahian described Syria as the "land of resistance," adding that Damascus and Tehran had worked together "on the ground and achieved joint victories."
Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani, left, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron upon his arrival to Irbil airport, Iraq, early Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Hadi Mizban/AP)

MOSUL, Iraq  French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday visited Iraq's northern city of Mosul, which suffered widespread destruction during the war to defeat the Islamic State group in 2017. He vowed to fight alongside regional governments against terrorism.

Macron said IS carried out deadly attacks throughout the world from its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. He said IS did not differentiate between people's religion and nationality when it came to killing, noting that the extremists killed many Muslims.

"We will do whatever we can, shoulder to shoulder, with the governments of the region and with the Iraqi government to fight against this terrorism," Macron said in English following a visit to an iconic mosque that was destroyed by the extremists. "We will be present alongside with sovereign governments to restore peace."

Macron said France will help in rebuilding mutual respect as well as monuments, churches, schools and mosques and most importantly "economic opportunity."

Despite the defeat of IS on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, the group's sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and an affiliate of the group claimed Thursday's attacks at Kabul's airport in Afghanistan that killed scores.

Macron began his visit to Mosul by touring the Our Lady of the Hour Church, a Catholic church that was badly damaged during the rule of IS that lasted from 2014 until the extremists' defeat three years later. Iraqi children dressed in white and waving Iraqi and French flags sang upon Macron's arrival.

It was the same church where Pope Francis led a special prayer during a visit to Iraq in March. During the trip, the pontiff urged Iraq's Christians to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches.

Macron moved around the church  whose walls are still riddled with bullets  amid tight security as a priest accompanying him gave him details about the church built in the 19th century. The French president then went up to the roof overlooking parts of Mosul accompanied by Iraqi officials.

"We hope that France will open a consulate in Mosul," Iraqi priest Raed Adel told Macron inside the church. He also called on the president to help in the reconstruction of Mosul's airport.

Macron made a list of promises during his meeting with Christian leaders at Our Lady of the Hour church, including opening a consulate. "I'm struck by what's at stake here so I want to also tell you that we are going to be making the decision to bring back a consulate and schools," Macron said.

Macron left the church in the early afternoon and headed to Mosul's landmark al-Nuri mosque, which was blown up in the battle with IS militants in 2017 and is being rebuilt.

The mosque, also known as The Great Mosque of al-Nuri, and its iconic leaning minaret were built in the 12th century. It was from the mosque's pulpit that IS's self-styled caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared the caliphate's establishment in 2014.

Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, became IS's bureaucratic and financial backbone. It took a ferocious nine-month battle to finally free the city in July 2017. Between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed, according to an Associated Press investigation at the time, and the war left widespread destruction. Many Iraqis have had to rebuild on their own amid a years-long financial crisis.

Since the early years of Christianity, northern Iraq has been home to large Christian communities. But over the past decades, tens of thousands left Iraq and settled elsewhere amid the country's wars and instability that culminated with the persecution of Christians by extremists over the past decade.

The traditionally Christian towns dotting the Nineveh Plains of the north emptied out in 2014 as Christians  as well as many Muslims  fled the Islamic State group's onslaught. Only a few have returned to their homes since the defeat of IS in Iraq was declared four years ago, and the rest remain scattered elsewhere in Iraq or abroad.

Macron arrived in Baghdad early Saturday where he took part in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing Mideast tensions and underscored the Arab country's new role as mediator.

Macron hailed the Baghdad conference as a major boost for Iraq and its leadership. The country had been largely shunned by Arab leaders for the past few decades because of security concerns amid back-to-back wars and internal unrest, its airport frequently attacked with rockets by insurgents.

Macron vowed to maintain troops in Iraq "regardless of the Americans' choices" and "for as long as the Iraqi government is asking for our support." France currently contributes to the international coalition forces in Iraq with 800 soldiers.

On Saturday night, Macron visited a Shiite holy shrine in Baghdad before flying to the northern city of Irbil, where he met Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, the 28-year-old activist who was forced into sexual slavery by IS fighters in Iraq.

A member of Iraq's Yazidi minority, Murad was among thousands of women and girls who were captured and forced into sexual slavery by IS in 2014. Her mother and six brothers were killed by IS fighters in Iraq. She became an activist on behalf of women and girls after escaping and finding refuge in Germany and shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.
A Yemeni fighter backed by the Saudi-led coalition fires his weapon during clashes with Houthi rebels on the Kassara frontline near Marib, Yemen, Sunday, June 20, 2021. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP)

SANAA, Yemen  A missile and drone attack on a key military base in Yemen's south on Sunday killed at least 30 troops, a Yemeni military spokesman said. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the country's civil war in recent years.

Mohammed al-Naqib, spokesman for Yemen's southern forces, told The Associated Press the attack on Al-Anad Air Base in the province of Lahj wounded at least 65. He said the casualty toll could rise since rescue teams were still clearing the site.

Graphic footage from the scene showed several charred bodies on the ground with ambulance sirens blaring in the background.

Yemeni officials said at least three explosions took place at the air base, which is held by the internationally recognized government. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when Houthi rebels swept across much of the north and seized the capital, Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war the following year on the side of the government.

A ballistic missile landed in the base's training area, where dozens of troops were doing morning exercises, the officials said. Medics described a chaotic scene following the explosions, with soldiers carrying their wounded colleagues to safety, fearing another attack.

Solider Nasser Saeed survived that attack. He was taken along with other wounded to the Naqib hospital in Aden. He said a barracks that housed over 50 troops had been hit by missiles, then explosives-laden drones.

"We were able to shoot down one (drone)," he said. "Many were killed and wounded."

Most of the wounded were taken to the nearby Ibn Khaldun hospital, where health officials said many of the wounded were in critical condition and suffer third degree burns.

The officials blamed the Houthis for the attack on the base, once the site of U.S. intelligence operations against al-Qaida's powerful Yemeni affiliate. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

The victims belong to the pro-government Giants Brigades, which are backed by the United Arab Emirates. The unit said in a statement that the attack involved a number of ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. The UAE is a main pillar of the Saudi-led coalition.

The military spokesman for the Houthis did not confirm or deny the attack, which carried the hallmarks of the Iranian-backed rebels. The Houthis have previously launched similar attacks, including one by a bomb-laden drone on Al-Anad in January 2019 that killed six troops.

The Iranian-backed rebels also launched a missile attack on the airport in the southern city of Aden in December as government officials arrived. That attack killed at least 25 people and wounded 110 others.

The Houthis had seized the Al-Anad base in the months after their 2014 takeover of Sanaa, before government forces reclaimed it during the battle to reverse the gains of the rebels.

Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani said the attack would undermine international efforts to establish a cease-fire in Yemen.

"This terrorist attack affirms once again that the continuation of Houthi militia in the approach of military escalation," he wrote on Twitter.

Sunday's attack on the base came as the Houthi rebels face stiff resistance and suffered heavy losses in their monthslong attempt to take the crucial city of Marib from the internationally recognized government. Thousands of fighters, mostly from the Houthis, were killed in recent months in Marib.

The Houthi offensive on Marib, combined with an increase of missile and explosives-laden drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, has come amid mounting international efforts to halt the fighting and relaunch talks between the warring parties to end the war in the Arab world's poorest country.

The stalemated conflict in Yemen has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Magdy reported from Cairo.
The welcome sign at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, Mich., in July 2014. State and military officials said they found toxic PFAS chemicals in stormwater runoff from Camp Grayling that spills directly into Crawford Countys Lake Margrethe. (Seth LaCount/U.S. Army)

GRAYLING, Mich. (Tribune News Service)  State and military officials said they found toxic PFAS chemicals in stormwater runoff from Camp Grayling that spills directly into Crawford Countys Lake Margrethe.

Michigan environmental regulators and Army National Guard authorities said they agreed to study the issue given the potential for the toxic manmade chemicals to contaminate stormwater discharge. They said one hot test result came back in the first round of samples  439 parts per trillion of PFOS, a legacy PFAS chemical  more than 27 times the states limit for drinking water and groundwater.

This is another way PFAS is getting into the lake, said Christiaan Bon, geologist with the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Camp Graylings stormwater study involves collecting samples during a minimum of three wet-weather events, the first and second already completed. So far only the first round of results came back, said Jonathan Edgerly, environmental program manager for the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

A third collection will occur when the next sufficient rainfall happens, he said.

Officials collected samples for the first time on June 24 at nine runoff locations around the bases main cantonment area in Grayling Township. Eight spots came back under criteria, but not the stormwater outfall into southern Lake Margrethe from a culvert beneath Lake Road near the camps parade grounds.

We have more sampling to do, Edgerly told members of the Camp Grayling Restoration Advisory Board during their Wednesday night meeting.

He said lessons can be learned from prior stormwater testing efforts at both Selfridge Air Force Base near Mount Clemens and near an old tannery site in Alpena, and he intends to consult with officials in those places about how they coped with PFAS in stormwater.

What does this mean and what do we do now?

Edgerly said hes unsure whether stormwater would fall under the federal Superfund program, or the Clean Water Act instead. Its the latest uncertainty in an already complicated response.

This is one symptom of a broader issue we are dealing with, he said.

Since 2017, National Guard and state officials found contamination from a class of thousands of manmade forever chemicals called PFAS at four places across Crawford County: the main camp by the lake, the airfield in town, an equipment site, and most recently, the irrigation fields for the citys wastewater treatment facility.

Efforts remain ongoing to study and map the communitys ground and water contamination through the often time-consumptive Superfund program; eventually authorities are expected to decide how to clean up the widespread pollution. Investigations at the airfield are further along than at the main base by the lake.

Military funding so far paid for whole-house water filtration systems in 18 homes discovered with drinking water tainted by PFAS chemicals associated with activity at Camp Graylings sprawling complexes. Results of tests at those homes showed water wells surpassed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys 70 ppt lifetime advisory level  the threshold for the federal Department of Defense to pay for clean water access because of pollution it caused.

Science and health experts widely criticize that EPA policy and argue the federal standard is vastly insufficient to protect the environment and public health. In fact, Michigan regulators established much stricter PFAS caps last year.

Caught in the middle are dozens of other Grayling-area residents who received positive test results for PFAS in their well water, just not beyond the federal standard. Many eclipsed the states limits, and health officials subsequently provided them kitchen sink filters or bottled water for cooking and drinking.

Residents can expect to learn more about ongoing residential well re-testing at a coming online public videoconference meeting set for Sept. 9.

Sesha Kallakuri, state health department toxicologist, said workers are in the midst of the communitys third round of drinking water screenings.

Residents should have already received results from the first re-sampling through the mail, she said, but the analyses can be emailed if lost or delayed by the U.S. Postal Service.

Workers are now sending out fact sheets and door-hangers about the current second round of follow-up tests, Kallakuri said, with 300-some homes yet to sample again.

PFAS is the acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances first developed in the mid-20th century and widely used for commercial and industrial purposes. The chemicals build up in human bodies, resist breakdown in the environment and are known to be harmful.

Medical researchers linked exposure to PFAS to multiple health problems, including diminished immune response, blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and infertility issues, and even certain cancers. PFAS exposure also reduces the efficacy of certain vaccines, recent studies show.

Nationwide investigation efforts show such pollution at military installations was widely caused by the use of PFAS-laden firefighting foam called aqueous film forming foam, which is capable of smothering liquid-fuel fires and escaping fumes.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta. U.S. public health advisers are moving slowly toward considering the nationwide plan for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to ward off the fast-spreading delta variant, even as the Biden administration seeks a Sept. 20 kickoff. (Dreamstime/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  U.S. public health advisers are moving slowly toward considering the nationwide plan for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to ward off the fast-spreading delta variant, even as the Biden administration seeks a Sept. 20 kickoff.

While the booster plan laid out earlier this month had targeted individuals who received their last shot at least eight months ago, President Joe Biden said Friday that Americans may get their added vaccinations even faster  just five months after finishing their standard immunization. The White House quickly clarified its stance, saying that the plan hasnt changed, but Bidens interest in a rapid rollout is clear.

In the meantime, however, the schedule for vaccine experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to consider the plan is slipping. Booster shots were supposed to be the main topic of discussion at an Aug. 24 meeting that was delayed to Monday. Now that postponed meeting will mainly be occupied by consideration of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SEs vaccine that got full regulatory approval last week.

Well hear substantially less on Monday about the booster doses, said William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious disease expert and non-voting ACIP member. Its really quite clear that the basis for the licensure of the vaccine will take up most of the time.

The Biden administration has its hands full as it tries to control the spread of the delta variant and address vaccine hesitancy. But with less than a month until the proposed booster launch date, the administration still needs clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to proceed.

Vaccination experts continue to debate the value and impact of booster doses. The CDC published three studies last week showing that messenger RNA vaccines continue to provide strong protection against hospitalization from the virus, even as efficacy at preventing infections has waned somewhat in the face of the highly infectious delta variant. Also, Johnson & Johnson, maker of the only single-dose vaccine authorized for U.S. use, reported last week that a booster dose raised levels of COVID antibodies ninefold.

But important questions remain about what such findings mean for individual protection and for larger issues such as preventing transmission and the rise of new variants. Theres a bit of a cart-before-the-horse problem with the booster dialogue, said Jesse Goodman, a professor of medicine at Georgetown University and former FDA chief scientist.

Theres so much data still missing on the booster issue, he said. In order to have a really informed discussion we need to have the data.

Booster plans in the U.S. and other countries have been decried by global health leaders calling for more equitable distribution of doses. Dozens of countries have such limited access to the vaccines that they have immunized less than 10% of their populations. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the divide will only grow larger if wealthy countries like the U.S. prioritize booster shots.

The delays and date changes for the advisers meeting have added to ongoing speculation among health experts that the administration is rushing ahead without enough data and regulatory oversight. Its still unclear why boosters have been pursued, as there isnt enough convincing data to suggest that everyone needs one, said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

Knowing that the ACIP was going to be meeting next week, my understanding was that it would become clear  that the data from which that recommendation was made would be presented and that there would be a vote on whether the CDC agrees with the Biden administrations direction, he said. But from the ACIP agenda, it doesnt look like thats true.

In a White House briefing last week, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy pushed back on the notion that the administration was preempting regulators, saying it would follow the normal protocols. The booster programs early announcement was made to be transparent with the public and ensure that states and localities have enough time to plan, he said.

Whether or not the data are there now, the question is not if people will need boosters, but when, said Arnold Monto, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigans School of Public Health and the acting chair of the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. Infections among vaccinated people show that standard regimens arent sufficient to stop the spread of delta, Monto said.

We know that there are breakthrough infections occurring, he said. The breakthrough infections are much less frequent if you have been vaccinated  that is the message that we have to reiterate over and over again because of the delta variant situation.

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Rylee McCollum, 20, shown here in an undated photo shared to social media, was recently married. His wife is expecting a baby in three weeks, according to family members. (Facebook)

CASPER, Wyo.  Donations are pouring in for the widow and unborn child of a U.S. Marine from Wyoming killed in a bombing in Afghanistan.

Rylee McCollum, 20, was among 13 troops killed by a suicide bomb attack Thursday at the Kabul airport. They were providing security as the airport was overwhelmed with people trying to leave the country amid the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover.

McCollum was from Bondurant and expecting his first child in three weeks, according to his family.

Almost $487,000 had been raised through two online fund-raising campaigns, one for the child's future education costs and one for McCollum's widow, as of Sunday.

McCollum was on his first deployment and manning a checkpoint at the airport when the attack happened, the Casper Star-Tribune reported.

McCollum attended Jackson Hole High School and competed as a wrestler. He graduated in 2019 from Summit Innovations School in Jackson.
A man takes pictures of high waves along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain as Hurricane Ida nears, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

NEW ORLEANS  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

The power outage in New Orleans heightened the city's vulnerability to flooding and left hundreds of thousands of people without air conditioning and refrigeration in sweltering summer heat.

Ida  a Category 4 storm  hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. Idas 150-mph winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. It dropped hours later to a Category 2 storm with maximum winds of 110 mph as it crawled inland, its eye about 30 miles west-northwest of New Orleans.

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge under threat.

This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

People in Louisiana woke up to a monster storm after Idas top winds grew by 45 mph in five hours as the hurricane moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The entire city of New Orleans late Sunday was without power, according to city officials. The city's power supplier  Entergy  confirmed that the only power in the city was coming from generators, the citys Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness said on Twitter. The message included a screen shot that cited catastrophic transmission damage for the power failure.

The city relies on Entergy for backup power for the pumps that remove storm water from city streets. Rain from Ida is expected to test that pump system.

More than 1 million customers were without power in two Southern states impacted by Ida  more than 930,000 in Louisiana and 28,000 in Mississippi, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide.

In New Orleans, wind tore at awnings and caused buildings to sway and water to spill out of Lake Ponchartrain. The Coast Guard office in New Orleans received more than a dozen reports of breakaway barges, said Petty Officer Gabriel Wisdom. In Lafitte about 35 miles (55 km) south of New Orleans, a loose barge struck a bridge, according to Jefferson Parish officials.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Ricky Boyette said engineers detected a negative flow on the Mississippi River as a result of storm surge. And Edwards said he watched a live video feed from around Port Fourchon as Ida came ashore that showed that roofs had been blown off buildings in many places.

The storm surge is just tremendous, Edwards told the AP.

Officials said Ida's swift intensification from a few thunderstorms to a massive hurricane in just three days left no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans' 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents remaining in the city on Sunday to hunker down."

Marco Apostolico said he felt confident riding out the storm at his home in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, one of the citys hardest-hit neighborhoods when levees failed and released a torrent of floodwater during Katrina.

His home was among those rebuilt with the help of actor Brad Pitt to withstand hurricane-force winds. But the memory of Katrina still hung over the latest storm.

Its obviously a lot of heavy feelings, he said. And yeah, potentially scary and dangerous.

The region getting Idas worst includes petrochemical sites and major ports, which could sustain significant damage. It is also an area that is already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Forecasters warned winds stronger than 115 mph threatened Houma, a city of 33,000 that supports oil platforms in the Gulf.

The hurricane was also threatening neighboring Mississippi, where Katrina demolished oceanfront homes. With Ida approaching, Claudette Jones evacuated her home east of Gulfport, Mississippi, as waves started pounding the shore.

Im praying I can go back to a normal home like I left, she said. Thats what Im praying for. But Im not sure at this point.

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Idas hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles from the storms eye, or about half the size of Katrina, and a New Orleans' infrastructure official emphasized that the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago."

The levee system has been massively overhauled since Katrina, Ramsey Green, deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, said before the worst of the storm hit. While water may not penetrate levees, Green said if forecasts of up to 20 inches of rain prove true, the city's underfunded and neglected network of pumps, underground pipes and surface canals likely won't be able to keep up.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was in contact with more than 1,500 oil refineries, chemical plants and other sensitive facilities and will respond to any reported pollution leaks or petroleum spills, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. He said the agency would deploy three mobile air-monitoring laboratories after the storm passes to sample, analyze and report any threats to public health.

Louisianas 17 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. refining capacity and its two liquefied natural gas export terminals ship about 55% of the nations total exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Government statistics show that 95% of oil and gas production in the Gulf Coast region was shut down as Ida made landfall on Sunday, according to energy company S&P Global Platts.

Louisiana is also home to two nuclear power plants, one near New Orleans and another about 27 miles northwest of Baton Rouge.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas arrival. He said Sunday the country was praying for the best for Louisiana and would put its full might behind the rescue and recovery effort once the storm passes.

Edwards warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.

Many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today, the governor told a news conference.

___

Associated Press writers Stacey Plaisance in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jay Reeves in Gulfport, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston; Michael Biesecker and Martin Crutsinger in Washington; Pamela Sampson and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Retired Senior Chief Courtland Schafer started working at aerospace defense contractor Delaware Resource Group with DoD SkillBridge. (Photos courtesy of Courtland Schafer)

As he planned to leave the U.S. Navy, retired Senior Chief Courtland Schafer said he was not thrilled about his civilian career options. Then he got a tip from a former colleague.

A pilot with whom Schafer used to fly told him about the Department of Defense job program for service members leaving the military. The man was the coordinator for DOD SkillBridge at Delaware Resource Group, an aerospace defense contractor near Schafers base in Oklahoma. Schafer applied for various positions at DRG and joined the company through SkillBridge.

SkillBridge offers service members of all ranks, including select guardsmen and reservists, the opportunity to earn civilian work experience as they transition out of the military, according to its website. The DOD covers military pay and benefits, though service members must start and complete the program within the final 180 days of their service, according to SkillBridge.

Schafer started his internship in January 2020 and retired from the Navy in June of the same year, but he has remained at the same company since. As a capture manager, he helps DRG draw government contracts.

The former flight engineer said he had heard people up and down his chain of command say that aircraft instruction and program management best fit veterans specialized skill sets. At DRG, Schafer has used his college education in business and management theory in a different role  one he said he prefers.

Schafer advised fellow veterans to not put themselves in a box while job searching.

Had it not been for SkillBridge, I probably would have continued to just try to find a job in some sort of project management type of field, which wasnt really what I wanted to do in the civilian world, Schafer said.

Initially established under a DOD directive in 2014, SkillBridge works with hundreds of employers including Amazon and the U.S. Veterans Administration, according to its site  and new partners are still welcome to apply. A July DOD report to Congress said over 14,000 service members completed or enrolled in a SkillBridge opportunity during the 2020 fiscal year.

Army veteran John Hoffman learned about the program through the Soldier for Life  Transition Assistance Program, now known as the Army Transition Assistance Program. In September 2020, Hoffman became the first SkillBridge intern at the University of Arizona Applied Research Corporation, where he ultimately was hired.

Hoffman also considered working in federal law enforcement before his internship. He said his position at the University of Arizona made him realize that he was interested in a career in program management.

Aside from just the getting out, I get experience and I want to get a job, it helped me figure out what career path I want to take after I separated, Hoffman said.

Hoffman said he recommends that SkillBridge applicants plan their separation timeline to make sure they do not miss out on benefits. The Army veteran said he would like to see more participation in the program and more support from chains of command. Service members must get permission from their unit commanders before participating in SkillBridge.

Mission comes first, but if there is an opportunity I encourage leaders in the military to educate themselves on the program  whether theyre staying in or not, Hoffman said. That way when their service member comes to them and wants to participate in this program, they have a good understanding of what it is and then they can support them one way or the other and help them make an informed decision.

Retired Navy veteran Doug Halter, partner and division manager at 2 Circle Consulting Inc., said he first learned about SkillBridge when a separating veteran contacted him about interning at the firm. He became the programs point of contact and usually receives an email a day from service members seeking internships.

Halter said his firm is very selective when choosing interns to make sure they will be able to use the skills they learn in their future careers. Interns must have naval aviation backgrounds to work at 2 Circle Consulting, which provides expertise to Navy and Air Force acquisition programs.

Three service members have interned at 2 Circle Consulting through SkillBridge, according to Halter, and every one of them got hired after. Halter said he is proud to support service members as they move from military to civilian life.

Its a brand new landscape for a lot of these individuals that are getting out of the military, and one of the things that we enjoy about it as well is: Not only does this increase our pool or improve the pool from which we can now recruit, but it also gives us a chance to mentor those individuals and help them transition from military to civilian life, Halter said.

Service members interested in SkillBridge can learn more about how the program works within their branch on the How to Apply page of the programs website.
Nonprofit Dream Flights and its Operation September Freedom is offering free flights to veterans. (Dream Flights)

KALISPELL, Mont. (Tribune News Service)  Navy veteran Kenneth Schrammeck was beaming Thursday as he slipped into the front seat of a Boeing-Stearman Model 75 biplane just outside the Jet Center at Glacier International Airport.

At 98 years old, the former Navy aviator never dreamed he would once again take to the air in the same model of plane he had trained in during the height of World War II, much less in the instructors position in the front seat. Schrammecks smile had grown even larger by the time he joined his family back on the ground after his 10-minute flight.

It felt strange being in the front seat this time around, but it was fun, very fun, he said. It was fun, but not as much fun as that first solo flight was all those years ago. The biggest thrill is when that front seat is empty and you are doing your solo flights. That was when flying really became a thrilling experience.

Schrammecks flight, along with two others in Kalispell on Thursday and one in Ronan, were made possible by the nonprofit Dream Flights and its Operation September Freedom, which is offering free flights in its fleet of Boeing-Stearman Model 75 biplanes through the end of next month to honor the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the 76th anniversary of the Japanese surrender, which marked the end of WWII.

The debt that we as a country and a society owe to that generation that allowed us to have the freedoms and liberties we have today can never be paid, said Dream Flights pilot Clint Cawley, whose grandparents served in WWII. They are such a humble and gracious generation, and this is the least I can do to give back and try to make a day special for them. Every day in my life is special because of what they did and what they sacrificed.

Cawley, who served as the pilot for the flights in Kalispell on Thursday, said he was honored to bring joy to the lives of Americas WWII veterans by giving them flights in such an iconic plane.

All of the pilots in World War II trained in a Stearman. Everybody flew a Stearman, whether they went on to fly a bomber or a fighter or whatever. All military pilots started with a Stearman, Cawley said.

According to Dream Flights, of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII, only an estimated 100,000 remain alive in 2021, with the youngest being 95.

So in 2021, were dedicating our entire Dream Flight Tour to WWII veterans, the organization says on its website. Our mission is to honor as many as possible, thanking them for fighting for freedom.

Schrammeck said his flight took him back to his training days at a small teachers college in Arkansas in what he and his fellow naval aviator trainees called the Yellow Peril due to the biplanes bright yellow paint scheme.

Schrammeck said he enjoyed his training, including getting into trouble a few times.

One thing I remember clearly, which was against the rules, was flying in the clouds, he said. They really didnt like it when we did that with the trainers.

Schrammeck completed his flight training, but just when he thought he would be shipped off for combat, he received a letter from the War Department.

They sent a letter out to us at the end of training saying that their losses were way less than they planned and that my class was being abolished. Just like that, he said. They told us we could become a noncombatant if we wished, but we were not going to become pilots.

Undaunted, Schrammeck took a discharge from the Navy and looked for another way to join the war effort.

Some of the wise guys told me that the Army was enlisting pilots, but they were wrong, he said. It was the same story as the Navy.

Fellow Navy veteran Arnold Peterson, who took the first flight of the day Thursday, did see combat in the Pacific Theater as a chief electronics technician about the destroyer USS Healy, reaching the rank of chief petty officer.

From 1943 to 1945, Peterson and the USS Healy saw action in the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam and more, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

On Sept. 2, 1945, the Healy served as the harbor control vessel that led the battleship USS Missouri into Tokyo Bay for the Japanese formal surrender, which ended WWII.

Nearly 75 years later, Peterson took to the air Thursday for his first flight in a biplane.

I was looking to see how many bumps we were going to hit, but we didnt have any bumps today, he said of the experience. I really enjoyed being able to look out and see the valley below. At my age, I couldnt believe I was flying again, but I really enjoyed it.

jweber@dailyinterlake.com.

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Navy Fireman 2nd Class Ralph Curtis Battles, 25, was on board the USS Oklahoma Dec. 7, 1941. (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency)

(Tribune News Service)  As the nation learned more about the military personnel killed in Thursdays suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, a family in Boaz, Ala., laid to rest a young sailor killed almost 80 years ago in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The site of the fight and the weapons of war may be very different, but the sacrifice was the same.

Navy Fireman 2nd Class Ralph Curtis Battles, 25, was on board the USS Oklahoma Dec. 7, 1941, and for decades hes been buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, nicknamed the Punchbowl.

Battles was born June 7, 1916, nephew Ralph Shell said in his eulogy Saturday. One month earlier, the USS Oklahoma, where Battles served, was commissioned, he said.

Both were 25 years old, he said, on Dec. 7, 1941. They died together.

Shell said none of the family members present Saturday had the opportunity to know Battles. He was taken too soon. But we knew him, he said, through family members who did and had told of the young sailors death.

The USS Oklahoma was on Battleship Row that morning in Hawaii when the Japanese Empire attacked. As many as eight torpedoes struck the ship. Battles was one of 388 sailors and Marines trapped when the Oklahoma capsized.

Shell said it was 18 months before the Navy refloated the ship to recover the men who died there. Hundreds were buried as unknowns, but in recent years efforts have been made to identify and repatriate service members.

Battless niece, Shelia Roden, said the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency contacted family members and asked for DNA samples, and two family members provided them.

It was amazing they could find us, Roden said.

Still, Roden said, it was hard for the family to think that after so long, Battles could be coming home. Then earlier this year, she said, she was contacted again and asked for a phone number for Battles oldest living male relative. She didnt have that cousins phone number, she said, so she provided the next oldests.

She got a call later from Shell. He said, You know, I get the feeling they may have found him, she recalled. As it turned out they had, and efforts to arrange the repatriation began.

Full honors were accorded when the body of Navy Fireman 2nd Class Ralph Curtis Battles was returned to Alabama, landing Aug. 24, 2021, at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Battles died Dec. 7, 1941, in the attack on Pearl Harbor. (Courtesy of the Birmingham Airport Authority)

Roden said some time after Battles parents, the late L.E. and Beulah S. Battles, were notified of his death, they placed a headstone and foot marker for him at Hillcrest Cemetery. Later, they were laid to rest beside that plot. And later, one of his sisters was laid to rest in an adjoining plot. When another sister passed, she was buried in the gravesite marked for Battles.

Family members decided to have Battles cremated, and to bury the container holding his cremains with his parents and sisters.

That was done Saturday, with full military honors provided by the United States Navy Honor Guard Rear Adm. Ann Duff. The Patriot Guard Riders provided an escort from McRaes Funeral Home to the cemetery, where flags lined the path from the cemetery gate to the gravesite.

The Alabama Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard posted the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance before the graveside service.

It has been an emotional experience for the family. Roden said on Tuesday, when Battles was flown into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, about 15 family members went to watch as he was brought off a plane with full honors, to be transported back to Boaz.

The pilot came off the plane, Roden said, and told the family what an honor it was to bring Battles home. He was crying  he got everyone crying, she said. He said he was happy to be a part of it.

Like Shell, Roden said family members shared the story of what happened to Battles. She said her father, the youngest brother, didnt speak of him much, but others did. Still, she wishes shed asked more questions. One of Battles brothers was a lieutenant commander in the Navy, she said, and she wished she asked him more about her uncle Curt.

When youre young, you just dont think of things like that, she said.

Battles never married, Roden said, though one sister had recalled a letter he wrote, sharing his plan to propose to a young woman when he came home.

Since plans for the funeral were made public, Roden said a woman from Guntersville had contacted her. The womans grandparents had been friends with her grandparents, and in cleaning out their house shed found a postcard Battles sent.

She said her husband told there that was something they might want to hold onto, Roden said. She said she was told the card was dated the day he died.

According to Lt, Cmdr. Jory Morr, POW/MIA Branch Head of the Navy Casualty Office, 346 USS Oklahoma sailors had been positively identified as of July 22.

Even after almost 80 years, he said he believes its important to identify and repatriate those long listed as unknown.

Briefing families, Morr said, he often hears we did not believe he was dead or probably he was not on board the ship. Some families are left thinking maybe one day he would walk through the door, he related.

Being able to recover and identify the remains of sailors can aid in closure for families, Morr said, and it is especially important to the Navy to honor these sailors who paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for our country.

Battles enlisted in the Navy on July 5, 1940, according to information provided by Navy Personnel Command. He reported to the USS Oklahoma on Nov. 5, 1940, and transferred to Pearl Harbor.

As a Navy fireman, Battles would have been responsible for standing engineering watches while the ship was underway and for performing minor maintenance repairs  not fighting fires. They also stand power plant and ship security watches in port and, while underway, ensuring all safety standards are met with any associated engineering machinery.

Battles was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet clasp), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star) and World War II Victory Medal.

donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

(c)2021 The Gadsden Times, Ala.

Visit The Gadsden Times, Ala. at www.gadsdentimes.com
There are 83 new cases of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community today; 82 are in Auckland, one is in Wellington who is a close contact of an existing case and was in isolation. This brings the total number of cases in the community outbreak to 511.



The total number of community cases in Auckland is now 496 and in Wellington it is 15.

Almost 78,000 vaccines were administered yesterday. As well as the 83 new cases in the community, there are two new cases identified at the border that are in managed isolation facilities.



All of the cases have or will be transferred safely to a quarantine facility, under strict infection prevention and control procedures, including the use of full PPE.



There are 453 cases that have been clearly epidemiologically-linked to another case or sub-cluster, and a further 58 for which links are yet to be fully established.



There are currently seven epidemiologically-linked subclusters identified within this outbreak. The two largest clusters are the Birkdale Social Network cluster associated with Case A with 68 confirmed cases, and the Mangere church cluster with 237 confirmed cases.



Of the current community cases, 34 cases are in hospital  32 are in a stable condition on a ward and two cases are in a stable condition in ICU. Three cases are in North Shore Hospital, 17 are in Middlemore Hospital, 13 are in Auckland City Hospital, and one is in Wellington Regional Hospital.



There are appropriate isolation and infection prevention and control plans in place at all hospitals where these patients are being managed.



The total number of active cases being managed in New Zealand is currently 551.

Two new cases identified at border



There are two new cases in recent returnees in managed isolation facilities.

One of the new cases identified at the border arrived on August 23 with full travel history still to be confirmed. They tested positive on arrival during routine testing and are in managed isolation in Auckland.

The second new case identified at the border arrived on August 17 from Malaysia via Singapore and tested positive on Day 3 during routine testing. They are in managed isolation in Christchurch.

Since January 1 2021, there have been 124 historical cases, out of a total of 1,290 cases.



The total number of confirmed NZ cases since the start of the pandemic is 3,108.



Amberlea Home and Hospital Care Facility (Algies Bay)

All 13 patients in the dementia ward, where the positive case worked, have returned negative results.



Testing

Testing nationwide remains an essential part of our response to this outbreak, in particular providing confidence for understanding the extent of any spread of COVID-19.



Our advice remains the same - wherever you are in the country, if you were at a location of interest, at the specified times, or have cold and flu symptoms, please call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.



By calling Healthline, people who have been at locations of interest at relevant times are logged into the contact tracing system. This means their swab can be tracked and processed faster by the laboratories.



Yesterday, 23,139 tests were processed across New Zealand.



Testing centres in Auckland had another busy day yesterday with around 9,700 swabs taken across Auckland, with around 6,300 at community testing centres and around 3,400 at general practice and urgent care clinics.



There are 26 community testing centres available for testing across Auckland today, this includes four invitation-only testing centres for high-risk groups and to prioritise essential health care workers, six regular community testing centres and 16 pop-up testing centres.



We are expecting it to be busy today and tomorrow as many contacts day 12 tests become due.



For up-to-date information on all testing locations, please visit the Healthpoint website.



The total number of COVID-19 tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,951,303.



The seven-day rolling average is 37,031.



Whole Genome Sequencing

ESR has now run whole genome sequencing on samples taken from around 343 community cases. Analysis of these samples has determined they are all genomically linked to the current outbreak.



Wastewater

There are no new unexpected detections to report.



Following detection of COVID-19 in samples collected from Christchurch on August 21, 23 and 25, samples were collected from five sites within Christchurch on August 26. These have now returned negative results and further samples are being collected for analysis today and tomorrow from a further nine sites across Christchurch.



COVID-19 was found in a sample collected from Warkworth on August 27, this follows detections on August 17, 22 and 24. The virus was also detected in samples collected across Auckland, and from Wellington (Moa Point) on August 27.



Samples from 125 locations during this outbreak have been analysed. There are 86 locations in the North Island and 39 locations in South Island. These cover an estimated 3.9 million people, and over 95 percent of the New Zealand population is connected to reticulated wastewater systems.



Contact tracing

As of 10am today, 32,771 individual contacts have been identified and around 85 per cent have had a test.



Locations of interest

Additional locations of interest continue to be identified.



Please remember to regularly check the Ministrys website. Locations are being automatically updated on a two-hourly basis between 8am and 8pm. If you have been to a location of interest during the relevant time, you are asked to self-isolate and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing.



However, anyone who develops symptoms whether or not they have been at a listed location of interest, should ring Healthline for advice on testing.



Remember, by calling Healthline for advice on testing, people who have been at locations of interest at relevant times are logged into the contact tracing system. This means their swab can be tracked and processed faster by the laboratories.



COVID-19 vaccine update

Yesterday 77,965 vaccines were administered. Of these 55,779 were first doses and 22,177 were second doses.



More than 3.28 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to date.



Of these, over 2.1 million are first doses and more than 1.14 million are second doses.



More than 194,133 Maori have received their first vaccination. Of these, more than 104,146 have also had their second vaccinations.



More than 125,495 doses first doses have been administered to Pacific peoples. Of these, more than 70,754 have also received their second doses.



NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 3,101,884 registered users.



Poster scans have reached 332,207,832 and users have created 14,686,052 manual diary entries.



There have been 669,537 scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday; thanks to all those people who are scanning regularly when they are visiting essential services.

The country is at alert level 4, with everywhere south of the Auckland-Waikato border due to move to level 3 at 11.59pm on Tuesday.
Police are encouraging people to stay the course while Alert Levels 4 restrictions remain in place.

"While the vast majority of people are doing the right thing, Polices enforcement figures show that we will move to infringements and arrest when people continue to break the rules," says Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster.

"And as we close in on nearly two weeks at Alert Level 4, we understand that for some, things are getting tough.

"We know that the restrictions, aimed at keeping us all safe, can have an impact on peoples well-being and mental health and that this can be an incredibly difficult time for whanau in our community."

While they do not have confirmed figures available, Police say they are aware of continued reports of people experiencing mental distress.

We know that more time under Alert Level 4 restrictions can be tough, and people may be experiencing difficult situations at the moment, says Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster.

Police are here to help, and we will continue to respond to calls for service where there is concern for peoples safety.

Police are encouraging the community to look out for one another and check in with your whanau, neighbours, and friends.

While we are restricted in face-to-face contact currently, there are a number of ways we can stay in touch virtually  and even a friendly smile from a distance could make a world of difference to someone struggling.

Police would encourage people to reach out to support services if they are struggling.

You can contact the Mental Health Support Line - it's available 24/7 (free call or text) on 1737 or online at www.1737.org.nz

Compliance data update

In the Rodney area on Friday, an officer on compliance patrols stopped and spoke with a woman in her 20s in a supermarket who was not wearing a face covering.

A document she produced claiming an exemption was examined, and was found to be forged. Charges under the Crimes Act and breaching the Health Order are being considered.

"While some people have genuine reasons for not being able to wear a face covering, blatantly disregarding the requirements puts others at risk," says Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster.

Since Alert Level 4 came into place, 103 people have been charged with a total of 111 offences nationwide as at 5pm on Saturday August 28.

Of the 111 charges filed, 72 are for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 25 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, 11 for Health Act Breaches, and 3 for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.

In the same time period, 293 formal warnings were issued  106 of the formal warnings were for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 106 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction and for 84 Health Act Breaches.

Since August 19 2021, Police have been issuing infringements for COVID-19 related breaches.

As at 5pm on August 28 2021, Police have issued 1,829 infringements nationwide.

 Person failed to remain at current home / residence  1679

 Person failed to wear a face covering on premises  41

 Person failed to comply with applicable physical distancing rule  58

 Obstruct/Hinder Medical Officer of Health or Person Assisting Med Officer/Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19)  19

 Person failed to wear a face covering on public transport  5

 Person in control of premises failed to close as required  5

 Person in control of workplace failed to display QR code  12

 Person organised a gathering in an outdoor place - 6

Police have now received a total of 11,816, 105-online breach notifications.

7,233 were about a gathering, 3,471 were about a business, and 1,112 were about a person.

In addition to the online breach notifications, a total of 7527 Covid-19 related calls were made to the 105-phone line.

The majority (5366) of calls were requests for information, and 2161 were to report perceived Covid-19 breaches.
While the nation has continued to lockdown at home under Alert Level 4, the life-saving work of the rescue helicopters has been ongoing.

Rescue crews have been tasked to many and varied callouts for accidents, emergencies, and flights for patients with complex medical needs.

During lockdown, five rescue helicopters  the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopters, TECT Rescue Helicopter, Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, and the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter - have undertaken about 38 missions combined, says a spokesperson for the rescue choppers.

"Patient and crew safety and wellbeing continues to be the absolute priority, and to support this, rescue crew are using their Personal Protective Equipment  PPE - and barrier flight curtains that separate the front and rear cabins of the aircraft, to protect everyone on board."

The TECT Rescue Helicopter responded to various medical events flying patients from Tauranga Hospital and Whakatane Hospital to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Friday, August 20, a male in his 40s suffered head and abdominal injuries after a fall on a farm in Te Kaha. He was flown to Whakatane Hospital.

On Thursday, August 26, the helicopter also attended a medical event on Matakana Island. The patient was flown across to Tauranga Hospital.

"Accidents and emergencies can happen to anyone at any time when least expected, as is evidenced by the large number of missions during the past ten day period.

"While its hoped that a rescue helicopter wont be required, the community can be reassured that their rescue helicopter is always there and its crew are rescue-ready 24/7, to respond to all emergency callouts."
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Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

Sunshine and some clouds. Hot. High 98F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low near 75F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
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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
Tahlequah, OK (74464)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. Hot and humid. High 94F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

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With a resurgence of hospitalizations across Texas, a therapy for people in the early stages of COVID-19 could help cut the number of people a
In brief: Many crypto mining outfits are being forced to re-evaluate their assets and operations as China continues to extend restrictions on cryptocurrency mining. A Chinese court recently sided with a large cloud mining provider called Genesis Mining, to ensure the return of 485,681 Radeon RX 470 8GB GPUs. Despite the victory, Genesis Mining now has the difficult task of finding homes for a very large batch of aging hardware.

Following their ongoing lawsuit against Chinese hosting provider Chuangshiji Technology Limited, China's Supreme Court has sided with Genesis Mining and ordered the return of more than 485,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) to the Iceland-based cloud mining company. While the decision may seem like a victory for Genesis, China's recent crackdown on crypto mining leaves the company with the challenging task of finding homes for an extremely large lot of used, aging hardware.

The legal dispute, which originated in 2018 and has stretched across several years, was based on charging disagreements and payment-related issues between Chuangshiji and Genesis. The ruling orders the former to return over 485,000 Micro Star International (MSI) RX 470 GPUs to Genesis.

Genesis filed suit against the hosting provider in 2019 requesting the return of more than 560,000 GPUs and over 60,000 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) miners after terminating the hosting agreement with Chuangshiji. Upon termination, Chuangshiji refused to return the hardware and instead began liquidating it without Genesis' consent, prompting Genesis to file suit.

Cloud-based crypto mining companies provide customers with the ability to lease mining hash power while alleviating users from the hardware and infrastructure operations that come with crypto mining. These companies typically offer fixed packages that include a fixed amount of hash power (the computing power used to provide solutions to specific proof-of-work consensus mechanisms) in exchange for a flat rate, associated maintenance fees, etc.

The Radeon RX 470s still carry a good deal of value in today's consumer GPU and crypto mining market. With the total returned GPUs providing a combined hash power of over 14.5 Terahash per second (TH/s) and relatively low power draw they are more than capable of producing mining-related returns.

Gamers and PC users looking for older GPU hardware can also score big with AMD's Polaris-based 8GB GPUs should Genesis decide to sell them off to non-mining buyers and distributors. Despite their primary use as mining cards, used GPUs in good condition can often be outfitted with new thermal paste and thermal pads to deliver a cost effective 1080p gaming experience.

Statements on used GPUs from manufacturers such as Palit warn of potential 10% reductions in card performance; however, these claims have often been disproven and testing has shown there is little to no difference between new and used GPUs in scenarios where the cooling components are intact and functional.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin NASA lawsuit against the contract of SpaceX and the lunar lander project keeps crashing computers of the Department of Justice, or shortly known as DOJ, due to the hefty file size of documents.

Thus, the more than seven gigabytes file size of the lawsuit gave DOJ a hard time converting it into a PDF.

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin NASA Lawsuit and DOJ Computers

To be precise, it turns out that Adobe Acrobat ends up crashing as the DOJ is attempting to convert seven hundred files in a single shot.

A space reporter, Joey Roulette, revealed on Twitter that the issue with PDF conversion is delaying the SpaceX HLS contract for at least a week.

Roulette further shared a screenshot of the document from the DOJ, saying that the agency has "tried several different ways to create 50-megabyte files for more efficient filing."

However, doing so still crashed the Acrobat software.

The document also noted that the lawsuit "contains resource-intensive graphics and layouts," citing it as one of the issues that have ballooned its file size into more than seven gigabytes.

NASA, SpaceX Human Landing System Contract

The new hurdle was supposed to further push back the SpaceX Human Landing System or HLS contract to a much farther date, as per Futurism.

The delay was supposed to move the SpaceX and NASA contract to Nov. 8 from the initial Nov. 1.

As such, DOJ lawyers went to ask the court to submit the documents via a DVD instead of converting them into PDFs.

Thankfully, the judge of the case has granted the request of the DOJ lawyers to use good'ol DVDs to file the documents of the case from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3.

As such, the decision has allowed the contract to stay on track.

The document from the DOJ also noted that the staff of NASA that was supposed to fix the crashing and hanging issue of Acrobat were unavailable as they were at the 36th Annual Space Symposium during the incident.

With that, the DOJ lawyers were compelled to find a solution elsewhere--leading to the use of DVDs.

Read Also: Jeff Bezos Owns a Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine Installed in his Beverly Hills Home in California

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin vs. NASA, SpaceX Contract

Blue Origin sued NASA last Aug. 19 for its $2.9 billion lunar landing contract with SpaceX.

It comes after Bezos offered to pay for the cost of the contract for the space agency to reconsider them for the moon landing project instead of its close rival SpaceX.

It is not the first time that Bezos' expressed his disapproval of the decision. Blue Origin first protested the SpaceX and NASA deal last April 26 in a very lengthy 175-page document.

However, the Government Accountability Office or GAO dismissed the claims of Blue Origin and allowed the contract to continue as is. Thus, Blue Origin brought NASA to the federal court.

Related Article: Elon Musk vs. Jeff Bezos Lawsuit: Billionaire Says Bezos' New Full Time Job is to File Lawsuits Against SpaceX

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Microsoft's Azure cloud platform users are now being urged by cybersecurity experts to change their digital access keys. It comes even if they are not part of the 3,300 who are affected by the massive vulnerability.

Last Aug. 27, security experts warned that over 3,000 users of the Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB are exposed to the risk of a security breach after a massive vulnerability was discovered.

The Azure vulnerability allows anyone to have admin privileges remotely.

As per UrgentComm, the security vulnerability exposed prominent companies, such as Rolls-Royce, Coca-Cola, Siemens, Mercedes Benz, Symantec, and Citrix, among others.

After discovering it, Wiz notified Microsoft about the cloud security flaw three days after. Within 24 hours, Microsoft went on to shut down the Jupyter Notebook feature, an interactive cloud app for data science, the head of research in Wiz said.

Microsoft Azure Customers Urged by Cybersecurity Experts

Since then, Microsoft has already fixed the issue and urged the 3,300 affected users to change their keys.

The tech giant wrote that "though no customer data was accessed, it is recommended you regenerate your primary read-write keys."

However, according to Reuters, cybersecurity experts are still encouraging all Microsoft Azure users to change their digital access keys even if they are not identified as part of the breach.

The security experts from Wiz who discovered the massive security flaw also issued a much broader warning to the users of Microsoft Azure. It is to note that the founder of Wiz used to be part of the in-house security team of Azure.

One of the experts that work on unraveling the significant vulnerability, Wiz Chief Technology Officer Ami Luttwak, noted that it is difficult to simply rule out that no one had used the security flaw before.

It is contrary to the claims of Microsoft that no data was breached by the flaw as it was hiding in plain sight before being discovered by Wiz.

Among the lead researchers of the security study, Sagi Tzadik, further said that hopefully what Microsoft is saying is true because "it's terrifying."

Read Also: Microsoft Emergency Patch Fails to Fix Exploitation of PrintNightmare Zero-Day Vulnerability [UPDATE]

Microsoft Azure Customers and US Homeland Security

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Homeland Security, through its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, also strongly warned the users of Microsoft's Azure cloud platform during its bulletin last Friday, Aug 27.

To be precise, the agency said that "CISA strongly encourages Azure Cosmos DB customers to roll and regenerate their certificate key,"

Elsewhere, Microsoft released the Windows 11 preview to Azure Virtual Desktop.

Related Article: Microsoft Exchange Servers Hacked by New Ransomware Gang via ProxyShells Vulnerabilities-How to Avoid

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot has hit two cars, including a parked Highway Patrol helping another person driving a Mercedes SUV in Orlando, Florida.

As per CNBC, the 27-year-old driver of the 2019 Model 3 that crashed into two vehicles said that the advanced driver assistance system, or Autopilot of Tesla, was turned on during the accident.

Although there are no fatalities during the crash, authorities are still investigating if the Tesla Autopilot contributed to the unfortunate accident involving a police car and a Mercedes SUV.

It is to note that only the Model 3 driver sustained injuries during the crash. On the other hand, the highway patrol officer was unscratched during the accident.

Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot Hits Two Parked Cars

The Florida Highway Patrol or FHP said in a statement that the incident involved a police car, which is a 2018 Dodge Charger, and a disabled 2012 Mercedes GLK 350.

The parked patrol vehicle was near the Mercedes as the trooper was assisting the broken car.

The Tesla Model 3 suddenly crashed into the left rear wheel of the patrol as the trooper stepped down of his idle vehicle to help a troubled driver.

After which, the Tesla hit the Mercedes SUV that the highway patrol officer was attempting to help.

The FHP told CNBC that their agency has already communicated the incident to Tesla and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

Related Article: Massive Tesla Model 3 Fleet Could Arrive In Europe? Rumors Claim Elon Musk Has Thousands of EV Units

Tesla's Autopilot System

Meanwhile, Gizmodo further noted that the recent crash occurred two weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or shortly known as the NHTSA, started investigating the Tesla Autopilot system.

The inquiry will precisely look into a total of 11 accidents that Tesla cars with Autopilot rammed into idle emergency cars since 2018. The incidents being questioned have already tallied a total of 17 injuries, along with a single fatality.

On Aug. 17, Tesla's stock price steeply fell by 7% in a week, which was attributed to the probe that the NHTSA launched.

To be precise, Electrek noted that the price of the EV giant has already gone down by 5% on the day of the investigation's announcement.

Then on Aug. 17, it fell by another 4%.

What's more, the EV company of Elon Musk has already lost about a whopping $50 billion market capitalization since the NHTSA investigation stormed the headlines.

The NHTSA probe will be looking into various Tesla vehicles that feature autopilot that was produced from 2014 to the present, such as the Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y.

Read Also: Tesla FSD Beta 9.2 Delay: Elon Musk Says It's Coming, Reveals List of Updates; Teases Beta 10.1

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Xbox is doing what it can to help fight the coronavirus menace, and they're using the power of social media to do it.

Teaming up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Xbox tries to convince more young people, especially their customers, to get their COVID vaccine as soon as possible, reports Eurogamer.

They made this goal apparent with a Twitter thread where they said, "the power of play makes us heroes in new worlds every day. You can be a hero in real life too by getting vaccinated against COVID-19, protecting yourself [and] the people around you."

They did a COVID Q&A with CDC Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases Dr. Jay Butler in the thread, where Xbox debunked several conspiracy theories against the vaccine. They said that the vaccines don't contain microchips, magnets, or any artificial foreign bodies of any kind; they don't alter DNA or give the recipient COVID, and there's no evidence that they badly impact fertility or pregnancy.

Here is the Xbox Twitter thread if you're interested in checking it out:

Here are some key takeaways from our COVID-19 Q&A with Dr. Jay Butler, @CDCgov Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Judy Monroe, @CDCFound President & CEO. All of the information in the following thread is based on the most current CDC data. https://t.co/EUHQ4FUYgQ  Xbox (@Xbox) August 27, 2021

Xbox currently has around 16.5 million followers on its Twitter account, which is a considerable number of mostly young people.

This COVID vaccine drive by Xbox is one of many in a game industry that's been severely hampered by the pandemic, reports ScreenRant. But they're not just trying to discredit conspiracy theories and reassure folks that the vaccines are safe. They're also providing vaccination locations for eligible folks (people aged 12 and older).

Read also: Xbox Wants To Get to 3 Billion Players With or Without Consoles, Says Publishing Head

Xbox Vs COVID-19

Aside from urging people to get vaccinated, Xbox is also doing its part in honoring the sacrifices of frontline workers during this pandemic.

In a post on the official Xbox website, the company is appealing to gamers in the most "gamer" way possible: ensure that the frontliners can keep the fight going by staying at home and playing games. That way, the gaming community can help lessen the influx of new coronavirus cases and possibly contribute to the end of the entire pandemic as a whole.

Furthermore, the page also gives people options to donate to various causes. For one, merely playing anything on Xbox will earn gamers reward points via Microsoft Rewards, which they can contribute to several foundations that spearhead the fight against COVID. Among these include the CDC Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, and Global Giving.

There's Still Plenty of Fighting Left

The world is slowly starting to handle the pandemic better than when it first started, but there's still plenty of fighting left to do. Delta is wreaking havoc as we speak, causing hospitalizations and deaths in over 99% of unvaccinated individuals. But there's the underlying hope: you're only at a high risk of dying or getting critically ill if you don't get the vaccine.

Xbox is doing its part to end this pandemic once and for all, and they're encouraging gamers to do their parts as well.

Related: Microsoft Xbox Series X Halo Infinite Limited Edition Console: Where to Find Stocks and Preorder?

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Philippines cube satellites, which were university-built satellites" by Filipino engineers, are now going to the International Space Station (ISS).

These include SpaceX, Blue Origin, as well as the giant e-commerce company Amazon. However, the Asian country is not alone on its space journey as its new Maya-3, and Maya-4 cube satellites were aboard Elon Musk's giant SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off this Aug. 29 at exactly 3:14 a.m. or 3:14 p.m. PH time.

Thanks to the giant space agency's massive efforts, SpaceX sent its spacecraft to outer space toward ISS. After that, the rocket successfully landed at the sea so that the company's staff could retrieve it.

On the other hand, Falcon 9 is expected to reach the International Space Station, together with the Philippines' cube sats, on Aug. 30. As of the moment, the estimated time of arrival is around morning.

Philippines Cube Sats To Reach ISS

According to CNN Philippines' latest report, the new Maya-3 and Maya-4 satellites are definitely important for the space experts of the Asian country since they are the first ones built by PH universities to reach the International Space Station.

Also Read: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin NASA Lawsuit Keeps Crashing DOJ Computers Due to Large File Size

Specifically, Manila Bulletin reported that these new cube sats were developed and conceptualized by the first batch of scholars under various space projects of the Philippines.

These include the following:

Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation, and Advancement (STAMINA4Space)

Program: Project 3 - Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP)

In other news, NASA's Landsat-9 is expected to be launched this coming September 23. On the other hand, the Mars Curiosity rover was able to capture stunning images of the Red Planet's mountains, black sand, and horizon.

Other Details of PH Cube Sats

Maya-3 and Maya-4 satellite models were made possible thanks to the fundings provided by the DOST, which also has scholarship grants from its Science Education Institute.

On the other hand, the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) implemented the STeP-UP space program in collaboration with the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan.

Aside from them, the Philippine Space Agency also supported the development of the new cube sats of the Asian country.

For more news updates about the new Maya cube sats of the Philippines and other new satellites, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Spotted by Orbit Satellite Ahead ISS Cargo Launch-Here's How to Watch Live

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
San Miguel County Public Health Director, Grace Franklin, referred to the May 19 COVID-19 county dashboard when the county was at Level Orange, as she explained the threshold required to invoke public health policy regarding mask usage. (Screenshot by Suzanne Cheavens/Telluride Daily Planet)
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Hurricane Ida began an hourslong assault on the Baton Rouge area early Sunday, pelting the region with heavy rain while its compact eye was well offshore and threatening to bring myriad problems to weather weary south Louisiana over the coming days.

Incredible winds, at 150 mph as it churned offshore, were just shy of making Ida a Category 5 storm. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the hurricane could be the worst to hit Louisiana since the 1850s. Officials urged people to find a safe place and to stay put.

Be off the road as this thing comes through, Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre said before the expected arrival of 55 to 75 mph winds.

Since the storm formed last week, forecasters always had Louisiana in its path. Landfall predictions varied  near Morgan City at one point, near Cocodrie at another.

As residents rushed to wrap up their storm preparations, the National Hurricane Center said Ida's eye would move inland just west of Port Fouchon and charge past Houma and Thibodaux. By midnight, it'd be in the Baton Rouge area with winds of 45 to 55 mph and gusts to 70 mph.

"I want everyone to remain calm. Be safe and shelter in place," Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said Sunday. "I understand people having anxiety. I want to encourage everyone, let them know that at the end of the day, we'll be alright."

The city-parish has more than 180 water rescue personnel across all its first-responding agencies on standby.

While the storm's center would likely be in Mississippi by sun-up Monday, the region likely faced a long recovery, and even more trouble.

Baton Rouge reached its average annual rainfall total more than a month ago and was poised to take on 6 to 10 inches more.

Rainfall predictions ranged from 6 to 24 inches, and across the area it would fall on already soggy ground. In addition to flash flooding in the height of the storm, backwater flooding posed a potential threat for later in the week.

For the threat at hand, families began trickling into shelters across the region, but because of the coronavirus threat had to be socially distanced from one another. Cots stood by at the Lamar-Dixon gym near Gonzales and the Lowery Middle School in Donaldsonville, said Rachael Wilkinson, director of the parishs Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Anyone who appeared to have symptoms of COVID-19 could use an isolation area, and gowns, masks and gloves were available for anyone who wanted them, but the idea was to get people out of the storm's path as much as possible.

Our first threat, though, is the hurricane and getting people to safety, she said.

Nearly two dozen Assumption Parish residents were already at the parish Community Center in Napoleonville, which opened as a shelter of last resort Sunday morning.

"As the weather deteriorates, we're getting calls," he said. "I expect we're going to have a quiet a bit of people by lunchtime, so they're just trickling in now, but more and more calls and so forth."

Assumption officials ordered a mandatory evacuation Saturday morning, but Boudreaux said he believes many people didn't leave the parish.

The parish on the fringes of the Atchafalaya Basin doesn't have a regional flood protection system, but a series of ring levees around neighborhoods with their own pump systems.

Most have backups if power goes out, he said.

In Denham Springs, gusts of wind flew down Range Avenue, slinging increasingly heavy rains onto storefronts. Occasional drivers on last-minute provisions runs whipped through the puddles  but pedestrians were nowhere to be seen. Most business, like Heritage House Antiques, were boarded up.

Im nervous, like everybody else, said John Cavalier, owner of Cavalier House Books. You can only do so much, and you do as much as you can, and then you just wait and see what happens.

A storm drain outside the bookstores door has pushed water through the door, so Cavalier chose not to board up the bookstores windows. Sandbags and a small barrier device were placed there instead. Cavalier had spent yesterday organizing the stores interior in anticipation of having to make insurance claims.

+5 Ahead of Hurricane Ida, coastal hospitals evacuate most critical patients amid COVID surge As Hurricane Ida strengthened Saturday, hospitals closest to the Louisiana coastline evacuated some of their most critical patients and prepar

The waiting is the part were doing now, he said.

Frustrated drivers pulled up to empty pumps at a Circle K gas station on the edge of Plaquemine as rain began to lash on the town. The pumps lacked that universal symbol for no gas  plastic bags over the handles  leaving many people to try several before driving away.

Were just going to pray, said Addis resident Lionel Gilbert, riding out the storm at home with his wife and kids.

Plaquemine resident Chante Delone said she was trying to top off her vehicle with gasoline for a possible last-minute evacuation ahead of the storm.

If it gets too bad, we may still leave, said Delone, who would wait the storm out with her kids if she stays. I might get out of here if I have trouble with my generator when I get home.

Addis resident Tereska Lawrence also unsuccessfully tried to top off on gas before heading home to wait the storm out with family.

I wasnt going to stay, but theres nowhere to go. Everything is booked up, totally, Lawrence said.

A hurricane was a new experience for some.

Its going to be wild, I dont know what to expect, said Karter Warner, who moved to Brusly from Arkansas less than a year ago. It sounds kind of bad, but Im a little excited to see it happen. Im just not excited for the damage. You stay excited to stop from freaking out.

Staff writers Ellyn Couvillion, David J. Mitchell, Paul Cobler, Terry L. Jones and James Finn contributed to this story.
Entergy crews work on the power lines near the intersection of Airline Highway at Barringer Foreman Road Thursday Jan. 2, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La, as traffic stacks up on Airline Highway. DOTD says the signals at Airline Highway at Stumberg Lane and Airline at Barringer Foreman Road were out at the two major intersections due to power outages.
Gov. John Bel Edwards will talk about the latest developments of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Louisiana this afternoon as a Category 4 storm.

UPDATE: First responders won't dispatch until "first light" Monday morning, Gov. John Bel Edwards says

The governor will address the storm's forecast, preparations and next steps as it impacts Louisiana through the night.

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Sign up for free text message alerts with the latest Hurricane Ida news during power outages. Click here for New Orleans area updates and here for Baton Rouge area updates.

Hurricane Ida updates: Sign up for free text message alerts during Baton Rouge power outages The Advocate is inviting readers to sign up for its free text messaging service to receive critical updates on Hurricane Ida impacts.

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As Hurricane Ida strengthened Saturday, hospitals closest to the Louisiana coastline evacuated some of their most critical patients and prepared to lose power while caring for higher-than-usual numbers of patients amid the surging coronavirus pandemic.

With Louisianas coastal regions  particularly Morgan City and Houma  in the direct path of the Category 4 storm, Ochsner Health System evacuated 17 of their most critically ill patients from Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City, Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma and Ochsner St. Anne in Raceland. Those three hospitals still have collectively about 100 patients left.

All of the facilities remain open for emergency services, so were here to serve the community, said Michael Hulefeld, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Ochsner. We dont pack up and leave in the event of a storm like this.

COVID-strained hospitals brace for Hurricane Ida to sweep through Baton Rouge: 'Everyone is ready' Baton Rouge hospitals already overwhelmed by COVID patients are bracing for twin disasters with a major hurricane about to sweep through the r

Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a news conference Saturday that full-scale hospital evacuations were not possible. Across the state, 2,450 people remain hospitalized with COVID. The fourth surge has filled hospitals to capacity, but the number of patients currently hospitalized has dropped by about 20% over the last 10 days, which Edwards called "very helpful going into this hurricane."

Still, transferring patients from one hospital to another has proved challenging.

Dr. Robert Hart, Ochsners chief medical officer, said the systems main campus in New Orleans would usually house patients who needed transfers from other locations during past hurricanes. But this time around, the 17 critical patients were scattered across hospitals where they could find room for them, including Ochsner locations in Baton Rouge, the West Bank and Kenner. Another challenge has been determining the logistics of how to keep enough staff on hand to power the hospitals over the next few days, while keeping them socially distanced enough to limit COVIDs spread, Hart said.

"Things are very tight," Hulefeld said. "We still have nearly 800 COVID patients in-house. And so that definitely creates stress and strain from a capacity perspective and a staffing perspective."

Already weathering COVID-19 cases, Lafayette hospitals prepare for Hurricane Ida Lafayette hospitals are fortifying their supply stores and backup generator capacity while preparing staff for potential overnight and shelter

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Hulefeld said the bayou region hospitals in the storms direct path have 10 days worth of supplies. Each facility has a backup generator and Ochsner is keeping a backup fuel truck at St. Anne should we be on generator power for an extended period. Some of the hospitals also have their own water wells should water infrastructure go down  a major problem after Hurricane Laura for hospitals around Lake Charles.

Hospital officials across Louisiana made it clear Saturday that their doors remain open for emergencies, regardless of Hurricane Idas power.

Our physicians and staff are equipped to stay on-site to care for the increased number of patients that are hospitalized during the hurricane, said Phyllis Peoples, CEO of Terrebonne General, in a statement Saturday.

And other hospitals announced changes to staffing and patient care plans. Most hospitals in southeast Louisiana said they were closing clinics and urgent care centers while calling off elective procedures Sunday and Monday.

+16 Whether staying or evacuating, coastal Louisiana residents offer up prayers as Ida nears FRANKLIN  On Saturday morning, with roughly 36 hours until Hurricane Idas projected landfall in south Louisiana, residents in Franklin said 

Ochsner in Baton Rouge is limiting visitors on Sunday to one per patient in most cases and only immediate family for patients in end-of-life care.

North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond announced Saturday that it will close main entrances to most of its facilities on Sunday, but the emergency department will stay open during the storm.

Womans Hospital in Baton Rouge said they will switch to generator power before Hurricane Ida even makes landfall to ensure no interruptions in patient care.
For more than 25 years, Mark Richards worked at the coal-fired Hazelwood Power Station in Victorias Latrobe Valley until it closed in 2017.

Mr Richards said the majority of his co-workers, family and friends acknowledged the reality of climate change. However, they also feared that they increasingly would be saddled with the heavy lifting for climate change through job losses and economic sacrifice.

The pathway to net zero emissions by 2050 includes no new coal or gas developments from 2021. Credit:

His position corresponds with the results of a landmark national survey into the attitudes of Australian voters to climate change, which found climate change would rank highly in the priorities of voters in both regional and metropolitan areas at the next election.

The survey of 15,000 Australians, commissioned by environment organisation the Australian Conservation Foundation, was conducted by research company YouGov in July to shed light on whether voters believe Australia should do more to reduce carbon emissions.
The impact of the pandemic on the justice system has been huge, with lawyers reporting clients spending more time on remand than they would face if sentenced, a growing backlog of stalled cases and womens legal services swamped with inquiries about domestic violence cases.

Three Irishmen acquitted of attempted murder charges last month were in custody on remand for two-and-a-half years, an extra year due to the pandemic, said barrister Geoffrey Steward.

That this occurred is no ones fault, but is a good example of the profound effects that lockdowns have had on the criminal justice system in this state.

Solicitor Ruth Parker said one of her clients has been on bail, waiting a year for his case to resolve despite the victim wanting the case to be dropped.

Hes not been able to work in his field because it requires a clean criminal history check, she said.
It pays to read the fine print. That was, essentially, what the Doherty Institute was saying last Monday when it released a statement clarifying the modelling it produced for the national cabinets COVID strategy.

If you had been skimming news reports in recent days, it would have been easy to come to the conclusion that, based on the Doherty modelling, we will  mostly  be living a normal life, enjoying our previous freedoms, when 70, then 80, per cent of Australians have been vaccinated.

Doherty Institute director Sharon Lewin says her modelling supports reopening at high levels of vaccination regardless of the number of COVID-19 cases in the community.

That has certainly been suggested in Prime Minister Scott Morrisons messaging. The goal, he told a press conference last week, was to help people overcome their fears about a rise in cases and to treat COVID much as we treat influenza as we transition out of the pandemic into a post-vaccinated world.

If not at 70 per cent and 80 per cent [vaccinated], then when? he asked. We should not delay it. We should prepare for it. We should not fear it. We should embrace it. Or, as he memorably told the Today program. We cant stay in the cave.
RMIT University will stop offering the VCE in China this year as enrolments slide, although experts say underlying demand for Australian education has withstood political tensions and border closures.

RMIT said it would stop partnering with a provider in China to deliver a VCE program at the end of the year, six years after its launch. Its understood its VCE program enrolments in Beijing fell to 20 this year.

Higher education expert Andrew Norton says underlying demand for Australian education is reasonably strong in China. Credit:Attila Csaszar

VCE is the most common Australian school-leavers certificate studied overseas, with 767 students completing the certificate offshore in 2019.

RMIT, Donvale Christian College, Firbank Grammar School, Haileybury College, Peninsula Grammar and Thomas Carr College all partner with schools in China to provide the VCE.
Get the idea? The group of Andrews government MPs undermining their boss by advocating an easing of the rules should pipe down (Andrews faces internal push on hard lockdown, The Sunday Age, 29/8).

Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills No passports without equity of access to vaccines

With all the talk about the Prime Ministers plan to begin safely reopening when 70 per cent of adults are vaccinated, what is left out is how equitable the vaccination rollout is. Weve heard the stories about private schools managing to get their students vaccinated with Pfizer, and the slow rate of vaccinations among vulnerable populations like those with a disability or Indigenous populations. Not to mention the 12-to-15-year-olds who increasingly figure in those who can both contract and pass on COVID-19. While vaccination passports to access major events or hospitality venues seem reasonable, they are not at all reasonable if there is no equity of access to the vaccines. Bringing about that equity and protecting the vulnerable must take priority.

Marg DArcy, Rye Berejiklian has got this bit right

Gladys Berejiklian may well have misjudged Delta with the late, light lockdown, but her push to get the children back to school is to be applauded.

Mandating vaccination for teachers and a blitz to have all eligible students given the jab is now essential for the sake of their mental health and social and educational needs. We need to do the same with childcare workers and find a way to open playgrounds as safely as possible, and as soon as possible, to cater for the wellbeing of our younger children, let alone the mental health of their struggling parents.

Ruja Varon, Malvern THE FORUM They must be accountable

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg needs to explain exactly how releasing some information regarding the employers that have been the beneficiaries of the $13 billion paid by the government in the first three months of JobKeeper, and subsequently shown to have not met the schemes criteria, would prejudice their commercial interest and how this consideration outweighs a call for transparency that has overwhelming (65 per cent) voter support (Voters back call for profiteers to repay JobKeeper, The Age, 28/8). When COVID-19 upended our lives, the federal government was rightly given credit for shielding large sectors of the population from financial ruin through JobKeeper. It was inevitable that a scheme hastily cobbled together would result in some money being misapplied, and while we accept this as a reasonable cost of rapid intervention, we also expect there to be accountability.

One wonders whose interests our Treasurer really represents.

Robin Bowra, Fitzroy North An enlightened discussion

Ross Gittins is right to commend the Productivity Commission chair for promoting a more enlightened discussion about the level of public debt that is economically beneficial (Investment in a better class of economic debate pays off, Business, 28/8). It is a pity such level-headed discussions about the optimal balance between public/private sector access to real resources got little attention during the Bill we cant afford 2019 election campaign against Bill Shorten. Will the current record levels of government debt incurred by the Coalition mean their next election campaign will be missing the standard debt hysteria component?

Bill King, Camberwell People everywhere

On Domain Road, South Yarra, at the weekend, it almost seemed there wasnt a pandemic going on.

Crowds lined the footpath in front of the Botanical Hotel and its neighbouring cafes. Teams of jolly people stood shoulder-to-shoulder in their puffy vests, laughing their mask-less laughs, while sipping take-away drinks in the sun.

As I observed this block party-cum-activewear gala, I wondered, would police allow such a

spectacle in one of Melbournes less-affluent suburbs?

Sam Bentley, South Yarra A little understanding helps

I heartily agree that we need to show more compassion and understanding towards those who do not wear masks because they have a medical exemption (Anger and aggression will not defeat the virus, Letters, 27/8). I have two Cochlear implants, and also have cerebral palsy, which affects my hand control. I have had a medical exemption since July 2020, stating that the ear tapes on masks can dislodge my implant processors  vital medical equipment enabling me to hear. Just recently, someone berated me for not wearing a mask  though this person knows of my medical exemption. As the pandemic and lockdowns drag on, perhaps were becoming less patient with each other, venting our frustration by finding someone to blame. Most of us are trying to do the right thing, including getting a medical exemption when we cant wear a mask safely.

By being understanding towards each other, we can lessen the frustration we are feeling. Causing hurt to people who are, in fact, living within the rules (including having a lawful medical exemption where necessary) only increases the pain for us all.

Kaye Gooch, Prahran Child COVID deaths rare

A letter (Putting kids in danger, 28/8) states that children are at much greater risk from the Delta variant than they have been from previous variants. While the greater transmissibility of the Delta variant means there is more COVID-19 in all age groups, illness caused by this coronavirus remains asymptomatic or mild in the vast majority of children. Parents should be reassured that hospitalisation and deaths from COVID-19 are still exceptionally rare in this age group.

Nigel Curtis, head of infectious diseases, Royal Childrens Hospital, Melbourne Life after lockdowns

The purpose of lockdowns is to protect the unvaccinated from COVID-19 and our hospital system from the morbidity of infections.

Australian governments have done a remarkable job with this since last year while we waited for safe vaccines to be developed, acquired and made available to our unvaccinated population. However, at some point, probably later this year, all eligible people will have been given an opportunity to be vaccinated, and lockdowns will have to end. At that point, we all know that the virus will continue its ruthless quest to infect the unvaccinated, which will be unpleasant but entirely a consequence of the decisions or the circumstances of the unvaccinated population. I urge everyone to avoid this fate and get themselves vaccinated.

Andrew Rothfield, Northcote A double infection

Walking down Main Street, Mornington on Saturday morning, I heard a passer-by saying, I really like visiting Mornington.

Then a vroom of high-end motorcycles, with middle-aged gents out for a Peninsula sunny Saturday, rolled by. And as we crossed the car park, a group of a dozen unmasked 20-somethings drifted sullenly away  because of the two cops behind us. And so it goes on and on. Exceptionalism wont get us out of this. It just spreads the double infection: me-ism and COVID-19.

David Baxter, Mornington Open the op shops

Opportunity shops are a primary resource for disadvantaged families to procure clothing and basic homewares including sheets, towels, tableware and, most importantly for the young, books. Theyre vital to families and individuals who have a lighter footprint on the planet than middle-to-upper-income consumers, who buy and dispose of plastic and synthetic items made from petrochemicals faster than clicking a buy button. Opportunity shops are also staffed by volunteers, many of whom are valued by the communities in which they operate, giving a renewed sense of purpose to many who would otherwise be disenfranchised.

Reopening these stores should be an imperative: for the sake of the poor and the planet.

Lara Blamey, Mount Eliza Well get used to QR codes

In 1970, the Victorian government became the first in the world to introduce legislation for compulsory wearing of seatbelts. Many people were annoyed, objected, refused to wear them, pretended to wear them and so on. Today, we put them on without giving it any thought. To those who object to QR codes or complain that they are a nuisance, I suggest they just get on with it  QR codes are going to be a part of our life for a long time, maybe forever. And the day will come when we register with a QR code without giving it a thought.

John Cummings, Anglesea Realistic plan needed

So Daniel Andrews has announced that there is still a chance to drive COVID-19 cases down to zero.

At what cost? These extended lockdowns are having a devastating effect on all Victorians. The impacts vary from financial hardship to poor mental health. Many Victorians now have very little faith that even if this current lockdown gets us to a zero position, we will be able to sustain this for any length of time. With more than 1000 cases daily in NSW, it will only be a matter of days or weeks before another outbreak occurs. And back into lockdown we go.

Victorians need hope and compassion  not a lecture on how we are doing the wrong thing and making the wrong choices. We need targets matched to the easing of restrictions. We need encouragement to drive up vaccination rates. We need something realistic to strive for.

Lisa Anderson, Canterbury Twin targets are confusing

The use of 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination targets is causing confusion. The purported benefits at each point are too vague and the threat of a lockdown in ones residential area remains, even if the 80 per cent level is reached. It would be better to have one target, even if it was 75 per cent, with detailed benefits/restrictions at that point for the fully vaccinated vis-a-vis the partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. In particular, the states will need to resolve the border restriction applying to fully vaccinated and recently tested travellers. The risk of people defying the rules with the current wishy-washy program increases by the day.

Peter Barry, Melbourne

Who is she listening to?

As COVID-19 numbers continue to rise in NSW, Premier Gladys Berejiklian promises rewards and more freedom. I wonder whether she has checked if the majority of her citizens actually want these things right now, or whether they would prefer to have case numbers driven down and fewer lives lost. I wonder whether she is listening to a noisy minority over a potentially silent majority.

Claire Merry, Wantirna AND ANOTHER THING Taking his time

It wasnt a race to get people vaccinated and it wasnt a race to build proper quarantine facilities. Now it seems it also wasnt a race to get people out of Afghanistan.

Peter Neuhold, Elsternwick

Credit: JobKeeper

Has Josh Frydenberg signed a non-disclosure agreement with corporate Australia?

David Mandara, Hepburn Springs There should be a full list of those companies who used JobKeeper to up their profits ... they really believed in the keeper part.

Marie Nash, Balwyn Vaccinations

When anybody promotes a group as top priority to get the vaccine, they should be obliged to say who will be hustled back to the end of the queue.

William Puls, Mentone The pandemic

When hospitals become overloaded, will only the vaccinated be eligible for admission?

Harley Powell, Elsternwick

Victoria is so lucky to have daily, constructive advice from Michael OBrien or Georgie Crozier, yet Daniel Andrews ignores it.

John Walsh, Watsonia COVID-19 reminds us that we do not own nature, we are part of it.

David Champion, St Andrews Beach Politics

The only thing transparent about the Morrison government is the Prime Minister himself. You can see straight through him and his attachment to power.

Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills It will be a miracle if Anthony Albanese is our next Prime Minister.

Noel Howard, Heathmont In the midst of the pandemic, Michael OBrien remains Daniel Andrews greatest asset.

Bryan Lewis, St Helena
The West Australian governments decision to crack down on travel for compassionate reasons under new extreme risk border rules is causing mental torture, two leading paediatricians warn.

The rules are the sharpest escalation of WAs domestic hard border policy since the pandemic began and leaves the fate of those wanting to enter the state from New South Wales on compassionate grounds with just two people: Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson and WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson.

Exemptions under compassionate grounds have been scrapped for people planning to travel to WA from NSW. Credit:WAtoday

After the new rules came into effect on August 26, Mr Dawson ruled out previous grounds for approval such as funerals and said he would only consider extreme circumstances such as someone needing palliative care.

Renowned Perth paediatric cardiologist Luigi DOrsogna said the restrictions would torment vulnerable people at the lowest points in their lives and cause long-term harm to their mental health.
Newly minted United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly says he makes no apology for sending spam messages to voters urging them to back his anti-lockdown campaign, claiming they should be more concerned about their privacy rights over vaccines.

Mr Kelly, who does not believe in the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and has spruiked alternative unproven treatments in contradiction of the Commonwealths health advice, dismissed complaints about the unsolicited text messages saying he was absolutely not sorry and the practice was 100 per cent legal.

If theyre concerned about Australians privacy, they should be standing up and calling for an end to vaccine passports, Mr Kelly, the member for Hughes in south-west Sydney, said.

United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly says he is absolutely not sorry about sending unsolicited text messages to voters spruiking his anti-lockdown policies. Credit:Rohan Thomson

I find it a bit ironic that people are upset about their privacy by getting a text message, but by the same token, theyre absolutely silent about Australians having to show their health records before they could go and get a job across the state border.
Los Angeles: Marine Sgt Nicole Gee celebrated the joy of service just days before she was one of 13 US service members killed in Fridays suicide bombing attack near Kabul airport.

Tributes have poured in for the 11 Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier who were killed in the attack blamed on IS-K, Afghanistans offshoot of the Islamic State group. The US said it was the most lethal day for American forces in Afghanistan since 2011.

More than 160 Afghans were killed and at least 18 other US troops were wounded in the bombing.

A week ago, Gee, 23, posted a photo on Instagram that showed her holding a baby at that airport. She added a simple, profound comment: I love my job. The same photo was posted by the Department of Defence on August 21.
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Towanda, PA (18848)

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Sunny along with a few clouds. High around 70F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

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Towanda, PA (18848)

Today

Sunny along with a few clouds. High near 70F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
WORCESTER - A graveside service for Robert F. Milavec, 82, who died Nov. 22, 2019, and his son, Jeffrey R. Milavec, 56, who died April 29, 2021, will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Elk Creek Cemetery, the corner of Badeau Hill Road and County Highway 34, Schenevus, with the Re
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Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, UK, on Aug. 29, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Airlift of Britons and Refugees From Afghanistan Was Unprecedented Mission: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK departure from Afghanistan was the culmination of a mission unlike anything weve seen in our lifetimes.

The final UK troops and diplomatic staff were airlifted from Kabul on Saturday, drawing to a close Britains 20-year engagement in Afghanistan and a two-week operation to rescue UK nationals and Afghan allies.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow, who had been processing those fleeing the country at the airport until the last moment, was among those who landed at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire on Sunday morning.

And it brought to a close Operation Pitting, believed to be the largest evacuation mission since the Second World War.

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, UK, on Aug. 29, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/PA)

In a video uploaded to Twitter on Sunday morning, Johnson praised the more than 1,000 military personnel, diplomats, and officials who took part in the operation in Afghanistan.

He said: UK troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions.

They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives.

Theyve seen at first-hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends.

They didnt flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job.

Its thanks to their colossal exertions that this country has now processed, checked, vetted, and airlifted more than 15,000 people to safety in less than two weeks.

Shortly afterward, Bristow arrived on one of the last flights carrying UK military and civilian personnel on their final homeward leg back from Afghanistan.

A Voyager aircraft touched down at RAF Brize Norton airfield in Oxfordshire on Sunday morning carrying roughly 250 personnel on board, including members of 16 Air Assault Brigade who were stationed at Kabul airport.

Ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Laurie Bristow (left) is greeted by Sir Philip Barton, Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as he exits a plane after being evacuated from Kabul, upon its arrival at RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire, UK, on Aug. 29, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The plane flew in from Al Minhad airfield in the United Arab Emirates near Dubai, where the UKs evacuation flights from Afghanistan first landed.

Further flights carrying personnel are expected later on Sunday.

The government said of the 15,000 people evacuated since the Taliban seized Kabul, 5,000 of those were British nationals and their families.

More than 8,000 Afghans who helped the British effort as interpreters or in other roles, or who are otherwise vulnerable to persecution by the terrorist group, were also able to flee to safety with their families.

But Vice Admiral Ben Key, Chief of Joint Operations, who commanded Operation Pitting, admitted there was a sense of sadness that not all could be saved.

Speaking at RAF Brize Norton on Sunday morning, he said, whilst we recognise and I pay testament to the achievement of everything that has been achieved by coalition forces, but particularly the British contingent, over the last two weeks, in the end we know that there are some really sad stories of people who have desperately tried to leave that we haveno matter how hard our effortswe have been unsuccessful in evacuating.

He added: There has been a phenomenal effort achieved in the last two weeks. And I think we always knew that somewhere we would fall just short.

So, this isnt a moment of celebration for us at all, this is a moment to mark a tremendous international effort to evacuate as many people as we could in the time available.

But former head of the British Army General Lord Richard Dannatt suggested more could have been done if the government had not been asleep on watch.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: It is unfathomable why it would appear that the government was asleep on watch.

I think the issue of Afghanistan sat on the backburner. Maybe it started to come forward. But then, suddenly, when the Taliban took over the country in the precipitate fashion in which they did, it fell off the cooker straight on to the kitchen floor and weve  had this chaotic extraction.

We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behoves us to find out why the government didnt spark up faster.

Addressing the families and loved ones of the British troops who gave their all, Johnson said: Your suffering and your hardship were not in vain.

He added, it was no accident that theres been no terrorist attack launched against Britain or any other western country from Afghanistan in the last 20 years.

But Conservative MP and veteran Tobias Ellwood said the UK had very little to show for 20 years in Afghanistan.

The chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee told LBC: Our armed forces performed so valiantly but they were let down by their political masters.

We lacked the strategy, the statecraft, the patience to see through, and the manner of our departure is a humiliation, a confirmation of our diminished resolve, and our adversaries will not be slow to exploit it.

Ellwood added, unfortunately, weve made the situation worse, by absenting ourselves from the very place where its now very easy for terrorist groups to do their work.

By Alexander Britton
Afghan evacuees queue before boarding one of the last Italy's military aircraft C130J during evacuation at Kabul's airport, Afghanistan, on Aug. 27, 2021. (Italian Ministry of Defence/Handout via Reuters)

US Airstrike Hits Suicide Bomber in Vehicle Going to Kabul Airport

A U.S. military spokesman confirmed that a U.S. military airstrike targeted a suicide bomber who tried to attack the Kabul airport on Aug. 29 amid the American-led evacuation of the airport.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the main Taliban spokesman, had earlier told The Associated Press and other outlets that the strike occurred on Aug. 29. U.S. military officials havent gone on the record to confirm the strike, and The Epoch Times has contacted the Department of Defense for comment.

Unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters and other news outlets on Aug. 29 that a military strike was launched against a possible suicide car bomber who was targeting the airport. Witnesses told Al Jazeera that they heard a loud explosion near the facility, and footage showed black smoke rising into the sky.

The attack was later confirmed by a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson.

US military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport, Capt. Bill Urban, CENTCOM spokesperson, told reporters.

We are confident we successfully hit the target. Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material. We are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though we have no indications at this time.

The incident comes after the Pentagon confirmed it killed two ISIS-K terrorists in Afghanistan over the weekend.

The fact that two of these individuals are no longer walking on the face of the earth, thats a good thing, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Aug. 28.

That airstrike came in retaliation to a bombing at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. military members and numerous other civilians last week. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the blast.

A Taliban fighter stands guard at the site of an Aug. 26 bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 27, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

We arent thinking for a minute that what happened yesterday gets us in the clear, Kirby said. Not a minute. But do we believe that we hit valid targets, bad guys who can do bad things and can plan bad missions? Absolutely. And do we think that that will have some impact on their ability going forward? Absolutely.

Kirby told reporters last week that its likely several thousand ISIS members were released from prisons as the Taliban took over Afghanistan earlier this month.

The airstrike comes as President Joe Biden and other administration officials have taken significant bipartisan criticism over how hes handled the pullout from Afghanistan. In comments during news conferences, Biden has defended his administrations response and said the pullout had to be done, although he and other White House officials have provided conflicting information about the situation on the ground in Kabul.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued a warning on Aug. 28 that Americans who are within the vicinity of the airport should leave the airport area immediately due to the possibility of another attack.

On Aug. 29, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that about 300 Americans remain in the country.

We are down to a population of 300 or fewer Americans who are still on the ground there, and we are working actively in these hours and these days to get those folks out, he told ABC News.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens as President Joe Biden gestures as delivers remarks on the U.S. militarys ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House in Washington, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden Admin Says 300 Americans Remain in Afghanistan as Terror Risk Remains Very High

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday revealed that 300 Americans remain in Afghanistan and are awaiting evacuation amid a heightened terror threat near the airport.

We have about 300 American citizens left who have indicated to us that they want to leave. We are very actively working to help them get to the airport, get on a plane, and get out of Afghanistan, President Joe Bidens top diplomat said during an ABC News interview on Sunday.

After meeting with Biden and other White House officials on Saturday, Blinken said that U.S. officials are making significant attempts to get the remaining Americans out of Afghanistan, coming two weeks after the Taliban took over the country after a blistering offensive that lasted only days.

Biden and other officials set an Aug. 31 deadline for all troops to leave Afghanistan, raising questions about whether the administration can successfully evacuate any remaining Americans in the country by that time.

On Saturday, meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued warnings to Americans to get away from the airport due to an imminent attack, ostensibly from alleged ISIS terrorists. Days before that, ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack that left 13 U.S. military service members and scores more dead at the airport.

Several U.S. Central Command spokesmen confirmed to news outlets on Sunday that airstrikes were carried out against a suspected terrorist who was driving an explosives-laden vehicle to the airport.

Noting the heightened terrorist threat, Blinken added to ABC News that the risk is very high for another attack at the Kabul airport.

This is the most dangerous time in an already extraordinarily dangerous mission, these last couple of days, he told the news outlet. And so, we will do everything possible to keep people safe. But the risk is very high.

During the pullout, the Biden administration has received significant bipartisan backlash over his handling of the evacuations and for failing to predict that the Taliban would take control over the country, including Kabul, in just a matter of days. Some have also questioned statements made by Biden and his top deputies that U.S. officials are working with, and even reportedly sharing intelligence with, the Taliban, which is designated as a terrorist group by several federal agencies.

Blinken on Sunday, however, said that the United States has significant leverage over the Taliban to make good on its commitments.

If the Taliban is serious about the commitments that its repeatedly made in public, including nationally, across the country, as well as in privatecommitments that the international community intends to hold the Taliban tothen well find ways to do it, Blinken said.
President Joe Biden bows his head as first lady Jill Biden, right, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, watch during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del. on Aug. 29, 2021. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

Biden Pays Respects to US Troops Killed in Afghanistan

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.President Joe Biden met in solemn privacy Sunday with the families of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport and became the fourth commander in chief to bear witness as the remains of the fallen returned to U.S. soil from Afghanistan.

First lady Jill Biden joined the president at Dover Air Force Base to grieve with loved ones as the dignified transfer of remains unfolded, a military ritual for those killed in foreign combat.

The dead ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between. They include a 20-year-old Marine from Wyoming who had been expecting his first child in three weeks and a 22-year-old Navy corpsman who in his last FaceTime conversation with his mother assured her that he would stay safe because my guys got me.

Five were just 20, born not long before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, that spurred the United States to invade Afghanistan in order to topple al-Qaida and dismantle their Taliban hosts who ruled the country.

At their deaths, the 13 young service members were on the ground for the U.S. coda to its longest war, assisting a chaotic evacuation of Americans and of Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are now fleeing the Taliban after their return to power.

Twelve service members killed in the Kabul airport bombing in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021. Top Row, from left: Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, and Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo. Bottom Row, from left: Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Navy Corpsman, Maxton W. Soviak, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss. Not pictured is Sgt. Nicole L. Gee who was also killed. (1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton/U.S. Department of Defense via AP)

The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others, Biden said in a statement Saturday. Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far.

Family members of the fallen often travel to Dover to be present as flag-draped transfer cases are taken off the transport plane that returns them to American soil.

Aside from the quiet commands of honor guards who carry the transfer cases, the short prayers of the chaplain typically are the only words spoken during the ritual.

Bidens three most recent predecessors as presidents all attended such dignified transfers. It was Bidens first time taking part in the ritual as president, but he has been here before.

Biden attended a dignified transfer for two U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide blast at Bagram Airfield in the final months of his vice presidency in 2016. In 2008, while a senator and at the request of the grieving family, he attended one for a soldier killed in a car bombing in Iraq. Biden told CBS Face the Nation that he had to get permission from the Pentagon to attend the transfer.

The 13 troops who died in Kabul were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020. That was when the Trump administration reached an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. commitment to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Eleven of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier.

By Aamer Madhani
Taliban fighters in a vehicle patrol a street in Kabul on August 27, 2021, as last-ditch evacuation flights took off from Kabul airport on August 27, a day after twin suicide bombings on crowds trying to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan killed at least 85 people, including 13 US servicemen. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Warned Another Attack in Kabul Highly Likely and Imminent

President Joe Biden has been warned by commanders that another terrorist attack is highly likely to happen in the next 24 to 36 hours.

The situation on the ground continues to be extremely dangerous, and the threat of terrorist attacks on the airport remains high. Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours, the president said in a statement the White House issued Saturday afternoon.

Biden said he directed the commanders to take every possible measure to protect the military personnel on the ground at Kabul airport.

He made the statement after meeting the national security team in Washington and the commanders in the fields on Saturday morning.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the terror attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport, and the U.S. service members and Afghan victims killed and wounded, in the East Room of the White House, Washington, on Aug. 26, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

The commanders warning messages came as the country is mourning the 13 service members killed during a terrorist suicide bombing in Kabul.

One bomb went off near the Abbey Gate of U.S.-held Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, late on Aug. 26 local time. Pentagon officials said that 11 Marines, one Navy corpsman, and one U.S. Army soldier were killed by the suicide bombing. At least another 18 service members were wounded.

The deaths mark the first U.S. military combat-related deaths in Afghanistan since February 2020.

The terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, bragging about a suicide bomber managing to penetrate all the security fortifications put into place by U.S. forces and the Taliban.

In response to the terrorist attack, the United States carried a counter-terrorism drone attack on Friday and killed two high-profile ISIS-K terrorist group members.

Yesterday, U.S. military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation against an ISIS-K planner and facilitator, Major General William Taylor said at an Aug. 28 news conference. I can confirm now that two high-profile ISIS targets were killed, and one was wounded, and we know of zero civilian casualties, he added.

Biden vowed to hunt down the persons who planned and carried out the Aug. 26 attack against U.S. personnel and make the terrorists pay.

I think he made clear yesterday that he does not want them to live on the Earth anymore, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said when she was asked to elaborate on Bidens statement.

Lorenz Duchamps contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ida during a visit to FEMA Headquarters in Washington, DC, August 29, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden: Whole of Government Will Respond to Devastating Hurricane Ida

President Joe Biden issued a Sunday afternoon update on the federal governments response to Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in southeastern Lousiana as a Category 4 storm.

This is going to be a devastating hurricane, he said at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters, adding to locals that they should please take precautions take it really very seriously.

The whole of government is going to work on storm recovery after Idas devastating impacts, the president said, adding that it will take a long time for power to be restored in some areas. Biden also warned about heavy rainfall in the area, coming as the National Hurricane Center warning of between 12 and 20 inches of rain falling in the area.

A man passes by a section of roof that was blown off of a building in the French Quarter by Hurricane Ida winds, in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 29, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

After the update, Biden opted to take questions from reporters. One asked Biden a question about his handling of the U.S. withdrawal and evacuation of Afghanistan, which he declined to answer, before the president left the briefing area.

The administration also deployed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deal with power restoration, according to the White House, including providing temporary housing and response to debris.

Biden previously issued emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of the storms arrival.

The hurricanes northern eyewall made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at around 12:50 p.m. ET, according to the NHC. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central pressure of 930 millibars.

2pm CDT: #IDA made a second landfall as a Category 4 hurricane southwest of Galliano, LA. Hurricane conditions are spreading inland across southeast Louisiana. https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/tlSH2AJgXj  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

At 2 p.m., the NHC said the storm made its second landfall near Galliano, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph.

Streets in areas of New Orleans are flooded, according to footage posted online, and the NHC said storm surge is already starting to impact the coast. Parts of Grand Isle appear to be completely inundated by storm surge, according to videos posted online.

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge up next.

This is not the kind of storm that we normally get. This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans and demolished oceanfront homes in Mississippi. Idas hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles from the storms eye, or about half the size of Katrina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Boy With Rare Condition Gets Special Escort on 1st Day of School After Moms Social Media Plea

After his mother posted a plea for kindness on social media, a little boy with a rare condition was escorted to his first day of kindergarten by local firefighters and police. The day was made even more magical by the attendance of his two favorite superheroes.

Five-year-old Michael Murphey of Dallas, Texas, was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare craniofacial disorder in which bones in the face and jaw do not develop as they should. It can cause hearing, breathing, and eating challenges, but does not affect mental development or lifespan.

Michaels case is considered severe.

Five-year-old Michael Murphey of Dallas, Texas. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

On Aug. 16, Michael got to feel special for a very different reason when a Midlothian fire truck pulled up outside his home.

Little did I know that we would also have not only police escorts, but also Captain America and Batman to accompany us on the ride, Michaels mom, 33-year-old Brittany Denison, told The Epoch Times. They waited to pick Michael up until shortly after school had started.

Michael was unaware that the entire street would be lined up with police cars and fire trucks.

Crews let a delighted Michael and his sister, Allison, climb into the fire truck and sound the sirens. After taking photos, the convoy headed to Mountain Peak Elementary with lights flashing.

The principal had invited all the kindergarten students and teachers outside to welcome us, said Brittany. Everyone was waving and cheering.

Michael being escorted to the school by the Midlothian fire department with Captain America and Batman. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

Michael and his sister in the fire truck on the first day of kindergarten. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

As the superheroes delivered high-fives to the kindergarten students, Michaels teacher, Mrs. Pearson, gave him a welcoming hug and told him that all this was especially arranged for him.

Then we walked him inside and I wiped a few tears from my eyes before dropping him off with his classmates, Brittany said.

Ahead of her sons first day of school, Brittany, who runs a real estate business with her husband, Patrick, was anxious to make sure he stepped into a safe, friendly environment.

She took to Facebook, opening with a quote from the 2017 movie, Wonder, about a boy named Auggie with Treacher Collins syndrome: Dear God, please make them be nice to him.

Brittany with her son, Michael. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

[Michael] looks very different, but he is mentally the exact same as all the other children, Brittany wrote. In her post, she requested parents to teach their kids to use different and unique in place of weird and scary, to not be shy to make friends, and to stand up for kids who are being picked on.

Its okay to stare, she added, but its polite to also say, Hi!

Midlothian firefighter Andrew Gatlin, who had come across the post, relayed it to Fire Chief Dale McCaskill, and the department decided to contact the family.

Michael as a baby. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

You dont know what everyones going through, Gatlin told NBC 5. So if you see somebody struggling, or if you see an opportunity to step in and be that hero for somebody, do it. You never know whose life youre gonna touch or change.

The fire department later shared photos of Michaels unforgettable morning on Facebook, captioned, Michael, you are worth it!

Brittany, who credits the Childrens Craniofacial Association for providing immense support, claims her biggest parenting challenge is to make future decisions for Michael while he is still too young to advocate for himself.

You have to constantly consider what is best for him, but also leave him in Gods hands, because ultimately, Ill never be able to shelter him from this world that can sometimes be very cruel, she told The Epoch Times. But all challenges, she countered, are greatly outweighed by the everyday blessings that Michael brings to the family.

Since his first day at school, Michael has already made friends, and many parents have reported back that their kids were excited to meet Michael, said Brittany. She hopes the ripple effect of her now-viral social media post, and Michaels magical morning, extend to other special-needs parents in the community.

Michael at kindergarten. (Courtesy of Brittany Denison)

That is the most special, knowing that the parents took the time to talk to their children [and] the children are listening, she said. All of these different people are still humans, they still need love and connection.

Brittany hopes that all parents would continue to talk to their children about being kind on a daily basis, and most importantly, ask them the question: Did you bring a smile to someones face today?

When you make that connection youll be more blessed than youd ever imagined, Brittany said.

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
Australians who suffer a serious side effect from a coronavirus jab will have front door access to compensation, the federal government has announced.

Health professionals who administer doses will also be afforded legal protection under the newly-announced COVID-19 Vaccine Claim Scheme.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and Australian Retail Association, among others, welcomed the provisions.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says the no fault scheme will provide a simple and quick administrative process for compensation and will be backdated to February 2021.

Side effects, or adverse events, from COVID-19 vaccinations can occur but most are mild and last no longer than a couple of days, he said on Saturday.

Serious and life-threatening side effects are very rare but it is important that we provide a safety net to support those affected.

Hunt said the tax-payer funded scheme would be administered by Services Australia, with Australians who suffer injury and loss of income due to a COVID-19 shot able to register their intent to claim from Sept. 6.

It will cover the costs of injuries above A$5,000 due to a proven adverse reaction.

The TGA will provide guidance on recognised adverse reactions as part of their established surveillance program, states a press release from Hunts office.

Claims will be assessed by independent experts, and compensation paid based on the recommendations, it added.
CCPs Grand Strategy Is to Displace US: China Expert

China has had three grand strategies to counter the United States since 1989, culminating in the latest phase, beginning in 2016, of wanting to displace the United States, China expert Rush Doshi said during an Aug. 26 webinar to talk about his new book.

Doshi wrote the book The Long Game: Chinas Grand Strategy to Displace American Order while working at the Brookings Institution, which hosted the online event. Now hes the Biden administrations newly appointed director for China on the White House National Security Council.

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials seek to restore China to its due place and roll back the historical aberration of the Wests overwhelming global influence with its grand strategy, according to Doshis book.

The grand strategy is now in its third phase, he said, after he examined years of CCP documents such as memoirs, speeches, and biographies. Today China sees its competition with the United States as global, regional, and functional in many domains, according to Doshi.

Its in key domains like economics, technology, finance, emerging technologies, obviously in security and political institutions, Doshi said.

He noted that the nature of the SinoU.S. competition has been much wider in current times, involving more countries.

If you look at the Chinese discourse on what they see as the future of competition  they believe that the West, the United States and others, will sort of increasingly work together, Doshi said.

They think they have to do the same thing with other states. Thats a little harder, in their own estimation, because they dont have the same network of alliances and historical partnerships.

His comments were made in his personal capacity as a former Brookings fellow.

The first phase of Chinas grand strategy lasted from 1989 until 2008, then the second phase was in effect for the next eight years, according to Doshi. In 2016, China commenced its third phase of the strategy.

According to Doshi, Beijing saw the United States as a quasi-ally before it changed its perception and viewed America as an ideological and military threat following three eventsthe Tiananmen Square massacre, the first Gulf War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Describing the events as a traumatic trifecta, he said Beijing ushered in the first phasea blunting strategy.

His book details how China made military, political, and economic decisions in accordance with the blunting strategy. For example, Beijing shifted from controlling distant maritime territory to preventing the U.S. Navys ability to traverse or intervene in waters near China. The shift was accompanied by focusing its military investment in submarines, naval mine arsenal, and anti-ship ballistic missiles.

The 2008 financial crisis prompted Beijing to see the United States differently, believing it was weakening and that its economic and political model wasnt quite as effective, Doshi said during the webinar. In response to its new view, Beijing began focusing more on building the foundations for Chinese order within Asia.

He said the shift from blunting to building was evident by a speech by former Chinese leader Hu Jintao at the 2009 ambassadorial conference, during which he said China had to actively accomplish something.

As a result, Beijing began to focus more on distant military capabilities, turning its attention to investing in aircraft carriers, overseas military bases, and surface vessels, according to Doshis book.

Beijing reaffirmed its belief that the United States, as well as the West, was in decline, after seeing populist candidates win several elections around the world in 2016, former President Donald Trumps presidential victory, and the United Kingdoms Brexit vote, according to Doshi. In response to its assessment, the Chinese regime adopted the third phase of its grand strategywhat he called an expansion strategy.

The communist regime takes the blunting and building strategies from early periods and applies them on a global stage, he said.

If there are two paths to hegemonya regional one and a global oneChina is now pursuing both, his book reads.

It is clear, then, that China is the most significant competitor that the United States has faced and that the way Washington handles its emergence to superpower status will shape the course of the next century.
Chinas Captive in Vancouver

Commentary

Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei and the daughter of the tech giants founder, has been fighting extradition to the United States ever since December 2018, when Canadian authorities arrested her at the Vancouver airport at the behest of the U.S. government.

Her Canadian lawyers argued, among numerous other points over three years now, that the extradition request should be denied since the charges against hercommitting bank fraud in an attempt to sell embargoed computer equipment to Irans largest mobile-phone operatorviolated Mengs Charter rights. Fundamental justice demands that Meng not be extradited to face trial on these legally and factually flawed allegations, and that she be free to leave Vancouver and return to China.

In truth, all that is keeping Meng from returning to China is rule by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Had Meng and her father been citizens of almost any other nation on Earth, and had Huawei not been Chinas foremost national champion, she would have been free to leave Vancouver long ago. Meng is a de facto captive of her own country more than of Canada or the United States.

Financial crimes such as the bank fraud Meng is accused of are commonly settled out of court through what are known as deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) or their close cousins, non-prosecution agreements (NPAs). The United States has settled some 600 of these, including for sums in the eight and nine digits with a Whos Who of industry, among them Goldman Sachs ($2.9 billion), JP Morgan ($1.7 billion), HSBC ($1.9 billion), and Toyota ($ 1.2 billion).

When companies are caught in misdeeds, they typically pay the fines, implement some reforms, promise to clean up their act, agree to supervision, and pretty much carry on as usual. No one formally admits guilt to a crime or is even prosecuted (hence the deferred in deferred prosecution agreements), and certainly no one goes to jail. DPAs typically amount to little more than a slap on the wrist, just another cost of doing business and nothing to get overly fussed about.

Unless the wrist that gets slapped belongs to a national champion of the CCP such as Huawei, making the wrist that gets slapped close to that of Party leader Xi Jinping. If Huawei wasnt Chinas preeminent national champion, a company indispensable to Beijings stated goals of world dominance, Xi and the CCP could downplay the significance of its getting caught out. A case in point involves ZTE, a Chinese telecom firm far less important than Huawei. When it agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for its misdeeda 2010 illicit sale to Iranthe CCP successfully distanced itself from ZTE by portraying it as an independent multinational that needed to take its licks.

Huawei cant be so easily distanced. In Xis telling of Chinas rise, Xis father was instrumental in creating the Shenzhen economic zone that gave Ren Zhengfei the wherewithal to create Huawei. Xi also intervened with President Donald Trump at a 2019 G-20 meeting to promote Huaweis interests in the United States. An admission of guilt by Meng, or anything close to it, would taint Xi and diminish his wolf-warrior stature. An admission of guilt by Meng would also taint her father, with unpredictable consequences. Xi has had no compunction in taking down Jack Ma of Alibaba and other titans of Chinese industry when he saw them as more of a liability than an asset. Meng must know that her fate and her fathers would not be secure if they threatened Xi and the CCP with losing face, something unforgivable in Chinese culture.

Although Meng and her lawyers have been negotiating a DPA, the terms of the settlement that have been offered to date have never been acceptable to Meng. Given the choices she has had since 2018risking a 30-year jail sentence should she lose in a U.S. court, accepting a DPA that would see her return to China and face the wrath of Xi, or delay, delay, delay in Vancouver, where she lives in the lap of luxury in her multimillion dollar homes with her Huawei staff, servants, and chauffeur-driven limousineits no mystery why she has decided to remain in Canada.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Patricia Adams Patricia Adams is an economist and the President of the Energy Probe Research Foundation and Probe International, an independent think tank in Canada and around the world. She is the publisher of internet news services Three Gorges Probe and Odious Debts Online and the author or editor of numerous books. Her books and articles have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, Bengali, Japanese, and Bahasa Indonesia. She can be reached at patriciaadams@probeinternational.org.
Conservative Party Gimmicks Dont Come Cheap

Short-term bid for votes threatens to undermine Canadian economy

Commentary

Editors note: This is the second in a series examining the economic platform of each party ahead of the 2021 federal election. The first can be read here.



We get it: electoral campaigning entails bright, shiny objects to parade in front of sound-bite-driven media. However, the extent to which the Conservative Party of Canada is dangling gimmicks before voters threatens to undermine any meaningful economic recovery.

Some of these offers in the recovery plan, such as a sales tax holiday for December, are silly but temporary and relatively harmless. Others, such as rewriting bankruptcy laws, are serious and would harm Canadas ability to attract investment and grow its productivity.

To their credit, the Conservatives have offered their plan in great detail. Right from the campaign outset, any voter could peruse it for himself.

As one gets into the weeds, though, coherence is evasive. Readers with an economics lens will find themselves split, welcoming the positive but wincing at a lot of negative. The former includes a push for free trade agreements, rebalancing our trade priorities away from countries like China, although even this comes with many protectionist caveats. The latter, with shades of Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, includes a promise of 1 million new homes in just three years.

The Fiscal Elephant in the Room

The overarching and prickly theme that stands out is an unwillingness to face up to Canadas unsustainable finances at the federal and provincial levels. The policy announcement of Aug. 27 is typical: doubled employment insurance for the seriously ill, from 26 to 52 weeks.

Canadian workers and their families deserve better, reads the press release. It is time for the government to stand up for workers and their health. With such abandon, why not make it 100 weeks? This sort of generosity contest, without a clear funding mechanism, contributes to regime uncertainty and is imprudent.

Those looking for the light touch of limited intervention will have a hard time stomaching the platforms numerous pet-project spending and lending plans, coupled with a variety of targeted tax breaks. This is perplexing given the partys stated commitment to a balanced budget within 10 years: We cant pass unsustainable debt on to future generations. Once the recovery starts, we will need to get spending under control.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives plan to achieve this modest target is not really a plan at all: (1) wind down the COVID-19 stimulus and support programs and (2) Get the economy growing again.

If only it were that simple. Even after post-COVID-19 stabilization, the Parliamentary Budget Officer projects a rising debt-to-GDP ratio. As noted by Ben Eisen of the Fraser Institute, things are on track to get worse. A rising debt-to-GDP ratio means higher interest costs and revenue siphoned off that could otherwise go to better services or tax relief.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has been even more forthright, saying the Conservatives have no credible plan to balance the budget or find savings  and theyre barely paying lip service to reducing the deficit.

One finds little to disagree with in the CTF statement. As economist Robert Higgs quipped, wanting a balanced budget without identifying spending cuts is like wanting a smaller building without removing a single brick. On Aug. 31, Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole even said We will grow the economy so that we can get back to balance in a responsible and equitable way without cuts.

Just saying Canada will grow its way out of deficits is sheepish and eerily similar to the prime ministers notorious line from 2014: The commitment needs to be a commitment to grow the economy, and the budget will balance itself.

Fundamentally Transforming Canada

There appear to be shifting economic priorities within the Conservative Party toward populist rhetoric, and not in the noble sense of the word. This shift, which vilifies companies and strikes at the heart of a free-market economy, is perhaps even more dangerous than Canadas fiscal train wreck.

Two specific policies stand out in this regard. First, mandatory worker representation on corporate boards of directors. Second, a pecking-order reversal in bankruptcy proceedings.

The mandate would apply to large, federally regulated firms and would interfere with the sacrosanct right of private property: for owners to be able to run their companies in their interests. Workers, however honourable, are not company owners. This policy seeks to push them into a de facto ownership position and embolden unions.

The bankruptcy change would place pensioners above creditors in line for payment. The ploy seeks to protect defined-benefit pensions, since some have had to take a haircut in recent years. OToole wants to stop executives from paying themselves large bonuses while managing a company going through restructuring if the pension isnt properly funded. His plan would not stop the bonuses, but it would politicize the legal procedure.

Defined benefit pensions, akin to the Canada Pension Plan, are inherently unstable and more often than not carry unfunded liabilities. Propping them up is a fools errand. They deserve to fail and give way to defined contribution pensions, for which there can be no unfunded liabilities.

Worse, upending the pecking order for payment during bankruptcy would interrupt refined legal precedentCanadas precious rule of lawand reduce confidence in financial markets. Creditors do not appreciate laws changing after contracts have been signed, which pulls the rug out from under their feet. This would translate into higher risk premiums imposed on borrowers.

An economic commentator has the luxury of not seeking election. Both the politico and the economist, though, are viewing the same challenges, just with eyes for different outcomes. This conflict rears its ugly head when one side seeks election within a month and the other seeks long-term economic development and vibrance. There is a tradeoff, and there is no doubt which side the Conservatives have taken.

Editors note: This article was updated on Sept. 1 to include comments from Conservatives new announcement.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Dear Next Generation: Collecting Tickets

There is little I have written in my life that I have agonized over more than something this simple. After 40 years of teaching at colleges and universities part time with both undergraduate and graduate students (along with my business career as a manager, director, and three-time vice president for various health care organizations), I know from experience how short the attention span of young people is and their limited retention. While wanting to pass along as much as I can, I am not so arrogant as to not know that if you dont make it short and concise, all you have to say will fall on deaf ears.

So let me focus on my number one goal in life. And that is collecting tickets!

Growing up poor in a rural Midwestern farming community in the 1950s with a divorced mother and two older brothers, I so looked forward to the tiny carnival we would have come to our small town each summer. City Fathers would reroute traffic and turn over our somewhat historic town square for a couple of days to kids and fun-loving adults. The very areas where Abraham Lincoln walked a hundred years before as a circuit-riding defense attorney, is where we stood in line to purchase 25-cent tickets to get our not so death-defying thrills!

The older I became I began to think of progressing through life as nothing more than another version of collecting the all-important tickets! By these I mean, a high school diploma, a college degree, a masters degree, a reputation for not being afraid of hard work, hopefully a profession you enjoy, accreditation in your specialty, ability to influence others, progressively more responsible jobs, opportunities for exposure to others, creative ideas, becoming known as a trend-setter, long-lasting personal and professional relationships, community service, recognition by others, etc. The list can be endless and is different for everyone.

But two things never change! These will not always happen when and how you expect them and some may not always apply to you or end up taking a lot longer than you initially expect. The important thing is that you keep moving forward and acquiring these very important tickets! Not only is this key to personal growth, but it also gives you a reason to get up in the morning and try new things!

But dont be so foolish as to think everything you reach for will be attained! Because of the constantly changing nature of life, some things will fall by the wayside (for me learning, how to fly an airplane) and others will take their place. But never forget; your success in life is only limited by your willingness to try!

And for gosh sake, dont allow fear of failure to keep you from trying. Little do most young people realize that 99.99 percent of successful people end up failing more times than they succeed! Edison tried more than 200 light bulbs before he found one that would work over time. Babe Ruth struck out way more times than he ever hit a home run before he set the record. Everybody goes through it! Most of us just wont admit to it! Along with this is coping with personal rejection. Expect it in life and find a way to deal with it. Never forget, you are usually rejected by one person or group and not the whole world!

And remember No doesnt always mean no! Thats right! It may mean no right now or no because there is something you didnt tell me! Because of lackluster undergraduate grades, I was rejected from graduate school on my first two attempts. But finally, on the third try, they said I could start on a provisional basis requiring 9 hours of B or above! I got 9 hours A and finished with a 3.5 GPA! So there is always hope if you are willing to work hard!

And along with this in the crazy upside-down world we live in today, forget about what other people think of you! Unfortunately, the social media crowd has most young people fixated on likes and dislikes! Nothing could be more superficial and worthless than this!

One of the things my nearly four years in the Army taught me is that you are always capable of doing more than you think you can! It is human nature to stop well short of our limits! You wont need to draw on this often, but when you, do it is invaluable!

And sadly, dont believe everything you are told. Unfortunately, lies, half-truths, misleading information have become the common currency of the 21st century. Be skeptical of just about everything until proven otherwise!

In conclusion, I have only two more things that will eventually help you collect the most tickets. Be good to

yourself, reward yourself, realize none of us are perfect, and move on. More times than not, young people fail to take enough time to celebrate their victories in life and accomplishments. Realize what you like doing the most and then never be too busy to do it when you deserve it, and tell yourself, a job well done!

Finally, never stray too far from God! Based on my experiences over 75 years, I can honestly tell you there is definitely a higher power that occasionally acts in our lives in ways we simply cant explain from a rational standpoint. You cant understand it, you can only experience it and stand back in awe.

It is the only thing that will keep the evil side of human nature in check! Those that disregard this power and its basic laws do it at their own peril!

The tickets you collect in life are entirely up to you. Life can be quite an adventure with many good and bad things happening to you. But from my perspective, the good and marvelous far outweigh the bad!

Never allow anything to get you so depressed that you consider taking your life. Since life is constantly changing, you never know what you will miss out on if you check out too early.

Perhaps the wisest person I ever knew was a former pastor of mine who of all things was a former Army drill sergeant. One of his favorite sayings was, Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem!

I pray young people will think about these things and take them to heart! Growing up (even in your late teens and early 20s) is especially challenging in the 21st century. As a young person, dont hesitate to benefit from the mistakes of others. Most want only what is best for you!

Les J. Hauser, Missouri

____________________

What advice would you like to give to the younger generations?

We call on all of our readers to share the timeless values that define right and wrong, and pass the torch, if you will, through your wisdom and hard-earned experience. We feel that the passing down of this wisdom has diminished over time, and that only with a strong moral foundation can future generations thrive.

Send your advice, along with your full name, state, and contact information to NextGeneration@epochtimes.com or mail it to: Next Generation, The Epoch Times, 5 Penn Plaza, 8th Fl., New York, NY, 10001.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks during a press conference advocating for the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in the House of Representatives later this week on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 5, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Democrats Election Bill Dramatically Expands Federal, Judicial Control Over Elections

News Analysis

Democrats and Republicans battled on the House floor late into the evening Tuesday before voting to pass Rep. Terri Sewells (D-Ala.) John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, HR4. The measure was unanimously supported by Democrats and unanimously opposed by Republicans.

HR4 was designed, according to Sewell, to address allegations of minority voter suppression by state legislatures since the 2020 election. Democrats insisted that the bill is all the more urgent in the wake of two landmark Supreme Court (SCOTUS) cases, Shelby v. Holder and Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (DNC), which struck down or limited the scope of certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA).

In 2013s Shelby, SCOTUS conceded that the extraordinary measures employed by the legislation, including a requirement that certain states get federal approval to change election laws, were justified in 1965. But, evaluating available data on elections in the 21st century, a majority of the justices agreed that the extraordinary circumstances of deliberate efforts at suppressing minorities ability to vote no longer existed. Because of this, the Opinion of the Court delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts struck down the so-called preclearance provision of the VRA.

In 2021s Brnovich, SCOTUS considered a suit by the DNC against the state of Arizona. The DNC alleged that Arizona laws restricting mail-in ballots were designed to target minorities and so violated another clause of the VRA. SCOTUS disagreed, and let the Arizona laws stand.

These two decisions were the primary impetus for Sewells introduction of the legislation, designed to reinstitute and reinforce the provisions of the VRA in alignment with SCOTUS wording in the two decisions.

Judges, Attorney General Given Ability to Strike Down Laws

The bill gives the Attorney General (AG) significant influence over state election laws. One section of the bill describes the process for striking down state-level voting laws that have already been enacted.

One method the bill outlines for striking down these laws is a temporary or permanent judgment from any U.S. court which determined that a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority group occurred.

But the bill also gives the courts room for somewhat open-ended interpretation. A law can be struck down as well if a court determines that a voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure  unduly burdened voters of a particular race, color, or language minority group, in violation of the 14th or 15th Amendment, anywhere within the State or subdivision.

Since the 2020 election, Democrats have insisted that voter ID laws, restrictions on mail-in or absentee balloting, and other election integrity measures were designed to disproportionately affect minority voters. In Brnovich, SCOTUS rejected this claim. Studies justify this decision: a 2017 Stanford study (pdf) concluded that the claim that voter ID laws hurt minorities was inconclusive at best; a more recent Harvard study found that voter ID laws have no negative effect on registration or turnout, overall or for any group defined by race, gender, age, or party affiliation.

Despite very little conclusive evidence that these measures are discriminatory, HR4 would give judges the ability to make a largely subjective decision on the matter. If a judge determined that these election integrity measures were designed to hurt minority voters, with or without evidence, they would be immediately overturned.

If courts give a temporary judgment against a state law, the decision goes immediately into effect. While this could be overturned by an appeals court, it could cause significant damage if the decision were to be given just before an election. This would give courts a great deal of influence over elections, and would give them the ability to overturn key security measures days before an election.

The bill outlines in various places that there are several circumstances and arguments that should not be considered by a judge when deliberating on which decision to make. One such circumstance that should not be considered is the proximity of the action to an election shall not be a valid reason to deny such relief. It also asserts that a States generalized interest in enforcing its enacted laws shall not be a relevant consideration in determining whether equitable relief is warranted. Finally, the bill says that mere invocation of interests in voter confidence or prevention of fraud is not an acceptable reason for judges to avoid ruling on these laws or for states to put such allegedly restrictive laws in place.

The AG is granted effectively the same influence by the bill. At any time, the AGs office can submit an objection against a states voting laws and prevent them from being enforced by any state or local government. HR4 also calls on the AG to make a list of voting rights violations annually; once published in the federal register, these determinations would go into effect and offending laws would be struck down.

Voter ID, Reducing Multilingual Voting Materials Prohibited

In a section listing violations of the law, HR4 prohibits voter ID requirements and protects multilingual voting material.

The bill forbids any change to requirements for documentation or proof of identity that is more stringent than laws in effect on the day HR4 is enacted. This would effectively cripple states ability to pass new voter ID legislation, even as polls show 81 percent of Americans support voter ID measures.

Another violation of HR4 is a change to election laws that reduce the quantity of multilingual voting materials or alter the method of distributing these materials. Under U.S. law, immigrants are required to demonstrate competency in English before being naturalized as citizens. This measure, in conjunction with the automatic registry system in the For the People bill, would likely make it easier for illegal aliens who have not gone through the naturalization process to access and understand U.S. election material. This move comes as the United States faces the worst border crisis in its history.

Extra Powers Granted to Federal Government

Along with the powers given to federal courts and the AG earlier in the bill, HR4 would also restore the preclearance requirement revoked by SCOTUS in Shelby.

This updated version would require that before states enact new voting legislation, they get a declaratory judgment by the District Court for the District of Columbia affirming that the legislation neither has the purpose nor will have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. States are prohibited from instituting these practices without this judgment. The wording and procedures in this section are very similar to the language and procedures set out in the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Democrats say that this measure is necessary to stop alleged voter suppression and restore that key provision of the VRA. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also said on the House floor on August 25 that similar measures have been bipartisan in the past and that HR4 should not be a partisan issue.

Democrats insist that its preclearance requirement is the most important part of the bill but Republicans, for their part, have argued since the introduction of the bill that the preclearance measure amounts to a federal takeover of elections. On the Senate floor before the August recess, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said that similar measures proposed in a separate Senate bill would constitute a federal government takeover of elections and would be a massive power grab by Democrats. On the House floor yesterday, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) referred to the bill as an effort by Democrats to rig an election.

Whats Next for the Bill

Even though the legislation squeaked through the House on Tuesday, it faces a very steep challenge in the Senate.

Republicans have expressed opposition to the bill since its creation, and are unlikely to relent in this opposition. When it goes to the Senate, its first challenge will be to avoid a filibuster: given the 5050 split in the upper chamber, (plus one from the Vice President), Democrats do not have the 60 votes that they need to stop a filibuster.

If the Democrats achieve a political miracle and avoid a filibuster, they will still need every vote in their caucus. If moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) or Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) get cold feet about the legislation, it would not pass.

But even if the legislation gets through those hurdles, it would still face the courts, by no means an easy test. It is unclear whether the updated preclearance requirement could survive another SCOTUS ruling due to having similar wording and intent as the section struck down by the court less than a decade ago. Proponents of the legislation would have to make the case to SCOTUS that extraordinary circumstances, like those in 1965, made the bill necessary. This will be a difficult case to make: With record black turnout in 2020 and a continually closing gap between white and black voting rates, SCOTUS will likely come to the same conclusion as it did in 2013.

Yet another challenge would face the bill: resistance to its provisions at a state level. Some state-level politicians have vowed to use their office to fight federal election bills.

Secretary of State candidate Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) has promised that he would use the office to resist federal government intrusions into elections.

In statements to The Epoch Times, two Arizona candidates for the office agreed. State Rep. Shawnna Bolick promised that she will always defend election integrity and state sovereignty regardless of who attacks me. State Rep. Mark Finchem responded Absolutely. I would stand with Jody Hice all day long to defend locally managed elections. He further described these bills as efforts to make American elections like Soviet and Chinese elections.

In view of this, the future is rocky at best for this controversial and expansive piece of legislation.
Election Campaign: Where the Parties Stand on Crime and Justice Issues

Commentary

While crime and justice issues are always prominent in the news, they are rarely front and centre during election campaigns. Justice is a nuanced issue that provides a myriad of problems with few simple solutions.

Due to the complexity of justice issues and the potential for them to blow up, politicians are loath to wade into the subject during election campaigns. Criminal justice is a federal issue, however, and every party has policies on it even if they dont make leading election planks on it.

While the Trudeau Liberals have not released their full platform in this election yet, we can assume they still support the justice policies that they were pursuing before the election was called. Bill C-22, introduced in February, would have reversed provisions for mandatory minimum sentencing for over 20 crimes. The mandatory minimums were imposed by the Harper government and the Liberals had long said that they would reverse those laws. Bill C-22 is now dead, but we can presume the Liberals will resurrect some form of it if they are re-elected.

Following the murder of 22 people by Gabriel Wortman in Nova Scotia in April 2020, the Liberals vowed to crack down on firearm ownership in Canada. Over 1,500 types of firearms were made illegal, and the Liberals have initiated a controversial buyback program. Bill C-21 increased penalties for crimes such as gun smuggling and modifying guns to increase their round capacity. The government ran ads applauding their own gun control laws just before the election was called, and it is safe to assume that the Liberals plan to continue to limit firearm rights in Canada.

The OToole Conservatives have the most detailed justice plan of all the parties. Theyre vowing to repeal the Liberal gun bans and end the buyback program. Their platform has a distinct tough-on-crime feel to it, with calls to broaden the definition of a dangerous offender and to increase the scope of the sex offender registry. They are are supportive of mandatory minimum sentencing for violent crimes and their platform addresses everything from organized crime to missing persons legislation. Justice is a policy area where the Conservatives provide a solid contrast to Liberal policies.

The NDP under Jagmeet Singh has a short platform statement on enhancing our justice system. Like the Liberals, the NDP wants to end mandatory minimum sentencing and to increase judicial discretion. They want to have the records expunged for people who had been convicted of minor cannabis possession now that cannabis possession has been legalized. The statement repeatedly speaks to inequality within the system but doesnt expand on just what that means. The NDP does call for tougher enforcement of the laws with regards to corporations and presumably white-collar crime.

Maxime Berniers Peoples Party doesnt have a crime or justice section within its platform. They do have a section with detailed policy regarding firearms, however. They want to repeal the entire Firearms Act and replace it with what they say will be a streamlined system. They would keep a licensing system but would make it a lifetime certification following mandatory training and screening. They would repeal the recent ban on some types of firearms and would regulate firearms based on functionality rather than appearance. They would mandate that future changes to firearm policies must come through Parliament rather than through orders-in-council or the RCMP.

The Green Party has not released a platform yet. Leader Annamie Paul has stated that many of their policies will be virtually identical to what they have pitched before. Past policy statements had the Green Party speaking in opposition to anti-terrorism legislation and mandatory minimum sentencing laws. They called for a new independent law reform commission to be formed with a mandate to report on all tough on crime amendments made by the Harper Conservatives. They would like to see increased parliamentary oversight for Canadian security services such as CSIS.

The only way that justice issues tend to rise to the top during election campaigns is if a terrible crime occurs during the campaign. Policy statements then tend to be reactive rather than proactive. Parties such as the Conservatives that have comprehensive justice policies built into their platforms will be able to react with solid proposals. Parties that are light on justice details in their platforms can potentially pivot and create policy proposals on the fly, though they run the risk of appearing to be chasing the issue.

Hopefully, we will see some more detailed platforms released on the important issues of crime and justice as the campaign progresses.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
FBI Allegedly Funded White Supremacist Publisher: Court Documents

The FBI allegedly paid a publisher of white supremacist literature more than $144,000 over 16-plus years to serve as a confidential informant, according to recent filings in an ongoing domestic extremism case.

These allegations were made earlier this month by Kaleb Cole, an accused member of the white supremacist group Atomwaffen. Cole was arrested in February 2020 for allegedly participating in an Atomwaffen intimidation campaign against Jewish people and journalists of color.

On Aug. 13, Cole filed a motion to suppress evidence seized during the FBIs search of his Texas home. According to Cole, the FBI failed to disclose the sordid background of one of its confidential informants in the bureaus application for a search warrant.

The CI [confidential informant] is a convicted felon and currently owns and operates a publishing company that distributes white supremacist writings, Cole said in his Aug. 13 filing.

The CI began his long career as a professional informant in exchange for consideration regarding his sentence on a federal conviction for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and an unregistered silencer.

He has continued this work for pay.

According to Cole, the FBI has paid this white supremacist more than $144,000, including more than $82,000 for his work in this case.

Coles attorneys argued that the FBIs omissions violate requirements for law enforcement to disclose whether their informants have financial or other ulterior motives for providing information.

The failure to include the information about the CIs incentives is made more egregious by the fact that the warrant application incriminated Mr. Cole based almost solely on the alleged observations of the CI, Coles motion said.

The Department of Justice admitted in filings last week that the FBI failed to disclose information about the confidential informants criminal historythough prosecutors said the search warrant used against Cole was still legally obtained.

Although the defense is correct that certain potential impeachment information about the informant was not included in the affidavit, that omission is hardly fatal, the DOJ said. The omitted information was limited to the fact that the informant was well compensated by the FBI over a 16-year period, and was convicted of a firearms crime over 15 years ago.

According to prosecutors, the FBI didnt include this information because agents believed in good faith that probable cause wasnt dependent on the informants credibility.

Moreover, the FBI didnt believe that including the informants criminal history would have changed the judges decision to issue a warrant to search Coles home, prosecutors said. In fact, the DOJ argued that the FBIs use of the informant for more than 16 years suggests that the FBI consistently found the informant reliable.

And it is far-fetched to suggest that a single 15-year-old firearms conviction would have caused the magistrate judge to refuse to sign off on the warrant, the DOJ said. And finally, as the affidavit outlined in great detail, the agents were able to corroborate the information the informant had relayed about the plot.

The DOJs response didnt address Coles allegation that the FBI informant is a white supremacist publisher.

When contacted by The Epoch Times, a DOJ spokesperson said, Our filings in this case speak for themselves, and we have no additional comment to add at this time. Coles attorney declined to comment, while the FBIs Houston office directed inquiries to the national press office, which has not responded.

Coles case is set for jury trial on Sept. 27.

The allegations about the Atomwaffen informant follow revelations about the heavy role FBI informants played in the failed plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A Buzzfeed News investigation last month found that the FBI used at least 12 informants involved with the kidnappingsuggesting that the scheme might not have started in the first place without the FBI.

Working in secret, they [the informants] did more than just passively observe and report on the actions of the suspects. Instead, they had a hand in nearly every aspect of the alleged plot, starting with its inception, Buzzfeed reported. The extent of their involvement raises questions as to whether there would have even been a conspiracy without them.

Questions have also been raised about the role FBI informants may have played in the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots.

What would be shocking and strange is not if the FBI had embedded informants and other infiltrators in the groups planning the January 6 Capitol riot, said journalist Glenn Greenwald, whos been extensively documenting various questionable activities of the national security apparatus, in a recent op-ed. What would be shocking and strangebizarre and inexplicableis if the FBI did not have those groups under tight control.
In this handout image provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK military personnel onboard an A400M aircraft depart from Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 28, 2021. (Jonathan Gifford/MoD Crown Copyright via Getty Images)

Fears for Afghans Abandoned to Taliban as Final UK Troops Pulled out of Kabul

The final UK troops and diplomatic staff have been airlifted from Kabul, drawing to a close Britains 20-year engagement in Afghanistan.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed the final RAF plane took off from Hamid Karzai International Airport at 9.25 p.m. on Saturday, as the Prime Minister said he was lost in admiration for the troops.

Operation Pittingwhere more than 1,000 military personnel, diplomats, and officials were dispatched to Afghanistan to rescue UK nationals and Afghan allies after the seizure of the countrys capital by the Talibanairlifted more than 15,000 people to safety across just over a fortnight.

It was understood to be the largest evacuation mission since the Second World War.

In an open letter to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and families, Boris Johnson said: There has been nothing like it in speed and scale, certainly in my lifetime.

The government said, of the 15,000 people evacuated since the Taliban seized Kabul, 5,000 of those were British nationals and their families.

And more than 8,000 Afghans who helped the British effort as interpreters or in other roles, or who are otherwise vulnerable to persecution by the regime, were also able to flee to safety with their families.

Around 2,200 of those airlifted on more than 100 RAF flightswere children, the youngest was just one day old.

One refugee, Soman Noori, gave birth to a baby girl, Havva, on an evacuation flight on its way to Birmingham on Saturday.

But fears also rose for those left behind as a bitter blame game began over the evacuation effort.

The Sunday Times reported that fingers were being pointed at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) over a lack of escape routes from the country, with claims that up to 9,000 people who may have been eligible to escapesuch as women, journalists, and aid workerswere left behind.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace previously said he believed there were between 800 and 1,100 Afghans eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme who would be left behind, while around 100 and 150 UK nationals will remain in Afghanistan, although Mr. Wallace said some of those were staying willingly.

But MPs have said that judging by their correspondence, they thought the true numbers were far higher.

The Observer claimed thousands of emails from MPs and charities highlighting potentially eligible cases went unread by the department.

The FCDO said: This has been the biggest and most challenging evacuation in living memorya team effort that would not have been possible without the Foreign Office.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: The fact that so many emails have simply gone unopened is not the fault of civil servants but of government ministers who have been missing in action during this whole crisis. MPs and their staff have been hearing harrowing stories from so many people we should have taken care of but who have been abandoned to the Taliban.

Those lucky enough to be evacuated will be supported by a new programme dubbed Operation Warm Welcome.

The PM said: I am determined that we welcome them with open arms and that my government puts in place the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Operation Warm Welcome will be modelled on a similar scheme put in place for Syrian refugees and will include ensuring access to health and education services, as well as support into work and accommodation.

A central hub will also be created where organisations and individuals can register to give their support, after an outpouring of offers to support those coming to the UK.

This could be volunteering, jobs, professional skills, trauma support, or donations.

And free English lessons will also be provided as although many of those Afghans coming to the UK may have good English skills through working as interpreters, their families may not.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that the international community needs to be clear-eyed about the Taliban and temper our approach with a heavy dose of realism.

He spoke of using all levers at our disposalincluding sanctionsadding this would depend on the choices that the Taliban make on key issues, including enabling safe passage out of the country, tackling the terrorist threat, and providing a permissive environment within which humanitarian organisations can operate.

By Geraldine Scott
Federal Use of Facial Recognition Technology Expanding: GAO Report

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) survey shows that at least 10 federal agencies have plans to expand their use of facial recognition technology over the next two yearsa prospect that alarms privacy advocates who worry about a lack of oversight.

The GAO released the results of a survey of 24 federal agencies, finding that 18 of them use facial recognition technology. Fourteen of those agencies use the tech for routine activity, such as unlocking agency-issued smartphones, while six reported using facial recognition software for criminal investigations and five others use the technology for surveillance, the Aug. 24 report found.

For example, [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] reported that it used an FRT system (AnyVision) to monitor its facilities by searching live camera feeds in real-time for individuals on watchlists or suspected of criminal activity, which reduces the need for security guards to memorize these individuals faces, the GAO said. This system automatically alerts personnel when an individual on a watchlist is present.

According to the GAO, at least 10 government agencies plan to expand their use of facial recognition technology through 2023. To do so, many agencies are turning to the private sector.

For example, [the] U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations reported it began an operational pilot using Clearview AI in June 2020, which supports the agencys counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigations, the GAO said.

The agency reported it already collects facial images with mobile devices to search national databases and plans to enhance searches by accessing Clearview AIs large repository of facial images from open sources to search for matches.

The GAOs Aug. 24 report follows June research that focused specifically on law enforcements use of facial recognition technology. The GAOs June report revealed the vast troves of data held by federal law enforcement, including 836 million images held by the Department of Homeland Security alone.

The June report also revealed the lack of oversight regarding facial recognition technology. According to the report, 13 of the 20 federal law enforcement agencies that use the technology didnt know what systems they use.

For example, when we requested information from one of the agencies about its use of non-federal systems, agency officials told us they had to poll field division personnel because the information was not maintained by the agency, the report said.

These agency officials also told us that the field division personnel had to work from their memory about their past use of non-federal systems and that they could not ensure we were provided comprehensive information about the agencys use of non-federal systems.

The lack of oversight of the governments use of surveillance technology is an issue that has drawn the attention of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Democrats have largely focused on the racial disparities in the accuracy of facial recognition, while some Republicans have expressed concerns about domestic surveillance.

Michigan resident Robert Williams, a Black man who was wrongly arrested in January after Detroit police incorrectly identified him as a felon based on shoddy facial recognition technology, testified about such problems at a U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing.

Why is law enforcement even allowed to use such technology when it obviously doesnt work? Williams said to lawmakers July 13. I get angry when I hear companies, politicians, and police talk about how this technology isnt dangerous or flawed or say that they only use it as an investigative tool.

If any of that was true, I wouldnt have been arrested.

Williams said he supports the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act, which would halt the use of facial recognition technology by federal agencies until that use was authorized by Congress. However, little action has been taken on the measurethough Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) reintroduced the legislation in June.

With inaction on the federal level, states and localities have taken to curbing the use of facial recognition technology.

The state of Washington enacted a law in March 2020 that requires government agencies to obtain a warrant to run facial recognition scans. Local jurisdictions such as Oakland, San Francisco, and King County, Washington, have also banned government use of the technology.

Groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) support such efforts, arguing that the expansion of facial recognition technology must be halted until lawmakers can enact safeguards.

Others have cautioned against banning useful technology in the zeal to protect privacy.

Critics miss the fact that the benefits of law enforcement use of facial recognition are well-proventhey are used today to help solve crimes, identify victims, and find witnessesand most of the concerns about the technology remain hypothetical, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a largely pro-tech industry think tank, stated.

In fact, critics of the technology almost always make a slippery slope argument about the potential threat of expanding police surveillance, rather than pointing to specific instances of harm. Banning the technology now would do more harm than good.
Frances Macron Visits Iraqs Mosul

MOSUL, IraqFrench President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday visited Iraqs northern city of Mosul, which suffered widespread destruction during the war to defeat the ISIS terrorist group in 2017. He vowed to fight alongside regional governments against terrorism.

Macron said ISIS carried out deadly attacks throughout the world from its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. He said ISIS did not differentiate between peoples religion and nationality when it came to killing, noting that the terrorists killed many Muslims.

We will do whatever we can, shoulder to shoulder, with the governments of the region and with the Iraqi government to fight against this terrorism, Macron said in English following a visit to an iconic mosque that was destroyed by the extremists. We will be present alongside with sovereign governments to restore peace.

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference following his meeting with Iraqi President Barham Salih during the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, in the Presidential Palace, Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 28, 2021. (Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo)

Macron said France will help in rebuilding mutual respect as well as monuments, churches, schools, and mosques, and most importantly economic opportunity.

Despite the defeat of ISIS on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, the groups sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and an affiliate of the group claimed Thursdays attacks at Kabuls airport in Afghanistan that killed scores.

Macron began his visit to Mosul by touring the Our Lady of the Hour Church, a Catholic church that was badly damaged during the rule of ISIS that lasted from 2014 until the extremists defeat three years later. Iraqi children dressed in white and waving Iraqi and French flags sang upon Macrons arrival.

It was the same church where Pope Francis led a special prayer during a visit to Iraq in March. During the trip, the pontiff urged Iraqs Christians to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches.

Macron moved around the churchwhose walls are still riddled with bulletsamid tight security as a priest accompanying him gave him details about the church built in the 19th century. The French president then went up to the roof overlooking parts of Mosul accompanied by Iraqi officials.

We hope that France will open a consulate in Mosul, Iraqi priest Raed Adel told Macron inside the church. He also called on the president to help in the reconstruction of Mosuls airport.

Macron made a list of promises during his meeting with Christian leaders at Our Lady of the Hour church, including opening a consulate. Im struck by whats at stake here so I want to also tell you that we are going to be making the decision to bring back a consulate and schools, Macron said.

Macron left the church in the early afternoon and headed to Mosuls landmark al-Nuri mosque, which was blown up in the battle with ISIS terrorist in 2017 and is being rebuilt.

The mosque, also known as The Great Mosque of al-Nuri, and its iconic leaning minaret were built in the 12th century. It was from the mosques pulpit that ISISs self-styled caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, declared the caliphates establishment in 2014.

Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, became ISISs bureaucratic and financial backbone. It took a ferocious nine-month battle to finally free the city in July 2017. Between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed, according to an Associated Press investigation at the time, and the war left widespread destruction. Many Iraqis have had to rebuild on their own amid a years-long financial crisis.

Since the early years of Christianity, northern Iraq has been home to large Christian communities. But over the past decades, tens of thousands left Iraq and settled elsewhere amid the countrys wars and instability that culminated with the persecution of Christians by extremists over the past decade.

The traditionally Christian towns dotting the Nineveh Plains of the north emptied out in 2014 as Christiansas well as many Muslimsfled the ISIS terrorist groups onslaught. Only a few have returned to their homes since the defeat of ISIS in Iraq was declared four years ago, and the rest remain scattered elsewhere in Iraq or abroad.

Macron arrived in Baghdad early Saturday where he took part in a conference attended by officials from around the Middle East aimed at easing Mideast tensions and underscored the Arab countrys new role as mediator.

Macron hailed the Baghdad conference as a major boost for Iraq and its leadership. The country had been largely shunned by Arab leaders for the past few decades because of security concerns amid back-to-back wars and internal unrest, its airport frequently attacked with rockets by insurgents.

Macron vowed to maintain troops in Iraq regardless of the Americans choices and for as long as the Iraqi government is asking for our support. France currently contributes to the international coalition forces in Iraq with 800 soldiers.

On Saturday night, Macron visited a Shiite holy shrine in Baghdad before flying to the northern city of Irbil, where he met Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, the 28-year-old activist who was forced into sexual slavery by ISIS terrorists in Iraq.

A member of Iraqs Yazidi minority, Murad was among thousands of women and girls who were captured and forced into sexual slavery by ISIS in 2014. Her mother and six brothers were killed by ISIS terrorists in Iraq. She became an activist on behalf of women and girls after escaping and finding refuge in Germany and shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

By Hadi Mizban and Qassim Abdul-Zahra
A truck is seen in heavy winds and rain from Hurricane Ida in Bourg, La., on Aug. 29, 2021. (Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images)

Gas Prices to Rise as Hurricane Ida Shuts Down 95 Percent of Gulfs Oil Production

Hurricane Ida shut down more than 95 percent of the Gulf of Mexicos oil production, said regulators, suggesting the Category 4 storm will have a significant impact on energy supply and gas prices.

The federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement confirmed the stop in oil production, with firms suspending 1.74 million barrels per day in oil production in the Gulf.

Colonial Pipeline confirmed Sunday it is temporarily shutting down two pipelines between Houston, Texas, and Greensboro, North Carolina, as a precaution due to the storm. They were shuttered as a precautionary and routine safety measure, the firm said a statement.

Ida made landfall on Sunday near Port Fourchon, near the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, which is the largest privately-owned crude terminal in the United States.

Around 94 percent of Gulf of Mexico natural gas production was suspended due to the storm, according to the federal regulator.

Based on data from offshore operator reports submitted as of 11:30 CDT today, personnel have been evacuated from a total of 288 production platforms, 51.43 percent of the 560 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, said the agency in a statement on Sunday. Production platforms are the structures located offshore from which oil and gas are produced. Unlike drilling rigs, which typically move from location to location, production facilities remain in the same location throughout a projects duration.

Highway 90 westbound in Pass Christian, Miss. overflows with flooding waters early as a result of the arrival of Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29, 2021. (Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via AP)

Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston, told news outlets on Saturday that if the New Orleans refineries take a direct hit from the storm, gas prices will likely rise about 10 cents per gallon in some markets.

Oil prices also rose sharply last week ahead of Hurricane Idas arrival.

Hurricane Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds in southeastern Lousiana, doing considerable damage to infrastructure and causing significant flooding in the region. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently without power in Louisiana, according to Poweroutage.us.

In an update from the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, President Joe Biden said that locals need to take heed of state and local officials directions.

The storm is a life-threatening storm.  And its devastation is likely to be immense. We shouldnt kid ourselves, he said. And so the most important thing I can say right now is that everyone, everyone should listen to the instructions from local and state officials, just how dangerous this is. And take it seriously. Its not just the coasts. Its not just New Orleans. Its north as well. The rainfall is expected to be exceedingly high.

Biden said he would put the countrys full might behind rescue and recovery efforts.
Gov. DeSantis Demands Biden Administration Cease Resettlement of Illegals in Florida

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a letter to the Biden administration demanding transparency and that they cease sending illegal aliens to Florida.

President [Joe] Biden, Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and their administration have refused to fulfill their responsibility to enforce immigration laws enacted by Congress and the resulting influx of unvetted illegal aliens endangers our national security and undermines the socioeconomic wellbeing of hardworking American citizens, DeSantis said in a written statement. Unfortunately, even though the federal government is responsible for immigration enforcement, it is the states who bear the brunt of this administrations reckless immigration policies.

In the letter (pdf) to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the Republican governor wrote that he wanted an end to the mass resettlements of illegal aliens into the United States. DeSantis also urged the Department of Homeland Security to provide more transparency when it comes to the resettling of illegals in Florida and to give advance notice to state leadership before illegals are resettled into the state. He called the Biden administrations border policies disastrous and gave a deadline of September 30, 2021, to give the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) a long list of information and data before sending more illegals into the state.

DeSantis letter requested that the Biden administration disclose the following information to FDLE:

the number of illegal aliens resettled in Florida;

the names and destination of the illegal aliens;

the number of illegal aliens resettled in Florida who were tested for COVID-19 and the results of such tests;

the identities of illegal aliens who have criminal records and who have previously entered the U.S. illegally; and

the number and identity of illegal aliens resettled in Florida who have failed to appear for their removal proceedings.

The letter went on to accuse the Biden administration of operating its own human smuggling operation.

My office has received information indicating that ICE, sometimes with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has chartered flights transporting illegal alien adults and children to Florida, the governor wrote. Given the overall lack of transparency, I am concerned that the federal government is running its own massive human smuggling operation, surreptitiously resettling illegal aliens in the various states without consultation or even advance notice to state leadership.

The governor wrote that this practice is intolerable and unacceptable.

DeSantis wrote that he knows firsthand about the border crisis as he visited the border and deployed law enforcement officers to aid Texas law enforcement and border patrol agents with the surge of migrants attempting to cross the border.

I have been to the border, and I observed firsthand the chaos that this administrations policies have created, DeSantis said. To fill the void left by the federal government, Florida deployed its own law enforcement officers to the border.

After speaking with law enforcement officers who were deployed to the border to aid Texas law enforcement, DeSantis said they have told him that many of the migrants that were apprehended at the border said they plan to come to Florida.

Floridians welcome responsible immigration that serves the interests of our citizens, but we cannot abide the lawlessness that this administration is aiding and abetting, and frankly encouraging, on the southwest border, DeSantis said.

Law enforcement officials, according to the governors office said that most of the migrants indicated their final stops were going to be larger Florida cities such as Kissimmee, Orlando, Miami, Hialeah, and Jacksonville.

In April 2021, DeSantis had written to Mayorkass office requesting that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remove all illegal alien felons who had completed their prison sentences in Florida. The governor said in his current letter that he has seen no action to enforce the federal immigration laws.

DeSantis wrote that it was his opinion that DHS was resettling large numbers of illegal aliens who have no lawful status under federal immigration law from the southwest border to Florida.

He wrote: The Constitution charges the President with the duty to faithfully execute the laws, and with respect to immigration enforcement, the federal government, with the Supreme Courts blessing, has assumed near exclusive responsibility. Unfortunately, President Biden and this administration refuse to fulfill their responsibility to enforce the immigration laws enacted by Congress.

DeSantis said in his letter that the Remain in Mexico program that was administered under the Trump Administration was ultimately replaced with catch and release by the Biden administration, which he attributes to the massive influx of migrants.

The administrations reversal or weakening of the prior administrations enforcement policies had amounted to an open invitation for mass illegal migration the United States, and the results have been predictably catastrophic, DeSantis wrote. Since this administration took office, the number of illegal aliens encountered at the southwest border has skyrocketed, increasing each month at an unrelenting pace.

When Biden took office in January the number of border encounters was 78,417. In one month that number increased to 101,098; 173,283 in March; 178,797 in April; 180,569 in May; 188,934 in June and 212,672 in July according to figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This puts a total number of encounters for the fiscal year to be approximately 1.3 million. In the last year of the Trump administration, the total number of encounters was 458,088.

The governor ended his letter with doubts that the federal government would comply with his request and reminded the secretary that it was the states who were saddled with the costs of having illegals in their states. Also, he said that massive illegal immigration increases the spread of COVID-19 and will consume taxpayer money and overload government services including the education system.

Although I seek an immediate end to the resettlement of illegal aliens in Florida, at the very least, DHS should provide the requested information in the interest of greater transparency, DeSantis wrote. The State of Florida is entitled to this information to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its people.

The White House did not respond to a request for comments.
Heartbreaking Last Letter Written by Soldier, 18, to His Parents in WWI Is Unearthed at Museum

A heartbreaking letter from a teenage soldier killed in World War I was unearthed during museum renovations.

Private Vincent Collins, 18, wrote the last letter home to his parents in 1915the night before his unit moved into the trenches.

The soldier, serving with the 8th (Argyllshire) Battalion, was wounded later that year and died from his injuries. The letter was sent to his parents, Harry and Martha, and ended with the emotional signoff: I could not have had better parents, of that I am sure. Especially you dear mum.

Private Vincent Collins, aged 18. (SWNS)

The emotional letter was discovered during renovations at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, in the UK city of Stirling.

The museums collection development officer, Allison Spark, said: Handwritten letters and messages like these are very precious.

Not only do they give an indication of what life was like at the Front, [but] theyre also very touching.

Vincents letter, says Spark, was short and hurriedly written but communicates his nervousness and fear about the upcoming days; alongside expressing the love for his family.

It still gives me goosebumps when I read it, Spark said.

Sadly, Vincents letter is in such a poor condition that the museum isnt able to put it on general display currently, but Spark assures, our film really does bring it to life.

Other handwritten artifacts include a letter from Private George Martin, 2nd Battalion, who wrote a letter to his sweetheart not long before his death on the front in 1916.

He wrote: We have not said about being engaged, we are practically I hope this war will finish for I want to get home.

Alongside Georges letter on display is another poignant note from Private James Sword. He enlisted in December 1915 at the age of 36 and was one of the lucky men to return home to his family.

The letter on display is one that he received from his children, John and Bella.

John wrote: Mothers looking for the bus every day and I am a good boy and you have to come home for Christmas. On the back of the letter were kisses from both children.

Johns letter to Private Sword. (SWNS)

Private Sword had previously lost his daughter Margaret to illness, so items from home would have meant even more to him.

Rod Mackenzie, the museum curator, said: The museum is home to a collection of over 12,500 artifacts, all with their own fascinating stories to tell.

Handwritten items like Vincents letter home, the letter to Gertie, and John and Bellas letter to their dad really do bring to life the impact war had on everyday people.

Mackenzie added that the museum is incredibly proud to play its part in preserving these treasures.

He also urged people from Scotland, the United Kingdom, or different parts of the world who had relatives who served as a member of The Argylls to share information with the museum.

Visit our social media channels and share your stories, he said.

Epoch Inspired Staff contributed to this report.

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
This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Ida, on Aug. 29, 2021, at 7:51 a.m. ET. (NOAA)

Intensifying Category 4 Hurricane Ida to Hit Louisiana on Sunday

NEW ORLEANSHurricane Ida rapidly grew in strength early Sunday, becoming a dangerous Category 4 hurricane just hours before hitting the Louisiana coast while emergency officials in the region grappled with opening shelters for displaced evacuees despite the risks of spreading the coronavirus.

As Ida moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico, its top winds grew by 45 mph (72 kph) to 150 mph (230 kph) in five hours. The system was expected to make landfall Sunday afternoon, set to arrive on the exact date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier.

Ida was centered about 60 miles (95 kilometers) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and 75 miles (120 kilometers) south-southeast of coastal Grand Isle, Louisiana. It was traveling northwest at 15 mph (24 kph).

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows a view of Hurricane Ida, on Aug. 28, 2021. (NOAA via AP)

Ida threatened a region already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections, due to the highly contagious Delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Gov. John Bel Edwards vowed Saturday that Louisianas resilient and tough people would weather the storm. He also noted shelters would operate with reduced capacities to reflect the realities of COVID.

Edwards said Louisiana officials were already working to find hotel rooms for many evacuees so that fewer had to stay in mass shelters. He noted that during last years hurricane season, Louisiana found rooms for 20,000 people.

So, we know how to do this, Edwards said. I hope and pray we dont have to do it anywhere near that extent.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas arrival.

Traffic moves bumper to bumper along I-10 west as residents arrive into Texas from the Louisiana border ahead of Hurricane Ida in Orange, Texas, on Aug. 28, 2021. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. A Category 3 storm, Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it demolished oceanfront homes in Mississippi and caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans.

In Saucier, Mississippi, Alex and Angela Bennett spent Saturday afternoon filling sandbags to place around their flood-prone home. Both survived Katrina, and didnt expect Ida to cause nearly as much destruction where they live, based on forecasts.

Katrina was terrible. This aint gonna be nothing, Alex Bennett said. I hate it for Louisiana, but Im happy for us.

Long lines formed at gas pumps Saturday as people rushed to escape. Trucks pulling saltwater fishing boats and campers streamed away from the coast on Interstate 65 in Alabama, while traffic jams clogged Interstate 10 heading out of New Orleans.

Ida intensified so swiftly that New Orleans officials said there was no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of its 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents to leave voluntarily. Those who stayed were warned to prepare for long power outages amid sweltering heat.

Officials also stressed that the levee and drainage systems protecting the city had been much improved since Katrina. But they cautioned flooding was still possible with up to 24 inches (61 centimeters) of rain forecast in some areas.

Edwards said 5,000 National Guard troops were being staged in 14 Louisiana parishes for search and rescue efforts. And 10,000 linemen were on standby to respond to electrical outages.

Ida posed a threat far beyond New Orleans. A hurricane warning was issued for nearly 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Louisianas coastline, from Intracoastal City south of Lafayette to the Mississippi state line. A tropical storm warning was extended to the Alabama-Florida line.

Meteorologist Jeff Masters, who flew hurricane missions for the government and founded Weather Underground, said Ida is forecast to move through the just absolute worst place for a hurricane.

The Interstate 10 corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge is a critical hub of the nations petrochemical industry, lined with oil refineries, natural gas terminals, and chemical manufacturing plants. Entergy, Louisianas major electricity provider, operates two nuclear power plants along the Mississippi River.

A U.S. Energy Department map of oil and gas infrastructure shows scores of low-lying sites in the storms projected path that are listed as potentially vulnerable to flooding.

By Kevin McGill and Jay Reeves
DeSantis to Appeal After Judge Rules Executive Order Unconstitutional

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to appeal after a judge ruled that his executive order to block school mask mandates is unconstitutional.

Leon County Judge John Cooper ruled on Friday that the state could not sanction local school boards that require masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, namely the Delta variant, on school property.

The judge said that DeSantiss executive order interpreted the Parents Bill of Rights that was signed into law in July to mean he could ban mask mandates in schools.

This orphan statute does not support a statewide order or any action interfering with the constitutionally provided authority of local school districts to provide for the safety and health of children, based on the unique facts on the ground, Cooper said.

A lawsuit was filed early August by parents and Hillsborough, Pinellas, Alachua, and Palm Beach County school boards that were opposed to the governors order banning school districts from imposing mask mandates unless parents wanted to opt out by a written statement. The suit maintained that the executive order violated a section of the state Constitution that required providing a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of public schools. The judge agreed and said they had a legal right to sue, thus overruling the states arguments.

The initial complaint made by St. Petersburg attorney Charles Gallagher argued that the governors order impairs the safe operation of schools. In the complaint, he wrote that the governors order took away constitutional powers to operate, supervise and control schools in their respective districts.

The DeSantis administration came out swinging after the judges decision was handed down.

We are immensely disappointed that the ruling issued today by the Second Judicial Circuit discards the rule of law, Jared Ochs, Director of Communications and External Affairs for the Florida Department of Education said Friday. This decision conflicts with basic and established rights of parents to make private health care and education decisions for children.

We will continue to fight to make sure every child has access to education. We are committed to the fundamental rights of parents and will push forward on appeal to ensure that this foundation of democracy is upheld.

DeSantiss communication director, Taryn Fenske, said there were no real surprises in todays decision.

Its not surprising that Judge Cooper would rule against parents rights and their ability to make the best educational and medical decisions for their family, but instead rule in favor of elected politicians, Fenske said Friday. This ruling was made with incoherent justifications, not based in science and factsfrankly not even remotely focused on the merits of the case presented.

We are used to the Leon County Circuit Court not following the law and getting reversed on appeal, which is exactly what happened last year in the school reopening case, Fenske added. We will continue to defend the law and parents rights in Florida and will immediately appeal the ruling to the First District Court of Appeals, where we are confident we will prevail on the merits of the case.

Cooper said that he relied on Florida Supreme Court cases from 1914 and 1939 and the Separation of Powers Act to make his decision, as well as data presented in court from the Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention. He added that the Delta variant that is plaguing Florida as well as other states played a pivotal role in his decision.

The delta variant represents a higher risk to children than the previous form, he said. We had a less dangerous form of the virus last year. As the facts change on the ground, the need for different measures changes.

Cooper also addressed the Parents Bill of Rights while making his decision and said it does not ban mask mandates and does not authorize the governor to forbid schools from adopting a blanket mask policy. It was his opinion that the Parents Bill of Rights affirms school boards right to approve mask mandates that align with sciencemainly CDC guidance. He continued by saying that he believed the scientific community was in agreement with masking K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status and social distancing. He did not agree with the states witnesses who gave testimony to the contrary.

The Parents Bill of Rights was signed into law by DeSantis in June. It deals with parents right to control educational and health decisions for their children. In addition DeSantis also enacted an executive order citing the new law and directed the state Department of Health and state Department of Education to ensure any school mask mandates are in accordance with the law and protect parents right to make decisions regarding masking of their children in relation to COVID-19.

In contrast to this case, a 2020 Lawsuit filed by Republican state representative Anthony Sabatini claimed the city of Tallahassees emergency mask mandate violated privacy, due process, religious, and equal protection laws. The suit further added that it could be classified as government overreach that placed a burden on the average citizen and was difficult to understand. But in the end, Cooper sided with Tallahassee and allowed the mandates to stand.

In court, Cooper said, If people are not going to stay six to 10 feet apart, and if people are going to go into businesses and spread it all over the place, then about the only thing available is a face mask, he said. Its about as uncontested as it could be among the science people.

The judge also relied on Florida state statures such as requiring children to be vaccinated against certain diseases before being enrolled into school, with exceptions of some religious and medical reasons, which he believes is more of an infringement on parents rights than mask policies.

Cooper stated that parents rights are important, but they are not without limitation.

In his concluding remarks the judge said that the acts of the governor and state agencies do not pass Constitutional muster.

Cooper granted the plaintiffs relief on three of the six counts and dismissed one of them. He did not grant relief on two counts, saying the burden of proof was not met. An injunction was ordered by the judge against the Board of Education and Department of Education, but not against DeSantis, for enforcing the ban. He barred the agencies from continuing to enforce the order.

I believe the governor will follow the law, Cooper said.

The judge said the order will be in effect when it is signed possibly on Monday.

If youre going to appeal; appeal fast, Cooper told all parties.

On Wednesday afternoon, the judge foresaw his opinion being challenged before a higher court.

Whatever the result in this case, I think we could suggest to the (state) Supreme Court if they want to know how to try a case really fast, that this might be a good case study on how to do it, Cooper said Wednesday afternoon before his ruling on Friday.

DeSantis at a press conference on Thursday promised to appeal if Cooper does not side with the state.

If we win in trial court, Im sure it will be appealed on the other side too. And so thats good, I think we obviously need to have this stuff crystallized, DeSantis said. We feel that the Legislature really made a big statement with their parental bill of rights, and thats an important piece of legislation.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards answers questions while holding a media briefing about the state's activity related to Hurricanes Marco and Laura in Baton Rouge, La. on August 24, 2020. (Bill Feig./The Advocate via AP)

Louisiana Governor: Modeling Shows New Orleans Levee System Will Withstand Hurricane Ida

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Sunday said that digital modeling shows that the states levee system constructed after Hurricane Katrina will withstand Hurricane Ida.

When asked by a CBS News anchor, Edwards said he felt very good that the system would hold up against Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in southeastern Louisiana.

Ida currently has winds of about 150 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center, and it struck near Port Fourchon, located just southwest of New Orleans, at around 12 p.m. ET.

All of our modeling shows that we feel very good about whats inside the hurricane risk reduction system, Edwards, a Democrat, told CBS, noting that the storm will be a tremendous test. After Katrina hit in 2005, the state spent billions of dollars in reconstructing the levee system around New Orleans, which experienced significant flooding and storm surge.

A news crew reports on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain ahead of approaching Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, on Aug. 29, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

A satellite image shows Hurricane Ida in the Gulf of Mexico and approaching the coast of Louisiana, on Aug. 29, 2021. (NOAA/Handout via Reuters)

We have lesser systems, protection, built along the coast where the levees arent as hot and theyre not as fortified. And were very concerned there and this will be a tremendous test of those systems and quite frankly its going to be the strongest test weve had yet for the current hurricane and storm risk reduction system itself, he added.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm is moving inland, and rapid weakening is expected during the next day or so although Ida is forecast to remain a hurricane through late tonight.

A NOAA National Ocean Service tide gauge in Shell Beach, Louisiana, recently reported a water level of 6.8 feet above mean higher high water, which is an approximation of inundation in that area, the NHC added.

The Sewage and Water Board of New Orleans wrote Sunday that there are a number of sewage pump stations on both the East and West Banks of New Orleans that suffered power outages.

This increases the potential for sewer backups in homes. We urge those residents who still have power to minimize wastewater leaving their homes by not running your dishwasher or washing clothes, the board said in a tweet Sunday.

According to poweroutage.us, about 104,000 customers are currently without power due to Ida. Power outages are likely to increase as the storm moves inland.
French President Emmanuel Macron, wearing a protective face mask, waits for the arrival of Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2021. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

Macron Says France, Britain to Propose Kabul Safe Zone

PARISFrance and Britain will submit a resolution to an emergency United Nations meeting due Monday on Afghanistan proposing a safe zone in Kabul to try and protect people trying to leave the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.

Our resolution proposal aims to define a safe zone in Kabul, under UN control, which would allow humanitarian operations to continue, Macron told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) in an interview published on Sunday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is convening a meeting on Afghanistan with the UN envoys for Britain, France, the United States, China, and Russiathe Security Councils permanent, veto-wielding members.

Macron said on Saturday that France was holding preliminary discussions with the Taliban about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the possible evacuation of more people from the country.

U.S. military forces, which have guarded the airport in Kabul, are due to withdraw by a Tuesday deadline set by President Joe Biden. France is among the countries that have also ended evacuations from Kabul airport.

By Sarah White and Bertrand Boucey
A medical worker administers a COVID-19 test at a testing clinic during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug. 26, 2021. (Fiona Goodall/Reuters)

New Zealand Reports 83 Local COVID-19 Cases

New Zealand, in a nationwide lockdown battling an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant, reported 83 local COVID-19 cases on Sunday, health officials said.

Eighty-two cases were reported in Auckland, the epicentre of the outbreak and New Zealands largest city, and the other was in the capital, Wellington.
Flags of Taiwan and the United States are placed for a meeting between U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Su Chia-chyuan, president of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 27, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

More Than Half of Americans Favor Defending Taiwan If China Invades: Poll

The majority of the American public supports a range of U.S. policies in support of Taiwan, including the acknowledgment of its independence and sending troops to the self-ruled island if China invades, according to a recent poll.

For the first time, a slim majority (52 percent) of Americans now favor sending U.S. troops to defend Taiwan, according to a poll from The Chicago Council on Global Affairs released on Aug. 26. The poll, conducted in July, draws from a sample of more than 2,000 U.S. adults from 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

This is the highest level ever recorded in the Councils surveys dating back to 1982, when the question was first asked, the report (pdf) reads.

Taiwan is a de facto independent country with its own military, currency, and democratically elected government. However, the Chinese regime claims the island as its own and sees it as a renegade province that must be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

The polls found that more than half of Americans support the U.S. government signing a formal alliance with Taiwan and that a plurality (46 percent) favor explicitly committing to defend Taiwan against China, given the fact that past administrations havent made a formal defense promise to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, findings show that an average of almost seven in 10 Americans favor recognizing the island as an independent countrydespite that not being a policy U.S. officials support.

The majority of respondents view Taiwan as a necessary partner, supporting its inclusion in international organizations (65 percent) and the U.S.Taiwan free trade agreement (57 percent), the survey report shows.

Taiwan soldiers exit from a U.S.-made CH-47SD helicopter during military drills in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on Oct. 9, 2018. (Sam Yeh / AFP)

It concludes that distrust of China is a significant factor in U.S. public support for Taiwan.

Views of China have taken a sharp negative turn, the report reads, showing that Americans view China as more of a rival than a necessary partner or ally.

Beijing has recently taken advantage of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to manipulate public opinion by pushing its agenda, for example, Afghanistan today, Taiwan tomorrow. The regime has used rhetoric suggesting that the United States wouldnt defend Taiwan.

The Chinese regime has been intimidating the self-ruled island since 2016, according to the report. China has carried out maneuvers in waters and airspace near Taiwan and has used economic coercion against it as well. In turn, the United States has sold arms to Taiwan and normalized U.S. warship transits nearby.

U.S. military aircraft landed in Taiwan on July 15, spurring China to warn the United States that it was playing with fire and that the Taiwanese government was inviting danger.

Taiwan soldiers take part in the Han Kuang drill at the Ching Chuan Kang air force base in Taichung, Taiwan, on June 7, 2018. (Sam Yeh / AFP)
Protest of Sectarian Violence in Jos, Nigeria: Bodies Hauled to Governors Front Door

JOS, NigeriaCitizens of Plateau state, Nigeria, sought to show the countrys lawmakers the end result of a recent terrorist attack on the region, hauling the bodies of victims to their front door.

They marched by the thousands on Aug. 25 to the Government House in Jos, the cosmopolitan capital of Nigerias northern states, beside flatbed trucks carrying the bodies of 36 Christians killed the previous day. The grisly mass murder was the latest in the growing number of sectarian killings in Plateau since mid-August.

The protestors wailed at the gates of the Government House for hours, alleging that the government had abandoned them to be wiped out by terrorists.

The city has been torn by killings since a mob attack in a northwestern suburb on Aug. 14 left 22 Muslims dead. The Muslims were attacked after being surrounded by a funeral march for victims of an earlier attack by Muslims on a Christian village. The latest attack raises the death toll to 81 since Aug. 14, counting both Christians and Muslims.

Muslim militias armed with AK-47s invaded Yelwan Zangam, a small Christian rural community three miles north of the University of Jos, on the evening of Aug. 24, killing anything that moved, according to Ajida Isa, a community leader who witnessed the incident.

Isa said the attackers spoke Fulfulde, the native dialect of the Fulani tribe that has been linked to thousands of killings in Nigeria. Sixteen members of his family, some as young as 5 years old, were burned to ashes in one house, while 20 others died by gunshots and machete cuts, Isa told The Epoch Times. The community was of the Anaguta tribe, which is Christian.

I heard gunshots and thought it was somebody beating the door, Isa said. When it got louder, I said this couldnt be a door sound. I told my wife and children to get out of the house while I checked. As I left them, I heard my sons wife screaming. After a while, the screaming stopped and I knew she had been killed. I couldnt come back to the house. I had to hide there.

I heard them hitting the door and shattering windows. The next thing I saw was fire rising from the house. I had no clue my wife and children, as well as grandchildren, were inside with others who ran in as I left. I only came to find out that they had all been consumed by fire16 of them.

Soldiers stand before the bodies of those killed in a terror attack on the Christian village of Yelwan Zangam in Jos, Nigeria, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Masara Kim/The Epoch Times)

Dispute Over Land

Two days before the attack, a single bridge linking the community to the larger city was destroyed, a week after a land dispute between the Christians and their Muslim neighbors, according to Isa.

Less than two weeks ago, our youths were confronted by Muslims from the neighboring communities when they went to plant trees around our burial ground, Isa said.

Our Muslim neighbors claimed that the land belonged to them and therefore wouldnt let us plant trees in it. We reported the matter to police and local government officials, and they summoned all of us for a peace meeting.

The officials advised that we should stay peaceful, assuring the matter will be resolved. We were unable to meet again due to the sectarian violence in Jos, but the matter was still on, and two days ago we saw that the bridge was destroyed. We reported it again, not knowing there would be an attack.

The attack was carefully planned, including the destruction of the bridge, to deny security forces access to the area during execution, Plateau state Gov. Simon Lalong said in a statement.

The destruction of the bridge delayed police from swiftly intervening during the attack, said Edward Egbuka, Plateau state commissioner of police.

We received distress calls at about 8 p.m., and my area commander got there before 9 p.m., but they were unable to enter the village because the bridge was damaged, Egbuka told The Epoch Times in Jos.

They came down, but of course in that kind of situation you dont just run in, you could be ambushed. By the time they moved in with the STF [Special Task Force, a joint command including police and military], the Civil Defense, and others, these idiots had perpetrated what they wanted and left.

The police have arrested leaders of the Muslims in dispute with the Christian villagers as first suspects, according to Egbuka.

We have arrested some leaders of the neighboring communities because they had had issues for two weeks, he said. And this issue was a small thingnobody died. The security never expected this type of thing. The issue they had was on graveyard land. Nobody died. So we did not expect this type of action.  So for them to go back and do this, of course, they are the first suspects because they are the ones that quarreled with these people.

Sixteen people were burned to death in this house during an Aug. 24 terror attack on the Christian village of Yelwan Zangam, Nigeria, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Masara Kim/The Epoch Times)

Continuing Terror

Violence against Christians in Plateau state has persisted for years without federal intervention, according to Istifanus Gyang, the senator representing Plateau North in the Nigerian Parliament.

The situation in Plateau is that of a people abandoned to their fate by the federal government, Gyang said in an Aug. 15 statement. I am gravely disturbed and outraged by the serial and continuing terror attacks on communities in Plateau state with thousands of lives brutally massacred over the years and still continuing.

It is disheartening that Plateau people are targeted, isolated, and killed with no sympathy, no empathy, no attention nor relief to affected communities, no statement from the appropriate quarters, Gyang said in the statement, issued by his spokesperson.

President Muhammadu Buharis response to the killings in Plateau and adjourning states of the Middle Belt has been cold, because they dont affect Muslims, Gad Shamaki, the leader of the Jos protest march, told The Epoch Times by phone.

Its an indication of an agenda to eliminate Christians, said Shamaki, the Nigerian deputy country director of the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization Equal Access International.

If you look at it from Kaduna to Plateau, to Benue and other states of the Middle Belt, out of 10 attacked schools, nine are owned by churches. Out of 10 kidnap victims, nine are Christians. Out of 10 attacked communities, hardly would you find one that is not 100 percent Christian, and it shows clearly that there is an agenda that the president himself is a part of, since he cannot openly condemn or demonstrate the will to stop the attacks, despite billions of dollars allocated to defense annually.

Kunle Olawunmi, a professor of global security studies, accused Buhari of having an agenda to Islamize Nigeria in an Aug. 25 interview with Channels TV.

Some people have this mindset to Islamize the nation, and they are in the government, said Olawunmi, a former commodore in the Nigerian navy. And people know them. The DSS [Department of State Security] knows them. The NIA [National Intelligence Agency] knows them. The DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency] knows them.  Why is the commander in chief of the armed forces quiet?
Shifting Approach by Mainstream Parties May Flip Votes, Lose Traditional Supporters

The early days of the federal election show that both the Conservatives and Liberals are reaching for NDP voters, an indication to political observers of a shifting approach by all three parties.

On Aug. 23, Conservative Leader Erin OToole proposed making it a legal requirement for large companies to include worker representation on their boards. The following day, he promised to change laws to protect workers pensions in the case of corporate bankruptcy or restructuring.

A Liberal press release took a shot at the NDP over its intention to cut funding for important programs that are protecting and creating thousands of green jobs for workers and cutting pollution. Another acknowledged the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Communism and Nazism, while a third promised more money for health care.

Meanwhile, the NDP attacked both the Liberals and Conservatives for attempts to reach for their voters. One press release cast doubt on OTooles commitment to workers, another committed to eliminating Liberal subsidies to Big Oil and a third slammed the Liberals empty promises on climate change.

Malcolm Bird, an associate professor of political science at the University of Winnipeg, says the Liberals and NDP have migrated to being concerned about urban, educated elite middle class, professional class people and embraced identity politic space that embraces feminism, LGBTQ type identities, and minorities  at the expense of representing average working people.

So theres been a void opening up and, Erin OToole and the Conservatives recognized that unionized, working folks dont see themselves represented as much as they used to amongst the NDP and the Liberals as well. They make up a very big chunk of the of the electorate, and thats who [the Conservatives] are going for.

University of Calgary political science professor Barry Cooper believes modern politics has fallen to postmaterialism, a political philosophy that prioritizes goals such as environmentalism and gender equality over peoples more immediate and practical concerns.

The traditional parties basically made appeals on the basis of the material interests of the people they wanted to have support them.  But that has nothing to do with wokeness, Cooper said in an interview.

Theres a big disconnect when you have people who think about ideas more than about their actual on-the-ground interests, and it really tends to put off people who have always voted NDP or even Liberal.

PSAC and OToole vs Trudeau and Singh

Talk of forced COVID-19 vaccination of federal employees allowed the Conservative Party to align with public sector unions in ways the other main parties refuse to. The Liberal government wants federal workers and air and train passengers to be double-vaccinated, but OToole says negative COVID-19 tests would be sufficient for such workers and passengers.

Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) president Chris Aylward, who represents 180,000 members, said the termination of federal public servants who refuse to get vaccinated is totally unacceptable.

Its very concerning to us when national party leaders are making statements around discipline, around terminations when it comes to these vaccinations. That is totally unacceptable to us, he told CTV News.

Undaunted, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh would not align with the union, telling the Globe and Mail that [P]rogressive disciplineup to and including termination  may be necessary.

Singhs stance is a surprise result of wedge politics for Bird.

What is amazing to me is how this is coming from the left, the centre left.  Losing your job because you dont want a medical procedure to your body is quite strong, to put it mildly, he said.

It goes to further illustrate this cleavage between the left and the NDP and working folks, and of course the unions that represent them.

Alienating People of Faith

While Roman Catholics were once an important part of the Liberal base, and the first federal NDP leader was Baptist minister Tommy Douglas, Bird says those parties are alienating people of faith  and they are not welcome.

Its best illustrated by the matter of abortion and being tolerant of divergent views within the party. In this regard, the Conservatives have a bigger tent. That is, they are open to more diversity of perspectives with regards to social issues, but also in terms of being open to people of faith.

He also believes classical liberals and fiscally responsible ones feel less comfortable with the current Liberal party. [The Liberals] have swung to the left, and are seeking to scoop a lot of the NDP support.

Tories Lose Support on Prairies

Although the Conservative Party may have gained supporters by being less strident in its conservatism, that decision has lost it support as well.

The partys embrace of a carbon price and its reach for central Canadian swing voters have caused some who are already feeling Western alienation under Trudeau to turn to alternative parties like the PPC and Maverick Party. Feeling he has a stronger base of support, former Ontario Conservative MP Derek Sloan, who is backed by social conservatives, has decided to run in an Alberta riding for this election.

This watered-down conservatism has diminished enthusiasm for the Conservative Party on the Prairies, according to Cooper.

I havent heard much enthusiasm among people Ive talked to here about the Conservatives. Theres a kind of grudging, Well, I guess well have to vote for OToole because were not going to vote for Trudeau or the NDP, he said.

If youre going to give votes to Conservatives not out of enthusiasm but because its the least worse alternative, thats hardly a ringing endorsement.
Taliban forces block the roads leading to the airport at Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 27, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

State Department Warns of Specific, Credible Threat at Kabul Airport

'US citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time'

The U.S. State Department is urging U.S. citizens and others to leave the area of Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport immediately, citing a specific, credible threat.

Due to a specific, credible threat, U.S. citizens near Kabul airport, including South gate, new Ministry of the Interior, and gate near Panjshir Petrol station, should leave the area immediately, the department posted in a security alert at 5:38 a.m. Kabul local time. Avoid traveling to the airport at this time.

#Afghanistan: Due to security threats at the airport, we continue to advise U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates. Those at Abbey gate, East gate, North gate or New Ministry of Interior gate should leave immediately. https://t.co/RwXJAlj4Fr pic.twitter.com/cJtOGk5AR2  Travel  State Dept (@TravelGov) August 28, 2021

U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time, the department added in a security alert on its website.

The alert comes hours after President Joe Biden was warned by commanders that another terrorist attack was highly likely in the next 24 to 36 hours.

The State Departments Level 4 Do Not Travel warning for Afghanistan remains in place.

Individuals seeking information on evacuation should refer to the alerts on the Embassy website for instructions, the website says.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters earlier on Saturday that 6,800 people were evacuated from Kabul on Friday.

Kirby pushed back on Taliban claims that they had assumed responsibility for security in some parts of the airport and reports that the United States was shutting down all evacuation operations. Those are not true, he said.

But he said that the Taliban had set up their own checkpoints surrounding U.S. operations at the airport in a loose perimeter, adding that they were not at the airport, doing security roles or anything like that.

Kirby said that the United States is still in charge of the airport and security at the airport.

Were not shutting down evacuation operations. Were going to continue going to the end, he said.

Taliban extremists have been see at new layers of checkpoints installed on roads leading to the airport with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces.

Taliban extremists stand guard in a Humvee vehicle outside of Kabul airport on Aug. 28, 2021, after a deadly suicide bombing. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said on Twitter that Taliban senior leaders on Friday had committed to not preventing anyone from traveling out of Afghanistan by air or land in a nationwide address and said the U.S. government, its allies, and the international community would hold the Taliban to their commitment.

3/3 The statement is positive. We, our allies, and the international community will hold them to these commitments. Partial translation of statement of the relevant section on travel. pic.twitter.com/glr6xCeLAo  U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) August 28, 2021

But despite this, members of Congress said Saturday that they were receiving reports that Afghans and some Americans had been blocked at the Taliban checkpoints from traveling to the airport for evacuation.

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), former White House physician and retired Navy rear admiral, posted to Twitter after the security alert, that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban at check points and told to leave and come back with large sums of money.

He added that some Americans who managed to reach the airport were then not allowed in by the State Department.

Theyve been just outside the airport numerous times, but the State Department WILL NOT help them, Jackson said, expressing his significant concern for their lives.

Other members of Congress have also expressed their concern about airport access for Americans, which seems to have paused along with the security alert of the credible threat at airport gates.

U.S. citizens are not being allowed into Kabul international, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) posted to Twitter at midnight on Saturday.

The state department has been reached for comment.

While most U.S. allies have now finished their evacuation flights, the United States has said it plans to keep its round-the-clock flights going until the Aug. 31 deadline.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Watch Next:

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Special Ops Michael Brewer on Heroic Rescue Efforts Airlifting Americans, Afghans out of Afghanistan

More information can be found at Project Afghan Relief Fund: http://parf.us
A man passes by a section of roof that was blown off of a building in the French Quarter by Hurricane Ida winds, in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 29, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

Hurricane Ida Ravaging Louisiana With Catastrophic Winds as 450,000 Lose Power

Hurricane Ida is ravaging portions of southeastern Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Centers (NHCs) latest update on the evening of Aug. 29, as more than 440,000 customers across the region have lost power.

The hurricanes northern eyewall made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at around 12:50 p.m. ET, according to the NHC. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour and a minimum central pressure of 930 millibars. It made a second landfall in nearby Galliano.

As of 4 p.m., the NHC said that Ida is moving northwestward over southeastern Lousiana, bringing catastrophic storm surge (a rise in ocean level), flash flooding, and extreme winds to the area. The storm currently has 130 mph winds, the NHC said.

The 150 mph winds are stronger than Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 storm, when it made landfall in southeastern Louisiana 16 years ago.

Before and after security camera footage from Fire Station #12 in Delacroix within a 1 hour time span. #idahurricane #HurricaneIda #Hurricane #Category4 pic.twitter.com/9PL8V9KySA  St. Bernard Parish (@StBGov) August 29, 2021

According to PowerOutages.us in an update at 5:20 p.m., more than 449,000 customers were without power in Louisiana, and thousands more had lost power in neighboring Mississippi.

Flooding is the greatest danger posed by Ida, as 12 to 16 feet of storm surge is expected near the mouth of the Mississippi River as well as Port Fourchon.

A turn toward the north is expected overnight, followed by a slightly faster northeastward motion by Monday night and Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Ida will move farther inland over southeastern Louisiana tonight. Ida is then forecast to move well inland over portions of western Mississippi Monday and Monday night, and move across the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday, according to the NHC.

Streets in parts of New Orleans have already started to flood, according to footage posted online, and the NHC said storm surge is already starting to impact the coast. Parts of Grand Isle appear to be completely inundated by storm surge, according to videos posted online.

The New Orleans Emergency Management Services wrote on Aug. 29 that it has suspended all operations.

NOEMS operations have been suspended due to dangerous winds, the department wrote in a tweet on Aug. 29. Operations will start again once conditions are safe for first responders.

Stunning video taken from inside the eye of #Ida this morning by the NESDIS Ocean Winds Research team during a flight on the @NOAA_HurrHunter P3 aircraft @NOAASatellites pic.twitter.com/sjt970Yeiq  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 29, 2021

This is going to be a devastating hurricane, President Joe Biden said on Aug. 29 at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters. He told locals that they should please take precautions.  Take it really very seriously.

The whole of government is going to work on storm recovery after Idas devastating impacts, the president said, adding that it will take a long time for power to be restored in some areas. Biden also warned of heavy rainfall in the area, coming as the National Hurricane Center warned of between 12 and 20 inches of rain falling in the area.

The storm surge, along with winds as strong as 150 mph, could leave portions of southeastern Lousiana uninhabitable for weeks or even months, according to a statement from the National Weather Service in New Orleans, noting that some buildings along the coast will wash away due to the high winds and storm surge.

Between 15 and 20 inches of rainfall could come to New Orleans, the NHC said, noting that the citys pumping systems could be overwhelmed, according to the National Weather Service.

A truck is seen in heavy winds and rain from hurricane Ida in Bourg, La., on Aug. 29, 2021. (MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)

On Aug. 28, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Ida could be the worst storm to hit his state in 170 years and the worst since Hurricane Katrina, which hammered New Orleans and surrounding areas 16 years ago to the day, killing about 2,000 people and displacing tens of thousands more.

As conditions begin to deteriorate, stay in a safe place. Watch your local news, continue to heed the warnings of local officials, and do not put yourself in danger. Today is not the day to be outside, Edwards also wrote in an Aug. 29 morning tweet.

Time is not on our side. Its just rapidly growing, its intensifying, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said on Aug. 28. If youre voluntarily evacuating our city, now is the time to leave  you need to do so immediately, if youre planning to ride it out again make sure that youre able to hunker down.

Seeking higher ground from flooding, a car is parked on the Mississippi River levee just downriver from New Orleans, back left, as Hurricane Ida arrives in Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP)

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves warned that his state could experience hurricane-force winds.

[Ida is] moving fast and landfall of the storms eye is expected [around] 1 p.m. today in south Louisiana. Hurricane level winds [are] possible as [the] storm enters SW MS south of Natchez area in next 24 hours, Reeves wrote on Twitter. Please be weather aware, get prepared, and watch for updates!
Former New York Times journalist and author Alex Berenson speaks on censorship, freedom of speech, at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2021. (CPAC/Screenshot via NTD)

Twitter Permanently Suspends Alex Berenson Over Viral COVID-19 Tweets

Twitter has permanently suspended former New York Times journalist and author Alex Berenson, an outspoken critic of CCP virus mandates and lockdownsas well as censorship by Big Tech.

The account you referenced has been permanently suspended for repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation rules, a Twitter spokesperson told news outlets on Aug. 28.

Berenson, on his Substack page, also confirmed the suspension, writing, Goodbye, Twitter.

This was the tweet that did it, he wrote, referring to a now-deleted tweet that criticized those who want vaccine mandates. Entirely accurate. I cant wait to hear what a jury will make of this. Meantime, guess youll be getting more Substacks.

Berenson later noted that the ban didnt surprise him.

I expected this day was coming, he wrote. And Twitter cant touch my Substack (in fact, it reportedly tried to buy Substack last year, but Substack fortunately said no).

Berenson also hinted at possibly filing a lawsuit against Twitter over the suspension.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies have said that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective after clinical trials and say that side effects are rare. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walenksy and others have cited studies saying that the vaccines dont necessarily prevent transmission of COVID-19, but have stated that the shots limit the severity of the illness.

Berenson worked for The New York Times from 1999 until 2010 before becoming a full-time author.

In July, Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of President Joe Bidens COVID-19 advisers, criticized Berenson for his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Its horrifying.  I just dont get that. I mean, and I dont think that anybody who is thinking clearly can get that, he said of the crowds response to Berensons speech.

Before his suspension, Berenson had often cited the results of a preprint Israeli study that found that previous COVID-19 infection provides better protection against the Delta variant than any of the COVID-19 vaccines.

SARS-CoV-2-naive vaccinees had a 13.06-fold increased risk for breakthrough infection with the Delta variant compared to those previously infected, when the first event (infection or vaccination) occurred during January and February of 2021, the study reads.

SARS-CoV-2 is another name for the CCP virus.

Those who were vaccinated, the study found, were also at a higher risk of being hospitalized compared to people who were previously infected.

Berenson also assailed what he described as Big Tech censorship, writing for The Wall Street Journal in December that the pandemic has ushered in a new age of censorship and suppression.

Information has never been more plentiful or easier to distribute. Yet we are sliding into a new age of censorship and suppression, encouraged by technology giants and traditional media companies. As someone whos been falsely characterized as a coronavirus denier, I have seen this crisis firsthand, he wrote, with Amazon twice having allegedly blocked the publication of his book.
With Afghanistan, Medias Pro-Biden Views Outweighed by Its Anti-Americanism

Shortly after President Biden announced last week that he had no regrets about Americas exit from Afghanistan, in spite of the inescapable tragedy unfolding there as a result of it, NBC News ran a story on their website headed: What is the Biden doctrine? Afghanistan pullout offers clues.

Some clues! Some doctrine! But, looked at in the right way, the pullout did offer some clues about the Biden strategy for dealing with the Islamist threat. Not that this strategy relied, as NBCs White House correspondent Josh Lederman supposed, on pragmatism but that it could hardly be said to have existed at all.

Lederman was hardly the only media sycophant looking for ways to justify the actions of the president he and so many others had taken such pains to put into office.

The ever-reliable and indefatigable Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post could find nothing in the Afghan tragedy that could be blamed on President Biden. She wasnt even sure it was a tragedy, noting that the medias premature declaration of failure looks off-base. Indeed, the coverage has tended to ignore or minimize the achievements of U.S. military and State Department personnel, which have exceeded any previous noncombatant evacuation operation.

Like the President himself, she appears to have had no regrets about the Afghan pullout.

Writing for The New York Times, Ezra Klein on Aug. 26 scolded: Lets Not Pretend That the Way We Withdrew From Afghanistan Was the Problem. Gee, Ezra, was it even a problem?

Yes, Ezra allowed that it was. A better withdrawal was possible, he allowed, but the real problem was that we were in Afghanistan in the first place. There was no good way to lose Afghanistan to the Taliban.

Hes like the farmer who, asked for directions to a neighboring farm, replies: If I were you, I wouldnt start from here. Very helpful, that isat least in absolving Biden of any blame for the fiasco and shifting it onto his predecessors.

And yet the attentive might have noticed that there was also, for the first time since the President became the front-runner for the Democratic nomination 18 months ago, at least an implied note of criticism of him in quite a lot of the medias coverage of the pulloutespecially that which comes in the form of broadcast images of obvious human tragedy to which questions of how we got here are irrelevant.

Indeed, over at National Review, my friend Rich Lowry calls their coverage of the Afghanistan disaster the medias finest hour.

He writes that, on Afghanistan, Joe Biden in effect set out to test how much shameless incompetence and dishonesty the media would accept. The answer? Not nearly enough. The press is blatantly biased and has become even more so over time, repeatedly propagating false narratives that have shredded its credibility. Still, there are limits beyond which even it cant be pushed.

Judging by the howls of protest from die-hard Biden believers, hes right, too. Eric Levitz of New York magazines Intelligencer column, for example, complains that The Media Manufactured Bidens Political Fiasco in Afghanistan Straight news has chosen sanctimony over circumspection.

Actually, according to Eric, everything in Kabul is hunky-dory just now.

Americas withdrawal from Afghanistan has yet to cost our nation a single casualty, he wroteobviously, before Thursdays bombing at the Kabul airport killed twelve U.S. Marines and a Navy medic among other victims.

Evacuations of U.S. citizens and allies from Kabuls airport are proceeding at a faster pace than the White House had promised, or than its critics had deemed possible. Afghanistans decades-long civil war has reached a lull, if not an end. On the streets of Kabul, order and quiet have replaced rising crime and violence. Meanwhile, the Taliban is negotiating with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai over the establishment of an inclusive government acceptable to all Afghans.

In other words, whats not to like? In his view, its only the nasty, biased, right-wing media that would have you believe that theres anything disastrous or humiliating to be seen here.

Its true that this view of the matter is not a common one in the media. But as a long-time observer of their ways, Im a bit more cynical than Lowry is about their new-found love of telling truth to (Democratic) power.

Im even more cynical than his NR colleague Ramesh Ponnuru, another friend, who writes at Bloomberg of the eight better explanations for the medias apparent hawkishness on Afghanistan than that they have suddenly turned pro-war and anti-Biden.

The eight reasons, however, really boil down to one: that you cant spin a military defeatespecially one in which the defeated are visible to news camerasto make it look like victory.

All true, I have no doubt. But I think that, over and above these explanations for what looks to those with a narrowly political focus like a volte-face by the media, there is one, over-riding consideration.

For more important to the media mandarins even than their pro-Biden sentiments are their anti-American onesand especially their permanent opposition to anything that looks like American military adventurism against the worlds bad guys.

They may not be overt about it, but in their hearts they delight in American defeatsas they did back in 1975 at the similarly sudden and chaotic American exit from Vietnam. Why? Because Americas military humiliation always equals, in direct proportion, their own vindication, and that of their reflexive anti-war bias. Its an opportunity for one big I-told-you-so that they will never be able to pass up, even to please a media darling like Joe Biden.

The true note of media self-righteousness was struck in a News Analysis piece by Adam Nossiter in the Sunday New York Times.

Americas Afghan War: A Defeat Foretold? read the headline. Recent history suggests that it is foolish for Western powers to fight wars in other peoples lands and that the U.S. intervention was almost certainly doomed from the start. See? We told you so!

I dont doubt that the media will smooth things over with President Biden in the weeks to comeat least if he isnt so fatally weakened, politically, by then that they decide to turn on him again and cut him loose, permanently, from their good graces.

They may even come around to Levitzs view that there was nothing so very bad about a Taliban take-over in Afghanistan after allparticularly if the news cameras are kicked out before the warlords get down to the serious business of reprisals against the remaining American allies and ancillaries.

But the media wont forget to paste in their scrapbooks yet another demonstration, at least in their own eyes, of their bedrock conviction that America and Americas war-making power can never, ever, be a force for good in the world.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
YouTube Channel Restored for Big Tech, Pandemic Coverage Critic Naomi Wolf

YouTube has abruptly restored liberal skeptic Naomi Wolfs DailyClout video channel, after an article in The Epoch Times drew attention to its sudden deletion last week.

Wolf, a co-founder of the DailyClout website, is a widely published journalist and bestselling author of books such as The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women (1990) and The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot (2007). She was an adviser to then-President Bill Clintons 1996 reelection campaign and to then-Vice President Al Gore, both Democrats.

Earlier this summer, Twitter banned Wolf, who has been critical of vaccine passports and media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, as The Epoch Times reported at the time. Twitter said Wolf had disseminated vaccine misinformation in violation of the microblogging websites policies, a claim she denies.

Wolf said she was deplatformed by Twitter after sharing with 146,000 followers UNC senior researcher Dr. Ralph Barics resume, which shows that his work on gain-of-function research had been funded by the federal government, a fact already reported in the media.

The Epoch Times reported last week that the civic-minded, informational DailyClout channel was deleted by YouTube sometime on Aug. 24 after a video was posted that featured Wolf conducting an interview with Leslie Manookian, president and founder of Health Freedom Defense Fund Inc., a prominent critic of mandatory mask policies in schools.

Around the time the channel disappeared, YouTube sent DailyClout an email advising that a video titled Dr Naomi Wolf and Leslie Manookian speak about her award-winning documentary The Greater Good, had been removed for violating YouTubes medical misinformation policy.

YouTube doesnt allow claims about COVID-19 vaccinations that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or the World Health Organization (WHO), stated the email.

Wolf countered that the video was not filled with contentious material. It included information already disseminated by Public Citizen, Axios, and Vanity Fair.

But in an email time-stamped Aug. 26 at 7:47 p.m. ET, YouTube advised Wolfs website that it had made a mistake and resurrected the video channel.

Were pleased to let you know that weve recently reviewed your YouTube account, and after taking another look, we can confirm that it is not in violation of our Terms of Service. We have lifted the suspension of your account, and it is once again active and operational, according to the email, which was obtained by The Epoch Times.

Wed like to thank you for your patience while we reviewed this case. Our goal is to make sure content doesnt violate our Community Guidelines so that YouTube can be a safe place for alland sometimes we make mistakes trying to get it right. We hope you understand, and were sorry for any inconvenience or frustration this has caused.

Wolf told The Epoch Times that while she was glad the channel, which she said features nerdy, nonpartisan, straight-up public interest reporting, was restored, she remains worried about YouTubes future behavior.

DailyClout is a company, but our business model is about communicating information, Wolf said. This cant happen to us again. What Im trying to say is its not just about me, but its about DailyClout, the community, and the people who count on us to keep them informed.

When the channel was restored, more than 300,000 views were removed from the view counter and thousands of subscribers disappeared, Wolf said.

She said she was concerned that a big tech company like YouTube can silence any small business owner, or any news outlet, or any reporter  and damage can be done to their business or their reputation at any time.

Its not American to police speech in this way, Wolf said.

The current situation with rampant social media censorship is unsustainable if we want to survive as a democracy, Wolf said. I do think that proposals to regulate social media platforms as utilities makes sense conceptually.

Wolf remains concerned that the United States is moving in the direction of the Chinese social credit system.

Im like day and night terrified about it, and its arriving at warp speed, she said. One reason I may be on the radar of big tech companies is because I was one of the first voices to really raise the alarm about vaccine passports.

Wolf said The Epoch Times helped get her channel restored.

I did just want to add, for the record, my sincere appreciation for The Epoch Times, since it is the only major site to do serious reporting on these issues in my view. Without the scrutiny of The Epoch Times, I doubt YouTube would have reversed course, she said.

The Epoch Times reached out to YouTube, which is owned by Google, for a comment over the weekend and received a nonspecific automated email reply promising The Google Press Team would get back to [us] as soon as possible. No further reply was received by press time.
WESTPORT  Both the most recent U.S. Census and a report of the U.S. Postal Service show that Westports population has been growing for years. But what impact have those new people had on the town itself?

Some town officials said the bump seems to have had an effect on school enrollments, home sales and foot traffic at area businesses.

We are thrilled with all the new residents in town, said Second Selectwoman Jen Tooker. They are shopping in our stores, dining in our restaurants and enjoying Westports amenities. We are excited of the new energy in town.

But others, including Westports first selectman, said its still not fully clear what the numbers mean.

According to the latest U.S. Census, Westports overall population went from 26,391 in 2010 to 27,141 in 2020  a population growth of about 2.8 percent. Additionally, Westport had one of the highest numbers of new residents in 2020 according to a CBRE analysis of change-of-address notifications Connecticut and New York filed with the U.S. Postal Service. CBRE is a Dallas-based commercial real estate services and investment firm.

In 2020, Westport had 2,731 incoming changes-of-address offsetting 2,059 outgoing as reported to the U.S. Postal Service, for a net gain of 672 households.

First Selectman Jim Marpe said, to his knowledge, many of the new arrivals in 2020 were young people who had left Westport, then moved back home during the COVID-19 pandemic to live with their parents.

We saw that many stayed long enough to change their address back to their parents address, he said. Whether they all remain for the long term is hard to know, but some will no doubt find that living in Westport is attractive even to a young millennial who was focused on living in an urban environment.

Some other numbers indicate that the towns growth might be more than a matter of people returning to the nest. According to the Town Clerks office, home sales have gone from 471 in fiscal year 2019, to 516 in fiscal year 2020 and to 952 in fiscal year 2021.

The towns schools also saw a higher than projected enrollment this year. The projected enrollment for the 2021-22 school year was 5,190, but the actual enrollment is 5,274, according to John Bayers, Westport Public Schools assistant superintendent for human resources and general administration.

Though the increase isnt huge, it might have some impact on staffing, as only a certain number of students are allowed in each section of a grade, said Superintendent Thomas Scarice. For instance, a section might be only a few students away from reaching its limit, so even a small increase in enrollment could lead to an extra section.

Bayers confirmed that five class sections have been added at the elementary school level due to the bump in enrollment, but its still unclear what impact this will have on the districts number of full-time employees, which was projected to be about 928 for the school year. Bayers said, right now, the number is still fluid.

In general, Scarice said, the recent increase shouldnt have a huge impact on the schools. For a while, he said, enrollment in the district had been declining. This (increase) kind of flattens that out, he said.

On a more somber note, there has also been an increased demand for social services in Westport, said Elaine Daignault, the towns director of human services.

The department has noted an increase in requests for assistance, but not necessarily from new residents, Daignault said. We are receiving more calls from seniors and families looking to downsize their homes and stay in town. Several are having trouble paying rent or mortgages and are looking for more affordable housing options.

One area where the growing population is having a positive impact is on local businesses, particularly in the downtown area. Randy Herbertson, president of the Westport Downtown Association, said the residents were early and eager patrons of local businesses, even during periods of high COVID-19 activity.

This energy definitely influenced and expanded to our existing resident base this year, resulting in an even more vibrant and busy district, he said. We believe that many of these formally urban residents were just used to seeking out a central business district, and less concerned about parking right in front of a merchant as well. Most large cities do require a bit of walking.

Matthew Mandell, executive director and president of the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, echoed those sentiments somewhat. The changeover in population brings new vibrancy and curiosity which is good for business and the town as a whole, Mandell said.

However, he was concerned about the potential impact the population increase could have on traffic and, hence, access to local businesses. More people brings more business, but not if the people cant get to those businesses, he said. There is a fine line we will be walking and something we need to keep an eye on.
EDWARDSVILLE  For Chris Azar, the secret to a successful home rehab project is teamwork, and there was plenty of it on display Saturday.

Azar is president of Rebuilding Together Southwest Illinois, which is committed to rehabilitating the houses of low-income, elderly, veterans and homeowners with a disability.

Along with volunteers from various organizations, Azar and his crew were building a new wheelchair ramp and replacing a backyard deck at the Edwardsville home of Evan and Anita Cheatham.

Were an all-volunteer organization and every dime we get goes straight into projects for homeowners in the community, Azar said.

We just want to make things better. Thats always our plan when we go into a project. We have so many extraordinary volunteers and we want to do as much as we can for the homeowner.

Rebuilding Together is the nations leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing home repair and renovation services free of charge to those in need.

The Cheathams fit the profile of the type of homeowners that Rebuilding Together typically assists, and once Azar found out about their plight, he and other organizations jumped in to help.

The wife had a stroke in June. The family reached out to DeeAnn Billings through an outreach ministry that DeeAnn has in the area, said Azar, who had more than a dozen volunteers working on Saturday. DeeAnn reached out to me at Rebuilding Together Southwest Illinois. I then reached out to some folks at Scott Air Force Base and a group of volunteers from various churches to come together and build the ramp.

l also reached out to Edwardsville Neighbors, whom weve partnered with on a number of projects, and theyre paying for all of this. The price tag for this project will be around $2,000, but it would be a lot more if we didnt have volunteer labor.

The Scott AFB volunteers were part of the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron at the base. Saturdays project was the fifth in which the squadron has partnered with Rebuilding Together.

I reached out to Chris back in February when I was doing some research online. Ive always loved doing house projects, so I called him and asked him if he needed volunteers, said Lindsey Barrish, who is a technical sergeant at Scott AFB. I thought it was a wonderful way for our squadron to come out and help the community because were taught these skills in CE.

We dont always get a chance to use these skills around the base because its more maintenance. With projects like this, were building from scratch, which is great.

Barrishs fellow volunteers from the base included Senior Airman Michael Chiang and Staff Sergeant Carson St. Andrews, who were both doing their first project with Rebuilding Together.

I just got an email and I decided to do it, Chiang said. I enjoy helping the community and today Im just helping wherever its needed.

Like Airman Chiang, I got an email asking for volunteers, St. Andrews said. This gives me a chance to branch out and do some hands-on work. I do more planning and that type of stuff, so I like getting my hands dirty and break a sweat.

In addition to building the wheelchair ramp, the volunteers replaced rotten deck boards in the backyard, took down a swing set and trimmed bushes and did general yard cleanup.

It was a 13 x 18-foot deck, and all of the decking was rotting out, so we wanted to make it safe, Azar said. We replaced all of the decking and were going to replace the railing.

There was a swing set in the backyard that was also falling apart. We took that apart and threw the rotten wood away and were going to repurpose the actual swing equipment. Were going to have somebody pick it up on Sunday and they can put it back together with new wood.

Sam Cheatham, who is the Cheathams son, was on hand Saturday to watch the volunteers spruce up his parents home.

He was especially thankful for the efforts of Rebuilding Together and the other organizations involved.

Back in June, my mom had a stroke, and she lost the movement in her right leg and right arm, Cheatham said. She was in the rehab center for a month and a half or two months. Its been difficult for her, but shes slowly regaining all of that movement and her spirits are up.

We needed a wheelchair ramp and one of my moms friends goes to a church where she knows Chris. They got in contact with our family, and it was definitely a blessing. The estimate for a wheelchair ramp (including paid labor) was about $4,000 and its great to have some help with that.

Cheatham also chipped in with helping to rebuild the deck.

I figured I wasnt working today so I might as well help out where I can, Cheatham said. It wouldnt feel right if I was sitting back just watching.

Among the volunteers was Larry Niemann, who is a neighbor of Azar.

This is the fourth or fifth project Ive done with Chris, Niemann said. In a situation like this, there were stairs where were putting in the wheelchair ramp.

The homeowners dont have the ability to do it themselves and this saves them some money. When you get a bunch of people together to work on it, its a great project for a great cause.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Azar and his volunteers are busier than ever.

Two years ago, which was pre-COVID, we did seven projects, Azar said. Last year even during COVID, we did 16. This is our 22nd project for this year.

I think thats a direct result of so many great volunteers that we have. We can do so much more when folks come together and want to help others.

As with many nonprofits, fundraising during the pandemic has been a challenge for Rebuilding Together.

But with the assistance of Edwardsville Neighbors and other organizations, Rebuilding Together continues to help as many people as possible.

Were doing our website (rebuildswi.org) to make our online presence even better, Azar said. In October, were going to start our annual online fundraising campaign, which will last three weeks to a month.

Because of COVID, we feel its too uncertain to have in-person fundraising events. Its something weve shied away from for the past two years.

To volunteer or to make a donation, go to https://www.rebuildswi.org/, call 618-960-2440, email help@rebuildswi.org or visit Rebuilding Together Southwest Illinois on Facebook.
New entry rules for Phuket to come into effect Sept 1

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has announced that new rules for people to enter Phuket by land, sea or air will come into effect this Wednesday (Sept 1).

COVID-19Coronavirushealth

By The Phuket News

Sunday 29 August 2021, 06:18PM

The announcement came following the meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 28).

It also comes as the number of local COVID infections across the island continue to escalate and after the new Sandbox 7+7 travel bubble allowing fully vaccinated tourists to spend their first seven nights in Phuket and the following seven nights in other designated Sandbox areas, including in Khao Lak in Phang Nga, Phi Phi Island in Krabi, and Koh Samui in Surat Thani.

Present at the meeting yesterday were Phuket Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong, along with Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor), as well as representatives of key tourism businesses and operators.

Governor Narong noted the high number of local infections across the island, saying that most were related to workers camps and areas near ports serving Phukets commercial fishing fleet.

Infections in those areas were averaging some 150 new cases being confirmed each day, he said.

Governor Narong said the current situation was still controlled, and that many of the new cases were being identified by proactive screening using antigen test kits (ATKs).

He also assured that the current COVID-prevention and response measures in place were effective, and that the island still had enough hospital beds and medical staff to provide appropriate care for those now confirmed as infected.

Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), repeated his explanations that many of the new infections were Green patients, meaning they are experiencing only light symptoms of infection.

However, officials were now considering restricting movement of people in Phuket and looking at revising the current restrictions in place to determine whether they are effective enough for the current situation.

Some restrictions may need to be upgraded to increase efficiency, Dr Kusak said.

Organising activities within the province, such as events, the movement of labourers and activities that are at risk of spreading COVID-19 may need to be more intense, he said.

In this regard, we asked people to be more intense in their personal measures to protect themselves from infection. Establishments must act accordingly, and strictly follow disease control measures and the DMHTTA policy, he added.

As for people wanting to enter Phuket, Governor Narong noted, As for the screening measures for people from outside the Phuket area, it is currently under discussion with related parties to obtain complete information.

It is expected that on Monday, August 30, will come to a conclusion about the screening measures for people entering the Phuket area so that we can announce an order in Phuket Province that will come into effect on September 1, 2021, he said.

STUCK IN THE SANDBOX

Of note, on Friday (Aug 27) representatives from Phuket tour business submitted a formal request to Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew asking his office to revise some of the rules regarding one day tours for Phuket Sandbox tourists.

One of the points  as explained by Wirintra Paphakityotphat, President of the Phuket Travel Agents Association  was that tourists who tested negative on arrival and two more times during their stay in Phuket should be allowed to re-enter Phuket after their one-day trips to other Sandbox areas without the need to test again.

The same should apply to car and boat drivers, tour guides and other staff participating in the trips, she added.

If they are fully vaccinated, they should not have to present test results which increases the costs for tour operators, Ms Wirintra said.

In turn, Governor Narong told the representatives that their suggestion would be discussed with the Communicable Disease Committee.
Phuket Opinion: A tradition of corruption

PHUKET: The outrageous killing of drug suspect in custody in Nakhon Sawan by suffocating him with plastic bags tied over his head this week has brought the spotlight yet again onto violent corrupt police in Thailand  and there is absolutely nothing new in how this latest despicable act is being treated to lead the public into believing that anything will be done to prevent similar abuses in the future.

opinionpolicecorruptionviolencecrime

By The Phuket News

Sunday 29 August 2021, 09:00AM

Photo: NNT

National Police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuks statement that the killing of 24-year-old Chiraphong Thanapat while being interrogated by no less than six officers under the direct command of Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon, chief of Nakhon Sawan Police Station at the time, had damaged the image of the Royal Thai Police needs to be taken not with a pinch of salt, but a whole dose of them. The only way this incident can cause more damage to an image that has been blighted with corruption for decades is to lay down the principle that killing people in custody is a no-no.

Public perception was already out of the gate within hours of of Thitisan being presented at the national police headquarters in Bangkok on Thursday night with Thai social media abuzz with concerns that police were already working to protect their own. That public understanding of how the Royal Thai Police works did not come out of nowhere; that is exactly how people understand how the Royal Thai Police works.

Already the entire handling of the incident is collapsing into a debacle of incredulity, not including Thitisans own statements to the press  bar his claim that he did not intend to kill Chiraphong. How can you get any money from a suspect whos dead?

The rest of the trumpeting that justice will be served is already falling on deaf ears. Why would a fugitive with such financial means who is already at large surrender at will? Common perception has it that the deal has already been done.

As for the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announcing that it will now investigate Thitisans finances is a little late, and comes after his luxury mansion and collection of elite luxury cars, giving him the nickname Jo Ferrari, were already well known. Its as if the NACC and the Royal Thai Police are now saying they had no idea Thitisan was of such wealth, at this stage estimated to be upwards of B250 million. Believe that one if you want. Keep in mind that as a police colonel Thitisans monthly salary from the government was B40,000. Then again, extremely wealthy police colonels in Thailand are not exactly rare.

In case the upper echelons of lawmakers and law enforcement in the country are not aware, people are not holding their breath for justice to be served in this case. Its just another despicable act by corrupt police who are nothing more than gangsters in uniform. Thats the perception.

What people are tired of is nothing being done to address police corruption. There is no reason this latest case will result in genuine reform, mostly because all the public has received this time, yet again, are assurances that reforms are underway. Those assurances came from the very same office that has had the past seven years to start tackling the problem.

This has been going on so long the image problem the Royal Thai Police has is that no one in an appropriate position of authority wants to implement real change simply because they either benefit from it or are powerless to do anything about it. With decades of history showing that this holds true regardless of which political players are in power, or who has been installed as the latest national police chief, speaks for itself.

There is no need to worry about the image of the Royal Thai Police when it comes to any effort to counter corruption, simply because it couldnt get much worse. In the meantime, the general public can rest assured in how easy it is to identify an honest cop in Thailand. Hes the poor one.
DANBURY  Four police officers who were criticized for their response to a viral incident at Danbury Library last month were found to have violated various police policies and faced penalties ranging from training refreshers to suspension, according to an internal affairs investigation.

Officer Ken Utter, who was caught on police body camera footage saying a YouTuber would have been dead 20 years ago, faced the steepest penalty  an eight-day suspension without pay and remedial training, according to a written reprimand released to The News-Times through a Freedom of Information Act reuest on Friday.

The police chief determined the penalties following an internal affairs investigation and hearings where the officers could have union representation. The investigation began after a viral video of the June 9 incident, as well as a complaint YouTuber SeanPaul Reyes filed with the department claiming officers violated his rights.

Reyes, of Bellport, N.Y., was visiting the library for a First Amendment audit, a growing trend in which people try to film inside public or municipal buildings to see how government officials respond.

Officers were exonerated of Reyes claim that they had violated his constitutional rights by telling him he could not film video in the library, Chief Patrick Ridenhour states in the report. Libraries are considered limited public forums, which means library administrators have the right to implement reasonable rules to ensure that the facility is used for its intended purposes, he said.

In this case, library officials deemed your conduct to be disruptive, Ridenhour wrote to Reyes in a letter dated Aug. 17. We also have an independent witness who stated that you were loud and using profanity towards the security guard prior to police arrival, which caused at least one of the library patrons to leave.

However, the investigation found some officers failed to act appropriately or to use their body-worn cameras properly, according to the investigative report.

The investigation also revealed concerns with the way some of the officers responded to disparaging comments that you made towards them, the overall interaction during this incident, and comments that were made in the aftermath, Ridenhour wrote to Reyes in a letter dated Aug. 17. This too has been addressed through our internal processes.

Sgt. John Dickinson, who was called to the library later as a supervisor, received a written reprimand and was ordered to take a brief refresher training on how to operate his body-worn camera, according to an Aug. 6 memorandum signed by the chief. Reyes has filed an intent to sue Dickinson.

Officer Christopher Dennis was required to take counseling and remedial training, according to an Aug. 9 memorandum. Officer Paul Tibbitts was suspended for three days without pay and was required to take remedial training, according to an Aug. 12 memorandum.

Attempts to reach the officers through a police union representative were unsuccessful Friday.

Mayor Joe Cavo said he had long discussions with the police chief about how the officers would be disciplined.

Mostly we wanted to make sure that our folks got retraining, some de-escalation techniques and make sure that everyone is clearly aware of what people can and cannot do with regards to video taping, he said.

The report was released Friday morning, around the time that Reyes was set to appear in Danbury Judicial Court to face criminal trespass and breach of peace charges from a visit to Danbury City Hall in July.

The investigation included Reyes YouTube video, radio transmissions, body-warn camera footage and phone calls pertaining to the incident, according to the report. The department interviewed a patron who said he heard Reyes used profanity and left the library due to the disturbance, the report states.

The five officers involved in the incident, including one who investigators found did not violate any policies, either declined to meet or did not respond to a request to meet with two officers leading the internal investigation.

Rude behavior

The investigation determined officers Dennis, Tibbitts and Utter exhibited rude or unprofessional conduct toward the public or in public view, according to Ridenhours written comments. Utter had two counts of this violation.

The confrontational behavior of Utter and Tibbitts, who were suspended, fell way below expectations, especially given your training and experience, Ridenhour wrote in Aug. 12 memorandums.

The first count Utter faced was due to his interactions with Reyes, while the second count was due to disturbing comments the officer made while walking away from the YouTuber, the chief said.

The moment was captured on the police body camera footage.

You know what Im telling you right now, f****** five years ago with this s*** he would have been on the f****** ground, Utter said.

Absolutely, Tibbitts said.

And 20 year ago, that m*****f***** would be dead, Utter said. Hed be f******  his teeth would be missing.

These comments were an aggravating factor in Utters discipline, the chief wrote.

While I understand that you were clearly frustrated after a tense encounter comments such as these are never acceptable under any circumstances, Ridenhour wrote. They cause embarrassment to our department and can easily hamper our efforts to build and maintain positive relationships with our community.

Cavo said Utter was frustrated by the situation.

I think he was just sort of blowing off steam and making comments, the mayor said. It wasn't to anybody in the public. It was between him and another officer. I'm sure he regrets making those comments and I'm sorry he made those comments, too.

The presumptive penalty for this violation and others Utter made is a one- to 10-day suspension, Ridenhour wrote. He added he initially inclined to impose the maximum penalty, but considered that Utter has been with the department for 25 years with no previous violations or discipline of any kind.

At your pre-disciplinary hearing you took full responsibility for your comments and actions, gave no excuses, and offered a sincere apology, Ridenhour wrote. Your comments, while clearly unacceptable, inflammatory, and made in public view, were anecdotal and not made directly to anyone. There is also no evidence to suggest that you have committed any unlawful assaults on any members of the public during your career.

In addition to his suspension, Utter was told to take a refresher course on body cameras and remedial training to address the concerns that came up in the incident.

The chief cited Tibbitts solely for his behavior around Reyes, but acknowledged the officer for taking extra time with the library staff to do the necessary research to determine that the complainant did not have an unrestricted right to record in the library without permission.

The chief noted Dennis remained calm throughout this incident, even though you were subjected to a barrage of unnecessary personal attacks. Dennis was required to take remedial training that would address the concerns from the incident.

Although your verbal responses to those attacks were at times inappropriate, you were not confrontational and I accept the explanation that some of those responses were an attempt to diffuse the situation with humor rather than escalate it, Ridenhour wrote to Dennis.

Utter and Tibbitts suspensions were in accordance with [their] known work schedule as of Aug. 12. They had to turn in their firearm(s), Taser, badge and police identification to the on-duty shift commander prior to their suspension. They were not eligible for overtime or private duty work during that time.

They were told to contact department or city resources for mental health support if they needed it.

Other violations

Utter and Tibbitts were cited for insubordination because their refusal to stand aside when asked clearly undermined Sergeant Dickinsons ability to effectively diffuse the incident in question, resulting in further escalation, Ridehhour wrote.

Ridenhour said he agreed with the unions argument that the officers didnt disobey any direct orders from Dickinson.

The investigation found Utter did not have his body camera on, while Dickinson did not have his audio on for part of the incident. He turned his audio back on after 16 minutes once he realized it was off, the report states.

Typically, officers would face a one- to 10-day suspension for improper body camera use, but the chief said he considered mitigating factors, including that the incident was recorded on others body cameras and that body cameras are new to the department. In Dickinsons case, Ridenhour considered that the camera recorded video, not audio.

Reyes claimed Utter grabbed and twist[ed] his wrist at one point, but the report disputes this.

After you had lowered your camera, the body camera footage does show that Officer K. Utter reached out in an attempt to raise your camera again to record a statement he was making to you, Ridehour wrote to Reyes. While there is no evidence that he twisted your wrist or caused you any injury, we do acknowledge that this was not an appropriate action and it has been addressed through our internal processes.

Peter Yankowski contributed to this report.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 20C. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 14C. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
ALTON  The face of west-central Illinois is changing, growing both older and more diverse.

Although Madison County and its neighbors remain largely Caucasian, the number of people who identify as multiracial is soaring, according to 2020 Census numbers.

Thats not out of line with the rest of the nation, attributable to such things as readily available DNA testing and also the fading of the stigma the term multiracial could carry even a decade ago.

Nationally, the number of people self-identifying as multiracial rose from 3% in 2010 to more than 10% last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Numerically, it went from 9 million in 2010 to almost 34 million in 2020.

More Information Diversity by the numbers A look at the racial composition of west-central Illinois counties:  Calhoun County: White - 97.1%; Black or African American - 0.4%; American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.2%; Asian - 0.3%; Pacific Islander or Hawaiian - 0; Hispanic - 1.4%; Two or more races - 0.7%.  Greene County: White - 96.1%; Black or African American - 1.3%; American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.3%; Asian - 0.2%; Pacific Islander or Hawaiian - 0; Hispanic - 1.3%; Two or more races, 0.8%.  Jersey County: White - 95.4: Black or African American - 0.8%; American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.4%; Asian - 1%; Pacific Islander or Hawaiian - 0; Hispanic - 1.4%; Two or more races - 1.3%.  Macoupin County: White - 96%; Black or African American - 1%; American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.4%; Asian - 0.4%; Pacific Islander or Hawaiian - 0; Hispanic - 1.3%; Two or more races - 1.1%.  Madison County: White - 84.6%; Black or African American - 8.8%; American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.3%; Asian - 1%; Pacific Islander or Hawaiian - 0.1%; Hispanic - 3.4%; Two or more races, 2.1%. See More Collapse

As the country has grown, we have continued to evolve in how we measure the race and ethnicity of the people who live here, said Nicholas Jones, director and senior adviser for race and ethnicity research and outreach at the Census Bureau. The U.S. population is much more multiracial and more diverse than what we measured in the past.

Most who said they were multiracial were a combination of white and another race, followed by white and Alaskan Native or American Indian, white and Black, and white and Asian.

Madison and Macoupin counties recorded 0.4% increases in those identifying as multiracial over the decade. In Madison County, 2.1% of the population were listed as multiracial, with 1.1% in Macoupin County. The increase was 0.2% in Jersey County (1.3%). It rose 0.1% in Greene County, with 0.8% of the countys population being multiracial.

Nearly 3% of Illinoisans identified as multiracial in 2020.

The one community that has really reduced in number is the white population, Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies researcher Sherrie Taylor told The Center Square news service.

Among individual races, Black, Hispanic and Asian populations showed gains across the region, although some of the increases were statistically small.

Despite those gains across the board, overall population has continued to drop throughout the region, with double-digit decreases seen in Greene County (minus 13.7%).

Nationally, most of the growth was seen in metropolitan areas, particularly in the south and west.

As weve been seeing in our annual population estimates, our nation is growing slower than it used to, said Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the Census Bureau. This decline is evident at the local level, where around 52% of the counties in the United States saw their 2020 populations decrease from their 2010 populations.

Eighty-seven of the 102 counties in Illinois saw population declines from 2010 to 2020.

Compounding the losses, which can mean lower property tax revenue and reductions in population-based state and federal spending, is an aging population.

In Madison County, 17.6% of the population was 65 or older in 2020, marking an increase from 14.3% in 2010, which was unchanged from 2000.

The percentage of total population in other counties that is 65 or older:

 Calhoun: 24.1%, 20.2% in 2010

 Greene County: 20%, 17.2% in 2010

 Jersey County: 19.8%, 15.8% in 2010

 Macoupin County: 20.4%, 17.1% in 2010.

As the population grows older, it can add to the strain of state- and federally funded agencies that provide for their well-being.

Prairie Council on Aging said the challenge is to meet financial demands and continue to offer a non-waiting-list program.

Its Community Care Program helps place in-home care aides, equip seniors with emergency home response systems, and provide automated medicine dispensers in five counties.

It also oversees a program that provides seniors with meals  which already has seen a 15% increase in requests for assistance during pandemic lockdown.

We are not quite at capacity, but we have grown so much in (a) short period of time, executive director Nancy Thorsen said.

In 2011, the agency served 604; last year there were 825 in its service area of Morgan, Cass, Scott, Greene and Jersey counties.

That amounted to more than 40,000 meals.

Volunteers have become an important part of Prairie Council on Aging.

The agency also has started a money management program so seniors can receive help budgeting and paying bills.

Government programming is much more important as the population and age rises, Thorsen said.

Rochelle Eiselt of Hearst Illinois contributed to this article.
Barack Obama recently purchased a $12 million summer place on Marthas Vineyard and planned to host 600 swells there for his 60th birthday, until the resurgent pandemic shrunk his party numbers.

I thought to myself: Come on, Barack, do you really need an over-the-top mansion on an island playground for the rich and famous, strictly separated from the hoi polloi who put you in the White House? And 600 at a party, from George Clooney to Oprah! I cant imagine there could be any memorable conversations, as guests jostled for wine and canapes. The sole purpose of the gathering was obviously to see and be seen, to validate ones social standing.

Let me stipulate that, politics aside, Barack is a good man who wants to do right by his country. After all, as a newbie president in 2009, he and his administration took strong action that prevented a national, probably global, economic collapse. (Unfortunately, after the fact he failed to prosecute the criminals on Wall Street who knowingly sold toxic mortgages to unsuspecting investors.)

My acquaintanceship with Obama goes back to the late 1990s, when he was thinking about Illinois politics, and I was still an expert of sorts on Illinois budgeting and taxation. Barack would attend sessions at which I was on the panelists dais, holding forth. We came to chat after these sessions. A quick learner, Barack was soon himself among the panelists.

Later, when I was teaching American politics at the University of Illinois and Barack was a state senator, I would take my students to Mr. Lincolns hometown for a day at the Capitol. Barack would always give my students more of his time than we deserved. In his charming, intelligent, witty way (Im a Kenyan from Kansas, he would introduce himself), he explained how things worked. My students adored him.

I still recall standing with Barack at a street corner outside the Union League Club in Chicago, after one of our panel discussions. Should I run for the U.S. Senate, Jim? I am sure he was planning to do so, and that he was just stroking me, yet the memory allows me to reflect.

Success in life is often a confluence of talent, drive and good fortune. In the run up to the 2004 Senate race, rather unexpectedly, both wide-open primary and general election races presented themselves. Then, come the Democratic primary, the megabucks front-runner was accused of battering his wife, and his campaign collapsed. Barack moved to the head of the line, and won the nomination.

In the general election campaign, the highly attractive GOP nominee saw his divorce settlement exposed, rich with sexual misadventures, which forced him to withdraw. His replacement was an out-of-state Black man, a kind of minstrel in reverse, who became a joke. Voila. Barack enters the U.S. Senate.

I belabor the above a bit simply to make the point that lady luck played possibly key roles in Obamas success. Who knows? Without that, Barack might today be but a foundation president, not even on the invite list for parties of the high-and-mighty at Marthas Vineyard.

But then, I realized that buying the summer place on the island made good sense. First, the property probably appreciated in value the day he inked the purchase. After all, there are today billionaires for whom eight-figure trophy homes are but trifles. This investment of his will prove valuable to his daughters inheritance.

Second, Barack tells us he needs to raise hundreds of millions for his presidential library and museum in Chicago. (Why it takes hundreds of millions, I know not.) So, and Im serious, his palatial summer place becomes a perfect place to host his fellow nouveau riche overnight. They would become easy marks for seven-figure, tax deductible donations to the Obama museum. (I am sure old money folks would sniff at Baracks raising money for a monument to himself as but an example of newcomer tackiness. But, hey, the old money types inherited their wealth, so why should they be so uppity?)

I come back to my point that Barack is a good man. So, I am hoping he will make his new museum a testament, not only to himself, but also to an America where a fellow from the wrong side of the tracks can still make it to the top.

As for the $12 million summer place and his 600 closest friends: I was more comfortable in America, in my lifetime, when Harry Truman drove Bess in the family car from the White House back to Independence, Missouri, after his service to his country (by the way, stopping overnight at a motel on the outskirts of downstate Decatur). Those days are, I fear, gone, forever.

A former president of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, Jim Nowlan has taught American politics at the University of Illinois and as a foreign expert with the School of International Affairs and Public Administration at Fudan University in Shanghai.
New England business leaders are awaiting the impact of pandemic-era unemployment benefits running out around Labor Day.

The cutoff will affect more than 300,000 people in Massachusetts alone , the Boston Globe reported, as employers grappling with staffing shortages hope more people will enter the job market.

Some low-paid workers will be facing a difficult decision over whether to return.

Reopening the bottom part of this economy is hell, said John Drew, chief executive of Action for Boston Community Development, an antipoverty agency that itself cannot find enough child care workers to staff all of its Head Start classrooms.

For workers who've used the time and benefits to pursue a new career, Drew said, the mindset seems to be: Maybe I can do better than going back to that lousy job I had.

In other pandemic-related news around New England:

NO REMOTE LEARNING

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker told WBZ-TV on Sunday that he doesnt see schools going back to remote learning, especially when the state will likely soon surpass 5 million fully vaccinated residents.

Schools and educators have better information about how to stay healthy and operate safely during the pandemic. And everyone agrees that kids suffered when it came to learning, developing and socializing, he said.

Its hard for me to imagine a scenario where we wont continue to expect kids to be in school. They need to be in school, he said.

___

BULLIED RESTAURANT WORKERS

A New Hampshire restaurateur who's fed up with unruly patrons during the pandemic is standing up for his employees  and his efforts are winning online praise.

Steve Newick, owner of Newick's Lobster House in Dover, said he has seen customers get aggressive over mask mandates, party limits, seafood prices and wait times due to short staffing.

So he posted a sign at the restaurant now spells out expectations of patrons  including that they should act like a calm adult if they experience a problem with their order.

He told the Foster Daily Democrat that he's getting mostly positive feedback for sticking up for his staff.

___

VACCINATION DISCLOSURE

Privacy advocates are concerned about Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamonts recent executive order to allow local health directors to have access to residents vaccinations  but for now, they wont be challenging it.

David McGuire, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said his organization will be monitoring how the order is implemented to ensure it isnt used in a coercive manner.

We have to make sure this is not precedent, whether for this governor or future governors, he told the New Haven Register. This is an order that should be used judiciously by public health officials.

John Cogan, an assistant professor of law at the University of Connecticut who was involved in drafting the federal health privacy provisions, told the newspaper Lamonts order signed this month doesnt conflict with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly referred to as HIPAA.

While doctors and health insurance companies are prohibited by law from sharing a patients personal medical information without the persons consent, HIPAA doesnt prevent the state Department of Public Health from sharing that data.

___

DAY CARE AND MASKS

Masks should be required indoors at Vermont day cares, except for when a child is under 2 years old or has a medical or behavioral exemption, according to new guidance from the Vermont Department for Children and Families.

Masks are not required outdoors, and may be temporarily removed indoors when needed for instructional or operation purposes, according to the guidelines released this month, the Burlington Free Press reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that physical distance should be maintained as much as possible while children are eating and drinking, particularly indoors. Children and staff with any COVID-19 symptoms are advised to stay home.

As of Aug. 19, nearly 4.6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, over 18,000 children have been hospitalized and 402 children died, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported.

___

HEALTH WORKER CONFIDENTIALITY

A MaineGeneral spokesperson says hospital workers don't have to disclose their vaccine status to patients.

The issue came up when a patient repeatedly asked nurses and other staff whether they'd been vaccinated against COVID-19 in an effort to keep unvaccinated workers from treating her.

Helen Hoad of Windsor told the Kennebec Journal that at least two workers declined to answer her question and that a supervisor said nurses wouldn't treat her if she didn't stop asking.

A hospital spokesperson said workers have the same confidentiality rights as patients.

"Employees may choose to answer that question, but they are not required to do so, Joy McKenna said.

The matter will soon be moot. The governor is requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated by Oct. 1.
ALTON  One person was was seriously hurt in an early Sunday morning accident on Illinois 143.

At about 2 a.m. Alton firefighters responded to a crash on Illinois 143 at Lock and Dam Way in Alton where a woman in one of the vehicles involved was reported to be unconscious and pinned inside a vehicle.
PITTSBURGH  Famed World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle once wrote that All Marines are souvenir hunters.

So it may have been with Sgt. Harry Dininger of the 22nd Marine Regiment.

Among his correspondence from the Pacific to his parents in Freeport in 1944, he included five photos hed likely acquired from a dead Japanese soldier in the Marshall Islands.

He sent them home to show his family what the Japanese were like. A year later he was dead, too, cut down by a bullet on Okinawa at age 25.

The photos are portraits of a Japanese family of five, with three children and their parents; a man and a boy; a shirtless young man wielding a bokken, or wooden training sword; a woman in a kimono; and a man, also in a kimono.

Seventy-seven years later and half a world away, Harrys great-nephew is trying to find out who those people were and return the photos to their relatives.

David Wassel, 59, of White Oak, discovered them in the home of Harrys brother Bob, also a World War II combat veteran, when he was cleaning out the house after Bob died.

With the help of a Japanese journalist and producer, hes contacted Japanese authorities and given interviews to Japanese media in an effort to provide a sense of peace for a distant family.

The reason is simple: Empathy for a former enemy.

Harry Diningers remains came home in 1949.

But many families of Japanese soldiers killed in the Pacific received little more than a wooden box with a piece of paper containing the mans name and a pebble signifying his remains, or perhaps a piece of coral or some sand to represent where he died.

With no bones, no artifacts, no dog tags, it was almost like these men never existed.

You cant have closure, but you can have some closure. Harrys family at least had a body. These people got nothing except maybe a pebble, said Wassel, an attorney.

Mariko Fukuyama, an independent producer for Japanese media based in New York, has helped Wassel get the story out across Japan during the past year.

In May she visited White Oak and Freeport to help Huffington Post Japan and Mainichi, the national newspaper, interview Mr. Wassel and shoot video, and she was back last month to do the same for a TV Asahi segment that was set to air Friday night to coincide with the anniversary of the Japanese surrender on Aug. 15, 1945.

For her, the photos feel almost personal.

They really speak to my heart  how close they look like my own family, she said last week. Many Japanese families would probably feel the way I felt when I saw them.

Long-ago photos often resonate with families on both sides of historys most catastrophic war.

Pictures tend to humanize an enemy. Soldiers saw that the people they were fighting were not faceless warriors but young men like them, with parents, siblings and sweethearts.

The U.S. Marines were not the only souvenir collectors; a picture of Harry was also recovered from a dead Japanese soldier, likely taken from Harrys pack after hed been wounded on Guam.

I have to find the family





Like millions of young Americans, Harry and Bob Dininger did their duty during Americas darkest hour.

Harry, a three-sport letterman at Freeport High School and president of the class of 1938, had joined the Marines before the war began and shipped off for the Pacific, seeing action in several island battles. Bob, older by eight years, became a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne and landed at Normandy on D-Day, later fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.

After Bob died in 1999 and his wife, Mary (Curl) Dininger, died in 2002, Wassel found a box of 170 letters in the basement. Bob and Harry had written to each other and to their parents throughout the war. Wassel pored over the correspondence and felt transported to another time.

I went through those things and read the letters and it was other-worldly, he recalled. These people didnt know how this (war) was going to turn out.

Typical of the time and that generation, Bob and Harry tended to understate the hardships and danger. Wartime censorship also curtailed any detailed description of action or location. Harry often just said that everything was swell. The sentiment was not to worry the home folks.

Wassel, whose Marine father fought in Vietnam, had heard stories of World War II from Bob over the years. He wanted his own great-nephew, 9-year-old Chase Wassel, and Chases 2-year-old brother, Ezra, to someday understand their connection to the war years.

Id like this to mean something to them, as well as other young people, in both the United States and Japan, and for them all to take from this a genuine appreciation of history in general and the roles that their own families played in particular, Mr. Wassel said in an email. Thats another reason that finding out who was this young Japanese soldier is so important. It gives young people in both countries the stories of their own countrymen and that of the other country.

Harry never said where he got the photos. Based on the date of the letter, he likely obtained them after fighting on Engebi and Parry islands in February 1944. Some 2,000 Japanese soldiers died on those islands.

The U.S. Marines in the Pacific, as Ernie Pyle wrote, routinely took items from corpses and sent them home. Especially prized were samurai swords and comfort flags carried by Japanese soldiers as good-luck tokens in combat. The Marines also searched bodies for intelligence to help the campaign.

However Harry came by the photos, he wrote home: I sort of thought you would like to see what the people we are fighting look like.

Freeport was a small town then as it is today, and these are probably the first Asian people Harry had ever seen, Mr. Wassel said. I think he was curious.

Mr. Wassel said he felt sympathy for Harry and for the dead Japanese soldier, both young men killed in their prime in a war that left millions dead.

He had long felt the photos should be returned to their owners, but he wasnt sure where to turn.

Ms. Fukuyama became his conduit. In 2018 she spent a few weeks in Uniontown covering the mid-term elections and met Mr. Wassel, who was doing legal work for the Democratic Party. She later returned to Pittsburgh to cover the Tree of Life shootings.

Mr. Wassel stayed in touch with her by email and in 2020 mentioned the photos to her. She was busy at the time and didnt respond, she said. In March he sent her the photos.

Thats when I realized these are family photos, she said. I said, I have to find the family.

The family portrait in particular made an impression, especially the clothing; her own grandmothers had worn similar kimonos.

She got in touch with the Marshall Islands War-Bereaved Families Association, made contacts with her media colleagues and contributed to several stories. The exposure generated a buzz but no leads. At one point the Marshall Islands group reached out to the daughter of an actor, thinking he might be the young man with the sword. But the daughter said it was not him.

A mystery man

After the Marshall Islands fell, the U.S. took Guam in July and August 1944. Harry fought there and was shot in the arm. He spent several months in a hospital on New Caledonia.

My arm is coming along swell and is healing up remarkable, be good as new in a short while, he wrote to his parents. I sure would like to hear from you soon, so I could find out how things are going with Bob over on the other side. Right now things as a whole are going mighty good.

Earlier that August, as the Allies pushed across France after D-Day, Bob sent a hopeful letter to his brother  he addressed him as kid  saying the European war might be over soon. After that, he said, the full force of our men can be turned in your direction. Dont get me wrong, I am not trying to insinuate that you need help but it sure would speed things up. After all, thats of utmost importance, the day when you and I can get back to the village.

It wasnt to be.

The Germans were far from finished and counter-attacked at the Battle of the Bulge that winter.

In the Pacific, Harry recovered from his wound and returned to action for the invasion of Okinawa, the last major campaign of the war, in the spring and summer of 1945.

The war in Europe finally ended that May with the German surrender, but the Japanese gave no sign of giving up as the Allies pushed toward the home islands.

Harry remained optimistic in his letters and even took a dig at his Army brethren. He said the Marines had taken their part of the island but the Army was fouled up and might need the Marines to help.

The dogfaces might be good over in Europe, but they arent any good out here, but if I go down there, there isnt nothing to worry about, he wrote.

He closed that letter with a P.S.: Please dont worry Mom, as the way I see it I dont think of anything happening to me.

Harry met his end at a place called Charlie Hill near Naha City, where the Marines struggled to take and re-take a high ridge from determined Japanese defenders. On May 10, 1945, a machine-gun slug hit him in the chest. He died instantly.

Robert OBrien, a sergeant major from Freeport who had grown up with Harry and served in the Pacific, sent a letter to Harrys parents.

I wont attempt to say that he died for the American way of life, freedom, etc. ... What I will say is that he died bravely, and quickly, which is the best way for a soldier to die, if he has to die at all.

The Battle of Okinawa cost 12,520 American lives  including Ernie Pyle  and left more than 36,000 wounded. About 110,000 Japanese soldiers died, along with as many as 150,000 civilians. The tenacity with which the Japanese fought proved to be a deciding factor in the U.S. decision to drop the atom bomb in August.

Harry was buried on Okinawa. His hometown newspaper announced his death on the front page, including a picture of him. His body was shipped home in 1949 and buried in Lower Burrell. His tombstone is there today, next to his mothers. Mr. Wassel and Ms. Fukuyama have visited the grave site in recent months and left flowers.

But the Japanese soldier whose pictures Harry took?

He remains a mystery man.

Part of the problem in finding him has been COVID-19. The National Institute for Defense Studies archives in Japan and other libraries list the names of those Japanese soldiers who died in the Marshall Islands, but they have been closed. The names arent online because of privacy concerns, Ms. Fukuyama said. Whats more, she hasnt been able to go home since December 2019.

The Huffington Post story that ran in the spring drew some 350 comments online. Mr. Wassel and Ms. Fukuyama are hoping the TV program that ran on Friday, with its national audience, will prompt someone in Japan to come forward. Ms. Fukuyama said the Marshall Islands group also recently began circulating copies of the photos by mail among its dwindling members.

Someone out there, Mr. Wassel said, must know who those people were.

Weve narrowed it down. We know where Harry was, we have a timeline, and we know some of the Japanese units, he said. But nobodys come forward yet to say, This is my family.



Online:

https://bit.ly/2UIAc1S
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High 73F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
The world must 'wake up' to climate change, is the clarion call from the United Nations.

But as many energy giants focus more on making a profit than helping the planet, it could be time to take matters into our own hands.

The Mail on Sunday speaks to the communities generating their own clean energy  and a profit...

In at the deep end?: Reading Hydro Community Benefit Society fund-raised 1.1million to build the plant that powers the Thames Lido

Down on the River Thames near Reading, two hydro turbines have started to rotate this month.

As water surges through these giant metal corkscrews, they turn and produce electricity. They should create enough to help power the nearby Thames Lido swimming pool and restaurant  and to sell some back to the National Grid, making at least 63,000 a year.

The project is not the creation of a massive energy company, but of a 750- strong army of local investors.

Reading Hydro Community Benefit Society fund-raised 1.1million to build the plant, which they hope will generate a return for its members  as well as clean energy.

They are just one of more than 450 community co-operatives across Britain generating their own clean energy.

Groups club together to install hydro and wind turbines, solar panels and even electric car charging points.

Taking over where greedy corporate giants and councils let them down, they produce energy for their homes, funds for their community and sometimes a profit for themselves.

Emma Bridge, chief executive of the not-for-profit action group Community Energy England, says: 'Community energy projects can help make energy more affordable and clean. Those looking to support a positive social and environmental project could also find it offers a great investment opportunity.'

Teaming up to build a hydro turbine may sound revolutionary, but project director Tony Cowling believes the community is only reverting back to how things always were.

'There have been records of water mills in this area since the Domesday Book of 1086,' says retired builder Tony, 67.

'Yet the final mills shut in the last century as we turned to pollution-creating coal-fuelled energy and nuclear power stations. It seemed a terrible waste not to use the old weir water system in Reading to create eco-energy.'

Local residents were invited to invest a minimum of 75 as shareholders in a co-operative scheme. Fundraising took less than a year and by March 2021, all 1.1million had been raised.

Project director Anne Wheldon, 67, says: 'It was not just people wanting to do good, but investors looking to make better returns on their money than it just sitting in a poorly-paying savings account at a bank.'

The retired university lecturer adds: 'Many who put money in were doing it as gifts for children  supporting a sustainable future.'

Investors should receive around two per cent from next year, growing to four per cent a year over the following five years.

The group also plans to arrange school visits. Anne says: 'We want to show the next generation how we all need to embrace environmentally-friendly ideas for the future  not just leave it to big business.'

Solar is the shining light of local projects

Solar accounts for more than 80 per cent of the energy created by renewable community projects.

Local groups raise money through community share offers to put solar panels on the roofs of schools, hospitals and local businesses. For example, Bath and West Community Energy has raised 9million over a decade to build five solar farms and install solar panels on the roofs of 11 schools and four community buildings.

It now produces enough energy to power 4,000 local homes. Investors receive a target return of four per cent a year and can invest from 100. Any profit in addition to this is shared between local community groups and charities, totalling around 250,000 to date.

Going swimmingly: Tony Cowling and Anne Wheldon, project directors of the hydro scheme which powers the Thames Lido

Wind farms can power at least 1,000 homes

Around 50 community energy projects have installed wind turbines to generate clean energy.

All are in less populated areas, in northern Scotland and rural Wales.

There are strict planning conditions involved in installing them. The biggest can be 500ft tall with blades spanning 250ft and cost more than 4million each. In full swing  turning around 20 times a minute  they can spark up enough energy to power at least 1,000 homes.

The largest community-owned wind farm in Britain is Point and Sandwick Trust.

With support from local residents and businesses and a Government grant, it raised 14million to install three giant turbines in the Outer Hebrides wind farm of Beinn Ghrideag.

It generates an income of 900,000 a year, which is used to support local projects.

Car charging scheme with 2 per cent return

Charging points for electric cars is one of the biggest growth areas for community projects, with 76 started last year.

Charge My Street plans to install 200 fast chargers across England. It is asking shareholders to invest a minimum of 100 and hopes to raise 200,000 by December.

The initiative will charge motorists a fee for using its charging points. Investors should receive a return of two per cent a year from the profits, rising to five per cent if the initiative is a success.

Director Daniel Heery says: 'Four of us came up with the idea five years ago.

'We wanted electric cars, but live in terraced streets where there were no power points. Since then we have installed 50.'
When a fund manager performs well, it's not long before the money starts to pour in from investors wanting part of the action.

The fund will balloon in size  sometimes to billions of pounds  and then something strange can happen: performance turns lacklustre or even disappointing.

This may be because the fund manager struggles to adapt to the new-found pressure to keep up their reputation.

Taking off: Investors have an alternative approach to piggybacking on existing winners: backing a smaller up-and-coming fund in its early stages

Or perhaps they have to compromise their investment style now they are running a larger portfolio.

Investors have an alternative approach to piggybacking on existing winners: backing a smaller up-and-coming fund in its early stages.

This can be risky and requires a leap of faith. But it can offer investors the chance to catch the early returns, which in some cases can be stellar.

'The key is to invest when a track record is created rather than lived off,' says Rob Burdett, co-head of the multi-manager team at BMO Global Asset Management.

'The star fund manager culture means that funds can grow very fast once they are in the spotlight and I think that generally brings diminishing returns.

This is why it is worth looking at smaller funds, particularly if they are starting to perform quite well.'

Of course, not all small funds perform better than large ones, but they are often worth considering.

Mick Gilligan, a partner at wealth manager Killik & Co, agrees. He says fund managers have the most to prove during the early stages because their fund will not survive if performance disappoints. 'This adds up to a big incentive for the manager to execute well in the early days,' he adds.

THINK SMALL... AND SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES CAN BE HUGE

Managers of small funds can generally invest in companies of any size, wherever they see the best opportunities.

They can tap into smaller companies  which tend to experience faster growth  as well as larger ones, which are more established.

But managers of larger funds can find they are restricted to investing in big companies.

After all, if you have billions of pounds to invest, it can be hard to find enough good small companies to spread them between. It may also not be appropriate to make huge investments in small companies.

If you are considering investing in a fund with less than 150million in assets, find out why it is small.

Alternative: If a fund is growing fast, investors may want to consider putting their money in a smaller alternative in order to reap better returns

It may be that the manager is new to heading their own fund. If so, research their previous experience and investment process and whether they have worked alongside any well-known names.

Sometimes experienced fund managers start new funds. In this case, find out if they are sticking with the style that served them well in the past or trying out something new.

When a fund manager changes tack, there is a risk they are no longer playing to their strengths.

Hubris can kick in after a period of strong returns, leading a fund manager to believe they can reject their tried and tested strategy to perform even better with a new one.

However, just because they are sticking with what they know doesn't mean they will continue to be successful.

Research whether they have performed well in different market conditions as well. You can find answers in the fund's own literature or on fund research websites, such as Trustnet.

Another reason a fund may be small is that it is shrinking. In that case, you will probably want to avoid it at all costs.

AJ Bell's Laith Khalaf says reading a fund's annual report can help potential investors work out whether it is shrinking

Perhaps unhappy investors are withdrawing their cash following a period of disappointing performance, or a well-known manager has departed.

To find out if either is the case, Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at wealth platform AJ Bell, suggests looking at the fund's annual report. This will disclose whether the units in the fund have increased or decreased over time.

If a fund gets too small, its future is in danger. 'Small funds must remain viable, or they risk being shut down,' says Andrew Wilson, chief investment officer at wealth manager Lockhart Capital Management.

There are fixed costs associated with running a fund, regardless of its size. Larger funds can split these costs among more investors. But for smaller ones, the charge per investor can be higher.

However, sometimes asset managers will absorb the extra costs for a new fund so that investors are not put off. Some even offer reduced fees via an 'early bird' share class.

WHO ARE TOMORROW'S STAR FUND MANAGERS?

So who are the potential stars of tomorrow? Lockhart's Wilson cites Richard Penny's Crux UK Special Situations fund as one to watch.

Penny, who previously made a name for himself at Legal & General Investment Management, has established an enviable track record since joining Crux Asset Management in October 2018.

His UK Special Situations fund, which is 103million in size and targets undervalued British companies, has turned a 1,000 investment into 1,400 over this period.

'Going through the 100million threshold shouldn't slow down performance,' Wilson says.

BMO's Burdett highlights Jeremy Hewlett as another experienced fund manager at the helm of a smaller fund.

Mirabaud UK Equity High Alpha is 68million in size and has turned a 1,000 investment into a little under 1,350 over the past three years.

For investors looking for opportunities outside the UK, Burdett says the SVS BambuBlack Asia ex-Japan All-Cap fund is one to consider.

The 48 million portfolio invests across the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan) and is managed by Jane Andrews, who has more than 30 years' experience. Since August 2018, the fund has turned a 1,000 investment into 1,400.

If a sub-150million fund feels too risky, AJ Bell's Khalaf says Schroder Global Equity Income could be one to consider.

The 263million portfolio is managed by the experienced Nick Kirrage. Performance was lacklustre until last summer.

A 1,000 investment three years ago would be worth 1,100 today. However, returns have been strong since then: a 1,000 investment in the fund a year ago would be worth 1,350 today.
Some of Britain's biggest airlines are locked in pay negotiations with trade unions as they plan major cost-savings to survive the winter.

Ryanair and BA are trying to push through hefty new cuts to pilots' pay, The Mail on Sunday understands. In some cases, pilots are being asked to accept salaries almost a fifth less.

Pilots' union Balpa said Ryanair wanted pilots to work reduced hours over the winter as it closes its two airport bases in Belfast and slashes schedules elsewhere in the UK.

Up in the air: Pilots face salary cuts of up to a fifth as airlines axe schedules

A newsletter sent last week from Balpa to Ryanair pilots, seen by The Mail on Sunday, said Ryanair was looking to change shift patterns so pilots work fewer days and take more leave.

A memo will be sent to Ryanair pilots this week asking for volunteers to go part-time. Last year Ryanair pilots agreed a 20 per cent pay cut to avoid 3,000 job losses.

Meanwhile, pilots at BA's CityFlyer subsidiary, based at London City Airport, rejected a request for a further pay cut in a ballot that closed on Friday.

A newsletter, seen by The Mail on Sunday, said CityFlyer had asked pilots to take unpaid leave that meant a 17 per cent pay cut from October 1 to March 31, with pension contributions also cut. CityFlyer axed its Edinburgh base last summer putting 72 pilots' jobs at risk.

BA is in talks with unions on plans announced last week for a new short-haul airline based at Gatwick, run under a separate licence, meaning it could set new employment conditions for pilots and crew.

Industry insiders suggest BA's new airline could scale back flights in the winter months when demand for short-haul trips is lower.

Pilots could then be deployed to BA's long-haul 'winter sun' operations based at Heathrow.

In an internal letter to staff last week, BA called any rise in costs once furlough ends 'bad news'.

It said: 'We know our schedule and operating costs for the rest of this year will not add up. We're going to have to be as flexible as possible when it comes to the way we work.'

Sources said they expected travel giant Tui to start talks with unions over winter cost-saving in the coming weeks.

Pilots at Jet2 have taken a 30 per cent pay cut to April.

Gatwick made a 245million loss for the first six months of 2021 and is trying to avoid further redundancies through cost-saving measures such as extending its pay freeze, reducing pension contributions and 'banking' unworked hours to be worked back at a later date.

A spokesman said: 'With the furlough scheme finishing at the end of September we won't have enough work for our 1,800 employees based on current travel trends.'

The TUC is lobbying the Treasury for an extension to the furlough scheme for aviation to avoid 'a slew of redundancies'.

BA CityFlyer said: 'We are working with Balpa to help protect jobs, our future and remain competitive in a much changed industry.'

Ryanair did not respond to a request for comment.
Contrite: Former UK Finance chief Stephen Jones is now working as non-executive chairman at OneBanks

Stephen Jones stares at the table in front of him and strums his fingers nervously. 'I very much regret what I said,' he confesses. 'What I said was on a taped telephone call internally  but I do understand that in the context of the very public role I had at UK Finance, what I said posed a big reputational issue for them and for the industry.'

The former Barclays banker is talking about a now infamous phone call with one of his then colleagues in 2008 as they raced to secure an investment that would keep the bank afloat in the financial crisis.

The 7billion deal with Middle Eastern investors was ultimately a success  and it set Jones up for a career in the top echelons of banking. He rose to become the finance chief of Santander and then became the head of influential bank lobby group UK Finance.

But the words he uttered on that telephone call came back to haunt him last summer.

Court documents revealed he made a number of derogatory remarks about Amanda Staveley, the high-flying financier who was orchestrating the Barclays rescue deal.

Staveley had brought in key investors from the United Arab Emirates and later took the bank to court claiming she was not paid properly.

The case sent shockwaves through the City when it emerged Jones had described Staveley as 'thick as s**t' and commented on the size of her breasts.

The court papers released as part of the case also revealed Jones referred to Staveley as Prince Andrew's former girlfriend and that he said that particular romantic relationship was how she 'got close to a few sheikhs'  including Abu Dhabi royal and potential Barclays investor Sheikh Mansour.

Jones was recorded saying of Staveley's links to the sheikh: 'Whether she's sleeping with him or not I couldn't tell you. I doubt it to be honest but anyway, I mean, you know.'

His interview with The Mail on Sunday today is the first time Jones has publicly addressed those remarks since he left UK Finance in disgrace in June last year.

Jones says: 'If in a moment of stress having not slept very much for three weeks, and in the context of the bank possibly being nationalised, I described [Amanda Staveley] in very unflattering, and rude and sexist language then that's my fault,' he says. 'I shouldn't have done it.'

He seems to relax as soon as the words leave his mouth. It has clearly been eating away at him over the past year. Jones reveals he has patched things up with Staveley  the pair are now on good terms  but he has certainly paid a price.

If in a moment of stress having not slept very much for three weeks, and in the context of the bank possibly being nationalised, I described [Amanda Staveley] in very unflattering, and rude and sexist language then that's my fault. shouldn't have done it.

While he insists friends in the City expressed their support privately, he says he has effectively been 'expelled' from the top tier of banking. He reveals that he's now been rejected by three banks from roles in the boardroom.

'It can be quite a lonely place once you've been expelled,' Jones says. 'I'm not asking for sympathy, but when you were working 90 hours a week [representing the banking industry in the Covid crisis] and suddenly it's gone, that is quite difficult.

'I've been turned down by three bank boards where the chairs have asked me if I would join, but someone else on the board has felt I was too risky to take on.

'I do really regret that because it's largely out of fear of what the media reaction might be, rather than an understanding of who I am as a person.

'The surprising thing was that one of the banks was overseas. There's a big ripple effect because people can obviously find these things on Google.'

Jones, 57, is at pains to stress that his comments in 2008 in no way reflect his attitudes towards women in banking, whom he routinely championed in his role at UK Finance. But he knows it will take time to win over his critics.

'It's just one of those moments in life where you have to be humble and you have to work your way back through lots of small actions,' he says. 'I have to rebuild my reputation. I think I'm still young enough and energetic enough to contribute more.

SEXISM CAME TO LIGHT IN STAVELEY'S 1.6BN CASE Sued: Financier Amanda Staveley The sexism storm at the top of Barclays erupted when financier Amanda Staveley sued the bank for 1.6billion. It emerged in court last year that Stephen Jones was one of a number of executives  including then investment banking chief Roger Jenkins  to use derogatory language about her. Staveley wanted to prove her investment firm was sidelined and denied lucrative fees in a deal she orchestrated to save Barclays in 2008. As part of her case, she alleged that she was subject to sexism during the multi-billion-pound fundraising. The court papers showed Jenkins called Staveley a 'tart' and a 'dolly bird' during the high-pressure negotiations. Jenkins apologised in court and indicated he had apologised to Staveley previously. It also emerged that Jones himself had described Jenkins as a 'deeply unpleasant man' who was 'very, very nasty to work for'. Staveley lost the case against Barclays, despite the judge saying the bank acted 'with deceit'.

'I'm happy to undertake single executive roles if they're offered.'

For now, Jones is taking on 'whatever is available'. He advises investment firms Bain Capital and Warburg Pincus on possible deals in financial services, and he is about to start working for Global Counsel, the public affairs group founded by Lord Mandelson.

He also maintains a keen interest in making sure communities are not left behind by Britain's largest banks. To that end, he's taken up a role as non-executive chairman of OneBanks, a start-up aiming to build a network of shared banking kiosks in shopping centres and supermarkets.

OneBanks plans to open 150 kiosks across the country by 2025. The company has been sharing its insights with an industry group that is negotiating a plan for hundreds of shared bank branches.

Jones will also help OneBanks contribute to the political debate over new laws that will make sure everyone who needs cash can access it. The Treasury is currently consulting businesses on how to draw up legislation.

'My sense is that banks won't be banned from closing branches, but there will be a requirement to look at the alternative service provision that needs to be introduced if a branch is to close,' Jones says.

'I suspect there will also be a pot that allows communities to come forward and say the services in their area are inadequate and they would like to bid for money. The banks could then pay someone like the Post Office or OneBanks to set up in their area.'

It's admirable work, but a far cry from his high-powered conversations with the Chancellor when the pandemic struck last year and banks were tasked with issuing emergency loans to businesses.

'[Leaving] was very sad for me because I loved my role at UK Finance,' Jones says. 'It felt like family and I felt like we mobilised the [banking] sector as a force for good in response to the pandemic.'
Companies are going to be forced by the Treasury to report their impact on climate change, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

A plan will be published in early October revealing which businesses will be affected, the information they will need to provide and the deadline.

The initiative, led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, will come ahead of Cop26, the UN Climate Change conference in Glasgow, in November.

Eco friendly: The move is part of a strategy to make Britain the go-to venue for 'green' finance

The move is also part of a strategy to make Britain the go-to venue globally for 'green' finance. It is understood the Treasury will bring in legislation to give regulators the power to force firms to report.

The Government said last November that it will be mandatory by 2025 for businesses to disclose the financial risks and opportunities they face from climate change.

A source close to the Treasury said: 'We are now going further. These [requirements] will cover real-economy corporates, pension schemes, financial services firms and investment products and will require disclosures about the impact they are having on the climate and sustainability.'

But the source added the plan was to have 'one streamlined regime for companies to report against' so that businesses were not having to tackle numerous different reporting requirements.

Scott Knight, head of audit at accountants BDO, said: 'Climate change is something investors are starting to take seriously and they're going to want reliable and comparable information that has been assured by a third party.'

The Investment Association, representing professional fund managers, is looking to change the investment process so that stock-pickers consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks when buying shares in a company.

One of the aims of the Government's new reporting requirements will be to stamp out 'greenwashing', which is where companies tout themselves as environmentally-friendly without having the credentials.

It emerged last week that US and German regulators were investigating fund group DWS over claims by a former employee that it misled clients about its environmental and sustainable investing.

The company said in a statement: 'We firmly reject the allegations. DWS will continue to remain a steadfast proponent of ESG investing as part of its fiduciary role on behalf of its clients.'
Thousands of unmarried parents will finally be entitled to bereavement benefits if their partner dies, thanks to changes in eligibility rules.

But charities are warning that the changes do not go far enough as some unmarried parents will still be treated worse than those who were married when their partner passed away.

Until now, surviving parents could only claim bereavement support payments if married or in a civil partnership at the time of their partner's death.

But under the new rules, all surviving parents will be eligible, so long as they lived with the deceased on the date they died and have dependent children.

'This is about respecting people's rights': Gill Lavery with her late fiance Paolo and their son

WE WERE TOO BUSY TO MARRY Gill Lavery and her fiance Paolo shared a wonderful life together. They met in 2009, got engaged the following year, bought a house and started their family with the arrival of a son in 2016. But then Paolo suddenly died in July 2017. 'We'd never got round to getting married,' says Gill. 'We were so busy with life, it didn't happen.' Initially, Gill was not entitled to bereavement support payments, because she and Paolo were not married. She is delighted the rule change means she should now receive a backdated sum, although it will not be as much as if they had been married. Gill will receive five monthly payments of 350, totalling 1,750, rather than the 9,800 she would have received if they had been married. She said: 'This is about respecting people's rights and giving these children what they deserve.'

The payments total 2,500 plus 100 a month for 18 months, or 3,500 plus 350 for 18 months for families entitled to child benefit.

The new eligibility rules will apply retrospectively from August 30, 2018, the month the Supreme Court ordered the Government to treat unmarried couples in the same way as their married counterparts.

Backdated payments will be made as a lump sum when the new policy kicks in next spring.

Charities warn that by choosing the date of the court ruling as the cut-off, rather than the date on which the payments were introduced in April 2017, some families are still set to miss out.

For example, if a married parent passed away in April 2017, their family would receive bereavement support payments totalling 9,800.

However, if they were unmarried but cohabiting, their family would receive just 2,450.

Carla Clarke, head of strategic litigation at Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), says: 'The Government's proposals are welcome in as far as they go, but they would short-change some families who have already lost a parent and will receive only a fraction of the support they would have been entitled to had the marriage requirement not been in place at the time of the late parent's death.'

The Government is being forced to change its stance on unmarried parents after mother of four Siobhan McLaughlin won a major Supreme Court case on bereavement benefits in August 2018.

McLaughlin had been living with her partner John Adams for 23 years when he died in 2014. They had four children together.

McLaughlin, from County Antrim, was denied the widowed parent's allowance  the predecessor to bereavement support payments  because they were not married.

She successfully challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, which ruled that denying her the allowance was incompatible with human rights legislation.

Speaking ahead of the three-year anniversary of the court ruling on Tuesday, McLaughlin says: 'As a mother, I wanted to make it right for my children. I couldn't stop their father dying or take away their pain but I could ensure their rights were recognised.'

Charities CPAG, WAY Widowed and Young and the Childhood Bereavement Network are calling on the Government to extend retrospective entitlement to when the benefits were introduced  April 6, 2017, for bereavement support payment and 2001 for the widowed parent's allowance.

They believe 2,480 families would benefit if the cut-off date of August 30, 2018, for bereavement benefits was extended.

Although changes are unlikely to come into force until next spring, those affected should claim now.

By contacting the Bereavement Service Helpline on 0800 791 0469, it will ensure a claim is on the DWP files.
National lockdowns during Covid were an unsettling time for all of us, but for some they also brought an end to their employment.

Around 73,000 people lost their jobs in the first few months of lockdown, while millions were put on furlough.

But many of these decided to take matters into their hands  and start a new business.

An extra 84,758 businesses were set up in 2020 compared with 2019, according to Companies House data.

'Huge step': Christian Azolan started his own business selling art online

One such business belongs to Fiona Metcalfe, 27, from London, who was due to start a new job in March last year as head of events for a group of London properties.

The offer was retracted because of the pandemic and she was left without a job.

During the six months in which she was unemployed, Fiona set up Cuisine Box with her partner Manuel Martinez Infante, 31.

They sell a range of themed food boxes, including Japanese, Thai and Indian, which are filled with all the ingredients needed to cook a range of dishes at home.

Since October, they have made 22,000, much of which has gone back into the business. This year turnover is predicted to be 65,000, of which 12 per cent will be profit.

Fiona now runs Cuisine Box alongside a part-time job, but she plans to work on it full time by the end of the year.

Starting a new business when you lose your job can be an alternative to seeking a new one.

However, Beverley Sydney, from Sydney Hudson Accountants, believes it is much easier if you have built up some savings first.

'This can help to ensure personal bills are paid while the venture is still in its infancy and also provides the necessary funds to bring in expert advice where needed,' she says.

If you go it alone, you will also have to get your head around the tax implications. As soon as you earn more than 1,000, you need to either register as a sole trader with Revenue & Customs or Companies House if you have a limited business.

You are responsible for filing your tax return, and knowing the deadlines for paying tax. It is possible to do this yourself, or you could pay an accountant to do it for you.

A business plan is also key, including research about the market you are entering.

This is what Christian Azolan, 38, discovered when he lost his job as a media lecturer at the University of Brunel due to Covid in March last year.

Christian researched the art market, consulted with artists and then launched a new business selling art online. Now he sells art all around the world and earns up to 3,000 a month, 70 per cent of which is profit.

'I never imagined I would ever start a business,' he says. 'The idea was scary, I had always worked for someone for a salary so the idea of relying purely on myself for my income was a huge step.'

Using your existing skills to start a business can give you a great head start.

Loc Bui, 46, and his fiancee Paula Cooper, 49, set up a cookery school and private dining service after Loc lost his job.

Paula says: 'Our restaurant, where Loc was head chef, had been under some sort of restriction since March 2020, apart from a few weeks. 'In January, we decided it just wasn't viable to stay open as we couldn't see an end date and had no outdoor space even if we were allowed to open again.'

The couple, who live in West Yorkshire with their two young children, set up Loc's Taste of Vietnam.

They have spent this summer giving demonstrations at UK food festivals and have recently started in-person cookery classes alongside their online offering.

They invested around 15,000 of their own money and are aiming to make the same amount in profit this year.
Tifton, GA (31794)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed with a slight chance of thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 86F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
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Sunrise: November 25, 1978 Sunset: August 29,2021 Jocelyn was born November 25, 1978 to the late John Henry Baker and Linda Ann Baker who preceded her in death. She was a free spirited ambitious individual and very self driven. One of her hobbies she loved most was singing. Also, in her leis
While some Capital Region restaurants suffered flood damage that ranged from mild to devastating, others had a nice bump in business following Tropical Storm Irene.

The Mohawk River deluged Jumpin' Jack's Drive-In in Scotia almost to its roof, forcing it to close for the season, and the Hudson River's overflowing water forced a half-dozen restaurants on Troy's River Street to close for several days. But McGreivey's Restaurant in Waterford, at the confluence of the two dangerously swollen waterways, escaped the flood and served those affected by and responding to the natural disaster.

"Our business was up considerably" on Monday and, to a lesser extent, Tuesday, said Art Riley Jr. of McGreivey's. In addition to canal and tugboat workers, McGreivey's fed stranded boaters, donated food to rescue crews and was the replacement venue for a catered event Wednesday evening that was displaced from a pavilion at nearby Peebles Island State Park, Riley said.

The flood equivalent of traffic-accident gawkers made for a busy Monday at Illium Cafe in Troy's Monument Square, said chef-owner Marla Ortega. "With everybody walking down to see (the river), we were absolutely slammed."

New York City and New Jersey evacuees and utility and tree-service employees filled Albany-area hotels, according to staff members.

"National Grid had guys staying in (the Hampton Inn) starting on Friday, just waiting for the storm," said Dominick Purnomo, whose family owns two restaurants, Yono's and DP: An American Brasserie, that are attached to the hotel in downtown Albany. Purnomo estimated he also served two dozen downstaters who checked in for a long weekend as well as employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The proximity to the submerged Jumpin' Jack's of Glen Sanders Mansion led to an abundance of phone calls from worried people who had mansion weddings and other events scheduled for the coming weeks, said owner Angelo Mazzone. Generators were brought in as a backup measure and a wedding was hosted on Sunday despite the torrential rain, Mazzone said, before the venue closed for two days because of road conditions. Untouched by river water, the building reopened Wednesday, he said.

News reports say some produce suppliers to the west and south of Albany were hard hit, though most growers who participate in the Saratoga Farmers' Market took products to Wednesday's market, a representative said. The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market, held Saturdays on River Street, expects to have all of its produce suppliers on hand this weekend, according to market manager Monica Kurzejeski.

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"Some of them did lose some crops to flooding, but they'll be here," she said. "This is a time to show you're truly committed to buying from your local food sources."

Reach Steve Barnes at 454-5489 or sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit his blog at http://blogs.timesunion.com/tablehopping.
ALBANY  Five men are expected to survive wounds they suffered in a hail of gunfire late Saturday night near the intersection of Henry Johnson Boulevard and Sherman Street, police said.

A sixth man was shot was shot less than 90 minutes later at Madison Avenue and Grand Street. He too suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The shootings happened as the city is dealing with a year that's already seen 13 homicides, and marks the most victims injured in a single incident since one person was killed and five injured at the corner of First and Quail streets on May 21.

Police were alerted to the first shooting at 10:40 p.m., and found a 46-year-old man nearby with a gunshot wound to the hand. A 42-year-old man was found at Henry Johnson Boulevard and Hudson Avenue suffering from the wound to the torso. Police said he was taken to the hospital.

Around the same time, the staff at two city hospitals called police to say they were treating gunshot victims who came in on their own. At Albany Medical Center Hospital, a 17-year-old and a 25-year-old were being treated for wounds to the leg and back, respectively.

A 48-year-old man arrived at Albany Memorial Hospital for care for a gunshot would to the abdomen and was taken to the trauma center.

Police said they were able to tie all five injuries to the gunfire at Henry Johnson Boulevard and Sherman Street.

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A 31-year-old man was also shot at midnight near the intersection of Grand Street and Madison Avenue. Police said reports of shots fired drew them to the intersection. A short time later, Albany Med staff called to say the man was being treated in the emergency room for gunshot wounds in the torso and ankle.

Police said all six people are expected to survive. So far, no arrests have been made and it's unknown if the two shootings were connected, said Steve Smith, a spokesperson for the Albany City Police Department.

Staff writer Pete DeMola contributed to this report.
Hundreds of emergency responders were in place in Louisiana and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had power restoration experts and generators at the ready as Hurricane Ida hit on Sunday as one of the most powerful hurricanes to make landfall in the U.S., federal officials said.

The Coast Guard prepositioned vessels for deep water search and rescue efforts," and President Joe Biden said federal support would remain in the region for as long as it takes.

I want to make sure that we're ready to surge all the response capacity, capability that we have to deal with whatever comes next, and a lot's going to be coming, Biden said during a stop Sunday at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters.

Much of the response began days before landfall and included special precautions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told CNNs State of the Union a few hours before Idas landfall that there were 600 people ready to deploy for search and rescue efforts, including teams from 15 other states, with many more on the way.

Were as ready as we can be, he said.

Biden met via videoconference with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on Saturday to discuss storm preparations, and he said Sunday that prepositioning in the region had been a critical part of the response. More than 100 ground ambulances and 20 air ambulances were deployed to help evacuate nursing homes in the storms path, FEMA said. Precautions were also being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the large shelters the American Red Cross is opening, including masking, rapid testing and social distancing.

FEMA deployed 10 Incident Management Assistance Teams to support states  six in Louisiana, two in Alabama and two in Mississippi  and said three more teams were on standby to deploy if needed. More than 2,400 FEMA employees were in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and ready to provide additional help, FEMA said.

Biden said the agency has provided 2.5 million meals and more than 3 million liters of water. Nine Urban Search and Rescue teams were in place in Louisiana and three more teams were in Alabama, FEMA said.

Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Jennah Durant said the agency's personnel are coordinating with FEMA as well as state and local authorities in Louisiana. She said the agency had contacted the owners and operators of the 23 highly polluted Superfund sites in the state to ensure prestorm security preparations were being made.

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Biden approved an emergency disaster declaration for Louisiana on Friday, which authorized direct federal help for all 64 parishes, including power generation, air transportation, wildlife management assistance and water management. The White House said Biden also spoke with the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to make clear that States have the full support of the Federal government to provide assistance as needed and to aid local emergency response efforts.

Biden also spoke Saturday with National Hurricane Center Director Kenneth Graham, about how Ida will likely be very strong and destructive, with dangerous, life-threatening storm surge and significant rainfall that would impact both coastal and inland areas, according to the White House.

Edwards told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday that Ida was a major, major storm that will test the state in ways it hasn't been tested before, as it happens along with the pandemic.

Its impossible today to say how long the power will be out. And that begins to test your systems, Edwards said, whether its the opportunity to deliver water to the hospitals. You cant run a ventilator without electricity.

___

Associated Press reporter Michael Biesecker contributed to this report from Washington.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. intelligence community has ruled out the possibility that the novel coronavirus that has killed more than 4 million people globally was developed as a bioweapon by China, but the agencies failed to reach consensus on the virus origin, according to key takeaways from a classified report delivered to President Joe Biden this week.

The report, the result of a 90-day sprint ordered by Biden, also found that the agencies are unlikely to reach a conclusion about the virus's origins without cooperation from the Chinese government, which is unlikely, according to a summary of the takeaways released Friday.

"Beijing . . . continues to hinder the global investigation, resist information sharing and blame other countries, including the United States" for the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed nearly 635,000 American lives, said the summary prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"These actions reflect in part China's government's own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead, as well as its frustration that the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China," the ODNI said.

The two main hypotheses - that the virus jumped from animals to humans in a natural process, or that it escaped from a research laboratory in China - remain on the table, ODNI said. Both theories are plausible, the agencies concluded.

The Washington Post previously reported that the intelligence community had not reached definitive agreement on the virus's origin.

The report reflects how the government's top spies are at a loss to solve the mystery, and their inability to do so raises the prospect that it will remain unsolved for years to come.

Without virus samples from China, said Ian Lipkin, a Columbia University epidemiologist, "it's highly unlikely that we're going to get any closer to knowing how this thing originally emerged."

Biden on Friday vowed to press on, as elusive as determining the origin seems.

"The world deserves answers," the president said in a statement, "and I will not rest until we get them."

Former Trump administration officials credited the Biden administration with undertaking the effort but were disappointed with the limited conclusions.

"If the report reveals anything, it is more evidence of how China's non-transparency and noncooperation have prevented the world from understanding the origin of the deadliest pandemic in modern history, and how to prevent the next one," said David Feith, former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

"Now, the administration and the Congress need to decide whether China will face sanctions for this," said Feith, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "Or will international science and technology exchange with China just continue unimpeded?"

The intelligence community plans to review the report with an eye to releasing a declassified version at some future date, Assistant Director of National Intelligence Timothy Barrett said Friday.

The agencies that analyzed the issue determined the virus "probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019, with the first known cluster of covid-19 cases arising in Wuhan, China in December 2019," the summary said, recapping what has largely been publicly reported.

The city in central China is home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which has conducted extensive research into coronaviruses.

The intelligence agencies concluded that the Chinese government "did not have foreknowledge" of the virus before the initial outbreak, the summary said. Most agencies that examined the evidence assessed with "low confidence" that the virus "probably was not genetically engineered."

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The report reflects that intelligence agencies do not always agree with each other, and sometimes reach conclusions with different degrees of confidence. It is the job of the National Intelligence Council, the body that coordinates intelligence from the 19 spy agencies, to marshal a community view.

Four agencies and the intelligence council assessed with "low confidence" that the virus was "most likely caused by natural exposure" to an infected animal or a close progenitor virus. They gave weight to the Chinese government's lack of advance knowledge about the virus, the "numerous vectors of natural exposure" and other factors, the summary said.

One agency, on the other hand, assessed with "moderate confidence" that the first human infection "most likely was the result of a lab-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology," the summary said. That agency gave weight to "the inherently risky nature of work on coronaviruses," the summary said.

The lab leak theory consists of different scenarios. For example, the virus could have been brought to the lab unknowingly as part of a collection of virus samples and then infected a lab worker, who then spread it in Wuhan. Or it could have involved an experiment that was covered up. Chinese officials have steadfastly denied they had the coronavirus in their laboratories ahead of the outbreak.

The agencies, which include the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, are unlikely to achieve clarity unless new information emerges about the "specific pathway" for initial contact with an animal or to determine that a Wuhan lab was handling the virus, it said.

The origins debate largely has been stalled for months, and the report given to Biden on Tuesday apparently does not contain information that would dramatically change anyone's position.

- - -

The Washington Post's Yasmeen Abutaleb contributed to this report.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - The ongoing chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has inspired the Saratoga County Veteran Service Agency to encourage veterans to gather and talk about their concerns from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Saratoga Coffee Traders, 447 Broadway.

Frank McClement, director of the agency, said there is no agenda for the sessions. The agency simply wants to encourage veterans to engage in supportive conversations as well as enjoy a free coffee and sandwich.

McClement, who is a U.S. Army veteran, said the withdrawal from Afghanistan makes these sessions all the more vital.

Watching the grim news come out of Kabul and Afghanistan has stirred emotions for many, especially for Afghanistan veterans, families, survivors, and caregivers, McClement said in a statement. As events continue to unfold, and the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, many veterans are feeling overwhelmed and looking for connection and companionship. Our Veterans Peer Connection program can help with that with connection to resources and, most importantly, to other veterans.

All veterans are welcome regardless of military discharge.

The agency will also host a Mental Health Summit at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at its office at 2144 Doubleday Ave., Ballston Spa.

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The summit is open to all veterans and family members. At the event, representatives from the Veteran Administration will provide information and resources to those who attend.

The agency said it provides support to the more than 17,000 veterans living in the county. Programs include mentoring, informal meet-ups, structured assistance and one-on-one peer help to manage stress and challenges. The agency also seeks to foster relationships within the veteran community to build resiliency through encouragement, personal connections and access to support and crisis intervention.


SARATOGA SPRINGS  While Gamine did everything right winning the Grade I $500,000 Ballerina on Saturday, one race later Firenze Fires bizarre behavior likely cost him the victory the Grade I $600,000 Forego.

In the midst of his battle in the stretch with the even-money favorite Yaupon, Firenze Fire turned his head to the left at the sixteenth pole and tried to bite  in racing it is called savage  his opponent. The 6-year-old in his 36th career start bit at Yaupons face seven times and briefly had Yaupons bridle in his teeth while jockey Jose Ortiz worked hard to pull Firenze Fire away from the other horse. Yaupon and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. managed to continue on and prevailed by a head over Firenze Fire.

Thirty-five minutes earlier, under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, Gamine was the consummate pro, showing the form that earned her the 2020 Eclipse Award as the champion female sprinter as a 3-year-old. She got away from the gate well, turned in comfortable fractions of 23.20 seconds at the quarter-mile and 45.68 at the half on the lead and completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.61 to beat Lake Avenue by 1 lengths. As the 1-5 favorite, she paid $2.70. Her ninth victory in 10 career starts earned the Into Mischief filly trained by Bob Baffert a berth in the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, a race she won by 6 lengths last year.

Baffert sent Gamine to Saratoga with his longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes and watched the race on television in California.

I am very happy for her. She is such a great mare, Baffert said in a telephone interview. This is what the big days are all about. You want to be part of the big days."

After she recorded her fifth straight victory, Barnes praised her ability and consistency, calling her the Gamine Machine.

Baffert has trained many champions during his Hall of Fame career and gets revved up when he talks about Gamine, who he handles for owner Michael Lund Petersen.

I am excited about my mare. She has a great mind, Baffert said. She is so much fun to watch run.

Even though she was a heavy favorite and looked to lay over the field of nine, Baffert admitted to being uptight prior to the race.

I get nervous because I expect her to win. I worry about the break, Baffert said. When she went (23.20) I felt pretty good. She usually goes faster.

Velazquez said the race played out exactly as he had expected.

She was the speed of the race and I know shes not a run-off horse so I just kind of let her drop out of there and see where she goes, Velazquez said. I had loose reins. She relaxed really well. From then on it was waiting and by the quarter pole asking her to do whatever she needs to do. She got it done.

Yaupon and Firenze Fire were in the two outside posts in the field of eight, quickly moved to the front and stayed there throughout. Santana had Yaupon on a narrow lead on the inside through an opening quarter-mile in 23.09 and a half-mile in 45.70. Firenze Fire stayed with the colt owned by William and Corrine Heiligbrodt. Coming off the turn, Firenze Fire looked to have a small advantage, but Yaupon answered the challenge. Just inside the sixteenth pole, 110 yards from the wire, Firenze Fire launched his surprise attack. His attempt to hurt Yaupon cost him momentum as Ortiz fought to pull him away.

Asmussen said it was exciting to win the Forego for his long time clients, who owned his first Grade I winner at Saratoga, Lady Tak, in 2003.

But the finish made it that much more dramatic, Asmussen said. I will watch that replay many times in my future. For that to happen in a Grade I at Saratoga with two horses on the lead, that will be memorable.

Asmussen said it looked to him like Firenze Fire was trying to bite Santana.

Weve had some not ideal finishes this year, Asmussen said. and youre not there until you get to the wire.

Three years ago at Parx, Firenze Fire won the Grade III Gallant Bob despite being savaged in the stretch by Whereshetoldmetogo. In the Forego, he was the aggressor.



Ortiz said the incident was the difference between victory and defeat.



I had perfect position, Ortiz said. I stayed next to him (Yaupon) and I thought I had him beat, but you saw what happened inside the sixteenth. My horse tried to bite the other horse and I really had to get a hold of him to get him away from him.

Yaupon completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.74 and paid $6 to win.

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Veteran Whitmore, the 2020 male sprint champion, pulled up in distress in the gallop out and was vanned off. Trainer Ron Moquett later said that he would be retired.

Sword Dancer

Gufo and jockey Joel Rosario got the jump on Japan coming off the third turn and won the Grade I, $750,000 race by a neck over the British-bred European invader based in Ireland.

Japan and jockey Ryan Moore were tracking the pacesetters Channel Maker and Tribhuvan and seemed poised to run through an opening between the two. Just as that hole closed, Gufo ranged up on Japans outside, briefly trapping him behind the slowing horses for a few strides. Once Gufo, the 5-2 favorite, moved on, Japan launched a strong rally and closed ground, but could not overtake the 4-year-old colt trained by Christophe Clement.

Gufo finished the 1 miles in 2:28.30 and paid $7.10.

The Ballston Spa

Viadera knows how to find the wire at the finish line. The 5-year-old mare had another frantic ending to a race as she won the Grade II, $400,000 Ballston Spa for fillies and mares aged 4 and up. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Viadera won the 1 1/16-mile race on the inner turf by a nose.

In her past four victories, she has won by two noses and two necks.

"She has an affinity for the wire," winning trainer Chad Brown said. "If you train horses long enough, you'll realize that certain horses know where it is on the winning end and some seem to come up on the losing end. She's one of the ones who knows where it is."

The 4-5 favorite, Viadera held off the fast-closing High Opinion (8-1) and jockey Luis Saez. This was her second start of the year and followed a fourth-place finish in the ungraded De La Rose here on Aug. 8.
More Virginia residents who prosecutors say conspired with dozens of others to file fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits have pleaded guilty
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[August 29, 2021] Distribution of Etesevimab/JS016 in the US Reopened

SHANGHAI, China, Aug. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Junshi Biosciences (HKEX: 1877; SSE: 688180), a leading innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies, announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA), alongside the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, has resumed the shipment and distribution of etesevimab and bamlanivimab administered together (the Therapy), according to the companys global partner Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY). Direct ordering will be available to authorized states in the U.S. effective immediately. The decision to resume distribution aligns with the FDAs issuance of an updated fact sheet (the Fact Sheet) and a revised letter of authorization for etesevimab and bamlanivimab together. These include a revised limitation of authorized use, only allowing use in the states, territories, and U.S. jurisdictions with a low prevalence of variants that are resistant to treatment with the antibodies. The Delta variant (the Delta) currently accounts for nearly 96 percent of all identified COVID-19 cases in the U.S. As shown in revisions to the Fact Sheet, pseudovirus and authentic virus studies demonstrate that etesevimab and bamlanivimab together retained neutralization activity against the Alpha variant and the Delta. Over the last several months, prevalence of variants varies by state, region and even country and can change rapidly. As variants continue to evolve and their patterns of transmission and prevalence shift, Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), a partner of the Company, will continue to work with governments and regulators worldwide to ensure the Therapy is availale to appropriate patients.



About Etesevimab (JS016/LY-CoV016)

Etesevimab is a recombinant fully human monoclonal neutralizing antibody, which specifically binds to the SARS-CoV-2 surface spike protein receptor binding domain with high affinity and can block the binding of the virus to the ACE2 host cell surface receptor. Point mutations were introduced into the native human IgG1 antibody to mitigate effector function. Lilly licensed etesevimab from the Company after it was jointly developed by the Company and the Institute of Microbiology of Chinese Academy of Science. The Company leads development in Greater China (including mainland China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and the Taiwan region), while Lilly leads development in the rest of the world. About Junshi Biosciences

Founded in December 2012, Junshi Biosciences is an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics. The company has established a diversified R & D pipeline comprising 28 innovative drug candidates and 2 biosimilars, with five therapeutic focus areas covering cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and infectious diseases. Junshi Biosciences was the first Chinese pharmaceutical company that obtained marketing approval for an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in China. Its first-in-human anti-BTLA antibody for solid tumors was the first in the world to be approved for clinical trials by the FDA and NMPA and its anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibody was the first in China to be approved for clinical trials by the NMPA. In early 2020, Junshi Biosciences joined forces with the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Eli Lilly to co-develop JS016 (etesevimab), Chinas first neutralizing fully human monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2. JS016 administered with bamlanivimab has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US FDA in February 2021 for the treatment of recently diagnosed, mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients who are at a high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. The JS016 program is a part of our continuous innovation for disease control and prevention of the global pandemic. Junshi Biosciences has over 2,000 employees in the United States (San Francisco and Maryland) and China (Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou). For more information, please visit: http://junshipharma.com.

Contact Information IR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

info@junshipharma.com

+86 021-2250 0300 Solebury Trout

Bob Ai

bai@soleburytrout.com

+1 646-389-6658

PR Team:

Junshi Biosciences

Zhi Li

zhi_li@junshipharma.com

+86 021-6105 8800



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In scathing rebuke of Prez Biden . . . This Kansas conservative contender questions Democratic Party leadership from the Beltway to her backyard.

Here's the latest blast that shows local politicos will now have to confront international issues . . .



Amanda Adkins: What is the plan, Mr. President?



Friends,



I am concerned. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the United States service men and women who died in the attacks at the airport in Kabul.



Sharice Davids commented that we lacked accurate intelligence and proper planning. The rest of us look at the terrible situation in Afghanistan and see a Biden Administration failure unfolding into a humanitarian tragedy.



With so much at stake, I have a simple question: Whats the plan?



We took their word when the Taliban said that Afghanistan would not return as a base of international terrorism. The U.S. negotiation was based on a commitment from the Taliban, yet we are reminded that the Taliban harbored Osama Bin Laden.



Women will be oppressed. Afghan women who have fought hard for their freedom and gains, will once again be beaten, barred from getting an education, and victims of civilian massacres.



An economy rooted in illegal drugs. It is estimated that a majority of Taliban funding comes from narcotics including opium. This recent collapse may well result in increased focus on drug profits that will once again make them one of the largest funded terrorist organizations in the world.



Is it the new policy that the United States should negotiate with terrorists? While the Biden Administration continues to negotiate with the Taliban from a point of weakness, dont be surprised if other countries - like China - take advantage of this situation and call into question the value of American partnership.



KS-03 voters deserve better than to listen to Sharice Davids make excuses for failed foreign policy.



-Amanda Adkins

###############

Developing . . .


Kansas City is rolling out the welcome wagon for new friends from a war-torn nation.



However, their arrival sparks political debate over entitlements and longstanding debts.

Here's the money line . . .

"The troop withdrawal negotiated by President Joe Biden and U.S. military officials is not a peace agreement. Rather, it signals the end of an occupation resulting from an unlawful invasion, and while troops are leaving, the Biden Administration is already laying plans for over the horizon drone surveillance, drone strikes, and manned aircraft strikes which could exacerbate and prolong the war.



"U.S. citizens ought to consider not only financial recompense for destruction caused by twenty years of war but also a commitment to dismantle the warfare systems that brought such havoc, chaos, bereavement, and displacement to Afghanistan."

Another worthwhile quote from a TKC TOP ECHELON source . . .

"Reparations for Afghan migrants now. After 20 years of war, they're owed support. Like housing, cars, medical care, education and EBT cards and a monthly income. It's a start."



Additionally, this conversation could be "transformational" indeed . . .



PAYOUTS FOR AFGHANS THREATENS TO SPARK RENEWED OUTCRY FOR AMERICAN SLAVERY REPARATIONS!!!



An unrelated but similar conversation about city hall largess inspires us to share a comment from 3rd District Council lady Melissa Robinson on this sordid topic of remuneration and social justice . . .



"It's important that we view our future through a lens of opportunity not scarcity."

And so, restitution for our new Afghan friends might be a benefit for (some) Americans overall . . . At least in theory.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Reckoning and Reparations in Afghanistan Earlier this week, 100 Afghan families from Bamiyan, a rural province of central Afghanistan mainly populated by the Hazara ethnic minority, fled to Kabul out of fear of attacks by Taliban militants. Over the past decade, I've gotten to know a grandmother who recalls fleeing Talib fighters in the 1990s, just after learning that her husband had been killed.

And here's more on the Kansas City argument for payback . . .

The Local Case for Reparations As with many public conversations in 2020, it is difficult to get past the loudest and most obnoxious voices. I keep reminding myself that I am hearing them precisely because they are the loudest and most obnoxious, to not let that reality distort my searching for deeper truths.

You decide . . .
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, edicts from politicos, workplaces and social media are becoming more commonplace.



In this post, we share the perspective of a conservative faith leader who was infected by the virus and has been outspoken about the tech for treatment.

Here's his hot take that starts with a bit of background . . .



One of the current challenges posed by the pandemic is the imposition of COVID-19 vaccination mandates by large numbers of employers, institutions and some governmental authorities. While the Church has made it clear that it can be permissible to receive vaccines that have a remote connection to cell lines developed unethically from victims of abortion, she has not been as clear about the morality of mandates that require people to take these vaccines.



The Catholic Church has stated at many levels, from the Pope as well as statements from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, that it can be an act of love to undergo COVID-19 vaccination in view of protecting oneself as well as others, especially the vulnerable. Evidence is mounting that these vaccines frequently lead to less severe cases of COVID-19, even if they do not always prevent infection and transmission.1



Even though I contracted and recovered from COVID-19, I chose in April to become vaccinated, in part, to encourage others to receive the vaccine. The sound moral analysis by the Church supporting the permissibility of receiving the vaccines as well as the public health crisis evidenced by the many COVID deaths, the mental, emotional and economic stress suffered by so many, and the ensuing social isolation harming especially our young people motivated me to be vaccinated.



The natural law requires all of us to discern carefully right from wrong in conscience as well as to pursue the common good. A society that fails to respect the rights of conscience lacks a key element of the common good. The foundational international human rights instrument, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, asserts: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.2



I urge all to exercise charity towards others regarding COVID-19 vaccination mandates. Solid facts are helpful. Name-calling and shaming are not. To punish people who have a sincere difference of opinion is not Christian. Unfortunately, our society is badly divided and wounded. We have a duty to be compassionate and empathetic towards others. We must never lose sight of the marvelous God-given dignity of every human person. The Church must be a source of love and respect for both those who are in moral distress about COVID-19 vaccine mandates and those frustrated by resistance to these vaccines.

However the faith leader shares his doubt . . .

"Currently, all available COVID-19 vaccines have used abortion-derived cell lines to a greater of lesser extent. We are blessed that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in December of 2020 provided authoritative guidance regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The CDF strongly rejected any moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses and urged pharmaceutical companies and government health agencies to produce, approve and distribute vaccines that do not create problems of conscience for either health care providers or the people to be vaccinated.



"Most importantly, the CDF stated: At the same time, practical reason makes evident that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary. It is indeed a fundamental pillar of medical ethics that there should be free and informed consent and no coercion when deciding on a medical intervention. Pandemics and epidemic diseases may create a situation where public health and safety can justify enforced quarantines and other safety measures. The unique difficulties of today, however, include approval of only a few vaccines, all of which have some ethical problems. Also, their use of new techniques, accelerated development and clinical trials, and only recent widespread use mean that many questions cannot be answered as to the long-term safety and efficacy of these vaccines."

Finally, here's what seems to be the most important passage for Catholics going forward . . .

"I agree with the Bishops of Wisconsin, Colorado, South Dakota and many other individual dioceses who urge employers to respect their employees consciences and make necessary accommodations, substituting other reasonable safety measures for mandated vaccination. In pastoral care, priests are called to help Catholics to form their consciences well and obey their conscientious judgments. However, priests need not feel compelled to sign exemption letters."

So it doesn't get lost, we're highlighting what seems to be the point of this passage . . .

"Catholics can and should insist on their conscience rights and religious liberties based on the authoritative teachings of the Church found in the Catechism, papal and ecumenical council documents, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and other sources. Bishops, priests and the entire Church should support the right and duty of Catholics to obey their consciences."

A synthesis of the guidance . . .

"With so many others, I pray for an end to the COVID-19 Pandemic. I also pray that in combating this epidemic, we do not create an additional victim, the rights of conscience."

Now, this is just a summary and TKC encourages the faithful to check the comments of this leading local cleric in their entirety.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Archbishop issues statement on COVID-19 & vaccine mandates - The Leaven Catholic Newspaper Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I write, first of all, to express my love and concern for all of you as the COVID-19 virus continues to create challenges and complications for all of us. I pray, in particular, for families who lost loved ones from COVID.

You decide . . .
Last night's critical injury shooting turned into a homicide early this morning as police update the situation:

During the overnight hours, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital.



Anyone with information is asked to call detectives or the Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

Let's break down the numbers as our TKC blog community keeps track of this tragic trend . . .



Again, unofficially this is the 103rd homicide so far this year compared to 130 at this time last year when COVID lockdown and civil unrest contributed to 179 slaughtered. In 2019 there were 99 murders around this date on the calendar for a total of 151, 2018 counted 89 (138) and 2017 witnessed 100 for a total of 151.



And so . . .

According to MSM, the COVID pandemic is ramping up once again and the public is fighting bitterly over continued health restrictions . . .

And so we ask . . .

WILL ANOTHER WAVE OF COVID WORSEN THE DELUGE OF DEADLY KANSAS CITY VIOLENCE?!?!



Trending local homicide is a complex issue and there's not a single cause or solution . . . Still, there's no denying that historic lock downs and the plague helped to exacerbate the crisis.



Accordingly, we share more info via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link collection . . .

Victim dies from injuries after shooting Saturday near 30th and Olive Street in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The victim injured in a shooting Saturday night in Kansas City died overnight, according to the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Officers responded just after 7:15 Saturday night to the area of 33rd and Wabash on the report of gunshots.

Missouri reports 1,869 new COVID cases, 14 virus deaths by: Kevin S. Held Posted: / Updated: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri health officials released the latest information on COVID-19 cases and deaths Saturday morning. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the state has recorded 626,104 cumulative cases of SARS-CoV-2-an increase of 1,869 positive cases (PCR testing only)-and 10,449 total deaths as of Saturday, Aug.

A Kansas man died waiting for an ICU bed while hospitals were filled to capacity with COVID-19 patients A Kansas man died after waiting several days for an ICU bed, amid a surge of COVID-19 patients. Robert Van Pelt, 44, of Kansas, died last Sunday, according to his family. The surge in hospitalizations comes amid the spread of the Delta variant.

First surges in Covid-19 infections led to shortages of hospital beds and staff. Now it's oxygen. Parts of the South are running out of oxygen supply as Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations continue soaring, primarily driven by the swaths of people who remain unvaccinated and a dangerous coronavirus variant that has been tirelessly infecting millions of Americans.

Pandemic surge causes major shortage of a drug for severe Covid-19 and rheumatoid arthritis Renee Melendez is frustrated with the unvaccinated for more reasons than just the renewed spread of Covid-19, she said.

Credit where it's due on this clever headline . . .

Rage against the vaccine? Oh, the humanity. | Kansas Reflector Rage is a useful emotion if you're the greatest of ancient Greek warriors - Sing, O Goddess, of the rage of Achilles! - but it has its limitations for those of us not descended from kings and sea nymphs. While justifiable outrage has been instrumental in moving the arrow of history ever closer to justice, [...]

Almost a bright side . . .

U.S. Covid cases show signs of slowing, even as fatalities surge again Covid cases are still on the rise in the U.S., but the pace of infections is showing signs of slowing, especially in some of the states that have been hit hardest by the delta variant.

A word from the top doc . . .

Fauci: 100,000 new Covid deaths in US 'predictable but preventable' As many as 100,000 new Covid-19 deaths in the US by December is "predictable but preventable", the leading US infectious diseases expert said on Sunday, as dozens of states reported rapidly increasing fatalities.

Peek at the future . . .

Pediatric Covid hospitalizations surge to highest on record in U.S. as doctors brace for more Children are now being hospitalized in record numbers across the United States, and doctors are warning that it could get worse as schools begin to reopen and the swift-moving coronavirus delta variant drives cases higher. New Covid hospital admissions for kids have reached their highest levels since the U.S.

Developing . . .
President Joe Biden met in solemn privacy Sunday with the families of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the suicide attack near the Kabul airport and became the fourth commander in chief to bear witness as the remains of the fallen returned to U.S. soil from Afghanistan.
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
#29 honestly BarefootJo,I dont understand how the rules were not more strict previously.

Experts have repeatedly said,and other countries have clearly demonstrated that too many people grouped together in small indoor spaces(and with singing involved)would easily transmit the virus more if someone was unknowingly infected.

So the government was super-strict on people arriving to the island,and I think the majority of us agree with that policy with the exception of using HP,but allowed there types of gatherings?

Here in Ontario,during the last wave(#3 for those of you scoring at home)we were under stringent lockdown conditions for 4 months-almost no socializing,no school for quite a few weeks,retail severely curtailed,no events,basically stay at home for 4 months.

Now with the Delta variant on the island,it will take a concerted effort(and unfortunately with a large portion of the population unvaccinated)to really eliminate anything not absolutely critical to surviving the wave that is just starting to hit,its not going to be easy..
Hi guys,

I am Lebanese and I was issued a Schengen Visa by the French embassy 2 years ago, right before the revolution erupted in our country and coinciding with the spread of COVID-19.

I had a trip planned to Paris but obviously had to cancel it for the above reasons.

This is not the first time I am issued a Schengen visa from France and other Schengen countries.

My current visa expires end of September and I don't have any foreseen trip to France before then. I have two questions:

1- If I don't use the visa and it expires, could that affect my application process for a new visa if I want to reapply in 2 months?

2- If I want to visit Cyprus with the current unused visa, will that constitute a problem - as I am using the French-issued visa to enter Cyprus and not France.

Thanks,
Dining options: Reservations

Description: We are delighted to announce that tables in our garden will now be open from 12 April 2021 and can be booked in advance through our website. It's been a long time coming and we can't wait to see you.
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Good for: Child-friendly

Dining options: Private Dining, Reservations

Description: A beautiful getaway on the fringes of the famous moors, The Dartmoor Inn at Lydfords two AA Rosette restaurant is a must for Devon diners. The series of cosy dining spaces decorated in a Sweden-meets-New-England style provide warm, intimate settings for relaxation and romance. A small, inviting bar with roaring log fire is the place for a leisurely sup before ordering from the delicious bar menu of pub classics with class. The more refined award winning Dartmoor Inn restaurant menu is worked around seasonality and hyper-local ingredients from nearby farmers and artisan producers for a British flavour with just a touch of international creativity. Retire to one of the superb rooms after dining for the full Dartmoor Inn experience.
When you check in for your ferry to Dunkirk, the ferry company will need to see you have all the necessary paperwork to travel to France both in terms of valid passport but also Covid requirements.

Which passport do you have? Are you and any other passengers, including children, fully vaccinated?

The requirements to enter France currently are seeming different for UK passport holders and EU country passport holders, as the UK is currently on France's Amber list. As you don't say when you travel, and as the regs for France change may change, I'll leave it to you to check the French government website for the rules in play on date of Channel crossing.

Also, as your drive presumably includes travel through Belgium and Germany at a minimum, before reaching Denmark, you need up to date info for making those land border crossings - although from purely hearsay, those borders are not checked as carefully as travel in either direction between UK and France.

For your return to the UK, then you will need neagive Covid tests within 72 hours and other requirements, including (I think) completion of a PLF online (although a paper copy can be useful) with a receipt of your day 2 test booking included.

This links is from the UK government's website. It's full of disclaimers because whoever wrote it is aware that France can change their rules and then tell those affected after the fact. It onlyclaims to offer help for UK passport holders, but it does tell you what you currently need to do if you are travelling from the UK, and it also does have some links to the official French government website and where to look for help if you don't have UK passport, for the onward EU travel.

Denmark is currently green from the UK's POV, but as your travel is not direct, there or back, that really is not relevant for your trip, as all the other countries you pass through, however briefly and even with not stops, have different regs that may matter.

SWT
The Zefyros Ferry has disappeared from ferry schedules. SAOS website still shows routes till 26 September. We were hoping to use the Zefyros for a couple of island connections in September.

Can anyone offer any explanation for this please? Thanks in advance.
Day 3:

This was a South Coast day with a bit of back and forth driving. I had held off booking activities for this day for a long time, since I was waiting to find out if a friend of mine could take us ice climbing. He changed employers in between and it turned out he couldn't take the day off, so I then had to try to fit in ice climbing and ziplining on the same day.

We left our apartment and stopped at Skogafoss and Reynisfjara on the way to Vik. At 09:45 we checked in for our ziplining tour at their new basecamp next to the Soup Company. There were seven guests in total on our tour. We got our harnesses and helmets and then drove a couple of minutes to the starting point. I love that green river valley, it looks like it's straight out of The Shire and again we had gorgeous sunny weather. The last time I did this tour I was the only guest. Since I was already familiar with the ziplines I got to go first so the others could take a look. This time I even managed to not embarrass myself on the Leap of Faith ;-) I practiced my Icelandic with our guides a little bit, and then found out that there was a new surprise add-on to the tour since I had last done it. After finishing the last zipline there was a bungee option. I hate the feeling of free falling with a passion, but I couldn't not try it, and at least I didn't make a total fool out of myself... This tour is a fun option for families as well. And you can always opt out of the bungee, if you want to.

We had set a good pace and were done slightly early, so there was more time to drive back to Solheimajokull than I had anticipated. We stopped briefly at Dyrholaey, but the road up to the viewpoint was closed. For 14:00 we had booked a combination glacier hike and ice climbing tour with Troll Expeditions, because I knew that my friend really wanted to experience a glacier. Seeing Solo always makes me a bit sad, since you can observe the glacier shrink at tremendous speed, even within the space of just a few months.

We met our guide Kaspar. There were plenty of groups leaving at the same time, and all the guides were busy sorting out their clients and gear. Ice climbing tours are usually a smaller goup size and there were only four of us, so I helped the others with their harnesses and helmets, while the guides were sizing crampons and giving out ice axes for everyone. It reminded me of the time when I got to help on the glacier a few years back which was a lot of fun! We walked to the foot of the glacier, where the lagoon just keeps growing bigger and bigger. Then we put on our crampons and walked onto the glacier. The crunching sound of the crampons biting into the ice is one of my all-time favorite sounds in the world. The glacier also keeps getting steeper and we had to navigate the maze-like first section, before Kaspar could start looking for a good place to climb for us. He set up the ice screws for the top-rope system and trusted me to belay him while he demonstrated the climbing technique which made me a little bit proud. Then I got to climb first, so the others could take a look. Even though it had been almost 18 months since I last went ice climbing, it worked out fairly well. We all got a chance to climb, and everyone made it to the top. Afterwards Kaspar asked us if we wanted another go or if we wanted to see an ice cave he had discovered on the lower part of the glacier. I would have liked to climb again, but since this may have been be the only chance for the rest of our group to see an ice cave, that's what we decided to do. It was beautiful. We could only go in a few feet, and I am pretty sure it probably collapsed a few days later, but the light inside was magical and it was cool to see the different layers. On the way there and back we walked past an ad or short film being shot on the glacier with two men in colorful skin-tight onesies which looked pretty surreal (and was possibly a bit cold). Again we had great weather and sunshine, and I was happy I had applied sunscreen. Kaspar was a fun and knowledgeable guide, and even though I had done this kind of tour plenty of times before I really enjoyed it. Next time I am over I may try to find a proper ice climbing course to have a bit more time for practicing proper technique.

We stopped at Vik again, filled up the car and had dinner at the hotel. The fish of the day was delicious!

During the ziplining tour I had asked one of our guides about his favorite spots in the area. He had suggested walking the Lasastigur trail at Hjorleifshofi and said it was only about 10-15 minutes from right next to the Yoda Cave.

When we left after dinner I asked my friend if she felt like checking out the trail, since that would also be a place I hadn't seen before. She said she was up for it, so we turned off the ring road toward Hjorleifshofi. Neither my navigation app nor google maps was a lot of help, but we reached the Yoda Cave, explored it for a few minutes (I thought it was a bit spooky) and then started searching for the trail head. All we knew was that the trail was supposed to lead up to the top through another cave, but the steep cliffs didn't really look like there was any way up. We scrambled our way up a steep scree slope into a small pitch-black cave, but my cellphone flashlight revealed that there was no way out on the other side, so we slid back down a bit.

My friend noticed a faint trail branching off and traversing the slope. It could a have been a sheep track, but it was our best option, so we carefully navigated across and finally saw both a sign for the Lasastigur and then the correct cave. The sign warned about steep drop-offs and said to only try this at our own risk and if we were not afraid of heights. I made sure my friend really wanted to try and reminded her that every step would require full concentration. The sign wasn't joking. You had to be sure-footed, calm and self-confident to navigate the trail to the top. There were very exposed sections and steep scree sections that sometimes had rails or a rope to hold onto, but were also pretty slippery. I worried a little about coming back down, but decided that was a problem my future self would tackle when it became real.

We ended up on top of the cliffs on a large grassy slope with some farmhouse ruins, some sheep and an amazing panoramic view over the ocean, the coastline and all the way to the glacier.

The guide had talked about a circle trail, so we continued, even though it quickly became apparent that the 10-15 min only referred to the climb to the top. We continued to what I assume was the highest point with an old cemetery and a memorial to one of the earliest settlers, then followed the trail for a few minutes longer. It wasn't too long until the sun would set, though,and I wanted to make sure we made it back down in full daylight, so we cut back across the grass to the ruins until we found the right spot to descend again. This required full focus with each step and I was proud of my friend for remaining calm and confident. We were both a bit relieved and a little proud when we were back at the car.

Then we continued on to Kirkjubjarklaustur where I had booked one of the cabins next to Hotel Laki for the night. They even had wifi in the cabins this time around. I did my workout, we uploaded all the pictures we had taken and then went to bed.

It was a long day with quite a bit of driving, but also two fun activity tours and an added adventure to wrap up the day.
Hi,

as a Flyerbonus status member, today I received the following email notification about a cyber attack on 23rd Aug 2021 at Bangkok Airways web server, including a data leck which might lead to compromised personal data and future use for fraud.

Im posting this just as a heads up for those of us, who dont follow certain media releases, where it was posted already two days ago, and wasnt aware of it like me until today.

***

Notice of Cyber Security Incident.

Dear Valued Customer,

On 23 August 2021, we have discovered that we had been a victim of cybersecurity attack which resulted in unauthorized and unlawful access to our information system.

Upon such discovery, we immediately took action to investigate and contain such event, with the assistance of a leading cybersecurity firm. Currently, we are investigating, as a matter of urgency, to verify the compromised data and the affected passengers as well as taking relevant measures to strengthen our IT system.

We write to inform you now out of the greatest caution that this incident has exposed some of your personal data in our possession to be compromised by the attacker. From our investigation, the personal data that has been accessed are passenger name, family name, nationality, gender, phone number, email, address, contact information, passport information, historical travel information, partial credit card information, and special meal information. Please be assured that such incident does not affect the aviation security and we are still open for business as usual.

This incident has been reported to the Thai police and the relevant authorities. We will continue to update you about the progress on this incident as well as information on steps and proper measures you may take to protect yourself against such exposure.

As a preliminary protection measures, we recommend you contact your bank or credit card provider and follow their advice and change any compromised passwords as soon as you can. We also would like to caution you to be aware of any suspicious and unsolicited calls and/or emails, as the attacker may be claiming to be Bangkok Airways and attempt to gather your personal data by deception (known as 'phishing'). We will not be contacting any customers asking for credit card details and/or any financial details and any such requests should be reported to the police and relevant authorities.

We regret this incident has occurred and want to reassure you that our commitment to security and privacy of your personal data remains paramount. For further correspondence on this matter, please contact us via the following channels;

 Toll-free number 1800-010-171 (within Thailand) during 08.00hrs  17.30hrs

 Toll number 800-8100-6688 (Overseas) during 08.00hrs  17.30hrs (Thailand Time GMT+7)

 Email: infosecurity@bangkokair.com

Sincerely yours,

Bangkok Airways PCL.

***

Regards,

KK
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NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  An air base hosting Turkish drones in the breakaway northern third of ethnically divided Cyprus is ratcheting up unease among neighboring countries, which see the station as an added instrument of instability in the turbulent east Mediterranean region.

The Cypriot government views the drone deployment as a means for Turkey to pursue what it called an expansionist agenda - using military assets to extend its outreach and buttress its control of a region that potentially holds significant natural gas reserves.

Turkey has stationed heavy weapons and more than 35,000 troops in northern Cyprus since the island was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkish forces invaded in response to a coup by supporters of union with Greece. But the deployment of the drones provides Turkey with a wider strike capability that has upped regional unease.

The leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Ersin Tatar, boasted on Turkish television earlier this month that the Bayraktar TB2 drones at the air base in Gecitkale - or Lefkoniko in Greek - could be scrambled much faster than from bases on mainland Turkey to inspect the region up to the coast of Egypt.

An Egyptian official described the deployment as another in a series of Ankaras provocative measures that require a firm reaction from the international community - especially the United States and the European Union, of which Cyprus is a member.

The base, along with other measures in Cyprus, Libya and the Mediterranean, would only further destabilize the region. It is alarming, an Egyptian diplomat told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue.

The latest (the base) solidifies the notion that Turkey will not be deterred through statements, but it needs actions from relevant countries, he said.

Egypts ties with Turkey have frayed since the Egyptian militarys ouster of President Mohamed Morsi, a close ally of Ankara, in 2013.

The drones were sent to northern Cyprus in December 2019 in response to oil and gas prospecting by international energy companies licensed by the Cypriot government. Turkey claimed the prospecting off Cyprus' southern coast ignores its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots, to the areas potential wealth of hydrocarbon deposits.

Turkey mounted a hydrocarbon search of its own in waters claimed by Cyprus and Greece. The EU condemned Turkey's actions as a breach of international law and of Cypriot and Greek sovereign rights.

At least two Bayraktar TV2 drones are currently stationed at Gecitkale. With an operating range of 200 kilometers (125 miles) and a flight ceiling of 6,100 meters (20,000 feet), the drones can can carry weapons and surveillance equipment capable of delivering real-time images to Turkish naval ships.

Turkey is said to be upgrading the Bayraktars systems to be satellite-guided to extend their range even farther. An intelligence report obtained by the AP indicates that the air base is receiving its own upgrade for a planned deployment of additional drones, surveillance aircraft, training planes and advanced fighter jets.

Israeli officials do not appear to consider the base to be a direct threat and declined to comment on the matter. In the past, they have objected to what they consider to be aggressive Turkish actions in the region.

Last month, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said the Israeli government was following with deep concern recent unilateral Turkish actions in northern Cyprus and expressed its solidarity and full support for the Cypriot government.

Although Israel has refrained from official comment, Israeli Institute of Regional Strategic Studies analyst Gabriel Mitchell said the drone base is a worrying development that will add to the existing tensions with Turkey.

Israel has been trying to balance its support Greece and Cyprus with its efforts to leave a door open for dialogue with Ankara over the last decade, Mitchell said.

But Turkey's planned expansion of the drone base presents a problem because it will aggravate regional partners - particularly Greece and Cyprus - and generate a new set of security considerations in the already overcrowded eastern Mediterranean, the analyst said.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo and Federman reported from Jerusalem.
(@FahadShabbir)

LONDON, Aug. 29 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) --:Another 32,406 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,698,486, according to official figures released Sunday.

The country also reported another 133 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 132,376. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest data came as thousands of people are flocking to UK music festivals this weekend as prevalence of virus in England rises to 1 in 70.

Earlier this month, about 4,700 people have tested positive following the Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, with 800 thought to be living in Cornwall, but cases are spread across Britain.

"Music festivals provide an opportunity to import the virus from around the country, as appears to have happened in Newquay with the Boardmasters Festival recently. But they also allow it to be spread further afield when everyone eventually goes home," said Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology, University of Reading.

Meanwhile, a new study carried out by Public Health England (PHE) and Cambridge University suggested people infected with the Delta variant are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital compared to those with the Alpha variant.
(@FahadShabbir)

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 29th Aug, 2021) A team of solar physicists led by New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi Co-Principal Investigator of the Centre for Space Science, Laurent Gizon, has revealed huge swirling waves moving on the solar surface, which extend 125,000 miles below the surface of the Sun.

Gizon, on behalf of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) and the University of Gottingen in Germany, made the discovery, along with a team of scientists, after a decade of observations from NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory, the university said in a statement on Sunday.

The study has led to the discovery of global oscillations of the Sun, comparable to the 27-day solar rotation period. The oscillations manifest themselves at the solar surface as swirling motions with speeds of around three miles per hour.

In the 1960s the Suns high musical notes were discovered. These 5-minute oscillations have been observed continuously by ground-based telescopes and space observatories since the mid 1990s and have been used very successfully by helioseismologists to learn about the internal structure and dynamics of the star; this is similar to how seismologists can learn about the interior of the Earth by studying earthquakes.

In addition to the 5-minute waves, much longer-period oscillations were predicted to exist in stars more than 40 years ago but had not been identified on the Sun until now.

Gizon commented, "The discovery of a new type of solar oscillations is exciting as it allows us to infer properties, such as the strength of the convective driving, which ultimately control the solar dynamo." The solar dynamo is thought to be responsible for the features and eruptions on the Suns surface which vary in intensity over the 11-year cycle of solar activity."

The oscillations will help establish novel ways to probe the Suns interior and obtain information about the stars inner structure and dynamics. The scientists have described their findings in the latest edition of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) :Only 300 American citizens still in Afghanistan are seeking to leave the country, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday, just days ahead of the US deadline for evacuations.

"We are down to a population of 300 or fewer Americans who are still on the ground there, and we are working actively in these hours and these days to get those folks out," he told ABC.

Some Americans, Blinken said, had chosen to stay beyond the August 31 deadline set to complete the evacuation, but Blinken said "they are not going to be stuck in Afghanistan." He said the US had "a mechanism to get them out."
London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) :The UK on Saturday flew out the last of its military from Afghanistan, concluding its pullout while leaving hundreds of Afghans eligible for resettlement behind.

The defence ministry tweeted that the "final flight carrying UK Armed Forces personnel has left Kabul", posting photos of drawn and tired-looking soldiers entering a plane.

In a tribute to the troops, the ministry wrote: "To all those who served so bravely under enormous pressure and horrendous conditions to safely evacuate the most vulnerable of civilians: Thank you." Earlier Saturday, the UK sent out a final plane carrying only civilian evacuees as it wound up its operation to airlift civilians, diplomats and troops ahead of the August 31 deadline agreed with the Taliban for US troop withdrawal.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanked those behind the rescue operation, saying they had helped over 15,000 people in less than two weeks.

"I want to thank everyone involved and the thousands of those who served over the last two decades. You can be proud of what you have achieved," Johnson said in a message posted on social media.

Defence Minister Ben Wallace said UK troops had "helped thousands to get to a better future and safety".

- 'Heartbreaking' - The head of the UK armed forces, General Sir Nick Carter earlier Saturday told the BBC the evacuation operation had "gone as well as it could do" but admitted it was "heartbreaking" that "we haven't been able to bring everybody out".

The armed forces chief estimated the number of eligible Afghans who had not been evacuated as "in the high hundreds".

He stressed that Britain would welcome them if they managed to leave after the deadline, through third countries or other ways.

Defence Secretary Wallace earlier estimated that up to 1,100 Afghans eligible for relocation under the UK's scheme "didn't make it".
Juba, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Aug, 2021 ) :South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar on Sunday rejected claims by a cabinet minister that he and former foe President Salva Kiir had struck a deal on uniting their armies, in the latest blow to its fragile peace process.

The world's newest nation has struggled with chronic instability since independence in 2011, with Kiir and Machar locked in an uneasy coalition following the end of a five-year civil war.

Saturday's announcement by Martin Elia Lomuro, the minister of cabinet affairs, which said the pair had agreed on a power-sharing deal to enable the creation of a unified army, had held out hope of a potential breakthrough for its lumbering peace process.

But in a statement released late Sunday, Machar's office said no such agreement was reached.

"We strongly refute this false information and also underscore that the issue remains unresolved," the statement said.

Lomuro had earlier said the two sides would split control of senior positions in the national security command which includes the military and police, with Kiir's party holding a 60 percent share and the remainder divided between Machar and a handful of opposition parties.

Machar's party on Sunday said instead that their talks had focused on a 50:50 breakup, with the East African bloc IGAD proposing a 55:45 division "which the parties has not yet discussed".

The country's peace process has suffered from years of drift and bickering over the creation of a unified armed forces command, a key component of the 2018 truce agreement and a potential safeguard against future conflict.

The 2018 ceasefire and power-sharing deal ended a conflict that has cost almost 400,000 lives, but distrust lingered, with many of Machar's top cadres complaining they had lost out under the arrangement with the ruling party.

Earlier this month foes in Machar's party said they had ousted him as leader -- a move his allies dismissed as a "failed coup", but which raised fears for the already shaky peace process.

Machar said the squabbles were aimed at derailing the formation of a unified armed forces command.

As discontent has deepened, some citizens have called for a peaceful public uprising to topple the current regime, with a nationwide protest planned on Monday.
(@FahadShabbir)

Addis Ababa, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) :Rebel forces from Ethiopia's war-torn region of Tigray on Sunday accused the African Union (AU) of bias, days after the bloc appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as a mediator in the months-long conflict.

The spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Getachew Reda, accused the AU of "partiality" towards the Ethiopian government and said it would be "naive to expect this mission to work".

Northern Ethiopia has been wracked by violence since November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, the regional ruling party, saying the move came in response to attacks on army camps.

The 2019 Nobel Peace prize winner promised a swift victory, but the war has instead dragged on for months, triggering a humanitarian crisis in Tigray, while the rebels have pushed into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.

Abiy rejected early appeals from high-level envoys from the AU for talks with Tigrayan leaders, sticking to his line that the conflict is a limited "law and order" operation.

On Thursday, the bloc announced Obasanjo's appointment as a high representative for the Horn of Africa, saying it was part of a "drive to promote peace, security, stability & political dialogue".

But on Sunday, TPLF spokesman Getachew dismissed the initiative, saying: "We are hard pressed to know... how people would reasonably expect a constructive role from an institution that has given partiality a very bad name".

"Solving a crisis at the very least requires acknowledging the existence, let alone the magnitude of the problem," he wrote on Twitter.

- Famine-like conditions - The war has proved to be a sensitive subject for the AU, which is headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Although Washington has been openly critical of Abiy's handling of the war, African members of the UN Security Council have backed Ethiopia in opposing formal discussion of the situation in Tigray at the world body.

According to the members, whose stance is backed by Russia and China, the conflict is Ethiopia's internal affair and any international efforts should go through African leaders or via the AU.

As the conflict has deepened, the humanitarian toll has spiked, with aid workers struggling to reach cut-off populations and 400,000 people facing famine-like conditions in Tigray, according to the UN.

Obasanjo previously headed the AU's election observer mission during Ethiopia's polls last June, where Abiy won a landslide victory. But a fifth of the country's Constituencies, including in Tigray, were unable to vote due to ethnic violence and logistical problems.

There was no immediate response from the AU to the TPLF's allegations, and calls to the bloc's representatives were not answered.
The Punjab government on Saturday suspended the assistant commissioners of Kotli Satian and Chua Syedan Shah over poor performance in price control measures

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2021 ) :The Punjab government on Saturday suspended the assistant commissioners of Kotli Satian and Chua Syedan Shah over poor performance in price control measures.

Punjab Chief Secretary issued orders about suspension of both the assistant commissioners during a meeting held to review the price control measures, at the Civil Secretariat here.

He also directed to issue warning letters to the assistant commissioners of Murree and Rajanpur, besides asking the deputy commissioners of Sahiwal, Bhakkar and Khanewal to improve their performance.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary said that as per the directions of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister Punjab, availability of daily-use commodities would be ensured at the fixed prices. He said that implementation of government rates was the responsibility of administrative officers. He warned the officers that corruption and poor performance would not be tolerated in any case. "Being supervisory officers the commissioners and deputy commissioners should take action against corrupt officials themselves," the Chief Secretary maintained, adding that as per the directive of the Prime Minister, a zero tolerance policy would be adopted in the matter of corruption.

He said that only those officers would be able to retain their positions who would work. The officers would be encouraged for good performance while the poor performers would be held accountable, he mentioned.

The meeting reviewed in detail the prices of goods, availability and performance of price magistrates. The participants were briefed that the officials arrested 724 persons, and lodged 549 FIRs over overcharging in different cities during the last one week, besides imposing fines of Rs. 21.9 million on violators.

The additional chief secretary, administrative secretaries of different departments including industries, agriculture, and food, the Chairman Punjab Information Technology board and officers concerned attended the meeting while all the commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2021) SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft launched with the Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:14 a.m. (ET) (07:14 GMT) on Sunday, carrying 4,800 Pounds of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA broadcasted live on Twitter.

"Confirmed: spacecraft separation of the @SpaceX Dragon from the Falcon 9 rocket. Next stop the @Space_Station," NASA updated 20 minutes after the liftoff.

It is assumed that Dragon will dock on the ISS at around 11:00 a.m. (ET) Monday.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2021) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has assured Iraqi President Barham Salih that the operation against the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) is not over, but is just entering a new phase, State Department spokesperson Ned price said.

Blinken spoke with Salih on Saturday. Price said in a statement after the talks that the US was committed to a stable Iraq and that Washington had taken note of Iraq's efforts to hold fair elections on October 10.

"The Secretary reiterated that the Defeat-ISIS mission is not over but is shifting to a new phase based on the enhanced capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces," Price said, adding that the "United States, as leader of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS [Islamic State], and part of the NATO Mission to Iraq, will continue to train, advise, and enable Iraqi forces.

"

There are currently 2,500 US troops in Iraq assisting local forces to counter what remains of the Islamic State terrorist group.

Biden said in July that the US combat mission in Iraq would come to a close by the end of this year. After December 31, 2021 the United States is expected to switch to training and assisting Iraqi forces to counter Islamic State terrorists.
TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th August, 2021) Uzbek scientists are conducting trials of an edible, transgenic, tomato-based vaccine against COVID-19, and they have already yielded definite results, a representative of the national academy of sciences told Sputnik on Friday.

"The experiment showed that the S-protein of the coronavirus, synthesized in a tomato, enters the intestines and awakens the immune system. The produced antibodies will fight the pathogen," the scientist said.

The research is being conducted at the academy's Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics and set to be completed by the end of 2021.

It is very cheap to produce such vaccines in plants, the scientist said, noting that it is a safe and harmless product, and such "edible" vaccination is good for children.
The Holy Father is praying for victims of flooding in the Venezuelan state of Merida.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Following Sundays Angelus, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of the Venezuelan state of Merida, which has been struck by torrential rains and ensuing landslides.

The tragedy has left at least 17 people dead as a result of the disaster, and more than 20 others are missing. In Merida and neighbouring states, more than 8 thousand homes have been destroyed. Huge areas of western Venezuela are still being pounded by heavy rain, which could last as long as another ten days.

Ramon Guevara, the governor of Merida  which is suffering the brunt of the disaster says swollen rivers have overflowed and burst their banks. A prominent member of the opposition Democratic Party, Guevara is urging that politics be set aside at this time of dire need. Venezuelas president, Nicolas Maduro, is helping with the Governors appeal to establish a coordination centre in the nations capital of Caracas for the collection of fresh drinking water, non-perishable food, medical supplies, blankets and clothing, to be swiftly sent to areas where it is needed. Venezuelas armed forces have been deployed to help emergency workers cope with the enormous scale of the still-unfolding disaster. Local or regional funds are insufficient to help with disaster relief and subsequent rebuilding. Instead, central funds and coffers will have to supply aid.

Television footage and photos from cellular phones show a chocolate-coloured lunar landscape, with one-time streets now raging torrents strewn with huge boulders, and houses flattened and swept aside, while others are upended, teetering on their sides. Debris can be seen swirling around like wisps of straw and soggy matchwood, with cars being carried along in the torrents like toys.

For now, the number one priority is the search for the missing, and its certain that the death toll will rise.

As the rains continue to fall and floodwaters rise ever higher, Pope Francis is interceding for the stricken people of Venezuelas-stricken people: "I am praying for the deceased, their families, and for all those who are suffering as a result of this calamity."
The U.S. government has reportedly approved license applications that allow Huawei to buy auto chips from American firms. Chinese companies have been under severe trade restrictions for the past few years as they were considered to be a national security threat.

Huawei was added to the U.S. entity list in 2019 by the Trump administration, a move that prohibited American companies from selling products or technologies to Chinese firms without getting a special license from authorities. Last year, further restrictions were implemented as Washington banned overseas companies from supplying chips to Huawei in case they contained American equipment.

Other countries like Australia, Sweden, and New Zealand, followed suit as telecom companies from these nations ditched Huawei equipment in their 5G networks. As such, Huawei saw a steep decline in revenues, with the first half of 2021 only netting 320 billion yuan (approx. $45 billion) in sales as compared to 454 billion yuan (approx. $70 billion) in the same period last year. The Trump-era sanctions pushed Huawei to venture into the smart cars industry.

In recent weeks and months, the U.S. has granted licenses that authorize American suppliers to sell auto chips to Huawei according to a report by Reuters. The chips are to be used in smart car components like sensors, video screens, and so on. As the report went viral, the Biden administration faced criticism for what many believe is a dilution of the Trump-era hard stance on Chinese firms.

Huawei is an arm of the Chinese Communist Party. Founded by a former military official, the company has a long history of alleged intellectual property theft and exporting Beijings digital authoritarianism, including testing tools to surveil and police Uyghurs The Biden Administration cannot be allowed to hide this approval from the public, Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Rubio asked officials to reveal what actions they took and the reason behind those decisions. He warned that helping Huawei is not in Americas interests and that instead of granting waivers to Chinese companies, Washington should be increasing penalties and restrictions on them.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton stated that it is unacceptable for the Biden administration to ease the pressure campaign against Chinese spy companies like Huawei.

Huawei, founded by a former Chinese army officer Ren Zhengfei, has been accused of helping the communist regime carry out spying operations all over the world. According to a Feb. 2020 report by Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials knew that Huawei is capable of covertly accessing mobile phone networks worldwide and that the company has had this capability for over a decade.

Meanwhile, the Commerce Department has come forward to clarify that Washington has not compromised on the restrictions placed on Huawei.

The Biden Administration has not changed the regulatory restrictions on Huawei and its affiliates on the Entity List imposed in 2019 or 2020 or the policy for implementing those restrictions developed during the Trump administration, a Commerce Department spokesperson said. He added that the department is prohibited from disclosing details on license approvals and denials.

Though the Trump administrations restrictions banned the sale of American goods and technologies to Huawei, it had provided for some relaxation. According to a rule passed in Aug. 2020 states, licenses for the sale of products with 5G capabilities were likely to be rejected.

However, the sale of products that used less sophisticated technologies would be decided on a case-by-case basis. The Trump administration had denied $119 billion worth of licenses for Huawei after the company was put on the entity list. It had also approved licenses worth $87 billion during this time.

In an interview with SCMP, James Lewis, director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, stated that the sale of auto chips to Huawei doesnt mean that Biden is acting softer towards the company. He argues that there is little risk from selling car chips to Huawei and that such a move doesnt mean that Washington is going to loosen up on 5G.

However, there is still strong opposition to the sale of auto chips to Huawei. Mike Rogers, the lead Republican on the Armed Services Committee, has criticized the license and demanded that it be revoked. Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also tweeted in opposition to Washingtons decision.

I worked to secure America from the CCP threat, esp. Huaweis predatory espionage. This admin has given in to them. The Russians get a pipeline. Iran gets billions. The CCP gets semiconductors. America first is being undone. Bad for American security, Pompeo said in a tweet.

The move is surprising on another level as the global shortage of computer chips used in elecal vehicle manufacturing has hit an all-time low due to the global pandemic. Time Magazine reported that  Missing chips are now expected to lower global output by 3.9 million vehicles in 2021, or 4.6%.

The challenge was that no one realized how long fab chips took to make, which is years not months. Since the U.S. Government has paid more attention to the shortage of chips; the Senate passed a bipartisan bill in June that provides R&D tax breaks for U.S.-based manufacturing in a market that saw production fall from 37 percent in 1990 to 12 percent today.
The Taliban have widened a security cordon around Kabul airport, at American request, but the move means Afghans heading for the last evacuation flights encounter more checkpoints.

Moreover, witnesses say the Taliban guards are becoming more aggressive, especially with women, as the clock ticks down to Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Bidens deadline for the American airlift to end.



They dont spare women, a 20-year-old student told VOA in a phone call from Kabul, where she is in hiding, too fearful to make a second attempt to leave the country.

They wont spare us just because we are women, said Hamdiya, describing what she, her mother and younger sister endured at multiple Taliban checkpoints.



One Taliban held a gun to my head, she said. We were told we are infidels because we want to go to the United States, she continued. I said I wasnt an infidel and he said he was going to shoot me, she added.

Hamdiya has worked for both the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and for a German nongovernmental organization.



On Thursday she, her mother and sister made it to the airport just as a suicide bomber struck, leaving 13 U.S. service personnel dead and at least 170 Afghans.

I was running and I accidentally tripped over a head, and it had no body. I cant get rid of that image she said.



Her mother was injured in the bombing, which an affiliate of the Islamic State group has claimed as its attack. Hamdiya said she, her mother and sister are all too terrified to make another bid to reach the airport and she has been trying to find any Western assistance to help them navigate the Taliban checkpoints, to no avail. She said women not accompanied by male relatives are encountering special hostility from Taliban gunmen.



Sometimes I wish I were a man, she said. I am failing. It is very painful, she added.



The final opportunities to leave are likely slipping away from Hamdiya.



The U.S. State Department Saturday urged American citizens and others to leave the vicinity of Kabuls airport immediately due to fears of another terror attack. Taliban forces sealed the airport off Saturday to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, The Associated Press reported.

US Embassy in Kabul Issues Threat Alert Earlier Biden warned that another attack on the airport is likely soon

Even before then, other Afghans trying to reach the airport told VOA that Taliban guards often were only allowing a maximum of two members per family to cross checkpoints, now increasingly manned by uniformed Taliban fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles seized from Afghan security forces.



Afghans who have been at the airport painted a grim picture of Taliban fighters firing rounds into the air.

The Taliban claim they have to disperse crowds, but several Afghans told VOA that they believed the episodic shooting was intimidatory and being done just to scare them. The Taliban also Saturday fired canisters of colored smoke around parts of the airport, adding to the confusion and mounting fear, Afghan civilians said.



NATOs European members have now ended their airlift, with some governments urging Afghans eligible for evacuation now to shelter in place.

Britain ended its evacuation mission Saturday with the final British troops and diplomatic staff arriving at RAF Brize Norton, a British air force base in southeastern England, Sunday morning, drawing to a close Britain's 20-year deployment in Afghanistan.



The two-week mission to rescue British nationals and Afghan allies was Britains largest evacuation mission since World War II. In all, Britain evacuated 15,000 people. In a video posted on Twitter Sunday British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the soldiers involved.

On the end of military operations in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/sOeXjeYtIr  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 29, 2021

U.K. troops and officials have worked around the clock to a remorseless deadline in harrowing conditions, he said.



They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives, he added, They've seen at firsthand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn't flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job.



Johnson and his ministers, however, are coming under vitriolic criticism for the airlift, with claims that the British government was too slow to get the evacuation mounted in earnest. A former head of the British army, General Richard Dannatt, said the mission should have been started much earlier in the year.

We should have done better, we could have done better. It absolutely behooves us to find out why the government didn't spark up faster, he told The Times newspaper.



Hundreds of Afghans have been heading to the countrys land borders but are being charged thousands of dollars by smugglers and drivers, according to Western NGOs.

The Tajikistan and Uzbekistan borders are currently officially closed. Making for the frontier with Pakistan is highly risky for Afghans who have worked with NATO forces or Western governments as to get to the border they must travel deep into Taliban heartlands. Moreover, most border smugglers are connected with the militant Islamist movement, say private security advisers exploring overland routes to get Afghans out of the country.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
Australian drug regulators have approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15.



The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization has advised the federal government that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 12 to 15.



The drug regulators have insisted that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination for children of that age range far outweigh the potential risks, including myocarditis, where the heart muscle is inflamed.

Australias federal health minister, Greg Hunt, says he hopes most injections will be given by the end of the year.



We are in a position to ensure that all children and all families who seek their children to be vaccinated between the ages of 12 to 15 will be able to do so this year, he said.



The Pfizer vaccine was already available to Australian aboriginal children ages 12 to 15 who have underlying medical conditions or live in remote areas.

France, Italy and Israel started offering the Pfizer vaccine to anyone age 12 and older in June. Japan did so in May, and the United States recently approved the drugs use for that age group. The vaccines have been approved for children in India, but officials havent decided when inoculations can begin.

Paul Griffin, an associate professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of Queensland, supports Australias decision to offer vaccines to younger children.

We have seen excellent data supporting the use of these vaccines in this age group. Other countries have started doing it, and we know it is an important age group to be vaccinated for so many reasons. Children are now increasingly recognized as contributing to the spread of this virus, he said.

The Australian Medical Association also supports the vaccination of children but has said that some older age groups are more of a priority.

Teachers in New South Wales, Australias most populous state, face mandatory coronavirus vaccinations as authorities plan a return to school for students starting in late October.

In Australia, 34.4% of the population is fully vaccinated. Four weeks ago it was 19.5%.

Fifteen million Australians remain in lockdown, including residents in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, as delta variant infections continue to surge. New South Wales authorities reported 1,218 additional COVID-19 cases Sunday, a new daily record.

Australia has detected about 50,000 coronavirus infections since the pandemic began, and 993 people have died, according to the health department.


President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Sunday to honor the 13 U.S. military personnel killed in last weeks attack outside the Kabul airport.

The President and the First Lady will meet with the families of fallen American service members who gave their lives to save Americans, our partners, and our Afghan allies in Kabul, a White House statement said.

The Bidens are then participating in a dignified transfer, a military ritual of receiving the remains of those killed in foreign combat.

The deadly attack last week took place as thousands were gathered outside the airport, trying to leave Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country. At least 170 Afghans were killed along with the 13 U.S. service members.

Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility.

(Some information provided by the Associated Press.)
The Botswana government has sought to assure thousands of undocumented immigrants they will not be left out of the country's COVID-19 vaccination program.

Thousands of immigrants are crossing into Botswana, the majority fleeing economic hardships in neighboring Zimbabwe. Some undocumented migrants say they are being turned away from vaccination centers.

But Botswanas assistant minister of health, Sethomo Lelatisitswe, told the National Assembly on Friday that no one, including immigrants, would be left out of the COVID-19 vaccination program. He said that if undocumented immigrants and refugees were left out, the country's hospitals would be full tomorrow.

Member of Parliament Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked during a National Assembly session whether undocumented immigrants were being vaccinated.

Need to publicize

Keorapetse said he didnt understand why records weren't being kept about the number of migrants who have been vaccinated, in order to formulate a solid policy. He also said the migrants needed to know they were eligible for vaccination.

Mkhululi Moyo, one of the thousands of immigrants from neighboring Zimbabwe who left in search of better economic opportunities, said he was happy Botswana authorities had explained the policy on the vaccination of migrants.

I am happy the [assistant] minister has clarified the issue of papers for foreigners," Moyo said. "We have a problem, but it means everything is well. We hope it will go smoothly according to what the minister said, and there will be no difficulties.

Health authorities are emphasizing now they are unconditionally assisting undocumented migrants.

Botswana deports an estimated 22,000 unauthorized immigrants every year, mostly from Zimbabwe.
The United States conducted an airstrike Sunday against a vehicle that posed a threat to the Kabul airport, following U.S. warnings of an imminent attack in the area.

U.S. military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K [Islamic State Khorasan] threat to Hamad Karzai International airport, said Capt. Bill Urban, CENTCOM spokesperson. We are confident we successfully hit the target. Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material.

Islamic State Khorasan had claimed responsibility for a suicide attack outside the airport that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members last Thursday. A U.S. airstrike last Friday killed two members of the terror group.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul had urged U.S. citizens to leave the vicinity of the airport, citing a specific and credible threat. U.S. President Joe Biden Saturday said another attack was likely within the next 24- to 36 hours. Warnings of additional attacks come as the U.S. and its allies wind down an evacuation of their citizens and Afghans fleeing the Taliban.

This is the most dangerous time in an already extraordinarily dangerous mission, these last couple of days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABCs This Week on Sunday.

Republican U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, also on ABC, criticized the Biden administrations evacuation plan.

There is clearly no plan. There has been no plan. Their plan has basically been happy talk, he said. Sasse also said people have died and people are going to die because President Biden decided to rely on happy talk instead of reality.

The White House says about 2,900 people were evacuated from Kabul in a 12-hour period that ended at 3 a.m. EDT Sunday. It says that since August 14, the U.S. has evacuated or helped evacuate more than 114,000 people.

Blinken said in an interview on CNN that about 300 American citizens are seeking evacuation from Afghanistan.

Separately, a U.S. airstrike Friday night against the Islamic State Afghan affiliate group  retaliation for Thursdays attack  resulted in the deaths of two important members of the group, the U.S. Defense Department said Saturday.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told Fox News Sunday that President Biden will stop at nothing to make the terror group pay for last weeks attack.

Biden on Saturday said the airstrike was not the last and that the U.S. will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay.



Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reportedly denounced the airstrike, saying it was a clear attack on Afghan territory, according to the Reuters news agency. He also reportedly said the Taliban expects to take full control of the airport when U.S. forces complete their pullout from the country, scheduled for Tuesday.



Ongoing threats

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said at a briefing Saturday that threats against the airport are still very real, theyre very dynamic, and we are monitoring them literally in real time. And, as I said yesterday, we are taking all the means necessary to make sure we remain focused on that threat stream and doing what we can for force protection.

The security threats have made the evacuation of Americans and some Afghans more difficult.

There doesnt appear to be any concerted effort to get SIVs [Special Immigrant Visa holders] out at this point, a State Department official told VOA from the airport. But the department is still trying to evacuate local embassy staff, U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.



The U.S. evacuation of Afghans at the airport has wound down significantly, with most of the remaining 100 American civilian government staffers set to leave before midnight, according to a State Department official who spoke with VOA Saturday on the condition of anonymity.

The airport terminals are mostly empty, said the official, who expressed mixed feelings about the operation.

I feel the frustration of the failure of the operation overall, said the official, who described the decision-making process of getting Afghans evacuated as chaotic and subjective.



But I'm extremely proud of the work of the guys on the ground, just the kind of bare-knuckled diplomacy of getting to know the Afghans, even though some of us didn't know the language, the official said.



VOA White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report, which includes information from the Associated Press and Reuters.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Nelson Chamisa is breathing fire after the government on Friday disbursed state funds amounting to $59,940.00 to Douglas Mwonzoras MDC-T and $140,000,000 to Zanu PF under the Political Parties Finance Act.

The MDC Alliance says the MDC-T, which was led by Thokozani Khupe during the 2018 harmonized elections, performed dismally in the polls and does not deserve any funding.

Jameson Timba, the MDC Alliances secretary for presidential affairs, told the privately-owned Standard newspaper that the government is breaking the law as there is a High Court order which bars it from disbursing funds to any MDC formation.

He claimed that Zanu PF disbursed the funds to the Mwonzora group in an effort to destabilize Chamisas party.

But in the same publication, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi dismissed the allegations, saying the government does is not have political surrogates, which it is using to cripple the MDC Alliance.

In a series of tweets, human rights lawyer, David Coltart, said, Ziyambi has confirmed in today that Z$60 million (about US$428,000) has been paid to the MDC T, whereas the gazette says it should be paid to the MDC Alliance. The MDC T & the MDC Alliance are two separate entities - so on what basis has this been done? A few things Zimbabwean taxpayers should know: 1. This is illegal; 2. The money will not be accounted for and subjected to independent audit (as we did when state money was paid to MDC A); 3. The money will be used to promote a ZANUPF agenda not a democratic agenda.

The payment of this money is a brazen injustice which runs complete contrary to the provisions of the Political Parties Act which states funds are issued in proportion to votes secured. MDC T got less than 50K votes !

Coltart urged the church to take urgent action on this matter.

It is time the church spoke out against this brazen theft of State funds - everyone knows the truth - that the MDC Alliance under Nelson Chamisa won the votes not MDC T. This is the truth. Silence is complicity.

He further said there is need to follow the law in disbursing state funds.

One of these processes is compliance with the Political Parties Finance Act which was designed to ensure that parties with support  i.e. actual votes in the last election- receive State funding. The Churches silence on the illegal transfer of funds from MDC A to MDC T is troubling.

Political and human rights activist, Pedzisayi Ruhanya, said on Twitter, Thokozani's MDC-T according to ZEC results, got 0.96% of votes in 2018 elections. On what account does it get the political party finances money of ZW60 million that is meant for MDC Alliance Nelson Chamisa. Munga tengesa kusvika apa here hama. The people know the truth.

Section 3 of the Political Parties Finance Act stipulates that each political party whose candidates received at least five per centum of the total number of votes cast in the most recent general election shall be entitled to the same proportion of the total moneys appropriated as the total number of votes cast for its candidates in the election bears to the aggregate of votes cast for all political parties that qualify to be paid moneys in terms of this subsection.
A senior Taliban leader confirmed to VOA on condition of anonymity that the group is in the final stages of announcing a new Cabinet that was expected to include all members of its current Rahbari Shura, or leadership council.

Taliban supreme commander Hibatullah Akhundzada is holding the consultations in Kandahar, the city known as the birthplace of the Taliban, along with his deputies Sirajuddin Haqqani, the head of Haqqani network, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar and the head of Taliban military commission.

Currently, the Taliban leadership is consulting with different ethnic groups, political parties and within the Islamic Emirate about forming a government that has to be accepted both inside and outside Afghanistan and to be recognized, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, another senior Taliban leader said in a televised address Saturday.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told VOA the process was near completion.

The leadership has assigned deputy chief Sirajuddin Haqqani and the other deputy chief Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob to finalize names for the cabinet, the senior Taliban leader said. The final approval of the names would come from Akhundzada himself.

He said the Cabinet could have more than 26 members and might include people other than leadership council members.

The Rahbari Shura is the most important decision-making body for the Taliban and is headed by Akhundzada himself, who is called Ameer ul Momineen, or leader of the faithful.

While the Taliban claim the government will be inclusive, their spokesman said sharing power was not the groups priority for now.

There is no agreement with any political leader to induct him in the government, Mujahid Said. I want to make it clear that this is not our focus to share government with others.

He said the group was seeking opinions of known faces, ulema, former Mujahideen leaders on the new system of governance.

The shura held its first formal meeting in Kabul after the takeover of the city in the Presidential Palace on August 21. Haqqani and Yaqoob jointly presided over it. Since then, shura members and other senior officials have been holding informal meetings almost daily.

The shura has in principle decided that if the United States and other invaders complete their withdrawal by August 31, the Islamic Emirate [the Taliban name for their government] will announce the Cabinet, the senior leader said. The Amir ul Momineen is of the opinion that if a government is announced in the presence of the American forces it will raise many questions.

He said the shura has also floated the idea that the announcement of the Cabinet should come from Akhundzada himself in a nationally televised address.

If Amir ul Momineen does not want to appear in public, he could nominate a confidant and senior leader to make the announcement, he added.

The shura was also of the view that the cabinet should be announced in the first week of September and the name of the new Taliban government should be Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, but that decision required approval from Akhundzada.

The Taliban leader said they intended to keep the national army intact and include their own fighters into the institution. Decisions on the national flag and constitution were to be made by the new cabinet.

In their internal consultations, the Taliban were also discussing the possibility of making either Sirajuddin Haqqani or Mullah Yaqoob the Raees ul Wazara, a position equivalent to a prime minister. During the Talibans last government in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, Mullah Mohammad Rabbani, held this post as the head of the ruling shura of ministers.

Shura members are also discussing the possibility that if Haqqani becomes prime minister, Yaqoob could be defense minister, since he currently heads the military commission of Taliban.

Other than the formation of government, the leader said internal discussions were heavily focused on security in the capital, Kabul.

Two explosions, at least one of them a suicide bomber, outside Kabuls airport last week killed at least 170 people including 13 American service members guarding the airport. The Islamic State Khorasan, the regional branch of IS, took responsibility for the attack.

Since the attack the Taliban have increased their security around the airport and set up checkpoints on roads leading to the airport.

Below is a list of members of Talibans Rahbari shura, expected to be included in their Cabinet when it is announced.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the political office in Qatars capital Doha



Sheikh Abdul Hakeem, head of the Taliban negotiation team in Doha



Sher Abbas Stanekzai, deputy of the negotiation team in Doha

Sadar Ibrahim, former chief of the military commission

Abdul Qayyum Zakir, former chief of the military commission

Mullah Fazil, former deputy defense minister

Abdul Manan Akhund, brother of Taliban founder Mullah Omar

Maulvi Noor Muhammad Saqib, former Taliban chief justice

Amir Khan Muttaqi, former information minister

Abdul Salam Hanafi, member of the Taliban negotiation team in Doha

Qari Deen Muhammad, member of the Taliban negotiation team in Doha

Lateef Mansoor, member of the Taliban negotiation team in Doha

Sheikh Qasim, member of the Taliban negotiation team in Doha

Muhammad Zahid Ahmadzai, former Taliban diplomat in Pakistan

Maulvi Abdul Kabeer, former governor, Nangarhar province

Sheikh Abdul Hakim Sharee, an influential cleric

Noorulah Noori, former Guantanamo Bay detainee

Abdur Rahman

Mullah Gul agha

Ameer Haqqani

Mullah Mohammad Hasan

Sheihkh Sharif

Faizullah Khan

Taj Mir

Hafiz Majeed
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Thousands of Americans gathered Saturday in Washington to demand federal legislation to protect voting rights. Saqib Islam reports from the protest, March On for Voting Rights, which also marked the 58th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s historic I Have a Dream.
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Al Roker wants you to know that NBC isnt forcing him to go report live from the eye of an incoming Category 4 hurricane with tornado-like tendencies; the 67-year-old cancer survivor chooses to report in wind-battered, surging, meteorologically dramatic conditions. On Sunday, NBCs Meet the Press aired a segment in which Roker reported on Hurricane Ida live from the heart of its path at Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bundled up in a rain coat and galoshes, Roker reports on what is basically a mile-wide, F3 tornado as he gets pummeled with wind and water.

Many people on Twitter retweeted the video clip and expressed concern that Roker is too old to report from dangerous conditions on television. To that point, Roker posted a video from his hotel bathroom, draining lake water from his boots, with a caption assuring fans that hes safe and that I volunteered to do this. Part of the job. Weather is the punishingly persistent Javert to Rokers Valjean; they battle again and again, but they cant imagine life without the other. The storms call to him.

For all those who were worried about me out on #lakepontchartrain covering #Ida a) I volunteered to do this. Part of the job. b) My crew and I were safe and we are back at our hotel and c) for those who think Im too old to to be doing this, try and keep up pic.twitter.com/DctJBFKD0D  Al Roker (@alroker) August 29, 2021

A storm king cant stay indoors for long, so Roker was soon back out on the streets of New Orleans, speaking to Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC. Capehart aired a replay of Rokers earlier battle with the elements, which gave Roker a chance to respond to those of little faith: Folks on Twitter have been [saying], first of all, whys NBC putting him out there? I volunteered to come out here. This is what I do. Ive done this for 40 years. Our crews, we all make sure were safe. Were not going to do something thats going to put ourselves in harms way. As much as I love the weather and I love NBC, not gonna risk my life for it.

.@alroker has a message for those who think hes too old to stand outside in a hurricane! #SundayShow pic.twitter.com/v2RD6xA7ku  The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart (@TheSundayShow) August 29, 2021

Addressing people who say, hes too old to be doing this, Roker hits them with a, Well hey, guess what? Screw you! And try to keep up. Now Rokers taken a page from Ida, gaining momentum, unstoppable, saying, These young punks. I will come after them! I will drop them like a bag of dirt! Hes gone Roker-mode, which is like Joker-mode but likable.
Evil S Is for Silence Season 2 Episode 7 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * *  Previous Next Photo: Elizabeth Fisher/CBS

Its nice when you figure out that something really was worth waiting for, isnt it? Weve been deprived of our Evil kicks for a few weeks now, but holy hell (pun always intended) does it return with a bang. Okay, well, its less an actual bang and more a silent mouthing of the letters WTF. Because guess what, gang: Our assessors are spending the entire episode at a silent monastery. A silent monastery! Almost the entire episode is done without dialogue! And on top of that delightfully weird conceit, theres a whole host of other wild and/or terrifying, only-on-Evil things happening here: bugs exploding out of people, getting drunk with a nun in an oak barrel, a demon cabinet, mouth gags for bedtime, a trippy skeleton sequence, and truly the best use of subtitles Ive ever seen.

As we saw in the previous episode, Bishop Marx is sends David, Kristen, and Ben to a silent monastery upstate to investigate a possible miracle. A monk there, Father Thomas, died a year ago, but after humming was heard coming from his tomb, they opened his casket to find zero evidence of body decay. The team needs to test for incorruptibility and since the church would like to submit Father Thomas for sainthood, they need to find evidence of a second miracle as well.

The silent thing is no joke: No word has been uttered within the walls of the monastery in 130 years. Upon their arrival, David, Kristen, and Ben are stripped of their cell phones  okay, Ben gets to keep his, but the IT Monk promptly removes his SIM card  and are handed those Magic Slate boards from your childhood as a means of communicating. Its something that Evil does so well: Adding tiny details that pay off in a big way by adding a level of absurdism to the proceedings (see also: Kristen wearing a boy, do I hate being right all the time sleep shirt while exorcisms and bloody bug-from-human expulsions are taking place).

Anyway, there is another thing this monastery takes very seriously: the patriarchy! When they see that Kristen is joining them as they examine Father Thomass body, several monks hold things up until she leaves. Kristen is not having this and expresses those feelings by rolling her eyes and shoving her chest in the general direction of random monks.

Kristen getting pushed out ends up for the best, though, because it sends her on her own separate adventure: She befriends a young nun named Fenna, and the two women proceed to toss back whiskey and attempt to soak the monasterys oak barrels with the stuff to prep them for wine production. The lack of dialogue and background music in these scenes only heightens the physical comedy, and honestly, its wild to think that these sight gags exist in the same episode with one of the grossest sequences of the series to date. S Is for Silence is a ride, is what Im saying.

The Kristen-Fenna good times dont last for too long  a shame since Fenna seems immediately smitten with Kristen (can you blame her?). As it turns out, Fenna is actually that second miracle related to Father Thomas that the assessors need to investigate. After wearing Father Thomass crucifix, she began to exhibit signs of stigmata (for those NOT given nightmares about the idea of stigmata in Catholic school, this is when the five wounds Jesus Christ suffered during his crucifixion suddenly appear on a person, cool right?). Almost immediately, Kristen calls bullshit.

The team makes the trek out into the middle of a field outside of the monastery walls so they can actually have a conversation  those Magic Slate boards dont cut when you have to talk about the wounds of Jesus Christ and a demon inside a cabinet, you know? Kristen shows the guys that after just one trip with Fennas wheelbarrow full of bottles, which is a daily chore for the nun, she already has marks on her hands that look like the beginning of what Fenna showed everyone on her own hands. And Ben thinks that Father Thomass incorruptibility could be explained by something in the clay surrounding the crypt naturally preserving the body. So while Kristen and Ben go about collecting more evidence to support their theories, Davids going to go look into this whole demon-in-a-cabinet thing.

Yes, folks, the whole reason this monastery has taken a vow of silence is that it was built around this terrifying-looking cabinet covered in carvings of the devil and, I guess, dripping some weird goo? The legend is that theres a demon inside this cabinet, and if anyone utters one word in the monastery, it will release the demon, which, obviously, wants to destroy the world. The monks guard this cabinet  Father Thomas was living in the same room as it before his death, and its where they bring his body to await the decay results. You know what? Maybe Kristen should be happy these monks dont want her around them because this is some truly coo-coo crazy stuff.

So whats Davids deal in this episode? Not surprisingly, hes the only one really defending what the monks are doing here. He wants his colleagues to take this vow seriously. As he studies the cabinet, hes interrupted by his guide monk, Winston. Winston hands David one of Father Thomass crucifixes to keep and tells David he needs to quiet his mind. To do this, David heads to prayers with the monks. This scene is a delight: David is trying his hardest to quiet his mind and have a conversation with God, but thanks to subtitles, we get to see what hes actually thinking. Mostly, hes thinking about how hard it is not to think. Hes thinking about how that stain on the pew in front of him looks like a monk probably vomited there. Hes thinking, all I have to do is not think about a monk throwing up for five minutes. And then theres just a long scrolling caption of fucks and fuckity-fucks and whoops, Kristen pops up in there. And once hes imagining red lips being licked, he gives up for the day. Later, we find out this failure is even more frustrating for David than he initially lets on: Quieting your mind and what the monks here are doing is, for David, all about being at peace. Its why this life, while insane to most people, is admittedly tempting for David. As has become more apparent throughout the series, David is not a man at peace.

Hes ESPECIALLY not at peace when he returns to his room and sees that someone has written I WANT YOU on his Magic Slate board, and it seems like the number one suspect is Kristen. A lot of the Kristen/David sexual tension has been downplayed this season but not here, not in this monastery, a real bastion for horniness. David cant stop thinking about it, even at dinner, but eventually is distracted by some new information: both Ben and Kristens investigations might be disproving their theories. Ben goes into the crypt and finds it possibly haunted by something spooky that chases him out of there, maybe?! And when Kristen spends more time with Fenna, she learns that the marks arent only on her hands  she has them on her feet and a gash on her side. She is bearing all five stigmata marks. I dont know why any of them erase WTF from their Magic Slates because it is always appropriate. Seriously, what is happening in this place?

Then night falls. Kristen is taken to her room which is just floor to ceiling creepy statues, and instead of turn-down service, shes got a nice little gag sitting on her bed to wea,r so she doesnt scream out any words during the night. A real five-star set up here, folks. Kristens trying her hardest to take this all seriously, but neither the room nor the misogyny really helps, and so when she makes eye contact with a particularly creepy skeleton statue as she tries to sleep, she doesnt hesitate to say Boo! in its general direction. Well, now shes done it. The cabinet in Father Thomass room flies open and something seems to be let out.

Not long after, the monks are in a tizzy. This whole sequence is so wild. Monks are running all over the place while some are on the floor with their gags in writhing in pain with strange lesions all over their bodies (that sort of look like one of our sigils, David points out), while other monks are all trying to write to each other on their Magic Slates in the dark. Luckily for them, they have an exorcist on hand. Guess who it is, friends. Father Mulvehill! This is where hes been on sabbatical after his gambling issue. He tends to Fenna, who seems to have the worst of it. Shes screaming in pain, she has a lesion on her stomach, and as Mulvehill uses his blessed ointment on it, she screams out even more and blood comes pouring out of her mouth.

And then a whole bunch of flies bust out of her stomach. It is so, so fucked up, you guys.

Lest you think this is really the work of the devil, Ben has some answers: Thanks to a little help from IT Monk, Bens able to get on a computer and find pictures of the same lesions showing up on all the monks. Its the botfly, friends. The botfly, prevalent in upstate New York, buries its larvae in human flesh where it can grow. By covering the lesions with ointment, they blocked any air holes, and so the flies have no choice but to erupt from the body. Now we are all that monk who threw up in the chapel.

Theres evidence of botflies in Father Thomas and his tomb, which would explain the humming and the theory is that when he was brought back up to his room, he brought the flies with him. Theres evidence they were in the cabinet in his room as well. And once Father Thomass body spent a few days back in his room it began decomposing, perhaps lending credence to Bens theory about natural preservation. Still, the botflies dont exactly explain all of Fennas stigmata wounds. Regardless, after a night of helping Mulvehill get botflies to explode out of monks bodies, the team is heading home. Fenna is distraught at saying good-bye to Kristen, who comforted her all night as she recovered and even blessed her with a sign of the cross (thoughts on this, Evil fans?). But Fenna is happy  giddy, really  to find that Kristen has left behind her boy do I hate being right all the time T-shirt for the nun to keep. These Evil excursions out of town  ghost farms, silent monasteries  are always a real time, arent they?

Church Bulletin

 Both David and Ben give perfect facial reactions upon realizing how drunk Kristen is when they find her and Fenna in the winery. Again, truly wild how much comedy is in this episode.

 The whole dinner scene is full of great moments: from Kristen slurping her wine, to her being forced out of her seat to sit with the nuns, fantasizing about sex with David when she catches him looking her over, just so much going on in this episode.

 The mystery of the I want you message on Davids board is solved, too: It was Winston, who wants David to join the monastery. David replies that God needs him to do his work out there.

 Katja Herbers screaming THIS PLACE IS SO FUCKING ANTI-WOMEN is some real food for the soul.

 A skeleton coming to life and picking its teeth with its scythe? Okay, Evil!
As some schools in the state are being forced to close and others are seeing more positive COVID cases, we wanted to bring some of your concerns to the state education department.

WAAY-31 spoke with Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey on what he wants to see to keep our schools open.

Students wear masks in school Students wear masks in school

Dr. Mackey told us there's two main things and we all know what it is: masks and getting the COVID vaccine.

He says if you can't or don't want the shot, you must wear your mask indoors.

He told us the state education department does not have the authority to enforce a mask mandate, but can allow local school systems to make their own decision.

"Public health officials keep telling us that wearing a mask is one of the ways we can mitigate the spread of COVID. So, even though we don't have the authority to require it, we're not telling the boards to do this or do that on requirement. But as far as encouragement, with our parents, I absolutely would encourage every parent to send their child to school with a mask for indoor activities," said Dr. Eric Mackey.

Dr. Mackey told us the state can only require masks if there is an emergency order sent down from the governor.

He told us they will continue to recommend wearing a mask and re-assured us they want to keep their schools open for as long as possible.

But it's all on everyone to do the right thing.
Some parents are not happy with how one local system is handling COVID precautions, and one mom has since, pulled her child out of the district altogether.

"These kids, their lives, they're in danger at school and we don't feel like the school is taking that to heart," said Brandi Taylor.

Taylor told us at Brindlee Mountain Primary School, there are several things she and her daughter noticed that made her very uncomfortable.

WAAY-31 took those concerns to school officials in Marshall County.

We spoke with the deputy and assistant superintendent and they told us their main priority is to keep kids and staff safe.

But, the mother and student we spoke with are skeptical of that safety plan.

"Can you show me how close you guys sit...kind of like this," said Lyvvi.

Second grader Lyvvi Taylor says she and her classmates sit closely to each other at Brindlee Mountain Primary School.

"Alabama has the lowest rate for vaccines and it's important for them to practice the temperature checking, the asking questions before the kids even attempt to go inside the building. That needs to be done and it's not being done at all," she said.

Taylor told us she learned of 7 kids in her daughter's class possibly having COVID, and no one from the school has yet to contact her about it.

We spoke with the deputy and assistant superintendent and they both assured us if there's a positive case in her daughter's class, she will be notified.

The assistant superintendent did tell us there are positive cases at the primary school, but couldn't tell us how many.

This has Taylor very concerned.

She has now withdrawn her daughter from school.

Her daughter had COVID before and Lyvvie told us being in school made her nervous and didn't want to get the virus again.

"Whenever I had COVID before, when I was sick I was sick really bad," she said.

The Taylor's are working to find a virtual school option for her child since there's no local option available.

The state is offering one called Alabama Virtual Academy that says they're still open for enrollment.

As far as COVID numbers go across the Marshall County School System there's currently 186 positive cases with students and staff.

Brindlee Mountain High School and the primary school share a campus after the tornado destroyed the building.

The high school has 46 of those positive cases and they are currently closed and moving to virtual for 10 days starting Monday.

The primary school will stay open for now because the district says they only share the cafeteria and they're not facing staffing issues.
Ahead of Hurricane Ida's anticipated landfall, Governor Ivey is issuing a state of emergency for Alabama's coastal and western counties. That includes four North Alabama counties.

Colbert, Lawrence, Lauderadale and Franklin counties all fall under the order.

Governor Ivey also issued the following statement:

"As Hurricane Ida's trek continues in the direction of Louisiana, we still expect the possibility of flooding and even spin-off tornadoes in portions of Alabama. With a storm like this, we always want to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, which is why I have preemptively declared a state of emergency for our coastal and western counties. We will continue keeping an eye on the evolving system. I urge Alabamians and our visitors to stay weather aware."
Before we dive deep into the latest information on Ida, we'll briefly mention what we can expect here at home over the next 24-48 hours. A few showers and one or two isolated thunderstorms will remain possible through sunset this evening before lingering activity tapers off. It will be quiet overnight with lows in the mid 70s. The same storyline continues Sunday with highs near 90 and a few afternoon thunderstorms, mainly confined to areas west of I-65.

Now onto Ida. A very concerning situation continues to unfold. As of 4 PM, Ida is now a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 105 MPH. Rapid intensification is in progress, meaning the sustained winds of Ida will increase at least 35 MPH in a 24 hour span (Ida will certainly strengthen quicker than that).

We expect Ida to reach major hurricane strength later this evening with projected landfall near New Orleans Sunday afternoon as a Category 4 storm. It goes without saying, but Hurricane Warnings are in effect for much of Louisiana. Tropical Storm Warnings stretch all the way to Mobile and Gulf Shores. Storm surge of 10-15 feet will be possible in Louisiana, with 15-20 inches of rain also expected.

The overall forecast track of Ida has not changed. Ida will hook back to the northeast Monday and into Monday night, with the center of the storm located in northern Mississippi Tuesday morning.

This particular location means two things for North Alabama: a higher risk for heavy rain and flash flooding and a high risk for spin up tornadoes. We could begin to see outer bands of what is left of Ida as early as Monday evening. The best chance to see heavy rain and severe storms will be after midnight Monday night through the entire day Tuesday. With any of these bands that develop, heavy rain and tornadoes will be possible. Currently, the heaviest rain is expected closer to the center of Ida in northwest Alabama, where 3 to 5 inches of rain are currently forecast. Expect lower, but still significant, amounts of rain the further east you go. The I-65 corridor is currently forecast for 2-4 inches of rain, while Sand Mountain can expect 1-3 inches. The worst of Ida begins to move out Tuesday evening, but a few residual showers will be possible Wednesday (especially during the first half of the day).

Keep in mind that this forecast can and likely will change. Any shift in the exact center of Ida's track could lead to significant changes in our forecast. A further west track could mean less rain and maybe a slightly lower tornado threat. A further east track could mean less of a tornado threat, but a more significant flooding threat. We won't be able to iron out those details for certain until we see Ida making landfall and moving inland. We will continue to fine tune the forecast and pass along updates as we get them. Stay with WAAY 31 on air and online at waaytv.com for continuing updates.
As hospitals are becoming overloaded with COVID patients and the number of deaths continue to rise, healthcare professionals are pleading for more people to get vaccinated.

WAAY-31 went to Parkway Place Mall where they held a vaccine clinic with the help of Huntsville Hospital Saturday afternoon.

If you're 12 years of age and older and you're able to get the shot, Huntsville Hospital is urging you to roll your sleeve up and get the shot.

"The risk of getting the virus is a whole lot worse than getting a needle in your arm," said Joyce Thomas.

Joyce Thomas works at Huntsville Hospital under their emergency preparedness team.

She told us it's breaking her heart to see younger people in the hospital with COVID.

Especially when there's a vaccine made to keep you out of there.

So when she saw young people like Camdem Murch, who's only 15, get the shot, it made her happy.

"Feels a little bit better just knowing I'll be a little safer at school because there's been a lot of people getting it,"

Camden Murch told us he wanted to get the shot to not only keep himself safe but others around him too.

"You just got to remember it's not only affecting you, it's affecting everyone else, so it's for the safety of everyone," he said.

At the clinic, medical staff told us this is good sign and a step in the right direction, but say Alabama has to do better.

So, they are urging everyone to get vaccinated now.

"This virus knows no ages and knows no boundaries. It can attack anyone healthy, young or old," said Thomas.

While we were there, we saw a number of parents bringing their kids and many people who were anywhere between 20-50 years old.

People like Thomas told WAAY-31 this is the age group that needs higher vaccination rates, so if you can, talk to a medical professional and get vaccinated.

The next vaccine clinic will be next week at John Hunt Park.

Monday and Wednesday, the hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, the hours are 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Taliban forces sealed off Kabuls airport on Saturday to most Afghans hoping for evacuation, as the U.S. and its allies wound down a chaotic airlift that will end their troops two decades in Afghanistan.

Western leaders acknowledged that their withdrawal would mean leaving behind some of their citizens and many locals who helped them over the years, and they vowed to try to continue working with the Taliban to allow local allies to leave after President Joe Bidens Tuesdays deadline to withdraw from the country.

Although most of its allies had finished their evacuation flights, the U.S. planned to keep its round-the-clock flights going until the deadline, saying 117,000 people had been evacuated since the Taliban claimed Kabul on Aug. 15. Biden warned Saturday that commanders had told him another attack was highly likely in the next 24-36 hours.

Britain was carrying out its final evacuation flights Saturday, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to shift heaven and earth to get more of those at risk from the Taliban to Britain by other means.

Britains ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, said in a video from Kabul airport and posted on Twitter that it was time to close this phase of the operation now.

But we havent forgotten the people who still need to leave, he said. Well continue to do everything we can to help them. Nor have we forgotten the brave, decent people of Afghanistan. They deserve to live in peace and security.

As the flow of planes leaving Kabul slowed, others arrived in locales around the world carrying Afghans who managed to secure places on the last evacuation flights, including in the Washington area, Philadelphia, Madrid, Birmingham, England, among others. Some were relieved and looking forward to starting their new lives far from the Taliban, but others were bitter about having to flee.

In Spain, evacuee Shabeer Ahmadi, a 29-year-old journalist targeted by the Taliban, said the United States had doomed the work he and others had put into making Afghanistan a better place by allowing the insurgent group to reclaim power.

They abandoned the new generation of Afghanistan, Ahmadi said.

An evacuation flight to Britain landed with an extra passenger on Saturday after the cabin crew delivered a baby girl mid-air, Turkish media reported. The parents named her Havva, or Eve, and she was at least the fourth baby known to have been born to Afghan mothers who went into labor on evacuation flights.

Meanwhile, families of Afghans killed in Thursdays suicide bombing at the airport by an Islamic State group affiliate continued burying their dead  at least 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members died in the attack. Among those killed was Belal Azfali, a 36-year-old contractor for a U.S.-funded project who had gone to the airport on his own, without his wife. His remains were so disfigured that he could only be identified when someone picked up the familys repeated calls to the cellphone he had with him, relatives said.

The U.S. on Saturday released the names of the 13 Marines, Navy and Army personnel who were killed in the bombing. They included at least one of the Marines  recently promoted Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23  who were seen in widely circulated photos cuddling Afghan infants they had temporarily rescued from the crush of the crowds outside the airport gates this month.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Saturday that the groups forces were holding some positions within the airport and were ready to peacefully take control of it as American forces flew out. But Pentagon spokesman John Kirby denied the claim.

The Taliban did deploy extra forces outside of the airport to prevent large crowds from gathering in the wake of Thursdays bombing . New layers of checkpoints sprang up on roads leading to the airport, some manned by uniformed Taliban fighters with Humvees and night-vision goggles captured from Afghan security forces. Areas where the crowds had gathered over the past two weeks in the hopes of fleeing the country were largely empty.

Officials said U.S. forces were taking every precaution at the airport, as there were concerns that IS, which is far more radical than the Taliban, could strike again. In his statement saying another attack was highly likely, Biden said a drone strike he ordered that killed what military officials described as two high-profile IS militants believed to have been involved in planning or facilitating attacks would not be his last response to Thursdays suicide attack.

An Afghan who worked as a translator for the U.S. military said he was with a group of people with permission to leave who tried to reach the airport late Friday. After passing through three checkpoints they were stopped at a fourth. An argument ensued, and the Taliban said they had been told by the Americans to only let U.S. passport-holders through.

I am so hopeless for my future, the man later told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. If the evacuation is over, what will happen to us?

Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, said Saturday that Afghans who had worked with American forces still were being allowed in.

According to a State Department spokesperson, 5,400 Americans and likely more have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, including nearly 300 Americans in the last day. Another 350 were still seeking to leave the country, and those were the only ones the department could confirm were still in Afghanistan.

As Tuesdays deadline draws near and with the Taliban controlling nearly all of the country, hundreds of protesters, including many civil servants, gathered outside a bank while countless more lined up at cash machines. They said they hadnt been paid for three to six months and were unable to withdraw cash. ATM machines were still operating, but withdrawals were limited to about $200 every 24 hours. Later Saturday, the central bank ordered commercial bank branches to open and allow customers to withdraw $200 per week, calling it a temporary measure.

The economic crisis, which predates the Taliban takeover, could give Western nations leverage as they urge Afghanistans new rulers to form a moderate, inclusive government and allow people to leave after Tuesday.

Afghanistan is heavily dependent on international aid, which covered around 75% of the toppled Western-backed governments budget. The Taliban have said they want good relations with the international community and have promised a more moderate form of Islamic rule than when they last governed the country, but many Afghans are deeply skeptical.

The Taliban cannot access almost any of the central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. The International Monetary Fund has also suspended the transfer of some $450 million. Without a regular supply of U.S. dollars, the local currency is at risk of collapse, which could send the price of basic goods soaring.

Biden has said he will adhere to a self-imposed Tuesday deadline for withdrawing all U.S. forces, and the Taliban have rejected any extension of the date. He and the leaders of other NATO allies said they would try to work with the Taliban to allow their nationals and Afghans who had worked with them to leave.

The Taliban has encouraged Afghans to stay, pledging amnesty even to those who fought against them, and has said commercial flights would resume after the U.S. withdrawal, but its unclear if airlines will be willing to offer service.

The U.S. and its allies have said they will continue providing humanitarian aid through the U.N. and other partners, but any broader engagement  including development assistance  is likely to hinge on whether the Taliban deliver on their promises of more moderate rule.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul, Lawless reported from London and Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press writers Frances DEmilio in Rome, Joseph Krauss from Jerusalem, Robert Burns in Washington, Arritz Parra in Madrid and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan has again urged people to leave the Kabul airport area "immediately."

The embassy said it's because of a "specific, credible threat."

On Saturday, President Joe Biden warned that commanders had told him another attack was highly likely in the next 24-36 hours. The airport was the site of Thursdays deadly ISIS-K attack.

"U.S. citizens should avoid traveling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time," the embassy said in their alert.

Citizens were urged to be aware of their surroundings, follow local authorities' instructions and have an emergency plan.
The environment is ripe for Silicon Valley to encroach into banking. Equitas doesnt have a pre-existing relationship with the Google Pay customer to whom its marketing fixed-term products. Even after getting the money, the lender might not get to build long-term association with the saver. Once the deposit matures, the money will simply get swept back into whichever banks account it came from. Since it wont even take two minutes for a platform to book deposits from scratch, if another lender offers a better deal, idle funds might go there next. Customer loyalty, which is often just plain inertia, will no longer ensure stickiness. Savers will gain.
Next, Vietnam needs to develop world-class companies. Currently, the countrys leading corporations are in traditional upstream sectors like oil and electricity, or in primary industries like food and paper; much of the actual manufacturing is done by foreign firms. Building better companies in export sectors like electronics would allow Vietnam not only to capture a bigger share of the value of global supply chains (through branding and marketing), but to better absorb foreign technology as well. As author Joe Studwell illustrates in his book How Asia Works, the example of South Koreas Hyundai Motor Co. shows how manufacturers can be very effective vehicles for learning foreign ways of making things and doing business. Vietnam should aim to create similar champions.
Even the simplest lesson of decolonization  the central event of the 20th century  had passed them by: The non-white peoples of the earth would no longer tolerate, no matter what happened in their countries, invasion and occupation by white men. This basic resolve was summed up by the least Taliban-like figure imaginable: Mohandas K. Mahatma Gandhi, who launched a campaign against Britain during the Second World War, urging them to leave India to god or to anarchy.
But is the intuition correct? If a worker can leave at any time and sell her expertise on the market, the employer might be inclined to invest less in training. The result could easily be a less productive worker who earns a lower wage. Or if the employer does fully train the worker, a lower wage might compensate the company for the risk that the worker will take all that training across the street.
More than 117,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan on U.S. and other flights as of Saturday, and Pentagon officials said the vast majority are Afghan citizens. Thousands have arrived in the United States, while thousands more are waiting in transit hubs in Europe and the Middle East. They are a mix of brand-new refugees and families with existing immigration applications that have been pending for months or years.
She told The Post that her family went to the airport in Kabul three times only to be teargassed, trampled and turned away by American forces. She said her sisters employer, Save the Children, finally arranged to get them safely to the airport, and they are now in Germany, but Akbar said she doesnt know when she will see them again.
If there is no help from you, I will just have to do . . . whatever life brings for me, said one of the messages, sent by a judge who had tried multiple times with her three children to get through the crowds at the Kabul airport and whose identity was withheld by Ruiz and her colleagues out of concern for her safety. I have to go home and let the Taliban come and get me.
Students are also returning to school at a time when gun violence is rising and so many of the neighborhoods they learn in are regularly disrupted by gunshots. At the same time, police say there will be fewer school resource officers because of budget cuts  an ongoing debate between some activists, parents and students who want police out of schools and the police chief, who is skeptical of the move.
In the partisanship of today, Mfume said, there is far less informal dialogue across the aisle. He said members may have been surprised to see him hugging a Republican (Upton) when he arrived back on the floor last year. Mfume said he had bonded with Upton, partly because Uptons wife is from Baltimore.
In the 1960s, Mr. Weiss teamed with Turkish-American businessman Ara Oztemel to import chromium and other metals from the Soviet Union to the United States. At a time when Cold War trade between the countries was unusual, Mr. Weiss often traveled from his home in Mexico City to Moscow for Oztemels Satra Corp. (Soviet-American Trading), which reportedly controlled 80 percent of Soviet imports to the United States.
Michael Mick Mulroy is a former Pentagon official and Marine veteran who was among the early members of a volunteer network dubbed Dunkirk that has organized online to help Afghans get out. Given the slim time remaining and the fact that Afghans appeared to be mostly blocked from airport access, he said, he and his fellow volunteers plan to focus on remote support for Afghans trying to complete SIV applications.
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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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After six years in Berejiklians office, Veiszadeh left to become deputy chief executive of the Committee for Sydney, a think tank focused on urban life, growth and, more recently, freedom. Its a job that keeps the 37-year-old close to the wheels of power while giving him more time with his wife, the lawyer and human rights advocate Mariam Veiszadeh, and their two young children.

One might say, crudely, that it has all been downhill since he left.

Indeed, when Veiszadeh resigned as the Premiers director of strategy, he told the Heralds CBD column : All global cities are envious of Sydneys ability to keep COVID-19 under control while keeping the economy open.

When Ehssan Veiszadeh departed Premier Gladys Berejiklians office in May, the state was winning. The pubs were full, COVID was confined to hotel quarantine and the government was preparing a celebratory budget the Treasurer would use to proudly proclaim: NSW is back.

It also means he can speak publicly. In his new role, Veiszadeh has been critical of several aspects of state and federal governments responses to COVID-19, especially the continued closure of schools, a reliance on police enforcement and the reluctance (at least until recent weeks) to prepare the community for the virus inevitable spread.

We [the Committee] were quite frustrated at first that government was really stuck in 2020 settings when clearly Delta had shown that we are now in a different game, he says. We are now hearing our leaders having the conversations they maybe should have been having months ago about the pathway out of this and the unsustainability of going into two or three years of lockdowns.

Gladys Berejiklian and Ehssan Veiszadeh on the day she was sworn in as Premier. Credit:Teny Aghamalian

Veiszadeh is pleased NSW will soon allow groups of five fully vaccinated adults to gather outdoors, and that there is now a plan for schools. But he also thinks the return to school is too slow and the freedoms for double dosed adults too little. [Its] a good start but we need to do far more on both fronts, he says. Why not have outdoor dining for fully vaccinated customers and staff?

From the outside looking in, Veiszadeh thinks the government just needs to trust the public and present a plan. Eighteen months into the pandemic, knowing much more about the virus than we did in March 2020 and armed with vaccines, he argues voters are much less forgiving of indecision and uncertainty.
Jobs will be lost, businesses will close, debt will increase and the mental health of our community  particularly among kids  will suffer. NSW Healths fortnightly internal report on mental health service demand and care, dated August 17 and obtained by The Sun-Herald, shows demand for services has risen among all age groups since the pandemic began, but the impact is most severe for children and teenagers. People aged 0 to 17 already suffered a decline in mental health in 2020 compared with 2019, and in 2021 there is a further decline. In the year to July 29, 8489 people under the age of 18 were rushed to hospital for self-harm and suicidal ideation, equating to more than 40 a day. That was a 31 per cent rise on the same time in 2020 and up 47 per cent compared with 2019. Across all age groups visits to emergency departments for self-harm and suicidal ideation were up 13 per cent compared with last year.

Emergency department mental health presentations for 0- to 17-year-olds - a separate category which can include psychotic episodes - were up 26 per cent compared with 2020, compared with a 6 per cent increase for the general population. Acute mental health admissions for children and young people for the year to July 22 were up 43 per cent on 2020, compared with a 2 per cent rise for the general population. The Australian on Saturday reported on a similar crisis in Victoria, where figures to the end of May show an average of 156 teens a week were rushed to hospital after self-harming and suffering suicidal ideation, an 88 per cent increase on last year. NSW Chief Psychiatrist Murray Wright said young people are feeling the effects of lockdown the most. Credit:Nick Moir Dr Wright said self-harm among adolescents had been increasing in the western world for the past decade, so the impact of the pandemic came on top of the long-term trend.

The NSW Ombudsman last week delivered its Biannual Report of the Deaths of Children in NSW, which found suicide was the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 17 in 2018 and 2019, and had increased significantly for all children aged 10 to 17 since 2005. Among all age groups, 444 people died by suicide in the first half of this year, compared with 428 before the pandemic, with most of the rise in regional NSW. The NSW budget in June allocated $109.5 million to enhance child and adolescent mental health services in every local health district over the next four years. On Sunday Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor will also announce an additional $8 million in grants for suicide prevention targeting specific communities, including LGBTQ+ people, older people, people who have previously attempted suicide in regional communities, men and young people. A similar grant to prevent Indigenous suicide is pending. Calls to crisis lines for 0- to 18-year-olds are 13 per cent higher this year compared with before the pandemic, though down 9 per cent on 2020. Mental health services on the Medicare Benefits Schedule for 0- to 17-year-olds were up 20 per cent on 2020, while new community clients for this age group were up 24 per cent year-on-year.

Dr Wright said this showed young people and their families were accessing mental health assistance earlier, which was a good thing because weve spent decades trying to destigmatise mental health and telling people dont suffer in silence, please ask for help. Christine Morgan, National Suicide Prevention Adviser and chief executive of the National Mental Health Commission, said there were long waiting lists for mental health services across Australia and there was a need to equip parents to help because they were akin to frontline workers. Loading Theyre in the homes with the young people, they can see it, and by engaging in these conversations, they can often help to de-escalate some of the anxiety, she said. Ms Morgan was concerned about a rise in young people expressing a sense of loss of hope in the future. She acknowledged parents with children and teenagers at home during lockdown had a tough job but said they should try their best to help children maintain engagement with education and friends and stay physically active, and encourage them to think about what they had to look forward to.
Fitz: And how did you feel to see the protesters calling for an open slather end to lockdown, and making outrageous claims about the vaccines? ICU registered nurse Shaunagh Whelan cares for a COVID-19 positive patient in St Vincents Hospital ICU. Credit:Kate Geraghty Rosentreter: None of us wanted to go to work when we saw that because we knew that a flood of COVID positive people would soon arrive, and they did. Fitz: Protesters? Rosentreter: Them or the people at home who believe what they say, and so take liberties with the protocols  and get COVID. And that is what happened. Five days after the protests, the Emergency Departments went hot, as they flooded in.

Fitz: You must have patients who regret not taking the virus seriously, who now realise what they are facing? Rosentreter: All the time. And its heartbreaking. Usually, when you intubate someone and put them in an induced coma, you say were just going to put you to sleep, and wake you up in a few days. But with COVID patients we cant say that because we dont know if we can get them back. And they know that. Fitz: This week we cracked 1000 fresh infections in a day. What will happen if it goes to, say, 1500 or worse? Can you cope? Rosentreter: I can honestly say we cant. We are at breaking point right now. Fitz: So what, seriously, will happen if it does go to 1500?

Rosentreter: We will risk looking like the catastrophes from overseas. Fitz: People dying in the car park? Rosentreter: I dont have a crystal ball. But I have no confidence we are not going to see similar scenes. Fitz: So what do you need? Rosentreter: We want the Commonwealth and the state government to step up now. Fast-track recruitment. Bring back the seconded staff at the screening and vaccination hubs . . .

We need more nurses on the ground, in the wards. And the Premier and the Health Minister are going to have to work out a way to get private hospitals involved. Right now, public hospitals are taking all the load. Unless they do something, you are going to have people dying for lack of resources that the private hospitals have in abundance. They need to share the load. Fitz: Again, thank you for your precious time, and thank you for everything. Rosentreter: Fine. I have to go back to the hospital now. Me and Charlie

When an icon dies it is time for anyone with a typewriter or microphone to talk of even their most glancing acquaintance with the deceased  And how funny I should say that ... For back in April 1995 when the Rolling Stones hit Australia, my brother Jim, then a partner at the law firm Clayton Utz, was issued with a mobile phone that he had to keep on his belt 24/7. If that phone rang, one of the Stones had been arrested, and it was his job to move fast and work out which kind of legal professional to send in first. Charlie Watts was one of the biggest rock stars in the world but didnt act like one. Credit:Invision The phone never rang, but he was given four free tickets for the SCG concert, together with back-stage passes, which is why were in their dressing room about an hour before they went on. Four things stood out. Yes, of course Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, chatting amiably to someone. But there was Ronnie Wood animatedly talking to an elderly Englishwoman from Wamberal, who was, I think, his aunt. It somehow surprised me that Ronnie Wood would have an aunt from Wamberal, as I thought rock stars like him lived in the cosmos. And there, in the corner, talking to no one, but quite content was Charlie Watts, reading a book! That, too, struck me as odd. The drummer for the greatest rock band in the world, was quietly reading a book, an hour before showtime? And yet, as the many glowing obituaries of Watts this week have demonstrated, that kind of calm, non-rock-star behaviour was Watts hallmark with the Stones for 60 years!

But there was steel in the mans soul, as demonstrated by my favourite Watts anecdote of the lot, recounted by the Stones biographer, Steven Davis. Back in 1984, see, the band was in Amsterdam, and after knocking em dead in the concert and heading out on the town, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards  well-oiled  got back to their hotel at 5am. Mick decided he wanted Charlie to join them and calls his room. When the call is answered, Jagger bawls: Izzat my drummer, then? Wheres my f---ing drummer? Get yer arse down here right away!  Charlie got up, shaved, put on a fresh white shirt and a tailored Savile Row double-breasted suit, tied his tie, slipped on bench-crafted shoes from Lobb in St James. He goes to Jaggers room.

When Jagger opens the door, as Richards would recount, He grabbed Mick, went boom! Dished him a left hook that knocked him into a plate of smoked salmon and then he almost floated out the window and into a canal in Amsterdam. And now the punchline to the punch. Dont ever call me your drummer again, Charlie growled between clenched teeth. Youre my f---ing singer. Early days: the Rolling Stones arrive in Sydney in 1965. From left, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Brian Jones and Mick Jagger. Credit: Tweet of the week

Imagine having seen footage of Afghanistan in the last few days, then still deciding to go to a protest to complain about your freedoms being taken away here in Australia. - Chloe Sergeant @chlosarge Joke of the Week An old Booligals farmers dog goes missing and hes inconsolable. His wife says Why dont you put an advert in Booligal Times? He does, but two weeks later the dog is still missing. What did you put in the paper? his wife asks. Here boy, he replies.

Quotes of the Week Im not interested in having a whose-poo-it-was argument with John Barilaro. - ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr after Deputy Premier John Barilaro suggested that the virus detected in NSW sewage came from Canberra. No, seriously. It is a challenge for people in high density areas to get outside and spread their legs when they are surrounded by other people. - NZ Minister for COVID-19 Response, Chris Hipkins, at a press conference on Sunday. NZ was most amused. Hipkins meant to say stretch their legs. Good riddance ... he was actually a menace in the Parliament. - Craig Kelly, when Clive Palmer left the federal parliament. This week, Kelly announced he was to lead Palmers party in Parliament. I dont want to take away from the situation NSW is in ... dont get me wrong, every day we want to see case numbers go down. They will bounce around a little: could go up, could go down. We need people to focus on what you need to do to keep yourself and your family safe and what all of us can do to reduce spread. - Premier Gladys Berejiklian as cases numbers hit 919 on Wednesday.

I wouldnt use that term sanctions but what I would say is that Ive made it very clear that there should be no expectation on behalf of the premiers and the chief ministers that our emergency economic support will continue at the scale that it is currently when we reach the 70 to 80 per cent targets. - Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, asked what the Morrison government would do if state and territory leaders dont honour their national cabinet agreements to reopen state borders. Just cause the NSW government has made a mess of it, doesnt mean the rest of us should suffer. - WA premier Mark McGowan objecting to the idea of state borders being reopened any time soon. This groundhog day has to end. And it will end, when we start getting 70 per cent and 80 per cent [vaccination rates]. - Scott Morrison. They put photos of the whole family up at a mosque [with a message saying] if anyone saw them, they need to give us some more information. If they catch my brother they will behead him. If they catch my father they will behead him. - Ahmad Elham Shahwar, who worked as a translator with the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan and was settled in Australia in 2015, saying that his two brothers, sister and parents had been hiding in a single room at another persons home after learning that the Taliban was searching for them. We acknowledge that we are no longer operating in a business as usual environment and careful assessment and response is required to manage future demand for our services. - Jenelle Matic, Westmead hospitals acting general manager, after it had been forced into emergency operations, reducing the number of COVID-19 cases arriving by ambulance for 24 hours and transferring several critical patients to other hospitals.
Vatican City: Pope Francis has replaced an Australian bishop who stepped down amid a Vatican investigation into reported allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Vatican said Francis accepted Bishop Christopher Alan Saunders resignation as head of the Broome diocese in Western Australias remote Kimberley region and appointed Geraldton Bishop Michael Henry Morrissey to administer the sprawling Catholic diocese.

Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders. Credit:

News police were investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Bishop Saunders, one of Australias longest-serving bishops, first broke in March 2020.

The 18-month investigation was kicked off by allegations from a man in his 20s, who according to the ABC, confided in his local priest and agreed to report the information to police.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned state premiers the economy will suffer if they dont stick to the national plan to reopen once adult vaccination rates reach 70 and 80 per cent.

In a coded message to the resources states of Queensland and Western Australia - both of which have doggedly pursued zero-COVID policies, kept their borders closed and are lagging the rest of the country in vaccination rates - Mr Frydenberg also warned of a ridiculous scenario under which it might be possible for many Australians to fly to Singapore or Canada, but not Perth or Cairns.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Amid ongoing lockdowns in NSW, Victoria and the ACT, Mr Frydenberg said economic growth would be almost certainly negative in the September quarter, with a contraction of at least 2 per cent, [but] I am hopeful and confident the economy can come back in the December quarter if, as expected, restrictions ease.

Economists are divided as to whether Wednesdays national accounts figures will show the economy shrank in the June quarter. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth will signify the country is once again in a technical recession.
President Biden may well condemn the bombers who wreaked havoc at Kabul airport and claim the US will not forgive. We will not forget. But much of the blame is sheeted home to Biden himself. Why did he leave Afghanistan now?

Many who have committed to the US effort in Afghanistan are justified to ask this question with a deep sense of angst, and none more so than the brave and admirable souls who have sacrificed in its name. Yet, this tragedy was long in the making, and the long-term repercussions might prove more of a problem for Xi Jinping than Joe Biden.

Chinas Xi Jinping might be the leader with the biggest headache following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Credit:AP

There will be no victory in this war, illusory or otherwise. These prescient words foretold the future of the US effort in Afghanistan. They were written by the former head of station for the CIA in Islamabad, Robert L. Grenier in his 2015 book 88 Days to Kandahar.

Grenier was the architect of the initial and successful US invasion of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11, 2001.
FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 file photo, Medical notations are written on a window of a COVID-19 patient's room in an intensive care unit at the Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport, La. Louisiana hospitals already packed with patients from the latest coronavirus surge are now bracing for a powerful Category 4 hurricane, which is expected to crash ashore Sunday, Aug. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
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DOVER, Del. (AP)  Delaware schools are set to receive more than $669 million in federal taxpayer money as part of the governments coronavirus response efforts.

The amount of money allocated to Delaware equals more than 40% of this year's general fund budget for school district and charter school operations. Under federal formulas, schools with high percentages of low-income students are receiving a disproportionate amount of the money.

Since March 2020, the federal government has provided $190 billion in pandemic aid to schools, an amount that is more than four times what the U.S. Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. The Associated Press, relying on data published or provided by states and the federal government, tallied how much money was granted to nearly every school district in the country.

The AP tracked more than $155 billion sent to states to distribute among schools since last year, including general pandemic relief that some states shared with their schools. Some districts will receive sums amounting to 50% or more of the cost to operate their schools for a year. The aid averages nearly $2,800 per student but varies widely by district and state, according to the APs analysis.

In Delaware, East Side Charter School in Wilmington is receiving almost $10,450 per student, according to the APs analysis, almost four times the national average.

Conversely, the Charter School of Wilmington, a high-performing high school that is less than five miles from East Side, and where less than 5% of students in the 2021 school year were considered low-income, is receiving only $188 per pupil.

East Side is one of four charter schools that lead Delaware in per-pupil allocations for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding. All have significant percentage of low-income students, and the majority of their students have failed to meet state academic proficiency standards for the past several years.

While we are able to use these funds to positively impact our student body we also know that it is a direct result of the high amount of need that our families face, said Aaron Bass, CEO of East Side. These funds have helped us aid in our efforts to provide support to our community that has been hit hardest by the pandemic.

The largest allocation for a district or charter school, almost $83 million, is going to the Christina School District, which serves about 13,000 Wilmington-area students. The Red Clay and Colonial school districts, which also serve Wilmington-area students, are slated to receive $73 million and $47.7 million, respectively, according to the APs analysis. Southern Delaware's Indian River district is allocated about $45.6 million.

Statewide, districts and charter schools have been allocated more than $570 million, averaging about $14 million each, and $4,183 per student.

Nationwide, the median per district is about $2.3 million.

More than $60 million in additional funding is going to the state Department of Education, and another $11 million can be spent at the governors discretion under a separate funding program.

Districts and charter schools have wide latitude in how to spend the money.

While 20% must be used to address learning setbacks, the rest can be used on nearly any cost school officials deem reasonable and necessary.

At East Side, officials plan to spend $1.8 million of the schools $4.48 million to add air conditioning, and $956,000 for mental health staffing. Roughly $574,000 is targeted for summer school and learning loss supports, and another $493,000 for virtual learning technology.

Meanwhile, as of last week, less than $75 million of the funds allocated to Delaware has been spent.

Allocations to Delaware under the first round of funding, totaling about $43.5 million, have to be spent by the end of 2022. Second-round funds totaling almost $183 million must be spent by the end of 2023, and roughly $411 million in third-round funding must be spent by the end of 2024.

State officials said the funds will be subject to the same annual monitoring process as other federal education funds received by Delaware to ensure they are spent properly.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  Nevada's K-12 schools have long sat near the bottom of national rankings in terms of per-pupil spending, class size and student achievement.

Now, they've hit the jackpot.

An enormous infusion of federal pandemic aid earmarked for education presents schools with a rare opportunity to address shortcomings that teachers, parents and lawmakers have lamented for years.

Since March 2020, the federal government has provided $190 billion in pandemic aid to schools, four times more than what the U.S. Department of Education spends on K-12 schools annually. The Associated Press, relying on data published or provided by states and the federal government, tallied how much money was granted to nearly every school district in the country.

The AP tracked about $155 billion sent to states to distribute among schools since last year, including general pandemic relief that some states shared with their schools. The latest and largest round of funding, totaling $123 billion, is still being distributed and gives schools enormous flexibility in how to spend it.

In Nevada and throughout the nation, the amount that school districts received per student varies drastically, with districts that serve students from low-income households receiving the lions share. While 20% must be used to address learning setbacks, the rest can be used on nearly any cost school officials deem reasonable and necessary. Schools have three years to spend the latest round, a window that many district officials say is short for such a large amount of money.

Nevada will receive $1.58 billion in total  a massive windfall considering it spends roughly $3.3 billion in state and local funds annually on K-12 education. The funds dwarf the additional $85 million that the state expects to collect annually from a mining tax hike passed in May after years of debate. And they come amid a sea change in education funding, two years after the state changed the complex formula for how it distributes funds to schools.

Unlike states that have funneled dollars to upgrade their air quality systems, bolster charter schools or fix crumbling ceilings, Nevada has spent months collecting input on how to spend the money. School districts must submit spending plans to the state by Sept. 10.

The Nevada Department of Education outlined priorities it hopes districts address as they design plans in a document it submitted to the federal education department last month. It directs officials to use the funds toward efforts including to close opportunity gaps for underserved students, expand access to technology, and enable distance learning.

Nationwide, some districts will receive sums amounting to 50% or more of the cost to operate their schools for a year. The median aid allocated to districts was about $2,800 per student, but it varies widely by district and state, according to the APs analysis.

In Nevada, the amount ranged from $3,796 per student in the Las Vegas area to $172 per student enrolled in schools in Eureka County. No schools in the rural district are eligible for the Title I funding sent to schools serving low-income students. The Title I formula was used to divvy up parts of the pandemic aid.

The vast majority of the funds will go to Clark County School District, which is the states largest and historically most cash-strapped district. It will receive $1.26 billion, or 85% of the funds. The Las Vegas area district is the nation's fifth largest. It will receive the sixth most total funds in the nation, but the least per student among the 10 largest districts.

The district spends about $9,300 per pupil annually, below the national average of $12,624 per student.

The state's public charter school authority will receive $85 million. In the Reno-Sparks area, the Washoe County School District will receive $137 million. And $273,000 will go to the rural Esmeralda County School District, where 81 students were enrolled for the 2019-2020 school year.

___

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.
NWS Weather Alert NOTE: This information is provided by the National Weather Service. Forecast may differ from local information provided by our own 69News Meteorologists

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Pennsylvania... Little Lehigh At Allentown 10th St Bridge affecting Lehigh County. For the Little Lehigh...including Allentown 10th St Bridge...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Turn around...don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/phi. ...The Flood Warning is now in effect until tomorrow morning... The Flood Warning continues for the Little Lehigh At Allentown 10th St Bridge. * Until Thursday morning. * At 10:45 PM EDT Wednesday the stage was 9.2 feet. * Flood stage is 8.0 feet. * Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 10:45 PM EDT Wednesday was 9.2 feet. * Forecast...The river will fall below flood stage just after midnight tonight to 3.1 feet and then begin rising early Friday morning. It will then rise again to 3.2 feet Friday morning. It will fall to 3.0 feet and then begin rising late Friday morning then rise again. * Impact...At 6.0 feet, Fountain Park begins to flood. * Impact...At 7.0 feet, The Fountain Park pathway floods. * Impact...At 8.0 feet, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive begins to flood near Lehigh Street. * Impact...At 9.0 feet, Fish Hatchery Road is flooded. * Impact...At 10.0 feet, Water is several feet deep on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near Lehigh Street. Businesses are flooded. * Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 9.9 feet on 08/28/2011. && Fld Observed Forecasts (11 pm EDT) Location Stg Stg Day/Time Thu Fri Sat Little Lehigh Allentown 10th St Bridg 8.0 9.2 Wed 10 pm ED 3.1 MSG MSG &&
Joseph Nolan became the new CEO of Eversource this past May, and hes on on a mission to repair the company's image with ratepayers.
According to the White House press office, over 100,000 people from Afghanistan have been taken out of the country since the end of July.
Edward Asner, the legendary seven-time Emmy-winning actor, has died at the age of 91.

Born in Kansas City, MO, and raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, Asner began his acting career while a member of the US Army Signal Corps, appearing in plays that toured camps throughout Europe.

He moved to New York City in the 1950s to pursue an acting career, making his Broadway debut as Peachum in the 1955 revival of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera at Christopher Street's Theatre de Lys (now the Lucille Lortel). In 1960, he starred in the short-lived Broadway play, Face of a Hero.

In 1970, following a series of guest spots on television shows including The Outlaws and Mission: Impossible, Asner landed the role of television producer Lou Grant on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. When that series went off the air in 1977, he was given a spin-off, the hour-long drama Lou Grant. Asner received five Emmys for his performance as that character and, in doing so, became the only actor to win the Emmy for the same role in both a sitcom and a drama. (He also received an Emmy Award for his performance as Captain Davis in the acclaimed miniseries Roots and another for a guest appearance on the series Rich Man, Poor Man).

Asner returned to Broadway in a 1989 revival of the Garson Kanin comedy Born Yesterday, and frequently toured the country as former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the bio-play FDR, based on the play Sunrise at Campobello.

Asner has worked extensively in television and film, also appearing in guest spots on The Practice, The X-Files, Touched by an Angel, Curb Your Enthusiasm, CSI: NY, Hawaii Five-O, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, to name a few. On the silver screen, he has appeared as Santa Claus in the comedy Elf and Guy Banister in Oliver Stone's JFK. He also voiced for the role of cantankerous Carl Fredricksen in the acclaimed Pixar film Up.

A longtime political and social activist, Asner served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. He was also a member of the Campaign for Peace and Democracy, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Asner was an advisor to the Rosenberg Fund for Children and a board member of the Defenders of Wildlife organization.

After an absence of over two decades, Asner returned to Broadway in October 2012 to play Karl, a good-natured German insect exterminator in Craig Wright's Grace, opposite Paul Rudd, Michael Shannon, and Kate Arrington.

"Words cannot express the sadness we feel," Asner family said in a tweet from his account. "With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you."
Quincy, IL (62301)

Today

Some sun in the morning with increasing clouds during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Winnipeg-born Chantal Kreviazuk entertains concert goers. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

As the centrepiece of Manitoba 150 celebrations, the Unite 150 show featuring afternoon and evening concerts brought together past, present, and future greats of Manitoba music at Shaw Park on Saturday.

William Prince performs during the celebration. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)

Concert goers showed proof of vaccination in order to enter Shaw Park and were entertained by what awaited them.

The diverse lineup ranged from newer performers like bilingual artist Kelly Bado and jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould to William Prince and Sierra Noble to Chantal Kreviazuk, Tom Cochrane. Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings closed out the show with a rousing set list of classics from the Guess Who, BTO and Burton Cummings' solo career.
It was apparent the movie Flag Day was going to be a family affair when it started production in Winnipeg in the summer of 2019.

It was apparent the movie Flag Day was going to be a family affair when it started production in Winnipeg in the summer of 2019.

Actor-director Sean Penn, adapting a memoir by journalist Jennifer Vogel titled The Flim Flam Man, cast his own daughter Dylan Penn as Jennifer and himself as Jennifers career criminal father John Vogel. Penn also cast his son Hopper Penn as Vogels son Nick.

Penn went outside the family to cast Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick as Jennifers troubled mother Patty. But for the Toronto-born Winnick, coming to Winnipeg allowed her to make a family connection of her own.

"My father immigrated to Winnipeg when he was a toddler," says Winnick in a Zoom interview from Sante Fe, N.M., where she is shooting David Kelleys ABC series Big Sky.

"They had a government program where they had a lot of immigrants from Ukraine come over and work the land to be able to get citizenships," says Winnick. "So my family kind of grew up there. So its interesting to see how it all unfolded and the history behind it and seeing where my parents grew up.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Katheryn Winnick (left, with Dylan Penn) enjoyed her time working with the Penn family on Flag Day in 2019.

"I didnt get a chance to explore that unfortunately because I was working so hard," she says.

In some of her work, such as the TV series Vikings or Big Sky, Winnick demonstrates toughness that belies her glamourous good looks. She is an accomplished martial artist with black belts in taekwondo and karate. She explores a different kind of toughness in Flag Day as an alcoholic mother, at times criminally negligent of her children.

"Being an alcoholic and being a woman who turns a blind eye on family abuse was really hard for me to wrap my head around," Winnick says. "Because Im such a protective individual, so this was a very interesting choice as an actor to try to justify why a mother would allow the physical and emotional abuse of her daughter by her former husband and also her step-father. It was really interesting to find a way of justifying it as an actor."

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Katheryn Winnick at the Los Angeles premiere of Flag Day.

Sean Penn proved to be supportive, which she says was especially laudable given that he was doing double-duty as both director and actor.

"You could see that it was a love story really of a father and daughter in a parallel course in real life, Sean Penn and his daughter and having Hopper his son involved as well," Winnick says. "It was a little intimidating being the one who is outside the family playing part of the family.

"But I absolutely loved it. It was an incredible group of talented crew and cast. It was just one of my favourite experiences ever."

Allen Fraser / Metro Goldwyn Pictures Sean Penn led an incredible group of talented crew and cast filming Flag Day in Winnipeg, Winnick says.

Winnick says Penn had a "no phones on set" rule to enforce focus on the work at hand. She says working in Manitoba also allowed for a certain detachment from the rest of the world.

"Winnipeg has a landscape of being in a bit of a time warp, its a bit stuck in the 80s in a lot of ways," she says. "It was interesting to go there. I really feel like youve stepped back in time.

"Having an isolated environment really makes a great opportunity for you to connect with the other cast members on an intimate level," Winnick says. "We had game night and dinner that was really nice. They showed bits and pieces of the movie being made as we were shooting to help people get excited about what they were involved in.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Dylan Penn, Sean Penn and Katheryn Winnick at the Los Angeles premiere of Flag Day.

"I do enjoy being on set and having the environment (be) a bit of an isolated workplace because I feel that when you have the most focus on your work  a true connection and true authenticity."

Flag Day opens in Winnipeg Friday, Sept. 3.

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @FreepKing
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

Interstate 10 near Slidell, La., is packed with evacuees heading east Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, as Hurricane Ida approaches. (Scott Threlkeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

The hurricane was blamed for at least one death: a person found dead following a report of a fallen tree on a home in Prairieville, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. The person, who was not identified, was pronounced dead. Prairieville is a suburb of Baton Rouge, Louisianas capital city.

The power outage in New Orleans heightened the city's vulnerability to flooding and left hundreds of thousands of people without air conditioning and refrigeration in sweltering summer heat.

Ida  a Category 4 storm  hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. Idas 150-mph (230 kph) winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. It dropped hours later to a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 95 mph (155 kph) as it crawled inland, its eye about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans.

Significant flooding was reported late Sunday night in LaPlace, a community adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain, meteorologists in New Orleans said. Many people took to social media, pleading for boat rescues as the water rose.

A couple walks along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain at dusk, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in New Orleans. Hurricane Ida is set to hit the area tomorrow as a Category 4 storm. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge under threat.

This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

People in Louisiana woke up to a monster storm after Idas top winds grew by 45 mph (72 kph) in five hours as the hurricane moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

A wall of rain moves over downtown New Orleans before the arrival of Hurricane Ida on Sunday, August 29, 2021. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP)

The entire city of New Orleans late Sunday was without power, according to city officials. The city's power supplier  Entergy  confirmed that the only power in the city was coming from generators, the citys Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness said on Twitter. The message included a screen shot that cited catastrophic transmission damage for the power failure.

The city relies on Entergy for backup power for the pumps that remove storm water from city streets. Rain from Ida is expected to test that pump system.

More than 1 million customers were without power in Louisiana, and over 40,000 were in the dark in Mississippi, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide.

A man walks along businesses with protective boarding in the French Quarter as the early effects of Hurricane Ida are felt, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

In New Orleans, wind tore at awnings and caused buildings to sway and water to spill out of Lake Ponchartrain. The Coast Guard office in New Orleans received more than a dozen reports of breakaway barges, said Petty Officer Gabriel Wisdom. In Lafitte about 35 miles (55 km) south of New Orleans, a loose barge struck a bridge, according to Jefferson Parish officials.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Ricky Boyette said engineers detected a negative flow on the Mississippi River as a result of storm surge. And Edwards said he watched a live video feed from around Port Fourchon as Ida came ashore that showed that roofs had been blown off buildings in many places.

The storm surge is just tremendous, Edwards told the AP.

Cars drive through flood waters along route 90 as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Gulfport, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Officials said Ida's swift intensification from a few thunderstorms to a massive hurricane in just three days left no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans' 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents remaining in the city on Sunday to hunker down."

Marco Apostolico said he felt confident riding out the storm at his home in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, one of the citys hardest-hit neighborhoods when levees failed and released a torrent of floodwater during Katrina.

His home was among those rebuilt with the help of actor Brad Pitt to withstand hurricane-force winds. But the memory of Katrina still hung over the latest storm.

Spanish moss is seen and a darkening sky on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, La., in advance of Hurricane Ida, which is expected to make landfall today, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Its obviously a lot of heavy feelings, he said. And yeah, potentially scary and dangerous.

The region getting Idas worst includes petrochemical sites and major ports, which could sustain significant damage. It is also an area that is already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Through the morning rain the Huey P Long Bridge can be seen between the Caesars Superdome and the Smoothie King Center as Hurricane Ida approaches the Louisiana coast in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Max Becherer/The Advocate via AP)

Forecasters warned winds stronger than 115 mph (185 kph) threatened Houma, a city of 33,000 that supports oil platforms in the Gulf.

The hurricane was also threatening neighboring Mississippi, where Katrina demolished oceanfront homes. With Ida approaching, Claudette Jones evacuated her home east of Gulfport, Mississippi, as waves started pounding the shore.

Im praying I can go back to a normal home like I left, she said. Thats what Im praying for. But Im not sure at this point.

A news crew reports on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain ahead of approaching Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Idas hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the storms eye, or about half the size of Katrina, and a New Orleans' infrastructure official emphasized that the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago."

The levee system has been massively overhauled since Katrina, Ramsey Green, deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, said before the worst of the storm hit. While water may not penetrate levees, Green said if forecasts of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain prove true, the city's underfunded and neglected network of pumps, underground pipes and surface canals likely won't be able to keep up.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was in contact with more than 1,500 oil refineries, chemical plants and other sensitive facilities and will respond to any reported pollution leaks or petroleum spills, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. He said the agency would deploy three mobile air-monitoring laboratories after the storm passes to sample, analyze and report any threats to public health.

Local residents Portia Potyok, left, and Bradley Darby, watch the wind and waves along a seawall as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Bay Saint Louis, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Louisianas 17 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. refining capacity and its two liquefied natural gas export terminals ship about 55% of the nations total exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Government statistics show that 95% of oil and gas production in the Gulf Coast region was shut down as Ida made landfall on Sunday, according to energy company S&P Global Platts.

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Louisiana is also home to two nuclear power plants, one near New Orleans and another about 27 miles (about 43 kilometers) northwest of Baton Rouge.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas arrival. He said Sunday the country was praying for the best for Louisiana and would put its full might behind the rescue and recovery effort once the storm passes.

Local residents Portia Potyok, right, and Bradley Darby, watch the wind and waves along a seawall as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Bay Saint Louis, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Edwards warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.

Many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today, the governor told a news conference.

___

Associated Press writers Stacey Plaisance in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jay Reeves in Gulfport, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston; Michael Biesecker and Martin Crutsinger in Washington; Pamela Sampson and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

A crane is used to move a garbage bin to the upper floors of a condo tower under construction, in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

June GDP figures:

Statistics Canada is set to release gross domestic product figures by industry for June and gross domestic product by income and expenditure for the second quarter on Tuesday. StatCan said on July 30 that the Canadian economy appeared to have bounced back after its worst two-month stretch since the start of the pandemic, eking out a gain in June and growth in the second quarter of the year.

Real estate update:

August real estate sales figures for Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto will be released on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively. The Canadian Real Estate Association recently said that home sales cooled for their fourth consecutive month in July as new supply fell in about three quarters of all markets across the country.

Laurentian Bank earnings:

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Laurentian Bank will hold a conference call to discuss Q3 results on Wednesday. The Montreal-based bank beat expectations in June when it reported a second-quarter profit of $53.1 million, up from a profit of $8.9 million a year ago.

BRP earnings:

BRP will release Q2 results on Thursday. The Quebec-based recreational products company said in July that a fire in its Juarez 2 facility in Mexico destroyed some units representing about six days of production. Chief executive Jose Boisjoli said he didnt anticipate any material impact on its business from the disruption.

July merchandise trade:

Also on Thursday, Statistics Canada is scheduled to release Canadian international merchandise trade and international trade in services figures for July. StatCan recently said the country posted a merchandise trade surplus of $3.2 billion in June as exports rose and imports fell, resulting in a return to surplus after a $1.6 billion deficit in May.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 29, 2021.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

Interstate 10 near Slidell, La., is packed with evacuees heading east Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, as Hurricane Ida approaches. (Scott Threlkeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the flow of the Mississippi River as it rushed from the Louisiana coast into one of the nations most important industrial corridors.

The hurricane was blamed for at least one death: a person found dead following a report of a fallen tree on a home in Prairieville, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. The person, who was not identified, was pronounced dead. Prairieville is a suburb of Baton Rouge, Louisianas capital city.

The power outage in New Orleans heightened the city's vulnerability to flooding and left hundreds of thousands of people without air conditioning and refrigeration in sweltering summer heat.

Ida  a Category 4 storm  hit on the same date Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years earlier, coming ashore about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of where Category 3 Katrina first struck land. Idas 150-mph (230 kph) winds tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the mainland U.S. It dropped hours later to a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 95 mph (155 kph) as it crawled inland, its eye about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans.

Significant flooding was reported late Sunday night in LaPlace, a community adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain, meteorologists in New Orleans said. Many people took to social media, pleading for boat rescues as the water rose.

A couple walks along the shore of Lake Pontchartrain at dusk, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in New Orleans. Hurricane Ida is set to hit the area tomorrow as a Category 4 storm. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The rising ocean swamped the barrier island of Grand Isle as landfall came just to the west at Port Fourchon. Ida made a second landfall about two hours later near Galliano. The hurricane was churning through the far southern Louisiana wetlands, with the more than 2 million people living in and around New Orleans and Baton Rouge under threat.

This is going to be much stronger than we usually see and, quite frankly, if you had to draw up the worst possible path for a hurricane in Louisiana, it would be something very, very close to what were seeing, Gov. John Bel Edwards told The Associated Press.

People in Louisiana woke up to a monster storm after Idas top winds grew by 45 mph (72 kph) in five hours as the hurricane moved through some of the warmest ocean water in the world in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

A wall of rain moves over downtown New Orleans before the arrival of Hurricane Ida on Sunday, August 29, 2021. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP)

The entire city of New Orleans late Sunday was without power, according to city officials. The city's power supplier  Entergy  confirmed that the only power in the city was coming from generators, the citys Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness said on Twitter. The message included a screen shot that cited catastrophic transmission damage for the power failure.

The city relies on Entergy for backup power for the pumps that remove storm water from city streets. Rain from Ida is expected to test that pump system.

More than 1 million customers were without power in Louisiana, and over 40,000 were in the dark in Mississippi, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks outages nationwide.

A man walks along businesses with protective boarding in the French Quarter as the early effects of Hurricane Ida are felt, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

In New Orleans, wind tore at awnings and caused buildings to sway and water to spill out of Lake Ponchartrain. The Coast Guard office in New Orleans received more than a dozen reports of breakaway barges, said Petty Officer Gabriel Wisdom. In Lafitte about 35 miles (55 km) south of New Orleans, a loose barge struck a bridge, according to Jefferson Parish officials.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Ricky Boyette said engineers detected a negative flow on the Mississippi River as a result of storm surge. And Edwards said he watched a live video feed from around Port Fourchon as Ida came ashore that showed that roofs had been blown off buildings in many places.

The storm surge is just tremendous, Edwards told the AP.

Cars drive through flood waters along route 90 as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Gulfport, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Officials said Ida's swift intensification from a few thunderstorms to a massive hurricane in just three days left no time to organize a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans' 390,000 residents. Mayor LaToya Cantrell urged residents remaining in the city on Sunday to hunker down."

Marco Apostolico said he felt confident riding out the storm at his home in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, one of the citys hardest-hit neighborhoods when levees failed and released a torrent of floodwater during Katrina.

His home was among those rebuilt with the help of actor Brad Pitt to withstand hurricane-force winds. But the memory of Katrina still hung over the latest storm.

Spanish moss is seen and a darkening sky on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, La., in advance of Hurricane Ida, which is expected to make landfall today, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Its obviously a lot of heavy feelings, he said. And yeah, potentially scary and dangerous.

The region getting Idas worst includes petrochemical sites and major ports, which could sustain significant damage. It is also an area that is already reeling from a resurgence of COVID-19 infections due to low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant.

New Orleans hospitals planned to ride out the storm with their beds nearly full, as similarly stressed hospitals elsewhere had little room for evacuated patients. And shelters for those fleeing their homes carried an added risk of becoming flashpoints for new infections.

Through the morning rain the Huey P Long Bridge can be seen between the Caesars Superdome and the Smoothie King Center as Hurricane Ida approaches the Louisiana coast in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Max Becherer/The Advocate via AP)

Forecasters warned winds stronger than 115 mph (185 kph) threatened Houma, a city of 33,000 that supports oil platforms in the Gulf.

The hurricane was also threatening neighboring Mississippi, where Katrina demolished oceanfront homes. With Ida approaching, Claudette Jones evacuated her home east of Gulfport, Mississippi, as waves started pounding the shore.

Im praying I can go back to a normal home like I left, she said. Thats what Im praying for. But Im not sure at this point.

A news crew reports on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain ahead of approaching Hurricane Ida in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Comparisons to the Aug. 29, 2005, landfall of Katrina weighed heavily on residents bracing for Ida. Katrina was blamed for 1,800 deaths as it caused levee breaches and catastrophic flooding in New Orleans. Idas hurricane-force winds stretched 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the storms eye, or about half the size of Katrina, and a New Orleans' infrastructure official emphasized that the city is in a very different place than it was 16 years ago."

The levee system has been massively overhauled since Katrina, Ramsey Green, deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, said before the worst of the storm hit. While water may not penetrate levees, Green said if forecasts of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain prove true, the city's underfunded and neglected network of pumps, underground pipes and surface canals likely won't be able to keep up.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality was in contact with more than 1,500 oil refineries, chemical plants and other sensitive facilities and will respond to any reported pollution leaks or petroleum spills, agency spokesman Greg Langley said. He said the agency would deploy three mobile air-monitoring laboratories after the storm passes to sample, analyze and report any threats to public health.

Local residents Portia Potyok, left, and Bradley Darby, watch the wind and waves along a seawall as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Bay Saint Louis, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Louisianas 17 oil refineries account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. refining capacity and its two liquefied natural gas export terminals ship about 55% of the nations total exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Government statistics show that 95% of oil and gas production in the Gulf Coast region was shut down as Ida made landfall on Sunday, according to energy company S&P Global Platts.

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Louisiana is also home to two nuclear power plants, one near New Orleans and another about 27 miles (about 43 kilometers) northwest of Baton Rouge.

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of Idas arrival. He said Sunday the country was praying for the best for Louisiana and would put its full might behind the rescue and recovery effort once the storm passes.

Local residents Portia Potyok, right, and Bradley Darby, watch the wind and waves along a seawall as outer bands of Hurricane Ida arrive Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in Bay Saint Louis, Miss. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Edwards warned his state to brace for potentially weeks of recovery.

Many, many people are going to be tested in ways that we can only imagine today, the governor told a news conference.

___

Associated Press writers Stacey Plaisance in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Jay Reeves in Gulfport, Mississippi; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Frank Bajak in Boston; Michael Biesecker and Martin Crutsinger in Washington; Pamela Sampson and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta; and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
BANGKOK (AP)  A long line of cars, trucks and motorbikes wended its way Sunday through the Thai capital Bangkok in a mobile protest against the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The protesters on wheels hope their nonviolent action, dubbed a car mob, can help force the ouster of Prayuth, whom they accuse of botching the campaign against the coronavirus.

Anti-government protesters block the road with cars and motorcycles as a part of their "car mob" demonstrations along several roads in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. A long line of cars, trucks and motorbikes wended its way Sunday through the Thai capital Bangkok in a mobile protest against the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The protesters on wheels hope their nonviolent action, dubbed a "car mob," can help force the ouster of Prayuth, whom they accuse of botching the campaign against the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Anuthep Cheysakron)

BANGKOK (AP)  A long line of cars, trucks and motorbikes wended its way Sunday through the Thai capital Bangkok in a mobile protest against the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The protesters on wheels hope their nonviolent action, dubbed a car mob, can help force the ouster of Prayuth, whom they accuse of botching the campaign against the coronavirus.

There is only one message from this car mob, which is Prayuth get out! Sombat Boonngamanong, a veteran social activist who helped originate such protests in July, said ahead of the protest. He has had a chance to run the country for seven years. He has proved that he is incapable of being the countrys leader, so we cannot let him continue.

The car mob tactic has visibly been attracting more and more participants, although its mobile nature makes it hard to estimate its size. Some onlookers along the route displayed supportive banners and flashed the oppositions three-finger salute as the lengthy parade of vehicles passed.

Prayuth initially took power in 2014, when as army commander he launched a successful coup against an elected government. He continued to hold power when he was named prime minister as head of a coalition government after a 2019 general election.

Organizers say the protest on wheels evades legal limitations on gatherings that are aimed at enforcing social distancing in order to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Keeping things moving also makes it more difficult for police to box demonstrators in, and lowers the possibility of violent clashes, they believe.

They impose the law to prevent the spreading of COVID-19, while a car mob is designed with the same concept, said Sombat. If we use a bus, that can violate the law. But we use our own cars, each of which carries fewer than five people. So how could that break the law?

Prayuth has shown his concern about the safety of both protesters and the authorities, as each protest could become a new COVID-19 cluster, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said last week.

Large-scale protests against Prayuths government began last year, with three core demands: the resignation of Prayuth and his government, amending the constitution to make it more democratic and reforming the monarchy to make it more accountable.

But last years protest movement lost steam due to leaders arrests, COVID-19 concerns and restrictions as well as controversy over its critical view of the monarchy, an institution fiercely guarded by the countrys ruling elite, including the military.

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Prayuths unpopularity increased this year over what was perceived to be his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis. Thailand managed to keep the virus in check for most of last year, but the government failed to secure timely and adequate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines.

The misstep became glaring when the third wave of the coronavirus arrived in April with the delta variant, and daily cases and deaths shot up to record highs. Thailand has had 1,174,091 confirmed cases and 11,143 deaths since the pandemic. Around 97.5% of total cases and 99% of total deaths have been during the third wave.

The protests are loosely coordinated with action in Parliament against Prayuth and five of his Cabinet members.

A second no-confidence motion this year against the government will be debated this week, focusing on this COVID-19 issue.

I dont know if we will finally be able to oust Prayuth with this protest. But what I can guarantee is that it will create a big stir among Prayuth and the governments coalition parties, said Sombat, the activist. If the coalition parties dont vote against Prayuth on the no-confidence motion, they will surely face difficulties in the next election.

Organizers of the car mob, which is not the only anti-government protest movement but appears to be the one with the broadest support, say they will stop the car mob tactic but carry on with a bigger protest on Thursday during Parliament's no-confidence debate.
CALGARY - Susannah Pierce's children aren't interested in following in her footsteps.

The president of Shell Canada Ltd., one of Canada's largest integrated oil companies, heads up a workforce of 3,500 Canadian employees, earned public recognition as the face of the $40 billion LNG Canada project, and has lived and worked around the world.

Shell Canada President Susannah Pierce poses in this undated handout photo. The oil and gas sector is simply "not as attractive as it once was" to today's young people, Pierce says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Shell Canada *MANDATORY CREDIT*

But Pierce's 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter don't see a future for themselves in the industry where their mother has thrived.

The oil and gas sector is simply "not as attractive as it once was" to today's young people, Pierce says bluntly, an uncomfortable fact she and other energy executives are being forced to face up to  even within their own households.

"If the conversation isnt, 'I want to work in the same business as you, Mom and Dad,' then we have to ask ourselves why," Pierce said in an interview.

The dinnertime conversations between Pierce and her children are a scaled-down version of a wider discussion taking place in Alberta right now as an entire province tries to decide on its path forward.

While Alberta's historic oil and gas sector still makes an outsized contribution to the Canadian economy, it has been battered and bruised by seven years of low prices, pipeline protests and cancellations, layoffs, and consolidation. The province's unemployment rate is 8.5 per cent, and close to 30 per cent of downtown Calgary's office market sits vacant.

Alberta's long-term unemployment rate  the portion of the population that has been without work for more than a year  is 2.4 per cent, significantly higher than the national average of 1.4 per cent.

Even now, with crude prices higher than they've been in years, there is widespread acknowledgment that the energy landscape has permanently shifted.

Climate change and the transition away from fossil fuels have moved to the forefront of the national and international conversation. Investment dollars are increasingly flowing to industries with favourable environmental performance, and companies  Shell included  are investing in green technology and decarbonization as part of their own net-zero commitments.

In the past several years, there have been various government attempts to address Alberta's challenges, from tax credits aimed at boosting the province's rapidly growing tech sector to incentives for petrochemical development and investments in hydrogen technology.

Recently, a group of prominent Alberta CEOs  including Pierce  came together to form their own task force with the aim of coming up with long-term solutions for the Alberta economy.

Its a service in support of what governments might be able to do, without asking governments to do it for us, Pierce said. "The world is changing, in terms of the energy product it needs. And as a result, we must change too."

The task force aims to come up with a series of economic strategies, policies and incentives that will attract investment and jobs to the province. It will also look at ways to keep young people in a province that is viewed by some as stuck in the past.

Also involved in the project, dubbed "Define the Decade," are other heavyweights like Enbridge's Al Monaco and Cenovus Energy's Alex Pourbaix. And the task force includes executives of some of the province's rapidly growing tech firms, such as artificial intelligence company AltaML and life sciences company DynaLIFE.

Diversification has been a buzzword in Alberta during previous commodity price downturns. It has always fallen by the wayside, though, when oil prices start to climb again, said Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta.

This time, however, it's different, he said, and there's no time to waste.

"Alberta's history of riding these boom and bust cycles ... is frankly, gone," Legge said. "But we believe our best days are ahead of us. So many of the things that are happening In the world, the trends, the evolutions that are happening  Alberta really has a shot to be a global leader.

David Taras, a political analyst based at Calgary's Mount Royal University, said the idea of a group of Alberta's top CEOs joining together to lobby for diversification, green energy, and the startup economy would have been unfathomable 10 or even 5 years ago.

The public relations message has clearly shifted away from defending traditional oil and gas, he said, to establishing Alberta's role in the public eye as a future-forward investment destination.

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The global tide has shifted, and shifted dramatically," Taras said. "And the industry has not only caught up, but realized they have to move on, they have to be in a different place."

The Calgary and Edmonton Chambers of Commerce are not involved in the "Define the Decade" initiative but recently released a joint wish list for the federal election that calls for commitments from all the parties with respect to diversifying Alberta's economy.

Deborah Yedlin, president and chief executive of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said the organization is asking for everything from federal investments in grants and equity deals to foster the growth of the startup tech sector, to the creation of national Centres of Excellence within Alberta for sectors ranging from clean technology, artificial intelligence, and sports.

"We (Alberta) have the willingness to lead, but we can't do it on our own," Yedlin said. "We need federal support."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 29, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ENB, TSX:CVE)
SAINT-HYACINTHE, Que. - Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole did not distance himself Sunday from comments made by a longtime member of his caucus who warned constituents the Liberals are preparing for a "climate lockdown."

SAINT-HYACINTHE, Que. - Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole did not distance himself Sunday from comments made by a longtime member of his caucus who warned constituents the Liberals are preparing for a "climate lockdown."

But the party later said Cheryl Gallant has removed a video she posted in June that included a photo of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau appearing to have some sort of noose around his neck.

Conservative Leader Erin OToole speaks to the media at a bowling alley Sunday, August 29, 2021 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. Canadians will vote in a federal election Sept. 20th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

"In light of events unfolding today, it's understandable how this photo can be misconstrued without context," party spokesman Cory Hann said in an email. "That's why Ms. Gallant has removed her video."

Gallant is running for re-election in the Ottawa Valley riding of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke for the eighth time.

The events Hann referred to were angry crowds of anti-Trudeau agitators who have disrupted his campaign events in recent days, often hurling expletives and threatening violence. Their actions were deemed a threat too great to proceed with Trudeau's planned rally in Bolton, Ont., Friday and delayed his Sunday event in Cambridge, Ont., for more than hour as they surrounded his campaign buses shouting slurs and profanity.

At the Cambridge event, one person carried a sign with a manipulated picture of Trudeau about to be executed by hanging.

Hann said the photo Gallant used was one Trudeau had posed for himself, recreating a 1968 image of his father, prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who had pretended to hang himself with his own tie at a press club event.

The original photo clearly shows that Trudeau is holding the cord himself, and that it is a lanyard attached to a plastic ID badge. Gallant's version had cropped the image so it was not clear that Trudeau was holding the cord himself.

"How long do you think it will take before the Trudeau Liberals start calling for a climate lockdown?" Gallant asks in the video.

"Trudeau is counting on Liberal-minded Canadians not looking too closely at his agenda. If they did, they might realize Trudeau's a con man and climate change may be his biggest grift," she said.

Gallant also sent correspondence to her constituents before the election started, asking them if they were in favour of a "climate lockdown."

O'Toole was asked multiple times Sunday if he agreed with Gallant's statements or the anti-climate change sentiment behind them and did not once answer the question.

In an interview on Radio-Canada on Sunday evening, O'Toole was pressed to say whether he denounced Gallant's statements, but he once again skirted the issue.

"I have expectations of all our candidates that they have a positive approach to the campaign," he said in French.

In another instance during the interview, O'Toole said each of his party's candidates supports the plan he's put forward, which includes a plan to tackle climate change.

Earlier Sunday, he said Canadians are tired of lockdowns and reiterated his focus is on talking to residents about his party's plan to help the country's economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're not running on things that were said five months ago, five years ago," he said.

Gallant did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The only response came from a tweet she sent Sunday evening.

"I'm proud to run on Canada's Recovery Plan, in its entirety," she wrote, referencing the name of the Conservative platform.

O'Toole has denounced the angry crowds that have dogged Trudeau, and told four Conservative volunteers who appeared in the crowd in Bolton Friday that they were no longer welcome in the campaign.

On Sunday, Trudeau pointed to the noisy crowd trying to intimidate and drown out his event as proof O'Toole needed to condemn Gallant's comments to show her supporters and protesters that they are wrong.

"We know they don't listen to me," he said. "Perhaps they will listen to Erin O'Toole if he tells them that climate change is real. If he tells them that vaccines are safe and secure and demonstrates with real leadership, how we're going to move forward as a country to be safer, to be better and more prosperous."

"That's the choice that Erin O'Toole needs to make right now around Cheryl Gallant and all of these conspiracy theories being peddled.

O'Toole's campaign stop in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., also saw the Tory leader propose a tax credit he said is meant to help small businesses bounce back from losses incurred during pandemic-related lockdowns.

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The incentive dubbed the "Rebuild Main Street tax credit" would allow individuals who invest up to $100,000 in a small business to claim a 25 per cent tax break over the next two years. O'Toole also pledged to offer loans of up to $200,000 to small and medium-sized businesses.

O'Toole also spoke to a crowd of 180 masked Conservative supporters in Trois-Rivieres, Que., championing the party's plans to support the province where it hopes to pick up seats from the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois.

Climate change has long been a thorny issue for O'Toole and the party he leads.

In March, Conservatives rejected a motion to declare climate change as real during the party's convention, a result O'Toole said was a distraction.

He later released a climate platform that for the first time saw Conservatives include some form of carbon pricing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2021.
VICTORIA - A report that found systemic racism in a British Columbia school board and called for a provincewide review is "vindicating," the deputy chief of a First Nation in the province said Saturday.

British Columbia's provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. An independent report has found systemic racism in a northern B.C. school board and calls for a province-wide investigation of the issue. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

VICTORIA - A report that found systemic racism in a British Columbia school board and called for a provincewide review is "vindicating," the deputy chief of a First Nation in the province said Saturday.

Jayde Chingee said the McLeod Lake Indian Band and its partners at the Lheidli Tenneh First Nation have tried raising concerns with school officials about anti-Indigenous racism. The report offers a path forward that could be replicated across the province, she said.

"I think it proves our concerns were real," Chingee said in an interview. "Sometimes we have to reveal the ugly truth in order to make things better."

Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside appointed special advisors Kory Wilson and Catherine McGregor to review governance practices at the Prince George Board of Education in February.

Their report, released late Friday and based on 56 interviews and a review of documents, found Indigenous students are disproportionately held back, placed in alternative programs or classes and removed from the typical graduation path.

"Unfortunately, we heard many examples of behaviours and practises that are clearly discriminatory and systemically racist," the report says.

"Though some will argue it is not intentional the outcomes have disproportionate effects on Indigenous students and can only be explained as such."

There is a clear and palpable lack of trust between many Indigenous stakeholders, First Nations and the school district, as well as a "substantial culture of fear" around raising concerns, the report says.

It quotes one respondent saying they were told not to use their Indigenous name because "this isn't the place for politics."

One person reported hearing someone complain about having to "hang up that stupid flag" in reference to flying a First Nations flag, while another heard someone say "the natives a restless" in response to drumming.

"I walk into a school and my chest tightens," another said in the report.

The Education Ministry says in a statement that beginning immediately, former school district superintendent Rod Allen will join the special advisors and work with the board to draft a work plan for implementing their recommendations and improve everything from relationships with local First Nations to staffing and financial planning.

The special advisers will submit a final report to outline the progress made by the board in meeting government's expectations in March 2022.

The minister, acting superintendent of the school district and school board chairman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Among the most concerning findings, the report authors say, was the failure for many Indigenous kids to be deemed eligible for kindergarten, even if they were in full day "pre-K."

And while alternative programs may be seen as the best way to provide targeted support, they have in many cases evolved into "holding tanks" for Indigenous students. In some cases, the modified programs saw school attendance reduced to as little as an hour a day or one day a week, the report says.

The school bus schedules also prevent many Indigenous students from participating in after-school programs, French immersion schools or other choice schools, it says.

The racism identified in the report was not limited to the schools but also the broader community, including passionate pushback to a unanimous decision by school trustees to rename Kelly Road Secondary to Shas Ti Secondary, a Dakelh word for grizzly crossing.

People were up in arms, students walked out of the school with support from their parents, blockades went up, kids were involved in fights and it was traumatic for Indigenous people, the report says.

As a result, both names were installed on the front of the school above the entrance, however their location above two sets of doors made it appear as though there were segregated entrances.

The report also raised concerns about how federal COVID-19 funding was spent at the board.

The special advisors were only able to make one visit to Prince George due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and say they entered the investigation with open minds.

"What we found was much more complicated than we thought and so multi-layered that we do not feel we have gotten to the bottom of all the issues," they write.

They recommend that the province commission a broader probe into B.C. schools similar to "In Plain Sight," a report on anti-Indigenous racism in the health-care system by retired judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond.

The school district has a particularly high number of Indigenous learners and the post-report response could be a model for other jurisdictions, it says.

They also recommend creating an ombudsperson position so that those fearful of retaliation can feel safer making reports.

"Due to the culture of fear, we think there may be more examples of individuals who feel they cannot identify their concerns for fear of retribution," it says.

Turpel-Lafond, who is academic director of the Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of B.C., supported calls for a deeper probe.

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"This report was very helpful but it certainly struck me as a kind of tip-of-the-iceberg report," she said.

She said she was alarmed by the report's suggestion that many people feared retaliation if they spoke out. She heard similar fears when she was investigating health care, highlighting the important role an ombudsperson could play, she said.

It was difficult to read that students felt unsafe, Turpel-Lafond said, adding she hopes the school district and province respond decisively.

"I know how hard the Indigenous staff and leadership in the Prince George region have worked to change the dynamic inside the school district," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2021.

 By Amy Smart in Vancouver.
YAMACHICHE, Que. - Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh looked to one of his party's former success stories on Sunday in bid to give his Quebec campaign a boost, even as his party faces an uphill battle to regain seats in the province.

Candidate Ruth Ellen Brosseau responds to a question as NDP leader Jagmeet Singh looks on during a campaign stop in Yamachiche, Quebec on Sunday, August 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

YAMACHICHE, Que. - Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh looked to one of his party's former success stories on Sunday in bid to give his Quebec campaign a boost, even as his party faces an uphill battle to regain seats in the province.

Singh campaigned in Yamachiche, Que. alongside Ruth Ellen Brosseau, who became a symbol of the so-called "orange wave" that swept the party to 59 seats in the province in 2011 when she was elected as a paper candidate in the riding of BerthierMaskinonge.

Brosseau was criticized at the time for her lack of French-language skills, connection to the riding and the fact that she spent part of the campaign in Las Vegas, but later rose through party ranks to become the NDP's House Leader and agriculture critic.

She was re-elected in 2015 but lost her seat to the Bloc Quebecois' Yves Perron in 2019 in a disastrous result that saw the party lose all but one seat in Quebec.

Despite his tough position in the province, Singh pointed to Brosseau's past success as a sign that fortunes can shift.

"Things change quickly in a campaign," said Singh, who drew a laugh when he said he hopes to win every seat in the province this time around.

The NDP leader also refused to speculate on whether he'd support either the Conservatives or Liberals in a minority scenario, saying its his goal to win the election and become prime minister.

"I'm in this election to win it, so I dont accept defeat," he said. "I want to become the next prime minister."

Speaking at the event in a local cafe, Brosseau reminded the crowd that her story is proof that anything can happen.

"When I decided to jump in as a candidate, I was a paper candidate because I couldn't campaign," the 37-year-old said. "I worked full time, I was a single mother. Things change really quickly."

On Sunday, Brosseau appeared relaxed in front of the microphone as she rattled off what she saw as the priorities for her riding: river protection, erosion, infrastructure, wastewater treatment, high-speed Internet, and agricultural self-sufficiency.

She's no longer a stranger in the rural French-speaking region, where she's spent the two years since her defeat helping her partner on his farm.

At one point she stumbled over her words and laughed, apologizing that she's no longer used to speaking English.

Brosseau said she feels voters are frustrated with previous Liberal and Conservative governments and are ready for a change.

"I have an amazing feeling that this is going to be different this time around," she said.

But Andre Lamoureux, a political science professor at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, believes the party is not fighting for victory in the province, but rather to avoid being wiped off the map altogether.

"I believe that right now the NDP is fighting for its survival, in the sense of trying to win a single seat," said Lamoureux, whose research focuses on the party.

He notes that NDP members have publicly opposed Quebec's secularism bill, which bans certain public servants from wearing religious symbols at work. He said many Quebecers don't subscribe to the idea that there is systemic racism in the province, which he calls a "theory of the left" which the NDP espouses.

Lamoureux said the party in general represents a centralized approach to governance that runs counter to the province's nationalist ambitions.

"Mr. Singh, all his public interventions go in the sense of interfering in provincial jurisdiction whether we're talking about social housing, education, health, nurses," he said.

Last week, Quebec Premier Francois Legault criticized both the Liberals and the NDP for proposing policies he said amounted to interfering in provincial jurisdiction, such as the imposition of national standards for long-term care.

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"Whats being proposed, especially by two parties, is more arguments, more complicated things that wont help anything, more centralization, more bureaucracy, when its exactly the opposite that is needed to help our health system work better," Legault said.

The NDP has said it is running a 'targeted' campaign in Quebec, focusing on six to 10 ridings where it believes it can win. Those include four in Montreal, the cities of Trois-Rivieres and Sherbrooke, and a handful of rural ridings.

But Lamoureux not only believes that a breakthrough is unlikely, but even the party's lone MP, Alexandre Boulerice, risks losing his seat in the Montreal riding he's held since 2011.

Meanwhile, Singh and Brosseau also unveiled a website that they said was designed to help encourage people to vote. The site, called howyouvote.ca, is designed to explain the voting process and help people overcome reluctance to cast a ballot, Singh said.

This report from the Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2021.

-- By Morgan Lowrie in Montreal
OTTAWA - Erin O'Toole warned supporters Saturday that they're not welcome on the Conservative campaign if they engage in harassment and intimidation of other party leaders.

OTTAWA - Erin O'Toole warned supporters Saturday that they're not welcome on the Conservative campaign if they engage in harassment and intimidation of other party leaders.

The leader's warning came one day after several Conservative campaign workers were spotted among a crowd of raucous protesters who forced the cancellation of a Liberal event featuring Justin Trudeau in Bolton, Ont.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole gives a thumbs up to supporters after a campaign rally Friday, August 27, 2021 in Sydney, NS. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

At least four volunteers for local Conservative MP Kyle Seeback were photographed among the angry, obscenity-spewing crowd, wearing blue "Team Seeback" T-shirts.

Seeback issued a statement late Friday saying those individuals are no longer welcome on his campaign.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also condemned the protesters, saying no one should have to cancel an event over safety concerns.

O'Toole insisted Saturday there's no room in the Conservative campaign for negativity.

"We're running on a positive campaign for the future of this country," he said during a stop in Fredericton.

"I strongly condemn any form of harassment and protest the like we've seen. We're a democracy, we should be having a healthy and respectful debate of ideas and we have no time for people who bring in negativity to campaigning."

O'Toole appealed to everyone to "put the country and our democracy first" and said that's the behaviour he expects from "every single member of our team, from the leader to the first time someone's volunteering."

Trudeau has been dogged by protesters throughout the campaign, most of them voicing angry opposition to mandatory vaccinations, masks and lockdowns that have been implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A planned event in Bolton on Friday evening was cancelled because, Trudeau said later, the RCMP determined that it could not keep attendees safe.

Questions have arisen over who is organizing and potentially funding the protesters.

One man who showed up to heckle Trudeau at an event in Hamilton earlier in the week, turned up the next day at a Trudeau event in Surrey, B.C. He declined to give his name but when asked by reporters if someone was paying him to follow the leader around the country, he said, "Maybe."

The Liberal campaign has been avoiding making the specific location of many Trudeau events public, partly to limit the number of their own supporters who show up during the pandemic but also to curb opportunities for protesters to organize.

But protesters appear to be mobilizing through social media, including Facebook groups such as "Ontario Protests and Freedom to Assemble Information Page."

The purported "administrator" of that page is a Barrie, Ont., woman who posted a message Friday detailing the time and location of Trudeau's Bolton event and inquiring whether anyone was "going to heckle" him.

Zelda Orser said in an interview Saturday that her role was strictly to post a screenshot of a notice that had been posted elsewhere on social media about the Bolton event. She said she has been administrating the Ontario protest page temporarily because the originator, Naz Obredor, was banned by Facebook for 30 days. The page, she said, is intended to simply inform people about various protests over pandemic restrictions.

She said the page is not intended to be partisan.

"I didn't attend (the Bolton event). I didn't organize it ... If people want to go and act like idiots, that's on them," Orser said.

One Facebook comment, a screenshot of which was posted to Twitter, wondered whether someone was going to punch Trudeau in his "communist face."

Some Liberal supporters on Twitter drew a link Saturday between that kind of sentiment and Conservative ads on social media, which feature a boxer punching through glass with the tag line "fight back for Canada's recovery."

But O'Toole, who has rejected Trudeau's calls for mandatory vaccinations for everyone in federally regulated workplaces and for a federal fund to help provinces create vaccine passports, rejected suggestions that he shares some responsibility for inflaming protesters.

He reiterated that he encourages all Canadians to get vaccinated but respects their personal choice.

"We will always respect people making their personal health decisions," he said, adding that he will similarly honour provinces' right to decide whether to create so-called passports that would enable people to show proof of vaccination.

At least some of the protesters appear to share views with supporters of former U.S. president Donald Trump, seemingly importing many of the conspiracy theories prevalent among his followers that led to last January's violent assault on the U.S. Capitol.

In a live videostream of the Bolton event, protesters can be heard calling Trudeau a criminal, a communist, a murderer and a pedophile and berating police for being "pedophile protectors."

In the video, posted on Facebook by a self-identified American woman, a woman can be heard saying that if Trudeau wins the election, it will be because it was "rigged."

Despite their professed concern about exploitation of children, some of the protesters were accompanied by their young kids and can be heard laughing when one little girl shouts "F--- Trudeau," echoing the chant of adults around her.

In another video making the rounds on social media, shot Friday at a Trudeau appearance in Nobleton, Ont., a male protester can be seen yelling at the parents of a toddler who is wearing a mask. He calls it "sickening," while a woman in the background can be heard shouting about "child abuse" and "child trafficking."

Earlier in the week, during Trudeau's event in Surrey, one protester yelled at Trudeau, "We will end you" while another shouted that no one wants him to breathe.

The number and vigilance of police in Trudeau's security detail have visibly increased during this campaign. The Liberals declined to comment on security arrangements.

The RCMP, who are responsible for the prime minister's security, said in a statement Saturday that throughout the campaign, the force "undertakes risk and threat assessments on an ongoing basis and adapt its security posture accordingly. However, from a security standpoint, we will not disclose such information."

The Mounties added: "Public order is the responsibility of the local police of jurisdiction. Police will respect individuals rights to freedom of expression and demonstration in a lawful manner. In the event of any unlawful acts, including public order issues, police will respond in an appropriate and professional manner in accordance with the law."

Trudeau is not the only politician to be targeted.

Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel-Garner released a statement Saturday saying politicians, particularly women, are frequently on the receiving end of "violent language, threats and abuse."

In the past two weeks, Rempel Garner said she's been chased down the street by two different men with cameras demanding her response to "conspiracy theories." On Friday night, she said she and her husband were "accosted by a large man who aggressively approached us" while dining at a restaurant.

"I have also received a death threat from someone who called my office in escalating states of verbal abuse over the course of days," she said.

"This meant I can't advertise the location of my campaign office. I can't attend public events where my attendance has been advertised. I've had to enhance security measures. I'm on edge and feel fear when I'm getting in and out of my car, and out in public in general."

Rempel Garner suggested legislation may be necessary to enhance the ability to prosecute "criminal harassment."

"A line has to be drawn," she said.

Singh also spoke out against the toxicity of Friday's protests against Trudeau.

"No one should have to cancel their events where we have students, we have young people, we have volunteers, we have organizers, no one should have to cancel an event because they're worried about a danger to the safety of people coming out to a political event," he said during a campaign stop in Sudbury, Ont.

"That should never have happened. And that's wrong."

Singh attributed the increasingly threatening behaviour of protesters at least in part to the pandemic.

"Yeah, there's definitely a problem ... with folks that are feeling maybe anxiety, maybe worry. They're in a precarious situation, it's been a tough pandemic and so that might be a reason why people are feeling tense and feeling frustrated," he said.

But Singh said he's encouraged by the fact that the "vast majority" of Canadians are united in getting vaccinated and wanting to "take care of one another."

He reiterated his call for a national vaccine passport.

Trudeau took a day off the campaign trail Saturday. But the Liberals unveiled two new ads, in one of which the Liberal leader doubles down on his criticism of O'Toole's stance on mandatory vaccinations.

"I believe that vaccines should be mandatory for travel on planes and trains, because thats how well protect our kids and get back to normal," he says in the ad, which features a clip of Trudeau receiving his own jab.

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Conservative politicians say they would scrap our plan and wont even require their own candidates to get vaccinated. This is no time to back down from doing the right thing.

On Friday shortly after the Bolton event was cancelled, Trudeau told reporters he's never seen such a level of intense anger before.

"I think this is something that Canadians, all of us, need to reflect on, because it's not who we are," he said, adding that everyone has had a difficult year and that "we need to meet anger with compassion."

The federal election is scheduled for Sept. 20.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2021.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said protesters appeared to be mobilizing by using the hashtag #hateclub on Twitter. In fact, this hashtag has been used to call out protesters.
Zuhal Basir had her female cousins in mind when she took to the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday and called for Ottawa to send more help to Afghanistan.

Zuhal Basir had her female cousins in mind when she took to the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday and called for Ottawa to send more help to Afghanistan.

Basir, 19, plans to study medicine. She has many relatives close to her age in Afghanistan. Some of her female cousins want to become doctors and lawyers, but, as the Taliban have recently taken control of the country, Basir fears her relations won't get their chance.

"I would never want to be in their situation," she said. "All those girls are so smart, and they deserve an education, and they deserve to be free, and they deserve to make something of themselves. And with the Taliban there, they're not going to be able to do that."

Basir, and more than 100 others, rallied Saturday for Ottawa to step up and evacuate more Afghans. Canada ended its military evacuation in Kabul, the capital city, on Thursday.

American troops are withdrawing, and U.S. President Joe Biden has set a deadline of Tuesday for all to be out.

Basir has been talking to her Afghan family members from her Winnipeg home.

"Everybody says the same thing," she said. "They're scared the Taliban are going to come into their houses in the middle of the night. Nobody's sleeping, nobody feels safe. It's just a very unsettling time."

Zuhal Basir, left, and her sister Shabanah, joined the rally in hopes of pushing the Canadian government to send help to Afghanistan. The Basirs have family still living in the Taliban-controlled country. Saturday, August 28, 2021 (Gabrielle Piche / Winnipeg Free Press)

Bashir Faqiri, 21, organized the weekend rally. Almost all of his family is stranded in Afghanistan and trying to escape. They are doctors, teachers and politicians. Some worked with U.S. forces.

"Nothing is really being done," Faqiri said. "Everything's happening so quick, moving so fast. If the government is going to stay put and not do anything for a couple weeks... you don't know what's going to happen out there."

On Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau said Canada had airlifted about 3,700 people during their operation. Canada will still be in contact with people in Afghanistan, he said.

Faqiri said he feels helpless as his family members struggle on the other side of the world. One of his uncles has already been beaten by the Taliban.

"I can't pilot a plane and fly over there, swoop in and pick them all up," he said. "The only people that are able to do that is the federal government."

Faqiri has written to MLAs and encourages others to do the same. He said he's written over 50 emails but only received two responses.

Hanan Attazaa, a 52-year-old architect who attended the rally, also has family in Afghanistan  many at the Legislative Building did. Attazaa worried about the draconian laws the Taliban will put in place.

"It's like you go... a few centuries backwards while the entire world goes forwards," he said. "It's very sad to see it happening, and the world just watching us and leaving us alone."

Bashir Faqiri, 21, organized the rally to draw attention to families stranded in Afghanistan. Faqiri has lived in Canada since 2001, but most of his relatives reside in the Asian country. (Gabrielle Piche / Winnipeg Free Press)

He said he barely sleeps because his family is in imminent danger; they're in hiding.

"The evacuation is like nothing," he said. "They want people to escape through the airport, but the airport is (covered with) the Taliban. Somebody's escaping from the Taliban, and you want them to come through (the) Taliban to you, and you evacuate them? What kind of logic is this?"

The Taliban sealed Kabul's airport Saturday, as most Western troops have left, according to the Associated Press.

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Advocates in Winnipeg Saturday also called for expedited visa processes and methods to reunite families.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
So what can the plight of a little cafe tell you about the state of the American economy and the changing face of work? A lot, as it turns out.

The other week, the bistro where my family and I have been grabbing brunch every Sunday since the start of the pandemic announced that it would be shuttering on weekends, and shifting to a more limited, weekday schedule. The reason was a familiar one: The owner couldnt find the staff they needed to both function effectively and to keep themselves and their current staff from being ground into dust from the punishing pace.

The news was heartbreaking, if entirely unsurprising. Employers across the nation are struggling with a profound labor shortage.

Business leaders have falsely blamed the crisis on generous pandemic unemployment benefits, arguing that theyre a disincentive to return to the labor force. Study after study has proven this is not the case. Instead, more seismic forces are at work.

In April, a staggering 4 million people quit their jobs, in a phenomenon thats come to be called The Great Resignation, Vox reported.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  A SpaceX shipment of ants, avocados and a human-sized robotic arm rocketed toward the International Space Station on Sunday.

The delivery  due to arrive Monday  is the companys 23rd for NASA in just under a decade.

A recycled Falcon rocket blasted into the predawn sky from NASAs Kennedy Space Center. After hoisting the Dragon capsule, the first-stage booster landed upright on SpaceXs newest ocean platform, named A Shortfall of Gravitas. SpaceX founder Elon Musk continued his tradition of naming the booster-recovery vessels in tribute to the late science fiction writer Iain Banks and his Culture series.

The Dragon is carrying more than 4,800 pounds (2,170 kilograms) of supplies and experiments, and fresh food including avocados, lemons and even ice cream for the space stations seven astronauts.

The Girl Scouts are sending up ants, brine shrimp and plants as test subjects, while University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are flying up seeds from mouse-ear cress, a small flowering weed used in genetic research. Samples of concrete, solar cells and other materials also will be subjected to weightlessness.
You end up having to hold your head in these weird positions for hour upon hour, Mezrich said. You finish a case and feel like a truck ran over you. Were not pack horses; why do we have to have a light on our heads?

Other companies have made lights that can be put on retractors, surgical instruments used to hold back tissue, but Mezrich said they dont work well. The MezLight attaches to the side rail of the operating table, with an S-shaped, flexible arm over the patient that includes a power button and adjustable light.

Its more like a surgical instrument than it is just a light, Mezrich said.

The light can be used even when surgeons wear face shields, which is becoming more common with COVID-19, he said. Its generally not feasible to wear headlights with face shields.

The MezLights light component can withstand at least 10 autoclave cycles before needing to be replaced, Mezrich said. The sterility could reduce the risk of infection in surgery patients, though that remains to be proven, he said.
FORESTPORT, NY  The Town of Forestport is celebrating its 151st birthday this weekend and boy do they know how to throw a party.

From car cruise-ins to live beekeeping demonstrations, there was something for everyone in this small community to enjoy during the celebration. The big draw on Saturday was the public water ball contest.

Residents  in teams of four - donned fire gear and competed against each other by spraying a fire hose at a ball on a wire to see which side could get it past their mark first.

There was also a town-wide garage sale and chicken barbecue.

No matter what event drew people together, after a difficult year due to the pandemic, being together was what really mattered.

We all needed this boost, said Old Forestport Days coordinator Jeannie Wolcott. To be able to see people, and socialize, and eat some great chicken barbecue, and doing the water ball, and watching all the classic cars was wonderful. Its been a fabulous day.

Proceeds raised during Old Forestport Days will go to the Forestport Fire Department to help them better serve the community.
Public encouraged to cast their vote in the annual Welsh Ambulance Service awards

The Welsh Ambulance Service is inviting the public to cast a vote in its annual awards ceremony.

Voting is open in seven categories in the WAST Awards 2021, including Team of the Year, Inspiring Others and Great Listener.

You can vote for which member of the public deserves the Trusts Public Recognition Award designed to celebrate those who go above and beyond to help people in their community.

To celebrate the launch of the Trusts first Volunteer Strategy, you can also vote for a Community First Responder or Volunteer Car Service Driver in a Volunteer of the Year category.

Chief Executive Jason Killens said: We could not function as an ambulance service if it were not for our staff and volunteers, so its really important that we celebrate their contributions.

Its been an incredibly tough 18 months but our people have continued to demonstrate tremendous commitment to the people of Wales in the face of difficult circumstances.

Often, our people dont realise that what they do is special  they see is as part of their daily job, so the WAST Awards are an opportunity to pause and reflect on their achievements and say a big thank you.

We think everyone in the organisation deserves an award, but this is the publics chance to tell us who they think should get some extra special recognition.

Click here to read the nominations and cast a vote. The deadline is midnight on Friday 03 September 2021.
MOUNT JULIET, TN (WSMV)  Community members came together to support a 12-year-old boy battling leukemia.

People enjoyed a pancake breakfast with all fixings and a silent auction, and a touch a truck event as they raised money for Knox Hastings and his family.

The community fundraiser comes after Hastings was diagnosed with T-Cell ALL Leukemia. The Hastings familys worst nightmare came true on their vacation in Panama City, FL, with other family friends when their 11-year-old son Knox woke up not feeling well, in enough pain for a visit to the emergency room.

Firefighters family helped by community after sons leukemia diagnosis Friends and coworkers are rallying behind a firefighters family in the time of need.

Soon after Knox was transported to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he is undergoing treatment. Hastings, who is a huge NASCAR fan, has "months of aggressive chemo followed by years of less aggressive chemo," according to his GoFundMe page.

Hundreds came out to Circle P Ranch on Main Street to show their support. To donate to the cause, click here.
LEBANON, TN (WSMV) - Homeless dogs and cats at a shelter in Baton Rouge, LA, are being evacuated to Lebanon because of Hurricane Ida.

Animal Rescue Corps, a national animal protection nonprofit, has responded to requests for assistance from Companion Animal Alliance of Baton Rouge, who urgently asked for help to evacuate dogs and cats.

All of the homeless animals transported Sunday had already been awaiting adoption in Louisiana. Relocating animals out of the path of natural disasters before they strike helps to both ensure the safety of relocated animals and to create room for local organizations to assist animals who will be newly displaced by the disaster.

ARC Ida rescue Dogs and cats from a Baton Rouge, LA, are being evacuated to Lebanon by Animal Rescue Corps.

There is an enormous collective effort to move animals out of the path of this hurricane, said ARC Executive Director Tim Woodward in a news release. Were happy to do a very small part.

Hurricane Ida lashes Louisiana, knocks out New Orleans power NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of N

ARC is transporting the cats and dogs to its Rescue Operation Center in Lebanon. ARC will provide daily care and match each dog and cat with vetted shelter and rescue organizations in high-adoption regions that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes.

We cant do this without the help of our amazing volunteers and donors, said ARC Shelter Director Michael Cunningham in a news release.

To be a part of the relief effort, click here.
(CNN) -- Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, shortly before 1 p.m. ET Sunday as an extremely dangerous, Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Ida, striking on the 16th anniversary of the historically devastating Hurricane Katrina, tied as the state's most powerful storm ever with Laura from last year and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856.

Landfall is when the eye is halfway over the coast. Extreme winds and surge will accompany landfall over the next several hours.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Sunday he expects Ida to be "a big challenge for us."

Edwards told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that his state "is as ready as we can be," but he expects Ida to be "a very serious test of our levy systems, especially in our coastal Louisiana."

The state invested significantly in shoring up the levy system after the catastrophic fail after Katrina. Edwards said Ida "will be the most severe test," but he expects the levees to hold. "The next 24, 36 hours are just going to be very, very critical for us here in Louisiana."

Ida became a Category 4 storm early Sunday morning, rapidly intensifying to sustained winds of 150 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Ronald Dufrene, a commercial shrimper, plans to stay on his 100-foot shrimp boat in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, with his wife. He said he's stayed on his boat for every storm for the last 42 years.

"I rode out three of them last year. Don't get me wrong. This is a buzz saw we have coming," he said. "Mother Nature's a beast.

"I feel it's the safest place for me and my family is on that boat. You get on the highway and you drive 10 to 15 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic. ... I've got enough food and water for months."

Joshua Legg, another hurricane veteran, stayed on Grand Isle, Louisiana, to ride out Ida. He posted video on Facebook.

"We're losing roofs right now," Legg told CNN.

Legg told CNN his home is safe and he is in a Category 5-rated structure. He said he was a police officer for 15 years and still works with search and rescue efforts to help his community.

Sharlette Landry evacuated Grand Isle, Louisiana, and watched her security camera feeds, which showed water quickly rising before her home lost power Sunday.

"I did prepare, but you can never be prepared for this magnitude of a storm," Landry, who posted a video on Facebook, told CNN. "I was very surprised at how fast it rose. I've never seen it that high and I'm sure it's higher now at my place."

On Twitter, Wyatt Northrup wrote from Alabama, "Wind and waves really starting to pickup with #Ida in Fort Morgan."

A tornado watch is in effect until 8 p.m. ET for parts of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Quick-moving, brief tornadoes will be possible throughout Sunday.

There is also a danger of life-threatening storm surge Sunday in areas along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Sign up for email updates for significant storms

Ida is the fourth hurricane to slam Louisiana since last August and the state's third major hurricane landfall in that time span.

'We'll be in a much better place' than 16 years ago

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005 as a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds. Storm surge with Katrina measured up to 24-28 feet, according to the NHC.

The water topped levees and flood walls, and more than 80% of New Orleans flooded. More than 1,500 people in Louisiana died.

Katrina brought storm surge of 15 to 19 feet in eastern New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, and Plaquemines Parish, while the surge was 10 to 14 feet in western New Orleans along the southern shores of Lake Pontchartrain, according to the NHC.

By comparison, Hurricane Ida is forecast to bring a lower storm surge of 12-16 feet to some areas of southeast Louisiana, the NHC says. And near New Orleans it's expected to be even lower: 8-12 feet outside New Orleans and 5-8 feet along Lake Pontchartrain.

That's because the wind field was larger for Katrina: 90 miles from center at landfall, compared to 50 miles for Ida.

Since Katrina, the levee and water control systems in New Orleans were improved: Pumps were upgraded with backup generators and gates were added at key canals to help block water from entering the city during storm surge.

"This is a different city than it was August 28th 2005, in terms of infrastructure and safety," Ramsey Green, New Orleans deputy chief administrative officer for infrastructure, told reporters Saturday at a News Conference ahead of Hurricane Ida's landfall.

Green called the city's levee system "an unprecedentedly powerful protection for the city," which has three lines of defense: the coast, the wetlands and the levee system.

"From that perspective, we need to be comfortable and we need to know that we'll be in a much better place than we were 16 years ago," Green said. "That said, if we have 10 to 20 inches of rain over an abbreviated period of time, we will see flooding. We don't know at this moment -- we see 15 to 20 inches over 48 hours or less, and we can handle it, depending on the event."

Schools closed, flights canceled

Officials throughout the state have implored people to evacuate, with some issuing mandatory orders to do so.

Collin Arnold, director of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, urged people to stock up on enough food and water for at least three days.

"We say the first 72 (hours) is on you," Arnold said. "The first three days of this will be difficult for responders to get to you."

The NWS warned of "structural damage to buildings, with many washing away" as well as winds that could bring "widespread power and communication outages."

Airlines canceled all flights arriving to and leaving from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sunday, the airport said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tweeted, "Stunning video taken from inside the eye of #Ida this morning by the NESDIS Ocean Winds Research team during a flight on the @NOAA_HurrHunter P3 aircraft @NOAASatellites."

Tulane University in New Orleans is closed Sunday and Monday, less than a week after students returned to campus.

In Mississippi, at least 15 school districts and universities will be closed Monday, with the majority of schools announcing plans to resume classes on Tuesday, pending the weather forecast.

More than 100,000 customers are without power across Louisiana, poweroutage.us.

Energy Louisiana said Sunday some of its customers could be without power for weeks.

The company warned that while 90% of customers will likely have their power restored in a timely manner, flooding and storm damage may prevent crews from accessing certain areas.

The company said it expects to deploy around 16,000 restoration personnel once the storm passes.

Region prepares as landfall approaches

Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Friday evening that the National Weather Service and Edwards had indicated there was no time to implement contraflow traffic, meaning New Orleans could not issue a mandatory evacuation for areas inside the levee system.

Contraflow is when authorities use some lanes of traffic for travel in the opposite direction of what was intended so more vehicles can leave an area.

Cantrell on Saturday said that if people planned to voluntarily evacuate -- which she recommended -- it was time to go.

With 2,450 patients in the hospital with Covid-19, Edwards reiterated his concern that Ida is colliding with a fourth wave of infections throughout the state.

"I will tell you it's going to be a very, very challenging storm for our state, and it comes at a very difficult time as well," he said.

The-CNN-Wire

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indianas top health officials said that despite having done everything in their power to educate and make vaccine available to Hoosiers, the state has reached the darkest time in the pandemic amid a surge in infections and hospitalizations.

The states positivity rate has risen to 10.8%, marking Indianas worst surge of COVID-19 since last winter, said state health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box during a news conference Friday. The positivity rate was just over 2% at the end of June.

The more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in Indiana since Monday include spikes across all age groups, but pediatric cases have risen most steeply, with largest growth among those aged 10 to 14, Box said.

Echoing concerns raised by the Indiana Hospital Association last week, Box noted that hospitals are now struggling with staffing and intensive care unit capacity, and many elective procedures are being delayed or canceled.

The state Health Departments latest report showed that hospitals around the state were treating 2,186 patients for COVID-19 as of Thursday  a 30% jump in one week and up more than five times for the states level of about 400 patients a day six weeks ago in early July.

Hospitals reported treating 566 people with COVID-19 in intensive care units, taking up 26% of available ICU beds, compared with about 65 patients in 3% of ICU space in early July.

Four of the states 10 health districts, including central Indiana, reported that they had to use more than 100% of their ICU beds, Box said.

I want Hoosiers to understand that the decisions they are making affect others, Box said. We will continue to throw everything we have at this surge.

If more Hoosiers dont get vaccinated and wear masks, state health officials predicted virus spread and hospitalizations will get much worse during the next six weeks.

To stem the surge of the delta variant  which accounted for more than 97% of Indianas cases as of Thursday  Box emphasized layered mitigation tactics. Most importantly, that includes getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in large groups and while indoors, she said.

With the start of the new school year contributing in large part to the latest surge, students, teachers and staff should also wear masks and get vaccinated if theyre eligible to help decrease transmission, Box continued. Additional testing is also being offered in school setting to help reduce quarantines.

Having students in school together and participating in extracurricular activities is driving many of the new cases, she said. Its difficult to know the full scope of virus spread, however, given that more than 1,200 schools have not reported cases to the states dashboard  as mandated by law  since the start of the new academic year.

Box said state health officials are talking with the Indiana Department of Education to take further actions that compel schools to comply.

The state Health Departments chief medical officer, Dr. Lindsay Weaver, said Friday that unvaccinated residents are at an extreme disadvantage when it comes to the coronavirus.

Breakthrough incidents account for 0.4% of Indianas new cases, Weaver said, and only 93 of the states 2,996 COVID-19 deaths since January were among vaccinated residents.

After the U.S. gave full approval to Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine Monday, the states vaccine sites saw a 10% increase in appointments, which Weaver said was encouraging.

But with just 52% of Indiana residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Box said she was disappointed that nearly half of the states population is refusing to get the shots. Although her goal is for all Hoosiers to receive the vaccine, she said reaching a 70% inoculation rate could drastically decrease future surges.

Conversations with the governor regarding pandemic measures are ongoing, Box said, although she made clear her support for elected officials to make decisions about implementing restrictions and other mitigation measures. The state continues to provide local leadership with recommendations on how to get out of the surge, she added, but she isnt sure what additional things to do.

People feel very strongly that this is a personal thing they want control over, and I understand that, Box said. I do not understand how wearing a mask is so difficult for people ... and we are incredibly blessed to have such effective vaccines at the same time.

___

Casey Smith is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

___

This story was first published on Aug. 27, 2021. It was updated on Aug. 28, 2021 to correct the characterization of a quote from the Indiana Department of Healths chief medical officer.
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US President Joe Biden boards Air Force One prior to departure from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, August, 29, 2021.

Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden is paying his respects to the families of the 13 U.S. service members who were killed in Thursday's attack outside the Afghanistan capital airport in Kabul.

On Sunday, the President traveled to Dover, Delaware, where he and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden met with family members and attended a dignified transfer as the remains of the service members arrived in the United States.

During the solemn moment, flag-draped transfer cases were taken from a military cargo plane. Carried out in near silence, at certain points of the service sounds of mourning could be heard coming from the area where family members were standing, per a White House pool report.

At least 169 Afghans also died in the heinous bombing and gun attack, according to the Associated Press.

RELATED: A Dad-to-Be, a 'Brave Young Man' and 'the Most Patriotic Kid': The 13 Service Members Killed in Afghanistan

"The 13 service members that we lost were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others," Biden said in a statement on Saturday. "Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far. May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days."

US President Joe Biden and US First Lady Jill Biden, and other officials, attends the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, August, 29, 2021.

Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden

Officials believe U.S. forces were targeted in a suicide attack amid ongoing evacuation efforts by extremists with a branch of the Islamic State who oppose both America and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The dead include 11 Marines, an Army Staff Sergeant, and a Navy Corpsman, all of whom were under the age of 32. One of the confirmed victims, Sergeant Nicole Gee, was photographed just days earlier, holding a baby in her arms at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport.

"I love my job," the 23-year-old from California captioned the snap.

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Hunter Lopez and Nicole L Gee and Rylee McCollum

Three of the U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan

Military officials released a full list of U.S. service members who were killed in the bombing on Saturday.



The Marines killed were identified as Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31; Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22; Cpl. Daegan Page, 23; Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, 22; Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, 20; Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, 20; Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20; Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, 20; Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, 20; Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23; and Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25.



Navy Hospitalman Maxton Soviak, 22, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, 23, were also killed in the attack.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was accused Saturday by a former spokesperson for Republican lawmakers of wanting to plunge the U.S. into the type of crisis currently gripping Afghanistan with his constant attacks on President Biden.

During an appearance on MSNBCs Weekends With Alex Witt on Saturday, Kurt Bardella launched into a fiery tirade against McCarthy and other prominent conservatives who have chosen to forget the chaos of Donald Trumps presidency.

This isnt the tested leadership the president promised. Its a picture of weakness and incompetence, McCarthy said in a clip played by host Alex Witt. If you want to be president of the free world, you have to have the faith, the trust and the confidence of the American public. President Biden lost that yesterday and there will be a day of reckoning.

Witt asked Bardella for comment on the McCarthys remarks in the clip  and Bardella did not hold back. His commentary begins at the 1:05 minute mark in the video above.

This is completely a party thats made a concerted and dedicated effort to try to undermine democracy and its just par for the course, Bardella charged. Republicans have made the calculation that their only path to power is to try to destabilize a free democracy.

Its ironic watching everything going on with this hurricane because I remember last time we had a major weather event when Donald Trump was president and he used a Sharpie to draw the path of a hurricane, Bardella continued, before listing off more greatest hits of the Trump presidency. You want to talk about incompetence? How about the guy that told us we should inject ourselves with bleach? How about the guy who presided over half a million American deaths right now in this country because of this deadly disease of COVID that were still dealing with?

Time and again weve seen incompetence, destruction, anti-Democratic values and Republicans had nothing to say about it. Republicans defended it. So now for them to try to suggest in any way that Joe Biden fits in that category is ridiculous.

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Bardella went on to allege that, if Republicans take back Congress, were going to get two more years of trying to impeach Joe Biden and trying to undermine democracy.

He concluded, Whats going on in Afghanistan will happen right here in America if Republicans have their way.

Read original story Kevin McCarthy Accused of Trying to Destabilize Democracy With Biden Afghanistan Criticism (Video) At TheWrap
Retirees, veterans, disability pensioners, and workers expressed their concerns that the government would start paying their pensions in bitcoins instead of U.S. dollars.

"We know this coin fluctuates drastically. Its value changes from one second to another and we will have no control over it," said the member of the Supreme Court of Justice's workers union Stanley Quinteros.

There is also a concern that people don't understand the technology needed to use crypto-currency.
In this Aug. 2, 2018, file photo, a protester holds a Q sign waits in line with others to enter a campaign rally with President Donald Trump in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

According to organizers, the conference is a follow-up to the "Patriot Round-Up," a similar event held in Dallas.

Each of the legislators that will speak at the conference supported the Arizona election audit.

Other speakers include Michael Flynn, Ron Watkins, Jim Watkins, and far-right conspiracy theorists.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

In October, a group that spouts fringe conspiracy theories related to QAnon will host "The Patriot Double Down," a three-day conference at Las Vegas' Caesars Forum with several keynote speakers including Arizona Legislature Republicans Rep. Mark Finchem, Sen. Sonny Borrelli, and Rep. Leo Biasiucci, the Phoenix New Times reported.

The Patriot Voice, a QAnon-related group, organized the conference as a follow-up to the "Patriot Round-Up," a similar event held in May at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, according to its website.

"They tried to shut us down but we have no plans to back down or shy away from this movement. We promise to DOUBLE DOWN on our dedication to God & Country, and patriotism," a description of the October event reads.

Finchem, Borrelli, and Biasiucci will all speak on an election "audit superpanel," event organizer John Sabal, also known as "QAnon John," told the Phoenix New Times. All three Republican legislators have supported the Arizona election audit in Maricopa County conducted by Cyber Ninjas, a firm that has allowed audit workers who have embraced QAnon and publicly said that the election was stolen to handle ballots.

Other speakers at the event include former national security adviser Michael Flynn, 8chan site administrator Ron Watkins, and 8chan operator Jim Watkins.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A hiker taking in the lovely fall colors on the Track and Tower trail in the western part of Algonquin Provincial park in Ontario

Getty Images

Fall drives are beautiful, sure, but for a real slice of the changing seasons, it's best to lace up those hiking boots, grab some trail mix, and prepare to be wowed by the cornucopia of colors that is fall foliage at its finest.

Whether taken by mountaintop vistas, glass lakes, or roaring waterfalls, these nine hikes will satisfy your outdoorsy wanderlust.

Dismal Trail Loop, Caesars Head State Park: Cleveland, South Carolina

While those who can stand the heat could do worse than hiking in the southern half of the country in the middle of the summer, adventurers not glutton for punishment will be duly rewarded with a visit to Caesars Head State Park just outside of Greenville, a great base for exploring the region. The Dismal Trail Loop is an 8.8-mile loop with some challenging terrain, making it a formidable option for advanced hikers. A suspension bridge and scenic view of Raven Cliff Waterfalls encourage breaking for pictures and giving the legs a rest from all the switchbacks and steep climbs.

Haystack Mountain Trail: Wilmington, Vermont

There's no danger of running out of hiking and trekking options in the Green Mountain State, but while The Long Trail, all 237 miles of it, tends to get all the attention, curious kinds will no doubt delight in the affable Haystack Mountain's 5-mile out-and-back trail. Vermont's mud season, which occurs just after the ski resorts hang up their poles for the year, slowly gives way to lush summer greenery and wildflowers galore, and those in the know agree the best time of year to visit is fall. A trek up to Haystack's summit at this time of year rewards visitors with pops of burnished reds, oranges, and yellows.

Twisted tree trunks on the Hoapili Trail,La Perouse Bay,Makena,Maui.Hawaii,USA

Peter Unger/Getty Images

La Perouse Bay: Wailea, Maui, Hawaii

You'll need some means beyond good walking shoes to get to the start of this vast hiking trail south of Wailea. Whether arriving by car or bicycle, staring out into the ocean in search of dolphins is this hike's required prologue. As visitors familiar with Hawaii's diverse terrain might guess, this shoreline trek really does have it all. If it's slow-going, it won't be because of any significantly challenging steps  though there are a few rocky areas that should be tackled with reasonable caution  but rather, because of the near-constant breathtaking views.

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Laramie Peak: Garrett, Wyoming

The highest and most prominent peak in the rugged state of Wyoming, Laramie is one of this list's more rigorous hikes. It's a 9.9 mile out-and-back with copious chances for wildlife sightings, including black bears, deer, and mountain lions. Like the La Perouse Bay trail, Laramie's base is a bit out of the way; it must be accessed by vehicle along a rough-and-tumble gravel road. Its true off-the-beaten path location, however, means seclusion and mountain zen in spades. The majority of the hike is tree-covered, so fall visitors are pretty much guaranteed a colorful journey.

At sunset, the lighthouse alongside the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet, sits on the rugged rocky shoreline overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

John Fader/Getty Images

'Lighthouse Loop' Wild Pacific Trail: Ucluelet, British Columbia

British Columbia has rightly earned its reputation as a terrific place for outdoor lovers, and this hike, accessed through Vancouver Island, is no exception. Still, this trail is a decidedly more chill and approachable hike for all levels. The 1.6-mile loop can be embellished with The Bog Interpretive Loop, Spring Cove mudflats, or via trails off two small beaches, but these extensions, though lovely, aren't required for glorious views of the Lighthouse, which is particularly mesmerizing at sunset or sunrise.

Springwater on the Willamette: Portland, Oregon

Fortunately, visitors to Portland interested in escaping the city for a walk in the wilderness don't need to commit to the popular Spring Corridor's 21.5-mile trek, thanks to the 2005 creation of this 3-mile northsouth "Springwater on the Willamette" segment. The easy route takes visitors along unused railroad tracks for a gentle jaunt in one of the Pacific Northwest's loveliest regions.

The Track and Tower Trail: Ontario, Canada

Hiking is often synonymous with mountain-climbing, albeit an accessible climb without hard-core gear, but this hike in Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park offers a welcome change of scenery. The loop is just under 5 miles, well suited for families and on-leash dogs too, and instead of grand mountains in the horizon, visitors will be blessed with views of the shimmery Grant Lake. There's more opportunity for water via myriad stream sightings and gushing waterfalls. Peak fall foliage further sets the scene.

Tom's Thumb Trail: Scottsdale, AZ

Located on the north side of the McDowell Mountains, the first of what would become home to many trailheads, Tom's Thumb is oft-praised for its dramatic rock formations. The 4-mile hike is a popular one, but that's understandable, given its phenomenal views. Steep inclines and seemingly endless switchbacks will no doubt give visitors a sense of accomplishment. And anyway, this being Scottsdale, the unofficial spa destination of the U.S., any post-hike activity worth its salt ought to involve a massage at one of Scottsdale's premier resorts.

Virginia Creeper Trail at Whitetop Station

Getty Images

Virginia Creeper Trail: Southern Virginia

Abingdon, Virginia, a perfectly picturesque town in southwest Virginia, is home to a number of bike rental companies. Shuttles take visitors  and their bikes  34 miles up to Whitetop for an easy bike ride back down to town. But in spite of this trail's top billing among cyclists, the Creeper Trail, a nickname for the slow Virginia-Carolina Railway, is, in fact, a beautiful and inviting trek for hikers too. Stunning vistas, wooden bridges, rushing streams, charming towns, and miles upon miles of surrounding farmland are what's in store for visitors looking to kill an hour or make a day of it.
Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee celebrated the joy of service just days before she was one of 13 U.S. service members killed in Thursday's suicide bombing attack near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

A week ago, Gee, 23, posted a photo on Instagram that showed her holding a baby at that airport. She added a simple, profound comment: "I love my job." The same photo was posted by the Department of Defense on Aug. 21.

Gee, from Sacramento, California, served as a maintenance technician with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. On her Instagram page, she described herself as a "positive mental attitude advocate." The locations listed on her page include California, North Carolina and "somewhere overseas."

Another photo on Gee's Instagram page shows her earlier in the week, on duty with her rifle next to a line of people waiting to board a transport plane. She described her assignment as "escorting evacuees onto the bird.

Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, seen holding a baby at Kabul's airport, was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26 bombing in Afghanistan.

Other recent Instagram photos show Gee with friends in Spain, where they shared a toast, and Greece. Other pictures show the Marine riding a camel in Saudi Arabia and receiving her promotion to sergeant.

"Never would have imagined having my Sergeant promotion meritoriously in Kuwait," she wrote of the promotion in a post shared three weeks ago.

A Facebook post by the city of Roseville, California, which calls Gee "a hometown hero," says she graduated in 2016 from the city's Oakmont High School and enlisted in the Marines a year later. It says her husband, Jarod Gee, also is an Oakmont graduate and a Marine.

Gee was remembered by Sgt. Mallory Harrison, a fellow Marine who roomed with her for more than three years, in a Facebook post accompanied by more than a dozen photos.

"Her car is parked in our lot. Its so mundane. Simple. But its there," she began the post. "My very best friend, my person, my sister forever. My other half. We were boots together, Corporals together, & then Sergeants together. Roommates for over 3 years now, from the barracks at MOS school to our house here. Weve been attached at the hip from the beginning.

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"I cant quite describe the feeling I get when I force myself to come back to reality & think about how Im never going to see her again. How her last breath was taken doing what she loved  helping people  at HKIA in Afghanistan. Then there was an explosion. And just like that, shes gone."

She said the war stories told by older Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are "not so distant anymore."

Harrison concluded: "My best friend. 23 years old. Gone. I find peace knowing that she left this world doing what she loved. She was a Marines Marine. She cared about people. She loved fiercely. She was a light in this dark world. She was my person.  Til Valhalla, Sergeant Nicole Gee. I cant wait to see you & your Momma up there. I love you forever & ever."

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee, 23, killed in Afghanistan airport attack
Yankton, SD (57078)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
Yankton, SD (57078)

Today

Showers and thundershowers likely. High 72F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavier rainfall possible..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 62F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Its human nature to blame someone or something else when we screw up. We all do it, but onl
Bengaluru-based EV maker Simple Energy, which launched its maiden e-scooter offering Simple One across 13 states this month, has now plans to manufacture an electric four-wheeler, its founder and CEO Suhas Rajkumar has said.

The start-up is readying to launch a business-to-business (B2B) product by this year-end besides an e-bike by next year in addition to a new powertrain in the next one to one-and-a-half year, he said.

"We are looking at going multiple and we are looking at obviously a four-wheeler as our future planning. We have a vision that is there. That is the reason we are increasing our R&D (research and development) team as well," Rajkumar told.

Emphasising that as a company it wanted to grow with multiple product offerings, he said, "We are just not looking at improvising the current product offering. We want to introduce into different sections in the automobile itself."

He, however, said the company will come out with two more products in the next three years.

"We are also focused on B2B products, more on the last-mile delivery and logistics. We will be introducing the product by year-end. Currently, it is in the testing and homologation stage.

"The B2B will be to serve a particular need of the market but our focus is always on B2C (business-to-consumer) because we are innovating on the powertrain," Rajkumar said.

He said Simple Energy has developed its own motor and battery, among others.

"So, we want to innovate on those lines and get a hang on it, so that we can develop any kind of automobile going forward," he added.

That is the company's key focus, Rajkumar said.

"We are looking more into two wheels, we might go ahead and launch a four-wheeler then launching a two-wheeler," he said.

He, however, said it is too early to set a timeline, as the company right now is focused on starting production of the scooter at the manufacturing plant by the year-end.

The company is setting up a factory with one-million capacity at Hosur (Tamil Nadu).

"We have been keeping adequate capacity so that if the demand increases, it can match with that demand. It will take at least three years to consume one million capacity. It is what we think but it will depend on how the market responds and we definitely have plans," he said.

The company is working on a new powertrain to further improve its offering on Simple One.

"That is in the R&D phase and it will take one to one-and-a-half year. We have to improve our technology as we grow. We want to be at least 3-4 years away from the competition," he said.

Rajkumar said that besides expanding across cities and states in the next two years, the company also will focus on exports rather than just domestic market.

As part of the long-term plan as of today, the primary focus will be on delivering into multiple cities increasing its footprints across India and not just in the 13 states it has announced. It also plans at least 1,000 charging stations in the next one to one-and-a-half year, he said.

"At the same time, we definitely have plans to export as well and just not focus on the domestic market," he said.

Currently, the plan is to install over 300 charging stations in the next 3-7 months, he added.

Noting that the market is growing and getting more mature, he said, "We expect at least 30,000-40,000 units in the first year of operations from 13 states."

"Realistically, we still feel it is two years away when we achieve the volumes. However, we are aiming up but again, the market has to respond.

"It may be next year realistically how the market is responding. It is clear at this stage that we can sell these numbers. But 2-3 years down the line, we may look at bigger numbers," he said.

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New Delhi: Telugu actor and `Dear Comrade` fame Rashmika Mandanna on Saturday night announced her wrap-up from the upcoming movie Mission Majnu that also features Sidharth Malhotra in the lead role.

Taking to her Twitter handle, Rashmika confirmed that she has completed the shooting of her first Bollywood movie Mission Majnu.

"And Its a wrap.. what a lovely lovely time I had shooting for #missionmajnu I..for one..can't believe.. I have already wrapped for my first Hindi film.. I remember the time I heard the script for the first time and I went like.. I want to be a part of this beautiful film," she tweeted.

& Its a wrap.. what a lovely lovely time I had shooting for #missionmajnu

I..for one..cant believe.. I have already wrapped for my first Hindi film.. I remember the time I heard the script for the first time and I went like.. I want to be a part of this beautiful film https://t.co/02C0P8duQt  Rashmika Mandanna (@iamRashmika) August 28, 2021

The Shantanu Bagchi directorial which is being filmed in Lucknow went on floors earlier in February this year. The film also stars Sidharth Malhotra, Sharib Hashmi, Parmeet Sethi, Anant Mahadevan, and Kumud Mishra.

Producers Ronnie Screwvala, Amar Butala, and Garima Mehtas Mission Majnu is touted as an espionage thriller that tells the story of Indias most ambitious RAW operation undertaken on Pakistani soil.

The said film is inspired by real events set in the 1970s. Written by Parveez Shaikh, Aseem Arora, and Sumit Batheja the thriller stars Malhotra as a RAW agent who leads the mission.This film marks two important firsts - it will be southern superstar Rashmika Mandannas highly-anticipated Bollywood debut and the directorial debut of award-winning ad filmmaker, Shantanu Bagchi.
Lucknow: Ayodhya is nothing without Lord Ram, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Sunday (August 29) as he visited the city, where a Ram temple is under construction.

"Without Ram, Ayodhya is not Ayodhya. Ayodhya exists where there is Ram. Lord Ram resides permanently in this city, and hence in the true sense, this place is Ayodhya," the president said while inaugurating a Ramayan conclave there.

He was also scheduled to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi construction site where the temple is coming up, after a historic verdict by the Supreme Court in 2019.

Apparently referring to his name, Kovind said, "I feel that when my family members named me, they were possibly having the feeling of respect and affection towards Ram Katha and Lord Ram, which is seen in the common public."

Elaborating further on Ayodhya, the President said, "The literal meaning of Ayodhya is the one with whom it is impossible to wage a war. Owing to the courage and power of Raghuvanshi kings Raghu, Dileep, Aj, Dashrath and Ram, their capital was considered unconquerable. Therefore, the name of this city as 'Ayodhya' will always remain relevant."

Highlighting the love of Lord Ram towards tribals, he said, "During his days of exile, Lord Ram did not call armies of Ayodhya and Mithila to fight the war. He gathered the Kols, Bheels, Vaanars and formed his army. In his campaign, he included 'Jatayu (vulture)'. He strengthened love and friendship with the tribals."

A postal cover of the Ramayan conclave was also unveiled by the President on the occasion.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and Union Minister of State for Railways and Textiles Darshana Vikram Jardosh were also present.

(With agency inputs)
Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said that if the crops sown by the farmers in the state during the ongoing kharif season get destroyed due to drought-like conditions, then they would be given a financial assistance of Rs 9,000 per acre.

"Shortage of rainfall has given rise to drought-like conditions in several areas (of Chhattisgarh). The state government stands with farmers in this time of crisis," an official statement quoted the chief minister as saying.

Those farmers who have sown paddy, kodo-kutki (millet), arhar pulse in the ongoing kharif season and if their crops get destroyed due to lack of rainfall, they will be given an assistance of Rs 9,000 per acre on the basis of survey (for assessment of damage) under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana (RGKNY), he said.

Under the RGKNY, the state government provides input assistance to farmers for crop production.

The chief minister said the biography of folk artists late Punaram Nishad and late Madan Kumar Nishad would be published and directed the Chhattisgarh State Text Book Corporation chairman to take necessary steps in this regard, the statement said.

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Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala has suspended two of its senior leaders for publicly expressing displeasure over the selection of the party's district chiefs in the state by the AICC.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran in a statement said former MLA K Sivadasan Nair and former KPCC general secretary K P Anil Kumar were "temporarily suspended" from the party.

"They both showed lack of discipline and made public statements through the media related to the reconstitution of DCCs," the statement said.

Both the leaders made scathing criticism against the state leadership over the selection of District Congress Committee (DDC) chiefs.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) had on Saturday evening published the list of 14 DCCs in the state, following which the disgruntled leaders made the remarks on TV talk shows.

ALSO READ: Kerala to provide Rs 3 lakh one-time deposit next week to children orphaned due to COVID

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New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (August 29) said that the Delhi government has recommended the names of Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin, Dr. Suresh Kumar, and Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja for the Padma Awards.

He said that every year, the Centre seeks recommendations from the state governments for the Awards and the Delhi government had decided that this time only the names of doctors and paramedical staff would be recommended.

9,427 people suggested names of 740 medical professionals in response to Delhi government's appeal for seeking suggestions for the Padma Awards. Kejriwal said that a committee headed by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has examined all the recommendations and shortlisted the names of 3 people for the Padma Awards.

ILBS Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.K. Sarin commissioned the world's first Plasma Bank, Delhi government's first RT-PCR testing facility and genome sequencing lab, shared by Kejriwal.

Kejriwal further said that under the supervision of Medical Director Dr. Suresh Kumar, Lok Nayak Hospital, treated the highest number of corona patients across the country, set up the countrys second plasma bank, and launched a video conference facility to enable COVID patients to talk to their families.

He also said that Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Hospital, is the countrys first physician to use plasma treatment.

All doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff in Delhi are recommending these three names for the Padma Awards. They should be given the Padma Awards to fulfil the wishes of the people of the country, said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal said, During the COVID-19 pandemic, our frontline and medical workers, especially our doctors and paramedics, saved our lives by putting their own lives at risk. They served all of us. It is now the time to show them that the entire country is grateful to them. We respect them for their services and for saving the lives of people.

He added, Every year the central government asks the state governments to nominate names for the Padma Awards. The Padma Awards include Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. The government of NCT of Delhi has decided to recommend only COVID-19 warriors, i.e. doctors, paramedics, and other health care professionals this year. It was decided to invite suggestions from the public. This appeal by the Government of Delhi received an overwhelming response of 9,427 suggestions. These suggestions were received in respect of 740 different health care professionals.

He further said, A high-powered committee was convened for this matter. This committee was headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and the members of this committee were Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), and Divisional Commissioner. They scrutinised the suggestions given by the public and selected three names for the Padma Awards on behalf of the Government of Delhi.

Dr. Sarin is the Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS). He was instrumental in setting up the ILBS, the first-ever fully dedicated Deemed-to-be Liver University in the world in 2010. He started the worlds first-ever Plasma Bank at ILBS. This Plasma Bank served people for 24 hours and on all 7 days of the week. Over 8,000 plasma units were issued from this Plasma Bank. He started the first RT-PCR facility under the Government of Delhi. Recently, he also started Delhis first state-of-art COVID Genome Sequencing Facility. He has worked tirelessly for the past 3 decades, which include transforming medical education as well as increasing the awareness, prevention, and access to diagnosis and treatment for liver diseases. Throughout the COVID-19 wave, he has been working relentlessly to serve the people and provide assistance to the Delhi Government.

Under Dr. Suresh Kumar supervision, the Lok Nayak Hospital successfully treated a record high of 20,500+ COVID-19 patients. This hospital treated the highest number of COVID-19 patients in India. He started Indias Second Plasma Bank at LNH. He started a unique Video Calling facility to enable COVID-19 patients to interact with their families. He also started a Genome Sequencing Lab at Lok Nayak Hospital. To meet the increased need for ICU beds during the COVID period, he increased the number of ICU beds from 50 to 900 at the Lok Nayak Hospital. He also increased the number of oxygen beds, making more than 2,000 oxygen beds available. To support pregnant women who were COVID-19 positive, Dr. Suresh Kumar played an instrumental role in setting up a dedicated labour room. Owing to this, more than 627 deliveries, including 266 successful cesarean sections, were performed at Lok Nayak Hospital. He also developed a dedicated Dialysis facility for COVID-19 patients with 17 Dialysis Machines and a 24x7 availability of the Dialysis facility. This facility provided assistance to 2,151 patients.

Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja played a crucial role in delivering care and treatment to COVID-19 patients in Delhi and North India. He was the first physician in India to use convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. He was actively involved in the treatment of hundreds of COVID-19 cases through homecare, OPD, and hospital (ward & ICU). Dr. Budhiraja also provided guidance to COVID-19 patients via virtual consultancy when he himself got infected with COVID-19. He was also actively involved in spreading awareness and knowledge about COVID-19 through electronic and print media.
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for questioning in the money laundering case registered against former state minister Anil Deshmukh and others, officials said on Sunday.

Parab, 56, is also a minister of parliamentary affairs in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and is a three-term member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Officials said he has been asked by the ED to depose before the investigating officer of the case at the agency's office in south Mumbai on Tuesday.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons Maharashtra Minister Anil Parab in connection with a money laundering case. He has been asked to appear before the agency on Tuesday: ED (File pic) pic.twitter.com/KgjhcVQm6C  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2021

They said Parab is to be questioned in the money laundering case being investigated against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh after certain "disclosures" have been made by other accused and those involved in the case.

Reacting to the summon, Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the ED notice to Parab was "expected" and the party would fight it legally.

"Well done. As soon as the Jan Ashirwad Yatra concluded, Anil Parab has been served ED notice as expected. The central government has begun its work. The epicentre of the earthquake was Ratnagiri. Parab is the district guardian minister. Understand the chronology. Will fight legal battle legally. Jai Maharashtra," Raut tweeted.

Union minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane was recently arrested from Ratnagiri for his comment that he would have "slapped" CM Thackeray.

Rane, a bete noire of both Shiv Sena and Thackeray, had made the remark during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra.

The latest summons pertain to the criminal investigation being carried out by the ED in the alleged Rs 100 crore bribery-cum-extortion racket in the Maharashtra police establishment that led to Deshmukh's resignation in April.

The ED case against Deshmukh, who was earlier the home minister in the MVA government, and others came after the CBI booked him in the corruption case related to allegations of at least Rs 100 crore bribe made by former Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh, who had skipped ED summons at least five times till now, had said that Singh made the allegations against him after he was removed from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The ED may question Parab about the statements it has twice recorded of jailed police officer and another accused in this case, Sachin Waze.

Waze was arrested by the NIA in the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV from near the Mumbai house of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Waze had earlier alleged in a letter he sought to submit before a court that in January 2021, Parab asked him to look into an inquiry against "fraudulent" contractors listed in the Mumbai civic body and "collect" at least Rs 2 crore from about 50 such contractors.

Parab had then rejected Waze's claims and had said he was ready to face any probe into the allegations.

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New Delhi: Hours after Haryana Police lathicharged a group of protesting farmers injuring around 10, the farmers blocked several roads and highways, including toll plazas, at different places in protest of 'police brutality'.

The farmers were protesting a BJP meet chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on the forthcoming panchayat polls when the incident tookplace on Saturday. Several protesters at the site near Haryana's Bastara toll plaza claimed to witness the action by Karnal police which left 8-10 people injured.

Though, Karnal police IG Mamta Singh clarified that mild force was used and there were incidents of stone pelting. "We used mild force because they were blocking the highway. Some stones were also pelted towards the police. Mild force was used to disperse the protesters," she was quoted as saying by PTI.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), who are protesting against three farm laws at the Delhi border, had given the call for road and toll plaza blockade till 5 pm on Saturday to protest police action and the detaining of some farmers by Karnal police, senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader Darshan Pal said.

On Saturday, several commuters were left stranded at highways routes for hours. The affected roads include the Fatehabad-Chandigarh, Gohana-Panipat, Jind-Patiala highways, Ambala-Kurukshetra, the Delhi highway near Karnal, Hisar-Chandigarh and Kalka-Zirakpur national highways. The toll plazas in Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Fatehabad, Yamunanagar, Jind, Hisar, Rohtak and others were blocked.

The use of force by the police invited severe criticism from various political parties. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala condemned the attack and dubbed the BJP-JJP regime in Haryana as the "General Dyer government".
Karnal: No one on this side of the barricade should be seen without their heads smashed, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Haryanas Karnal Ayush Sinha was allegedly caught on camera instructing the policemen to use force against the farmers who were on their way to protest against a BJP meeting being attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state BJP president Om Prakash Dhankar and other senior leaders of the party.

Around 10 people were reportedly injured Saturday (August 28) as police allegedly lathi-charged a group of farmers heading towards Karnal.

Several pictures of bleeding farmers surfaced which forced even the partys own senior leader Varun Gandhi to question the SDMs action.

I hope this video is edited and the DM did not say this Otherwise, this is unacceptable in democratic India to do to our own citizens, Gandhi said in a tweet.

Watch the video here:

I hope this video is edited and the DM did not say this Otherwise, this is unacceptable in democratic India to do to our own citizens. pic.twitter.com/rWRFSD2FRH  Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) August 28, 2021

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Yogendra Yadav shared pictures of multiple farmers having sustained injuries. He called out the police and the state government for their action.

Brutal police lathicharge on farmers in Gharonda (Karnal), Haryana. They were protesting against the visit of CM Khattar and other BJP leaders to Karnal. This is the true face of Haryana police, Yadav tweeted.

Breaking: Brutal police lathicharge on farmers in Gharonda (Karnal), Haryana. They were protesting against the visit of CM Khattar and other BJP leaders to Karnal.

This is the true face of Haryana police. pic.twitter.com/nj6HzmLlXg  Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 28, 2021

The state police drew severe criticism for the action against the farmers, and several roads were blocked at different places in protest.

The affected routes included the Fatehabad-Chandigarh, Gohana-Panipat and the Jind-Patiala highways, and the Ambala-Chandigarh and the Hisar-Chandigarh national highways.

Several protesters present at the site near the Bastara toll plaza around 15 km from Karnal claimed to have witnessed 8-10 people sustain injuries in the police action.

The police, however, said that only mild force was used as the protesters were blocking the highway, affecting traffic movement.

Citing section 144 of the CrPC imposed in the area banning assembly of five or more people, the police said they made several announcements over loudspeakers, declaring the gathering by the protesters "unlawful".

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New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (August 29) laid an unveiled attack on Pakistan and accused the country of resorting to proxy war, after losing two wars to India. He also said that a ceasefire between the two countries is successful today because of Indias strength.

In his address to the faculty and students of Defence Service Staff College Wellington, the Defence Minister, as quoted by ANI, said, "After losing two wars, one of our neighbouring countries (Pakistan) has started resorting to proxy war, and terrorism has become an integral part of its state policy. It has started targeting India by providing arms, funds, and training to terrorists."

Singh alleged that Pakistan has started targeting India by providing arms, funds and training to terrorists.

Speaking on Defence reforms in shifting National Security paradigm at DSSC, Wellington. Watch https://t.co/D3xLKGemua  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 29, 2021

Speaking on Defence reforms in shifting National Security paradigm, Singh said, If a ceasefire (between India and Pakistan) is successful today, it is because of our strength. In 2016, cross-border strikes changed our reactionary mindset into a proactive mindset, which was further strengthened by the Balakot airstrike in 2019.

"I want to salute the armed forces who defeated the neighbour (Pakistan) which has been targeting our nation," he added.

Singh said that despite challenges at our borders, citizens are confident there will be no compromise" with India's national security. The Defence Minister stated, "The belief that India would not only end terrorism on its own land but also not hesitate to conduct counter-terrorism operations on their land if needed is gradually becoming stronger.

Commenting on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Singh said the changing equation in the Afghan nation has emerged as a challenge for India. The changing equation in Afghanistan is a challenge for us. These situations have forced our country to rethink its strategy. We are changing our strategy and the formation of QUAD underlines this strategy," the Defence Minister said.

He added that the Defence Ministry is seriously considering the formation of Integrated Battle Groups amid these developments.

(With ANI inputs)

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Mumbai: Fifteen persons were injured, five of them seriously, after an LPG cylinder exploded and caused a minor fire at a shanty in Mumbai's Dharavi slum on Sunday (August 29), an official said.

Of the five persons who have suffered critical injuries in the incident, one is an eight-year-old boy, the fire brigade official said. The mishap occurred in Shahu Nagar locality of the slum in the afternoon, he said.

#UPDATE | A total of 15 people were injured, including 5 seriously injured in the cylinder blast in Dharavi, Mumbai (Visuals from the spot) pic.twitter.com/BYZLR6k1yk  ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2021

"An LPG cylinder kept just outside one of the shanties exploded and led a level one (minor) fire. Fifteen persons suffered burn injuries and they were admitted to the nearby Sion Hospital. Three fire engines that were rushed to spot brought the blaze under control," the official said, adding that police personnel and civic staff are present at the spot.

"Out of the 15 injured, 10 persons - seven males and three females - are out of danger, but five others are in a critical condition and two of them have suffered 50 to 60 per cent injuries. Those in critical condition are three males, including an eight-year-old boy, and two females," he added.

During the probe, the fire brigade personnel found that gas was leaking from the cylinder and hence it was kept outside the shanty, the official said.
New Delhi: As India looms under the threat of a possible third COVID-19 wave, the Delhi police have warned people from visiting temples on Janmashtami. The order comes ahead of Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, which will be celebrated by Hindus on Monday (August 30) this year.

RP Meena, DCP of South-East Delhi said as per DDMA guidelines religious gatherings are prohibited and strict action will be taken against those who flout these orders.

Meena told ANI, "Devotees will not be permitted to visit temples on Janmashtami as District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) guidelines prohibit religious gatherings. We urge people to celebrate festivals at their homes and not to gather at temples. Strict actions will be taken against those who will be violating government guidelines."

Earlier, the Centre on Saturday extended the ongoing COVID-19 guidelines till September 30 and asked all states and union territories to ensure no large gatherings take place during the festival season. Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said that overall pandemic situation now appears to be "largely stable" at the national level, except for the localised spread reported in a few states. "The state governments and UT administrations concerned, having high positivity in their districts, should take pro-active containment measures so as to effectively arrest the spike in cases and to contain the spread of transmission," he added.

Bhalla emphasised on following Covid-appropriate behaviour to be strictly enforced at all crowded places.

"There is a need to continue focus on the five-fold strategy -- test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour -- for an effective management of COVID-19", the home secretary stated.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Saturday logged 29 fresh coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 0.04 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department. No death due to the infection was recorded in the national capital for the third consecutive day.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan.

The conversation came two days after a suicide bombing just outside the Kabul airport killed 13 American troops and around 170 Afghan people.

"Spoke to US Secretary of State Blinken. Continued our discussions on Afghanistan. Also exchanged views on the agenda of UNSC," Jaishankar tweeted.

On his part, the US Secretary of State said he and Jaishankar discussed shared priorities of the two countries including continued coordination on Afghanistan.

"Spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today to discuss our shared priorities including continued coordination on Afghanistan and in the United Nations. Look forward to continuing to deepen our partnership," Blinken wrote on Twitter.

Separately, spokesperson in the US State Department Ned Price said Blinken and Jaishankar agreed to remain "closely coordinated on shared goals and priorities to deepen the US-India partnership."

Following the Kabul bombing, India said the attack reinforced the need for the world to stand unitedly against terrorism.

The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Pentagon on Friday said it carried out a drone strike in the Nangarhar province in Afghanistan against an IS-K planner of the Kabul attack.

India on Friday said it is carefully monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and that its primary focus is to bring back the Indians who are still in that country.
Sultanpur: In yet another addition to the renaming spree, Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Deomani Dwivedi has written a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urging him to rename Sultanpur as Kushbhawanpur.

The Lambhua constituency MLA claimed that Sultanpur was actually known as Kushbhawanpur or Kushnagri and that the name Sultanpur reminds of slavery.

Poet Kalidasa in his book Raghuvansh Mahakavyam had suggested that Sultanpur was actually known as Kushbhawanpur or Kushnagri. A few days back I sent a letter to CM seeking renaming of Sultanpur, Dwivedi was quoted as saying by ANI.

The name of Kushbhawanpur was renamed forcefully. What is wrong in changing the name which reminds us of slavery, he added.

He had raised the demand in the state assembly back in 2018 as well.

Sultanpur Municipal Council chairperson Babita Jaiswal has claimed that the Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to rename the district as Kushbhawanpur after Lord Ram's son Kush.

A proposal to this effect was passed in a meeting of the council on January 6, 2018 and was sent to the government, Jaiswal said.

A memorandum to change the name of the district was handed over to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit here about three months ago and he had assured that it would be done soon, she claimed.

Also Read: Aligarh to be renamed Harigarh: Zila panchayat sends resolution to UP govt

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New Delhi: Amid the Afghanistan crisis, the head of the Taliban's political office Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai has called for good ties with India. During his 45-minute-long speech on Friday (August 27, 2021), Stanikzai touched upon several subjects like the formation of an inclusive government, and ties with regional countries like Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The speech which was delivered in the Pashto language was the first one by a top Taliban leader since the fall of Kabul on August 15.

Stanikzai said, "India is a very important country in this part of the world. We want to keep good business and diplomatic relations. Our business with India is through Pakistan and we want that road to be kept open."

He also mentioned that the Air Corridor should remain "open" and highlighted that the group gives "due importance" to their political, economic and trade ties with India.

"We want these ties to continue. We are looking forward to working with India in this regard," Stanikzai added.

The India-Afghanistan Air corridor was started in 2017 and has seen Afghan fruits getting market on Indian soil. It has been one of the most lucrative air corridors that Afghanistan has had with any country.

During the speech, the head of the Taliban's political office also mentioned the role of Chabahar port in Iran and extended support for it. The port, which has huge Indian investment, has been key for India's westwards connectivity especially to Afghanistan.

Stanikzai also mentioned the TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia Pipeline (TAPI) project and pointed to its importance to Afghanistan. He noted that traders should use Chabahar and there will be no barriers towards trade via the port.

On government formation, the Taliban leader said consultations are on with different ethnic groups and the group is "committed to forming an Islamic government in which all people from different walks will be included".

Meanwhile, Kabul witnessed another loud explosion as a rocket struck a neighbourhood northwest of the international airport on Sunday (August 29). As per the latest updates, a rocket struck the Khuwja Bughra neighbourhood and has killed a child.

US officials have also said that the United States carried out a military strike on Sunday in Kabul which targeted suspected ISIS-K militants, a group that was responsible for a suicide bomb attack outside the airport gates on Thursday. The US officials also said that they were citing initial information and cautioned it could change.
New Delhi: A 40-year-old tribal man died after he was allegedly thrashed by eight persons who then tied him to a vehicle with a rope and dragged him some distance in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Thursday morning after a road accident involving the victim and a milkman who was riding a motorcycle. The man has been identified as Kanhaiyalal Bheel, who succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the Neemuch district hospital on Friday.

According to the police, one of the accused Chhitar Mal Gurjar on his motrorcycle knocked down Kanhaiyalal Bheel of Banda village. Gurjar, a milkman, got angry as his milk got split on the road.

Gurjar then called up his friends who roughed up Bheel, tied him to the rear side of a vehicle and dragged him for some distance, Verma said.

"After a video of the incident became viral, the police swung into action but by then, the accused had fled. The victim was rushed to the district hospital where he died on Friday," SP Suraj Kumar Verma said as quoted by news agency PTI.

All the eight accused were charged with sections 302 (Punishment for murder) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act, he said. Five accused have been arrested, the police informed.

The SP said the motorcycle and two four-wheelers - including a pick-up vehicle, and a nylon rope believed to be used in the crime have been seized.

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New Delhi: Facing flak from opposition parties for excluding Jawaharlal Nehru's image from a poster celebrating the 75th year of independence, the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) said the controversy over the issue is "unnecessary" as other posters being released in the coming days will feature the first prime minister.

"We are not trying to undermine anyone's role in the movement," a top ICHR official said, dismissing criticism on the issue, and added the poster was one of the many released as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

The Congress, however, questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue and demanded that he rise above his prejudices and intervene. Opposition parties had said the omission was deliberate.

ICHR, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education, has been running a series of lectures and seminars on the theme of the Independence struggle under the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebration.

"This is only one of the posters released as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. There will be several others and Nehru will be featured in them... Controversy around this is unnecessary," the ICHR official told PTI.

As part of the lecture series, the council has invited various historians and academicians to speak on different topics related to India's freedom movement.

Arvind Jamkhedkar, whose tenure as ICHR Chairman ended in March this year, said not mentioning Nehru is inadvertent on part of the council.

"It is inadvertent. Nobody can miss a person like Nehru when we talk about freedom struggle. It could be due to carelessness but definitely not deliberate. No political motives should be seen behind it. I reiterate this must not be deliberate," he told PTI.

The Ministry of Education has not appointed Jamkhedkar's successor yet.

Opposition parties had targeted the government for the exclusion of the image of the country's first prime minister from the poster and suggested that it had been done deliberately.

"Why is Prime Minister silent on omission of Nehru's picture from ICHR's celebration of India@75. This goes against all facts and authentic history. We know PM wants to obliterate Nehru's legacy, but this is unconscionable! He must rise above his prejudices and tell ICHR to fix it," said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Party leader P Chidambaram also hit out at ICHR over the controversy and said the explanation given is ludicrous.

He accused the member secretary of ICHR of bowing to hate and prejudice and asked him whether he would omit Henry Ford while celebrating the birth of the motor car or Wright brothers while celebrating the birth of aviation.

Ford was the first to invent the motor car and the Wright brothers were credited for building and flying the world's first aircraft.

"ICHR Member-Secretary's explanation for the omission of Jawaharlal Nehru from the first digital poster to celebrate 75 years of independence is ludicrous," he said on Twitter.

"After bowing down to prejudice and hate, it is best the Member-Secretary shuts his mouth," he also said.

If he was celebrating Indian science, will he omit C V Raman? After bowing down to prejudice and hate, it is best the Member-Secretary shuts his mouth. pic.twitter.com/7yNXrxeNU4  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 29, 2021

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said, "Petty politics once again! May I remind the ruling dispensation that any celebration of our nation's glorious freedom movement is ahistorical without the mention of the progressive and undeterred contributions of Nehru ji. You may omit his name, but can never erase his ideas."

Several other Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor, Gaurav Gogoi and Pawan Khera, took to social media and shared the screenshot of the ICHR website showing photographs of Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, B R Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Madan Mohan Malviya and V D Savarkar while Nehru's picture was missing.
New Delhi: Former 'Bigg Boss 11' contestant and actress Arshi Khan says that Divya Agarwal doesnt know how to respect someone, and Karan Johar is a perfect host for Bigg Boss OTT'.

"I feel Karan is fair enough as a host. Divya doesn't know how to respect someone. She thinks of herself as a queen of reality television shows. But that bubble thought of her will burst soon. If she goes ahead with the same attitude, she will be another Priyanka Jagga. No production or channel will work with her," Ashi says.

She goes on saying: "Divya will degrade herself. She is just taking Karan as Vikas Gupta who was the host of her last show, Ace of Space'. And this is her biggest mistake ever. The most irritating thing is that Divya brings in Salman Khan... She thinks Salman is asking Karan to troll her? She is such an irritating girl."

Arshi also shares her perspective about another contestant from the Bigg Boss OTT' house, Zeeshan Khan.

"Zeeshan was so loud and illiterate. Just speaking fluent English doesn't make you literate. He had a physical fight with another contestant and now he wants to come out as a victim. Really, it is sad for him and those who are supporting him," Arshi says.
New Delhi: Telugu megastar father-son duo Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan recently hosted a grand felicitation event at their residence to honour Badminton player PV Sindhu for her Olympic bronze medal win.

Sindhu, who bagged the second medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, has become the first Indian woman to win two individual Olympic medals in a row.

Many celebrities of the Tollywood industry were in attendance to celebrate Sindhu and her achievements.

Ram Charan took to his Instagram handle on Sunday and shared a video of the event.

In the video, Sindhu looked gorgeous in a purple jumpsuit as she was showered with appreciation by the guests.

Many celebrities attended the event.

Along with the video, the 'RRR' star penned a congratulatory message for Sindhu.

"Dearest @pvsindhu1 Sindhu, congratulations once again. We are all extremely proud of you. Lots of love & regards to your family. Hope you continue making India proud," he wrote.

At the event, Chiranjeevi felicitated her with a red shawl, flowers and put the medal back on her neck. He spoke about how Sindhu's winnings were no mean feat and appreciated her for the same.

Sindhu too delivered a speech of thanks for all the love, wishes and support.
New Delhi: Under the 7th Pay Commission, the Indian government approved an 11% hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for central government employees and pensioners. With the latest hike which is effective from July 2021, the dearness allowance and dearness relief have been increased from 17% to 28%.

However, in what could be another piece of good news, central government employees and pensioners could receive another 3% increase in DA and DR. If reports are to be true, then central government employees will receive DA which would be equal to 31% of their basic salary.

Previously, the dearness allowance was increased by 4% in January 2020, another 3% in June 2020, and 4% in January 2021. The central government has now started to roll out the DA hike starting from July 2021. Central government employees are now likely to get the 3% hike in DA for June 2021 under the 7th Pay Commission with their September 2021s salary.

Heres how to calculate a salary hike

Under the 7th Pay Commission Matrix, Level-1 employees receive salaries in the range of Rs 18,000 to Rs 56,900. This means that Central government employees receive a minimum basic pay of Rs 18,000. Also Read: One months salary as bonus, Rs 10 lakh lucky draw: Heres how THIS Indian firm is making employees healthy

Considering Rs 18,000 as basic pay, we can easily calculate the hike including the speculated 3% September hike that will come with Septembers salary. For that, all you need to do is calculate the 31% of 18,000. So, if your basic pay is Rs 18,000. Youll receive a dearness allowance or dearness relief of Rs 5580. Also Read: iPhone 12 buyers get 2 years additional warranty on earpiece, Apple to repair phones for free

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The month of September is going to come in a few days and with COVID-19 cases increasing in some states, there are certain changes that are going to be reality. These changes include mandatory Aadhaar-PAN linking and an expected hike in LPG cooking gas prices.

These changes will definitely have an impact on the lives of the common man.

Check the upcoming changes from September 1

PAN-Aadhaar linking

It is important to note that State Bank of India (SBI) customers must link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with their Aadhaar by September 30. Failing to do so, this would stop customers from having certain transactions. PAN card is mandatory to deposit Rs 50,000 or more in a single day. Therefore, one needs to link their Aadhaar and PAN on the Income Tax Department website.

LPG Cooking Gas Prices

The LPG cooking gas prices are going to increase in the month of September and this comes after two consecutive months of rise in prices. On August 18, LPG price was increased by Rs 25 per cylinder s whereas it was hiked by Rs 25.50 in July.

Aadhaar-PF linking

From the month of September onwards, if your UAN (Universal Account Number) and Aadhaar card are not liked then your employer will not be able to credit any money to your provident fund (PF) account. To implement it, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) had revised Section 142 of the Code of Social Security 2020.

GSTR-1 Filing Guidelines

From September, the Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) has said that Rule-59(6) of Central GST Rules for the filing of GSTR-1, will be applicable. As per the rule, any registered person who has not filed returns in Form GSTR-3B shall not be allowed to file the GSTR-1 form.

Cheque Clearance

The RBIs Positive Pay System was aimed at clearing cheques in order to verify an issuer's details for stopping any fraudulent acts. The system had come into effect from January 1.

Several banks have already adopted the new system, Axis Bank will implement the same from September 1 onwards.

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New Delhi: In yet another sigh of relief for taxpayers, the Income Tax department has extended the last date for filing of several forms required for the filing of Income Tax Returns to September 30, 2021, from the previous deadline of August 31, 2021.

An official release of the Income Tax department said, Considering the difficulties being faced in issuing and amending Form no 3, which is a prerequisite for making payment by the declarant under Vivad se Vishwas Act, it has been decided to extend the last date of payment of the amount (without any additional amount) to 30th September 2021."

On consideration of difficulties reported by taxpayers & other stakeholders in electronic filing of certain Forms under the IT Act,1961, CBDT has further extended the due dates for electronic filing of such Forms. CBDT Circular No.16/2021 dated 29.08.2021 issued. pic.twitter.com/iOadU8ImUQ  Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) August 29, 2021

The department also pointed out that the latest changes in the extension of the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) have been made under section 3 of The Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Act 2020, MoneyControl reported.

The extension in the last date for filing the Income Tax Returns (ITR) has come after several taxpayers complained of glitches in the new Income Tax portal, citing inabilities in filing ITR.

Taking note of the faults in the new Income Tax Portal, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had summoned Infosys CEO, Salil Parekh. Notably, the government had given the contract of developing the income tax portal to Infosys.

The Finance Minister has given time to Infosys till September 15 to fix all the glitches in the Income Tax portal. She has now demanded that whatever issues that taxpayers are currently facing with the current functionalities of the new Income Tax portal should be resolved by the team by 15th September, 2021 so that taxpayers and professionals can work seamlessly on the portal.
New Delhi: Pensioners' body Bharatiya Pensioners Manch has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to exempt pension from income tax to provide relief to the senior citizens in the country.

In a letter shot off to the prime minister on August 25 this year, the body argued that if the pensions of the Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies are not taxable, then why does the government levy income tax on the pension of retired employees.

Every retired person is paid pension as a superannuation fund for his/her livelihood on account of serving the nation for so many years.

"Now, the question is raised why the income tax is levied on pension (of retired employees). This is not an income for any service or work. If MPs and MLAs pension is not taxable, why our pension is taxed," the body stated in the letter.

The body in its first all-India conference held at Shirdi (Maharashtra) on July 23, 2018 has resolved that pension should be exempted from income tax. Since then, this issue is continuously being raised by this organisation with the finance minister, but there is no response from the ministry, it stated.

In the letter to the PM, the body added, "Bharatiya Pensioners Manch urges upon you to kindly intervene into the matter and direct the Ministry of Finance to consider this long pending genuine demand of pensioners. An early and immediate action with a line of reply to this organisation will be highly appreciated."

The body also stated that it wrote to the Minister of Finance on the issue on August 23, 2018, on December 14, 2018 and on February 25, 2021.

Referring to their earlier letters written to the Minister of Finance, the body said, "We are sorry to say that nothing has been done so far in this regard."

The body also referred to an apex court order where the Supreme Court had held that pension is valuable right vested in a government servant and that the right to receive pension is a property under Article 31 of the Constitution. Also Read: Aadhaar, PAN/EPFO linking facility working fine, outage reports inaccurate: UIDAI

If it is denied to an employee, a writ of mandamus could be issued to the state to properly consider the claim of the pensioner for payment of pension according to law, it added referring to the SC ruling. Also Read: Gold Price Today, 29 Aug: Gold rate falls to Rs 46,710 in Delhi, check prices in your cities
New Delhi: If youre planning for your retirement, then you can consider investing in various schemes offered by India Post Office. All the state-backed schemes offer safe and impressive returns to investors. From time to time, India Post also rolls out several new and attractive investment schemes that can secure your retirement.

For instance, the monthly income scheme (MIS) offered by the Post Office ensures a regular monthly pension to investors. In the scheme, one needs to invest a lump sum amount at once. Investments in the popular scheme also offer maturity benefits.

Post Office MIS scheme: All you need to know

The Post Office MIS scheme is currently offering a 6.6 per cent annual interest on the investments. Investors can also open a joint account in the scheme to reap the maximum benefits of the scheme.

Three investors can open a joint account in the Post Office Monthly Income Scheme Account scheme. Investors can invest in multiples of Rs 100 or Rs 1000 in the scheme. However, one needs to invest a minimum of Rs 1000 in the scheme while the maximum investment under the scheme is Rs 9 lakh.

How to get a Rs 3300 pension by investing just Rs 50 thousand?

You can receive a yearly Rs 3300 pension in the scheme by investing just Rs 50,000 in the Post Office Monthly Income Scheme Account scheme. For the total period of five years, investors receive a total of Rs 16500 as interest before maturity.

However, you can invest more money in the scheme to receive more pensions. For instance, if you invest Rs 1 lakh in the MIS scheme, then youll get Rs 6600 yearly pension or Rs 550 every month. Also Read: TikTok bans viral 'milk crate challenge' over safety concerns

Likewise, you can invest Rs 4.5 lakhs in this scheme to get a monthly pension of Rs 2475 monthly or Rs 29700 annually or Rs 148500 as interest with the MIS scheme. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: Dearness allowance may increase during festive season, check how to calculate salary hike

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Samsung is set to launch its upcoming affordable smartphone Galaxy S21 FE on September 8. The design is said to be similar to that of the S21 series.

The smartphone is expected to be launched in the next-gen foldables at the August Unpacked event. According to a Twitter tipster, the Galaxy S21 FE will be launched on September 8. A new tweet by Max Weinbach also suggests the same.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will be equipped with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S21 FE will also come with 25W fast charging.It is also said to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. It could be paired with 8GB of RAM.

The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to pack a 4,500mAh battery. However, Samsung hasnt even started teasing it officially.

This smartphone is expected to come in multiple colour options like blue, grey, green, violet, and white. As for the speaker grille, the SIM tray, and the USB Type-C port, they are situated at the bottom edge.
South Korean smartphone maker Samsung has recently unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 in India. Though the company revealed a lot of colours for both devices, it didnt see most of the new colour options in India. However, that is definitely going to change now. According to a new report, Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 in new colour options in India.

It is said that Samsung is looking to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in Phantom Silver and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in Lavender colour option in India.

1. Galaxy Fold3 5G (12+256GB): INR 149999 (Phantom Black and Phantom Green)

2. Galaxy Fold3 5G (12+512GB): INR 157999 (Phantom Black and Phantom Green)

3. Galaxy Flip 3 5G (8+128GB): INR 84999 (Phantom Black and Cream)

4. Galaxy Flip 3 5G (8+256GB): INR 88999 (Phantom Black and Cream)

The new Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with two displays. It has a 6.7-inch foldable AMOLED display that offers a resolution of 2640x1080 pixels, a screen refresh rate of 120Hz and 1200 nits of peak brightness on the inside, while on the outside, it features a 1.9-inch super AMOLED screen that offers a resolution of 512x260 and a brightness of 935 nits.

Besides that, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with a 6.2-inch AMOLED cover display that supports 2262 x 832 pixels resolution, and a 10MP selfie shooter at the top. After unfolding the device, there is a 7.6-inch foldable AMOLED panel that comes with a resolution of 2208 x 1768 pixels. It has a 4MP in-screen camera. Both the displays have a 120Hz refresh rate.

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New Delhi: The makers of Bigg Boss 15 are making the fans more and more excited with its promos and the viewers cant keep calm.

After releasing the first promo with Salman Khan, the makers are back with yet another promo where Salman can be heard talking to legendary actress Rekha and calling her Vishwasundari.

In the beginning of the promo, Salman can be seen searching for the Bigg Boss house in the forest area and looked completely confused.

Later Rekha tells him that she was waiting for him for last 15 years. Then he tells the voice that he cant find the Bigg Boss house which was supposed to be here and the voice tells him about the upcoming twist in the show.

Rekha says, This time the contestants will have to cross this forest first, then the doors of Bigg Boss house will open for them."

He was heard saying, Aap log bahut hasne wale ho, kyonki sadasya log bahut bure phasne wale hai. Sankat in jungle failaega dangal pe dangal!

Sharing the promo on Colors official Instagram account, the makers wrote, Sankat in jungle, failaega dangal pe dangal!

Kya aap ready hai #BiggBoss15 ke liye?

#ComingSoon #BB15 #BiggBoss

@beingsalmankhan..

For the unversed, Bigg Boss OTT is currently being hosted by director Karan Johar for the first six weeks on Voot Select. After the completion of the digital exclusive, the show will move seamlessly into Colors with the launch of Season 15 of 'Bigg Boss'.

"Bigg Boss OTT", which is streaming on Voot, has a 'janta' factor where the audiences give them ratings as part of their report card everyday. The new format has given the common man uncommon powers of "Bigg Boss OTT" by enabling them to handpick contestants and the contestants' stay, tasks, and exit from the show.

The show streams from Monday to Saturday at 7 pm and on Sunday at 8 pm. Apart from the episodes, viewers get 24/7 access to what's happening in the Bigg Boss house on Voot.
New Delhi: Afghanistan's capital on Sunday (August 29, 2021) was rocked with another loud explosion as a rocket struck a neighbourhood northwest of Kabul's international airport, PTI news reported. The explosion reportedly took place in the Khuwja Bughra neighbourhood.

As per the latest updates, the Kabul police has said that the rocket struck Sunday afternoon and has killed a child.

Meanwhile, US officials have said that the United States carried out a military strike on Sunday in Kabul. The official said the strike targeted suspected ISIS-K militants, a group that was responsible for a suicide bomb attack outside the Kabul airport gates on Thursday. The US officials also said that they were citing initial information and cautioned it could change.

The development comes hours after US President Joe Biden said that a terror attack is 'highly likely' at Kabul Airport. "Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," Biden said, adding that he has instructed them to take all possible measures to protect their troops, who are securing the Kabul airport.

Earlier on Thursday, an Islamic State suicide bombing outside Kabul airport had killed scores of Afghans and 13 American troops following which the United States launched a drone strike against ISIS-K members believed to be involved in planning attacks. The US Central Command on Saturday claimed that the strike took place in Nangahar province, east of Kabul and killed two people.

The Taliban have made rapid advances across Afghanistan amid the withdrawal of American and allied troops. Thousands of people have been gathering at the Kabul airport and trying to get a flight out since the Taliban captured the Afghan capital on August 15.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi: Amid the Talibans claims of entering Panjshir province, the resistance forces in the Panjshir valley on Saturday (August 28) denied such reports.

National Resistance Front of Afghanistan leader Ahmad Massouds supporters rejected the claims of a Taliban advance toward Panjshir, Tolo News reported. There is no fight in Panjshir and no one has entered the province, Mohammad Almas Zahid, head of the Resistance Front delegation told the channel.

A member of the insurgent group had claimed that the Taliban entered Panjshir without facing any resistance.

No fighting occurred, but the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan advanced from various directions without facing any resistance. The Islamic Emirate forces have entered Panjshir from different directions, Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Talibans Cultural Commission said.

Meanwhile, the road leading to Panjshir has been blocked by the Taliban in the Gulbahar-Jabal Saraj area, Tolo News said citing reports.

Ahmad Massoud, son of famous Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, and former Afghan government first Vice President Amrullah Saleh are trying to mount a challenge to the Taliban. The Taliban have failed to capture the Panjshir valley, which lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, approximately 90 miles north of Kabul. The Taliban ousted the Afghanistan government by taking control of Kabul on August 15.

Earlier, Tolo News had reported that talks were held between Taliban and Northern Alliance, the flagbearer of armed resistance on Wednesday and Thursday, which turned out to be inconclusive. "After three hours of discussion, it was decided that both delegations will share the message with their leadership and resume the negotiations to reach a durable peace in the country. It was also decided that the parties should not attack each other until the second round of negotiations," Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, a representative of the resistance front told the channel.

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New Delhi: In a bid to create communication blockade, the Taliban have suspended internet, call and message services in the Panjshir province since last evening. The Panjshir valley houses the Northern alliance, the flagbearer of armed resistance against the Taliban.

Fahim Dashty, the spokesperson of Ahmad Massoud, leader of National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, confirmed to Zee News that since Saturday (August 28) evening the telecom service has been suspended across Panjshir. Apart from mobile internet, calls and message services have also been disconnected.

Panjshir is one of the last remaining hotbeds of resistance in Afghanistan, which remains out of the hands of the Taliban. It is the stronghold of the Afghan Resistance Force against the Taliban, which is currently being commanded by Sher-e-Panjshir Ahmad Shah Massoud's son Ahmad Massoud. Besides Ahmad Massoud, Amrullah Saleh, the acting Vice President of Afghanistan, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, Defense Minister of Afghanistan in Ashraf Ghanis government and former military commanders who did not leave the country, are present in Panjshir.

Earlier, on August 23, the Taliban had sent 3 thousand Taliban fighters to the border of Panjshir to capture the valley. However, due to increasing international pressure, Taliban fighters have not yet attacked Panjshir. The Taliban claimed they want to takeover Panjshir through peace and dialogue, but now it is feared that the insurgent group can use violent means to capture the valley.

Meanwhile, as per Afghan media report, acting Taliban Minister of Higher Education Abdul Baqi Haqqani announced girls and boys will no longer study together in universities in Afghanistan. Banning co-education, girls will be allowed to study in separate classes in accordance with Islamic law.
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended Britain`s airlift out of Kabul on Sunday (August 29) and praised the troops for their mission after criticism grew that the government had been "asleep on watch" in Afghanistan.

Britain`s last military flight left Kabul late on Saturday, ending a chaotic two weeks in which soldiers helped to evacuate more than 15,000 people from the crowds who descended on the capital`s airport, desperate to flee the Taliban.

Johnson said Britain would not have wished to leave Afghanistan in this manner following its near 20-year presence there, but he said the armed forces should be proud of their achievements none the less.

"I thank everyone involved, and I believe they can be very proud of what they`ve done," he said in a video online.

Richard Dannatt, former chief of staff of the British army, said the government now needed an inquiry to establish why it was so ill-prepared for the rapid fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. "It is unfathomable why it would appear that the government was asleep on watch," he told Times Radio. "We`ve had this chaotic extraction, we should have done better, we could have done better."

Britain`s defence minister, Ben Wallace, has said around 1,000 people who were eligible to come to Britain, including former staff to the British, were unlikely to get out.

Lisa Nandy, the opposition Labour spokeswoman for the foreign office, said ministers appeared to have been completely unprepared for the speed of events and it was not clear how Afghans could now get to Britain after the airlift had ended.

"It really is an unparalleled moment of shame for this government, that we`ve allowed it to come to this," she told Sky News. Johnson said troops and UK officials had worked around the clock and in harrowing conditions to complete a mission "unlike anything we`ve seen in our lifetimes".

Speaking to the 150,000 men and women who completed a tour of Afghanistan, and the families of the 457 who died there, Johnson said they had succeeded in keeping Britain safe and in improving the livelihoods for locals there.

"It is at the darkest and most difficult moments that the Armed Forces of this country have always performed their greatest and most astonishing feats," he said of the final departure. One flight carrying troops and London`s ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, landed back in Britain on Sunday morning and further flights are expected later in the day.
Washington: President Joe Biden vowed to keep up airstrikes against the Islamic extremist group whose suicide bombing at the Kabul airport killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. Another terror attack, he said, is "highly likely" this weekend as the US winds down its evacuation.

The Pentagon said the remaining contingent of US forces at the airport, now numbering fewer than 4,000, had begun their final withdrawal ahead of Biden's deadline for ending the evacuation on Tuesday.

After getting briefed on a US drone mission in eastern Afghanistan that the Pentagon said killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate early Saturday, Biden said the extremists can expect more.

"This strike was not the last," Biden said in a statement. "We will continue to hunt down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay." He paid tribute to the "bravery and selflessness" of the American troops executing the hurried airlift of tens of thousands from Kabul airport, including the 13 US service members who were killed in Thursday's suicide bombing at an airport gate.

The evacuation proceeded as tensions rose over the prospect of another IS attack.

"Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours," Biden said, adding that he has instructed them to take all possible measures to protect their troops, who are securing the airport and helping bring onto the airfield Americans and others desperate to escape Taliban rule.

The remains of the 13 American troops were on their way to the United States, the Pentagon said. Their voyage marked a painful moment in a nearly 20-year American war that cost more than 2,400 US military lives and is ending with the return to power of a Taliban movement that was ousted when US forces invaded in October 2001.

The remains of troops killed in action overseas are usually flown back to the US via Dover Air Base in Delaware, where fallen troops' return to US soil is marked by a solemn movement known as the "dignified transfer."

The White House on Saturday did not say if Biden would travel to Dover for the troops' return. Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki, said shortly after the attack that the president "would do everything he can to honor the sacrifice and the service" of those killed.

The Pentagon released the names of those killed; 11 Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier. Twelve of them were in the 20s; some were born in 2001, the year America's longest war began. The oldest was 31.
Kabul: Britain`s last military flight left Kabul late on Saturday after evacuating more than 15,000 people in the two weeks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, ending nearly 20 years of British military presence in the country.

"The final flight carrying UK Armed Forces personnel has left Kabul," Britain`s Ministry of Defence said.

Britain on Friday had said its evacuation mission would end within hours and that its military would be unable to fly out any Afghan citizens eligible for resettlement who had not already entered Kabul airport.

"We should be proud of our armed forces, welcoming to those coming for a better life and sad for those left behind," Defence Minister Ben Wallace said after the final British flight.

Britain was at Washington`s side from the start of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan that overthrew the then-ruling Taliban in punishment for harbouring the al Qaeda militants behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. More than 450 British armed forces personnel died during two decades of deployment in the country.

President Joe Biden has set an Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. military to leave Afghanistan, while allied forces including Britain have chosen to leave before then. Britain has also suspended embassy operations in Afghanistan.

Wallace estimated on Friday that between 800 and 1,100 Afghans who had worked with Britain and were eligible for resettlement would not make it out by air, and pledged to help them if they could leave by land.

General Nick Carter, the head of Britain`s armed forces, told the BBC on Saturday that the total would be in the "high hundreds."

"People like me ... we are forever receiving messages and texts from our Afghan friends that are very distressing. We`re living this in the most painful way," Carter said.

TALIBAN COOPERATION?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Britain`s armed forces.

"I want to thank everyone involved and the thousands of those who served over the last two decades. You can be proud of what you have achieved," he said.

Carter said Britain and its allies might cooperate with the Taliban in the future to tackle threats from the Islamic State militant group. The group, enemies of both Western countries and the Taliban, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing attack just outside Kabul airport on Thursday that killed scores of people, including 13 U.S. service members.

"If the Taliban are able to demonstrate that they can behave in the way that a normal government would behave in relation to a terrorist threat, we may well discover that we (can) operate together," Carter told Sky News.

"But we`ve got to wait and see. Certainly some of the stories we get about the way that they are treating their enemies would mean it would be quite difficult for us to work with them at the moment," he added.

Johnson discussed the Afghanistan situation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday, when the two leaders agreed that the Group of Seven rich nations should take a common approach to dealing with any future Taliban government.

"The Prime Minister stressed that any recognition and engagement with the Taliban must be conditional on them allowing safe passage for those who want to leave the country and respecting human rights," Johnson`s office said.

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New Delhi: The United States (US) military forces on Sunday (August 29, 2021) conducted a second airstrike in Afghanistan within two days and said that they 'eliminated an imminent ISIS-K' threat to the Hamad Karzai International airport in Kabul.

"US military forces conducted a self-defense unmanned over-the-horizon airstrike today on a vehicle in Kabul, eliminating an imminent ISIS-K threat to Hamad Karzai International airport," Bill Urban, US Central Command spokesman said in a statement.

(General view of a residence house destroyed after a rocket attack in Kabul, Afghanistan -- Photo: Reuters)

He added, "We are confident we successfully hit the target. Significant secondary explosions from the vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material."

Bill Urban said that they are assessing the possibilities of civilian casualties, though they have 'no indications' at this time.

"We remain vigilant for potential future threats," he stated.



(General view of a residence house destroyed after a rocket attack in Kabul, Afghanistan -- Photo: Reuters)

The strike is the second carried out by US forces in Afghanistan since an Islamic State suicide bomber struck the airport on Thursday and killed 13 US troops and scores of Afghan civilians.

Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden had said that the situation on the ground remained extremely dangerous and that his military chiefs had told him another militant attack was 'highly likely' within the next 24-36 hours.

Following Thursday's suicide bombing, the US military had launched a drone strike on Saturday and targeted members of the ISIS-K group in Nangarhar Province, east of Kabul. The Pentagon claimed that the strike killed two 'high-profile' ISIS-K planners and facilitators and wounded another.

This is to be noted that the Kabul airport has been witnessing a massive airlift by US and allied forces that are trying to evacuate their citizens and Afghans desperate to leave the war-torn country since the Taliban took control on August 15.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: The US Embassy in Afghanistan cited intelligence inputs warning of a specific threat to Kabul airport and appealed to its citizens to leave the airport vicinity. US citizens are being urged to avoid travelling to the airport and avoid all airport gates at this time.

"Due to a specific, credible threat, all US citizens in the vicinity of Kabul airport (HKIA), including the South (Airport Circle) gate, the new Ministry of the Interior, and the gate near the Panjshir Petrol station on the northwest side of the airport, should leave the airport area immediately," the embassy said in a security alert.

US President Joe Biden too briefed the media on the issue, saying, "Our commanders informed me that an attack is highly likely in the next 24-36 hours." Further, he said he has instructed them to take all possible measures to protect their troops, who are securing the airport and helping bring onto the airfield Americans and others desperate to escape Taliban rule

Earlier, the British and Australian governments too issued similar warnings, with Australian officials describing "an ongoing and very high threat of terrorist attack".

The US on Saturday had launched a drone strike against an Islamic State member believed to be involved in planning attacks. The US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangahar province, east of Kabul killing two individuals.

On August 26, a suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport killed 13 US troops and nearly 200 Afghans. The attack was claimed by IS-K and US President Joe Biden vowed to 'hunt' down the prepetrators.

While, thousands of Afghan nationals are camped outside the perimeter of the airport in desperate attempts to escape on the last flights out after the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

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Kabul: Taliban has said that Washington will have no right to attack the country after August 31, following US drone strike in Afghanistan`s Nangarhar province, Geo News reported.

The Taliban-led government will stop any such attack in Afghanistan after August 31, said Suhail Shaheen, spokesperson for the group`s political office. This statement comes as the US and foreign forces are set to complete military withdrawal after a two-decades of war.

On Friday, the US had launched. This was in response to a suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 US troops and over 150 Afghan civilians. Taliban`s main spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had also condemned an overnight US drone strike against ISIS.

Pentagon on Saturday had informed that two "high-profile ISIS targets" were killed during an airstrike in Afghanistan on Friday. "I can confirm, as more information has come in, that two high-profile ISIS targets were killed, and one was wounded. And we know of zero civilian casualties," said US Maj Gen Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff For Regional Operations.

US media reports stated the ISIS-Khorasan planner of the Kabul blast, who was targeted in the US drone strike, was found in a compound in the Jalalabad area. According to CNN, the individual who was targeted was known to the US but new intelligence following the Kabul attack was firmed up to give justification to target him.